Arturo did not expect Brodski to be so big. Fortified walls surrounded the entire town, and there appeared to be tens of thousands of people living there. It was no wonder King Harold wanted Lord Errant’s troops, as they likely comprised a significant portion of his missing soldiers in the army.
Arturo and Jen had come up with a plan to prevent fighting, hopefully. Arturo had agreed to allow Jen to take command on this one, at least until they met with Lord Errant. That was when Arturo would take over. If Harold was right and the lord respected warriors, then maybe Errant would listen to him.
The town was in the middle of nowhere. There was a lake fifteen or so miles away and a small forest around the lake. Otherwise, it was open land. It would be hard to take Brodski without sustaining serious casualties.
“Guard approaching,” Eurisha said.
“Proceed as planned,” Arturo said and allowed Jen to move to the front. The rest of his army was settled further back. The last thing he wanted was for Errant to feel intimidated. He wasn’t here to fight.
Three guards rode on horseback and stopped a dozen feet away. The leader looked like a veteran and showed no signs of fear. The other two guards looked a tad nervous. “What is your purpose here? You have too few men to take this town.”
“We have no quarrel with you,” Jen said. “We seek an audience with Lord Errant.”
“Why?” The guard looked past Jen at the army, then over at Arturo and the others.
“We look to end the conflict between Brodski and King Harold. We come in peace and have no intentions of fighting unless you attack us,” Jen said.
“Then why bring so many soldiers?”
Arturo wanted to answer but kept his mouth shut. He had to let his sister do her work. This could go badly if the wrong thing was said. Still, he hated watching.
“This is the Shields of Aidris. We seek warriors from all the nations to join us in fighting bandits or foreign invaders,” Jen said. “I say again, we did not come here with intentions of fighting. We want an audience with Lord Errant.”
“Very well,” the guard cleared his throat, staring at the five of them. “I assume the five of you wish to enter?”
“Three of us plan on entering if you agree, of course,” Jen said smoothly.
“Then follow me, and we’ll see if Lord Errant will see you,” the guard said.
That went well. Arturo urged his horse forward, and Achillion followed with Jen leading the way. Achillion was a legend that Errant should know about. A person from the Whispering Mists and two skilled warriors should impress Errant, or so he hoped. If Errant wasn’t impressed with them, then the plan wasn’t going to work.
The guards led the way and stopped in front of the gates. There were at least a hundred archers on the walls. Arturo was not worried. There was no reason to attack him, and he had a feeling this Errant was not a fool. He noticed none of the archers had even raised their bows.
The gates creaked open, allowing them to pass. Upon entering the town, Arturo saw more soldiers in place. A couple of hundred foot-soldiers, ranging from spearmen to swordsmen. Errant must be worried this is a trap. Arturo thought. He noticed the soldiers eyeing him, Jen, and Achillion.
One thing Arturo was positive of is that his little army couldn’t breach the walls. If Errant decided to imprison him, there would be nothing his men could do. Jen and Achillion walked casually, each looking over the town but acting casual.
Jen and Arturo had discussed possible actions that Errant would do. They both agreed the odds of them being killed were low and doubted imprisonment would happen. The most likely scenario was being told to leave after the meeting, though neither knew anything about the lord to predict accurately what was going to happen.
Some of the citizens looked at Arturo, Jen, and Achillion. A few looked irritated at their arrival, while others whispered amongst themselves about why these visitors were here. Twenty minutes later, they arrived at a very nice manor. It was three stories, with a balcony on the second and third floors. In front were four guards, though Arturo suspected there were more inside. The house was big enough to fit a couple of dozen people, at least.
“Wait here,” the guard said and walked into the manor, leaving the other two behind.
The six guards kept their eyes on the visitors. “Are you guys expecting a battle?” Achillion asked, shifting his stance and watching the guards' reactions.
“We’re prepared for an attack from the king,” the guard responded.
Honesty was not what I expected. Arturo scratched his neck and sighed. He hoped an agreement could be reached. The quicker this went, the sooner he could move on to Vandalor or Azzellia. He wasn’t sure which he would go to first. Part of him wanted to save Azzellia for last.
“Why is Lord Errant disobeying the king? Is there some moral reason for this defiance?” Jen prodded.
“The matter is complicated,” was all the guard said.
Any further questions were ignored, and eventually, the guards told them to stop asking and wait for Lord Errant. Arturo wondered what was taking so long. It was something he hated doing: waiting.
“What’s taking so long? It’s been over an hour!” Achillion complained. His right foot tapped the ground rapidly.
As if answering his question, the doors opened and the guard who had led them here stood there. “Lord Errant will see you now,” he announced.
“You should have complained sooner,” Arturo mumbled.
“I’ll remember to do that next time,” Achillion said, shooting Arturo a wink and began walking toward the entrance.
The interior of the manor was massive. There was a large crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, with a giant table below. A curved staircase was on the right side, and over a dozen guards stood in various locations. It seemed like overkill with the number of guards, yet Arturo imagined there was a good reason. He could envision Harold sending assassins.
Standing in front of the stairwell was a fancy-dressed man. He wore freshly shined armor, with a sword attached to his hip. He had a mustache and short brown hair. “Welcome to my manor; my name is Lord Errant. And who are you?”
Now it was Arturo’s turn to take charge. “I’m Arturo Pentori. This is my sister, Jen, and the legend, Achillion Zannon.”
“Good to meet you,” Errant said and motioned for them to take a seat at the table. “Tell the servants to bring wine,” he instructed the nearest guard, who nodded and walked into another room.
Arturo, Jen, and Achillion took seats across from Errant. If the lord was nervous, he wasn’t showing it. He appeared calm, as if this was a common occurrence.
Moments later, a male servant arrived with four glasses of wine. Errant took his and sipped. Arturo, Jen, and Achillion took small drinks and placed their cups on the table.
“You know, I would have turned you away if I hadn’t known the fifty-man slayer came to see me,” Errant said, taking another drink. “That’s why Harold sent you, knowing I wouldn’t turn away a legend.”
“I’m no legend,” Arturo interjected. If he were a legend, he would have killed Kyrad. Instead, he had been soundly defeated. A legend wouldn’t have lost as he did. Still, he knew he shouldn’t have said that the moment the words left his mouth.
“Don’t be so modest. You killed a legend, Ribalt I believe the name was, and killed over fifty men by yourself. If that isn’t a legend, I don’t know what is,” Errant continued, taking another drink and motioning for his servant to get more wine. “To have two legends is another matter. Achillion Zannon, a warrior who has never been injured and slain three legends. Most impressive.”
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“You’ve done your research,” Achillion acknowledged. A servant refilled his wine, and he began drinking, the only one, other than Errant, who was happily doing so. Arturo and Jen were only taking small sips.
“I do my research,” Errant said, swirling his wine before setting down his cup. “But, that’s not why you are here. Tell me what you’ve come to say.”
“Let’s start by telling us why you’re disobeying your king,” Jen said.
Errant laughed. “Oh, where do I begin? I’ll make it short. Harold is becoming a paranoid old coot; that’s why I disobey. He’s preparing for a war that needn’t happen. I’m not the only one who thinks he’s losing his mind.”
“What about the invaders?” Arturo asked.
“If these invaders existed, they would have attacked during the rebellions,” Errant scoffed with a wave of his hand. “No, Harold wants more power, and I don’t want to be part of it.”
“Why is Harold preparing for war? Who is he going to war with?” Jen pressed.
Errant shrugged. “Nobody knows. The popular theory is Azzellia, but I don’t know if that’s the truth. It’s another reason I’m not obeying. He’s being secretive. Last I heard, Harold’s council doesn’t know what he is planning.”
Arturo didn’t miss that Errant wasn’t adding “king” or speaking of Harold as his king. The rift must be deeper than he thought. How was he going to convince Errant to work with Harold if he spoke about the king like this?
“What can we do to get you to listen to your king?” Jen asked.
“Tell me what war I’m preparing for, and I will consider it,” Errant said.
“If I knew, I would tell you,” Jen said.
“Then tell me why I should send my people to a battlefield when we don't know the enemy?” Errant said.
I can respect that. Arturo didn’t want his men to die without fighting for something. There was no honor in a pointless death, and fighting among the other nations was as pointless as it got. The invaders were the real threat, and it was something all of Aidris would realize. The question was, would it be too late for the nations to realize the threat?
“I’m sure King Harold will tell you in time. You’re meeting with us for a reason. Surely, there is something we can do to convince you to send your soldiers to King Harold,” Jen said.
“I’ve heard what you plan to do. The Shields of Aidris, that is what you call your little army?” Errant asked, turning his attention to Arturo.
“That’s right,” Arturo said.
“An admirable goal. That is my other reason for agreeing to see you. Why are you helping Harold?” Errant’s eyes remained on Arturo.
“He will give me fifty good warriors. I need those men to bolster my army, especially when the real enemy comes,” Arturo said.
“You mean the invaders,” Errant took another gulp of his wine and waved off his servant who was going to refill it. “You believe they exist?”
“I know they do,” Arturo felt his face grow hard. Perhaps, if he convinced Errant, they were real, he would agree to help. “I fought one of their leaders, who defeated me in single combat. His name was Kyrad Durmaddon.”
Errant’s face was stone-cold, not displaying any emotion whatsoever at the name. “I had heard rumors… But you say it’s the Durmaddon family? You realize how hard that is to believe, right?”
“The man I fought told me his name when he thought I was a dead man,” Arturo said. It was an effort not to clench his hands into a fist as his anger started to bubble. Not because of Errant but because the thought of Kyrad could send him into a blinding rage. “I know he wasn’t lying.”
“Interesting,” Errant turned his gaze away from Arturo and looked up at the ceiling, letting out a sigh. “I hate that I believe you.”
That easily? Arturo hadn’t expected Errant to be open to changing his mind.
“Perhaps there is a way for me to work with Harold. I’ll need you to do something, though your life will be at risk,” Errant said.
“What kind of risk?” Jen asked.
“It’s a personal matter. It’s a rare opportunity to meet a legend, let alone two. I want one of you to duel one of my men. He’s one of the most gifted fighters I have ever seen, and I want to see if he can put up a fight against a legend,” Errant said.
“I’m not afraid of getting injured,” Arturo said, feeling himself relax. A duel? That would be easy.
“That may be so, but here is the risk. My man can get carried away and has accidentally killed a few people while testing himself. I would prefer you not to kill him if you do beat him,” Errant said.
“You want Arturo to fight someone who will be fighting like his life depends on it? Does that seem fair to you?” Jen asked.
“Jen!” Arturo shot her a glare. He was not going to let her ruin this opportunity. “I want to make sure that if I win this duel, you will send your soldiers to Harold?”
“Yes,” Errant said with a smile. He knew he was going to get his fight. “I may dislike Harold, but I value a good fight, and this might be my only chance to see the fifty-man slayer in action. You fight him, and I will do my part. Perhaps the old king is preparing for these invaders.”
“Then I accept,” Arturo said. He could feel his body shiver with excitement. If this challenger was that skilled, it would be a good way to see how he fared. He hadn’t fought a worthy opponent since Kyrad.
“Excellent!” Errant stood up. “You will rest here tonight. First thing in the morning, you will fight my man. I’ll have Eskarl show you to your rooms.”
“If you’ll follow me,” Eskarl said. A tiny man with a thick beard. He motioned for Arturo, Jen, and Achillion to follow and led them to their rooms. “If you need anything, I’ll be nearby.”
“Thank you,” Jen said and waited for Eskarl to get out of earshot before turning her attention to Arturo. “Are you stupid? Fifty men aren’t worth the risk to your life!”
“I don’t think there is a risk to my life,” Arturo said with a shrug.
“I can understand accepting,” Achillion said.
“What do you mean?” Jen said, whirling on Achillion.
“A true warrior wants to test their skills. You can’t improve if you fight weaklings all the time,” Achillion said. “Which reminds me. Arturo, is your invitation to join your army still open?”
“Yes,” Arturo said.
“Then I will join,” Achillion said.
Arturo laughed. He couldn’t stop himself. There was only one thing he could think of as to why Achillion agreed after months of following along. “Are you telling me that me fighting a dual made you want to join?”
“Something like that,” Achillion said, joining Arturo in laughing.
“Men are stupid,” Jen said with a shake of her head.
That prompted more laughter from the two, while Jen took a seat and kept shaking her head.
Morning arrived quickly, and Arturo was at the table, eating with Jen, Achillion, and Lord Errant. Eggs and bacon—a rare sight to see, though Arturo wasn’t surprised to see Errant having excellent food. A lord with this much power would be eating like a king.
There wasn’t much talking as they ate. Errant spoke a bit about how excited he was to watch the fight, and Arturo had the same feelings. He couldn’t wait to see how he stacked up against this foe, whom Errant seemed confident would give him a good fight. He hoped so; Arturo needed a challenge.
Arturo didn’t eat too much, as he didn’t want to be bloated for his fight. The last thing he needed was to be cramping. The others ate their fill, and even Jen agreed to more food. The food was delicious, and then they were done eating.
“I think it’s time, don’t you?” Errant said.
“Agreed,” Arturo said.
“Follow me,” Errant said.
They left the manor, with twelve guards accompanying them. Arturo had tried to get some information on his opponent, but Errant said he would find out once he arrived at the arena.
Word spread quickly about the duel, as a giant crowd surrounded the arena. It wasn’t much of an arena, Arturo noted—fence posts surrounded an area of dirt. It was more like a giant pen than an arena, but he wasn’t going to say anything.
In the middle, stood a giant man, taller and bigger than Arturo. He was holding a thick mace-staff and had a grin on his face as he eyed Arturo up and down. Other than his father and brothers, he hadn’t met a man near his size, let alone someone bigger than him.
Should be interesting. Arturo walked past Errant and stopped a dozen or so feet away. The big man’s grin widened as he eyed Arturo’s giant sword. “You look like a worthy challenger. It’s been far too long since I’ve had a good fight,” the man said.
“Then you should travel more,” Arturo took out his sword and planted the tip into the ground. “My name is Arturo Pentori.”
“Mine is Khalin Dafrone,” Khalin mimicked Arturo and planted the butt of his staff into the ground. “I apologize if I kill you in advance. I find it difficult to control myself when fighting.”
“You won’t kill me,” Arturo said, knowing he sounded cocky but not caring. The odds of this man being as strong as Kyrad were unlikely.
Khalin grunted and raised his staff into an aggressive stance. Arturo didn’t move at all, only holding onto the hilt of his blade and waited. Lord Errant was leaning on the fence. “You may begin!” Errant said.
Khalin moved far swifter than he should have, considering his size. Arturo raised his sword and felt the impact of the staff slamming into his sword. Khalin didn’t stop there; he started swinging like a madman. Each attack rattled his bones, and Arturo realized he had underestimated his opponent.
Dirt sprayed into the air when Khalin’s mace slammed into the dirt. Arturo gritted his teeth and countered. He needed to disarm his opponent or get him to the ground to win. His sword collided with the mace. Khalin’s eyes widened as he was forced back from Arturo’s assault.
Arturo wasn’t giving Khalin any time to think. Khalin was a good fighter; that much was obvious, but his lack of experience showed. Arturo deduced that Khalin was used to winning his fights within the first thirty seconds and had never faced someone who could defend against his attacks.
They continued trading blows, neither side giving an inch. Then, Arturo found his opening. He dodged to the left, feeling the air of the mace as it missed its target, and he swung, knocking the staff out of Khalin’s hands. To ensure the fight was over, Arturo elbowed the man in the face. Once Khalin was on the ground, Arturo rested his sword against the man’s throat.
“It’s over,” Arturo said, leaving his weapon in place. Blood was dripping down Khalin’s chin, who laughed.
Anger flashed across his face and he looked ready to kill. Arturo applied a bit of pressure, which knocked sense into the man. “You truly are a legend; I yield,” Khalin said.
Nodding, Arturo took his sword and placed the weapon on the hooks on his back. Khalin would have been a great recruit, but he had a feeling Errant wouldn’t let him leave. He walked to Errant, who looked a bit surprised. “Will you keep your word?” Arturo asked.
Jen and Achillion looked at Errant as the lord scratched his face. “I’m a man of my word. I’ll accompany you to pledge my loyalty to King Harold,” Errant said.
“Are you ready to leave today?” Arturo asked.
“We’ll leave tomorrow.”
“Fine,” Arturo saw Jen breathe a sigh of relief. Did she think he was going to lose? She has only seen me fight her clan and Kyrad, he thought. He didn’t count bandits as they posed no threat to him. His sister would have to have more faith in him eventually. He walked towards the others. If things went as they should, he would have his men from Harold soon, and that would make him one step closer to completing his army.
