Chapter 35

“Would that it were so easy,” Rigilo sighed. “I’d need permission off my father ... or more likely the Council.”

“Pretty sure they’ll grant it,” Darras opined. “It’s not like you’re first in line for the throne.”

“Agreed,” Jertin added. “My troops here will be joining my Regiment after the progress, travelling by gateway as the remainder of my knights travel with spare mounts.”

“So I may gain honour after all?” Rigilo mused.

“War is a nasty business,” Darras warned. “Honour is often enough only ascribed by those who record it, not by those who fought in it.”

“You have fought in battle, sir Darras?” Rigilo asked.

“Before I became the agent of the goddess, yes.”

“Was it not a glorious business?”

“It was not. We faced a vile and despicable foe who sought our lands and to enslave our people. They killed without mercy in the most savage of ways, tortured and staked any male prisoners, oft enough raped women to death. Burned our cities to the ground, poisoned wells and waterways too,” Darras replied, stony faced. “So no, not a glorious business at all.”

“That is not what the bards sing of,” Rigilo replied in hushed tones.

“As I said, they were probably never there.”

“It’s true, Your Highness, war is often wanton butchery,” Jertin added. “From what I’ve learned of Thenarron, we may be facing a similar foe to the one Darras faced.”

“Yet you’d still welcome me to your Regiment?”

“If only to show you what war is like and should you ever become King by some happenstance, is something to avoid unless you have no choice.”

“Yet the goddess would have us invade...” Rigilo mused.

“Liberate, Your Highness. It’s a different concept, if just as fraught with danger.”

“I’ve been there,” Darras added. “The people are not the issue; they were slaughtered to make the barrier around it. The issue is those who rule it and those who control it.”

“I see,” Rigilo nodded. “I’ll still petition the Council to go, yet wish only to see for myself if what you say is true.”

A far more thoughtful Rigilo cantered off with his guards as Darras and Jertin simply trotted on in companionable silence.

Darras was on his guard as they reached the second encampment as he could feel the presence of at least one shadow nearby and also suspected the vampire to be nearby too.

‘It is and it’s hungry too, as well as fixated on you, ’ Erren warned.

“Wonderful,” Darras muttered. “Well, forewarned is forearmed. Any ideas on how they are moving around?”

‘No, if it was the gateway network, I’d know.’

“Doriel’s people built one and the denizens of Thenarron used one without you noticing,” Darras pointed out carefully as he wasn’t sure how Erren might react to criticism.

‘The one Doriel’s people in Fordel use, connects to the network, so I am aware of it. The ones in Thenarron I’m now keeping a specific eye upon and have detected several movements from them, all now monitored by my priesthood.’

“So you’d know if a vampire at least used one?”

‘Yes, even the freight routes, ’ Erren replied. ‘And this one hasn’t, yet travelled thousands of miles to get here.’

“Separate gateway network?”

‘You’ve attacked two shadow encampments and other than scrying stones, there were no other magical items, so it’s unlikely.’

“Does seem that way,” Darras acknowledged.

‘It’s getting closer, ’ Erren warned.

Darras moved himself through the encampment to where there was an open, well-lit area and placed himself at one corner of it where he couldn’t be flanked or attacked easily from above and simply waited patiently. Erren kept him updated on the approach of the creature and its rough location as it stealthily moved through the encampment until at last Darras spotted it, though did not give any indication that he had.

‘It’s confused. It knows you can see it ... or rather thinks you can, but your lack of fear is causing it to be cautious, ’ Erren advised.

“I’m relying on you ... and Pelegard’s armour here,” Darras chuckled. “I suspect I’ll only get one real chance at this.”

‘Yes, but I believe you can beat it.’

At this moment the vampire advanced swiftly towards Darras and he was finally able to get a good look at the creature. It was tall, humanoid, though obviously not Human, not with the length of its arms. Apparently it was clad all in black, though Darras suspected it wasn’t clothing but the creature’s natural skin. It had a pale face with deep set eyes that just showed a glimmer of red in their depths, with no nose to speak of and a wide, thin-lipped mouth.

The creature then appeared to blur as it charged forward, though as Darras had been expecting this, he didn’t hesitate but instead brought his quarterstaff upwards in a blurring arc of its own to slam hard into the creature’s groin. Even as Darras stepped to the side, the creature’s faltering momentum caused it to crash awkwardly into the side of the tent. This caused the tent to collapse onto the creature as Darras had hoped and enabled him to use his full strength to slam the full length of the staff down onto the struggling creature causing the struggles to cease, even as several men at arms came racing into the open area, along with Jertin.

“Sir Darras, what by the goddess is happening?” Jertin asked.

“I believe I have a vampire here,” Darras replied quietly.

“A vampire?”

“I believe so.”

“Dead ... I hope?”

“Not sure, we may need a cage.”

“I ... see,” Jertin frowned. “Troopers, head into town, see if they have a gaol wagon.”

“Sir!” one of his lieutenants barked out.

“Rest of you, spears out. If it moves, it goes down. You do not want it getting out!”

“Sir!” the rest of his men barked out.

‘The town has a gaol wagon and it will be strong enough, ’ Erren informed Darras. ‘Now, the Prince approaches, best behaviour and don’t mention it was after you, ’ she finished with a giggle.

“Sir Jertin, why is the camp in an uproar ... again?” Rigilo demanded.

“Sir Darras caught a vampire, Your Highness,” Jertin replied.

“A vampire?”

“Yes. It’s under the tent cover, unconscious and injured.”

“Then kill it!”

“My goddess wants it,” Darras interjected.

“Really? Whatever for?” Rigilo asked.

“Answers. These creatures appear to have a way of moving around the world unnoticed by her,” Darras replied.

“I see, forgive my haste,” Rigilo apologised.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Darras acknowledged as the sound of hooves and the rumbling of a wagon signalled the arrival of the gaol wagon.

“How did you manage to take it down?” Rigilo asked. “There are legends of them holding ten or more men at bay, often enough killing a majority.”

“Positioning, Your Highness,” Darras replied. “What looks like an open space here isn’t really. There was only one easy approach through the various lines of the tents. After that it was just timing.”

“Didn’t it realise?”

“It’s a predator, Your Highness. It became over-focussed on me and missed the obvious.”

“I ... see, well done indeed,” Rigilo nodded as the guards carefully lifted the canvas with the creature still in it to put it in the gaol wagon.

“Have it taken to the capital gateway,” Darras requested, handing over two gold coins. “Have it prioritised as freight to Iversirion. My goddess will take care of the rest.”

“Sir!” a corporal saluted after a glance at Jertin who simply nodded.

“Is that the main danger over, Darras?” Jertin asked as the wagon rumbled away.

“The most direct threat,” Darras replied. “There’s still the possibility of an assassin.”

“Why me though?” Rigilo asked. “I’m not the heir to the throne.”

“More to do with influencing your brother,” Darras replied, essentially telling Rigilo what others did not dare.

“Ah...” Rigilo sighed. “Your words are blunt, but clear at least. Joffar without me would be vulnerable to the honeyed lie.”

“That’s why he’s no target and you are, Your Highness.”

“Understandable. Thank you, sir Darras. I have much to think upon.”

The Prince and his guards headed back towards the central royal compound as Darras and Jertin headed back to the area they had been assigned.

“I rather suspect the Prince’s thoughts will be troubled tonight,” Jertin commented.

“He needed to know,” Darras shrugged. “He will now be a lot more careful of those supporting the King’s Council.”

“Good, plus a good wife to counsel him at times should clear his vision as to what needs to be done.”

“That is out of my hands, but will happen the way Erren wants,” Darras chuckled.

“And what now?”

“I hunt shadows, the rest will simply fall into place. Just ensure Rigilo gets a chance of martial glory as well as see the minutiae of leading men into battle when in Thenarron.”

“Aye, he’ll need seasoning,” Jertin nodded.

“He will and it will be best that he learns from one of the best.”

“You flatter me,” Jertin chuckled.

“You learned how to command the hard way, Jertin,” Darras explained. “Keeping your men alive if possible and no mad death or glory charges.”

“Aye, I did. Certainly the Prince, if he’s so inclined, could learn how to command men and not waste lives.”

“He’s keen to learn and Erren has faith in you,” Darras replied.

“Will you be hunting shadows tonight?”

“No, the one observing the camp has withdrawn for now. I can only track them if I detect them.”

“I see,” Jertin nodded. “Care to share a skin of wine with an old friend then?”

“Be a pleasure, Jertin,” Darras chuckled.

There were no further incidents on the trip to Sinoris. The shadows kept their distance ... though Darras suspected, as did Erren, that they’d left the kingdom. Erren did confirm the receipt of the vampire, telling Darras that she’d healed it and was trying to find out how it travelled in secret.

“You can’t just read its mind?” Darras asked in a quieter moment.

‘No, it’s not a worshipper of me, but of my brother, and he has placed something like a blessing over it to prevent that.’