14 Gerard
For a few days after Riani’s trial Gerard found that he had hardly a minute to call his own.
He had expected things to be difficult, for people to be testing to see if he had weathered the storm, looking for a weakness.
That was politics. He was well versed in it.
Almost every day things that usually went like clockwork suddenly went awry causing him to have to set things straight.
This morning it was the farmer’s guild querying the levy.
It was a very moderate levy and they had never complained before, but now they had become dissatisfied and wanted to discuss a reduction.
A servant knocked and delivered a letter from Duke Arrin. More trouble no doubt.
He opened the Ducal seal and read,
“My dear Gerard,
My condolences upon the loss of your sister Riani, I know how difficult a time that must have been for you.
I too had great affection for her and feel shocked and saddened.
I also send my sincere thanks and congratulations.
You handled an impossible situation with great maturity and insight.
I am well pleased.
I’m sure you must know that there are those who have tried to gain advantage,
using the situation to try and advance themselves.
Please be reassured that your position is secure.
I am envied by the King himself for my choice of Steward, and am not about to lose you to him!
I am detained for a further month here, but I expect to return to Strant by midsummer,
and can then thank you personally.
I am sending Terin ahead of me and hope that he can be of some help.
He should arrive shortly after this letter.
Arrin
Terin coming home!
That was very good news. He could use his help in trying to find out what had been done to Riani, and why.
Terin would certainly want to find out too.
Gerard suspected that all the little problems that had been laid at his door were only partly the sounds of rivals testing his mettle.
He thought that someone wanted him too busy to be able to do any real digging around the crime causing his sister’s exile
He didn’t trust mages.
He had never liked the idea of Riani becoming one, though it was undeniable that she had a talent.
He did think of it as a curse. Then he thought of her angry and believing him to have abandoned her and managed to smile through the guilt.
There had been such defiance and fire in her eyes.
At least he had no doubt that she could take care of herself.
She would be alright. He felt that he would know if something happened to her.
Something in him was confident that she was still alive.
The house servant knocked and entered again,
“The representatives from the Farmer’s Guild are here Sir”
Thank you Kirt. Please show them into the library. I’ll join them presently.
He picked up his briefing papers for the meeting and went dutifully off to join the representatives waiting
in the library.
Terin arrived about half way through the meeting. Kirt had shown him into Gerard’s study to wait.
He was known to all the servants here.
His father, Duke Harol, had been a popular Duke, moreso than his brother, the more dour Arrin.
He and Gerard and Riani had all lived here as children, his father having given them a home when their parents were killed in an accident.
Gerard and Riani were the children of Harol‘s chancellor, and best friend.
Everyone had felt sorry for the boy Terin when his father had been murdered by a drunken soldier.
Arrin had brought up the lad as his own son.
It looked that way to outsiders, but Arrin had no love for Terin, and though he didn’t treat him cruelly, neither did
he make any effort to help him to get over his father’s death. He paid for Terin’s education and keep.
He didn’t involve himself with him other than that. The two orphans had been also well provided for and there
was no question that they too would remain after the old Duke‘s death.
It had made Arrin popular also when he did that. Popular with everyone except Terin.
Terin had never liked him. The young Terrin had never believed that Gant would have killed his father.
He remembered rides on his back as a child, and sword practice with him.
Even when it was said that a Seerorb had proven it, Terin had remained unconvinced.
He had been too young to be allowed into the court, and had not seen the evidence.
Who cared what was on the Seerorb? He knew Gant did not kill his father.
He saw Arrin’s coldness and distance as confirmation of that.
Now, many years later, Terin was convinced as a man that the boy he once was had been right all along.
He sat down at Gerard’s desk and looked around. Now Riani was gone too. How could Gerard have allowed it?
He sighed. Of course, as with his father’s murder, the evidence was probably rigged.
It was obvious to him why his father had been killed, but why Riani needed to be exiled was a mystery.
Terin had been so angered when he heard of what had happened to her that he had demanded to attend the trial.
Arrin had found some reason why he couldn’t. When Arrin started getting pestered by nobles trying oust Gerard from
his position Terin had spied a chance. He asked Arrin to let him go back to show Ducal support for Gerard.
Surely the man’s position was difficult enough without being undermined as well?
Arrin had allowed it, and now Terin was here and determined to clear Riani’s name. He also had missed Gerard.
Being dragged around the kingdom as a reminder to the King and other of the nobility of how kind Arrin had been to
him when Harol had been murdered was not his idea of a productive use of his time. He distrusted Arrin,
and the mages he had for advisors. There were two of them, Hirn and Poul. There was something not right about
both of them. Something unwholesome. They had asked Terin to test with them for latent magical abilities,
but he had always failed the tests deliberately, saying he couldn’t do it.
As it happened he could cast quite a few spellings. Riani had taught him some, and the others he had worked out for himself.
Something made him certain that hiding his ability had probably saved him a lot of trouble from those two.
He wanted to see Gerard and see if he knew anything more.
The Farmers Guild…he might be some while.
He closed his eyes and took a nap while Gerard finished his meeting.
Gerard rushed into the study, Kirt having informed him that Terin was waiting,
“Terin!” he exclaimed in welcome, “You have no idea how good it is to see you.”
Terin opened his eyes and smiled a wide smile.
“Escaped from the circus for a while, Come on let’s go celebrate!”
Gerard nodded. “The Cow and Puddle” or “The Speckled Hen?”
Then they both laughed together “Both!”
It was what they had always ended up saying when they were deciding where to go.
They also both knew that they couldn’t talk here. The walk to the Cow and Puddle was a good half hour.
Plenty of time to talk without anyone overhearing them.
When they were out of earshot and walking down the lane from the Castle to the village Terin said to Gerard.
“Right. What are we going to do about Riani?”
“I don’t know Terin” he said shaking his head. “The evidence was from her own mage school.”
“Sevaren?” asked Terin
“Yes, how did you know that?” Gerard was puzzled.
“When my father was murdered, it was a mage called Sevaren who provided the evidence against Gant.”
“So you still think that Gant didn’t kill your father?”
“Sure of it” Terin asserted. “Just like I’m sure Riani didn’t kill those men.”
Gerard looked very concerned, “but that would mean that you think that the Duke…”
“Wouldn’t be at all surprised.” Terin answered.
“But what possible reason could he have for sending Riani away? “ Gerard tried to work it out.
“Well, if I married Riani and we had a child, and the King decided I was a better bet than Arrin as Duke… that’s
one scenario, but I don’t think its that, even though Arrin kept finding reasons to put the wedding off.”
“What do you think?” Gerard was keen to know.
He knew that Terin didn’t like Duke Arrin, but he had no idea that he held him in such low esteem as his words indicated.
Terin told Gerard a little more about the mage advisors that Arrin had now.
“There’s something very odd about both of them, I aren’t anywhere near as skilled as Riani, but I think they both
use a glamour spelling to hide their true identity.
Now why would a mage need to do that?”
Gerard was feeling uncomfortable links forming in his mind. A while ago he’d had a visit from Magemaster Sol,
the Master of the mage school. Before this trial and all the fuss. Sol had babbled on about some cult calling
themselves “the Elite” who took magic from other mages. He’d wanted Gerard to look into some deaths of young
mages in the school. Gerard had, but in each case there was an illness that explained it.
He told Terin about it.
“Who was the mage answering the questions? Or needn’t I ask?” said Terin
“Gods!” exclaimed Gerard. “Terin this is it! It was Sevaren! He is always the first port of call for any
investigation. He’s always on hand, always helpful and so he’s always asked!
You know how pompous and distant some of them can be. Its only natural to question someone helpful.
It does always seem to come back to him!”
They were nearing the Inn. Neither of them wanted to be overheard so they bought their drinks and sat outside in the sun.
“I think” said Terin after a swig of his ale “I should pay a visit to Magemaster Sol. The two weasels Arrin has
with him are always wanting me to test my magic ability. I never trusted them so I never looked like I had any.
I’ll tell Sol I want to test out for the school and try and get in there. Maybe I can see what Sevaren’s
up to, and if he’s on his own or working with someone. When did Sol come to see you?”
“About three months ago” Gerard answered. “Just before things got out of hand with the accusations against Riani.”
“Maybe he’s still trustworthy then” said Terin. “We’ll see, I think that its this cult that is the answer to
everything. We can’t find out why they needed Riani exiled, because we’ve been presuming that it was
politically motivated. What if these people had reasons of their own for it , and it has nothing at all to do
with politics, or even with her? What of they just needed someone with her qualities to be on the other end
of that Portal for some reason?”
“Ohhhh!” exclaimed Gerard. “Right Terin. We have until midsummer, about a month before Arrin comes back.
I am being blanketed with day to day problems, keeping me busy but maybe if enough people see that I’m wasting time
with you at the Inn of an evening, those problems may cease.”
“Ah…you think someone is trying to stop you getting curious. Yes it makes sense. That will also give us time to
update each other.” Terin nodded. “So everyone will just think that the Duke’s Steward is spending time with
his heartbroken friend.”
“Are you heartbroken Terin?” asked Gerard, concerned.
“Not about the marriage. I don’t like the idea of having a wife chosen for me, not even one as interesting as your
sister, but I’m furious that someone’s caused her pain.
I think I think of her as more of a sister too to be honest.”
“Then her two brothers are working together for her.” said Gerard, and they clasped hands in the warrior manner.
He raised his tankard “To Riani” he said “Riani” repeated Terin raising his to meet Gerard‘s.