The Serpentwar Saga

The elder boy did as he was instructed while from the house the distant shouts of the younger boy and a girl could be heard, followed almost instantly by a scolding from their mother. The farmer dismounted from the wagon and removed some grain sacks from the back, loading them into a pile below the hayloft.

When the second horse was out of her traces, father and son left the barn, and Erik said, ‘We’d better clear out. If they need fodder for the animals, the boy will be up here in a few minutes.’

‘It’s still light out,’ Roo complained.

‘It’s almost sundown. We’ll just keep the barn between us and the house for a bit. If anyone sees us we’ll be two travelers walking across the field, heading for town.’

Roo said, ‘I hope you know what the hell you’re talking about.’

Erik pushed open the door to the outside through which hay was hoisted into the loft, and looked down. ‘It’s only a bit of a jump, but be careful not to twist your ankle. I don’t want to have to carry you.’

‘Right,’ said Roo with thinly disguised concern. He looked down to the ground below and found the distance far greater than he had remembered. ‘Can’t we climb back down the ladder and sneak out?’

‘One door, remember? And they’re exercising a horse right in front of it.’

The creak from out front told Erik and Roo the farmer was returning. ‘Lazy creature. Why should I feed you if you’re pretending to be lame to get out of work?’ asked the farmer with affection.

His son’s voice carried to the loft as Erik lowered himself to hang from the edge, then let go. ‘I like the way that lameness moves from foreleg to back, then from right to left, depending on which way she’s going.’ His laughter showed his genuine amusement.

Roo repeated Erik’s movements, hanging for what seemed the longest moment before he let go, expecting to slam hard into the ground and break both legs. Erik’s powerful hands closed around his waist and slowed him just enough so that he landed lightly on his feet. Roo turned and whispered, ‘See, nothing to it.’

‘Did you hear something out back?’ came the voice of the son.

Erik motioned for silence and they hurried away from the barn.

Whatever curiosity the farmer’s eldest son might have had, the requirements of caring for the animals must have displaced it, for no one came to investigate the sound. Erik and Roo hastened along, until they were a quarter mile across the field, then slowed to a casual walk.

They plodded down the rolling hillside, approaching the outer buildings of the city as the sun went down. Erik looked at the foulburg as they neared it, and said, ‘Keep an eye out for guards.’

They reached a low row of huts and simple gardens. with no clear passage between the buildings. In the evening light they could see a few hundred yards to the north of them that another road entered the city. They made out movement along the road, but neither Roo nor Erik could tell if it was field hands returning to the city or soldiers on patrol using the thoroughfare.

Roo said, ‘Look,’ and pointed to what was little more than a clear space between two houses, but through which they could reach the first north-south street in town without having to use the main roads. They stepped over a low fence, carefully avoiding the rows of vegetables planted there, and made their way to the back of the hut. Ducking low so as not to be seen through the single window, they skirted away from the rear door and moved between the buildings. Obviously in one of the poorer sections of town, this little alleyway was heavily littered with trash. They picked their way along, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Reaching the street, Roo peered out and pulled back, hugging the wall. ‘It’s pretty empty.’

‘Do you think we’re beyond where the guards are?’

‘I don’t know. But at least we’re in Krondor.’

Roo moved out into the street, then strolled along, as Erik caught up. They glanced right and left and saw only a few locals, some of whom paused to study the two young men. Roo started to feel self-conscious about the attention and motioned for Erik to follow him into a small neighborhood tavern.

They entered a dingy, smoke-filled common room, populated by only two other men and a barkeep, who looked at them with suspicion. ‘Help you?’ he asked with a tone that indicated help was far down his list of priorities.

Roo removed his travel bag and said, ‘Two ales.’

The man didn’t move, continuing to stare at Roo. After a moment, Roo dug into his belt pouch and pulled out a pair of copper coins. The man took the money, inspected it, and then put it in his own belt pouch. He reached under the bar and produced two empty flagons, which he carried halfway down the bar to a large tap. He pulled it twice, filling each flagon with a frothy brew. Returning to where Roo and Erik waited, he put them down before the two young men. ‘Anything else?’

Erik said, ‘Anything to eat?’

The man indicated a kettle hanging before the fireplace on the other side of the room. ‘Stew’s done. Two coppers a bowl, three if you want bread.’

The smell wasn’t promising, but Erik and Roo were both hungry, having had nothing to eat all day. Erik said, ‘We’ll take the stew and the bread.’

The man still didn’t move, until Roo put more money on the bar. Then he went and filled two wooden bowls with stew and carried them back. He produced a couple of small loaves of bread and set them down on the dirty bar next to the bowls, then produced two almost clean wooden spoons and put them in the bowls before Erik or Roo could intercept them.

Roo was too hungry to notice, and seeing his friend not suffering from eating the stew, Erik tried his own bowl. It was nothing like his mother’s, but it was hot and filling, and the bread was acceptable, if a little coarse.

As casually as he could, Roo said, ‘What’s all the fuss about?’

‘What fuss?’ asked the barkeep.

‘Outside, at the gate,’ replied Roo.

‘Didn’t know there was a fuss.’

Erik said, ‘We just got to Krondor and didn’t feel like waiting in that long line to eat.’

The barkeep was silent until Roo put money on the bar and signaled for two more ales, even though the first were only half-drunk. The barkeep produced another set of flagons and said, ‘Prince of Krondor died.’

‘We heard that,’ said Roo.

‘Well, his son is being installed in the office tomorrow. His brothers are here.’

‘The King’s in Krondor?’ said Erik, feigning surprise, even though he had heard that earlier.

‘That’s why there’s so much security at the gates,’ said the barkeep. ‘There’s a pair of murderers they’re looking for; did in some noble east of here, if you believe the story. Of course, everyone and his uncle’s pet dog is in town for the festival. Funeral parade was today, which is why everyone took the day off to gawk at the King. Tomorrow they have this ceremony, then another parade, so those that couldn’t see anything will get their chance. After that, the King will take his father back to Rillanon for burial in the family vault. And Prince Nicholas will come back as the new Prince of Krondor. Then we’ll have another festival, and everyone will drink too much and nothing will get done. Then all the visiting nobles will go home.’

‘You don’t sound very impressed,’ said Erik.

The front door opened and two more rough-looking men entered, sitting down at the table occupied by the first two.

The barman shrugged. ‘Why should I? Old Prince, new Prince, the taxes are the same.’

Roo continued to sound matter-of-fact. ‘Well, now that we’re getting some food in us, I guess we’ll just have to go stand in line like everyone else.’

The barkeep said, ‘Not, I should think.’

Roo tried to look uninterested and said, ‘You know another way into Krondor?’

At this the barkeep’s expression changed to one of surprise. ‘No, just that they close the gate in an hour and you won’t be able to get in tonight.’

‘They close the gate?’

‘With the King in the city, of course,’ answered the barman, now interested. ‘You have a problem?’

Erik was about to say nothing at all was the matter, but Roo quickly said, ‘We have to find a ship and be on it at first light tomorrow.’

‘Plan on taking another, then,’ said the barkeep. ‘For many of those waiting to get into the city will simply sleep before the gate, so even were you to leave now and take a place outside, you’ll be hours getting through tomorrow. It will be like that every day until the King and his family leave next week.’

Narrowing his gaze, Roo said, ‘I don’t suppose you know of another way into the inner city? Say, perhaps, one used by locals and not widely talked about?’

The barman glanced around the room as if fearing being overheard – highly unlikely, given that the other four men in the room were lost in their own conversation – and said, ‘I might. But it would cost you.’

‘How much?’

‘How much do you have?’

Before Erik could plead poverty, Roo said, ‘My friend and I can pay ten gold pieces.’

The barman looked surprised at the amount, but only said, ‘Let’s see your gold.’

As Roo made to undo his backpack, Erik placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. ‘Ten gold pieces is all we have in the world. It’s taken us months to scrounge it together. We were going to purchase passage with it.’

‘You’re young and strong. You can work your passage. There are ships leaving for Queg, the Free Cities, Kesh, every port you might wish to reach. They are always looking for deckhands.’

The barman nodded, and the sound of chairs being pushed away from the table caused Erik to turn. The two men who had just entered were already closing, billy clubs held high. Roo tried to duck under a blow and for his trouble caught the strike on his shoulder instead of his head. His knees went loose from the pain and he fell.

Erik tried to draw his sword, but the nearest man was upon him. Letting go of the hilt, Erik unloaded a backhand blow that sent the man flying into the one coming behind him.

The man who was clubbing Roo turned and shouted, ‘Get him!’

Erik was starting to draw his sword when a blow to the back of the head stunned him. He felt his legs go out from under him and his vision swam.

Two men grabbed him and hoisted him up, and before he could resist he was tied like a fatted calf. The barman came around, holding the lead-filled club he had struck Erik with from behind, and said, ‘The little one is probably worthless, but the big fellow will bring a good price as a galley slave, or maybe even as a fighter in the arena. Get them to the Quegan buyer before midnight. The envoy’s escort galleys leave tomorrow on the evening tide, after the festivities at the palace.’

Erik tried to say something, and for his troubles caught another blow to the head. He slumped down, unconscious.

Erik’s eyes opened. He sat up. His head throbbed and his vision went in and out of focus, as his stomach knotted. He swallowed hard, closed his eyes, discovered that made his nausea worse, and opened them again. He found his hands were restrained by heavy iron bracelets and his legs by even heavier shackles. He looked around, expecting to be in the bottom of a ship bound for Queg. Instead he found himself in a cell.

A groan from close by caused him to turn around. Erik found Roo likewise shackled and trying to sit up. Erik gave him a hand and the smaller youngster tried to clear his head.

‘Sort of a bad day for you two, wasn’t it?’ said a voice from behind them.

Erik turned to find a man leaning back against a window ledge, bars behind him, his body silhouetted against daylight, the small aperture being the sole source of light. He moved away from the window, coming to squat down before Erik. Erik could make out his features in the dimly lit room. He was a broad-shouldered, bull-necked man of middle years, with dark receding hair, cut close, and deep blue eyes. There was something odd about his manner and expression, but Erik couldn’t put his finger upon it. He needed a shave and was dressed in plain tunic and trousers. High boots, well cared for but old and worn, and a wide belt were his only other garments.

‘Where are we? …’ He closed his eyes as his head swam a minute. ‘We were struck from behind.’

‘Some of the locals trying to sell you to Quegan slavers,’ said the man. His voice was slightly raspy and his manner of speech common. Erik wasn’t sure, but there was something about his accent that reminded him of Nathan’s, so he assumed the man was from the Far Coast.

The man smiled, but there was a hint of meanness behind the smile. ‘You were on your way to a less than pleasant ocean voyage. With the emissary from Queg in the city, along with several of his King’s galleys, the Duke of Krondor thought there might be something like this going on.’

‘You’re not with them?’

Ha! I’d as soon kiss a goblin as leave a Quegan slaver alive.’ He glanced at Roo, who was regaining his wits. The man continued, ‘The Duke’s men intercepted the slavers on their way to the docks. He was both surprised and pleased to discover that you two were among those heading out of the city. There’s been quite a search on for you, my friends.’

‘Then you know who we are?’ said Erik with resignation. ‘Who are you?’

‘You’ve heard of the man they call the Eagle of Krondor?’

Erik nodded. Who that man was and why he was called that wasn’t widely known, but that he existed was common knowledge. ‘Is that you?’

‘Ha!’ The man gave a harsh bark of laughter. ‘Hardly. But I work for him. You might call me the Dog of Krondor. I bite, so don’t irritate me.’ He made a growling noise and snarled in a fair imitation of a dog. ‘My name is Robert de Loungville. My friends call me Bobby. You call me sir.’

Roo said, ‘What have you to do with us?’

‘I just wanted to see if you had any serious wounds.’

‘Why?’ asked Roo. ‘Can’t hang an injured man?’

Bobby smiled at this. ‘Not my concern. The Prince needs desperate men, and by all reports you two are about as desperate as they get. But from what I see, that’s all you are. Well, pitiful, too. The Prince may have to look elsewhere for his desperate men.’

‘We’re just going to be hung?’ asked Erik.

‘Hardly,’ said the man. He got up from his squatting position, groaning theatrically as he did so. ‘Knees aren’t what they used to be.’ He moved to the cell door and motioned for the jailer to open it. ‘The new Prince of Krondor, like his father, is a very particular man when it comes to observing the law. We will have a trial; then we will hang you.’ He passed through the door and it closed behind him.

A short time later the door opened again and an old man entered. He was dressed in richly fashioned clothing, but of plain cut, as if designed for one who was active despite his rank and years. The man’s hair was silver, he wore a closely trimmed beard, and his eyes were dark and penetrating. He studied the two prisoners carefully.

Kneeling before Erik, he said, ‘Tell me your name.’

‘Erik von Darkmoor … sir.’

Then he turned to Roo. ‘You are Rupert Avery?’

Roo said, ‘Yes. And who are you?’ His manner showed he took exception to being treated so roughly, and if he was going to be hung he might as well vent his temper on whoever was nearby, irrespective of rank.

The man smiled, amused by Roo’s sharp manner. ‘You may call me Lord James.’

Roo sat up and moved, as far as the length of chain that bound his leg shackles to the wall permitted, and peered upward through the small window. ‘Well, Lord James, how long do we rot here in the Krondor jail before we’re tried and hung?’

‘You’re not in the Krondor jail, my abrupt young friend,’ answered James. ‘You’re in the Prince’s palace and your trial will commence the day after tomorrow, as soon as Nicholas has taken his office. Unless you’re in a particular hurry, in which case I could ask the King to preside this afternoon.’

‘Well, by all means,’ snapped Roo. ‘If His Majesty isn’t too busy, I’m sure we’d all just as soon get this over with. And he’d drop everything else just because you asked.’

James smiled and there was a dangerous quality to it. ‘I’m sure he would; I’m something of an uncle to the King,’ he said. ‘I’m also the new Duke of Krondor.’

Standing, the Duke said, ‘Have you anyone to speak on your behalf?’

Erik said, ‘There is one man, at Barret’s Coffee House, by name Sebastian Lender. He might speak for me.’

The Duke nodded. ‘I know him by reputation. Tricky bastard. He may keep you from being hung. I’ll send for him and have him speak with you about your defense.’ He moved toward the door. ‘Then I’ll see if the King’s free tomorrow,’ he said pointedly to Roo. ‘But if I were you, I’d wait until Nicholas sits the Western Throne. He’s of more even temper than his brother, and His Majesty doesn’t take kindly to those who go around murdering his nobles.’

‘Nobles?’ said Roo. ‘Stefan may have had a father of rank, but he was still a swine.’

James smiled, again without humor. ‘Perhaps, but as his father had died less than an hour before him, for a very short time he was Baron of Darkmoor.’

The door was opened and Duke James left. Erik looked at Roo and said, ‘So much for the Sunset Islands.’

Roo sat back down, unable to see anything through the small window. ‘Yes, so much for the Sunset Islands.’

Erik and Roo were moved the next morning, without being told why. A squad of soldiers wearing the livery of the Prince of Krondor’s own Household Guards arrived and unchained Erik and Roo from the wall, leaving the shackles and cuffs on. They were escorted to a large cell with a long, barred wall, through which other cells with wooden doors could be seen. The cell was partially belowground. At head height, a long window, less than one foot high, ran the length of the cell, and both prisoners could see it allowed a view of a long gibbet erected at the far side of a large courtyard. A half-dozen nooses hung from a single long crossbeam, supported by heavy timbers between each noose.

Erik studied it briefly; it would be a simple enough execution. The prisoners would be marched up several steps at one end and made to step up on three-foot-high wooden boxes, which were kicked out from under their feet once the nooses were around their neck.

Erik and Roo took up places alongside the bars and sat in silence. Erik glanced around the cell. Seven other men were likewise manacled and shackled, awaiting whatever fate held in store. All looked rough and dangerous, some more than others. Erik was used to being the largest boy in his town, and had grown to be one of the strongest men, but at least two of the men in the cell were his equal in size, perhaps in strength as well.

At midday another pair of prisoners were admitted to the cell, these looking as if they had been severely beaten after being apprehended. One of the men, a hulking brute being dragged by three guards, had obviously put up a struggle, as he was barely conscious, but the other kept up a steady stream of invective as the guards threw him roughly into the cell, then left. He called after them, ‘When I’m out of here, my lads, you can bet we’ll be settlin’ accounts! I have your names! Every one of you.’ He spoke with an affected speech, trying to sound educated while being betrayed by his lower-class accent. Sitting down, he added, ‘You bloody bastards.’

Looking at Erik, who sat across from him, then at his nearly unconscious companion, he said, ‘Old Biggo don’t look so good, does he?’

From a corner of the cell another man said, ‘Better for him if he stays out on his feet. Won’t feel his neck getting stretched.’

‘We’re not for the gallows, old Biggo and I!’ said the other man with fear in his voice. ‘We’re well connected, we are. Friends to the Sagacious Man himself!’

‘Who is the Sagacious Man?’ asked Roo.

From across the cell another man said, ‘The leader of the Mockers. And this liar has been about as close to the Sagacious Man as I have been to the King’s mother.’

‘You watch!’ said the man who had been boasting. ‘We’ll be out of here soon!’

The door at the end of the hallway opened and a man entered, flanked by two guards. He wore a finely made robe, and upon his head was a hat Erik found comical – a short brim around a circular crown, fashioned from purple felt. A whipcord tie under his chin held it in place on his head. He had the face of a scholar or priest, thin and pale, with a long nose and square jaw. But his eyes were alive and seemed to miss nothing as they swept around the room.

The guards did not open the cell, but stood away. The man came and stood at the bars. ‘Who here is Erik?’

Erik stood up and moved to stand opposite the stranger, and Roo came to his side. ‘I’m Erik.’

‘What is your surname?’

‘I am called von Darkmoor.’

The man nodded. ‘I am Sebastian Lender, from Barret’s Coffee House.’ He studied Erik and Roo for a long minute, as if memorizing every aspect of their appearance. Then at last he said, ‘And you two are in a great deal of trouble.’

‘So we gathered,’ answered Roo.

‘I may be able to save your lives,’ said Lender. ‘But you must tell me exactly what occurred. Don’t leave out anything and don’t lie to me.’

Erik told him exactly how he recalled things, and Roo added what he knew. Afterward Lender said, ‘With what Baron Manfred has testified and the girl, Rosalyn, has said, it’s clear that Stefan was hoping to lure you into a trap where he could kill you.’

‘When do we stand trial?’ asked Erik.

‘Two days from now. As it’s a capital case and one of the King’s nobles was the victim, you’re being tried in Royal Court, here at the palace.’ He was thoughtful. ‘The Prince is likely to be hard, but fair. The Court of Common Pleas tends to breed a more cynical justice. Everyone brought before the justices there is innocent.’

Erik said, ‘My father said to find you –’

‘Yes. I was to give you something.’

‘What?’

‘An odd legacy, I’m afraid. A small amount of gold, which will be barely sufficient to pay my fees, I’m sorry to say. And a pair of boots; the boots were your grandfather’s, according to what Otto told me, and as you were of a size, your father supposed they might fit you. Also there was a fine dagger, which I obviously can’t give to you here.’

‘A dagger?’ asked Roo.

Lender put up his hand. ‘Over the years I have managed many stranger legacies. In any event, it is moot until the trial. We shall see if that goes as we wish; if so, we can move on from there.’

‘What are our chances?’ asked Erik.

‘Thin,’ answered Lender frankly. ‘Had you stayed, you might have built a persuasive brief that you killed Stefan in self-defense. Manfred admits that he went seeking his father to gain an order from him telling Stefan to leave off some hot-blooded plot or another. He will not tell what that was, claiming only that Stefan was looking for trouble.’

‘Will he testify to this?’

‘He already has,’ said Lender. ‘He’ll be on his way back to Darkmoor, after Nicholas takes office tomorrow, and I have a copy of his deposition before the King’s Magistrate. It’s very noncommittal in places, and had I known I was to be arguing on your behalf, I would have been a lot more probing than was the King’s man.’

‘Can’t you ask him more questions?’ asked Roo.

‘Not unless he’s compelled by King’s warrant,’ answered Lender, ‘and I suspect the King won’t be inclined to agree.’

‘Why not?’ asked Roo, not entirely sure what was being said. ‘The King wants justice, doesn’t he?’

Lender smiled, and it was the indulgent look of a master being asked something obvious by a gifted but untutored apprentice. ‘Our King, more than most, seems interested in justice; something to do with some time he spent in Great Kesh as a youngster, I believe. But he’s also interested in not making it look too easy to kill a nobleman and avoid hanging. There’s justice, and then there’s justice.’

Erik sighed. ‘And we did kill Stefan.’

Lowering his voice. Lender said, ‘Did you go to find him with murder in your heart?’

Erik was silent a minute, then said, ‘Yes, I guess I did. I knew he was going to try something with Rosalyn; I knew what I would find and I knew I’d end up killing Stefan. I can’t even say I just went to protect her.’

Lender glanced at Roo. The slight boy nodded and Lender let out a long sigh. ‘If that’s true, I doubt any power can save you from that.’ He pointed out the high window at the gibbet.

Erik nodded, and Lender left without further comment.