Chapter 10

Kenna, River Mark, Sidor

Aldric sat in his favorite cushioned chair, absorbing the warmth from the fireplace, still not feeling warm. He had only been home from Shadowhold for a few days, and he’d yet to feel fully warm. The season had been incredibly long this year, with more of the monsters staying out and not returning to the depths as most of their kind did.

He didn’t know how many more years of leading this fight he had in him. He wasn’t a young man anymore, and the years of watching young men die at his command were weighing on him.

And then he comes back to ... this. A complete catastrophe in every way. The revolt had been unfortunate. Necessary, but unfortunate. Aldric had tried to talk them out of some of their harder points, not that he begrudged them their desire to have a say in how they were governed, but he’d known Edmund and many, if not most, of the barons would see it as an affront to everything they knew. They saw their privileges as having come directly from the ancients themselves. Giving those same privileges to commoners would sit poorly with them.

Aldric knew it would not stand for long, but he’d hoped that it would last a little longer than this.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when the door to his study opened. His annoyance turned to a smile when he saw his wife.

“I thought I might find you here. You’ve been brooding all morning.”

“Can you blame me? The news from Starhaven grows more troubling by the day.”

“I know. Halfway across the continent, there is a murdered woodcutter and an arrested baron, and it’s all anyone can talk about, from the nobles, to the bannerets and ministers, all the way down to the scullions.”

“As they should. They may not realize it directly, but it may be the most important news in the kingdom since Charles Whitton crossed the Leviathan Straits.”

“How could Thurston have sent such a letter to Fletcher? It seems so unlike him.”

“Because he didn’t. I’d stake my life on it.”

“Then who do you think...”

“Edmund had Fletcher killed and planted that letter on him. I’m sure of it,” he said angrily, but trying not to direct that anger at her.

Alyssa sat across from him, her hands folded neatly in her lap. She was always calm, always composed. He appreciated that about her.

“But why? Thurston has always been loyal. He’s one of the few who still believes in duty to the people.”

“That’s the problem; he’s loyal to the people more than to the crown. In Edmund’s estimation, that is the same as outright treason. Edmund was furious with Thurston specifically, ever since he backed the commoners’ ending of his latest taxes. He’s been looking for a way to be rid of him ever since. My fear is that this is just the beginning. If this works, he will see it as a new tool to go after others who’ve opposed him. You can be certain of that.”

“The Treaty of the Twins has been law for centuries. Edmund can’t simply tear it apart.”

On the face of it, she was right, of course. It was also a naive way to see the world.

“The treaty only has as much power as we give it. If Edmund amasses enough power, he can tear up the treaty, and there will be nothing the barons that don’t stand with him can do to stop him.”

“Which is why he’s replacing the barons who aren’t loyal, then. Starting with Thurston.”

“Or trying to, at least, but that has always been for starters. He’s said many times that Sidor was strongest when it was united by force, when Edgar Whitton first brought the kingdoms of Kingsheart, Iron Keep, and River Mark together. Before the time of unification, when the treaty was written and the barons were given the power of the coin.”

“Does he really think he can depose all the barons? Or abolish the Nobles Council entirely?”

“I don’t know,” Aldric said, sighing. “Ambition has always blinded him. He sees himself as the architect of Sidor’s future, and the rest of us ... pawns.”

They sat in silence for a moment. Alyssa had known Edmund when he was a young man, but she’d only seen what he’d wanted her to see. He’d been courting her, and as devious as Edmund was, he understood that others would see those traits as ... less admirable. He was good at presenting versions of himself; whichever one he felt would give him the best advantage in a situation.

Aldric hadn’t spoken about Edmund in that way before. Partly because he knew he had to play a careful game. Edmund had never trusted him fully, but he also didn’t put Aldric in the same category as the barons. Putting himself in Edmund’s sights would only make it harder for him to mediate.

“What about the council?” Alyssa finally said, breaking the silence. “It has rights under the charter—”

Her words were interrupted by a knock at the door. A messenger stepped in, holding a small scroll bound by the telltale seal of a wyvern message. Aldric gestured for him to approach, taking the scroll from the messenger’s hand.

“Thank you,” Aldric said, dismissing the man with a nod.

He unfurled the message, his eyes quickly scanning the words. The more he read, the deeper his frown became.

“What is it?” she asked, clearly reading the expression on his face.

Aldric didn’t answer right away, reading the note through a second time before crumpling it up and leaning his head back into the soft cushion of the chair.

“Aldric?”

“It’s from Garris. He’s furious about Thurston’s arrest.”

“That shouldn’t be a surprise?” Alyssa said, forming it into a question, knowing there was more.

“It’s not, but that is only the beginning. He believes this is the first arrow in Edmund’s war against the barons. He’s convinced that this isn’t just about Thurston or his barony. He thinks it’s about the security of the entire kingdom.”

“Isn’t that exactly what you were saying?”

“It is, but I believe he means to be more ... direct in his opposition than I’m willing to be.”

“What does he propose?”

“He doesn’t say directly but ... I think he plans on standing up to the king. Whether he means if any other barons are arrested or unless Thurston is returned, I don’t know yet. He’s cagey with his words. I think he knew I would not agree.”

“So what are you going to do about it?”

“I’m going to try to put the cork back in the bottle before this turns into something worse.”

“You are a convincing man, my darling, but you know Garris. I’m not sure that will be possible. Especially when your brother seems intent on smashing the bottle altogether. Wouldn’t it be better to support Garris instead?”

“No. What Garris is proposing is chaos. Civil war. It would be a disaster for Sidor and its people. I won’t give in to that last resort so easily.”

“And you think you can stop it?”

“I have to try. I’ll counsel Garris to show some patience, see if I can talk him down. Then I’ll send word to Edmund, try to convince him how much of a mistake this business with Thurston really is.”

“And if they both refuse?”

Aldric set the scroll aside and rubbed his eyes. “Then I’ll start sending wyverns to the barons. Both those who’ve supported us in the past, and even some of the more antagonistic ones. I need to shore up support, just in case.”

“To support Garris, or to oppose him?”

“I honestly don’t know. Garris means well and has the best interest of the kingdom at heart. Mostly. But ... I just don’t know. I’d rather it didn’t come to that.”

Alyssa reached across and put a hand on his knee, massaging it gently. “I know.”

Aldric closed his eyes for a moment, placing his hand on hers, trying not to let his fears for the future get the best of him.

Starhaven, Sidor

“This is a mistake, Your Majesty. We’re pushing too hard, too fast. The nobles won’t stand for...”

“Enough!” Serwyn cut him off, slamming his fist on the ornate table between them. “I’m tired of this conversation, Uncle. I am the king, chosen by right and the ancestors to lead Sidor. The people must bend their wills to me, not the other way around.”

Edmund sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. He had known this wouldn’t go well the moment he had come into Serwyn’s study. Serwyn had been becoming more and more unmanageable with each passing day, assured of his own brilliance. The boy was feeling his oats, and at the worst possible time.

His schemes had thrown everything Edmund had planned into chaos, and it looked less salvageable with each passing day.

“You can’t be that naive, Serwyn,” he said, looking at his nephew again. “The crown...”

“Watch how you speak to me, Uncle,” Serwyn said, his face flushing. “Royal blood or not, I won’t tolerate such disrespect.”

Edmund had had enough. The situation was getting out of hand, and he had to get it back in control fast, before everything fell apart.

Raising his own voice, Edmund said, “Power is only as good as what can be wielded. Arresting Baron Thurston was a step too far. We don’t have enough support for such a brazen move. If we lose the loyalty of enough barons, they’ll march their men into Starhaven and put your head on a spike.”

The chamber fell silent as Serwyn’s anger gave way to uncertainty, as he sat back in his chair behind the desk, brooding. Edmund seized the moment, producing a handful of crumpled wyvern messages from his doublet.

“I’ve been receiving demands and furious complaints from barons across the kingdom. They’re calling for Thurston’s immediate release.”

“Thurston is just one man. I won’t let a single baron dictate the future of my kingdom,” Serwyn said, but a lot less confidently than his proclamations a few moments earlier.

“He is not just one man, Your Majesty. The Nobles Council has been in session all morning. They are up in arms, Serwyn. Yelling about their rights, their prerogatives ... some are even threatening to hold all funds until Thurston is released.”

Serwyn turned his head, refusing to meet Edmund’s eyes. His jaw clenched, clearly battling with his anger, but he said nothing.

“Even the Commoners’ Council...”

It was the wrong thing to say.

“That council never should have existed!” Serwyn exploded, rising abruptly from his chair. “Thurston was one of the men responsible for that folly. He and his ilk have done nothing but undermine my authority since the day I ascended to the throne.”

“Be that as it may, Your Majesty, we cannot ignore the reality of our situation. The nobles...”

“The nobles can rot in the darkest pits of the Maw for all I care,” Serwyn spat. “Thurston has been tried and found guilty of treason. He will be executed, as is my right as king, and any barons who think to demand their ‘rights’ and threaten the crown will join him on the gallows.”

This was spiraling out of control faster than he had anticipated.

“Your Majesty, I implore you to reconsider. Such actions could lead to open rebellion. We must find a way to appease...”

“Appease? I am the king, Uncle. I will bend to the nobles no more,” he said, coming around his desk, standing right in front of him, lowering his voice dangerously. “You can either carry out my commands, or you can find yourself in their company. Which will it be?”