The Eynan Read online

  He looked almost shocked when Ninian spoke, his voice carrying a hint of laughter, "What? Nervous to tell me your story?"

  Jhond smiled. "Maybe a little. Perhaps you'll think I'm crazy."

  "Go on, try me."

  "I'm headed for Tandera to study the Temple of the Magi." Jhond let the statement hang in the air.

  Ninian knew without a doubt now that this man really could be the Eynan. This could be the man of legends for whom he had been searching so long. It was no chance he had come across this stranger on this night. He thought back to the words of the portents and two were fulfilled to the letter--"Look for one who seeks, but carries with him what he seeks" and "A man out of place in the woods where the Dancing Fire points the way." It seemed the doyen had made it easy.

  Too easy? The sudden query flooded through him. No, isn't that the point of portents?

  Ninian strode forward into what little light was left. He looked down at Jhond and said quietly, "Mind if I accompany you?"

  Chapter 6

  Prince Patinus moved nervously through the dark corridors. The décor of this old fortress, with its many trophies of war and death, animal and human, only served to shred his frayed nerves further. The Castle of Rugarold had been the residence of the Princes of Rugarold since ancient times. Now the state had been swallowed into the Illurian Empire and there were no more Princes of Rugarold. Instead, it was the temporary residence of the emperor while he conducted the next stage of his expansion.

  Patinus prayed to the Lords daily that Irobi wouldn't be next. He did everything in his power to protect his small state, always being deferential to the emperor, even though he hated it. He was grateful his father had not survived to face this threat to his beloved land. Patinus had only been its ruler for sixteen months and felt the weight of his obligation heavily.

  However, the emperor was never to be taken lightly and when he summoned one into his presence in the pre-dawn hours, it could hardly be for a frivolous reason.

  As he approached the last bend before the stairs leading to the inner sanctum where the emperor held his private audiences, Patinus' state of mind wasn't helped when he bumped into Anenisis Suvran, Preceptor to the Emperor. If Patinus felt nervous in the presence of the emperor, it was only natural--after all, Emperor Bardius was the Lord of Lords over half the world--but Patinus' reaction to Suvran was very different. It was pure fear, with a heavy dash of revulsion. If one pushed him to say why he felt that way, Patinus couldn't give a logical answer. But a subjective one would be that he felt himself in the presence of evil.

  Patinus had never considered he had any kind of precognition, so he didn't really have any reason for this feeling, but that didn't mean he didn't accept it. Nor could he help his reaction to the man being all too obvious.

  Suvran didn't look particularly threatening. In some ways, he looked quite ordinary--medium height and medium build, with thick black hair falling to his shoulders. But the eyes... His eyes were very pale blue, almost like chips of ice, and oddly penetrating. Patinus always felt it would be very hard to lie to this man, so he always did his best to say nothing at all if possible.

  "Ah, Prince Patinus. Coming swiftly in answer to the Lord of Lords," Suvran said in his usual snide manner, as he looked the prince up and down, giving a small smile as he reached the prince's face.

  The smile sent a shiver down Patinus' spine. The only person to whom Suvran showed any kind of deference was the emperor, not that Patinus thought even that was anything other than an act for the emperor's benefit.

  "Of course, Preceptor." Patinus never liked to use the man's name to his face. He somehow felt he kept a distance by only ever addressing him by his title. "Do you have any idea why the emperor would summon me at this early hour?" He asked more to fill the otherwise disquieting silence as they walked the last short distance to the chamber, not because he really expected an answer.

  "Now, even if I did know, is it likely I would tell you and spoil His Grace's pleasure?"

  Patinus glanced toward Suvran, who paused and leaned back against the wall, one hand sliding over the other, a fingertip absently rubbing the ring on his left index finger. It was an unusual ring. Patinus had never seen anything quite like it before and he had to force his gaze away from it. Suvran cocked his head to one side as he studied him and Patinus struggled to keep his true unease to himself. Though, when Suvran broke into his peculiar laugh, which sounded as if someone were rubbing two pieces of coarsely sanded paper together amidst a field of tinkling bells, he knew Suvran was only too aware of his perturbation. Still laughing, Suvran continued on his way, and Patinus followed in his wake.

  The guards saw their approach and opened the huge doors to the inner sanctum. Both Patinus and Suvran halted just inside the open doorway, where the attendant bowed to them before turning inward and intoning loudly, "Your Grace, Prince Patinus of Irobi has attended your summons. Preceptor Suvran is in attendance."

  The emperor simply waved an arm in their direction, and the attendant bowed them in.

  The prince walked slowly forward, as the sea of people in attendance at this unearthly hour parted for their passage. There were ministers in full regalia, flowing cloaks over their stiff uniforms or court clothes, along with servants weaving in and out with trays of food and drink. Guards were scattered judiciously about the room, watching everything and everyone. And not forgetting the ladies in varying degrees of dress or undress, who lounged around the throne at the end of the room, or sat on stools near the small tables dotted here and there throughout the huge room.

  Patinus remembered someone saying this had once been used as some kind of audience chamber in the old days, and those who angered the Princes of Rugarold were thrown out of the tall window to the left of the throne dais to crash onto the rocks below. Patinus couldn't keep his gaze from drifting to that window as he approached the emperor, and he was chilled when he heard the peculiar laugh of Suvran from just behind him.

  How in all the hells did that bastard know what I was thinking?

  Patinus dragged his attention back to the emperor, who was right in front of him. He bowed gracefully. "Your Grace."

  Emperor Bardius was anything but graceful or gracious. He was a small, ugly man who ate too much and drank even more. But for someone who drank as much as he did, he never seemed to lose either his common sense or his inhibitions. Admittedly, that would be difficult, as he didn't have any inhibitions to lose.

  "Ah, Patinus, we have much to discuss. I have plans, many plans, and one of them concerns you. But let me finish this first." Bardius' attention returned to the man on the floor at his feet.

  Patinus followed his gaze and, knowing what was likely going to happen, wished he could have missed it. Clearly, the man had already been beaten. He was chained, wrists and ankles and the chains were linked to another chain around his waist. Where the chains dug into his wrists, the skin was chafed and bleeding. Yet the man exuded an odd sense of pride in his very defiance. He sat back on his heels, his head high as he stared straight at the emperor.

  "Now, where were we? Oh yes, are you going to confess that you defy my edicts? That you promote the old beliefs. That you quote the magi that each man carries the Lords of Light within. You dare to believe in the rights of all men to control their own destiny."

  The man did not speak; he merely smiled.

  Bardius returned the smile, coldly. "I truly don't understand your peculiar beliefs. How can you rattle off such drivel? How can you ignore the proof of my power over others? I've ordered men, and they have marched across this continent at my command. Power is self-created and only those strong enough to wield it have any rights. Everyone else is only there to serve, by the will of the Lords of Light."

  At last, the man was stung into speaking. "And you say I talk drivel. The old ways were so much better. Yes, they taught that each man carries the Lords of Light within him because every man has the potential to be whatever he could. There was no need for your destructive con
trol; control came through trust, help through belief and--"

  "Don't you dare try and preach to me you... Guard! Take him out and execute him. Send a portion to each of the major cities as a warning." The guards came forward to drag the man away, but he pulled from them and walked to the exit with as much dignity as the chains would allow.

  Bardius turned his attention to Patinus, as if nothing had upset the equilibrium of the room. "Now to discuss my plans with you, Patinus."

  Patinus pulled his gaze from the condemned man, keeping his true feelings hidden. "Yes, my Lord. In what manner can I serve you?" He had no wish to serve Bardius at all, but he had no choice. His principality was small and if he wished to protect what little he had left, and do whatever he could for his people, then he had no choice at all. So far, Bardius had left Irobi under his control. It was no threat to him as long as they did what the emperor wanted, but if just once they went against his wishes, Irobi would be invaded and overrun before the sun had set. It made much more sense to toe the line and keep whatever power and control he could. So, he would do whatever Bardius commanded.

  "Well, Patinus, my next objective is to cross the sea and take the Southern Lands. And I shall start with Timendra."

  "Timendra? But that's the largest state on the continent. Lords, it's one of the largest states anywhere. Why would you start there with such a target?"

  "Because it is the largest. Once that falls, the others will be easy. But, I have no intention of going to war with Timendra, not yet anyway. I have another method in mind to lull their senses. Suvran and I have talked long and carefully about this and I plan to--as they say--get my foot in the back door, through an alliance."

  "Alliance," Patinus whispered hollowly. He did not like where this was going.

  "Why, yes. Irobi, and therefore you, is believed to be a sovereign state by the Southern Lands, free of the emperor's influence," Suvran interjected in his sly way. "You will approach King Corianus and plead the case that by joining your family to his through an alliance, your joint powers would present a stronger face on both sides of the Estan Sea to the encroaching empire, while giving Timendra a possible foothold here. It should be very tempting."

  "You want me to offer to wed a member of the royal family of Timendra?" What could he say? He had no wish to marry, certainly not just to satisfy some mad whim of these two conniving monsters. But what could he say? Suddenly, a thought occurred. "But wait, Your Grace, Corianus' two daughters are already married."

  "True," replied Suvran silkily, "but his niece is not."

  "His niece?"

  "The Lady Gallia Talchel, daughter of Duke Vikor, is unwed and she would be perfect. She is young, and I'm sure your charms will sweep such a child off her feet," Suvran said, with smiling malice.

  "Enough with the questions," berated the emperor. "There is much to understand and no time to waste. I need Timendra for many reasons. Some are obvious; the land is not only rich in material wealth and populace--I always need more workers and more recruits for my army--but it's also rich in historical wealth, secrets of long-ago, secrets in which--"

  "Your Grace, surely Patinus does not need to know everything at once. Should he not just learn about his own responsibilities?" interrupted Suvran.

  So, thought Patinus, there are some secrets Suvran wants no one to know. Isn't that a surprise!

  "I've already sent word to King Corianus in your name, suggesting such an alliance and requesting an audience at his earliest convenience. I'm sure he will reply favorably."

  "Why, Your Grace? My country has little to offer a state the size of Timendra. There must be other suitors he would find more suitable nearer home."

  "I think not. Corianus is an odd fish. He hadn't pressed for royal suitors for his daughters; he only seemed concerned for his sons. He seems to accept whatever suitor the girls have brought forward. Some sort of modern notion of choice.

  "I can't see he would think differently for his niece. I have had spies watching her for some time. The girl has no suitors. Duke Vikor seems not to be particularly interested in her. She has spent many years living with Vikor's cousin, Lord Girau of Reeve, and his gaggle of children. I'm sure an offer from you would be most welcome, as well as most beneficial to Corianus."

  * * * *

  Jhond realized if Ninian was going to accompany him all the way to Tandera, they would need another mount. Jhond found he was quite content with the idea of a companion on his journey.

  He'd never even given thought of going any way but alone, but now he realized just how lonely he had felt. He knew, of course, the real reason for his loneliness, but that didn't mean he couldn't find a way to alleviate it.

  He couldn't believe his luck at having run into Ninian.

  * * * *

  Ninian was having a similar reaction. He'd been searching for Jhond, though not by name, for more years than he cared to remember. He had followed innumerable clues and chased down more stories, tips and ideas than he could even recall. Yet, he had found him by sheer chance because of a damned snake!

  Thanks be to all the Lords of Light. Perhaps now the long time of waiting was at last coming to an end.

  And it would only be a beginning, of course. If he was truly the Eynan--and this Ninian did believe--then Jhond had much to learn and even more to discover. Ninian had been carrying this burden alone for nigh on twenty years. It would be so much easier if he could now share it. Of course, the thought came to him that if Jhond was the Eynan, then he had spent most of the last twenty years basically wasting his time because this was Jhond's time. Now.

  That was the trouble with prophecies. They were never exact. Those waiting for the fulfillment of such prophecies never knew a time and date when things would come to pass, sometimes not even what was to come to pass. It was all too easy to try to push things along, as if somehow they would make the prophecy come true at a time of their choosing. But the whole point about a prophecy was that it was a foretelling of some future event, an event set to happen when it would, when it should and, no matter what anybody did, that could never be changed.

  Then again, neither could the impatience of Man, particularly if the awaited event was so fundamentally important that all mankind would be affected by it, improved by it. How could Man, frail creature that he was, be expected to wait for something he wanted, needed, so much? It wasn't in Man's nature. Hence, people like Ninian had been waiting, searching for centuries, and each had hoped he would be the one in the right place at the right time to discover the Eynan.

  Well, Ninian was pretty sure the search was over at last. Oh, how he hoped so. If ever the world needed a liberator, it was now.

  "Jhond, it's a fair way to the next village, and I'm of the opinion it would make more sense if we backtracked to the hamlet you passed through last night and pick up a mount for me there."

  "And then we could start our journey proper to Tandera," Jhond agreed.

  It would be a long walk, but it would give them time to talk some more and perhaps learn more of each other. Ninian knew there was something gnawing away at Jhond. Not that he had said anything; it was just one of Ninian's talents to "know" people. He knew Jhond was hurting, deeply, too deeply for him to talk about yet to someone who was still a virtual stranger. But then again, sometimes a stranger was the only one to whom you could tell your problems.

  Chapter 7

  It was past noon when they finally topped the hill, which overlooked the village where they hoped to obtain another horse. It had taken quite a while to reach, but it had proved fruitful. They had talked most of the morning away, Ninian telling Jhond about many of his travels. He described some of the faraway lands Jhond had only read about in books.

  "It's amazing just how much of the world you've managed to see in the relatively short time you've been traveling," Jhond commented. "It's exciting to think just how much I can learn from you about the world beyond my very limited experience."

  "Short time," Ninian exclaimed. "I've had been roa
ming the world for over fifteen years, though sometimes it seems longer."

  Ninian had managed to get Jhond talking a little about himself, about why he was making this journey. It had taken some time, and Jhond had taken a very roundabout route to get to the heart of his story, but he'd finally admitted he'd been deeply in love with a young maiden. There was obviously some kind of family disagreement, though Jhond completely glossed over that. Whatever had been going on, he'd been unable to marry her.

  It was quite clear to Ninian, not only because of the way Jhond skirted around this subject, but because of the waves of unease and denial he felt from Jhond, that there was considerably more to this story than just the bare bones laid out by him. However, Ninian also realized it was still too soon, the wounds too raw, to push Jhond any further at this stage. The time would come when he would unburden himself.

  Jhond turned the conversation back to the mysteries of the magi and the suggestion they may have had some evil influence. Jhond seemed unable to accept such an assertion, one which Ninian enjoyed putting forward just to hear all the different arguments Jhond could bring to the fore. Just as they were dropping down the hill to enter the village he capitulated.

  "Jhond, Jhond, enough! I surrender." He laughed putting his arm around Jhond's shoulder. "I admit I have no idea of the truth of this. I've only picked up the odd story here and there in my travels. I know damn well the Illurians spread as many different rumors as they can; most of them, I think, just to cause unrest. I can't claim to have spent my entire life studying the histories as you have. I surrender."

  Jhond grinned back sheepishly. "I know I tend to run on about this. My brothers, especially Rhou, used to rib me about how serious I would get. They would wind me up no end just to get me arguing and putting one case or another. My mother used to say he should've trained as a chef; he was perfect at stirring things up! He would set me off and then just sit back and watch."