Part 6: Chisel or Sculptor?
In the next month winter faded into memory, and the spring flowers bloomed. Politics in East Landly and particularly Frohliem City had warmed up faster than the weather. The succession question hung over the kingdom like the dark clouds of a threatening storm. Dax decided to act. He had promised the queen he would not take the throne, but he had not answered her about what he would say if he were given the throne. Would it solve the problem or create bigger ones? He knew the one person to ask.
Venjet Carmodi had gotten in the habit of coming to see Dax in his palace apartment in the evening, and Dax often returned the visits. Carmodi had come back to East Landly with the relief expedition sent by Queen Dara from West Landly after the Tharan attack. At that point he had announced his retirement as ambassador to West Landly. Now he lived in Frohliem City, and Dax enjoyed hearing the older man's stories from Dax's former home. Carmodi was happy to have someone to talk to.
This evening Carmodi brought Scarlet along when he came calling. Scarlet appreciated the older man's conversation too, but he also appreciated Carmodi's taste in wine. The old man always brought the evening's refreshments because, as he said, "while the dragon-bound can be trusted for the truth, they cannot be trusted for the wine."
This evening the succession crisis came up again in their discussion. Carmodi launched into a prolonged narration of events at this day's meeting of the Council of Nobles. The ex-ambassador was on the Council of Nobles because of his ties to the royal family, but he described his connection as "a royal ruffle rather than a regal relation." The other two had saluted Carmodi with their glasses in tribute to the clever phrase. It was a part of what made their evening talks interesting.
Carmodi was restless tonight. He paced the room waving his arms in the air as he related details of a complicated five-way split on the Council. Two factions favored two different candidates who had emerged from the nobility, but they were weak contenders at best. Three other blocs favored raising members of the merchant houses to the nobility to fill vacant noble positions, but they each had different schemes favoring different houses.
Scarlet set his drink down and observed, "Have they made any progress at all?"
Carmodi picked up the bottle of wine. He refilled Scarlet's glass and made a nod toward Dax's glass. Dax waved him off, and Carmodi topped off his own glass. After he put the bottle back, the old man strode over to the window and sighed. "The only progress the committee has made is to deepen the lines of division. The people of the city and the kingdom have similar divisions but less patience. We've had more and more riots with the latest in Falls Meadow almost rising to the point of an armed rebellion."
"So what solves it?" Scarlet asked.
Carmodi lowered himself back into his favorite chair and put his feet back up on the footstool. "If only the Goddess would whisper in my ear, I would tell you," he said resignedly and took a swallow of wine. "Last week someone even suggested me as a compromise candidate." He set his glass down and made an elaborate gesture which almost looked as if he were bowing to himself. "Me? A king? May the Goddess be merciful on this land."
Dax chuckled. "Well, I'd much rather see you on the throne than many others I've heard talk of." The conversation was in the right place, and it was time. Dax smiled and said deliberately, "Next they may suggest me for the job."
Carmodi picked up his wine again and took another sip. "Ah, now wouldn't that be a thought. If we could find just a trace of royal blood in you, my boy, we'd have you on that throne so quickly..." He stopped in mid sentence because Scarlet's head snapped up to look at Dax. Just as quickly Scarlet looked away, but Carmodi had noticed the sudden motion.
"Dear me," Carmodi said. "What did I just say?" He turned to look questioningly at Dax. "Could there be a royal connection in your family, General Daxdendraig?" he said formally. He arched an eyebrow and cocked his head to one side awaiting a reply.
The moment had arrived. Dax had thought much about his role in this kingdom after his conversation with Treyhorn. He and Kahshect had talked at length. A chisel or a sculptor? Dax looked at his half-full wine glass and took a rather large sip. "When I arrived at Iron Moor as a cadet, Nale Renshau gave me a new name." His heart thumped in his chest at what he was about to say. "Before that moment, my name was Kort Leith Tavas. My father's name was Conal..."
"...Cor Tavas," Carmodi finished with him. He rose from his chair as he uttered the name. "By the Goddess in all Her Aspects, can this be?" He reached out and touched his weathered old hand to Dax's head. His hand trembled, and there were tears in his eyes. He stood silent for a long time before he breathed, "King Darius Ambergriff X, the lost Boy-King of West Landly?"
A sheepish smile creep up to Dax's lips. Carmodi took his hand away and slapped himself on the forehead. "Of course! D.A.X.—Dax." Carmodi danced a jig and finished with a fancy little pirouette. A dollop of wine splashed unnoticed to the floor from the glass he still held. "Oh this is glorious! Marvelous!" He stood and looked at Dax. "Yes!" he exclaimed. "We must tell the queen." He looked skywards in supplication. "She will be so excited. I can't wait to tell her!"
Carmodi was beside himself with excitement and would not wait an instant. He called his manservant and sent word immediately to the queen requesting an urgent audience. Although the hour was late, the servant returned quickly with word the queen would see them. Scarlet wanted to excuse himself at that point, but Carmodi would have none of it. "You're his closest friend, and you knew all the time, didn't you? Well, you can just come and vouch for him—as if one of the dragon-bound needed vouching for."
Dax sighed with relief—Carmodi thought the idea was a good one. A good idea? The man was positively giddy with excitement. Scarlet looked at Dax hesitantly, but Dax nodded in agreement. Scarlet might not enjoy it, but Dax wanted the reassurance of his friend's companionship.
They waited just a short time in the plush anteroom of the queen's audience chamber before the door swung open, and a maid invited them inside. Queen Layna did not look befuddled by sleep, but she had obviously dressed quickly.
For once there were no social niceties. After everyone was seated, she arched her eyebrows and looked at Carmodi speculatively. "What is so important to bring you all here at this hour of the evening, Venjet?"
Carmodi fidgeted in his chair with excitement. "I have most wonderful news, your majesty. The succession problem is solved."
The queen blinked and opened her eyes wide. "Solved?" She turned her speculative gaze to Dax before looking back at Carmodi. "In what way?"
Carmodi turned to look at Dax as well. "It turns out General Daxdendraig has a royal connection!" Carmodi bounced on his chair and clasped his hands in front of him. "More than just a connection," he went on excitedly. "His claim to the throne exceeds..." He paused because the queen had gotten to her feet and walked past him.
She reached out her hand toward Dax. "Dax," she said in wondering tones. "The Boy-King of West Landly?" She gently touched Dax on his cheek.
Carmodi looked crestfallen. "You knew?" he asked sounding disappointed. "I so wanted to be the one to tell you," he said almost petulantly.
Queen Layna turned and smiled at the old ambassador. "Oh, Venjet, don't be silly. You did tell me."
"Eh? When?".
"Why just this moment. Excited as you were, it had to be something amazing. Now it all makes sense." She took Dax's chin in her hand and turned his face up to look at her. "This is marvelous." She sounded content, and although she looked at his face, her eyes were far away. "I understand so much now." She took her hand away and looked back at Carmodi. "Venjet, thank you for this news. I can't think of a better answer to our problem."
She stepped away from Dax and returned to her chair. She sat and stared off into space. She had to be thinking about the Council and the impact the news would have. Her eyes focused on Dax. "I must think on how this will be done," she said. "Promoting you to general wasn't hard, but promoting you to king? That's quite a different matter."
Dax leaned forward. "One thing we must not do is reveal my connection to the throne of West Landly," he said firmly. "I explained this to Venjet. If I announce myself as the missing King Ambergriff, West Landly will face a political crisis every bit as difficult as ours. They have a good queen who thought only to help us when the Tharans attacked. I want no trouble for West Landly." He sat back and folded his arms. "Can you do this?" It was his only requirement, but it was a big one.
For a moment, the chamber was silent. After a bit, the queen nodded. "Wise words, and I agree. It wouldn't do to have both East and West Landly in turmoil. Not with the Tharans sitting just to our south—not that they ever would think of taking advantage of it," she finished sarcastically.
She looked thoughtful for a time. "If this is to be done, we must be circumspect. I will make no quick decision tonight. We need additional allies on Council. For the moment, no one here will say a word." She looked around the group, and her eyes lingered on Scarlet.
Dax jumped in to defend his friend. "Scarlet has known for a long time, but I pledged him to silence. I've trusted him with my life too many times not to trust him now."
Satisfied Queen Layna nodded. "We must tell the Council soon, but we must tell them carefully. When we move, we must be quick and decisive. The decision must be made before the factions can mount opposition." She looked at Dax nodded. "Oh, yes. As much as the people of the kingdom love you, some on the Council will hate you as king."
She sighed and stood up. The audience was over. Dax and the others rose with her. She gestured toward the door. "Dax, this will be a happy task," she smiled. "Now I must think and plan for how it will be done."
To my readers:
This is the last section I am going to post on WattPad. There is much for Dax to do to help East Landly recover. Then there is West Landly and his lost crown. The Tharans have not gone away either. Danger, heroism, romance, and treachery—King's Crown concludes the series.
This final book in the Chronicles of the Dragon-Bound will be available in ebook form by the start of 2016. Thank you for your positive comments and support as I prepare these books for publication.