Chapter 36

“Do you know how they are moving around yet?” Darras queried.

‘Not yet. I’ve only just broken through the identification of this one, ’ Erren replied.

“I did think that one was rather easy to take down,” Darras commented.

‘I believe any plan to limit their movement will be enough to deal with one on its own, particularly with your advantages, even if it’s an elder.’

“Just they’ll be more cautious and experienced, I suspect.”

‘And stronger.’

“Hopefully it will be coming after me, not the Prince, Callani or Jertin.”

‘Possibly secondary targets, ’ Erren replied thoughtfully.

“How far away is it?”

‘Several hours though travelling fast. Doriel’s people have it under careful observation, but have no treants available to stop it.’

“I will enjoy the gala and then find a spot to wait.”

‘Enjoy and be careful, my love.’

“Just let me know if it changes direction.”

‘As ever, my love.’

The gala continued as a merry affair and although Rigilo met and greeted the remaining ladies, it was fairly obvious who had piqued his interest and most, if not all there, knew it. Some naturally were disappointed, though a good few also seemed relieved. One in particular however seemed angry, though held her tongue as she stalked out of the hall.

“Lady Vallos tras Tremina. She is considered one of the great beauties of this land and a favourite to land the Prince,” Jertin chuckled, noticing the direction of Darras’s glance.

“Ah, her father is one of the King’s Council. I remember you mentioned,” Darras nodded.

“Yes, I rather doubt she is used to being thwarted in her aims.”

“I expect not, though I doubt she’ll attempt anything more than the petty,” Darras chuckled.

“Yes, words, not blades, are where the ladies do battle,” Jertin confirmed with a thin smile.

As the gala wore on, Darras moved out of the keep itself to the stables. Carefully he chose a spot in a stall where he thought an approach from more than one direction would be difficult, if not impossible. He then waited patiently as Erren kept him updated on the vampire’s progress.

‘It’s in the grounds and can scent you, ’ Erren warned. ‘Ah, a shadow is detaching from it.’

“Possibly a faster mode of transport for it once they arrive,” Darras murmured.

‘Probably, yes. The shadow is heading for the keep, where I suspect mischief is planned.’

“I’ll deal with it, if I survive this.”

‘You will. I believe in you, ’ Erren replied as Darras felt a wave of love pass over himself. ‘It’s reached the stables.’

Though slightly on edge, Darras remained still and focussed on where the vampire would have to appear.

‘It’s approaching cautiously, ’ Erren warned.

Darras’s hand tightened on the handle of his knife, although he was pretty sure the vampire only had one way to get at him. He thought his staff would be of limited use, unlike in the incident at the camp. What happened next though came as a shock. The vampire crashed through the wall of the stall straight into Darras’s side, knocking him over as the vampire also crashed into the further wall. The fall fortunately enabled Darras to avoid a blindingly fast clawed limb that narrowly missed his face as the vampire shrugged off the wooden detritus that it had collected in its unexpected attack.

Darras, during this, was back on his feet and grabbed his staff to use as a blunt spear to keep the vampire back whilst looking for a possible opening. Despite its speed and strength, the vampire was also acting more cautiously, now that the element of surprise was gone. The noise had also disturbed the guards as well and Darras could hear their approach, a factor that also seemed to affect the vampire as it sprang forwards in attack, only to be forced to dodge back into the stall as Darras punched at it with the staff and grazed it with his knife.

This stalemate was to Darras’s advantage as the approach of the guards also pretty much guaranteed his success, particularly if he could keep it within the stall. Hence, Darras was taking no chances, but deliberately kept his moves somewhat conservative, both to keep his weapons as well as to ensure the creature was going nowhere. In this his own speed and strength helped greatly, along with the occasional advice from Erren, who warned him of the occasional unexpected move.

With the arrival of the guards the odds changed dramatically in Darras’s favour and he began to take the offensive even as the guards jabbed at the creature with their spears. Unfortunately for them, they at first did not realise what they were dealing with and the vampire was able to grab one of the spears and drag it from the hands of a guard and then tried to attack Darras with the haft, only to drop it as Darras slashed at its hand with his knife. This enabled the guard to retrieve his weapon and probe more cautiously at the creature.

The fight came to an end however with the arrival of Jertin and his squad who were armed with their bows. Seeing them the vampire made a desperate lunge for freedom and finally left itself exposed to Darras who used his knife to stab the creature under its armpit and into its heart causing it to stagger and collapse.

“My thanks, that was a most dangerous creature,” Darras gasped out to Jertin and the guards.

“Another vampire, by the goddess!” Jertin noted.

“An elder too. Had not these brave men come along I may have been in trouble,” Darras acknowledged. “As it is, a shadow entered the keep and I must deal with it.”

“We’ll accompany you,” Jertin nodded as the original guards ensured the vampire was really dead, though Erren had already confirmed it to Darras.

Tracking the shadow was a simple enough task for Darras, though the real problem started when he discovered it had entered the wing given aside to the ladies attending the event. In this they were confronted by a very stern matriarch who was determined no men were to be allowed near her charges, relenting only when Erren spoke through Darras. She remained determined to escort them and ensure they did not do or see anything improper.

The feeling of revulsion Darras felt grew stronger to him as he led the way deeper into the wing until he finally paused outside a door.

“It’s through here,” he said to the matriarch.

“Those are the chambers of Lady Vallos tras Tremina,” the woman replied. “She permits none to enter save her own servants.”

“Nevertheless, I must deal with this evil,” Darras sighed, though saw the woman give a grim nod.

The door opened silently and the rooms inside were in darkness, though the lamp the matriarch carried gave light for Darras and Jertin who entered with her, leaving the other guards outside. Following his feelings Darras silently led the way to another door, and opened it and found himself facing a possessed Lady Vallos who looked extremely surprised to see them.

Taking advantage of this Darras was able to grab the shadow and wrench it from the woman, causing her to collapse. This was by far the most powerful shadow Darras had faced and it was able to overbalance him in its struggle to escape, raking at him with its clawed extremities even as Jertin and the matriarch managed to support the collapsing Lady Vallos and carry her to her bed. Darras’s grip tightened on the shadow’s throat during this as he finally felt it weakening, though it also managed to get in one final swipe with its claws, ripping Darras’s face before it collapsed and dissipated.

“So, that was a shadow?” Jertin commented as a flood of servants emerged, disturbed by the noise of the encounter.

“Aye, and a most dangerous one at that,” Darras replied as the matriarch handed him a cloth for his face.

At this point the Earl and the Prince, accompanied by several men at arms, arrived, escorted by several matriarch chaperones.

“Sir Darras?” the Earl began. “I take it the evil that haunts this Kingdom has been active?”

“Was active Earl Ordetas,” Darras replied, his wounds starting to really hurt now.

“Thanks be to you and the goddess,” the Earl replied. “Lady Vallos?”

“Is unconscious, but unharmed. She’s free of possession.”

“Is this why you joined our party, sir Darras?” Rigilo asked.

“One of the reasons. The main task was to ensure you met the Lady Callani,” Darras replied.

“Ah, I see now,” Rigilo nodded. “A most interesting woman, who has quite engaged my attention.”

“The possessor, I suspect, would attempt to do her harm; their plan was for you to choose Lady Vallos.”

“She’s quite beautiful but dreadfully lacking in wit and education,” Rigilo replied frankly. “She’s not a patch on Callani.”

“True, but saying so aloud is rather rude, Your Highness,” Darras chuckled, despite the pain.

“Hah, point!” Rigilo chuckled in return. “Now I suggest we retire from here before the ladies throw us out.”

“Indeed so,” the Earl agreed.

Darras was escorted to a small shrine in the castle where a priest was in attendance. His wounds were assessed and a healing spell was given, though only enough to cleanse the wounds and seal them as Darras knew Erren would take care of the scarring when he returned home. Darras then joined Jertin, Earl Ordetas and Prince Rigilo in a small room where wine was served and the four could talk frankly.

“You appear to have quite the ... liking for Rachtelin, sir Darras. Care to inform me as to why?” Rigilo asked.

“Initially it was to deal with brigands in the Saltion Forest, that’s where I met Jertin, then the Ladies Rienne and Liliba,” Darras explained.

“Why would an agent of the goddess be dealing with brigands?” a confused Rigilo enquired.

“There’s currently a dispute between Erren and her brother who has loosed beings we call shadows upon the Kingdoms of this world. They seek the downfall and destruction of civilisations and its replacement with a survival of the fittest at the lowest common denominator,” Darras replied. “These shadows can possess people, some easier than others. They also have other allies from Ventris and other places as well as willing Human servants too.”

“Yes, but why Rachtelin specifically?”

“Your Kingdom is run by corrupt men,” Darras shrugged. “They wish to keep it that way so you do not interfere with their plans elsewhere.”

“I see, though I am unwilling to take sides in the current dispute between the King’s Council and the nobility who oppose them,” Rigilo sighed.

“Unwilling or not, the various tensions will affect you,” Ordetas replied. “Look at the tensions involved in your choosing a bride.”

“Yes, though fortunately, Lady Callani will mollify both sides in this dispute,” Rigilo nodded.

“It’s why Erren got involved,” Darras chuckled. “Your choosing one faction or another would raise tensions in the Kingdom.”

“And she remains neutral?” Rigilo asked, his tones laden with suspicion.

“Not really, she has her own plans and a Rachtelin Kingdom in chaos is not part of them.”

“Ah, she simply wishes to avoid a potential civil war?”

“Amongst other things,” Darras nodded. “She also wishes no distractions in the liberation of Thenarron.”

“I see. I received permission to travel there with sir Jertin. Seems they hope I may conveniently become a casualty as the various members of my father’s Council are convinced the addition of archers to a Regiment of knights weakens them greatly.”