Chapter 7

Three Hours Later...

The ride back to the cavalry compound was unusually long for Sharn. His mind was busy with worries over his sister Samantia as well as trying to keep a public demeanor while his body sang with the excitement of being sent to the Academy. He used to think his mother was smart, one of the best Players of the Game in Tran Kor. After today, he was beginning to think that she was slipping in her old age. Allowing a stupid twit like Ceilia the free reign she has had for so long was beyond idiotic. Ceilia was beginning to undermine House Jenni's place in the realm and there was no way the other Houses would allow her to succeed to the head of the Council of the Goddess after Mother died. And then to allow a thirteen year old boy outmaneuver you in front of your enemies was unusual for Lady Shiena of Jenni.

Sharn smiled and shook his head. "But that is no longer a concern of mine, is it Raisa?" he said to his beautiful mount as they left the Nobles' District and entered the Merchants' Quarter. Where the two sections of the city abutted was the main area for shops and bazaars and squares full of open-air booths from which merchants from all over the eastern parts of Titia-Lohr came to sell their wares. Travel more than a few streets into the Merchants' Quarter, however, and the more upscale and reputable shops disappear, only to be replaced by ale houses, public baths, and the more shady establishments from which came goods of more questionable origins. Go beyond even those and you come to the Warehouse District of the Merchants' Quarter. Little else besides huge buildings existed in this section of the capital. This was where the merchants of Tran Kor and beyond kept their goods, either to be sold in the city or to be shipped elsewhere in Tran Kor or greater Titia-Lohr. The Warehouse District was also the domain of the more sinister elements in Tran Kor society and it was a badly kept secret that both the Thieves' Guild and the Brotherhood of Lun were based in this area of the city, though none knew exactly where. Sharn shook himself. "Not sure why I am paying attention to the layout of the city hereabouts today. Unless it is because Samantia was right. I was never supposed to have lived to see this day and this was the district that was supposed to be my undoing."

With a sigh, he nudged Raisa into a canter, quickly riding through the warehouses and boarded up buildings to arrive at the compound. The guards on duty gave him a big smile as they passed him through. Sharn was heading towards the stables when he heard his name shouted from the direction of the largest of the barracks. Turning his head, he saw General Paraezal waving his hand. Sharn reined Raisa in and gently guided her towards the General. He had not seen the man since the day he came to the stables to decide he did not know anything about Sharn's presence in the compound. Paraezal was about one step away from sitting on the General Staff now and rumors were going around that there was a good possibility that Colonel Vaelossa would take his place as General of the March Defense, the overall command under which the cavalry was organized. Even as he thought the man's name, Colonel Vaelossa emerged from the barracks to stand by his uncle.

"Well, young Prince, what was your mother's decree?" Paraezal inquired lightly, a smile curving his lips and humor lighting his eyes. Eight years had not changed either man much, other than a light, barely visible scar on Vaelossa's forehead that his hair covered most of the time. A souvenir from a Dei-Xhan bandit out of the Barrens two years ago, right before he was promoted to Colonel. The General was, if anything, even more reserved and elegant in his demeanor and dress now that he was a General being talked about for the Staff.