Prince of Time

Chapter Ten - Tomorrow

Tobiah was at the dinner table before them, sitting with ease in a high-backed chair, dressed in deep green fabric. The barbarian look hadn’t left him, though. Even dressed like a prince, he still looked as if he belonged amongst tribal wars.

“Sit,” he commanded.

They sat around the table, Maple and Nicanor automatically taking seats either side of Tobiah. Zeno and Pepper contrived to sit as far away from the prince as possible.

“I’ve decided to trust you,” he announced. “Because, frankly, it’s less boring this way. And I may need you later on.”

“Need us?” Pepper’s tone was hostile. “What do you intend?”

“Later,” Tobiah grinned. “First, I want you to understand what we could be dealing with here.”

They all sat waiting, for none of them had any great ideas about politics.

“One,” Tobiah counted on his fingers. “Relationships have been frigid between us and our dear neighbours over the borderline. When father was young and just getting married, his younger brother died. The younger brother was the gift bearer. As the gift ensures our independence, our close friends and cousins made a move to reclaim our lands.”

He glanced around to see if everyone was taking this in.

“There was some precarious political business and, thankfully, I was born before we could go into open warfare. So you can thank me for the fact that you’re alive. You’re welcome.”

Maple gritted her teeth but didn’t argue.

“Two,” Tobiah continued, “there is talk of uprising in the north. What we often call the Lesser Races – the bitter descendants of our once-proud contestants – have been making noises again. As far as we know, we are safe. However, if an alliance were to be formed or if the wandering dark magicians should reach them, we have major trouble on our hands.”

“You mean the little people?” Ane wrinkled her brow. “The goblins and dark elves and hybrid races and renegades?”

“The descendants of those, yes,” Tobiah repeated, patiently. “Every so often, they speak high words of revolution and power. Should they think to unite, or should black magic become involved, we face a serious threat from them.”

Ane nodded understanding but she still looked unconvinced. Maple could see her point. They had been brought up knowing that the Lesser Races, also known as the little people, were sad and cruel and bitter, but harmless and inferior.

 “Three,” Tobiah took a deep breath. “The Master of Magicians spoke of a great power, great enough to touch minds and corrupt the incorruptible. There is darkness in the north beyond all that we know. This threat could be nothing we can comprehend.”

There was a brief, weighted silence.

“So,” Nicanor laid his hands down flat on the table. “Those are our options? The nobles of Harian, the little people or something evil and beyond all our knowledge?”

“Yes,” Tobiah said, simply. “Those are the only conceivable options.”

“I hope it’s the little people,” Nicanor shook his head. “I can think but I’m not politician and a nameless power, with strength inconceivable…”

“Is unfortunately the most likely option,” Tobiah completed for him. “I do not believe that my friends and tutors were corrupted by words alone, if at all. The power has power beyond known power. He can slay at will.”

“So we go and kill it,” Nicanor declared.

“So we eat dinner,” Tobiah corrected. “I skipped lunch.”