The War of the Gilded Beasts Page 17

  “House Marmor has three hundred soldiers, which consists of one hundred cavalry and two hundred infantry,” Wilber added.

  “House Drada has eight hundred men. One hundred cavalry, one hundred archers, and six hundred infantry,” Lara said.

  “House Galber can provide five hundred soldiers. That is one hundred cavalry, one hundred archers, and three hundred infantry,” Robert replied.

  Clearing her throat, Willa said, “So that gives us a total of two thousand four hundred and fifty men-at-arms. We would have three hundred and sixty cavalry, two hundred and ninety archers, and one thousand eight hundred infantry. With those numbers, we would have the power to decide the outcome of this civil war.”

  “We must be careful how we proceed with this. If we side with Regan, our loved ones will live. If we side with Ymir, our loved ones will be executed. It is a lose-lose situation for us. We are damned if we are loyal to Regan and our loved ones are damned if we are loyal to Ymir. What are we going to do?” Robert demanded.

  Swallowing hard, Willa replied, “I don’t know, my lord. I just don’t know.”

  After those words, the five barons contemplated in the darkness. The decision they made would seal the fate of the kingdom.

  CHAPTER 23

  Caelum stood at the prow of the Phoenix as the remnant of the Aemarran fleet sailed into a tributary that led into the kingdom of Darrm. Compared to other kingdoms, Darrm was a wilder and more exotic place. Along the rivers, lush bamboo groves sprouted just outside of the banks. Beyond the bamboo groves were vast savannas with multiple cherry blossom trees appearing here and there among the golden grass. On one side of the river were towering rock formations covered in green vegetation and had mist concealing their summits. Every fishing village and town had buildings with wooden architecture and thatched roofs. The inhabitants of the settlements had fair skin, jet-black hair, and amber eyes.

  Swimming in the river beside the fleet were sea serpents, distant cousins of dragons. The regal creatures were three times the size of dolphins and resembled serpentine versions of crocodiles. A set of curved horns crowned their heads and their snouts ended with sharp beaks. They swam from side to side like a snake slithering across desert sand. The beautiful giants paid no attention to the visiting fleet and eventually disappeared below the depths.

  Thanon approached Caelum and asked, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “It’s too late to turn back now. We received reports that Umbran has fallen and Vaeron was defeated. Kemrin and Daegar command the only significantly large army that opposes the Sylvas. To make matters worse, the Sylvas are reportedly amassing an even larger army. If we do not negotiate an alliance with Darrm, then the war is lost. One way or another, Darrm is the kingdom that will decide the fate of the Empire,” Caelum explained, tightly gripping the railing of the prow.

  Noticing Caelum gripping the railing, Thanon said, “Be careful you are not doing this in a vain attempt to avenge Rhea. We were lucky that the men did not mutiny against us, but if they suspect you do not give a damn about them, a mutiny will happen.”

  “Thanks for reminding me,” Caelum muttered bitterly.

  “Any time. It is why I’m here. Someone needs to be your adult supervision. Especially now more than ever.”

  “Did you raise the white flags?”

  “They’re up on all of the ships.”

  “Good. I want them to know that we are here to negotiate, not fight.”

  “I can see Darrm’s capital, Baevalon, dead ahead!”

  A league away, a large city emerged from the bamboo groves. Unlike the towns and villages they passed, Baevalon was a massive walled city with its own harbor. The buildings were made of wood and stone with intricate tile roofs that were sloped and curved. At the center of the city was a massive castle made from yellow stone, white timber, and jade tiles. Banners that displayed a white stag with gilded antlers on a blue field fluttered from the battlements. A big crowd was gathering at the dock as though to welcome the unexpected visitors to their kingdom.

  Approaching the dock, Thanon said, “This place is even more amazing than Aemarr. I have sailed to every corner of the Empire’s western coast, but I have never seen anything like this. While we’re here, I think I will try to do some negotiating of my own.”

  Raising an eyebrow, Caelum asked, “What kind of negotiation?”

  “I might negotiate a trade deal between Aemarr and Darrm. I smell some high-quality goods in this region.”

  “Do whatever you want. I am only interested in speaking with King Staan.”

  “As you wish. Since you are married to my sister, you are effectively King of Aemarr now.”

  Caelum did not reply to Thanon’s comment. Instead, he stood quietly as the Aemarran fleet docked at Baevalon’s harbor. Standing at the front of the crowd was a young man flanked by four guards dressed in scale armor and brandishing yari spears. Once the Phoenix was fastened, Caelum and Thanons departed the ship with their crew and approached the young man and his escort.

  When they got close enough, they got a better look at the youth. Their host was a handsome young man with razor-sharp features, eyes like embers, and black hair tied into a long ponytail. A large, gnarled scar on his throat was the only mar on his otherwise inhuman beauty.

  Caelum and Thanon stopped at arm’s length from the beautiful man and waited for someone to say the first word. Their host spoke, but the only sounds that came out of his mouth were wheezing whispers that almost sounded like whimpers. Caelum, Thanon, and the young man’s guards leaned in close to try and hear what the youth was saying. When he was done talking, the man briefly leaned forward heavily as though the effort of speaking took a toll on him. Caelum and Thanon cringed when they heard what was left of their host’s voice.

  After the young man regained his composure, one of the guards interpreted, “Prince Kenji of House Staan, the Unkillable Prince, the Immortal Mute, and Commander of the Ninja Clans welcomes you to his kingdom. He asks what business you have visiting us.”

  Caelum shuddered when he heard Kenji’s name. This prince was famous for quelling a rebellion when he was thirteen years old. However, he had his throat slit during the fighting and barely survived. It was reported that the wound should have killed him, but it did not. As a result, Kenji Staan took the titles of the Unkillable Prince and the Immortal Mute, which were titles he took great pride in.

  Bowing his head, Caelum said, “I am honored by your presence, Immortal Mute. We request food, water, and shelter for a few days. In addition, we have come to negotiate with your father King Wylar Staan. May we see him?”

  When Caelum stood back up, Kenji made another series of wheezing noises and everyone leaned in to try to hear what he was saying. After Kenji finished, his guard translated, “Prince Kenji will take you to His Majesty. Follow us to the castle.”

  Kenji and his escort turned around and started walking towards the castle at the center of the city. Caelum and Thanon followed while watching their crew starting to make themselves comfortable in the markets, taverns, and guildhalls. As they walked, Caelum and Thanon went through a gauntlet of faces watching them. Some of the citizens were curious, some were bitter, and a few were indifferent.

  When they approached the front gates of the palace, a pair of golden doors with dragons engraved on them creaked open to reveal a series of lavish halls that were decorated with colorful tapestries, jade statues, and fearsome guardsmen. An army of visibly wealthy courtiers and barons crowded the great halls. They were dressed in multi-colored kimonos with copper embroidery. Like the commoners outside, they gave their guests a series of mixed looks.

  In the far back of the great hall was a great oaken throne with gold armrests carved in the likeness of dragons. On the throne was King Wylar Staan, who wore dark green silk, and his crown was a copper circlet with orange gemstones. Wylar was a strongly built man with a serious face and eyes that could kill a person with a single glance.

  Curled around th
e throne was a serpentine creature that resembled a dragon except was only twice as large as a tiger, had four short legs, and had a pair of fleshy whiskers flowing from its snout. The beast watched the visitors with lazy, fiery eyes and gave a snort before going to sleep. Wylar gave the creature an affectionate pat on its horned head.

  Glancing at his elegant pet, Wylar cooed, “Easy, Lee. You’ve just eaten.”

  Fascinated by the beast, Caelum asked, “Your Majesty, is that a wyrm? They’re a close cousin of dragons. I thought they were wiped out when Gradaia was colonized by the Homantians.”

  Giving Caelum a bitter glare, Wylar snarled, “Do you have any manners when addressing a king, boy?”

  Gulping, Caelum bowed his head and said, “My apologies, Your Majesty. We have to come to negotiate with you.”

  Grinning slightly, Wylar said, “There. That wasn’t so hard, was it? To answer your question, yes. This lovely creature is indeed a wyrm. You can only find them in Darrm and you will never find a more loyal pet. To hell with cats and hounds! You say you want to negotiate. Do these negotiations have to do with the war raging in the north?”

  Thanon added, “Aye. We are also seeking a new trade deal between Aemarr and Darrm.”

  Scowling, Wylar demanded, “Which is it? The war or this so-called trade deal? Give me a straight answer!”

  Swallowing hard, Caelum answered, “We will start with the war. We have come to broker a deal with you in order to gain Darrm’s support against the Sylvas. What terms do you ask?”

  Wylar and the entire court burst out laughing at Caelum’s words. They laughed so hard that the whole chamber vibrated with their laughter.

  Damn! Does this mean they will not support us? Did we come all this way for nothing? Did my Rhea die in vain? Caelum thought, his soul freezing with despair.

  Abruptly ceasing his laughter, Wylar adopted a serious expression and said, “Darrm siding with you? Don’t make me laugh again, boy! The Sylvas may have slighted me by marrying their son Gyran to another woman instead of my daughter, but I can see that they are about to win this war. I have been keeping tabs on everything that has happened in the war so far. Your brothers, Kemrin and Daegar, may be doing well by themselves, but I cannot say the same about your other siblings. Vaeron Magnus died with his dragon and all of his men in Veiporran and your sister Ymir Magnus lost control of your kingdom in Umbran. As for you, you lost almost your entire fleet to a bunch of sea monsters along with your own dragon. Now the Sylas are amassing a larger army that greatly outnumbers your surviving forces. With that many losses to your cause, Kemrin and Daegar won’t win the war. Why should I support a lost cause? Give me one good reason why I should yield my men and kingdom to your command. Perhaps I should hand you over to the Sylvas for a profit. If you are going to sway my mind, now is the time.”

  Some of the guardsmen in the castle surrounded Caelum and Thanon, yari spears in hand. Caelum stood quietly as he struggled to digest Wylar’s words. It was true that the odds were stacked against them. If Caelum was going to win the support of Wylar and his people, he was going to have to come up with an offer even the stubborn King Wylar Staan could not refuse. Locking eyes with the King of Darrm, Caelum frantically made his offer and held his breath.

  CHAPTER 24

  Lyra, Yarma, Freya, and Mya rested together in a hut made from wood and animal hides. Their beds were fuzzy furs that provided a great deal of warmth. Outside, they could see Welt children playing together amongst a village that was stationed in the middle of the forest.

  A sense of unease hung over Lyra when she asked, “Are we sure we can trust these savages? I know Ymir vouches for them, but I do not personally know them. What if they murder us in our sleep or worse?”

  “I don’t see what the problem is. They’ve been treating us well. They gave us good beds and good food. What more could we ask for?” Yarma countered, gleefully nibbling on a piece of salted venison.

  “You may be a more flexible eater than the rest of us, Yarma, but I find the Welts’ food to be less refined that what you would find in a castle. Still, you cannot deny the fact that they have an ideal sense of hospitality and kindness you rarely find in the civilized world,” Mya said.

  “I definitely feel a sense of kinship with the Welts. They are very similar to we Storuukans. Mind you, we are more war-like than these folk. However, I still feel great being amongst the Welts. I feel right at home in this quaint village. Sadly, as much as I look forward to being a mother, I wish I was out there with Ymir, fighting the traitor Regan and his minions. In Storuuk, everyone must fight even children and pregnant women. A child always experiences their first battle while in their mother’s womb. The rush of the carnage and the satisfaction of winning gets passed on to the child so they would have their warrior instincts since the day they are born. By staying here, I am risking making my child weak and dulling my own senses. There is no room for weakness in Storuuk,” Freya said, fiddling with a knife made from animal bone with one hand and clutching her growing womb with the other.

  Shivering from Freya’s words, Lyra said, “You have some bizarre traditions in your kingdom. However, did you hear the rumors that have been spreading across the kingdom? Apparently, Vaeron and Marek were killed in action. Therefore, you and your unborn child are all that remains of Storuuk’s monarchy. If you or your child dies, Storuuk will be thrown into chaos. Is that what you want?”

  Bitterly, Freya said, “Of course not. It took my family many generations to unite Storuuk under a single banner. I would be disgracing myself by letting my ancestors’ work be in vain. It’s just that I am not used to just sitting around and doing nothing. I feel like my brother. He may have been a lazy fool, but he was still my brother, and losing him was like losing a fellow soldier on the battlefield. In addition to my brother, I lost my precious Vaeron. We were supposed to spend our days hunting in the forests of the Empire and the Sylva pigs stole him from me!”

  “I hear you. I heard Caelum and Thanon were lost at sea, eaten by monsters. I cannot imagine a worse fate for them. Freya wanted to live out her days hunting with Vaeron and I wanted to live out my days at the beach with Caelum. Knowing he is gone is like being drowned in poisoned water. The same goes for Thanon. He was such a pure spirit who brought hope and light to Aemarr. His death will cause much darkness and sadness throughout Aemarr. Acknowledging his death is like being shredded by a swarm of sea scorpions,” Yarma said solemnly.

  Looking towards the tent’s opening, Mya mused, “I wonder how Ymir is doing. Do you think she can defeat Regan with an army like that?”

  That question went unanswered as the four princesses contemplated the possible outcome of the battle to come.

  ______

  In Magnus Keep, Regan sat quietly on his throne as he watched his generals gather before him. Regan was clad in steel and bronze armor and his helm had his crown fastened to it. He fidgeted anxiously as he waited for his army to be ready. Still, he could feel the tension of divided loyalties radiating throughout the chamber. Regan has hostages to guarantee the fealty of the barons, but a part of him did not know if this tactic would work. The thought filled Regan with a faint sense of unease.

  Finally, Regan’s head general approached him and announced, “Sire, our forces are ready.”

  “How many do we have?” Regan asked indifferently.

  “About three thousand five hundred men, which consists of five hundred cavalry, five hundred archers, and two thousand five hundred infantry. However, five of the barons have yet to arrive with their forces. Should we wait for them?”

  “Nay. If our scouts are correct, we outnumber the Welt filth more than two to one. We should have enough soldiers to wipe out those vermin once and for all.”

  Smiling, the general pulled an object wrapped in cloth from his belt and presented it to Regan, saying, “The blacksmiths finished making the weapon you requested.”

  Rising from his throne, Regan walked to his general and snatched the object from him. After
Regan unwrapped the mysterious object, he laughed with glee upon seeing the weapon. In his hands was a two-handed battle axe with a gnarled handle and a single-edged Ferruman blade with a long beard. The Ferruman was the purest silver and glittered white in the candlelight.

  Holding the axe high above his head, Regan declared, “Today, we destroy the Welt filth and officially reinstate House Baal as the true rulers of Umbran once and for all!”

  All of the men-at-arms cheered for their king and prepared for the battle to come.

  ______

  Later that day, Ymir, Hondo, and Holdyn sat on their horses while their Welt army was positioned before them. Knowing they did not have the numbers to fight Regan’s men in a direct contest of strength, the Welts seized the high ground and took defensive stances along four large hills that rested a league from Magnus Keep. The three hills in the front each had three hundred Welts holding their ground while the largest hill in the rear had six hundred men. In addition, the Welts further defended the hills by digging trenches both on their flanks and the front of each hill. The trenches also had hundreds of wooden stakes covered in offal and excrement, which filled the air with a rancid stench.

  It was a very cloudy day and dozens of angry thunderheads rose in the sky. The sound of thunder shook through the valley. Although Magnus Keep was a league away, it was still intimidating from a distance. Ymir and the Welts wore bronze and iron armor and weapons. While most of her comrades used conventional weapons, Ymir decided to brandish the very Ferruman scorpion bolt that wounded her dragon.

  Looking at the clouds, Hondo said, “I hope it doesn’t rain. If it does, it could ruin many of our preparations.”

  Raising an eyebrow, Ymir asked, “How so?”

  Irritably, Hondo explained, “If it rains, our bows are going to be useless because the bowstrings have to be dry in order to work. Also, the ground will become so muddy that the stakes could fall out of their trenches. On the upside, the rain would wash away most of the offal and excrement, which will allow us to breathe while fighting. I have a feeling that this is going to be a more grueling battle than we originally planned.”