Chapter 35

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Ralion stood, framed by the arched window of Xavier’s old office. He’d found wood neatly stacked and waiting, silently thanking the unknown provider. He soon had a large blaze roaring, bright orange flames licking up the wide chimney. The chill in the air receded finally and he could back away from the fire without feeling the cold bite to the air.

He stood and watched in the pale dawn the battle before him. The guard from Rianamar hadn’t expected to meet any organized resistance. He discovered happily that many of these men were loyal, even though a majority of them wore the uniform of the Palace Guard. As soon as they realized that Dynan had returned, they set down their weapons. Some even turned on their fellows in mid swing. He watched while Kamien’s guard traded sides.

A large man walked over to where Gaden stood with Ildin Taldic, swinging a huge sword like a walking stick, point jabbing into the packed snow, and then up to rest on his shoulder. As he approached, the sword slammed down into a drift, staying there. He grabbed Gaden up into a massive hug.

Ralion’s smile of recognition turned to a laugh. “Trevan, tell Allie that Kyle Bairing is alive and well on the Palace front lawn. He’s talking to Gaden right now.”

“I see it, Ralion,” Allie’s voice came through the receiver. “I’m in the com office. I think Trevan is asleep.”

Before Ralion could send word to have Kyle come up, Gaden turned and pointed. The big man moved toward the Palace, grabbing up his sword as he headed for the front doors. Kyle Bairing was a large, bear of a man. He wielded probably the biggest sword in all of Cobalt and with deadly accuracy. There weren’t many who would dare face him with any weapon, except perhaps Dain Telaerin, the only person to ever best him.

Ralion closed his eyes at the thought. Dain could kill any of them. He knew he shouldn’t blame him for what had happened in the Throne Room, but he couldn’t get the sight of him killing Sheed out of his mind. His eyes were exactly the same now as they had been then, with death behind them.

Kyle reached the foot of the stair. Ralion saw he wore a Captain’s uniform, which puzzled him until he recalled that Kyle was a member of the elite King’s Guard before Kamien launched his attack. It seemed amazing that he had managed to survive, since it was known that he was one of Dynan’s close associates. Ralion wondered how he’d done it and gotten promoted as well.

He watched him climb the steps up to the portico, losing sight of him as he approached the doors. A voice warned him of the possibility of treachery and he hated it immediately, but had to consider the chance. Kyle had been a member of Kamien’s guard, had been promoted within those ranks to officer status. It seemed a difficult task to hide ones true loyalty for so long and not ever be caught. As little as Ralion wanted to, he found himself questioning Kyle’s motives.

He watched the progress of the fight; he couldn’t call it a battle any longer. Gaden and Ildin Taldic were supervising the round up of prisoners. Another problem to deal with, he thought.

“Allie, ask Marc what he thinks we ought to do with the prisoners,” he said.

A shadow crossed the door. “Put them in the dungeons,” Dain said. “Seems the logical choice to me.”

While several comments played through Ralion’s mind, he refrained from saying any of them. “I thought the dungeons were pretty full up right now,” he said instead.

Dain mumbled something under his breath as he walked by and Ralion was certain he heard, ‘the more the merrier’. Again, he restrained himself from speaking. Marc eyed him briefly before following. The door closed behind them.

A guard entered almost on their heels, announcing Kyle’s presence. “Send him in and ask for his sword.”

The guard blanched. “What if he ... What if he won’t give it?”

Ralion almost suggested running, but he didn’t think the young man standing before him would appreciate that advice. “I’m sure he’ll hand it over. Just explain we’re not letting anyone in with a weapon.”

He heard booted footsteps approaching not long later and moved to the fireplace where his own sword leaned against the wall. Whether Kyle carried a weapon or not, Ralion knew his physical condition precluded resistance, but he wanted his sword close by. He shook his head at himself as Kyle came in, peering around the doorframe. Ralion hoped more than anything that he could trust him and be able to tell if he could.

Kyle’s face broke into a broad, happy and seemingly genuine grin. Ralion stopped him just before he would have given the same greeting he’d embraced Gaden with. It was hard to deny his enthusiasm.

“Ralion, I can’t describe it,” Kyle said, standing back to look at him. “These past two years, if you told me this day was possible, I would have called you crazy.” He laughed. “Where’s Dynan? Is he all right?”

“It’s good to see you too, Kyle,” Ralion said without elaborating about Dynan. “I imagine the last few years haven’t been at all easy for you here.”

Kyle eyed him a moment, then chuckled. “Yes, and I can see they’ve put the mark of wariness on you, my friend.”

While relieved that Kyle had sensed his unease, it didn’t make the questions he needed to ask any easier. “After years of not trusting anyone, it’s a hard habit to break.”

“Well don’t break it yet, because you’re right. I’ll be up front with you on that. I’m excluded of course. We knew each other. You can trust me. At least, I hope you can.”

“Tell me what you’re doing in that uniform and I might,” he said.

“I was a guard before that night when the Palace was attacked.”

“I know. You were also a known associate of Dain’s. A lot of our other friends are dead.”

“My friends too, Ralion, most of whom didn’t know how to survive,” Kyle said. He turned, warming his hands to the fire. “That feels good. It’s damn cold out there. I did what was necessary to keep my family alive and safe. By the way, I’m a married old man now with two fine little ones to show.”

“Serious?”

“They’re the only reason that kept me going. But back then, I was worried about Pop and Mother. He didn’t take too kindly to Kamien and the bastard knew it. After what happened to your folks ... I’m getting ahead of myself though. That night Kamien staged the Palace attack, I did what I could to help Dynan and Dain get out. It wasn’t much, because I wasn’t in the immediate vicinity of the main battle. At first, like everyone else, I didn’t know what was happening. I thought all of us were in trouble, Kamien too. I was closer to him at the time and saw him take a blow. So at first, there was enough doubt that I wasn’t sure what to believe. Later though, as more and more of our friends disappeared, just those of us who were close to either of the twins, I knew it was something different. I was still in the guard. I tried keeping out of the way and stay unnoticed, but I knew eventually someone would know me and remember the association. Instead, I went to Kamien first. I was on guard and we were fairly much alone. I broke line and told him plain enough that I was a friend of Dain’s. He almost called me down right then, but I went on, saying I didn’t know what was going on, but I would serve the man in charge well enough. I don’t know why, but he believed me, and let me off.”

Kyle shook his head, staring down into the fire for a moment. “I told my pop the only way I’d make it through was to keep quiet and do my job. That’s exactly what I did. When I started hearing rumors that Dynan was making plans to come back in force, I started thinking if that happened, I’d be in a pretty good spot to be of some real help. I set my mind on that hope, a small one at the time, I can tell you, and kept it there. Eventually, I found others I could trust, a select few at first, but we grew in numbers. Some of us didn’t make it. Some were found out. Some packed their families and left. I wanted to at first, but Pop wouldn’t hear of it. Two years ago, when we heard the rumors that Dain had been killed ... Gaden told me what happened with him. I knew it couldn’t be true, that he’d died. I didn’t think it was possible for one to survive without the other.”

“Neither did we when it happened. Dynan almost didn’t make it through.”

“I can’t imagine what it must have been like for him, for either of them. Well, anyway, that’s when things here deteriorated quick. People started talking, accusing Kamien of killing Dain, not to his face, but he heard the rumors. That’s when people started disappearing all over; whole families, women, children, even the babies. Gone. Everyone shut up fast enough, driving us farther underground. We couldn’t meet or talk without fear of discovery and we didn’t. Some of these men I haven’t so much as looked at for two years. But when we heard something was happening at the Palace, we knew it was Dynan. It’s been rotten here, Ralion. You can’t imagine – or maybe you can – the kind of fear we’ve been living in. I’ve expected every night to hear the knock on my door, and find the Black Guard waiting. Believe me, I would much rather have been with you and Dynan.” He looked at him. “That’s why I’m wearing this uniform.”

“When did you make Captain?”

“Less than a year ago. Not long after Carryn showed up here. In King Ambrose’s time, that meant something—”

“Wait. You saw Carryn?”

“Yes. She showed up one night at the temple, the same night Kamien was there for a meeting with the High Bishop. Maybe it was a coincidence, her being there the same night, and that I’m the one who saw her. Lucky for her. She wouldn’t say what her business was, but the temple was used for meetings that couldn’t be held anywhere else. Maybe she was seeing Taldic. You didn’t know?”

“I knew she was here, but she didn’t mention you in the report.”

“So she hasn’t changed.”

Ralion only shook his head. He didn’t know what had happened to Carryn, whether she was dead or just missing. He had ordered a search, but the more time that went by, the smaller the chance they’d find her. The Medic Center was in a mad rush to dispose of the bodies. The morgue was already full.

“As for the rank, it doesn’t amount to much of anything now. I think it was more to fill the numbers and make things look normal. This isn’t an elite uniform any longer. Kamien changed that fairly quickly.”

Ralion nodded, though it saddened him that he still couldn’t be sure, hating the position he was in more than ever. He saw Kyle looking at him sympathetically. “You have to understand, Kyle, I can’t—”

“I do understand. We’ve all been through some serious business these last few years. You more than me, probably. It’ll take time for that to wear off, and like I said, you shouldn’t let it too soon. There are some of Kamien’s friends who’ll try and stop us. They’ve been fattening themselves up in the Prince’s absence and they won’t like having it all taken away from them.”

Ralion hesitated, then gestured him into the chair in front of the desk, and made a decision to trust him based on feeling instead of fact. He also needed to sit down.

“Before that,” Kyle went on as he seated himself, “there are other more threatening things on the way here. The base is all but empty. It wasn’t only a few days ago. There were perhaps six thousand troops stationed there. No one I know has any idea where they’ve gone.”

“Six thousand?” Ralion repeated, then laughed. “Well, if they show up here anytime soon we can forget this party.” He glanced at the closed door into the King’s office. “I have to tell Dain about this.”

“Dain? He’s all right? He’s here?” Kyle rose, but Ralion stopped him quickly.

“He and Marc are in there and—”

“Who’s Marc?”

“Marc Talryn. Our First Commander. Kyle, Dynan was injured, pretty badly, and well, it’s complicated, but Dain’s in charge now.”

Kyle sat back down. “Dain in charge? Now that’s hard to imagine. Did he grow up any while you were out there?”

“Not that I noticed.”

“Dynan has to survive, Ralion. Dain was never meant to be King.”

“Tell me about it.” He shook his head. “Let me just go and see if it’s all right.” He frowned at himself then, guessing it was weariness that made him forget he didn’t need to go anywhere, and touched his transmitter. “Marc, could you tell Dain that Kyle Bairing is out here with some news you both may want to hear.”

“Sure, hold on,” Marc said and relayed the message. The door opened a moment later and Dain came out, smiling broadly.

“Kyle! I can’t believe it! You’re all right.”

“So are you and standing. It’s good to see you, Dain. It’s been too long. Are you all right? I mean, after what you’ve been through—”

“I’m fine, Kyle, thanks. What’s this you want to tell us?” Kyle repeated his story of the missing base troops. Dain listened, shaking his head. “How many men can we spare for outer patrols?” he asked, turning to Ralion.

“A hundred. We’d be better off using the XR-30 and any transports we can find in town.”

“We have all the transports you could need,” Ildin Taldic said from the door. He started when he saw Dain, mouth dropping open. “Dynan? No, Dain? Dain Telaerin!”

Ralion sat through the new round of greetings, wishing he could feel their enthusiasm. He saw Marc watching him from the King’s door. Ralion thought he didn’t look too happy either. Behind Ildin another man followed and Ralion frowned. “Allie, look, I know you’re busy trying to get the comterm up, but is there a guard out there or what?”

“Yes, there’s a guard. Why?”

“We’re getting a lot of uninvited guests back here, that’s why, some who I don’t know. Tell this guard that no one comes back here without clearance, all right? Dain is here, after all, and we’ve enough trouble without including him in it.”

“Right. I’ll see to it. Are you all right, Ralion? You sound—”

“I’m fine. Just make sure we’re told before anyone else wanders in here. Thanks.” He cut the transmission and found everyone looking at him.

“Come on in, Ildin,” Dain said easily, though the glance he shot Ralion wasn’t a friendly one at all. “Some of us are having an attack of paranoia. What’s this about transports? We need to set up some patrols. We’re looking for six thousand ground troops. I need to know when they’re going to get here.”

“I know of two thousand experienced troops who can be here within the next few hours,” Ben Morlin said. He introduced himself when Dain looked at him.

A strange shudder ran through him, though he covered it quickly. “Morlin? Why does that name sound so familiar?”

“My father is a commander, third rank. He never liked Kamien. He’s only waiting to be sure you’re really here.”

“Will you get a message to him that I am? I’m not Dynan, but I suppose under the circumstances, I’ll have to do.” He smiled easily. Ben nodded.

“Yes, I can. I’ll need a comterm. I’ve got a code he’ll understand.”

“Will anyone else?” Ralion asked.

“No. It’s a pre-arranged message between us. I have only to mention my mother.”

Again Dain trembled, but no one else seemed to notice it. “Go talk to Allie in the com office and see if you can get into the system.”

“If not, I can go back into Rianamar,” Ben said. “It’s quieted down there a lot.”

“Go then. Ildin, where’s your father? I need to talk to him.”

Ildin explained that his father, Cobalt’s First Governor remained at the Gwendarel home under a heavy guard and recommended he be left there until Rianamar was completely secured. “I have a prearranged code for those transports as well. I should send it.”

Ildin left them and Dain nodded absently after him. For a moment, he stood silently, his face draining of animation. Suddenly he simply wasn’t there with them. Marc moved toward him, concerned, but Dain shook himself.

“Where are the rest of Dynan’s men, Ralion?” Kyle asked. “Or were the rumors I heard of an Exile Base not true?”

“True enough,” Dain began but Ralion cut him off.

“Due to an unusual set of circumstances, most of them political, our full strength couldn’t be assembled quickly enough.”

“When do you think they’ll arrive?” Kyle asked.

“We don’t expect them for five days.” Ralion glanced at Marc. “Do you still want to send for Shalis?”

Dain turned on him, staring. “Shalis? What do you mean?” His breath cut short and his hands rose to his head. “She’s...”

Marc moved to his side as he collapsed, catching him and easing him down to the floor. “Dain? What’s wrong? Dain?”

He curled up on the floor, cringing away from him. “Help me,” he whispered so softly Ralion almost didn’t hear it. Marc looked up at him, maybe to see if he heard it too. “Help—”

Dain’s voice faltered and he cowered down, moaning. Marc leaned over him. “Help you how? What’s—”

He straightened with some effort then, trying to steady his breath. He pushed himself to his feet a moment later, regaining his composure. “I’m all right.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you didn’t know about Shalis,” Ralion said, wondering at the strange reaction. He seemed in pain and there was that almost desperate plea for help.

“I didn’t,” Dain said tightly.

“Neither did I,” Kyle said. “Is she all right? What—”

“Shalis is fine,” Marc said smiling. “I’m sorry too, Dain, I should have realized you wouldn’t have known about her. She’s on Trea and before you woke up, we’d talked about bringing her here. That doesn’t seem necessary now. Besides not being safe at the moment, I’d rather she not be here.”

Ralion noticed a brief flash in Dain’s eyes toward Marc, of something that couldn’t be place before it was gone, but called it anger instead of what he really thought it was – something just shy of pure hatred. Dain nodded. “Right. Yes. What’s our current strength?”

“Gaden came up with a thousand from the city. Most of them survived this last skirmish with a few minor injuries,” Ralion said, frowning again.

“And I brought over nearly three hundred,” Kyle said. “Plus Morlin’s two thousand. We’ll have thirty three hundred.”

“That won’t do us much good against six thousand. How many of those might switch sides?” Marc asked.

“That’s hard to say,” Kyle answered. “I didn’t go on base that often. I don’t know of any who might join us, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.”

“Doesn’t mean it will either,” Dain said. “I need something more certain right now.”

“Then we shouldn’t count on any of the base troops coming over to our side,” Kyle said.

Dain nodded again, frowning as he rubbed his temples. “I’ll be in my ... the office here.”

“Do you want me to call Geneal?” Marc asked.

“No.” He left them, closing the door behind him.

For a moment, they all looked at each other in the silence that followed.

“What was that all about?” Ralion asked.

“I’m not sure,” Marc said, sitting down in a chair in front of the desk. “Maralt obviously didn’t tell Dain that Shalis was alive.”

“Or about his son, I bet,” Ralion said, glancing at Marc. Kyle’s eyes widened, but then he didn’t seem at all surprised by that news. “Who’s going to tell him about that?”

Marc shook his head and rubbed his eyes, fighting off a yawn. “I guess I will, but not right now. Can we get some food up here? Is there any?”

“There’s not much,” Kyle said. “Right now, the entire System is suffering from a severe food shortage. There are some who’d like to blame it on IPTS, but they only deliver it to the warehouses. From there it disappears.”

“The transport we intercepted carried food,” Ralion said. “He said the big cargo ships were converted to attack ships.”

“That’s true, but I doubt that conversion process got very far. It wasn’t so easy a task. There again, you’ll have to find out from the Colonia space station, though I’ve heard reports it’s been deserted.”

Allie came in then, reporting that he had restored communications in the Palace and they could contact the XR-9, if needed, and Rianamar. “Ildin and Ben are doing that right now.”

“Good. We need to set up a patrol to go through the Palace, top to bottom,” Marc said. “Kyle, could you get together the men for that.”

“And tell them to be careful about it,” Ralion said. “This place is usually full of servants, and I have a feeling they’re still here, hiding.”

“Food?” Marc said again. “If I don’t get something to eat soon, I’m going to fall over.”

“I’ll see what I can find,” Kyle said and started to head for the door.

“Wait, Kyle. Do you have any idea where Kamien is?”

“Only that he hasn’t been seen for days. It seems obvious that he got out before you even arrived here. He’s probably holed up with one of his Governor pals, monitoring his progress, or lack of it, from a safe distance.”

“What about the fleet?” Ralion asked.

“Not at the base. That’s all I know. They cleared out about the same time as ground troops. Ben’s father may have more on that situation.”

“Allie, tell the XR-9 to keep an eye out and let us know if they see anything,” Marc said.

Allie nodded, departing again for the next room and reported a few minutes later that the XR-9 hadn’t picked up any other ships on its scanners. Kyle left to see to Palace patrols and food. Ildin Taldic came back in with Ben Morlin.

“Creal Nyant suggested to us that a lot of the System’s ships were missing. Somewhere in the range of four thousand,” Marc said, leaning back in his chair and stretching his legs out. He groaned like an old man at the stiffness of his joints.

“There’s been a good deal of sabotage,” Ildin said, taking a seat across from him. Ben remained standing. “I’m not sure of the numbers.”

“It would seem the logical choice for Kamien to support a ground attack with an aerial assault,” Ralion said. “If Kamien has control of the fleet, he would do that.”

“Control of the fleet is questionable,” Ben said. “Not too long ago there was a major schism within the organization. Some of the Admirals took their flight wings and left. No one has been able to locate them, or learn their motives. My father will know more of the details, but the fleet is in disarray and widely scattered.”

“Let’s hope they stay that way for the time being. Is your father coming here?” Marc asked.

“Yes, he’s giving orders for deployment now. He’ll be here himself within the hour. He’ll want to meet with Prince Dain.”

Marc nodded easily. Kyle returned with a young man, Lt. Jolin Osseric, carrying three trays of food between them. Osseric reported the bread a few days old, but edible, pronounced the cheese perfect and the meat passable. “I tested everything before we brought it in here.”

“Wouldn’t that be just like Kamien to poison the food,” Ralion grunted, filling his mouth at the same time.

“It might not be a bad idea to have everything tested,” Marc said, filling a plate and moving to the King’s office. He knocked quietly and went in, returning shortly without the plate.

“What’s with him?” Ralion asked.

“He wants to be alone. He’s been in a cell for two years, Ralion. Give him a break.”

Ralion shook his head, but settled to the food, and for a time conversation was limited. Kyle dismissed Osseric, thanking him for the service.

“Allie,” Marc said through the transmitter after he’d had enough to eat. “Tell your brother that Commander Morlin will be arriving in the next hour and to let him pass. We’ll be a few thousand stronger soon and I’m guessing Morlin will know what to do with them better than any of us.”

“Understood.”

“My Lords, if I may, I think I’ll be more useful outside, helping my friend Gaden,” Ben said.

“Before you go, since we haven’t said it yet, I’d like to thank you and Kyle for the help you organized here. I can tell you we never would have survived without it.”

For a moment, Ben seemed surprised. “I’m not only doing my duty as a loyal servant to the true heir, but also what’s right, Commander.”

“As for me,” Kyle said, “it’ll be thanks enough to see Dynan crowned King.”

Marc didn’t answer to that, and Ralion didn’t want to think about Dain being crowned in his brother’s place. Not with the way he was acting.

“It seems we’ve covered all the pressing business,” Kyle said, rising. “Those of us who are uninjured should perhaps adjourn to the other room. You two look like you could stand some rest. We’ll let you know if anything happens.”

Marc nodded and Ralion saw he was already half asleep. He stood, moving to his side. “Stay a minute and help me get him over to the couch.”

“No,” Marc said. “I’m not moving. You go ahead.”

“All right. Thanks Kyle.” Ralion nodded to Ildin, who laughed as he left the office.

Kyle shook his head. “You two still don’t get along? He’s not a bad sort, Ralion.”

“I know. Really, he expects me to hate him, and I just don’t see any point in disappointing him.”

“That girl you fought over was a long time ago. Right. Forget I said that. I’ll be next door.”

Ralion hardly heard him close the door as he collapsed on the couch, wondering as he fell asleep if they’d survive the next battle.