Fire Angels

Chapter 11 Part 1 Reunion

Dion and Tomas find out the fate of those left behind to face the witch hunters.  

Part 2

Politics

Chapter 11

The White Tower of Lammerquais had originally been built as a fortress on the shores of Lake Lammer. It was a great square castle with towers on all four corners. When it had been first built 300 years before, the Sercels had been robber barons out of Gallia, who had taken advantage of a period of civil unrest to "acquire" land in the area. Since then their hold on middle Moria had only strengthened. It was helped by the fact that Lord Sandor's grandfather had been a very clever engineer. He had built locks at the place where the river Amer flowed in to Lake Lammer enabling barges to come straight into the lake. Goods could come all the way from Borgon and cross to the other end of the lake thirty miles away without once having to be unloaded. The Sercels had become immensely rich on the tolls and tax they had levied on this lucrative trade and Lammerquais had become the most important city in Central Moria.

Two magnificent buildings had been added to the original white fortress; wings that stretched out on either side of it. These had no defensive function at all. They existed only to impress onlookers with the Sercel's wealth and the strength of their hold on middle Moria, which they did admirably.

When our little group had finally been dismissed by the Duke, I discovered that the inside was as impressive as the outside as Lucien Sercel led us through the low white archway that connected the castle with the left wing. Beyond was the most magnificent hall, its walls hung with brilliantly colored tapestries and handsome paintings. The ceiling rose in elegant arches above us and each cross beam carried a beautiful chandelier of colored glass. I fell behind looking at it all and had to scamper to catch up.

I caught up with the men as they began to mount the great staircase, just in time to hear my brother saying,

"And to think Dion told me the Duke of Gallia disliked her. Honestly Dion you're hopeless. Angels would weep."

"Well I really thought he didn't," I said knowing I sounded defensive.

Shad cast me a sympathetic look over his shoulder and so, to my surprise, did Lucien Sercel. He and Tomas seemed to have completely forgotten that they had been hitting each other last time they had met and were acting like the best of friends. I could only imagine that this was one of those wonders of family life.

"Now Tomas," said Lucien softly. "Men in the Duke's situation have great need of friends. Especially friends who are powerful mages. It is enough to make them overlook any past displeasure."

"Humph" said Tomas. "All I know is that my sister has no more sense of her own worth than a new born lamb and this just proves it."

Lucien changed the subject.

"Lammerquais is crowded at the moment. The Duke has bought a large army with him. All the noble commanders and Lady Julia and her entourage are housed here in the tower. And Blanche Shomnee."

"Shomnee! Not the electors of Southern Moria, Shomnee."

"The very same. Rumor has it that no men of the Shomnee line survive and that Lady Blanche herself is next in line for elector. She came to the Duke after the battle of Glassybri and threw herself on his mercy. Interesting, no? I suspect she's been told to get some kind of amnesty for Hierarch Jarraz, who is her uncle in return for her vote. But she's only 17. Apparently she's waiting for some kind of negotiator to help her finish the deal."

"You mean the Duke is going to make a deal with Jarraz?" cried Shad.

"Don't worry," said Lucien, clapping Shad's arm companionably. "It won't be more than some kind of free passage to exile. The Duke is determined to take the south from the Burning Light, to stop them handing it over to the Patriarch. Have you heard that he's invaded Moria?"