Kara faces Ravesfel.
Their arrival in Tranith Argan proceeded with calculated grace. At each gate, the escorting guards maintained a pretense of authority while Kara and her elven companions simply walked where they pleased. The first gate had caused a brief stir when the guards noticed their weapons, but their escorts quickly "allowed" this exception, in a fiction that made Kara smile inwardly. The presence of Llarand, known friend to Ravesfel, gave the guards enough cover to avoid making an incident of it. Still, she could see the uncertainty in their faces: how much trouble would they face for this breach of protocol?
As they had passed through each succeeding gate and climbed through each new wall, the passing got both easier and harder. It was easier in that each set of guards at the gates realized this was a party to be allowed into the city. It was harder for as they passed, the people of the city gradually realized that Kara was returned to them alive and well. A growing crowd made it more difficult to walk unimpeded. Kara had spent some time along the final walk to the palace reassuring well-wishers and taking their good cheer in return. It made her feel good in a way she never had before as queen.
Her nerves finally hit her only when she got to the palace wall and walked in. Knowing she was about to come face to face with Ravesfel made her feel ill at ease. She felt safe enough with her elven escort, but what was to happen next was going to be the hardest part of this plan: determining Ravesfel’s true guilt or innocence. What was his motive then and what is it now? Would he be an ally or a hindrance to her plans? Could she overcome the feelings of distaste she had developed for the guardian, as she had promised Felanar? These were the thoughts swirling in her head as they approached the throne room, still comically accompanied by the guards trying to look important even though they were completely superfluous. And then they were inside the throne room and Kara faced Ravesfel as he sat on the throne and stared at the approaching party.
“Kara,” he said breaking into a smile, “you are alive and well. You may choose to believe it or not considering how we last encountered each other, but I assure you nothing makes me happier to hear that you and your brother are well.”
Kara stared at the guardian and took in his face once again. Flooding back into her mind came the night in Brindledown when he told her and her brother their true identities. How kindly she viewed him back then! She thought about the day Felanar first met the guardian and Kara had been so intimidated as she’d looked at the old man through childish eyes. Then she remembered his visit in the dungeon of the palace and how she raged over his betrayal. Now she once again saw his face and this time it seemed different. She no longer felt intimidated by his experience and position; she was too used to him by now. She no longer felt kindly toward him; he had ruined that, perhaps forever. Oddly, it seemed to her, she no longer felt rage toward him either; that was taken away from her by his look now. He was not being harsh or confrontational, and his face had an expression of warmth. She felt sickened by this look.
“I accept your good wishes,” she said in an even tone, “and I thank you for keeping my city safe in my absence.” She thought that immediately confronting his betrayal would be counter-productive. “Now I am back and ready to resume my duties as queen. You may relinquish the throne to me.”
She watched his face carefully while sensing that Terón was doing the same to her left. He smiled and shifted in his seat and then half rose while clearing his throat.
“You have just arrived, my lady,” he said, “and perhaps would like to settle into your bedroom once again and refresh yourself from your long journey. I can arrange for a delicious meal to be brought to you and your companions. I am sure Llarand would enjoy a meal that my cooks can prepare for elves that he has enjoyed on his previous visits. May I make such orders for you all while you rest from your voyage?” He paused midway through standing up while waiting for Kara’s response with what seemed to her to be a bit too much eagerness.
“Thank you, no,” she said, “we are ready to get to work and have enjoyed some delicious elven meals along the way. I find myself quite nourished. No, I will conduct affairs of state first, so if you do not mind, I would like to take my place.”
“As you wish, my lady, of course,” said the guardian who continued standing up and took a step down from the throne and then seemed almost involuntarily drawn to stare back at the throne as he walked away. Then he reached the ground and with that it seemed a spell was broken and he straightened up and moved to the side. Kara stepped forward with purpose and sat down on the throne with what felt to her like a satisfaction she had not known before. The throne meant more to her now that she had fought her way back to it.
“Guards,” Kara gestured toward the king’s guards on either side of the throne, “prepare quarters for my elven guests. See that they have whatever they wish and make them comfortable and welcome. They will be with us for some time.”
The guards moved toward the elves and gestured for them to follow, but Llarand waved them off.
“Prepare the rooms without us,” he said, “you know what we require from my previous visits. We will stay here for now.”
One of the guards hesitated and seemed uncertain about leaving the throne room even under direct orders. Seeing this Kara addressed him.
“It is fine for you to leave the throne momentarily. Your service is greatly desired and I thank you and your men for your faithful service. However, I wish to speak with my companions alone for a moment. Please go and see that the rooms are prepared, but then do return and take your rightful place by my side.”
That satisfied the guard and he and his men left. The elves took up positions where the guards had been and Terón stood just to Kara’s left while Eralar stood to her right. Ravesfel saw this and despite what she had just said asked, “Are you replacing the king’s guards with elves?”
“No,” said Kara curtly, “just supplementing them. As you can imagine, I find it hard to tell who friends here and who are my enemy.”
“I assure you,” said Ravesfel earnestly, “that you have no enemies here. I have seen to it that all who opposed you were removed from the palace.”
“All?” said Kara staring at the old man.
“Your point is taken,” he said, “but I never opposed you. I was trying to protect you.”
“You took the throne from me.”
“I was wrong to do it, but it was a mistake made out of sincerity under pressure. Llarand can attest to this! He knows I meant only the best for Argan.”
“This is what I believe, Kara,” said the elf lord.
“You may well be telling the truth,” said Kara, “but you’ll understand if I remain cautious for a while.”
“That is your right,” said Ravesfel, “I am merely a guardian, someone who suggests.”
“Then keep your place and we will have no problems,” replied Kara quietly.
Ravesfel started to say something, then just nodded.
“Where is Anarth?” asked Kara.
“He is about the city,” said Ravesfel. “He serves as ambassador to the throne, as it were, and the people love him. He has become quite happy since Canar’s deception was revealed and removed.”
“Where is Canar?” asked Kara.
“In the dungeon,” said the guardian.
“Are his windows guarded?” asked Kara.
“Guarded from what?”
“From birds!”
“Birds?” puzzled the guardian.
“Yes, birds!” cried Kara. “How do you think I escaped from the dungeon? Do you not think Canar can get word to the enemy from the dungeon?”
Ravesfel looked worried. “That never occurred to me. Shall I instruct the guards accordingly?”
“Yes, do so at once,” ordered Kara.
The guardian quickly moved out of the room and as soon as he was gone, Kara turned to her left.
“Has he been truthful?” she asked Terón.
The elf looked steadily at her with his dark eyes and said, “Yes, I believe he has not lied to you yet. He is still worried about something, how you view him perhaps, and I sense there is more to him that can be discerned quickly. I am not used to judging a guardian and I find he is one of the hardest cases to discern. Yet so far I can see no overt deception.”
“What do you think, Llarand?” asked Kara.
“I defer to Terón when it comes to determining Ravesfel’s guilt or innocence, but what he said matches what I know of Ravesfel. I believe him to be dealing with you in sincerity.”
“I think so too,” said Kara. “I do not think power has a strong enough hold on him yet to corrupt him beyond redemption. I will work with him as my brother requested, but I reserve the right to still be cautious.”
“Caution is a trait that wears well on all rulers,” said Llarand.
Kara turned to her right.
"I want protection at all times," Kara said, turning to Eralar, "but there's no need to crowd the throne room. Two of you on rotating shifts, with Terón always at my side when he's awake. Can you coordinate quickly if needed?"
Eralar nodded once. "We will be here before trouble starts."
"As for positioning," Kara continued, "stay in the background. I won't undermine the palace guards—except for you, Terón. Your place is here beside me."
She watched with approval as Eralar chose his position against the wall—a spot that gave him clear sight lines to every corner of the room. Terón stepped behind the throne, present but unobtrusive. Exactly as she'd hoped.
“As for you, Llarand, please come and go as you wish, but your counsel is always welcome.”
“I would prefer to stay with you whenever decisions of state are made as we are approaching a critical hour,” he said.
“Please do stay, and please offer your counsel. As for you others, when you take a shift in the throne room, please stand off out of the way. I do not wish to overturn the place of the palace guards. I wish you to be in the background unless needed. Except you, Terón. I want you by my side whenever I sit on the throne.”
Terón nodded without speaking a word, and that gesture reassured Kara. She liked Terón for his quiet competence.
The day passed without incident. The guards returned after arranging for quarters for the elves, and as they returned most of the elves left the throne room. Eralar and Terón alone remained. Ravesfel returned and said the windows to Canar’s dungeon cell had been guarded, and he felt there was no danger as he did not believe Canar to have the speech of animals. Kara thanked him for the report and that was all she saw of the guardian for the rest of that day.
The next couple of days she spent getting reports of the news of the city and conducting affairs of state. She met with Ravesfel and Anarth and Llarand on multiple occasions as they filled her in on what had transpired in her absence. The meetings were factual, not emotional, and Kara felt more at ease as the days went on. Whatever conflict she anticipated having with Ravesfel or Anarth seemed not to be forthcoming. They both treated her respectfully. She tried to return the favor.
On the third day since her return, Llarand approached Kara on the throne and asked if they could speak privately in the side planning room. The two of them went into the room and shut the door.
"Have you had any difficulties with any servants or officials of the city?" Llarand asked.
"None," Kara replied, absently touching the throne's armrest. "It's gone so smoothly I'm beginning to think all my preparations were unnecessary. Perhaps you were right about Ravesfel all along."
Llarand nodded, but his expression grew serious. "He's who I wished to discuss. Neither Terón nor I detect falsehood in him. When he speaks of wanting what's best for you, for Felanar, for the throne, he means it."
Kara's fingers tightened on the armrest as Llarand continued, explaining Ravesfel's fears about Felanar's death, the spies within the palace, the danger to her own life. With each word, she felt her certainty about the guardian's treachery wavering.
"He may honestly have felt imprisonment was the only way to protect you," Llarand finished, "until you could return safely to Brindledown."
Kara stood, pacing the small room. "But how temporary was 'temporary'? With Felanar presumed dead and me in Brindledown, who was he keeping the throne for?"
“Oh, I’m sure he would have returned the throne to you as soon as you were safe,” he replied. “Remember, you escaped and then went missing on the field of battle, and when you finally did return to Tranith Argan he immediately stepped aside. Whatever he planned to do, his actions speak to his intentions, I would say.”
“And this is what you wished to talk to me about?” she countered.
“Ah, no, I wished to discuss the idea of my returning to Elaria.”
“Return? When?”
“As soon as you feel it is safe,” Llarand answered.
“Do you feel it is safe now?” asked Kara.
“Yes, it does seem that way.”
“Did Ravesfel suggest this?” asked Kara.
“Yes, we discussed it briefly earlier today, but I wanted to talk to you before deciding anything.”
“Do not leave, it is a trap,” said Kara. “He wants you to leave so that I will be alone again.”
“Oh, you would hardly be alone. I would leave behind several of the elves to protect you.”
“You mean you were going to take some of them home with you?”
“Well, if you approve, yes, I see no need for so many guards when you face no opposition or threat.”
“The threat is ever present,” objected Kara. “He suggested this idea to get you out of the way. Do not leave, please.”
Llarand looked at Kara thoughtfully. “Do you know Ravesfel’s true nature?”
“I caught a glimpse of it once from a great distance,” said Kara as she thought about them fleeing Brindledown and catching the sight of a great blinding light behind them in the village when dragons attacked.
“Then you know,” continued Llarand, “that if Ravesfel wished to take the throne, there is nothing you or I could do to stop him. That alone should tell you that he does not act out of a desire to seize the throne.”
“If these creatures, the guardians, are so strong, why does not Vélakk just change form and destroy Tranith Argan?” asked Kara skeptically.
“Well, they are not that strong, nor completely invulnerable,” said Llarand. “If Vélakk were to stride across the battlefield in his true form, he could do much damage, but enough damage would eventually be done to him as to discourage the attempt. Vélakk seeks power through fealty. He wants people to follow him—through fear or loyalty, it does not matter—not to kill everyone.”
“So Ravesfel could take the throne whether you were here or not, but if he did so he could eventually be defeated if the forces arrayed against him were numerous.”
“Yes,” answered Llarand, “but he could do much more damage if he wished it, and my presence or lack thereof would not change the situation. I do not think I am required here once we make the war plans. Until then I will stay, but after that I think I should return to bring the war plans back to Elaria and coordinate the elven response.”
“Very well,” said Kara, “I suppose I am being too untrusting. I will grant your request and let you leave with an elven escort as soon as our military plans are set.”
“Thank you, Kara,” said Llarand, “I will always leave Terón and Eralar to protect you, and I think those two alone would be sufficient for any purpose.”
They returned to the throne room where Kara arranged to meet with the new military leaders of Argan the next day. It was time to prepare for the second invasion of Shanaar. But then a thought occurred to her and she asked for a meal to be prepared for her. She needed to relax for a while and with Llarand’s words in her mind she exhaled and sat back on the throne. She could do this. It will work, and she can help her brother in this great effort by doing her part here in Tranith Argan.
In a few minutes the meal was brought in for her and she retired to the dining hall. She looked at the meal set before her and smiled. Sauces!
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