Aglanthol 4 - Tyrnae (Journey to the Otherworld) - 1. Chapter 1

Aglanthol 4

Tyrnae

(Journey to the Otherworld)

by

Dolores Esteban

"Love is the magic of the heart"

Neldor looked out of the window. Although it was still early in the morning, people had already gathered in the yard. Neldor saw stable boys, maidens, royal servants and valets. They stood in groups, talking to each other and making quite a fuss.

"What’s going on? Why has no one informed me?" the wizard said grumpily.

Neldor had not left his chamber in the tower for a week. A servant had brought him food and drink. The man had not spoken to him because the wizard’s piercing looks had appalled the man. It was the second day that people gathered in the yard in the morning. Neldor looked out of the window grumpily. The noise outside distracted him from his studies.

A group of royal soldiers on horseback suddenly crossed the yard. The people stepped out of their way. The riders left the yard and the people gazed after them before they returned to talking to each other excitedly. Neldor frowned. He turned around abruptly and walked to the door.

"I need to find out what is going on," he said, while he descended the stairs of the tower.

Neldor stepped into the yard. The people fell silent and gazed at the wizard. Neldor, however, ignored them. He crossed the yard and entered the royal hall. The king and his counsellors had gathered inside. They looked flustered and agitated. Neldor glanced around and frowned at the people before he crossed the hall.

"What is going on here? Why has no one informed me?" Neldor asked the king straight away as soon as he had approached him.

The king looked up and opened his mouth. But before he could say a word, a man stepped in Neldor’s way. Neldor shot him a dark look. The man was the king’s new magician, just an adept in Neldor’s eyes. The king had promoted the man and had discarded Neldor from his duties. The king found he did not require the old man’s service anymore.

Luckily, the new court magician had rejected the offer to live in the tower. The building was old and the chambers were small. The king had left the tower to the wizard Neldor. Although he had discarded him from his duties, he had not dared to send the old man away. Neldor had pouted for a certain amount of time, but then he had acknowledged his fate. He now spent most of his time in his chambers, reading old manuscripts and doing all kinds of research. Nobody missed him when he was absent from court. Neldor could do as he pleased. He had, however, never entirely lost interest in the royal affairs. He now and then attended the royal gatherings and dinners in the main hall. Thy royal counsellors still showed respect for him, which greatly pleased the old wizard.

"What is it you want, Master Neldor?" the king’s new magician asked him.

Neldor looked the man up and down, and then he turned his eyes to the king. From what he had heard, the new magician’s main duty was casting all kinds of horoscopes. Neldor found he was not obliged to reply to the man. The new magician was about to make a step towards Neldor, but the king made a gesture with his hand and invited Neldor to step closer.

"Take a seat, Zhoron," the king said in a measured voice.

Surprise showed on Zhoron’s face. The expression turned into anger and for a moment hate showed in the man’s eyes. Neldor saw the whole range of emotions, but he chose to ignore the man. He made a step forward instead and repeated his question.

"My son Lyaris has disappeared," the king answered. "I sent out royal soldiers to find him."

Silence fell. The counsellors stopped talking. All eyes rested on the king.

"We found out that he was missing three days ago. He’s absent often for a day or two. So we did not give it a thought at first," the king continued. "However, he has not yet returned. That’s why I sent out the soldiers this morning."

"You could not have done anything. This is why no one has informed you," Zhoron said, casting Neldor an angry look.

The king looked at the new magician out of the corner of his eye. Neldor looked at the man grumpily. However, he refrained from a response.

"I suspect my son set out for a journey. He cannot be far," the king carried on. He tried to keep his voice calm, but his nervousness showed nonetheless.

Lyaris was the king’s only son. He was supposed to follow the king on the throne. Lyaris’ two brothers had died in early childhood. Only three sisters had survived. The king still hoped for a second son. But the king was fifty-six years of age. Everybody knew that a newborn son would never follow the king on the throne. There were too many men eager to step in and seize power. If Lyaris died untimely, then the king’s lineage would come to an end. That was why Lyaris was watched over, protected and guarded like gold. And that was why the young man stole away whenever he could.

"He left no hint as where he wanted to go?" Neldor asked the king.

The king shook his head.

"I had his chambers searched. But nothing was found. I had his servants and friends questioned. But nobody knew anything or at least they did not reveal it," he said.

The king looked around. His look was dark.

"Question them again," he said to his counsellors. "Make them aware that I will have those punished who do not reveal the truth. Make them aware that I will find out about it. Make them aware that, if anything happened to my son, I will blame them for it."

The king rose to his feet. He left the main hall and a group of men followed him. Among them was the new magician. Neldor looked after them. He turned his head when a man addressed him. Neldor recognized the royal secretary.

"What are you thinking, Master Neldor?" the man asked.

"I can’t believe the prince left without a trace," Neldor said.

"That’s what we are thinking also. But the king does not listen to us," the man replied.

"What are you aiming at, Master Haryk?" Neldor asked, giving the man a suspicious look.

Master Haryk cleared his throat.

"The counsellors advised to send out men and look for Lyaris as soon as they learned he had disappeared," he replied.

"I heard he steals away often," Neldor said slowly.

"But he usually returns the same day," Master Haryk said with a nod. He leaned in more to Neldor. "The king did not tell you the entire truth. Lyaris’ horse is in the stable. But the queen’s horse is missing, a beautiful and fast mare. The prince has not taken along many personal items. The servants swear that only a few clothes are missing."

"Perhaps the prince just went for a ride with his mother’s horse," Neldor said. He was already wondering why people made such a fuss about it.

"Sure. But he has not yet returned. He might have encountered an accident," Master Haryk replied. "We all know what the implications will be, if the prince died untimely. Perish the thought! But, Master Neldor, I, for my part, I am wondering why the king did not follow his counsellors’ advice and send out men earlier in order to seek the prince."

Neldor rubbed his chin thoughtfully. The man was certainly right. The prince was watched out, protected and guarded like gold. Why had the king waited so long?

"What are you suspecting, Master Haryk?" he asked curiously.

"I overheard Zhoron, the new magician, speak to the king. He told him he would find Lyaris within two days with the help of his magic. The king trusted him. This morning, however, the king had to yield to the pressure of his counsellors. That’s why he sent out a group of royal soldiers," Master Haryk said.

"There are two possibilities," Neldor replied. "Either the adept is complacent and irresponsible, risking the prince’s life with his amateurish efforts, or he deliberately delays the search for the prince."

"The adept?" Master Haryk asked with a questioning look.

"Zhoron," Neldor said impatiently. "That’s how I call him. He’s a sapling, after all. I think that’s plain to see. I tend to think he is a mere idiot. But I could be biased, of course."

Neldor frowned at Master Haryk. The man nodded thoughtfully. A faint smile showed on his lips.

"He can by no means replace you, Master Neldor," he said. "Everybody knows this except of the king. The king truly trusts the man."

"I wonder why," Neldor said grumpily, narrowing his eyes a bit.

He looked into the hall absent-mindedly. Neldor was thinking. He finally made an impatient gesture with his hand.

"Anyway, I must be thinking about it, Master Haryk. Thank you for confiding in me. Please watch Zhoron’s steps and report your observations to me," he said.

He gave Haryk a conspiratorial smile. Master Haryk smiled back. He felt pleased that the old wizard had listened to him. He did not like Zhoron’s influence. It weakened the counsellors’ impact on the king.

~~**~~

Neldor left the hall and went back to his tower. He shot the people dark looks as he crossed the yard. The people gave him fearful looks and a few of them even made a step beck. Neldor shook his head. Why did people always feel threatened by him? Why did they just not realize that he always shot dark looks when he was absorbed in deep thoughts? Did they really expect him to smile and chatter when his mind was busy at work? Neldor shrugged inwardly. ‘So much the better,’ he thought. It got them off of his back, after all.

Neldor reached the tower. A thought occurred to him just when he opened the door. He closed it again and then hurried towards the royal stable. He entered it and spotted two stable boys in a corner. They were talking to each other furtively. Neldor approached them. He pointed a finger at them.

"You two. What is it about the queen’s horse? Tell me the truth at once or I’ll turn you into frogs," he said in a sharp voice and with a frown, inwardly chuckling at his own words.

The boys winced and made a step back. They gazed at the wizard in fear. Neldor narrowed his eyes and made another step towards them.

"Wait," one of the boys said in a frightened voice, while the other boy retreated even more.

"Speak up," Neldor said in an imperative voice.

"Zhoron..." the boy started.

"Quiet!" the other boy hissed from the background.

Neldor raised his hand and pointed at the boy who pressed his back against the wall.

"Zhoron," the other boy said quickly. "Zhoron took the queen’s horse three days ago. We must not tell anybody, else he’ll send a demon out to haunt us."

The boy in the background started to sob. The other one gazed at Neldor. His face was as white as snow.

"The demon will haunt us now," he said in a whisper.

"Nonsense," Neldor hissed. "The adept can’t do you any harm."

He snapped his fingers in order to stress his words. A ball of white light appeared out of nowhere and hovered in the air. The boys gazed at it in fear.

"A ward," Neldor explained. "Tell me all and I’ll leave it here in order to protect you."

The ball of light was just a ball of energy that had no purpose at all. But it demonstrated the wizard’s power and it impressed the boys. Neldor was pleased.

"He came here and took the horse and led it out of the stable," the boy continued, his eyes fixed on the ball of light.

"Why did he not take the prince’s horse?" Neldor asked, watching the boys.

The boy shrugged. The other stepped forward.

"He mumbled something about energy. He said the energy of the prince’s horse was too high," he said.

"So he said he wanted the horse for the prince?" Neldor asked patiently.

"Not exactly," the boy said. "He took the prince’s saddle and bridle. So I guessed the prince was waiting outside. We only heard in the afternoon that the prince was missing. They questioned us in the evening."

"And what did you tell them?" Neldor asked.

"That somebody had probably taken the queen’s horse from the stable when we saw to the king’s horses. The king’s horses are in a separate stable. So someone could have led the queen’s horse away when we were absent for a while," he explained.

"Why did you not report this to the king earlier?" Neldor asked.

"Because of the demon," the boy said.

"I see," Neldor replied. "And they did not scold you for not informing the king?"

The boys shook their heads.

"Zhoron had come with them. He made sure that they inquired us only briefly," one of them said.

"Interesting," Neldor said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

The prince and his horse were connected by a strong energy thread. If the prince had taken his own horse, it would have been easy for Neldor to track him down. The queen barely ever rode out. The queen and her horse were only faintly connected. Almost three days had gone by. It would be difficult now to trace the queen’s horse.

"Where is he riding to?" Neldor asked pensively.

"I cannot say," one of the boys said. "But Zhoron must know, I suspect. Why don’t you go and question him?"

Neldor looked at the boy and blinked.

"I cannot question him directly, good boy, else I would reveal to him that I talked with you," he replied.

The boy swallowed. He looked at the ball of light.

"Will the ward work?" he asked nervously.

"Sure," Neldor said.

He made a gesture with his hand. The ball enlarged. Neldor channelled more energy into the ball. The light moved and enwrapped the boys. They smiled at the wizard.

"I feel it works," one of them said.

Neldor nodded kindly. He had sent reassuring energy to the boys. The wizard turned and left the stable. The boys looked after him.

"Do you think he would have turned us into frogs?" one of them asked.

"Definitely," the other said. "With a snap of his fingers. The old man has it down pat."

~~**~~