Kingdoms of Caelum; Autumn of the War Queen

Chapter 16

Ragan had always been viewed by the Clan heads with caution and suspicion and, dare he say, an air of hate and fear, throughout his cruel and merciless reign as Chief Justice. Many men had cursed him and aired their thoughts, but Freid Olaf was a ginger haired old fool who had taken his views a step too far. Freid wore his wolf coat-of-arms as proudly as if the Six Kings had rose from the dead and declared him King of Caelum. A proud old fool, Ragan thought venomously, but that did not justify Freid's defiant decision of refusing to attend the naming ceremony that would see Ragan become the official Chief of Clans.

"I'll pour boiling oil into his eyeballs damn him!" Ragan screamed in his chamber to one of his loyal men who had brought the message. Ragan knew that Clan loyalty was paramount if his future plans were to be successful, and for the head of the Clan of Lupus to decline attendance to his naming ceremony? Well that was dangerous for Ragan. The young man stood nervously and watched Ragan pace his chamber. Ragan stopped dead before the man in his doorway and stared hatefully into his eyes.

"Do you believe the Clans will rally to support me?" he asked, not blinking. The young man shuffled uneasily.

"My Lord, I believe they will in time."

Ragan stared some more, then gradually the blood began to leave his face as it became less flustered with rage. He stroked his greasy black hair backwards behind his ears.

"I will be down shortly", he said quite calmly. The man nodded and left hastily. Ragan watched the door close behind him and stood for a moment. He had a part to play now and he must do it well: the reluctant heir; the brother in mourning; the Chief of Clans that understood their objections and their suspicions; the leader that would give them time to adjust. Of course it was a part he had rehearsed many times in his twisted mind. He straightened out his fine woollen tunic and, although he would never have the need for chain mail like Hallvarder had, it looked well on him. He had also had commissioned a brand new silver breast plate with the Bow and Arrow of Adalard engraved beautifully on its surface. The whole Clan of Adalard had been invited; over three hundred men and most of them were loyal to his cause, a cause that would see them all rich and powerful beyond their wildest dreams. The few men that knew his real mission backed him all the way and could help manipulate the rest; he smiled at the fleeting thought as he slipped on the plate. He tested the weight and walked the length of the room. As he clunked clumsily, with every step he began to feel empowered again and the anger of Freid's public humiliation began to feel less important. The last piece of clothing Ragan put on was a great fur coat. Bear. Finished with his own golden clip it sat hauntingly upon his shoulders. It had been Hallvarders. The only surviving article along with the sword that the scouts had salvaged from his chewed up body and it was several sizes too big, dwarfing his thin frame, but he didn't mind. Ragan's nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply looking in the mirror, and smiled again as he left the room.

Listening to his own footsteps echo down the circular staircase, Ragan thought of nothing but exaggerated glory. His mind worked out seemingly impossible scenarios in his head; the fall of Fortis and Thurlstone, the burning bodies of the Rakshasha's in Lieulf, thousands of people begging him, loving him, fearing him; enemies destroyed. Yes he would remember all his enemies when the time came and it all started now. His next move would be his return to Fortis, and he would be so much closer to his goal.

By the time Ragan entered the great hall his imagination was running wild and his ego exalted to a new and dangerous high. He looked down over the balcony and at the many hundreds of faces crammed into the room: a mass of red flags, cloaks and shields all with their own arms upon them; Adalard, Briarus the Mountain, Maynard the Shield, Corwin the WhiteCastle. But no Wolf. Oh yes, he thought, he would remember all his enemies.