Sorrow Awaits

December 27

Today I told King Ardythe of the friction pervading our seas. It did not go as well as I had hoped, though I'm not sure I really thought it through properly.
I brought the captain's letter to Ardythe first thing in the morning. He was just rousing from his position at the bedside of his deceased son. This should have been the first clue that this was not the time. His eyes were blood shot and his breath smelled of stale liquor. The king climbed to his feet, took the letter, and lumbered across the room to the fresh fire. He read the letter slowly before crumpling it into a ball and tossing it into the flames.
“You deal with it,” he murmured, his voice still thick with sleep and alcohol.
“My lord, it is beyond my duties and abilities to handle a military situation. If you would like I can convene your generals.”
“I DON'T WANT MY GENERALS!! I WANT YOU TO DEAL WITH IT!” he shrieked at the top of his voice. I tried not to flinch, but I don't think I was very successful. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the healers jump as they worked to remove the body.
“I realize you are distraught, my lord, but this...”
“You know nothing! I lost my son. My only son!”
“May I remind you, my lord, that I have lost three children in my life time. I know...”
What was I thinking? I should have kept my mouth shut, bowed, and gotten the hell out of there! Instead I took the blow to the face and staggered against the hot hearth, nearly falling into the fire.
“Get out,” growled the king before slumping against the mantel and staring into the crackling flames.
I wanted to argue, but for the first time today I chose to do the wise thing, and left.
Now what? My job is to order goods, supervise the servants, over see entertainment, and keep up accurate records. The state of the military and the kingdom's foreign relations are far beyond my scope of abilities. I needed help and I needed it now.
Only now I didn't have the captain's letter.
I made quick tracks out of the castle, flinging away requests for my attention as though they were flies darting around my head. I didn't have time to stop and sort out squabbles between laundresses or arrange the evening's entertainment—not that there should be any on this sad day. As the sun crested the mountains I heard the sound of the castle bell toll, loud and mournful.
Now the city would know that the prince had died during the night.
At the stables I ordered a horse to be saddled for me and was presented with an old nag more ready to be turned into dog meat than to bear me across the rambling city. Evidently they remembered my general lack of equestrian skills. The nag would be calmer than the destrier they gave me last time, but it would also be slower.
Perhaps this would be the time to tell you a little about Bathum City which surrounds the enormous castle. Bathum is a costal city that deals in fish and finished goods such as silks, furniture, or jewelry. It is the largest city in the Island Nation with a variety of people residing within it's tall walls—from wealthy nobles and merchants to the lowly whores and gutter children lining the streets, begging for coin.
I mounted the old nag and made my way pass the inner wall and into the city proper. General Jehan lived a few miles outside the city walls on a large estate. Though his father, the general to bring about our freedom from Odrar, had brought his family into wealth, Jehan had extended their holding through wise investment and thrifty transactions. Now Jehan spent these peaceful years training new soldiers and enjoying his wealth.

Despite being born in a time of peace, the old general had taught Jehan everything he knew about the arts of war and strategy. For a nation devoid of people who experienced the last war, we could only rely on those well educated, and that lead me to Jehan.

His high gates were open and I rode right up to the enormous doors of his house. It was almost a castle in its own right, made of stone and at least three stories tall with one tower for the guards to spy upon his vast acres. A man servant appeared and took my horse, directing me to the main hall.

I found Jehan sitting behind a large table covered in paper, books, writing sticks, and stoppers of black ink. He looked up as I entered and rose with a smile on his face.

If only he knew why I had come.

The general insisted I sit and take refreshment before I began my story. I obeyed as quickly as I could.

When I told him of the recent encounter with an Odrar ship and the captain’s actions, he grunted and nodded. I went on to explain the current predicament with the king's current state of mind.

“Wait! The prince did die?” he grumbled as he adjusted the fox skin he had draped over his broad shoulders for warmth.

I belatedly realized he would not have heard the early mourning bells this far from the castle. I nodded and told of the prince's last hours; it was a sad and miserable story to tell.

The general rumbled deep in his throat before waving for me to continue. Once I had finished telling the happenings of the last twenty-four hours and how they had brought me to him, he sat quietly, swirling his mulled wine in his mug until it nearly spilled over the edges.

I sat, trying to be patient. What made Jehan a good leader and our best hope for a real general was his ability to stop and think through a situation if time allowed. Truth be told, I didn't feel like time did allow at the present moment, but I trusted him to know better than me.

Finally he spoke. “I will come to the castle. Have a room prepared for me. I think I shall be needed too often in the days to come to be traveling back and forth.”

He seemed to notice my apprehensions. I was sure hoping he would say more in regards to the present crisis. Evidently he noticed something in my look.

“You did right, Marcys, in coming to me. Captain Ellis will keep an eye on the enemy ship until I have had a chance to look over our ship placement. I will be within the walls of the castle by dinner time. For now, let the king rest and we will approach him in a day or two, once I have had a chance to review our current situation.”

I nodded slowly, letting his words sink in, before setting my mug down and leaving.

I just hope he's right and that we're not too late to avoid a war with Odrar.

We shall see.

Marcys