Chapter 24: Strange Faces in Strange Places

The residents of Genrico’s hometown were startled to see him alight from a ship at the front of an army. Fishermen who had known his father for years stopped unloading their daily catches to watch the men.

Storekeepers left their wares to stand in the street as the men passed. Many recognized Genrico, although none could remember seeing him for several years. Some had assumed he had drowned on his father’s boat; others thought he had run off with the daughter of a wealthy merchant and was hiding from her father’s retribution.

None expected the next time they saw him it would be as he led an invasion. The men marched down the street toward the area the Denayian king had set aside for training. The man had gladly agreed to have the training where Genrico asked. He had not tried to barter over the cost of the training. He had not asked a single question about what would taught or how long it would take. The man knew he had sheltered the Az king for years. He knew that the boy had grown into a fierce warrior. He was simply gratified that King Joseph felt affection for Denaya.

Azkoval’s first ambassador in more than a decade had been sent to establish trade with Denaya – a pact that had benefitted both countries greatly. Now the king would have a military – and a military ally. He would have been willing to permit the training in the middle of the sea if that’s what King Joseph desired. For now, the academy had been established in Genrico’s hometown.

Lost in the specter of armed men in the streets were the three women who followed the procession. Amelia was seeing foreign soil for the first time. Unlike her daughters, who regularly snuck through the Alderbrecht Pass and into Creight, Amelia had never left Azkoval. She found the people in Denaya to be remarkably similar to those she knew in Tyrell.

Once Genrico had directed the men toward their barracks, he led the trio to his father’s small house. He stopped at a tiny wooden house on the corner and pointed to it.

“That is where Joseph spent many years,” he said. He pointed to a smithy a little ways down the street. “And that is where he found work after the priest died.”

Julia found herself staring at the small dwelling. It couldn’t contain more than a single room. She could picture Joseph as a child, sleeping on a mat in the corner. In Wellington, the house would be described as a “hovel.” Here it seemed to be the norm.

“This is a neighborhood of fishermen and fish mongers,” Genrico said, seeing the troubled looks on all three faces. “Joseph and I became close because our circumstances were similar – or so I thought. I will confess that it was many years before I learned of the amount of coinage he had buried beneath the dirt floors. I wanted to warn you. My family home is nothing like the manor house you lived in or the castle where we now reside. Our home is slightly larger than this. It has three rooms instead of two. I didn’t want you to be surprised.”

A few blocks away, Genrico stopped in front of a house that almost identical to the one he had shown them earlier. He stepped forward to knock on the door but it flew open and a florid-faced woman sprang out.

“Genrico!” she said. Only Genrico understood the next words out of her mouth. Victoria spoke a few rudimentary sentences in Denayian but Julia and Amelia understood nothing of the language. Still, the look of happiness on the woman’s face – and the fact she pulled Genrico forward for a kiss on his forehead – told them it was a friend or relative.

Two others appeared in the doorway. One, an older man, was obviously Genrico’s father. The other appeared to be his younger brother. Genrico introduced everyone and the woman, Gemma, greeted them warmly. The father and brother offered nods of acknowledgement before they were ushered into the house. As Genrico said, the place was small. One room held a table and chairs along with other wooden furniture. A glimpse into the other rooms showed them to be sleeping areas.

“Where have you been these past years?” Genrico’s father asked. He seemed to understand that the women couldn’t speak Denayian because he spoke in Trade Common.

The question caused all three women to gawk at Genrico. It seemed impossible that his father didn’t know their son was one of the most powerful men in the known world.

“Here and there,” Genrico said with a shrug. “How is the fishing?”

“Improving,” Garten answered. “A man said you arrived leading an army.”

The father gave his son a look that let him know evasion wasn’t going to work. The younger brother, a boy of about 13, sniggered.

Genrico let out a long breath, looking his father in the eye and switching to the language of his birth. Some of what needed to be said should not be overheard by the others in the room.

“I know you warned me that my association with Johan would lead me astray,” he said.

“And I see that I likely was correct,” the man countered.

“You could not be more incorrect if you had tried,” Genrico replied. “Father, the boy you knew as Johan is a king.”

“Rubbish!” Garten spat.

“I should warn you that the two young women with me hold abiding faith in Johan,” Genrico said with a sideways glance toward Julia and Victoria. “If they understood that you spoke ill of him, I would not be able to stop them from gutting you where you sat. You know I led an army into town. These women are far more deadly than any of the men I brought with me. I say this so you do not make a grave mistake.”

Garten scowled at the two small women.

“Victoria, please demonstrate your knife-throwing ability,” Genrico said amiably. Victoria had understood enough of the conversation to know it strained. She didn’t hesitate. Her hand flashed to her belt and before anyone could react, a dagger imbedded itself in the cupboard above the wood stove. Genrico shifted his gaze to Julia and she duplicated the feat, putting her dagger so close that the hilts touched. He offered both a warm smile before turning back to his father. “Now, if you would like an explanation of where I have been and what I do now, please understand that you should remain civil while I speak. Can we agree to that?”

Garten was staring at the twin daggers sticking in his cupboard and nodded absently.

“Johan’s father was not his father,” Genrico explained. “The man was a Serratian priest entrusted to care for the boy after his parents were murdered.”

The face of the boy at Garten’s side lost all color.

“King Joseph?” he asked. He was barely a child when his older brother departed at the side of a man he knew as Johan. But the stories of how Denaya had given suckle to lone survivor of the Azkoval royal family had made its way through the country.

Genrico nodded at his brother and switched back to Trade Common.

“Johan and I spent several years learning the arts of warfare,” he told his father. “Our travels took us from the frozen north to the arid south. Along the way, we accumulated an army that was loyal to none but us. When the time was right, we restored Joseph to his birthright. I believe you have heard stories of what has transpired since then so I won’t bore you with them.”

“Bore us?” the young boy said with excitement. “I want to hear every one of your stories!”

“Geordie, go to your room,” Garten said.

“Father!” the young man began but a look from his father sent him sulking away.

“You have allied yourself with a foreign noble and now you land an army on our shores?” Garten asked.

“You are partially correct,” Genrico said. “I am allied with a foreign noble. In fact, I would suppose I am a foreign noble now. I was awarded a lordship in Azkoval for my service. I am a landholder. As for the army, no. We have not invaded Denaya. I brought them across so they could train the soldiers here. Denaya and Azkoval are allies, Father. Joseph does not forget those who have given him assistance. Similarly, he does not forgive those who have given him affront. At present, I am the head of the Az army, more than 700 soldiers at last count. We are travelling to the lands we consider friendly in order to train those soldiers if the ruler desires. We want all of our friends to be as strong as we are. That is something Joseph has ensured for me, too. I accompanied the group here in order to visit with you and to introduce you to the woman I will wed.”

He glanced at the other woman in the room – who had been married to another local fisherman the last time he had been home.

“May I assume that you and Gemma have wed?” Genrico asked.

“What?” his father answered absently.

“Yes, Genrico,” Gemma said. “My husband died shortly after you left. Garten and I wed several years ago. And now you are to wed. I’m happy for you.”

Gemma looked at the twins and the woman who was obviously their mother. She wasn’t certain to which one Genrico referred. She decided it would suffice if she hugged all three of them.

“I am betrothed to Genrico, Mother Frund,” Victoria said in passable Denayian.

“Such a lovely girl!” Gemma enthused. “Aren’t you just adorable?”

Genrico had told them that many women in the neighborhood would respond to the announcement in one of two ways: “Such a lovely girl” or “Aren’t you just adorable.”

Gemma’s second pronouncement caused the three women to burst into laughter, forcing Genrico to explain. Gemma swatted him playfully on the arm but beamed at the news.

“We will wed in Azkoval at the autumnal equinox,” Genrico continued. “The lands I now own were owned by Amelia’s family prior to The Fall. King Joseph has offered you the hospitality of the castle if you should like to come during the summer months. At present, the manor house in Larchman is too small to accommodate you all. But Father, if you intend to be churlish, I will bring Gemma and Geordie across and you can fend for yourself.”

Genrico’s father nodded and then stood and left the dwelling. It was only then that Geordie came out of his room.

“I will come,” he declared.

“As will I,” Gemma said, still smiling at the young woman who would bear her grandchildren.

“Does Joseph know your father despises him?” Amelia wondered as they walked the short distance to the dwelling the king had secured for the Trimbles.

“No,” Genrico admitted. “My father is a fisherman. Most days he was gone before sunlight and didn’t return until dark. He had little interaction with Joseph – or with me. My father is unhappy that I did not join him on the ship. He is unhappy that his predictions were proven incorrect. He is unhappy that Geordie now has other options than the life of smelling like fish guts. Over the years, I have sent coin home but he has been too proud to accept it. He will behave when he comes to Azkoval. I will ensure that.”

Amelia nodded. She had seen enough of Joseph over the previous year to understand the man would be crushed by the thought he had caused strife in Genrico’s family.

“This has little to do with Joseph,” Genrico continued. “My father has always been an unhappy person. He never wanted to be a fisherman. His older brother died and his inheritance became my father’s. He settled down with my mother and took on the business when my grandfather could no longer work. I do not know what plans he had for his life. I only know that he is disappointed with how his life has turned out.”

“And he is jealous that you did not follow the path he did,” Julia noted. She realized that she was speaking about Genrico’s father and covered her mouth with her hand in embarrassment.

“You are correct,” Genrico said with a wink. “I refused to follow his path. I did not want to be a fisherman and, as soon as I found a different opportunity, I took it. You must understand, when I left, I expected to be dead within a year. Joseph and I had some rudimentary training in arms. Well, I had rudimentary training. Joseph was fairly skilled. He seemed to take to it naturally. Now I know that he had schooling before he was forced to flee. Still, he was patient as he taught me what I needed to know.

“One of the reasons we left when we did was because my father planned to force me to join his ship’s crew. He and I argued and I departed. Today was the first time I’ve seen him since. I had hoped that my letters had eased his disappointment but I could see from the beginning that they hadn’t.”

“Your stepmother seems wonderful,” Amelia mentioned.

“She is the most cheerful person in the world,” Genrico said, shaking her head. “I’ve often wondered if her temperament is feigned. The man she was married to when I left was just as dour as my father. But she is genuine. She is a happy person. I’ll be honest, though. There are times it can get annoying.”

“What of your brother?” Amelia asked. “Does he take after your father or your stepmother?”

“I don’t know,” Genrico admitted sadly. “He is much younger. He was barely up to my waist when I left Denaya. He appears to favor Gemma but that could change. I would wager that he hasn’t been conscripted to the fishing fleet yet. Once that happens, he might be as unhappy as my father.”

“Will you offer him a place in Larchman?” Amelia asked.

“If he desires it,” Genrico said with a nod. “It sounds sad but I do not think often of my family. I have periodically written to them and I sometimes miss them but in general they are like everything from that portion of my life: Forgotten.”

“We will stay in touch,” Victoria promised. “Perhaps we can use the week here to forge a new relationship with them – or at least with Gemma and your brother.”

“We’ll see,” Genrico said.

The trial of the defrocked clergyman, Drell, got under way before Genrico and the Trimbles returned to Azkoval.

Joseph wished Genrico were around. Both men had seen the trial in Neyatan but Genrico had very likely paid closer attention. As it was, Joseph attempted to recreate the scenario from memory.

The trial was publicized in every corner of Tyrell – and in as many nearby holdings as a messenger could reach in a week’s time. The spectacle would be conducted in the castle courtyard – permitting as many onlookers as possible to observe Azkoval’s new system of justice.

As people entered the castle grounds – and were searched for weapons – the guards pulled aside every 23^rd adult, regardless of social class or common sense, to serve in judgment. The men and women selected became instant celebrities among their crowd. They were given green sashes to wear around their necks and they waved to their family and friends as they were led forth to the only spot on the stage with multiple chairs.