36.

Denrich meets with an old friend.

36.

 

It had been a strange couple of days for Denrich.    Chief Somled, at their insistence, had pretended to treat them as prisoners just in case that some of Reddric’s spies were monitoring the Highland army’s business.    So under guard, Denrich and Xael were led by Somled eastward toward St. Wemricshire.      For most of the first day it rained which made their ride less than pleasant.  Everyone was glad when it lessened and then finally stopped.

Although he tried to keep up the ruse of being a defeated prisoner of the Highland Chief, the proximity of his beloved home made it hard for him to look somber and scared.

Xael was amused watching him, for a child-like gleam filled his eyes when they finally crossed over into the ecclesiastical duchy.

By then he could stand it no more and after notifying Somled, he decided to risk a spy finding out the truth about his status.    He did not want to return home with everyone thinking he was a prisoner (even if it was just a ploy to fool possible spies).

Following Denrich’s lead, Xael decided to no longer alter her appearance to that of Avalynn and was much more comfortable just wearing her own form.

Somled seemed to approve, for he was more straight-forward in his policies and did not want Reddric thinking that he had to hide behind hostages to further his military plans.

Xael was amazed at how quickly word spread in St. Wemrichshire of Denrich’s return.    They entered the little town of Feldum’s Hold late in the same day that they crossed over into the duchy.  As they rode into the village they were swarmed by a small army of children running out to see ‘The Sheriff’.   Apparently Denrich was known for giving candies and trinkets to kids when he visited a community on official duties as Sheriff.

Even though he told them that unfortunately he had nothing to give them today, they still happily escorted him and his party to the town’s only Inn, ‘The Hungry Fox’.     Outside the Inn, the parents of the children stood waiting for him, smiling to see their beloved Sheriff, but rather anxious to see the Highlanders accompanying him.

“Hello, my friends,” He said loudly as he dismounted, then turned to hold the reins so Xael could as well, “Do not be alarmed; these men and this lovely lady are my friends and they mean you no harm.”

“Aren’t they Highlanders, Sheriff?”  A man called from the porch of the Inn where he puffed on a long stemmed pipe.

“Yes, and they are currently invading the northern-most parts of the kingdom and have already taken several duchies.    But they are not here to pillage and steal; they are attempting to end Reddric’s grip.    Many of you remember how it used to be, years ago, when everyone had more freedom and less royal troops monitoring every road.    We had great relations with our elven neighbors and even the Highlanders would trade with us.   Until Reddric began his reign, that is.”

“That sounds like treason, Sheriff.” A woman said.

“Yes, it does, but perhaps you all should hear what has happened to me and what these men have to say.   We are riding to meet Abbot Matthes and ask for his support in defying Reddric.     We don’t want a war, but Reddric has been systematically enclosing the whole island in an iron grip that will squeeze the life out of all of us.    Look what happened to Baylcothrom; they were a peaceful kingdom that submitted to the High King’s overlord status, yet when he decided that he wanted their lands, he schemed and plotted until the elves had to flee to the Highlands or be killed.”

“We’ll listen to you Sheriff, if you want to explain everything,” Another man said, and Denrich bowed in appreciation.

They all gathered in the fairly large common room of the Hungry Fox.   

“What are you going to say to them?”  Xael asked him as she and Somled sat with him waiting for everyone to take a seat.

“I’m tired of deception - I’ve known these people for years and they respect honesty and straight-forwardness, even if they don’t always agree with it.    I’m going to tell them the truth.”

“Everything?”  Xael asked, a bit nervously.

“Everything that has happened to me and what we’ve learned.    We’ll need their support and since I’ve abandoned the scheme to appear as Somled’s prisoner, we need to lobby for friends.”

He glanced at the Highland Chief, who nodded, “I think that is the best plan.    Don’t worry, Lady Xael, from what I see, these people love Denrich and trust him; they’ll listen carefully to his words and I think he’ll win them over before I even get a chance to talk to them!”

 

A few minutes later, Denrich stood on a low platform at one end of the room where, during town meetings, important news was presented to them.    Clearing his throat, he recounted his adventures with brutal honesty and a bit of humor to lighten the tale.    He did not hesitate to tell them about his new found identity as Reddric’s b*****d. Though the people gasped and mumbled in amazement, the news didn’t seem to change their admiration for him.

Of course he had to introduce Xael and many had heard of the name.    One lady said rather flatly, “Oh, we’ve heard about you.”

To Denrich’s surprise, she nodded, then spoke up and said, “Well, you’ve heard of my mother, who named me after her.   I haven’t quite gained her reputation yet.”

Her response seemed to satisfy those who had judged her from her name, though Denrich wondered what they thought about her relationship with him.   Knowing the people of the duchy, he suspected that they were about to burst with curiosity.

He wondered about that as he made a pitch for Somled and his Highlanders’ struggle with Reddric.  

After introducing the Chief, he sat down next to Xael as everyone listened intently to Somled calmly, but passionately explain his reasons and the future that he envisioned for the clans, elves and people of St. Wemrichshire.

Denrich noticed everyone frequently glancing at him and Xael.    When she intertwined his arm in hers and wearily laid her head on his shoulder, many eyebrows were arching and he could see a multitude of grins.

Though he felt rather nervous after years of being known for being ‘unattached’, he also found himself feeling an amazing pride for Xael.   She had not had to speak much to them to already charm them. Glancing over at her resting against his shoulder, such a powerful desire for her came over him that he actually flushed in embarrassment, though only he knew about it.

Despite his blushing, the feeling continued, causing his mind to wander from listening to the Highland Chief and instead fantasize about scooping her up in his arms and taking her upstairs.   

Surprised at the carnal bent of his thoughts, he tried to shake them away, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.     He had to regain his composure; he was in St. Wemrichsire now and he did not want to disgrace the monks that he’d worked for, by behaving like a foolish boy.

Xael sensed something was troubling him and cocked her head slightly, giving him an inquisitive look without saying anything.   Her lovely pale blue eyes only threw oil onto an already raging fire burning within him.    She glanced at him and then blinked suddenly in surprise, apparently seeing in his eyes what he was feeling.

For a moment she looked a bit frightened, but slowly a sly smile crept over her face.    She squeezed his arm, arched her brows suggestively then turned her attention back to Somled.

Denrich felt a feverish hunger engulf him.   It was something so completely new and powerful that he was swept along in the emotion.    Marveling at such an intense desire, he just sat there not hearing anything that Somled was telling the people.     Her touch against his shoulder and arm was electrifying and completely distracting.

Never had he felt such a need for something as he did right then.     With considerable effort, he just sat there, apparently listening but lost in lust, love, or a glorious combination of the two.

He realized abruptly that Somled had finished and was fielding questions from the people, who seemed mostly favorable to his cause.

Denrich was trying to think of an exit strategy for him and Xael without causing all the town gossips to wonder, when a young man dressed in a monk’s robe entered the Inn.   He took a moment to scan the scene, and then, seeing Denrich, hurried up to the platform.

Most of the town people were so busy questioning Somled that they paid little attention to a monk, for they were frequently seen throughout the duchy.

As he approached Denrich, he recognized him as one of Abbot Matthes messengers, though he didn’t know the boy’s name.

The young monk bowed respectfully to Denrich and then spent a few seconds gazing in delight at the radiant woman sitting next to him.    Blinking away his fascination, the monk remembered his vows and came forward, leaned close to Denrich’s ear and gave his message.

“Sheriff Denrich, Abbot Matthes heard of your arrival and will be arriving here in a few minutes or so.   He had me bring this message to you and asked that you could meet with him privately for just a few minutes.   He wants to speak to you alone before he meets with the Highlanders.     He told me to tell you that he will be waiting for you at the Mill footbridge and requested that you don’t say anything to the Highlanders with you for now as he wanted to confer with you privately before meeting them formally.”

“Alright,”   Denrich responded, certain that the boy spoke the truth, but frustrated that his wild plans for an interlude with Xael was ruined, “I think Somled will be done soon; I’ll excuse myself and meet with Abbot Matthes.     Tell him to give me about a quarter of an hour.”

“I’ll tell him, Sheriff.    By the way, sir, it is good to see you’ve returned.    Your company is very interesting.”   The monk gave him a somewhat sheepish grin, glancing quickly at Xael, then turning with a bow and hurrying off to deliver Denrich’s reply.

“I heard,” Xael whispered as he turned to tell her, “You don’t think it is a trick, do you?”

“No, I’m certain that it’s not.    I’ll try not to take too long.”

“Where will we all be housed for the night?”

“The Inn has a lot of rooms; I’m sure they’ve already set some aside for all of us.”

“So what did you have in mind for later tonight?”   She asked with a slight smile.

“Well… since I’m about to go meet with Abbot Matthes, I suspect I’ll regret the idea that came to me a while ago.    Perhaps that is best; this isn’t the royal court.    Things are more respectful here.”

“Ah, I see,”   Xael sighed and shrugged, “You’re right, I guess.   I’ll see you later.”

“Okay,” Seeing that the question and answer session was winding down, Denrich started to stand up, but Xael gripped his arm, leaned over and kissed his cheek, then let him go.

Frustrated at the conflicting responsibilities, he quickly told Somled that he had to meet with someone and hurried out of the Inn before he was stopped by some of the chatty or nosy town people.

 

***

Although Denrich was quite sure that the messenger was telling him the truth, he took an indirect route to the mill and scanned the area for any person hanging around that could possibly be suspicious.    But no-one was to be seen, except the familiar figure of Abbot Matthes seated on a railing by the pond.

He felt somewhat nervous, which puzzled him as he walked over to see the monk.

To his surprise, the Abbot bowed to him as he approached.

“Your Majesty,” He said sincerely.

“Oh, no, not you too!” Denrich groaned, but the older man just laughed then rushed in and hugged him.

“My son, I’m sorry; I heard of your dismay over learning of your father and I could not resist a bit of levity before more serious matters are discussed.    How are you, Denrich?”

“Brother Matthes, my head has been spinning for what seems like weeks now with all the crazy stuff that has happened to me.   How did you hear about it?”

The monk smiled, “News like that travels fast, my son.    But it was Mother Julia who sent word to me.”

“Really?    Her messengers must travel by fast horses.”

“Ah, but I’ll tell you a secret that I’ve kept from everyone; I have a scrying ball that Mother Julia gave to me, and several others who she frequently converses with, so we could quickly share information.”

Denrich was amazed, “You of all people, using a crystal ball!”

“It is an excellent way to share information and warn of dangers, but please do not tell anyone.   They are fascinating magic, Denrich, I must admit this.    There is even a spell that Practical Magicians can cast upon a scrying ball to show to them all that it has revealed in the past two months.   The images and sounds return just like they occurred and reappear in the ball.   Mother Julia’s magicians showed me the spell so I can review recent conversations from the last several months.    It is extremely useful, but they told me not to share with anyone how to use it, as it is one of the tools of the Practical Magic craft.   Promise me, Denrich, that you won’t mention my fascination with the devices or where I received them from.”

“I promise.    So you probably also know about the Highlanders and why they’ve come here.”

“I know the essentials, but I wanted to meet with you before I formally meet their leader, because I value your insight on the matter.  Now that you are a royal prince, that insight is even more interesting to me.     But first fill me in on the details.”

Denrich recounted all that he knew and Abbot Matthes listened closely, twisting the grey hairs in his neatly trimmed beard.

“I see Lord Yesh’s hand in all of this,” He told Denrich after he had finished, “For years I have prayed for deliverance from the falseness of the modern church and the cruelty of the High King.   Now both prayers may be answered.”

“I don’t see how this would change the problems with the church.    Archbishop Hobst will very likely be replaced by Bishop Jules.   Clearly he is as ruthless as his uncle if not more so!”

“Yes, but before he is confirmed as Archbishop, there will be a meeting of clergy, and the councils of bishops and Archbishops.     The Archbishops have already been summoned and they will arrive at Caelyin two weeks from tomorrow to ordain Hobst’s successor.”

“So you think you can sway them to see Jules’ treachery?   Will that alone change the corruption that has crept into the Church of Yesh?”

“Certainly not, but sometimes strong evidence acts as a catalyst even when those who hear choose not to believe.”

“Brother Matthes, it will be dangerous to oppose Jules.    He has the ear of the king and he is the queen’s brother.”

“Denrich, I have no plan to oppose Reddric, I do plan to trust in Yesh.    Your Highlander friends and their elven companions are justified in what they are seeking, but war of any type is never good when there are innocent people suffering.   My gravest concern is for the people caught up in the middle.”

Denrich shrugged, “I share your concern, but what can we do?    A peaceful surrender to Somled’s forces would save lives now, but if Reddric retook the area he or Jules would certainly punish those who supported his enemies.   The risk is very great, but if you stay officially neutral you might keep Reddric at bay long enough to speak to the council.”

“Will the Highlanders accept neutrality?   I’d imagine that they’d want our support.”

“I’m certain that they do, but Somled will understand the dynamics of your situation.     Neutrality would serve his purposes as well as support, since St. Wemricshire does not have a standing militia.”

Brother Matthes nodded, considering all that Denrich said, “You have a knack for strategy, Denrich.   I want to ensure that you are not swept up in all of this and lose your neck as a traitor.”

Denrich shrugged, “The dice have been cast.  But having seen the intrigue and scheming at the palace, I’m willing to take the chance.”

“That’s quite courageous, my son.   But now tell me about the lady Xael.”

Denrich just looked at his old employer, unsure how he’d react to what he’d say.

“It’s alright, my son, I already know a little about her.”

The former sheriff shifted nervously, “Not everything that you’ve heard is true, Brother Matthes.”

“Then tell me the truth about her.”

“She’s incredible, Brother Matthes, I’ve never known anyone like her.   She has saved my life several times.    When we first met it was like… I don’t know how to describe it.     We just…we seemed to just immediately bond with each other.   I-I mean a friendship bond.”

Brother Matthes chuckled, “I had no doubt of that, Denrich.”

“She is intelligent, extraordinarily charming and fiercely loyal to those she…um… those she calls friends.”

“She loves you, doesn’t she?”   The Abbot asked, sensing Denrich’s hesitance to share the nature of their relationship.

“Yes, I’m quite sure of it,”  He looked at Brother Matthes squarely in the eyes as if preparing to confess something that he expected would upset the monk, “Brother Matthes, I’m afraid that I love her too.”

The Abbot burst into laughter at the somber way the half elf confessed his feelings, “Denrich, you make it sound like a death sentence!    I am thrilled for you, my son!   You’ve avoided any romantic entanglement for so long that everyone was growing rather concerned about you.”

“They were?”

“They weren’t prying into your private life, Denrich.     You just seemed so lonesome and somber much of the time.     Now, I see your eyes light up when you describe her.    Yet though I have heard that she is a breath-taking beauty, you did not once mention her physical attractiveness to me but gushed about her personality.   That is a sure sign of a serious relationship, Denrich.”

“Well she is gorgeous, sir; easily the most beautiful woman that I’ve ever seen.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“But you can’t believe the stories about her!    You see, those stories were about her mother, not her.”   He went ahead and told the monk about Xael’s past and her deception of trying to pass as her mom.

“Honesty is always the best policy,”   Bishop Matthes commented, “But I understand her reasoning.   I look forward to meeting her.    I am more at ease having spoken to you about these things, Denrich.   Tell Chief Somled that I will meet with him tomorrow morning at his convenience and we will discuss all these matters.”

“I will sir, and thank you for your understanding of my situation.”

 

Brother Matthes patted his shoulder and bid him goodnight, then slipped away, leaving Denrich feeling a great sense of relief.

 

Somled was pleased to hear the news and shared a message that he had received earlier that evening:   Princess Kyara and Sir Penrook had been located and were riding to join them.      They would all meet together at the Monastery of St. Wemric.    Somled sent a messenger off to pass the news to Brother Matthes so he could arrange the meeting.  

Then after discussing a few things with the Highland chief, Denrich decided to call it a day while he could still keep his eyes open.

A serving girl showed him the room that had been set aside for him and to his surprise he was told that it was the grandest of those in the Inn.

“Chief Somled should have this room,” He told the girl as she departed.

“Oh, we offered it to him, but he insisted that you should have it.”   She replied with a smile and before he could ask anything else, she had hurried back downstairs to return to her chores.

As soon as he pushed the door open, he understood why Somled had insisted.    They had put Xael with him into one room.

She lay in the large bed with a large old book opened next to her.   She’d fallen asleep while reading.    She wore once again the sexy elven mesh gown that she loved and seemed so peaceful and serene that he decided not to disturb her.

Closing the book (which he was surprised to see was a rather dry academic tome on healing herbs and plants) he debated just sleeping in the chair next to the bed, but the bed was certainly large enough for both of them.     Moving softly so he wouldn’t wake her, he slid in under the blankets and found the pillow so soft that he fell asleep in a minute’s time.