The Heir of Kings

Chapter Nineteen: Battle Plans

They found Steward Benarus in a long room in the manor. It had violet drapes and many officers around him. Marn, Aunt Pan, and Tanith were all sitting at a long, rectangular table. The windows were clear and more extensive than was defensible. Apparently, she had been joking about the firewood, at least. But she looked pleased with herself nonetheless. Sir Frederick was on the other side of the table, hands clasped together, looking grim.

Relma had heard this place had once been a dining hall where Benarus and his brother, Cervan, had grown up and eaten. But those days passed, and Cervan had a bitter enmity with Benarus before his death.

Benarus stood up and welcomed them, raising arms to either side. "Aren, Pandora, thank Elranor, you've returned. Telix's forces are about to force the issue. Our sorcerers report that the trees are gathering their power."

"The trees?" asked Aren.

"Yes," said Benarus. "They must have subverted the spirits of the land."

"This is worse than I thought," said Aren. "If Wrynncurth were planning to launch an attack, these are the signs."

"We can still negotiate. We have our prisoner," said Aunt Pan.

"We can," said Aren. "The real question, though, is what terms we'll want."

"The terms are only too clear," said Argath. "Telix is to depart these lands, never to return. Those he has corrupted will be released and returned to us where we may heal them."

"Argath, I understand your fervor," said Pan. "But I can't ask that. Telix will never sacrifice everything he's gained simply to spare his son. And Wrynncurth won't cooperate with those terms.

"Much as it leaves a foul taste in our mouths, we must compromise."

"And what of the girls he has corrupted?" asked Frederick. "Twisted into mockeries of their former selves? One of us within this room escaped that fate?" He looked to Relma. "I am glad you survived, milady."

"So am I," said Relma with a sigh. It hadn't exactly been easy.

"They're only commoners, Frederick," said Benarus. Why was he so quick to dismiss them? Surely, Benarus' feud with Cervan had been about commoners as well. Then again, it had been much more than that. Cervan had many of his minions driven out by Telix, and they had been far worse.

"They are people," said Frederick, shaking his head. "Their souls formed from the same source and will be bound to the same fate as their master, should he corrupt them."

"Surely Lord Elranor will understand if it was unwilling," said an officer.

"Um, it isn't unwilling," said Relma.

"What?" said Benarus.

"Telix uses magic to lull people into a daze," said Relma, remembering his spellwork. "Then he gives them a choice whether to leave or become part of his pack. A lot of them accept. The others, he lets go."

There were murmurs of horror among the officers. Benarus raised a hand for silence, and it was obeyed. "I don't like it any more than you do. However, the truth is that my nobles don't care much if a few village girls disappear. Not enough to risk an all-out war with dragons."

"It doesn't matter," said Tanith, leaning back in her chair.

"What doesn't matter?" asked Benarus.

"It doesn't matter what kind of deal we reach with Telix," said Tanith, spinning a knife into the air and catching it. "He's a son of Baltoth. His word is worthless. He'll turn on us the moment we give Ajax back. So we should hack his head off and put it on a pike.