CWE Book I Part III Chapter XII

X11

Grand Lord

It has been three months now since I last heard from Lord Camlash. Time flies slow when peace reigns again in the empire. The bickering Lords has ended their fight, and all is well again. Maybe  next harvest we can meet and discussed on my retirement. So many events took place in the empire these three months. One casualty in the war, Lord Daken; I am afraid as a result of some ambush. Now his land is occupied by the Praetorian as ordered by me. This is to prevent further battles on his land. And sensible thoughts came to the Lords; they called off their foolish war. Of course, Lord Camlash is upset of his loss on the Daken’s land, but he will be reconcile with gold from there. I hear he is now a grandfather; his son Conal did well. That will pre-occupied the old fool for now.

Lord Nictin was removed when he lost his heir. His cousin, Lord Nicholas took the coup and ousted the Lord; or shall I say killed him. So now we have Lord Nicholas to contend with, but he faces some mutiny from his own men. So he kind of busy now. So are the other Lords; all licking their wounds, for a senseless war.

So where is the Praetorian; disgraced and now missing? Some said he is in the north with the Outsiders, but some said he died in an assassination. When Senior Praetorian arrived there, he only met the General Latin and was advised that the disgraced officer had left some time back. He did not advise of his next destination, but let the city be managed by General Latin. The Praetorian Guards took over and send the Camlash’s army back to their own land.

Lord Mathis’s wealth is bigger than I thought. I ruled his land now, although his son sits on it to sign the orders. But his mother is in good hands now; that of my physician who make sure she is well taken off. She sleeps well nowadays; all too well.  But with Daken’s land under the Praetorian, the mass of the deserted army has joined mine, and I rejoiced in it.

I do sympathize with the Prime Leader Romus, he has two cities to contend with besides the Grand City. His popularity is dropping low and he travels with more guards now. There was a meeting of the Prime Leader I am told. I was informed of the outcome; which is they are still loyal to me.

Prime Leader Romus

The meeting went well, and we all swore at our oath to continue our quest. But my last brother in arm, Raihan left in a hurry. He has to be watched that one. But I feared one news among all. Its the news of the Praetorian Genus, who escaped that day from the city of Daken. He re-surfaced one month later at the Outsiders’ settlement, and since then; unheard and unseen. I send Raihan to investigate and all he can tell me is that he has none to report.

Genus, of late the Senior Praetorian; disgraced and banished, you have served your cause well. But you also have a history of secrets that you do not want others to know of. It was you who killed the last Grand Lord. It was on my plan on the table, but Raihan instructed you to do so. It was also you who killed the Prime Leader then, by staging that horse event. You are not a Praetorian but an assassin. Now you hide like one.

But you are one good assassin; not by killing alone, you also killed the love of your Lord’s daughter. You betray her as you did to her father. I know as Domo, my servant told me so. Just as he tells me of the Lord’s plans. But I admired you Genus, for you exceed me in the deceits carried out. But I still fear you as you could one day make me your next target.

Lieutenant Damai

The treeline looked quiet as most nights are nowadays here in River Ends.I was send here when I returned the children to the Lord. My orders are to secure the border against the Outsiders,and capture Genus if found. The only capture we have To date is some wild animals which strayed into the camp.

As for the camp in River Ends, its now better build with the outer structure and proper moat in place. Before each moats are the defensive lines of stakes and traps. I also now have about 2,000 men with 500 archers. But I have not seen a single Outsiders coming to the camp or the river. Even my patrols out there come back safe and with no contact with the Outsiders. I was tempted to ride to the settlement to see Nina, but Signar advised me not to; as senior officer, I am to show them an example of good conduct. I don’t know if I missed the old man Genus or disliked him, as he was my arch enemy before, but admiration for him is clearly there.

The Mistress Kimi has given birth to her newborn son, and I am happy for her. So is the people who are happy to hear of the new heir.

Mistress Kimi

The labor pains almost killed me,but he is born now; a young one for the next generation of the Lords. My master Conal was slow in responding to his son, but now he is seen holding it almost daily. His family including the old Lord was sharing his happiness, but I am sad, as my family is not here. I asked Shiven to send a message to my family to advise them of my well being and the new child in the family. Shiven was kind to do it for me, when many servants of mine was reluctant to do so.

The sister of my master also rejoiced in the celebration and we asked if she is ready to be one, she immediately declined the thought. I looked at my master who recites poems to his son and was one very happy mother until that evening.

Lord Camlash

‘Conal, please sit down here.’ I looked at my son who has just become a father. I am proud at his achievement although he has not performed much before on others. He is a good son and I will missed him. But the line of heirloom required strength and courage to sit there. And Conal is not one.

‘Conal, since young, you have been the one which I put to take on the role as my son. You showed me the qualities I wanted to see when young, and was even the first to seize the blade I offered you. That scar bears on your right palm till today, but you grew into a weakling. You disappointed me. You loved the writings and painting more than the sword. Unlike your brother who is good at it, you shun from it since then.’

I looked my son who just stares at me. I can see tears come down his eyes, but he knows what I mean by my words. He took out from his tunic a roll of paper. He handed it over to me to see the content. It was a drawing of myself when I was younger.

I am touched by his skill, but it was not what I wanted from my son.

Conal never saw the blow that took his head off, nor did he felt the pain of one. It was a clean beheading of the best by the best. I bowed my head in respect to my dead son, and I saw some blood has touched his painting making little drops on my face and body. I looked up at the person who was asked to do it. I nodded my thanks to her and pushed myself out of the room to the next one.

‘Its done, Conal. Its time for you to come forth to claim your place as in his name.’ The person who walks out of the room is the exact replicate of my son. He should be as they are twins at birth. But this new Conal is a man of fighting spirit.

‘Domo, this body. Buried his body where no one can find it.’

Domo

My heart bleeds for you, my grandson. I know not how your father can do this, but he is mad inside him. Your death will not be forgotten nor will your grave. I buried you here with the love that you should had been given by your mother, and she will soon. I did not need to mark the grave as its not far from the cottage where his mother stays.

It was like this that day more that fifteen years ago, when the Lord was still fighting his stupid war. This time he was fighting a war within himself; after losing his legs, he went crazy with different personalities. Sometimes he is well and other times he needed to be restraint. On this particular day, he was in his retreat at Red Hill when the attack came. He became insane and blames everyone for his legs. He killed the guards assigned to his chamber and was about to killed her when I stopped him. I begged him to spare her and her unborn child. He was mad to the extent to accuse her of plotting against him, and the child is not his at all. I begged him again, as it my daughter who is on her knees, with her life in his hand.

Suddenly, just as his madness can subside, he was back to normal. He turned to her and asked for her forgiveness. It was then, I took the heavy statue to hit him on the head. I then turned to my daughter to leave this place now. I told my servants to send her back to the palace, despite her pleas of the babies are due. I could not leave my Lord while he lay down there unconscious. But I did, and escorted her back. She gave birth to the boys but suffered some heavy bleeding. I told the physician to attend to her but they said she may die soon. It was a sad decision, but I moved her back to our home to die in peace; leaving her babies there in the Lord’s chamber.

Later, when I heard that the Lord has returned, and I came forth to see him. I came bearing his children; both boys identical as twins. He took one look and cuddle only one. He said that the other is not his and demands I return it to its mother. I took care of the other baby back to my home, but my daughter was too sick to care for him. It was only three months later, that I was summoned to the Lord.

He said I was to bring back the other twin to the chamber. I did as I was told, and both babies was left in the same cradle. A dagger was brought and left at the cradle. Only one of the baby moved to touch it when he saw the gleam of the blade, while the other just stared at it. The baby who grabbed the dagger blade, cut his palm and cried. The Lord then said, he shall be my son, and the other to be kept in the dark for none may see him, unless I wished it.

It was so for the next five years, when one son saw the father, the other was shun by the father in his own chamber. It was on my plea, that the other son was allowed to come to play at night while his brother sleeps. But the Lord was not to know that the children meet regularly and played at times. It was a hidden secret of their birth and they were told that their mother was said to died from her birth duties. Just like his other wife who bore him a daughter later that year died of childbirth. So the rumors that passed that the Lord’s mistress are cursed at birth bearing.

But my daughter survived her illness and was send by me to the forest cottage to care for another. She yearns for her own, but I told her that they are in the custody of the Lord. And as a warrior born lady, she accepted her fate. But she was soon withdrawn and looked to the sky for answers. Soon she had another child to looked after, although its not of her blood.

I saw to the young ones education, and brought them different teachers to coach them, but there is little I can for their security. I saw the hidden one has a tendency for the physical arts as per advice by Lord, I got some teachers to teach him while his other brother who prefers the brush to the sword; learn from the Lord’s tutors. But when both are together, they shared their secrets and admires the other’s skill. Their father do visit them on occasions and hear their words, and see their development. He becomes more favor to teach the passive son more arts but the young one resist the new lessons. Just as the hidden one refused to learn the books and writing, as he prefer the swords and fighting more.

Everyday I prayed for their safety from the father, lest he become insane again. If it was not for the assassination attempt, the father would not had to make that choice today. He did it to keep his lineage strong as he has seen his son’s strength.

And I hoped the new son he has now will be the son he wanted.

Shiven

I was on my night patrols as usual, even though there are new guards for the master and mistress, but I still prefer to do my own patrols. It was near the Inner Garden when I saw the Mistress weeping at the pond.

‘I am sorry to intrude, but may I assist you, my mistress?’

‘No, there is nothing you can do.’ And she left me without a word. I wanted to join her but I was soon stopped by a flying tackle on me from behind. I turned my body to faced the attacker and saw it was the Master himself. He looked joyous and was ready to start his sparring with me as usual in the Inner Garden. Its strange as since I came back here, we been sparring nightly but he ignored me totally during the stay in Red Hill.

I also find it strange but this is the only place he can speak to me or spar with me without hesitation. When he were sparring, I told him I saw the Mistress here and she was sad. He stopped his punch midway and then told me to continue my patrol. The master then left me for his Inner chamber and I continued my walk. I was surprised to met Domo on the outskirt of the Inner garden as its rare for anyone to come in here this late.

“Adviser Domo, I see your walk is late and you seem to have diverted into the Inner garden. Can I show you the way out?’

Domo was pleased to be escorted out and told me not tell anyone of his visit, lest they think he is senile. He also told me take care of the master and also the young one. As we were walking out, I asked him of the master, but he was evasive in his reply. Soon I let the subject end without asking more.

Domo

I saw her and I felt sympathy for the young mother. She may had known about her husband’s fate, and now has to accept that of another. Lord Camlash, you have destroyed one generation and now you are doing to the next. I hope you rot in the underworld.

The young guard caught me sneaking out and was kind to escort me. I should had been executed to be in the Inner garden as its only exclusive for the Lord and his family. I am his family by a forgotten era, or should I say; a hidden era. It was my concern for my grandchildren that I risked the intrusion into the Inner garden.

Today, I got news of the Genus, not from my spies or those of the Lord, but from his own previous masters. Prime Leader Romus tells me he is seen with the Outsiders and plans are afloat to bring him in alive or dead. Some of the best are send over to do the task, including some he may have trained. I wonder why the Prime tells me, so I can convey to the Lord or is he setting a trap to test my loyalty now.

Mistress Kimi

I do not know which is harder to accept; the death of my Lord or the acceptance of one like him. When we met earlier this evening, I was to know he is not my husband, even though he shares all the physical attribute of mine. I jumped out of the bedding wanting to call the guards, but he stopped me. He said he will explain it all. The story he told me was disbelieving yet it has some truth to it. He knew things about me which only my Lord knew as these are words which we spoke together. He knew of my favourite poems and readings, and how I liked to hold my Lord when he sleep. Its so real yet I know that this is a fraudulent man standing before me. It was when he told me of his twin and his father’s act, that I broke down to my emotional state. He told me his father, the Lord forbids anyone to tell of his tale. I looked at the stranger yet familiar face who now cuddles my child, and I asked am I having a nightmare. My ‘new’ master was kind to said he will leave me alone with the child until I am ready to accept him as the master. With that he hands me back my child, and also my only love I have left in this world now.

I am most angry with him at his casual behaviour although his brother lies dead somewhere and now he steps into the life of that brother. He is like a man without emotion or love. I cannot love such a man. I want back my gentle master whose poems I read nightly. I also hate my Lord’s father for he is a cruel man, who once killed my father now my husband. He shall be held by his deeds one day. That is a promise I made to myself. But how can I reconcile to a new man in the body of my husband. This is not the relationship which I can develop once again.

It was the bubbly hand which shook me from  my thoughts. I looked at the child of my love, and he stared at me with his innocent look. Yes, my child; we will be together and take on the destiny which ours. Your name is not given as yet for its only after the first year you are so called, but your born father has name you well. So shall it be my legacy with your father; Canaan, son of Conal.

Praetorian Genus

I saw them coming; all five of them dressed in animal skins and carrying double short swords. They have discarded their shields for the extra sword. Its a calculated risk that you can used that extra sword well. Their moving was good as even the birds are not stirred from the nesting nor is the wild hog who was eating nearby. They got the wind in the correct direction and a good sandals, with each step carefully taken. But they need to be better if they are beat us at this game. My men are on the high branches of the trees, and their spears appear just inches from the feet of the five men when they released it. That took them of their guard, and declared themselves as loser. Its a good game, we played here in the forest, and this men are getting better. Soon they will be a match to the best the army can send against them.

I looked back at the wild hog, now standing some distance away. ‘Go away, beast. Today you are spared, but tomorrow we may take you for food.’

Such is the way, I learned now of my new life. Braven was kind to accept me back and kept me hidden from the spies and informers in the initial days, but soon let me trained his men in the hills. As I am an ex-enemy, he favors I stayed at the training camp. There I can see how his men are taught to fight and I can teach them more. He knows the peace he is enjoying may end soon and he may one day fight the Frontier Army again. The camp I am in is up in the hills and hidden by the heavy foliage of the forest. Its hillside is set with traps and hidden outpost, where in the camp is a total of five hundred men not counting the womenfolk and children are making their home here for now. These trained men will soon be send off to the other settlements to teach the people there, while another five hundred will come to join in.

I been here for too long that my bones ache for new adventures. So at times, I travel to the Main Settlement, and meet the old friends and ex-foes. Soon I was accepted back without fear or backstabbing. I also sat with Braven on his discussion with the Elders, and offered my advise to them. It was mine to tell him to monitor the army but not engaged unless needed.

Today, I got news that the River Ends camp is ready and fully occupied, and their commander is the Lieutenant Damai. I intend to ride there and meet the old friend, but I was advised against it. The Frontier Army has been activated lately with patrols in the forest on the borders, but on my advise, they are not met or engaged in any way. But the Lord has breached his words as he build another few outpost across the border now,  so close to the cave where I first met the Outsiders. I asked why, and they said they know why. The cave I met the Outsiders, is an old mine of ores which the iron is extracted. So the Frontier Army needs it for the weapons. Maybe the Frontier Army knew of this mine from the spies or informers, or maybe some drunken Outsiders when they used to meet at River Ends to trade.

In retaliation, Braven ambushed the transport and takes what he can. He does not harass the mines as he also need the ore. His men will carry what they can and move back into the forest. The ores they have taken are used to make more weapons and traded for other materials. As he does not want to have any conflict with the Lord on his treaty, his command was not to fight any battle, unless you are cornered, which is why there are minor skirmishes along the border. His spies watched the trails of the patrols and warn the settlement or people on those trail to leave or hide. It’ been like this for many moons. Braven knows that soon he will need to fight the war to regain his lands, and punish a Lord whose words cannot be trusted. If Lord Camlash wants those ores and he is a bastard who grabs, another war is soon to erupt.

But now a new event takes my attention. A trio of Praetorian is seen in the forest, making its way north. The perimeter guards tells me its rare for the such a small group to wander so far. I know of such groups; they are like me, trained to do suicidal assignments like assassination or deep cover into enemy land. I selected some of my better men and we ran to intercept the trio.

There they were; all three of them resting by the high tree, eating their cold food and drinks. They are trained to survive in the most desolate conditions and fight with ever they can grab on. I know these well, as besides being trained, I also trained the new ones. We are also called the ‘death march’ team, as we normally don’t come back alive. I recognized one of them as my junior in the ambush of the Prime Leader many season ago. Maybe he still recognised me and may not heard of my disgrace as yet. I signaled my men to stay put as I walked up to the trio.

‘Halt, Praetorian. I am Senior Praetorian Genus. Who are you?’ I assumed my old self with my level of authority.

‘Hail, Praetorian Genus, or shall I say the traitor.’ The man who address me was the one who rode with me. His name is Mercer, and we saved each other life's many times.

‘So my betrayal news travel fast, Mercer. Do you also believe it? If so, then I am a doomed man.’ I know Mercer is a soldier by profession and his faith is his commander.

‘I know not of what you did, but what I was told is to take you back if I can. We were told to hunt you here on the north. Why is it not surprised to see you run back to your friends, the Outsiders, after you did lead them to victory before. I speak no more; prepare your prayers to die. Attack him.’

I do not know what happened next but it did happened so fast. Spears thrown from the behind the forest trees hit the trio before they can even approach me. I ran towards Mercer and cradle his head in my stub arm. ‘It was not my plan. They did it when you choose to attacked me.’

‘I know. I saw them, and I would had done the same too. Be careful, my old friend. There are others who hunts too, maybe for you or other.....’ Mercer never finished his statement. I lowered his head to place it on the ground. I took his sword and placed it on his chest.

‘Buried them with honor. And then we go back. We have much work to do.’