Engines & Demons - The Undestined

Chapter 14ii

The sun was sinking in the west by the time Klinberg's Pride-commanders had gathered in the map room. The Steward was forced to partially lower the shields to cover the high western windows and obstruct its brightness from the eyes of the assembled knights and Council members. The heavy plates of metal were left high enough to allow a band of the sun's light to scythe through the room's lower half and across the oval map table, picking out its finely wrought detail and casting long shadows across its sculpted contours. Chief-communicant Vennar, standing with the other Council members, gazed down happily at the God's view of the Order's lands, while beside him, High Madriel-master Sprak squinted furiously in a bright beam of light that reflected harshly from the polished surface of the western marches. In the west, the sun would be shining bright on the same marshes that the green glass had been worked to represent.

The land beyond the great-bailey had now been searched from that far border, all the way to the river Siceria in the east, and from the river Rhebus in the north to the Faulker in the south. All day the soldiers of Klinberg had travelled the corridors, rooms and battlements of the fortress, but neither sight nor scent of any other assassins had been found. Sir Kralaford had not expected there to be, but if the concern that the motive for his attempted murder had not been discovered, he was vigilant in his efforts not to let his disquiet be displayed openly. A motive could be easily surmised, of course, and the timing of the attack was unlikely to have been a coincidence.

The heavy door of the map room swung open and Pride-commander Galder strode through, still dressed in his travelling clothes, coated in dust from his ride south. He walked to the Grand-commander's empty chair, slowly drew his sword from its sheath and lifted the curved blade up to his face, before bowing his head so that his greying hair touched the metal. Beneath his hair, his angular features were like a wind blasted cliff, the heavy line of his brow flat above grey eyes, their paleness piercing, as he acknowledged the other knights in the room.

In recognition of his seniority, he inclined his head a fraction to Sir Unsaethel, who was reclined in his chair beside the empty seat of the Grand-commander. He then regarded each of the other knights in turn until his eyes finally rested on Sir Kralaford.

"Commander," he said. "I am pleased that you live. Word reached me that we have had assassins within our walls."

"Indeed," replied Sir Kralaford. "But I have survived them."

"You must give my compliments to your wife."

"I will, Commander," replied Sir Kralaford, choosing to ignore the slight.

Sir Galder frowned and looked around at the assembled Council members, who had retreated from the map table and were now seated on the hard benches that lined the room's walls.

"Greetings, Masters and Councillors," he said. "Though I do not understand your presence here; this Chapter meeting was called as a military assembly."

"You called for a meeting of the Chapters," replied Council-master Hepskil, from where he sat in the group's centre. "But it was Commander Unsaethel who called for the attendance of the Council."

Sir Galder turned his grey eyes to Sir Unsaethel. The senior Pride-commander straightened in his chair, showing no discomfort at the hostility of that glare. For once, he had foresworn his customary faded garments for a fine tunic of green and black check, and his greying hair was combed and clasped at his neck with a circlet of dark metal. When he spoke, his voice was measured.

"Our Order is not currently at war, Commander, so the situation in the north is not yet a military issue. Therefore, it is the Council's right to attend this meeting."

Sir Galder stepped towards the map table.

"An army is at our border! Of course it is a military issue, no matter how you attempt to tangle it in words of procedure and precedent. This fortress' replies to my previous messages make it clear to see that this Order is unable to understand the seriousness of the situation!"