Chapter Nine: The Autarch

Tranith Argan: Book 3

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The four have been taken captive and are now in a cell awaiting the Autarch.

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Alessa laughed softly. “I am the only one truly in the dark,” she said, ‘for you can each see my glow, but I can see little, a very strange experience for me. I seem to be having many strange experiences lately.”

“Are you not glad you came to my rescue at Tranith Argan?” asked Kara. “Everything has gone so well since then.”

Alessa smiled, then realized this would be a meaningless gesture in the dark and said, “I have no regrets, Kara. We will solve this situation sooner or later and get back home. In the meantime, I have had more experiences in life over the last couple of weeks than I had in all the seasons of my life. I do not regret helping you, my friend.”

“I regret walking along the Marske River and getting captured by saarks,” replied Kara, “but yes, I know what you are saying, my friend, and I agree on all counts. We will get free, and I have no regrets about helping my brother.”

“Yet what is the end result?” asked a now awake Felanar, his voice coming out of the darkness from the right of the ladies. “Captured by saarks versus being captured by Vélakk, and now captured by the autarch. You saved me from one only to follow me into the others.”

“I think you have been captured more often than any man alive, brother” said Kara.

“There are times when I wish I never knew about the throne of Tranith Argan,” said Felanar somberly. “It has brought me nothing but trouble, and the trouble is not over yet.”

“I know,” said Kara softly, “I know. Sometimes I think about Ravesfel, and what he did, and what he might be doing on the throne now. But I am with you. That throne has been nothing but trouble to us both. And to poor Dolen.”

“Poor I am not,” came the dwarf’s voice. “I have suffered loss, grievous loss, but I will rule over my people with a glad heart should I see the day I return to my land. Feel sorry for me not, good lady. A dwarf makes his promises well and sticks to them no matter the consequence.”

Alessa wondered if that was another of his comments against his perceived slight by the elves but thought better of responding in kind.

“Can you see anything in this darkness?” she asked instead. “Dwarves live underground.”

“Aye,” he replied, “I can see enough.”

“What is our cell like?” the elf asked.

“It spans twenty feet in width, I would say, and perhaps ten in depth. Beyond that it is too dark to say.”

“Are we sharing the cell with any other creatures?” asked Kara. “I thought I heard rustling along a wall earlier.”

“Rats, I would guess, from the sound,” offered Alessa.

“Aye, a few rats,” answered the dwarf. “They are leaving us alone. But perhaps not when we get food.”

“Ah, food,” said the elf. “It has been a while since I had a proper meal and I find myself hungry to an unusual degree. I wonder if the autarch’s prison features better food than the saarks. It could hardly be worse.”

“Given our luck,” said Kara, “don’t count on it.”

• • •

Far upstairs in the palace, Slakh was talking to the autarch before his throne. The saark was standing on the open marble floor and staring up at the ruler. Slakh’s guards stood in a group much further back. The saark leader was explaining who he had brought to Namonikkar.

“What is special about these prisoners, Slakh?” asked the autarch as he look down from his throne toward the saark.

“I am convinced they are spies, autarch. My guards captured them near a village along the Marske, but they were not from this village. They are not even from this land! They come from the Eastern lands with a story that made no sense, and traveling in a group that calls for explanation.”

“How so?” asked Namonikkar quietly and with little interest.

“An elf does not normally travel with a dwarf, by boat no less.”

Namonikkar’s eyebrows rose imperceptibly and then returned to position almost immediately.

“An elf?” he prompted, annoyed that Slakh was dealing out information in a piecemeal fashion.

“An elf, along with Eastern men. Is this a normal traveling party? No, it is not, and yet I do not know what to make of this group. You know more of the ways of men, maybe you know who they are, and if they are spies. My guards could have tortured the truth out of them, but I bring them to you as a gesture of friendship between our peoples.”

The autarch said nothing. This angered Slakh.

“They might be spies, did you hear me?”

“I heard you. What makes you think they are spies?”

“Did you not listen to what I told you?” asked the saark with exasperation. “An elf and a dwarf do not travel together!”

“Nor would they spy together, from what I know of their kind,” said the autarch evenly.

Slakh opened his mouth to speak and then closed it, staring at the autarch. This was a new thought to him and it put doubt in his mind. The silence held for a minute during which Namonikkar merely stared at the saark before him.

“Well, aren’t you going to question them and find out the answer,” Slakh finally said, “or will my guards have to do it for you, in which case I have wasted my time in bringing them to you?”

“I do appreciate your gesture, Slakh,” the autarch said calmly. “I will question them, and we will find out the meaning of this odd little group. I will even reward you with gold for your efforts.”

Slakh relaxed at this news and nodded.

“I came not to seek gold, but as a gesture of goodwill I accept it. Our peoples have grown apart in recent years and it seems to me time that we make amends.”

Namonikkar stared at the saark, and then nodded. “We need not quarrel, it is true. Tell me, what of the Eastern men? Is there anything of note about them, and how many of them are we talking about?”

“Two, autarch,” replied Slakh, “and I misspoke earlier when I said ‘men,’ for it is a man and a woman, young, a brother and sister, if I have heard their conversations correctly. They said they were from Brindledown, near that lake over there.”

This time the autarch’s eyebrows betrayed him for Slakh could clearly see this news excited the autarch.

“Yes,” the saark continued, “Fel is the man’s name.”

Namonikkar’s eyes lit up.

Slakh looked at the autarch curiously. This was unexpected. He hoped the autarch would be pleased at the gesture of bringing the prisoners to him. The saarks were not subservient to the autarch, but it did not hurt diplomatically to make the effort, and besides he might really know what these people were doing in their lands. But to realize that Namonikkar actually knew some of these prisoners, or knew of them, that was significantly better news to Slakh.

“Ah,” he said, “I see these prisoners are of more interest to you than you indicated earlier. Do you know this Fel?”

Namonikkar had by now composed himself and tried to downplay his earlier reaction.

“I do not,” he said quietly.

“I think you do, autarch. This adds value to the situation, does it not? Perhaps we had better discuss the gold transfer that is to take place. My people are traders, and valuable trade carries a higher price.”

“You will be adequately compensated, Slakh,” said Namonikkar. “I do not know this group, but I will question them and find out their story. I thank you for bringing them to me. I will not forget this gesture.”

“Ah yes, but the price, what shall we say for the price?”

“Don’t be greedy, Slakh.” He gestured for one of the throne guards to approach, whispered in his ear, and the guard hurried off. Shortly afterward he returned with a leather pouch and the guard handed it to Slakh.

Slakh took the pouch and opened it in front of the autarch, who sighed at the violation of protocol.

“Your kindness is evident,” said Slakh looking up, “but not your trading skills. This amount is not nearly enough for so valuable a treasure, one that demonstrates a drawing closer of our peoples. What you offered is a start, but I think ten times this amount would be a proper value.”

“Ten times!” snapped Namonikkar. “Don’t be impertinent, Slakh, I gave you plenty as a gesture of goodwill. We are not buying and selling here. You brought them of your own accord, a gift as you indicated. We are not haggling over some goods here. Take your gold and return to your home in peace.”

“Ah, but here we differ in our perception, autarch. A gift this was, yes, but a most valuable one it would seem. Such value should be repaid in kind, for that is the way of my people, and it would be unseemly for me to return with so little in exchange for so much.”

“Take what I have given you. Do not be greedy.”

“This is not greed,” said Slakh, his voice rising. “Do not insult my people. If you will not pay full value, I will return your little offering and take the prisoners back myself. My guards will then force the truth from their lips and then we will see why the friends of Namonikkar are sniffing around my land.”

“Are you accusing me of sending spies?” asked the autarch angrily.

“This is a question that can only be answered by talking to the prisoners. If you do not wish to do so, my people will gladly take on the burden.” Slakh gestured to his guards who now stepped forward. The autarch’s guards stiffened in response, until the autarch raised his arm for them to stand their ground.

“Don’t be silly,” he said with a smile. “I was merely testing your bargaining skills, Slakh. I know your people to be traders of high skill and it is always a challenge for me to test my skills against yours.”

He gestured to that same guard and said to get the gold requested. The guard left and returned again, this time with a much larger pouch. He handed it to Slakh who took it eagerly and nodded toward the autarch.

“It is a pleasure having done business with you, autarch.”

“Go in peace,” said Namonikkar, gesturing with his hand that the meeting was ended.

Slakh and his guards marched out of the throne room while the autarch smiled at their retreating bodies. As they walked out of the room through the double set of doors, the doors closed behind them, and the autarch’s smile turned into a frown.

“Order the Hírikk Jakkír to follow them. As soon as they set foot outside the palace, capture them and stick them in the dungeon. Bring the gold to me.”

“As you wish, autarch,” said the chief guard, who ran to carry out the order.

“Greedy, filthy creatures,” he seethed. “This is what you get for being a fool.”

• • •

The prisoners were finishing their first dungeon meal (not as bad as saark food, but nothing that pleased Alessa in the least) when guards approached their cell. The door swung open and dim light from the hallway showed the prisoners the outline of the cell where they had spent the last day. Several rats scattered into holes in the wall.

“The autarch sends his regrets that visitors of such renown were accidentally placed in such inadequate quarters,” said the leader of the guards. In the dim light his uniform could be seen to be quite ornate. “You are to be transferred immediately to more suitable quarters, given a chance to be cleaned, given proper meals, and then the autarch would be delighted to have you approach his throne in friendship. Again, our most humble apologies for the misunderstanding.” He bowed.

Felanar and Kara looked at each other in surprise. Alessa stood up and smiled. “Let us leave,” she said to Dolen and the others.

The other surprised prisoners stood up and followed the guards down the hallway and up many sets of stairs until they entered the palace itself and walked down a very spacious and well-lit hall lined with ornate doors. The guards stopped in front of one very large door and opened it, gesturing for Felanar and Kara to enter. They did so but when Alessa and Dolen tried to follow the guards politely stepped in.

“I beg your pardon, master dwarf and lady elf, but we have other quarters for you. This room is for Felanar and Kara.”

All four of the prisoners looked shocked at the mention of their real names. But brother and sister held their tongues and tried to look composed at this very strange turn of events.

“Please,” said the chief guard to Alessa, who seem disinclined to leave her friends, “I assure you that you will all be together soon. Allow me to show you your quarters, which are quite nearby, and give you all time to refresh yourselves after your ordeal with the saarks. You are all special guests of the autarch, and you need have no fear.”

“We had need of fear last night,” grumbled Dolen.

“Again, our humble apologies, master dwarf. It was only just today that the autarch learned of your identities, and I can assure you that the orders to remove you from the dungeon came swiftly. Please, allow me to show you to your room. You will see each other very soon, I promise you.”

Alessa and Dolen reluctantly left the others and were each shown to a nearby room.

“Of all the turns on this journey,” said Kara to Felanar when they were alone, “this is the strangest.”

Felanar sat down on the edge of one of the two beds in the expansive room. The bed was covered in an ornately designed silk spread, the dark color of which contrasted with the pale curtains hung on the bed frame.

“The autarch must know of us, clearly, and is seeking to befriend us,” he said.

“But he tried to have us killed!” said Kara.

“The assassins back home? Yes, I’ve thought of that ever since we marched to Polandolar. But Ravesfel told us they were sent by Vélakk, not by the autarch, despite their accents.”

“Yes, I know,” said Kara slowly, “but how much of what Ravesfel told us is true, and what was just told to make us act in line with his needs to seize power?”

“Oh, I don’t think he wanted all along to seize power, Kara. I think that came out of the moment. I believe what he told us, but I am certainly curious and apprehensive about meeting the autarch. We have heard such horrible things about the man and his actions. And yet, we are now being treated very well, are we not?”

Kara nodded. “For what purpose, I wonder?”

“He wishes to enter into an alliance with Argan, perhaps,” said Felanar hopefully.

“Perhaps,” said Kara, “but I would not trust him if I were you.”

“I won’t. But now, after our experience, I could use a bath. Would you like to go first?”

They took turns cleaning up and found fresh clothing laid out for them, along with a bounteous tray of food brought by servants. In an hour’s time they felt entirely new and whole. Alessa and Dolen knocked and entered, both looking happy and well.

“Imagine!” marveled Alessa, “they provided food fit for an elf!”

“Are you full and satisfied?” asked Kara smiling.

“It is certainly an improvement,” the elf nodded. “I feel elven again.”

“Aye,” agreed Dolen, “and I had a meal fit for a dwarf, and that is something I have not had in a very long time.”

They all wore the clean clothing that had been set out for them, simple clothes for the men and silky dresses for the women. They were clean for the first time in weeks. Servants took their old clothes and promised to wash them and return them once cleaned.

A knock on the door brought the chief guard.

“Ah,” he said, “you look much better, if I may say so. Now, if you are quite rested and well, I am to escort you to the throne room. The autarch awaits your presence.” He gestured for them all to leave.

As the four walked out, Dolen said to the guard, “Treat us well and we look well, do we?”

The guard bowed. “Again I say to you most humbly, master dwarf, that last night was a terrible misunderstanding.”

They followed the guard down the hall and through a set of doors that led to an antechamber. The guard indicated they were to walk through another set of doors, these guarded by soldiers in ornate dress holding staffs tipped with spears. The four did so as the doors swung open and the throne room appeared beyond.

It was much larger than the throne room of Tranith Argan. The ceiling soared high above them and near the ceiling windows were carved out of the marble to let in light. Tapestries in red and gold lined the walls. The marble floor shone, each slab cut to precise measurements to give the illusion of one long gleaming floor.

In the center of the room there was a solid gold throne, raised up on a marble pedestal. On the throne, wrapped in a blue and gold robe, sat a man of middle age, with grey in his full head of hair but few lines on his skin tanned by the sun. He was a tall man with a long face that showed no emotion as they entered. He did not look like an evil man. As they approached he smiled and stood up. He spread his arms wide.

“Welcome, my guests! I am so pleased to have such honored company as the king and queen of Tranith Argan. I offer welcome to your companions, honorable elf and dwarf. Welcome to Polandolar. My name is Namonikkar.”

Felanar nodded to the autarch.

“Thank you for the welcome and the kind accommodations,” he said.

“Ah, and do excuse my ignorance for last night,” the autarch responded. “My guards handled your arrival as if you were just ordinary slaves to be locked away, and I was unaware of your presence until today. I do ask your forgiveness.”

“I will overlook it, Namonikkar,” said Felanar, “but I am curious to know how you came to know our identity. It was not known to Slakh.”

“Ah, Slakh. Yes, it is well said that the saarks know their own world well, but not the world around them nearly as much. The seafaring saarks at least trade far and wide, but the mining saarks know little of the outside world, and Slakh is among that number. No, he knew nothing of your nature, but I did as soon as I heard your description. You think news does not reach me here, so far west of your land? It is in my best interests to know all about the doings back east. I know of your attack on Shanaar, and I know further of your setback, and I have heard of your disappearance. You are both believed dead, if my informants are to be trusted.”

“Dead?” cried Kara. “How do you know? What have you heard about Tranith Argan in our absence?”

“More to the point,” asked Dolen with anger, “what were your men doing in Shanaar?”

Namonikkar seemed surprised by the question.

“I’m sorry, master dwarf,” he said evenly, “but I do not know who you are.”

“I am Dolen,” he replied furiously, “king of the dwarves, thanks to your army!”

Namonikkar eyed the dwarf carefully before responding.

“Son of Gram you are,” he finally said. “I do know of this, and I can only offer my promise that your loss, though great, was not directed at your people, with whom we have no quarrel. I was merely answering a call for assistance by Vélakk when he sent word of his land being invaded by a united army of peoples.”

“So you admit your guilt!” said Dolen.

“I admit I sent an army to answer a request for aid, but it was not an invading army, and I heard that my troops pulled back when they could easily have killed you and Felanar. That should show that our aim was defensive. I grieve at your loss, even as I grieve the need for any military action.”

“Then you admit being an ally of Vélakk!” cried Kara.

“No,” said Namonikkar swiftly. “I am no ally of his, and never want to be. I merely answered a call for aid as I would anyone who found themselves attacked. I am neutral to eastern struggles, and would have answered a call by you as easily as I answered one by him. But you never sent word, o queen, yet Vélakk did.”

“You may not ally yourself with eastern struggles,” said Alessa, “but you know western struggles well enough.”

“Your identity escapes me, lady elf,” said Namonikkar as he turned toward Alessa. “Given your companions, am I to assume you are part of the elf ruling line?”

“I am Alessa, daughter of Llarand and Heléste,” said the elf, “and my father and brother have told me of many a struggle against your forces.”

“I am pleased to meet you, daughter of the elf lord,” said the autarch, “and I see I am dealing with a royal company indeed. Slakh was a fool not to know who he was holding or he would have asked for yet ten times more gold!”

“Do you ignore what I said?” asked Alessa.

“I do not ignore it, lady, I merely wish to point out that for every story that is told there can be two different sides. If you, yourself, have not been to the front lines of your people, I would suggest to you that all is not what it may seem to you between our sides. For now, I will say no more, but I assure you that you – all of you – need have no fear while you are here. You are my guests and will be treated as such. The discussion of nations and struggles and wars and alliances can be quite tricky and complex. Here in this palace, all such endeavors can be put aside. Here we are host and guests, nothing more.”

“Then we are free to leave?” asked Felanar.

“Indeed you are,” said Namonikkar. “But I would ask you to stay a little while as my guests. It is not often that such powerful rulers can meet at the same time, and I think it would do us good to settle some matters in each other’s presence. Please do stay for now. I would like to speak with each of you in time. The well-being of our respective nations demands no less. So will you avail yourself of my hospitality for a little while?”

Felanar looked at Kara and then said, “For a little while.”

Alessa merely said, “I will stay as long as my friends stay, but as to discussions with you I have little that I can offer. I am not my father.”

“I expect only to pass along certain messages to your father, good lady elf,” said the autarch with a smile. “And you, lord of the dwarves?”

“Nothing there is to say to you, commander of the men who killed my father,” said Dolen, staring at the marble floor.

“I will not force you to talk, but I hope we can have some words during your stay.”

“Will you have word of our existence sent back to Elaria?” asked Kara. “You said people think we are dead. It would be the kind thing, if we are to stay here for a while.”

“Yes, queen of Argan, I will have a message sent to the border of your people.”

“Then I will stay,” said Kara, “for a little while.”

“I can ask no more,” said Namonikkar. “And now that we have been introduced, I am sure you are still worn from your ordeal. Please avail yourself of my hospitality, rest this day, and in the days to come I will seek you out for discussions on how our respective peoples can reach a greater friendship. I assure you, I wish nothing more. For now, though, please do rest. I will see to it that your needs are met and you can sleep in comfort. May tonight’s sleep be more restful than you have had in many a day.”

He stood up and gestured for his guards to lead his guests back to their quarters. When they arrived, all four entered Felanar and Kara’s room, waited for the guards to leave, and then began speaking quietly about what had just occurred.

“I wish not to stay,” grumbled Dolen.

“I cannot blame you, Dolen,” said Felanar. “I have a glimpse of your emotion within myself, for I too lost much that day – no, not as grievous a loss as you suffered – and the entire day was lost as a result of Namonikkar sending his army.”

“And the dragons,” said Alessa.

“And the dragons, yes,” nodded Felanar. “At any rate, we are here in the house of our enemy, and yet he seems to be not at all what I would have expected. He does not appear evil.”

“How does evil look?” asked Kara. “That which is evil may appear under a different guise.”

“Yes,” said Felanar, “but consider who spoke badly of the autarch. It was Ravesfel, and now I wonder if much of what we learned was more Ravesfel trickery.”

“It was no trickery that killed my father,” said Dolen angrily.

“It is so that my father also speaks ill of this man,” offered Alessa.

“I do not trust him, brother,” said Kara.

“Neither do I trust him, sister, but we are here, we have a chance to talk with this ruler, and I think we have a chance to forge a new relationship, one that can benefit Argan in the future. We should take this chance before we leave.”

“I do not trust him,” repeated Kara.

“Trust me, then,” said Felanar with a smile, “and know that I will not be fooled by smooth words again, as I once was back in Argan. I will keep my wits about me, but it is worth the effort. We are here already, after all.”

“What makes you think we can just leave?” asked Dolen.

“The autarch said so, did he not?” said Felanar.

“Then why are there guards at our door?” asked Alessa. “I can hear them breathing, even if you cannot. There are two outside this door.”

“To protect us perhaps,” offered Felanar. “I do not know, but if it comes to that we can escape from this room more easily than we could have from that dungeon. Need I remind you that the autarch brought us out of there when he did not need to if he meant us harm or he meant to keep us here involuntarily.”

“It is a trap,” said Dolen.

“It may be,” replied Felanar with exasperation, “but let us at least try, shall we?”

Dolen stared at Felanar but said nothing.

“I will stay with you,” said Alessa, “but I do not wish to stay any longer than necessary. Now that word is being sent of our safety, my family will wish to see me soon.”

“Soon it will be, I promise,” said Felanar. “For now, are we agreed that we stay and try to make the best use of this opportunity? Diplomacy is sometimes a matter of seizing a chance as it is offered to you.”

“We will try,” said Kara. “Just be careful. He is full of smooth talk, and I do not trust him.”

“I will be careful, and I have you to help me stay that way,” said Felanar.

Alessa and Dolen left to go to their respective rooms, and shortly thereafter guards knocked on the door to announce the arrival of a meal. It was a meal full of delicious and exotic dishes that gave Felanar and Kara more satisfaction than they had felt since their days at Tranith Argan. “Sauces!” said Kara with great satisfaction.

After the meal, they talked for a little while longer until they began to nod off, then got ready for bed. Two beds on opposite sides of the room were prepared, and when they each climbed into their bed, they fell asleep very quickly and they slept more soundly than at any time in recent memory.