Chapter 12

Zanthrul, the priest, was ... fretting, not that he’d openly admit it, but it had been noticed by the other priests of the conclave, though, knowing Zanthrul as they did, none chose to enquire. All knew he had been to the central chamber and had spoken to Darmela. All suspected he had not received an answer he’d liked. But, whilst speculation was rife, none dared ask.

Mentally, Zanthrul cursed his goddess for placing the treasury of the temple in jeopardy, that Zanthrul thought it was his, was a common fallacy for the priests of Darmela as the treasury was there to support the temple by way of investments, not keep its priesthood in comfort ... something they used it for anyway.

Signalling an acolyte, Zanthrul rose and gave out orders. “Send a Herald to the Rachtelinian thieves requesting talks; I will talk to the central committee and inform them of Darmela’s commands.”

“At once, high priest,” the acolyte replied swiftly.

“Attend me; we have much to discuss,” Zanthrul commanded the other priests.

A very argumentative and acrimonious meeting took place, taking several hours and leaving the temple divided between those prepared to accept Darmela’s instructions and those who looked to find a loophole in them ... in typical Darmelan fashion.

“I doubt the Rachtelinians know our true wealth,” Caminas, a portly glutton and Zanthrul’s main rival in the organisation, stated.

“Erren is blessing them, so I rather suspect they’ll have a pretty good idea,” Naxxos, another priest, replied.

Can we not just fob them off by handing the former Rachtelinian council over to them? Caminas asked.

“You assume they want them, not our money,” Zanthrul pointed out.

“It was not the temple that overcharged the Rachtelinians,” Caminas huffed.

“It was we who ordered the killing of the priests of Erren, however,” Naxxos countered.

“Really? They are still annoyed about that minor matter?” Caminas chuckled.

“They don’t see it as a minor matter, and you are lucky they are not demanding compensation for those lives by way of ours,” Zanthrul replied acerbically.

“They would not dare!”

“Wouldn’t they?” Zanthrul countered. “Darmela told me to buy them off; they will not come cheap.”

“Then let the mercantile guild pay it,” Caminas snarled.

“They didn’t authorise the killing of Errenite priests.”

“What else may they demand?” Naxxos asked.

“The restoration of the Errenite faith, the return of their national treasures and compensation for their troubles in chastising us,” Zanthrul shrugged. “Those are but educated guesses; we won’t know until talks begin.”

“They will impoverish us, make us laughing stocks!” Caminas almost wailed.

“We can always restore our coffers,” Naxxos shrugged. “Assuming we can come to terms, as their raids targeting the holdings of the merchants and the destruction of our temples are already costing the state dearly.”

“This is why Darmela advised as such,” Zanthrul replied, lying through his teeth. “It has already cost us too much and will likely cost more if we do not end it.”

“I cannot believe the golden goddess advised we capitulate!” Caminas raged. “How big a bribe did Rachtelin pay you, Zanthrul?”

“Nothing,” Zanthrul flatly replied. “Just as they will not bribe you should you depose me and draw out this dispute.”

“At least we’d be negotiating from a position of strength!”

“You and what army?” Zanthrul scoffed. “We kept our army weak so as not to threaten our wealth; we used mercenaries from various factions to prevent a united front of them and used them as bully boys. You think the rest of Fordel’s elite somehow loves the temple?”

“We have their respect!”

“Only because our goddess enriches them,” Naxxos pointed out. “Now she says to negotiate.”

“I doubt she did!”

“Take a gold coin and ask her, Caminas; no one is stopping you,” Zanthrul retorted.

“I shall,” Caminas replied just before he slid a poisoned dagger into Zanthrul’s unguarded side. “Our goddess would never tell us to negotiate our wealth away, old fool.”

“You killed him!” a startled Naxxos said, backing away.

“For lying to his fellow Darmelans, something proscribed in our holy book,” Caminas replied.

“And if he didn’t?” Naxxos asked, continuing to back away, only to find his path blocked by two other priests silently entering.

“He was also in league with your cowardly faction,” Caminas sneered, using the knife on the defenceless priest. “Dispose of the bodies; I’ll speak to the Netas and the council,” he ordered.

“As you command,” one of the priests replied.

“Oh dear,” Erren sighed as she suddenly halted her attack on Darras as part of his training.

“Problem, my love?” Darras asked.

“There’s been a coup in the Darmelan priesthood,” Erren replied. “The ones favouring negotiations are now dead or in hiding.”

“So, no talks?”

“I need you to advise Jertin of a probable assassination attempt,” Erren replied as Darras suddenly found himself refreshed and in his travelling outfit.

“Of course, my love,” Darras replied, kissing Erren and fading away.

It was after dark in the Holy Forest, though Darras was greeted respectfully by the woodnymph guarding the gateway. “I’ll need passage through the forest to a point nearest the Rachtelinians, if you please, lady of the woods,” he politely requested.

“Of course, sir Darras, please follow this faun,” the nymph replied, indicating a small demi-human faun who led the way at a scamper, with Darras moving swiftly to follow.

Fortunately, Darras’s eyesight was proof against the forest’s dark, though he suspected Erren’s aid. This meant he could keep up a good pace following the faun, though he suspected the faun could, if necessary, go faster if it wished, as they were immensely powerful despite their size.

Dawn was breaking as Darras made it to the vicinity of Gruss, the faun indicating the direction with an arm before vanishing. He roused a Rachtelinian courier in the village, gained permission to use his horse, and set off to where Jertin was encamped, following Erren’s directions. It still took nearly a quarter of a day to reach the encampment, though fortunately, Jertin was present along, to Darras’s surprise, King Rigilo.

“Darras, good to see you,” Rigilo smiled.

“Your majesty,” Darras acknowledged. “A surprise to see you here.”

“King Leandomus arranged for my transit via his scouts,” Rigilo explained.

“Good of him,” Darras nodded. “Unfortunately, I bring news for you.”

“Not good news, I take it?”

“More disturbing than bad,” Darras replied. “The head priest of the Darmelan temple has been assassinated, and the faction who did it may have assassination in mind for any peace talks.”

“Ah, we did receive a Herald asking to talk,” Jertin nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll be careful.”

“I’ll avoid it,” Rigilo chuckled. “Callani was worried about my visit anyway.”

“Sometimes you have to see the situation for yourself,” Darras nodded understandingly.

“You do,” Rigilo agreed. “Callani understands this but worries.”

“Wonder how they’ll attempt to get at us,” Jertin mused. “I’ll be wearing armour for one.”

“Expect an ambush,” Darras replied. “They still have mercenaries available.”

“Time to bring out my doubles,” Jertin chuckled.

“I’d advise it,” Darras smiled. “I’ll accompany you to the talks as well, though I have my doubts that the Fordelians will be there.”

“Seems somewhat reckless ... an assassination, that is,” Rigilo opined.

“Darmela advised her priesthood to negotiate. Unfortunately, you have a faction there who will ignore their goddess,” Darras shrugged.

“Seems somewhat foolish,” Rigilo chuckled. “There is no way I’d ignore advice from Erren.”

“Darmela is somewhat distanced from her priesthood, I’m told,” Darras replied. “They have to make an offering of gold from their own pockets to speak to her.”

“So, this faction thinks the other faction is lying?”

“It’s their excuse,” Darras smiled.

“I see,” Rigilo nodded. “I doubt Darmela will be pleased with them.”

“She likely doesn’t know yet.”

“She’s not like Erren, then?”

“No, Erren observes the world far more closely, and even she can be surprised,” Darras explained. Darmela is far more limited in only acting on what her priesthood and the few allies she has amongst the gods tell her.”

‘Close enough, ’ Erren agreed.

“We’ll take precautions,” Jertin confirmed. “Glad you’ll be there too, Darras.”

“You’re my friend; of course, I’ll look out for you,” Darras smiled.

“The meeting is planned to be at a neutral site to the northwest of Taescutt,” Jertin said thoughtfully. “It’s on a trade route to the city of Fordel.”

Darras looked at the map and frowned. “There’s way too much cover to hide a competent military there.”

“I agree; now we know there’s a trap being planned,” Jertin nodded.

“Two can play at that game, though,” Rigilo added with a thin smile.

“Indeed, they can, Rigilo,” Darras agreed. “Your scouts can ensure the surrounding woods are clear of Fordelian mercenary units, and I can ensure Jertin’s safety in the encampment.”

“Take your own food and drink, my friend,” Rigilo advised Jertin. “And be prepared to fight your way out if necessary.”

“I will, my friend,” Jertin confirmed.

“And with that, I must leave to check the troops to the east before returning home,” Rigilo announced.

“Erren says when you finish your inspection, make your way with the Elven scouts to the Dryads’ cottage near Lucil, and they’ll provide a guide to the hidden gateway in the Holy Forest,” Darras informed Rigilo.

“Ah, my thanks,” Rigilo replied.

“Doriel will permit it; your thanks should go to her,” Darras smiled.

“Indeed, I shall.”

Rigilo then joined the Elven scouts to begin his inspections, whilst Darras arranged through Jertin to get the horse Darras had used back to Gruss. Jertin then arranged with his second in command to thoroughly scout the surroundings of the proposed meeting site.

“So, you plan to assassinate the commander of the Rachtelinian bandits?” Shurmun asked with a frown when Caminas announced his intentions. “And this will improve our situation; how exactly?”

“It will gain us time for the mercenary companies to arrive from the north to begin the reconquest,” Caminas replied.

“Point,” Shurmun conceded. “Though as the mercenaries have been ineffective so far, I rather wonder how effective this plan will be.”

“The mercenaries hired are infantry who specialise in bowmanship,” Caminas replied. “They will deal effectively with the Rachtelinian spearmen.”

“This had better work,” Fermanilk added, still smarting from the fait accompli he had been presented with. “If it doesn’t, the reparations demanded might well double.”

“It will work, Netas Fermanilk,” Caminas replied in oily tones. “Darmela herself will bless it.”

“Will she?” Fermanilk replied. “Only her area of worship is trade and finance, not war.”

“Nevertheless, she approves,” Caminas rebutted.

Darras and Jertin set off the following morning on the three-day journey to the meeting point northwest of Taescutt. A company each of lancers and mounted archers accompanying them. Also accompanying them was a small supply column, as Jertin did not wish to stop at any inn or tavern on the way. Hence, the column headed cross country to avoid settlements and prevent the Fordelians from knowing their whereabouts. They finally camped within a ride of the designated area, and scouts noted the pavilions set up for negotiations, though there were no signs of any negotiators from Fordel. Details did emerge from other scouts sent out to ensure the local area was clear of mercenaries, that several signs of them had been discovered, and steps were being taken to deal with them if they interfered with Jertin’s party.