Tower of High Sun - 3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Nightmares

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Taller and with longer legs, Jack caught up with his master just beyond the gate guarding the manor house. “Thad!” He shouted. Thaddeus stopped but didn’t turn back. When Jack reached for him he didn’t flinch.

“I should kill that bastard.” Jack swore

“Why do you always want to kill everyone?”

“Not everyone… only people who’ve hurt you.”

“My being here hurts him more.”

“Homesick?”

“By the stars no. I thought this would be our grand adventure but it’s not.”

“What’s a journey without a few bumps in the road?”

“Like you would know.”

“I do Thad… You know I do.” Before Thad could reply, he gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

“Why did you do that?”

“Because I wanted to. You have a problem with that?”

“Boys don’t kiss!” Thaddeus insisted.

“They do if they’re members of the Upper Nobility.”

“Well, I’m not one of them and neither are you.”

This time it was Jack who whimpered away.

“I… I didn’t mean it.” He was about to go after him when he felt a familiar shudder run down his spine. Now was not the time for him to follow. He prayed to the stars that Jack did not do anything either of them would regret.

When he returned to the manor he found Sir Levi waiting for him. The look of disgust he gave the youth showed word had reached him of what had happened between him and Sir Lord Fredrick. He didn’t shout or berate him or say anything at all for that matter. Thaddeus wished he had. The knight’s mute silence was punishment.

Dinner was as awkward. Through each course, the sisters kept their eyes on their plates. Except to respond to their father or servants, they remained silent. When Thaddeus needed help knowing which utensil to use, Amber would hand him the proper fork or spoon without a word.

Lord Fredrick and Sir Levi spoke of the coming harvest and whatever outdated news the knight had of the court. The conversation was forced as its only purpose was to break the silence.

Though the food was nothing like Thaddeus had ever had before, he didn’t eat much, and to this day would not remember what was served.

“After traveling such a distance, our guests must be tired. Gale… please take Lord Thaddeus to his bedchamber.”

“If you will follow me Sir Lord.”

The moment he had the bedroom door closed, Thaddeus let out a sigh of relief. If he had been made to sit much loner he would have burst into tears. He still might.

The bed that had been prepared was huge. It was far larger his bedroom back home. He never imagined beds could be of such size. With a box spring and two mattresses, it was also quite tall. Luckily, there was a step stool for him to use. The bed was incredibly soft. What could it be stuffed with? He wondered to himself. Not the same moldy old straw he had always known.

Then there were the pillows. Back home on his mother had one and that one was also stuffed with straw. Like thinly sliced meat rolled up in a piece of flat bread, the pillows wrapped around him.

While Thaddeus slept, Lord Fredrick and Sir Levi retired to the library where they could confront each other without being overheard.

“I know what you’re thinking Fredrick but I cannot allow it.”

“Because of the Duke’s orders? Damn man… why follow the commands of your dishonorable master.”

“Because he’s the Grand Duke and has the ear of the Emperor.”

“But he looks so much like him.”

“But he’s not and no haircut or fancy clothes will make him your son. He is of the Dukes blood which means he must serve the Prince Duke.”

“As a god damned slave!”

“That is the custom.”

“So that’s it is it? You will hand this naïve child over to that murderous brat. ”

“I have been so commanded.”

“Then you have no conscience… You’re not even human. After all the boy has endured, you will let him take part in the Hunt like my son was?”

“If that is how the Duke Prince wishes him to serve.” Levi shrugged. “Maybe he will find another use for him.”

“Maybe but most likely not. His mother has seen to it that there are plenty of bastards for his son to make sport of. The prince will see that boy as nothing more than another trophy. Damn… how many heads has he taken?”

“When I left the court he had 12.”

“That proves my point… what’s one more half-brother to him?”

“Master Thaddeus would make an unlucky 13.”

“Superstition… nothing more. Maybe during the Midnight Wars numerology might spared Thaddeus’ life but not now. Please Levi… do not take him from me.”

“Take… how can I take something that was never yours.”

“What about the other one… Jack? At least be merciful enough not to escort him to his certain death.”

“If you can convince him to stay, he may. My orders are specific. I am to present the child to his highness in time for next year’s Hunt.”

“Then why did you bring him with you?”

“Thaddeus would not have willingly come without his companion. The burden of another child to care for is nothing compared to the risk of Thaddeus trying to escape. The relationship between them is not natural. By midnight I swear nothing about that serf is natural.”

“Do my ears deceive me? Is a member of the Emperor’s personal guard afraid of a half -starved twelve year old boy? If you fear him so much why haven’t you killed him? I’m sure you’ve had plenty of opportunities on the road.”

“You think I haven’t thought of exactly that? “

“Then why haven’t you?”

“Because he knows… Every night I fall asleep with that boy’s dark eyes glaring at me. When I wake up he still is. I swear he’s unnatural.”

“All the more reason to leave both with me.”

“I can’t… The Duke…”

“Who are you afraid of more, our dishonorable Duke or that unnatural boy?”

“I swore on my honor to bring Thaddeus to the Tower of High Sun. If it’s a son you want, find a way to keep the other.” Enraged by his own cowardliness, he knocked over one of the towering bookshelves against another triggering a domino effect that left the library in disarray.

Four of the baronet’s guards charged into the room, swords drawn.

It would take days to put things back to right but it gave Lord Fredrick an opening. “See what you’ve done. You have disrupted the tranquility of my house and dishonored the hospitality I offered you. Since all you care about is your honor, I demand you leave my lands at once.”

“Then I shall leave and trouble you no more.”

“Without the boys of course. They have not done me any dishonored and will remain until they decide to leave.”

Sir Levi went cold. By the codes of honor and hospitality Lord Fredrick was well within he rights. “Well played your Lordship. Keep the boys. It won’t take me long to reach Earl Castor in Evermore. You still owe him your fealty do you not Lord?”

“Aye, I do. He can command me to surrender the boys and if he does so, I will obey. I, at least, am a man of honor”

“You do not doubt he will?”

“You’re in the Outer Provinces… a single knight claiming to speak in the name of our beloved Emperor does not carry much weight in these parts. The Earl will want proof your orders do come from the Duke. That will take time, possibly months since the nearest sky port is an ocean away.”

“When I return it will be with a legion of the Emperor’s terror troops. I will see your fief laid to waste, you and yours crucified. Before you die, you will watch the Dooms Men rape your daughters and plant in them their tainted seed.”

“Get this monster out of my sight.” His guards didn’t waste any time clasping the knight’s hands in iron cuffs. They had him in the back of a wagon faster than he expected.

If the knight had his sword, he knew he could have killed them all. The same code of hospitality Lord Fredrik had so skillfully used against him had also stripped him of his weapons and armor at the door. All were now the property of the Baronet, including his horse. He would be sent on his way with only what he wore which was precious little.

The Baronet was right, without the signature sword, armor, and tabard of a member of the Emperor’s guard, no nobleman would take him at his word. He did not doubt Lord Fredrick would send word ahead warning his feudal lord of a vagabond charlatan claiming to speak in the Emperor’s name.

Yalla could have proven his claim but she was not one to miss a chance at revenge. She might even claim her son had died years ago. Given the state of her lands, her lie would be more believable than his truth.

The guards drove through the night. Sir Levi came to understand how dire his situation was. They were not heading west but east, back the way he came. Now to reach Evermore he would have to travel around the Baronet’s lands. That meant traveling south through the Valley of Sarrs.

From what he remembered from the map he happened to no longer have, two parallel mountain ranges formed Sarrs’ east and west boundaries. This prevented clouds and, therefore, rain from passing over. It left the land a rocky, arid wasteland. Regardless of the valley’s suspected mineral wealth, the region was devoid of settlements and roads.

Given what little he had left, he had little chance of surviving the crossing. He would have a better chance of sneaking through Lord Fredrick’s lands. Even so, given a choice between the two, he would take the more desperate route through the valley.