Plight of an Empire

Chapter Nine- part 1: Jyrik

Mynoa, Rundil

“Of course it will hold them!” Berik Slovis shouted above the roar of the forge.  His tanned face was blackened with soot, matching his now greying beard.  The beast of a man stood a head over Jyrik, with muscles that could match a Didese bear.

Jyrik held his hands up at his chest.  “My apologies”, he said.  “I’m just being cautious.  We wouldn’t want to have an accident on our hands, now would we?”

The old blacksmith grunted, rubbing his thick beard.  “I guess not”, he mumbled.  He turned back to pounding the blade as he had been before Jyrik interrupted him.

It had taken just over a fortnight, but the cages for the murderers were now completed.  He rubbed his hand over the smooth Iceglass that would contain the magic of Laelette Pellinor.  The blacksmith had told him and Owyn Parrett that making the box for her would be impossible as he did not have enough Iceglass ore for such a large object.  He was none too pleased when he heard the steward’s suggestion to smelt all of the Iceglass weapons and jewelry he had created, but after Owyn offered a hefty coin purse of gold, he quickly changed his mind.

The cell for Lisbette had been much easier to create, much to the relief of Berik.  The stone and iron did not require as much work as the Iceglass cell.  Jyrik rubbed the rough stone with his hand.  It should hold her.

Footsteps approached Jyrik.  He turned and saw the steward walking towards him.  A smile was plastered on his face.  “I just got the news”, he told Jyrik.  “The cages are finally completed.  High Queen Audriel will be pleased to know that her father’s murderers will no longer be residing in her home, or under her home.”

“I’m sure she will be happy to watch them go”, Jyrik mumbled as he inspected the cages.  “I trust you have assembled my men.”

Owyn nodded.  “They are residing in the barracks at the moment.  They are ready to leave at a moment’s notice.  You will want to leave soon, correct?”

“Right”, Jyrik grunted.  He shielded his eyes from the light as he checked the sun’s position in the sky.  “Tell the men to make their final preparations.  We leave tomorrow at dawn.  I want to get to Weywyd before nightfall.”

Owyn clapped Jyrik on the shoulder.  “Smart man.  I will alert the men right away.”  He turned to walk away but stopped and looked back over his shoulder at Jyrik.  “Do try to visit Audriel.  She would be heart-broken if you left without a goodbye.”  Without giving Jyrik an opportunity to reply, he walked off, whistling to some hearty tune.

Jyrik walked down the corridors of the White Keep, the clacking of his boots echoing off the wood.  The third level was where he and his family typically kept to.  Since High Queen Audriel’s coronation ceremony, he has kept outside the palace walls to the best of his ability.  He figured that they would begin to become more comfortable with his absence if he kept his distance.  A thousand times he had begun to approach the entrance of the palace in hopes to visit his family, but he always turned himself away.  But today, he would see them to say his goodbyes.

The trip to Frostfall would take over a month, even if they make haste.  For the past two weeks, Jyrik has been working out a plan that would get the twins to the gate of the Black Rocks in the shortest amount of time.  It involved long days and short nights, but they could make it.

He came to a stop in front of a large ornate door.  The oiled wood was carved with designs native to Hermuna.  Behind the door, he heard the soft voice of his mother talking to Svanna and Linwe.  It sounded like she was telling them a story.