Prisoner 23 & 24

[maderr]

Chapter Twenty Three

“I’m going to get something to drink,” Sol said softly. “Do you want anything?”

Iah smiled in the dark but did not stir from the warmth of the blankets. “Only for you to hurry back.”

Sol laughed. “Of course.” He slide from bed and slipped into breeches and linen shirt, slipping on ankle boots rather than his normal knee-high. The castle was quiet; almost eerily so. He knew there was a night staff, but at the moment it seemed as though not a single soul save him was awake. Sol wasted no time in reaching the kitchen and retrieving a drink -- and at the urging of the kitchen maid, a late night snack.

Strange that he’d woken, there seemed to be nothing amiss. Everything, for the moment at least, seemed peaceful. Perhaps it was only that he did not know how to relax. Sol wished he could believe that were true.

Humming softly, Sol reached his hallway – and stopped. He had closed the door before leaving. It was now wide open and light from the lamps spilled into the hallway. When he’d left, only the fire had been ablaze.

A sick, heavy feeling settled in his stomach as Sol dropped his wine and pastry and ran for the room. For the first time since he’d destroyed the last of it, Sol felt and regretted the lack of arcen in his system.

Iah lay on the floor, far too still. Sol knew he was biting back sounds of pain, and could see the dark stains on the floor beneath him. He wondered how long Iah had to live.

“Tawn.”

“Dear Brother-in-law,” Tawn said, moving around Iah and closer to Sol. “I’ve been sent to retrieve two stars.”

Sol barely kept from letting his dismay show, as a thought struck him too late. “You already killed Beraht?”

“The peasant? I’ll take care of him later.”

He drew closer and Sol recoiled. “What have you done?”

Tawn’s eyes were a rich, dark red. The exact color of an arcen flower in full bloom. It was a beautiful color; women attempted to match it in their apparel, and jewels of the same color were highly sought. But in eyes it was a color of madness.

“On the contrary,” Tawn said. “I am better than ever. Complete mastery.”

“Complete mastery, yes,” Sol replied. He had to end this quickly, or Iah would not live. But Tawn could kill him all too easily and without arcen he had no way to counter. Not even a dagger and he was not stupid enough to think he’d get close enough to break Tawn’s nose a second time. Sol tensed for the inevitable. “But it is not you who is the master.”

Tawn laughed, but Sol noticed when the laughter flowed into a spell.

Razor it was called, for the way it made the victim feel as though his skin were being sliced open. With yellow arcen, it was effective. Enough to fell a Krian if cast properly. Red could make it fare more painful, far more deadly. The fact that he was alive made it clear that Tawn intended to toy with him. The spell struck twice, thrice, and Sol crumpled to the ground.

He should have gone for help, and cursed himself for giving into panic like a green soldier. Foolish. He tried to cry out, but another spell made the floor move dizzily beneath him. Sol fought it, attempting to regain himself, drawing upon all he knew about arcen-induced magic.

Suddenly he felt sorry for the Krians, really and truly sorry. For years they had gone up against not one but two magic-capable races with nothing more than steel. Krians did not have magic to soothe the force of a blow, to numb pain. Even while living in the Winter Palace, he’d always had some measure of arcen in his system.

Blood dripped and trickled from a dozen wounds or more – deep enough to cause excruciating pain but not quite bad enough to kill. It hurt.

No wonder the Krians hated magic.

Sol waited, bleeding, as Tawn approached him.

Tawn laughed. “You’re as vulgar and pathetic as the rest of them now. Even your lover could not put up a fight. At least the Krians have some means of fighting back.”

Snarling, Sol threw himself up, toppling Tawn, screaming as loudly as he could and fighting to keep Tawn from speaking. His vision swam, but Sol kept it up until he heard people enter the room.

He looked up to see Dieter and Beraht, both only half dressed. Dieter’s sword shimmered in the light of the fire and lamps. Sol slid to the ground and Tawn broke free. Distantly Sol heard as Tawn attacked the new arrivals, wincing. He looked up in time to see Dieter shove Beraht aside and raise his sword – and deflect the misshapen air that was the only visible sign that a spell had been cast.

Then Dieter was moving, and if Tawn was hurting him, he gave no sign of it. The two men fought around the small space, table and chairs treated as little more than minor annoyances. Sol didn’t struggle when Beraht finally reached him and helped him up. They made their way slowly toward the fire, and Sol collapsed fearfully alongside Iah.

Dieter was driving Tawn back into a corner, barely seeming to notice the spells tossed at him, ignoring the cuts and burns that were ruining his clothes. With a lunge and roar, he broke through the barriers Tawn had erected at the cost of dimming his eyes to orange-red.

Tawn fell, wounded too grievously to be able to heal. Dieter stabbed him again to be sure, and did not move until the man was unquestionably dead.

Sol collapsed.




“Stars above!” Beraht swore. He looked at the bloody corpse in the corner, Dieter’s red-stained sword, the bloody men in front of him before the fire. “Stars above,” he repeated.

Dieter looked at him. “How are they?”

“Not good,” Beraht said grimly. “Any arcen on him?” He returned the scathing look Dieter shot him. “It’s the only way! Save your lectures for when everyone is alive and well enough to put up with them.”

Though he looked as though he wanted to argue, Dieter nodded stiffly and knelt to rifle through Tawn’s clothing. He came up with three vials and tossed them one by one to Beraht, who caught the first and uncorked it one-handed while he caught the second two. “Remember the last time I had red?” he asked.

“It would be rather hard to forget.”

Beraht whistled as he held up a vial. It was viscous, the color of fresh blood. “This is good stuff. Better even than the stuff you gave me in Kria.”

“So if you start acting more hostile than usual I should do to you what I did to him?” Dieter motioned to Tawn’s body.

“Go ahead and try,” Beraht said. “For once I might actually be able to give you the thrashing you deserve.”

Dieter said nothing, but Beraht could see the smirk in his eyes. Ignoring him, Beraht downed the sickly-sweet arcen, grimacing at the underlying bitterness. Bitter tea with too much sugar that was still not enough.

Iah was in bad shape; weak and shuddering and not a healthy color at all. Beraht wondered what Tawn had been planning, to leave him alive. Nothing good, from all that he’d heard about the man. Ignoring the dizziness and nausea brought on by the arcen, trying hard to ignore how confident he suddenly felt despite the clawing need to puke, Beraht focused his mind on the magic. On not being overwhelmed this time – which was a lot easier to do when there wasn’t some rocks-for-brains bastard picking fights while people cheered for his death.

The healing spell hurt him, drawing things from his mind and body that only arcen could tap; but the red arcen was too much, too fast – but it was all he had. Beraht bit down hard on the inside of his cheeks and made him himself focus. No one else would be able to heal them.

He didn’t stop channeling the magic until Iah’s face took on a healthier color and he seemed to breathe more easily. Wiping sweat from his brow, Beraht shifted his attention to Sol. Knowing what to expect, and with the injuries much less severe, it was easier if not easy.

“It never fails to amaze me,” Dieter said as he finished.

“What?” Beraht snapped, pleased he could muster the energy for that. The fire felt too hot, the floor too hard and he really wished everyone would just go away. Especially the bastard.

“How much your country values something that clearly does nothing but kill you slowly.”

Beraht slowly stood up, not really trusting his legs but hating to be on the floor while Dieter loomed over him. “We need to move them.”

Though it looked as though Dieter wanted to argue the matter, he nodded stiffly and lifted Sol into his arms. “A different room?”

“Only you,” Beraht said in disgust, “would say it like leaving them in here is an option.” He struggled to pick up Iah, but gave up when he nearly fell over himself from a hard wave of dizziness. “You do it. I’ve done my part.”

He thought he heard Dieter laugh, but he was already out the door and Beraht could not catch his expression. A couple of minutes later he returned and took Iah. Beraht followed behind.

“Should we wake everyone up?” He helped Dieter settle the two men in their new bed, tugging up the blankets and risking a couple more healing spells to ensure that they were well and truly all right. But even with his assistance, they would not be moving any time soon.

“No,” Dieter said after a moment. There is nothing Lady Esta or the Prince could do at this hour that cannot wait until morning.”

“Esta will be mad at you.”

Dieter shrugged. “Have someone wake Kalan. He would be most useful now.”

Beraht nodded and headed for the door. “I’ll do it myself.”





“Why,” Kalan demanded with a yawn. “Do I have to be the one to deal with this?” He grimaced at the corpse in the corner of the room. “It’s far too late at night, or early in the morning, for such things.”

Dieter snorted; it almost sounded like amusement. “You’re awfully calm about this for a civilian.”

“I’ll thank you not to call me names,” Kalan said, making a face. “I more or less run the part of the army that no one knows about – how else do you think I knew Spiegel? Even Matthias doesn’t know everything I get up to. Who is he?”

“Tawn,” Beraht answered. “One of the higher in the Brotherhood – as in, he’s been given permission to use the entire spectrum.” He waved his hand in the air, as if motioning something away. “All the way up to red. It means the Brotherhood was either confident or desperate.”

Kalan sighed. “He came here to kill you and Sol?”

“Yes. A prelude of it was the pain inflicted on us the other day, when I had just recovered from the Breaking. But…I think Tawn would have come for Sol anyway. There’s a personal antagonism between them that runs deep.” He shook his head. “Spare me ever dealing with the complications of family.”

“Hmm…” Kalan motioned to two soldiers he’d brought with him. “Get rid of this. Have it burned, bring the ashes to me. We’ll return them to the Brotherhood with a polite note. Will there be more?”

“I don’t think so,” Beraht said. “At least not right away. But…”

Kalan nodded. “No one invades Illussor, not when it is impossible to pretend to be one of us.”

“So they knew,” Dieter added, looking up from the fire he’d been glaring at. “They knew Illussor magic would not be a problem.”

“Precisely.” Kalan frowned in thought, eyes narrowed with worry. “Be discreet,” he cautioned the guards. “I want no one to know about this. And it will be your heads, gentlemen, if I hear rumors flying about tomorrow.”

“Sir,” the men said stiffly as they struggled to take away Tawn’s body.

“Thank you.” Kalan grimaced. “The rest of this can wait until tomorrow. What a mess. I am glad Sol and Iah are all right. Tawn should be grateful he’s dead; Esta would have been cruel in her revenge had he lived.” He yawned again. “I think I need a drink. I’ll settle for food. Come on, let’s rouse a cook and then you can tell me everything over again and we’ll see just exactly how much damage we’re dealing with. I don’t like the sounds of the Brotherhood knowing we no longer have magic…”



“Are you certain you’re all right?” Esta asked again, clinging to her brother’s hand.

Iah sighed. “Yes, Essie. I’m certain. Now quit asking, please.”

Esta frowned, but remained silent. She shifted her attention to Sol. “How did it happen?”

“Essie,” Matthias said tiredly. “They’ve already told you four times. Let it drop.”

“First he goes off to war! Then he comes home blind! Then I wake up to find him almost dead!” Esta stormed to her feet, belatedly dropping Iah’s hand when he protested having it yanked about. “I’m sick and tired of it! When does it stop? We’re losing people to the Breaking because they won’t learn to live without it. The King barely leaves his room, you and Kalan and everyone else whisper and keep secrets, and over and over again I come close to losing my brother. Goddess curse you all!” Gathering her skirts, Esta turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Iah winced. “I’m glad you get to be the one to calm her down, Matti.”

“Coward,” Matthias said with a grimace.

Kalan grinned. “You want to marry her; best get used to it.”

“Oh, yes. Because that plan’s going so well.” Matthias sighed and slumped down further in his chair. “Why don’t we continue with the general misery and you tell me what you weren’t saying with Esta in the room.”

Beraht stirred where he stood with Dieter by the fire. “Tawn came with the intent of killing us for turning traitor. You two know better than us that sneaking into Illussor is impossible. Nor would the Brotherhood allow him to do something so obviously pointless unless they knew it could be done.”

Matthias nodded wearily. “So they knew we were without magic. But how?”

Kalan looked grim. “I received a report only just this morning that the men in the second watch tower were killed, their eyes torn out. No doubt that explains a great deal. One of the chamber maids was also found dead this morning.”

“Stars above,” Beraht said. “Does it never end?”

Dieter looked at him scathingly. “You’ve been involved long enough to know it only ever gets worse.”

Beraht ignored him.

Matthias sighed and stood up. “Depressing but true. If I had known the fallout of the Breaking would be this bad, I don’t know that I would have been able to go through with it.” He settled his cane before attempting to move, and if anyone noticed his wince, they did not mention it. “So it’s just as well that I didn’t know. Dieter, how goes the training?”

“As well as possible. Not as well as I’d like. It will take time.”

“More time than we have, I’m certain,” Matthias said grimly. “If Salhara is aware we are without magic, then I’ve no doubt Kria is as well. I’m honestly not certain which country is more problematic.”

Beraht snorted. “I’m sure they’ll fall to fighting each other long before they reach us here.”

“I think even the Polluted would find it ideal to cooperate in the name of putting down their only threat so far as magic is concerned,” Dieter argued. He slid a thoughtful glance toward Sol. “That aside, I do not think your countrymen are up to traveling in this weather. Nor do the Krians favor doing it without sufficient motivation.” A grin. “And I assure you, fighting the Illussor is not sufficient motivation.”

Matthias quirked a brow. “Not even if we’re housing their Wolf?”

Dieter laughed. “Killing me can wait ‘til Spring, I’m sure. If they bother to come for me at all.”

Beraht glanced at him, before letting his eyes return to the fire. His thoughts wandered to the Kaiser, his behavior that day in the coliseum. The rage that had surfaced when magic had taken Dieter’s sword away. For all that the bastard laughed it off, Beraht wasn’t so certain the Kaiser would so easily let Dieter get away. Hate was a harder master than that.

Shoving the thought aside, Beraht focused on more important matters. “So how much do you think they know?”

“We don’t have magic,” Matthias said. “What more is there to know than that?”

“Him, for one,” Beraht pointed a thumb at Dieter. “He’s not a universally hated bastard for nothing.” He could feel Dieter’s eyes, the urge he must be quashing to send him to the floor gasping in pain. Beraht ignored him.

Sol chuckled. Though he was obviously tired and still in pain, his words proved that his mind was as active as ever. “There is that. Certainly I would hesitate to go where the Wolf has taken refuge, in their position. I’m sure rumors are abounding that you’ve been a traitor for some time, much like I’ve been.” His eyes slid closed as he thought. “I guess we need to ascertain just where we stand, how much danger we could be facing.” He opened his eyes. “I do hope you’re right about no one risking the snow.”

Dieter nodded. “Kria would not waste time and effort, when the same could be accomplished at much less expense in the spring. No one is going anywhere until then. Especially the Salharans, who for all they complain about how pathetic we are for quitting in winter,” he said and sneered at Beraht. “Cannot take the cold at all. You never see a Salharan run faster than when the snow begins to fall.”

Beraht rolled his eyes. “Not all of us have ice in our veins.”

“Merely drugs.”

Matthias held up a hand. “Enough. The two of you could give my ministers lessons on bickering.” He started to say something more, but shook his head and fell silent. “So we need to know precisely where we stand. Any idea how we go about that?”

“Let me go to Salhara,” Beraht said, words coming out in a rush as the idea came to him. “I’ve still plenty of red arcen in my blood, a journey there and back should be easy enough and I’m good enough at—“

“Sneaking around,” Dieter interrupted.

“Going unobserved,” Beraht snapped, “that I should not have too much trouble gathering information.”

Dieter sneered at him. “Not content with your eyes, Beraht? Hoping to make them the color of blood?”

“Stars refuse you!” Beraht hissed. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“No?” Dieter’s arm snaked out and he jerked Beraht close, one hand tilting his head up and slightly toward the fire. In the light of the flames, Beraht’s eyes were a pale, glowing orange instead of the rich yellow they had been only yesterday. “Isn’t that the trick of arcen? That after a point it begins to control you? Have you not said before, Beraht, that it means a great deal to you? I think letting you go right into the heart of it would be the height of stupidity.”

Beraht lashed out, growing more furious at the realization that Dieter let his kicks land. Stars, the man was the epitome of aggravating! Would he ever be rid of him? More bitter still was the knowledge that he had no one but himself to blame for the Wolf’s presence. Stars refuse him for a fool. “You don’t know me. Don’t pretend to. You think I don’t know the risks of arcen, Krian? I don’t need to be lectured by a man who thinks himself so superior. Especially one who’s relied on arcen unwittingly for years.”

“Arcen did not give me my skills, Beraht.” Dieter’s voice was low, a sure sign of danger.

Surely by now Dieter knew he wasn’t intimidating enough to stop him. Stars, he hated the way the bastard said his name. “No, but I’m sure it explains why you’re still alive. I’m almost certain it must affect spells cast at you.”

“I assure you it does not.”

“Then how is it you didn’t seem affected by Tawn’s magic last night?”

Dieter smirked. “It takes more than a few pathetic spells to stop me.”

Neither man seemed to notice the dead silence that had fallen around them. More than once, Matthias had started to interrupt, stopping only because watching them fight was strangely fascinating, as thought it were some intricate dance.

“That was concentrated arcen, you idiot. Did the cold freeze what passes for a mind in that rock head of yours? The spells Tawn was using were probably fatal or very nearly. If they didn’t kill or even hurt you, it’s probably because your sword was absorbing or deflecting or otherwise affecting the spells he was casting. So just accept that maybe you’re as arcen-reliant as any Salharan.”

Dieter threw him to the floor. “Ridiculous. I fight often enough I would notice such a thing. As to how the spell affected me, how could you possibly tell? You don’t know me.” He turned away in disgust. “Do as you like. It makes no difference to me.” Nodding to Matthias, he turned toward the door.

Which flew open as he reached it, and Dieter barely stopped in time to avoid the soldier that burst into the room. “Highness! Highness!”

“I’m right here,” Matthias said, torn between concern and amusement.

The soldier barely remembered to bow, and came out of the motion only halfway through it. “Scarlet!”

“What?” Matthias demanded. His eyes flew to Dieter, who had gone still, then back to the soldier.

“The Scarlet Army is approaching. Watch estimates there are no less than five hundred.”

“Why?”

The soldier shook his head. “We don’t know.”

“What banner do they fly?” Dieter demanded, voice cutting across the room. The soldier jumped, and looked at him warily.

“A black one,” the soldier replied. “With your leaves.”

Dieter said nothing, merely nodded, turned, and vanished out the door.

“Hey!” Matthias called. “Wait a second!” He moved to follow his general – by the goddess Dieter was his general now – and cursed as he stumbled. Remembering his cane, ignoring Kalan’s frown, he gripped the soldier’s shoulder in thanks and went after his general.

He found him on the parapets, surrounded at a distance by whispering soldiers and a handful of nobles. “Dieter?”

Dieter did not reply, though he glanced at Matthias briefly.

“Are they here to attack?” Matthias pressed. There was indeed a large number of them, though if three hundred was correct it was paltry compared to the thousand he knew should compose the entirety of the Scarlet. Most were on foot, and they marched slowly through the deep snow. Those on horseback fared better, but not by much. Their dark red uniforms were a wash of blood on the white snow.

Matthias wondered suddenly if he had made a very big mistake. He started to voice his question again when Dieter raised an arm and pointed.

“The banner,” he said, indicating a long, black flag bearing the triple-leaf crest of the Scarlet. A reference, Matthias knew, to one of the Krian gods. In the middle would be a bear, the symbol of their Kaiser. “Were they intending harm, it would be red. Black is a show of peace.”

“Do the Scarlet know what the word peace means?’ Beraht asked from behind them.

Dieter whirled, and even Matthias recoiled at the fierce look in his jade-green eyes. “Peace is leaving the Regenbogen when winter arrives. Peace is being three days away from it, and knowing it’s okay to relax when you sleep. Do not speak to me again, Beraht.” He turned away, hands wrapping around the edge of the stone wall surrounding the palace. “I don’t know why they’re here. My men should be holed up in the Regenbogen fortress, unless the Kaiser ordered them to move. But they would not fly the black banner if that were the case…” Muttering to himself in Krian, Dieter turned away and shoved Beraht away from the stairs, descending them rapidly and calling an order for the gates to be raised.

Matthias motioned for them to obey when the soldiers looked to him. He watched pensively as Dieter waited, frown deepening as the Scarlet reached the palace wall.

A man dismounted and stalked toward Dieter and clasped hands. From a distance, their words were undistinguishable but the tone was not – whatever was occurring, Dieter was pleased by something.

Then Dieter threw his head back and laughed, and it carried far across the snow, joined by that of the man with him and more than a few of the nearest soldiers. Dieter turned and looked up. “Prince Matthias!”

“Yes, General?”

“Have you room for some guests?”

Matthias flicked his eyes out over the men, doing some quick calculations. “If they’ll earn their keep,” he called back. There should be food enough, certainly room enough, to last what remained of winter. And he had the emergency stores besides, if worst came to worst.

Dieter’s laughter spilled across the snow again, and Matthias fought an urge to smile. “Most assuredly.” He spoke rapidly to the man with him, who turned and barked orders to his companions on horseback, and then Dieter was leading his Scarlet into the Illussor palace.



Chapter Twenty Four

Matthias sat behind his desk, arms crossed as he regarded Dieter and the man beside him. What surprised him was that the man was older than Dieter by at least a couple of decades, his hair gone completely gray and face bearing just as many scars as wrinkles. He wouldn’t have thought a man so obviously seasoned in war would obey a man as young as Dieter. But the most obvious thing about him was his allegiance.

And a glaring lack of fear. Didn’t the Scarlet fear their General as much as everyone else? That had been so vehemently told that he had not thought it merely another overblown rumor. Matthias spoke, feeling and seeing the tension of the others in the room. Kalan watched the Krians pensively, and he could see Sol’s mind racing behind that still face and Iah’s shoulders hunched with worry beside him. Beraht was the only one who seemed unfazed.

“This is Colonel Reinhard Becker,” Dieter said. “One of my best men, and he’s survived long enough in the business he recalls not one but two of my predecessors.”

Matthias nodded at Reinhard.

“He reports that several days ago he was sent orders to prepare for war, and that the Scarlet would be the first wave against the Illussor. Upon learning the details of the matter, gleaned from the messenger,” Dieter’s grin left no doubt as to what precisely was meant by ‘gleaned.’ “Three hundred of the Scarlet came to warn me. The others remained behind to slow down the rest of the army.”

“I’m confused,” Kalan interrupted. “It was always my impression that your army hated you. Why would they traitor for you?”

Dieter smirked and spoke in rapid-fire Krian to his Colonel, who laughed. He turned back to Kalan. “My men are not as scared of me as everyone seems to think. That aside, they would sooner side with their General than the Kaiser who refused to acknowledge the deaths of their comrades.”

“That was only because they work for you,” Beraht pointed out. “Isn’t it kind of stupid to stay with you?”

Dieter again spoke to the man beside him, too fast for anyone but Sol to keep up, and again the man laughed. Reinhard looked at Beraht and spoke more slowly. Nearby, Sol quietly translated. “It is better to side with a General who strives to keep us alive than the man who has suddenly decided that because we wear Scarlet we should die.” He shook his head slowly back and forth. “He has become a stupid Kaiser. We would rather follow our traitor General than the Kaiser that leaves his throne only to kill his own men.”

Beraht frowned and glanced at Dieter, who stared silently back. They seemed to watch each other forever before Beraht finally tore his eyes away. “They’re as stupid as you.”

Dieter said nothing.

Matthias looked between them and shook his head. “So they will remain with us?” he asked at last. “The ministers have probably expired from outrage by this point. I can’t imagine why else they haven’t beaten down my door.” He flicked his eyes warily to the heavy oak door of his office, half-expecting it to burst open or dissolve into splinters as angry councilmen crashed through it looking for his blood.

“At least until the Kaiser is forced to withdraw.”

Beraht rolled his eyes. “I may be just a shadow-killer, but even I know what we have here cannot fight against what the Kaiser must be bringing. Even if the rest of them never seemed to do more than try and threaten you. Nor do I think you have beaten sufficient skill into the Illussor quite yet.

Dieter laughed coldly. “What I have is all I will need. Anyway, war is not what I intend for them.” His eyes gleamed with something like genuine pleasure. He looked at Matthias. “Now I have more effective means to train your men. If nothing else, they’ll inspire a riot. Even that would be remarkable improvement.”

Matthias could not help a burst of laughter. “You are promising to be every headache I anticipated, my general, but you are worth them. Do as you see fit and send me the reports and any complaints.”

“Matthias!” Esta hissed. “You cannot simply set the Scarlet loose around the palace. Have you forgotten—“

“I’ve forgotten nothing, Essie,” Matthias interrupted, unusually somber. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten that we currently have all of the Krian army, minus not quite a thousand Scarlet, headed for us and our men can barely hold their swords properly.”

“Of course not,” Essie snapped back. “But they can hardly train if they don’t trust their teachers – and why should they? Kria has been our enemy for ages, especially the Scarlet. You’re going too far, Matthias. I conceded on the point of Dieter – but the entire Scarlet? There could be traitors! Soldiers out to settle a grudge! The ministers could declare you unfit without even trying – and your father will probably help them!”

Matthias frowned. “I know what I’m doing Essie, and I have enough people telling me otherwise; I don’t need to hear it from you.”

“Matthias!”

“Duchess!” Matthias said, and Essie stopped. “I’ve made my decision.”

There was a long pause. “Yes, Highness,” Essie finally bit out, then gathered her skirts and stormed from the room.

Matthias sighed.

From a seat near a wide window, Iah offered a faint laugh. “If I were you, Matti, I’d check my bed every night for tacks.”

“Tacks are the least of my concern at the moment,” Matthias said glumly. “Now everyone leave me alone so I can get work done before I’m burned at the stake. Dieter, keep the terrorizing to a minimum for the day or you might find tacks in your bed too.”

“If I can handle Beraht,” Dieter replied, “I can handle tacks.” Nodding to Matthias, Dieter touched the fingertips of his right hand to the space over his heart before turning sharply around and stalking the room, shadowed by Reinhard.

The rest of the room gaped after him, save Beraht. “Bastard.”

“Did he just salute you?” Sol asked in disbelief.

Matthias grinned. “Of course he did. Now let me get some work done.” And he bent to the papers on his desk, not looking up until the room was empty of all but Kalan, with whom he immediately fell into business.




Dieter walked into the training ground as though it belonged to him – which it more or less did. Especially now. He looked with satisfaction at the men filling it, all of them either drilling or barking orders. On the fringes were a few dozen Illussor soldiers, their expressions a mix of hate, distrust, respect and even awe on a few less guarded. More had shown than he’d thought. He wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed that fighting hadn’t broken out. The Illussor were holding fast to their reticence on learning to fight in the Krian style.

Though he didn’t really care what language he spoke, it had always felt strange to speak something other than Krian while drilling.

As he entered, the drilling immediately fell off as his men lined up and snapped sharp salutes, right fist touched to left shoulder before they stood tall and unmoving. “Scarlet, your actions commend you.” A few grins ghosted briefly through the ranks. “Captains,” he said to the three men at the fore of the ranks. “I’ll expect your reports by sundown tomorrow. Reinhard, update me.”

Briskly Reinhard began to relate all that had transpired since Dieter’s departure of the Regenbogen, going into more detail than he had earlier. As soon as he finished, Dieter launched into what they would now be doing and though confusion rippled back and forth across the men’s faces, no one spoke. “Resume practice,” Dieter finished.

“Will you be joining us, Lord General?” Reinhard asked, then said in an undertone. “It would do much.”

Dieter grunted. “Of course. See that as we go, an effort is made to draw in the Illussor.” He motioned to the men watching with mixed emotion as the Scarlet took over their space. “The faster we can quell rumors as to your presence here, the less trouble we’ll have later. And I know at least twelve here can speak Illussor to some degree – see that they do so and teach it to the rest.” His tone brooked no argument. Stepping into the middle of the cleared arena, he drew his sword and grinned at Reinhard. “Now come, old man.”

Reinhard grimaced. “You shouldn’t be throwing old men in the dirt, Lord General.” But he drew his sword and brought it up just in time to block the blow Dieter swung, jarring his arms and sending Reinhard reeling briefly back. But he recovered quickly, and soon was doing reasonably well to stay up, even as Dieter was driving him back.

When Reinhard at last signaled defeat from where he had fallen to the ground, Dieter grinned and whirled, barking out a sharp “Next!” and immediately another soldier, dressed in a Scarlet tunic, attacked him. A half dozen soldiers came after that, and Dieter fought them all, distantly making note as Reinhard dispensed orders to his Captains, and so on down the line. When he at last called a halt to his own participation and withdrew to the wall to observe, he was pleased to see that several Illussor had been draw in – though not nearly enough.

But progress was progress.

Reinhard appeared at his side. “If even a few men choose to remain here, as I imagine they will given the options left to them now in Kria, you will need a larger practice hall.”

“Yes,” Dieter said. “How far away is the army?”

“A week from the Regenbogen, Lord General. The weather could alter that either way. Worst case, they are three days from it, putting them at two weeks or so from here. The army moves slowly under the Kaiser’s command. Your scouts report that Lady General Heilwig appears to be doing the bulk of the leading. That she is even flourishing.”

Dieter grunted, but said nothing. He watched the practicing soldiers. “How quickly can our sword smiths be ready to work? The Illussor weapons are not fit for children’s games.”

Reinhard agreed with a grimace. “Yes, they are enough to make a soldier cry. They await permission, but otherwise it will not take them more than a few hours.”

“There is plenty of room behind the palace proper, if I recall correctly. I will speak with his Highness to be sure and send you word. Have them set up immediately once permission is obtained. If there are any problems, bring them to me or ask to speak with the Duke of Ferra. Keep them drilling, and make sure the Illussor learn the Krian commands. It will be easier in the long run. Handle whatever problems crop up, unless they are bad enough to require my presence.”

“I think your men will be smart enough not to cause that much trouble, Lord General. The Illussor are a different matter, but your men won’t misbehave – not where you might hear of it, anyway.”

Dieter looked at the men on the wall. “I don’t think they’ll be much trouble, mores the pity. See how far a bit of provocation will get you, but don’t let the men go too far. I’ll expect a report first thing in the morning.”

“Yes, Lord General.” Reinhard made to salute, but was halted by Dieter’s shaking head. He watched as Dieter saluted him in the Illussor manner, then nodded and mimicked the gesture, fingertips touched to the space over his heart. “So you truly are Illussor now?”

Dieter said nothing, merely turned to go. Reinhard’s voice carried over the racket in the arena, calling all men to a halt, then saluted Dieter again so that all could see. Immediate obedience ruthlessly drilled in by the Wolf of Kria, the Scarlet did not hesitate to perform the new salute. Around them the Illussor soldiers rippled in surprise, and a few hesitantly followed suit. Dieter smiled briefly, pleased, and nodded to them all before he swept out.

He’d make real soldier of them eventually, though he wondered how long things would go as peacefully as they had. Dieter looked up as his name was called, and frowned as Kalan came bearing down on him. “Yes?”

“Want to go before the Ministers?”

“No.”

Kalan laughed. “Too bad. Matthias has requested your presence. The Ministers are, I think, mere moments from stringing him up. Come glare at everyone until they do his bidding.”

Dieter looked at him and shrugged off the hand on his arm.

“Perfect, that’s exactly the glare we need.” Grinning, Kalan turned and led the way to the Hall of Ministry.

Wordlessly Dieter followed, loosing his sword in its scabbard. The noise, when he entered, was deafening. Tits of the Winter Princess, he’d never known old men to be so noisome. It died off, however, as the ministers realized who had entered behind Kalan.

Dieter glared at them all.

“Ah, General. Thank you for coming so quickly. Assure the good ministers that you and your Scarlet do not intend to murder us in our sleep.”

“That would be the work of cowards,” Dieter said in contempt. “If our plan had been to sneak our way inside under guise of truce, you would already be dead. And why go to such trouble when you have nothing we want? Illussor has nothing Kria does not already possess in greater quantities.”

“Kria always want more land.”

Dieter looked at the man who had spoken, a spindly older man with gray hair and eyes, dressed in blue and green. Eventually the gray eyes broke away. “If you are interested in what Kria wants, ask a politician. I’m merely a soldier; I do as I am told.”

“Hardly a mere soldier, Wolf of Kria.” A man of about fifty eyed Dieter thoughtfully, and with a trace of respect. “Most men of your station are my age. Yet all in three countries know and fear your name. Prince Matthias has been careful to keep us from attacking you before now. I would know why we should believe that the Wolf of Kria has suddenly decided to become a Wolf for Illussor.”

Dieter flicked a brief look at Matthias, who merely shrugged. He turned back to the ministers, who looked like a pack of small, hungry dogs. “Kaiser Benno never held my loyalty. I have opted to give it to Prince Matthias.”

“Why?”

“That is my business, not yours.”

The Head Minister, a man with wild brown-gray hair and wilder blue eyes, slammed his fist down on the table. “You will answer our questions, General! It is only because we have been indulgent that we have not demanded you be killed or locked away. His Highness might think he’s the King, but he has a ways to go yet. If you do not satisfy our questions, then we will have you put down like the beast you are!”

Laughter rippled across the room, full of contemptuous amusement, punctuated by the hiss of steel sliding from leather. Dieter held the edge of his sword to Matthias’s neck, ignoring the slight gasp of surprise that escaped the prince, too faint for any but he to have heard it. He motioned with his free hand for the Ministers to resume their seats. He saw Kalan from the corner of his eye, but did not have to motion for him to hold his place. “You speak so dismissively of him, yet if I were to kill him you find yourselves in quite a quandary. Even if I were the villain you accuse me of being, there is nothing you can do about it. I can kill every man in this room with very little effort, and it would take a great many of your soldiers to kill me.” He slid the sword away and sheathed it; there was not a single mark upon Matthias’s skin.

“There is a saying in my country,” Dieter continued slowly. “That a poor man has no choice but to make the best of what he finds or is given.” He eyed each minister in turn. “Until you obtain someone better, you have no choice but to endure me, lest you want your people to die.” He turned, saluted the prince, and left.

Tits of the Winter Princess he hated politics. The ministers here were as annoying as every slithering noble in Kria. Dieter stifled a sigh and ignored the mixed expressions of the people he passed in the hallway.

“General!”

Dieter grit his teeth and turned to face Kalan. “What now?”

“I need to convince you and Sol both to become ministers.”

“Never.”

Kalan only grinned. “Anyway, Matthias reminded me your office is finally ready. Would you like to see it? Since he’s got you writing all those damnable reports now?”

Dieter frowned, momentarily surprised. “Yes.”

“This way,” Kalan said and motioned him down the hallway in the direction of Matthias’s office. They continued past it for three more doors, and Kalan opened the fourth with a flourish. “The ministers were serious about Matthias keeping everyone away from you – and the other two. He’s been attempting to let you settle in, but if you’re going to be our General – and we need one, now that most of ours have refused to continue without magic – you’ll have to join the thick of it, I’m afraid.”

Dieter sneered at the mention of the flood of officers that had refused to remain in the army. They’d been joined by no small number of regular army, only adding to his frustration and exhaustion. But he’d already begun making note of suitable replacements for the lost officers, and now he had the Scarlet to help him.

So Benno had intended for his own men to kill him before he had them all put to death. Interesting. Almost creative, at least for Benno. But the Kaiser was even more of a fool than Dieter had believed, if he thought the Scarlet would side against their Lord General.

He looked around the office that was apparently his. A massive desk, set out with all manner of tools and implements. Rows of shelves specially made to hold carefully rolled maps. The walls were plain, which was good. The floor was covered with deep red rugs, the color continuing in the chairs near the fireplace and smaller accents scattered across the room. Scarlet, it seemed, would follow him no matter what country he served. Dieter shook his head, briefly amused.

“The war room is there,” Kalan said, pointing to a wide oak door on the far side of the room. “It connects to Matthias’s office.” He grinned. “I’m across the hall, should you need anything. I think Matthias wanted me close to hand but not here, where I have almost instant access to his office.”

Dieter grunted, agreeing with the prince.

“Everything you might need should be here, though I’m certain that your men can supply better maps.”

“Of course,” Dieter said. “Speaking of my men, I need a place for my sword smiths to set up. I was thinking of the fields behind the palace.”

Kalan nodded, frowning in thought. “That’s fine for the short term; I’ll have more permanent locations looked into if you like. And it’s high time our smiths started to learn such arts, so long as you and your men are amenable to more lessons.”

“They are amenable to following my orders,” Dieter said shortly.

“Of course,” Kalan said with another grin. “Does the room satisfy?”

“Yes,” Dieter said.

“I will tell Matthias. Tell me which men are to have access, your retainers and assistants, and I’ll see they’re known to the relevant personnel. Have you any thoughts to who will be replacing those who left?”

“Soon.”

Kalan nodded and sketched a bow. “If you need me, simply knock at my door or set some poor footman to find me.”

“As if they would find you unless you permitted it. If Sol deVry is a cat, you are a fox.”

Kalan laugher’s followed him from the room as he left. Dieter grimaced and took a seat behind the desk – his desk.

Far more than he’d ever had before. If not at the Regenbogen, all he’d had before was his bedroom. Dieter frowned at the polished surface of his desk, mind going to the problem of the approaching Krian army.

Despite his skills and those of his men, they would not be able to hold such a poorly fortified palace against the entirety of the Krian army. The only real option would be to stop the army before it could pass the Regenbogen, which would be the easiest place for them to cross, never mind that they were supposed to be meeting up with the Scarlet that were no longer there. If Benno was aware the Scarlet had betrayed him, he would push the army harder, giving Dieter less time to solve the problem than before.

Any other General would have already made the obvious decision. The most effective way to stop an army was to kill its leaders. Normally, the only way to do that was to fight through the army first. Barring that, it was best to use stealth. Shadow-killing.

Comments

[chrysan.livejournal.com]

*v* Dieter is COOL. I mean, he's always so from the beginning already, but I can't stop myself repeating this fact! XDXDXD

[(Anonymous)]

No time except to say: <3!!!

[mailechan.livejournal.com]

Okay, Dieter is officially redeemed for his badass vs. Advisors. But I still think that he takes "rough love" to an extreme.

*loves you*

I did think that the death of Tawn was a bit of a letdown. I was sort of hoping for more emotion out of it. Maybe that is petty of me, but I was really hoping for some sort of moment fear or horror or something. He struck me as a truly evil character; the most evil of them all so far. He doesn't hesitate to harm people, takes pleasure in it, even. He was planning to betray the Brotherhood just like Sol, but in a way that would utterly destroy them. He uses people, and obviously enjoys torturing. His death was so...I don't know...clean? Emotionless? Maybe if you added some sort of seen emotion? Like a look of "oh my god I'm at Red, and my magic isn't working, and the Wolf is here with a Big Freaking Sword, and I am going to die" as Dieter bears down on him, or shock that his spells are just fizzling out.

I still love it, and I just knew that Dieter's Scarlet would come for him. He is too good a leader for them not to. *loves you so much*

[mechante-fille.livejournal.com]

^___________^ I totally forgot today was Thursday, or what that means! This was such the awesome surprise.

Yay, Scarlet!! Yay, Dieter! For the salute, for the ministers, and for being smart about Beraht going to Salhara. I don't know if it will have worked... who knows was Beraht is up to, but Dieter is awesome for seeing the danger in that, and caring. Beraht may not see that, but if Dieter didn't care, he'd send him in as a tool, and who cares if it consumes him. Hopefully Beraht hasn't vamooshed though... it looks like Dieter might need Beraht's brand of sprockets to defeat the army. ...and maybe after, he'll let him touch his monkey. ;p

Hm, Esta and Matti... he is such a cool future king, laying it all on the line for his country, and his intuition. He must be so worried that he's lost all chance with Essie, but country must come first right now. *pets*

Can't wait for next Thursday!!!

[avalon13.livejournal.com]

aaah, Dieter my love, thou art so very smexy. you could be no smexier. Paul Newman would die to have even an ounce of the smexiness you have. The ministers have to die of old age now.

[avalon13.livejournal.com]

it looks like Dieter might need Beraht's brand of sprockets to defeat the army. ...and maybe after, he'll let him touch his monkey.


ROFLMAO. sorry. the word monkey makes me laugh and I couldn't resist.

[ynm.livejournal.com]

My love for Dieter and Berath knows no bounds and it grows every week. I want them to get together (NOW DAMNIT!) but I don't want the story to end. I'm seeing lovely opportunities for a huge orgy, lol!

Til next Thurday~

[sporkess.livejournal.com]

This story is absolutely spectacular. I'm so pleased that the Scarlet came - I must admit I've been waiting for that to happen. Tawn coming was terribly upsetting, though - for a while I feared that you were actually going to kill off Iah and Sol.

Esta remains terribly hot-tempered. I wonder how you're going to calm her down enough to be receptive to Mattias' gentlemanly advances.

And ooh, that last line... I'm not sure whether assassins are going to come after Dieter, or whether he's going to sic Beraht on the leaders. I pity the leaders if that's the case, I really do.

I did notice a couple of typos/grammatical errors.

From chapter 23:

He drew closer and Sol recoiled. “What have you done?”

“On the contrary,” Tawn said. “I am better than ever. Complete mastery.” I removed the description from between the bits of dialogue, so you can see that it doesn't exactly make sense. It's as if you meant for Sol to say something like 'you look terrible', but never actually did so.

“Ridiculous. I fight often enough I would notice such a thing." I fight often enough THAT I would notice such a thing, methinks.

From chapter 24:

Dieter looked at the men on the wall. “I don’t think they’ll be much trouble, mores the pity." You missed out an apostrophe in more's.

Anyway! My corrections over with, I leave you with a great deal of devoted love for you and this story. And I shall be frothing with anticipation until next week.

[aqua-eyes.livejournal.com]

Eee. All I can think is thank god he is dead and no one died. XD; But Tawn. Who needed to be dead. Huzzah for his magic sword. ;) Hurry for Thursdays. I think I can go and do more Uni work now...

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

The thought that the Scarlet would be loyal to Dieter and come support him was a considered possibility. Love the way you show their means of adaptation and obedience to Dieter's wishes. Am thinking that the whole Krian army might do a similar change of allegiance. Dieter needs to be careful if he doesn't want to be Kaiser. That being said, Beraht looks like he will be killing a Kaiser maybe. Don't want to wait for the next installment. Noooooooo.

[twilight-angel.livejournal.com]

Wow, was I not awake this morning. Anyway, that comment was mine above. :p So, yes, I still love Dieter, especially now that he has the Scarlet. Can I just say how great that was, that the Scarlet joined him. Ha, ha, when Beraht took the red arcen and said that he could probably thrash Dieter, I kinda thought he was going to do so, just because now he could. So, yes, awesome chapters. ^__^

[vspirit.livejournal.com]

Are you familiar with the Suikoden series? Cos this story of yours is giving me very strong vibes of it, and I don't just mean from the angle of premise cos that much is obvious.

Anyway, if I were to match up some of these characters with a star, I'd reckon the list would look something like this:

Matthias: Tengou (Star of Conflagaration) or Tenki (Star of Wisdom)
Kalan: Chikai (Chief Star of Earth)
Dieter: Teni (Strange Star)
Beraht: Chikou (Wild Star)
Esta: Chikatsu (Emminent Star)
Iah: Chian (Strong Star)
Reinhard: Tenyu (Star of Heroic Ferocity)

The Tenkai is a position usually reserved for the heroes/protagonists of the games, but I'm not quite sure which of your main characters fit the mould...I guess anyone of them would but they all seem to me like they would fit those other non-Tenkai moulds better...

Haha, sorry...have I completely lost you? Forgive me, if I have. Just know that your story has provided me with more fun than just merely reading its words, and give yourself a pat on the back for it.

<3

[(Anonymous)]

"More than once, Matthias had started to interrupt, stopping only because watching them fight was strangely fascinating, as thought it were some intricate dance." -> <3333

*happy sigh* my day has been made.

[(Anonymous)]

I know it's been said before, but Dieter is incredibly awesome. <3

And Sol and Iah! Sleeping naked! Ehehehehehe! x3

[emthornhill.livejournal.com]

I shall not tell you how many old ladies and kids I run over in getting home to read this before supper! Nope, won't tell. ^___^

I love how...wow, the arcen theory in Dieter's sword! Protecting him! Now we know why in the beginning. Oh yes, you can tell I'm blond. =)~

Love this. Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful! I still wuv Mattie and Sol and Iah and well, everybody! Yepyep.

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Eh. I considered it, for Tawn. But the point is supposed to be that he's completely pwned by the arcen. That aside, he didn't deserve it. To be killed as coldly and ruthlessly as he's killed everyone else seemed more fitting. But I'll keep your thoughts in mind should I ever touch this story up.

[the-rue-morgue.livejournal.com]

Oooo, Beraht's slipped over to orange eyes, I get the feeling that bodes bad things. :S

But it looks like there are good things going on now too . . . .


And maybe Dieter might learn to understand why someone would shadow kill >_>

*________________________________*!!!

[skylark97.livejournal.com]

1) YAY!!! Tawn is dead! *does a little bloodthirsty happy dance* I rather like that Sol does his most to defend Iah, and that it's Dieter that does Tawn in. *hearts* I also like the implication that it's the arcen in Dieter's sword that makes it so that he doesn't feel the full impact of the spells. (I also love that when Beraht points that out, he's deliberately obtuse about it. *snickers*)
2) You almost broke my heart there, doing that to Sol and Iah. I about cheered when Beraht healed them.
3) YAY for the Scarlet!! *bounces* I was seriously wondering how the hell Dieter was going to whip an entire country into shape with Kria and Salhara both coming to defeat them. With the Scarlet, they at least stand a chance, and with the Wolf leading, it's a pretty damn good chance. ^_^
4) *snickers* Kalan just amuses me with his easy going nature and the way that he seems to have his thumb in everything. I like that it was him to show Dieter his new office and to give him the lay of the land as it were. ^_^
5) <<<<<<33333333!!!!! *tackle glomps* You rock the world, never doubt it. *twirls you about* ^_^

[rykaine.livejournal.com]

Dieter and Beraht fighting is like sex on a stick man. It's just smexy. ^_^