Return of the Stormcriers

CHAPTER 26 - THE JOURNEY BEGINS

The soft light of morning had only recently begun peaking through the bed chamber, softly illuminating the room with soft blues, peppered by hints of yellow when Matt awoke to Will gently shaking his shoulder. The young noble offered a faint smile as Matt's eyes cracked open, welcoming him sympathetically back from the world of dreams Matt had lost himself within. Behind Will, Anthony pulled a shirt over his head before busying himself with a bag that Matt had not seen before. He groaned quietly wondering just how long he had been asleep after his long night wandering the manor.

"I apologize for waking you so early," Will said gently, "Hal believes he has discovered where Moonshadow is travelling and we must leave quickly if we hope to intercept him."

"How did he discover the whereabouts of a supposedly untraceable assassin that swiftly?" Matt asked, once again genuinely perplexed at the man's uncanny efficiency. He was truly the master of his craft. Matt could not help but wonder what the man could accomplish if he turned his obvious talents to a focus other than crime.

   "Lady Reyna brought bags filled with supplies for Anthony, Sylvia, and I as we did not have packs of our own as you do. One of the soldiers accompanying us will evidently be carrying our rations so we have no need to pack our own," Will continued, doing his best to get Matt caught up on the events he had slept through.

"How are you two holding up?" Matt asked as he sat up and slipped his feet into the shoes that sat waiting to the side of his bed. He studied their faces carefully for a reaction to his words, he knew it was an almost impossible question to answer, but he wished he had been around someone who would have asked him after he lost his family. Anthony's face darkened momentarily with rage before he quickly composed himself, while Will's face remained as inscrutable as ever while he contemplated the question.

   "At least one, if not both of the princes are dead, which robs me of the chance to avenge our father's death in full," Anthony said sourly. "I swear to you, the moment the resistance lends their aid I will reenter Riftwater and run Lieutenant Ericsson through with my own sword. I will take back the city that is my birthright to rule." His voice held strong with such conviction that Matt did not doubt for a moment that Anthony would go to whatever lengths necessary to fulfill his oath. He turned his gaze to Will, but Anthony's younger brother's face was as inscrutable as ever.

   "With Nathan dead and Alexander missing, it is a shame that ours were not the faces of vengeance the princes faced before their deaths," Will said simply with a hint of real anger coloring the edges of his words for the first time since Matt had met him. "That being said, I am keeping my focus on our task at hand. I believe it would be foolish to underestimate this assassin; one does not build up such a fearsome reputation unwarranted." Matt turned to Anthony, remembering how confidently he had sounded the day before when he assured him that no matter how skilled an assassin was they could not stand up against three stormcriers and a sorcerer. The young Duke colored slightly at his brother's words, evidently remembering his statement as well.

"I agree that caution is appropriate, but can we really believe that this Moonshadow will be a threat to our combined forces? This assassin makes his living skulking in shadows, killing victims who often may not even be aware they are on his list. In a fair fight I find it hard to believe he would last more than a minute or two," Anthony pressed, somewhat defensively.

"I admire your confidence brother, and I will follow your orders however you decide to proceed, but I will always advise caution in all things. This is not a thought exercise our tutors have given us, a real war is coming to Verden, and every decision you make will carry with it life or death consequences, not just for you but for others as well. You are a duke now, one of nine that serve as the highest level of authority in our kingdom outside of the High King, which is at the moment a title without a bearer. People will be looking to you for leadership," It was striking how similar Will's words were to Matt's discussion with Duke Carter the night before. The young noble was remarkably mature for his age; his mind old before his time. Anthony bowed his head and nodded, appearing sufficiently chastised forcing Matt to stifle a chuckle. Moments such as this made it difficult to remember that Anthony was in fact the elder of the two Sterling brothers.