Chapter 9

The journey took two days, though Flask admitted they could have done it in one, but he had no desire to arrive at Alvastros in darkness.

“Gaining admittance to the castle would be difficult and would likely require disturbing the castellan of the gate, not something I’d care to do,” he chuckled when Darras asked why.

“I see, why go asking for trouble if you do not need to,” Darras grinned, having dealt with the occasional over officious Officer of the Guard at times in his previous life.

Flask spent most of the trip talking to Darras and what he’d done before becoming a servant of the goddess, seemingly fascinated by the world of which Ostar had been a part.

“So, no magic?” he asked.

“None at all. We have no affinity for it at all, though tell fantastic tales of those who supposedly do,” Darras chuckled.

“Spellcasters are much in demand here, for a lot of things, though mostly healing and the arts of war,” Flask replied. “I have met a few, though admittedly not many and there are a few it would be wise to avoid, no matter what your circumstances.”

“Sooner or later, I’ll run across one, no doubt,” Darras nodded.

“Seriously. Do not offend one, even a milder tempered one,” Flask warned. “If possible, use the Temple priests for healing.”

“So Erren warned,” Darras agreed.

The following morning after a mostly pleasant journey and night’s rest, Flask’s company approached the open gate of what appeared to be a fairly substantial castle and were advised to head up to the keep, a messenger having been sent ahead to alert the Count. To Darras all appeared quite normal, people going about their various tasks and even children playing some sort of tag game.

“Captain Flask, welcome home,” a large burly man greeted us at the gate to the keep.

“Count Alros, it’s good to be here,” Flask replied, dismounting and clasping the man’s outstretched arm. “I bear a letter from Lady Rienne, it does not contain good news.”

“Fosloss?” the Count guessed with a sigh.

“Yes. We have him restrained in the rear wagon along with several men-of-arms he attempted to use to beat up an agent of the goddess.”

“By the Lady, what in the demon’s mind was he thinking!”

“He thought the man a peasant, though sir Darras looks anything but a peasant.”

“I would apologise to this man. Fosloss’s arrogance has shamed the name of my house ... again,” the Count almost moaned.

“There is no need, Count Alros,” Darras spoke up. “I was not overly offended and the good Captain Flask intervened before the matter became serious.”

“This is sir Darras,” Flask added.

“My apologies to you, sir Darras, for the actions of my son. He has picked up a streak of arrogance from staying too long at the home of my wife’s brother and recently it has caused a number of issues within my demesne.”

“Accepted, though I never once felt slighted by your house, Count Alros,” Darras replied. “Indeed, your daughter, the Lady Rienne, is a credit to you and it.”

“That she is, and thank you for your forbearance,” a relieved Count replied. “Now, please come to my private quarters and relax as my guards deal with my errant son.”

Flask and Darras followed Count Alros into the keep, with Darras scanning everyone for a trace of a shadow, though so far was not able to see one or feel its presence. They ended up in what Darras could only think of as an office or study where they were asked to sit while a servant was given orders to provide wine. The Count then read both the messages Rienne had sent, frowning mightily at the account of Fosloss’s activities though looking very interested in the one describing Flask’s offer.

“So, you believe you can get me a mixed cavalry troop reasonably quickly?” he finally asked as drinks arrived.

“I believe so. The central core will be my knights, but they will be backed up by mounted archers firing Elven bows,” Flask replied. “We need but to teach your yeomen how to ride and shoot.”

“Interesting idea. Unheard of, some might say,” the Count mused. “I can almost hear the objections from the Court though.”

“Believe me, such a troop will be very deadly to its foes,” Darras replied. “A ranged attack by mounted archers will be utterly lethal to the Kingdom’s foes, especially when followed up by a mounted charge.”

“Yes ... I see your point,” Count Alros nodded. “Let me think upon it and I’ll have an answer for you soon.”

“Thank you, Count Alros,” Flask replied.

“Now rest awhile, there will be a banquet tonight and no doubt my wife will wish a word with you about our idiot son.”

Darras, with the Count’s permission, opted to explore the castle whilst the Count and Flask caught up with what each other had been up to. As Erren was keeping her distance, Darras had only his own sense of unease in the presence of a shadow to go on and currently he wasn’t feeling anything. He did note that the castle itself, whilst formidable, had clearly been adapted recently to make it more liveable with an outer parkland and lower inner walls leading down to a fast-flowing river. The keep itself though did remain formidable, if comfortable, inside and Darras had the feeling that the Count was indeed wealthy and ran a very prosperous demesne with a happy and productive workforce.

Everywhere Darras looked there was activity, from a blacksmith to various women doing laundry and all happily chattering away at times and willing to answer any questions he had. It was from one of these conversations that Darras caught wind of where this shadow might be though he wasn’t as yet sure if he’d actually gain access easily to it as it involved the office of the Count’s exchequer and, the smith talking to Darras had pronounced, the man had turned surly and indeed stingy very recently.

Darras figured he’d meet the man at the banquet the Count was throwing and so relaxed, merely cleaning himself up in a heated bathing area the Count had introduced from a neighbouring Kingdom and wondering how he could deal with a shadow in what would be a crowded environment.

The banquet was held in the central hall of the keep and was a very lively affair with people from all stations of life involved. Darras and Flask had places of honour at the Count’s table and were talking to the Count’s sister when the feeling of extreme wrongness overcame him. Glancing over, Darras spotted a thin middle-aged male wreathed in the form of the shadow.

“Oh, that’s Collana. He’s Alros’s Reeve, though he prefers exchequer, jumped up little man,” Lady Bisan, the Count’s sister, informed him when she noticed Darras’s gaze. “Had the temerity to lecture my ladies-in-waiting about frivolous spending, despite them keeping to my budget.”

“He certainly appears somewhat morose,” Darras replied.

“He didn’t use to be, this is only recent,” Bisan explained. “Yes, he was always careful with the coin, but never lectured anyone. I suspect he’s only here tonight because it would be noted and frowned upon if he wasn’t.”

“It may be private matters pressing upon him,” Darras nodded before excusing himself to seek the jakes.

The reason for this was to follow Collana who, it appeared, was merely passing through the hall, perhaps with the intent of being seen before going back to whatever it was he intended to do. Collana had stepped through an entryway and was heading down a corridor when Darras caught up with him, though turned when Darras called out.

“Excuse me, good sir. Could you aid me?” Darras requested politely as he approached.

“What is it? I’m busy!” came a snarling reply.

“There is no need for rudeness, sir. It’s but a simple request,” Darras politely admonished him whilst approaching the man.

“Pah! Do you think I have the time for the likes of you?” Collana spat out and turned away.

He was now within reach of Darras and collapsed forward as Darras gripped the neck of the shadow, pulling it from the unconscious man and squeezing tight. It was a swift struggle as the shadow appeared weak as well as unable to turn and face Darras, swiftly disintegrating even as Darras reached out to check upon Collana, swiftly rousing him.

“Wh ... what happened?” the man moaned.

“I was but seeking the jakes and found you here,” Darras lied.

“I ... I must have collapsed; indeed, I have not been feeling so well this last week.”

“Come back to the hall, a drink and good food may help,” Darras offered.

“I believe I will, thank you...?”

“Tis Darras, a guest of the Count,” Darras replied. “But first...”

“Ah, the jakes be through that door,” Collana chuckled, pointing.

Once relieved, Darras joined Collana as they headed into the hall, with Collana talking to several people as they passed through, often to explain his ‘illness’ and then apologise for any offence he’d caused.

“I’d check on any work you’ve done this past week, you may have made mistakes,” Darras suggested.

“Indeed I will,” Collana agreed. “The man these people describe in the last week I simply do not recognise.”

“Ah, exchequer Collana. I have a bone to pick with you,” Lady Bisan spoke up as I reached my seat.

“You and many others I fear,” Collana replied politely. “Unfortunately, dear lady, I appear to have been somewhat ill and made a series of ill-judged statements, for which I truly apologise.”

“You did upset some of my ladies-in-waiting,” Bisan huffed, somewhat mollified.

“Twas not my intent, I assure you and if a personal apology is needed, I shall make it.”

“That should be acceptable,” Bisan replied. “Now please, eat and drink,” she added, indicating for a retainer to fetch a chair.

“He the one?” Flask asked in a murmur.

“Aye,” Darras replied. “It remains to be seen how much damage to the finances he may have done.”

“Indeed, though he isn’t the only one working in his office.”

“Nipped in the bud then,” Darras chuckled.

“I hope so, my friend, otherwise my hopes of forming a mixed command may come to naught.”

‘The shadow’s intent appeared to be the ruining of the Count’s demesne financially, ‘ Erren informed Darras. ‘Though you prevented this by acting early and decisively.’

“Erren says I was in time,” Darras replied to Flask.

“Thank goodness. Count Alros is a good man and his demesne is an example of good management to other nobles, though some choose their own paths and often fail their people.”

“Such as the brother of the Count’s wife?” Darras enquired with a chuckle.

“Yes, he embodies greed and arrogance and naturally is an advisor to the King,” Flask agreed. “It’s where Fosloss picked up bad habits, though the boy always had a streak of defiant arrogance about him ... ah, here comes Lady Ginoe, the Count’s wife, to beard us.”

“Captain Flask, would you care to explain how it is my son ended up arrested after being beaten half to death?”

“Arrested he was, though it was for setting his guards upon a free man in defiance of the King’s law,” Flask replied. “Nor were hands laid upon him in the incident.”

“He says differently!”

“Lady Ginoe, there were several witnesses to the crime, including sir Darras here, as well as your own daughter.”