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    Chapter 15


    The Hunter’s Son


    Tanlor sat up in the bed.


    Danielle lay naked beside him on her side. For a time, he simply admired the shape of body, how her hips curved and how her chest lightly rose and fell with her breaths. Her blond hair caught the morning light that crept through the window, shining gold. Tanlor knew every aspect of her face, every blond hair on her head and the occasional red. He knew the dimples in her back and each of the small dark moles, the blemishes only added to her beauty in his mind. He ran his fingers lightly over her shoulder and along her back.


    “Hmmm,” she purred, “...you don’t have to stop that.”


    “I’m sorry, my love, but I have to go.”


    “But I thought you were off duty today?” she said, sitting up with a frown. Even with her face scrunched up at him, he was charmed by her and felt himself becoming erect again. No time, he thought wistfully, I’ve already stayed longer than I should. He glanced again at the rising sun. The more enamored he became with Danielle, the more reckless he was becoming.


    “I was,” He said, “but Keltin asked me to babysit the cripple today.”


    “Cripple?”


    “The Reldoni Prince.”


    “Oh,” she sat up, propping herself against the bed frame and pulling the blankets up to cover herself, “...you shouldn’t call him that.”


    “It’s what all the other guards call him.”


    “You shouldn’t though,” she said pointedly, “it’s not nice.”


    “But that’s what he is,” Tanlor replied as climbed out of bed. He hurriedly pulled on his breeches as before the morning chill got at him. The hearth in the room has been reduced to a smouldering ash heap. He had left his topaz next to it the night before so that it would passively absorb some of the heat. It glowed with only a dim light, so he picked it up instinctively drawing the heat from the gemstone and into his body. He immediately felt the flush of heat pulse through him. “Ah,” he breathed, “Do you mind if I…?” He asked, nodding toward the dwindling fire.


    “Go ahead, it’s colder than usual today, you’ll probably need it.” she said. He reached with his hand using the power of the topaz and drew the remaining heat of the fire into his body. The heat prickled inside of him, there hadn’t been enough embers left to give him the internal burning sensation he would normally feel when he pulled on a direct fire. He focused on moving all the new excess heat into the topaz. It flickered to life with an ambient glow. Much better.


    “It’s still not nice to use that word,” Danielle said.


    “Well what should I call him then?”


    “Hindered is a more polite term.”


    “Still basically the same meaning.”


    “Not exactly… ‘Cripple’ is a vulgar and cruel word,” she said, “and you’re not either of those things. Most people who use it, their intent is to be demeaning. ‘Hindered’ gets the meaning across, but it doesn’t have any vicious intent.”


    “Oh you’re just grumpy I have to leave. I promise you, I’ll be back this evening, your father is dining with Duke Edmund again tonight so I know he’ll be distracted.”


    “I mean it,” she said watching him put on his grey Dukes Guard uniform “please… For me, don’t call him that… I’ve met him and he’s actually very nice and the people in court have been treating him like he’s a fool.”


    Of course he was nice to you. You’re a beautiful woman and he’s a man. A man significantly higher ranked than Tanlor and a more favourable match for that matter.


    “Fine,” he caved, “I’ll be nice.”


    He began buckling his hand-and-half-sword to his back, and strapping on his armour. He had come directly from duty the night before. It had been past midnight when he finally managed to slip into her room, she had been awake and waiting for him as she often did. But not returning to his own bunk in the guardhouse all week had meant that he had amassed a few belongings in her room. Things he should really take with him before any of her family''s servants began to notice. Danielle had scooted to the edge of her bed and was organising his things; his coin pouch, a few reports that Keltin had wanted him to look over—an aspiring Captain of the Guard must always be aware of what’s going in the palace—and a letter. And of course it was a letter—of all the papers she could have picked—that Danielle lingered on.


    “What’s this letter, Tan?” she asked.


    “It’s from my brother.” Tanlor said as he finished tightening the straps on his greaves.


    “Oh,” she said looking a little concerned, “it’s a long way to send a letter from Garronforn, is everything alright?”


    “All fine,” he said, “in fact, Rowan is here… in Rubastre.”


    “Really?”


    “Yeah… letter says he took a job escorting a merchant’s caravan and they arrived here last week.”


    “Oh, how wonderful,” she exclaimed, “I’d love to meet him.”


    “No, you wouldn’t. My brother acts like a commoner,” Tanlor said, he knew there was a harsh edge to his words but he couldn’t help it. “He’s staying at some tavern out past the Ironworks. I’ve told him before that he can stay closer to the palace if he likes. I’d happily put him up in a room at the White Foxes but he refuses… Anyway, I’m sorry. I really have to go.”


    He walked back over to the bed and kissed her. It was a warm, deep kiss. He felt like melting back into the blankets with her. To ignore his duties for the day and just spend it nestled in her bed… but he couldn’t disappoint Keltin, not when he had come so far, when he was so close to being the Captain’s replacement. Reluctantly, he pulled himself away. “I love you,” he said and she smiled. She had the kindest smile. He left before his impulses took control and coerced him into staying.


    Danielle’s father—Duke Harfallow—had a permanent suite for his family in the Arch Duke’s palace. Being a close friend of Arch Duke Edmund, the man spent a considerable amount of his time here in the capital than at his own keep at Hardhelm. Having visited Hardhelm only once, Tanlor could see why Jared Harfallow spent so much time away from the place. The keep was built atop the cliffs on the very eastern edge of Rubane. As a result, the castle was perpetually buffeted by the fierce Altasjūra winds.


    When Danielle had told her father that she wanted to stay with him in Rabastre he had been more than pleased. Her being a part of the Arch Duke’s court meant more opportunity for her to find a suitable husband, which was Duke Harfallow’s paramount concern for his daughter. Unbeknownst to him, the girl’s heart had long been given to Tanlor—ever since they were young teenagers—since the moment they had met for the first time when Duke Harfallow and his family had visited Tanlor’s family’s keep in Garronforn.


    Ten long years ago… We were different people then.


    The Harfallow suite was a large complex of rooms and—lucky for him—Danielle’s was conveniently situated right by a servants'' stairs that lead down to the Palace kitchens... and it wouldn’t draw too much attention for one of the Duke’s personal guards to be moving about the palace. It was his duty to ensure that order was kept after all. A few of the palace cooks gave him sharp looks as he made his way through. Maybe he had been a bit too obvious taking the same route each morning this week.


    Stop being careless. You’re so close.


    Tanlor had quickened his pace, he knew that the Reldoni prince had a habit of sleeping in late in the morning but the sun was already risen and he worried that he had missed him. He made his way back from the lower levels of the palace coming out in a hallway that led directly from the guard’s quarters to the wing where the resident Ambassadors’ rooms and any visiting foreign dignitaries were located.


    To his relief there was still a pair of Reldoni soldiers standing guard at the Prince’s chambers. Captain Ferath—a man he came to like over the past month—was not present, at his usual station was another Reldoni soldier that Tanlor did not recognise and that woman bodyguard. The crip—hindered Prince seemed completely blind to how inappropriate her position was. At first, Tanlor thought maybe the Prince was simply as dimwitted as some of the other highborn in the palace believed. But on further thought, maybe it was the apathetic regard to a woman’s safety that was so inherent to his Reldoni upbringing that had created this blind spot in his judgement. Either way, Tanlor did not appreciate it when the Prince did finally emerge from his rooms and said that the woman—Kerala—would be part of his escort today.


    The man has his own bloody bodyguards, he doesn’t need any of the Duke’s wasting their time. But in conflict to that thought, Tanlor also suspected this had been Keltin’s decision to have at least one Rubanian accompany the foreign Prince. Always know what’s going on in the palace.


    “Chanlan, correct?” Prince Daegan asked as they made their way to his first appointment.


    “It’s Tanlor, my lord,” Tanlor corrected him.


    “Oh, yes. You’re that Hunter’s son if I recall correctly?” Well here we go.


    “Yes, my lord,” Tanlor replied bluntly, hoping to show he didn’t care to discuss it, “Taran Shrydan is my father.”


    “I unfortunately didn’t get the chance to hear the full story, I do wish to hear it.”


    Keep on wishing.


    “I’m not a good storyteller,” Tanlor said.


    “Nonsense,” The Prince waved a dismissive hand, “it’s always better to hear the story straight from someone in the story.” That’s what everybody bloody thinks, but trust me cripple, you’ll be just as disappointed as all the others who’ve asked.


    “Trust me, my lord. It’s much better done by the bards, I’m sure you can have one of the Arch Duke’s entertainers recite the tale for you.”


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    “A tale, is it?” Prince Daegan asked with a sly smirk on his face. No, not dimwitted.


    “My father saved my mother from some bandits… He married her and they had me and my brother… that’s all there really is to the story.” Prince Daegan didn’t look satisfied but he didn’t press Tanlor any further, finally taking the hint.


    The Prince’s first appointment was with the Merchant’s Guild. The Reldoni consul had his own office in the palace so there wouldn’t be much actual escorting today, just the mind numbing monotony of standing guard.


    Tanlor had developed coping mechanisms for the boredom over his years serving in the Duke’s guard. He would watch all the entry points of the room, envisage all the different types of assassins that could break in at any moment. He would play it out in his mind how the fight would go down; sometimes he would duel with a swordsmen like himself, other times it would be a more accomplished runewielder. A stonebreaker would hurl blades of obsidian at him, he would deflect them all, and in a clean swing, he would decapitate the assassin. And of course, for his valiant efforts, Keltin would award him with a promotion to Captain. So confident in Tanlor’s ability to protect the Arch Duke, Keltin would even take an early retirement, naming Tanlor as his successor.


    It was these scenarios that Tanlor played in his mind while Prince Daegan and the guildmaster discussed shipping tariffs on dragonshide or some such. It was a stark difference to Tanlor’s early career as a knight. Back when he had taken contracts along the riskier miners paths further north in the Iron Hills; fighting—and killing—raiders and bandits. He’d even taken a few contracts with his brother back then but always contracts close to Rubastre and Keltin’s ears.


    Get yourself and a reputation as a fierce fighter and a good bodyguard.


    That was the advice he’d been given when he was still a greenhorn, desperate to join the Arch Duke’s personal guard. The unwelcome memory of Tanlor’s first—and only—visit to Hardhelm forced its way into his mind


    Being a fan of the story of Taran the Hunter, Duke Harfallow welcomed him as a guest and invited him to dine in his feasting hall and to tell the tale of his father.


    As people always do.


    He had given Duke Harfallow and his guests the bard''s version of the story. He didn’t mind telling that version back then. The night seemed promising, he and Danielle shared fond looks throughout the feast and both her eyes and her smile would light up when he looked at her… And her father seemed to like him… Unfortunately, like was not enough.


    “You want to what?!” Duke Harfallow roared, he had the attention of the entire hall. “My daughter?” Young Tanlor’s face paled at the Duke’s reaction… then the man let out the most wholehearted laugh that Tanlor had ever heard or had heard since.


    “Oh lad,” Duke Harfallow choked, whipping tears from his eyes, “for a moment I thought you were serious.” His guffaw continued, over and over. Inwardly, young Tanlor despaired, and the other highborn at the feast could see that Tanlor had been quite serious.


    Duke Harfallow’s mood didn’t skip a beat that night, he continued to pound back the whitewhiskeys, telling stories of his glory days fighting rakmen. He would often come back to the ‘side-splitter’ that the young Sir Tanlor had made. Tanlor could tell also that Danielle was devastated, their hopeful marriage laid to dust with each of the Duke’s rancorous laughs. They didn’t get to share any time—intimate time that is—during that stay in Hardhelm. Not with the watching eyes of the Hardhelm highborn… their knowing eyes.


    After that first evening, Duke Harfallow had even offered Tanlor a place in his own personal guard —an excellent position for a fledgling knight— but it would have been far too torturous to have been so close to Danielle without being able to hold her... to be with her. So he declined, feigning that he wanted to explore more of the country, from the jagged eastern coastline to the wild untamed north and the Iron Hills.


    “A hero from the tales, like your father,” Duke Harfallow beamed. Tanlor faked a smile in response, “out of curiosity, my lord,” Tanlor asked, “Have you chosen a suitor for Lady Danielle?”


    “Other than you, lad,” Harfallow guffawed… then after a moment he had composed himself, “Ah I’ve had a few men that have come asking,” he said lightly, “Most of the boys I turned away but some of them are good matches; Lord Hembook for one, Sir Dunsan too but he’s a bit old I reckon. My Danielle would turn her nose up at him… I’m not the kind of man that will force his daughter to marry someone she doesn’t want to.” That single statement had been a shining beacon in the dark that lifted Tanlor’s spirit. But those men he mentioned were all significantly higher nobility than he was.


    “Sir Marshtan too… perhaps… if he becomes Captain.”


    “I’m sorry, my lord, Sir Marshtan, I can’t say that I know of him.”


    “Not that you would, lad. He’s a fairly low ranking highborn from Rubastre but he’s a member of the Arch Duke’s personal guard. He’s too low to be suitable but if he were to become the Captain of the Guard, I would consider allowing it.” Tanlor’s heart had lifted at that, Captain of the Arch Duke’s Guard… It would take work but that position wouldn’t be impossible for him to reach. It had given him a target that he had pursued relentless over his career.


    Tanlor had been so lost in his reverie, he had failed to notice when the guildmaster had left the Ambassador’s office.


    I really have to start being more attentive.


    Keltin would of course ask him for a full report of the Prince’s conversations throughout the day.


    “Ugh, guildmasters,” Prince Daegan sighed from his desk, “there’s no bloody end to them in this city. Who’s next?”


    “A guildmaster from the Ironworks, my lord,” Prince’s Daegan’s manservant said. Tanlor tensed, he recalled the curt conversation the prince had had on his first night in the palace. But it was not Grimsworth that strode into the Prince’s office, instead it was a strong-looking bearded man. He wore thin frame spectacles and carried with him a stack of loose documents and books.


    “Guildmaster Arken,” Prince Daegan said, offering him the seat at his desk, “you are undoubtedly here to discuss the revoking of the Reldoni contract with Rubastre Ironworks.”


    “Of sorts, my lord,” he said gruffly, “but possibly not in the way you might think.”


    “As I have already discussed with your superior Guildmaster Grimsworth,” Prince Daegan said tiredly, “the contracts in Garronforn, Hardhelm and Edas are more than enough to fulfil our needs.”


    “That’s not entirely true, my lord,” Arken said, “if I may?” he said, opening up one of his ledgers.


    “These records show the steel exports to Reldon over the past five years. As you can see, the demand has gone steadily up. Rubastre Ironworks is the only enterprise large enough to accommodate.” He said and then turned more tactful.


    “Not all of us in the guild agree with Master Grimsworth’s methods,” Arken said, “...or his leadership.” Tanlor had seen enough of this type of underhanded scheming in his years serving as an armed statue. Looking to usurp the Ironworks top seat.


    “No bribes,” Prince Daegan said bluntly, “I don’t work the same as Ormand.” Prince Daegan it seemed was sharp enough to pick that up.


    “Nor do I”, the guildmaster replied. Likely lying,


    Win back the Reldoni contract with the stipulation that Grimsworth must step down. It was a bold move, if it got back to Grimsworth that this Arken was working to oust him, he could have him removed from the guild altogether. Tanlor himself cared nothing for all of this nonsense but Keltin would ask him for a report and so he paid close attention.


    “I’m just an engineer,” Arken said, raising his happen palms, “I just want to see right by my lads working in those factories out there” Yes I’m sure you care ever so deeply for those soot-stained commoners, coughing up blood at night.


    “Obviously, Grimsworth must step down,” Prince Daegan said. Not surprising considering the idiotic stunt the man tried to pull.


    “Of course,” Arken said.


    “And I mean it—No bribes, no administration fees or subsidies.”


    “I understand—however, I do have something else that your Generals might be very interested in…” Arken glanced at Tanlor, his eyes flicking to his grey tabard. That’s interesting… worried about this getting back to the Arch Duke?


    “The designs for the new model of handgun,” Arken said, again looking through his ledger for the right documents.


    “It is more or less the same as our Reldoni models,” Prince Daegan said casually, “I don’t see why we would pay you for something that is just a slight adaptation on what our engineers originally designed.”


    “Forgive me, my lord, but in that you are wrong,” he said, laying out the technical diagrams of the weapon. Tanlor had little interest in the new form of crossbow. From reports, they couldn’t even break through armour at large distances. Like others in the guard, Tanlor saw these new weapons as a fad that would likely pass.


    “The key is obviously in the gemstones, my lord… and how they work.” Arken said, “and u-um forgive me for saying. But as you might have noticed being —er—hindered, my lord. You don’t actually need to use one’s own runewielding ability to use it.”


    “And that is important because…?” Prince Daegan asked, still seemingly unconvinced.


    “The applications go far beyond just this handgun, my lord… We are on the cusp of a technological revolution. We have discovered how to make gemstones work without needing a person to actually channel the energy.”


    “Does this not happen all the time?” Daegan asked rhetorically, “topazes will absorb heat when left close to a fire.” the Prince continued, “do these brass pipes in the palace not operate on the same principle? The heat from the topazes inlaid in them, heats the oil in them do they not?”


    Not a dimwit at all.


    Tanlor found himself quite surprised by the observations the Prince had made. They were simple truths, things that most people who had ever used a topaz would know… but he had merely expected the man to be oblivious to all of that. Because he’s hindered.


    “Indeed, my lord.” Arken said, it appeared that he had not made the same pre-conceptions as Tanlor had otherwise he wouldn’t be here in the first place, “the importance is in the type of runes etched on the gemstones. For centuries we have been working only with the runes that would allow us to manipulate the stones'' power using our own bodies, the idea that there were other types of runes in existence. It has astronomical implications!”


    “And what have you to gain in sharing this knowledge with us?” Prince Daegan asked. Again, the guildmaster glanced towards Tanlor and hesitated for a second… then he smiled.


    It’s always gold.


    Tanlor had to admit that this man’s absolute lack of candor was astounding. He knows that I’ll report this back… but then, perhaps is that what this man wants? The Prince also seemed to be assessing the offer very carefully.


    “As you know,” Prince Daegan began thoughfully, strangely rubbing at his throat, “my experience with runestones is… limited. Allow me some time to confer with my advisors.”


    “Of course, of course, here.” Arken said, proffering the diagram to the Prince, “take this, share this with them to help them understand. There are more detailed research notes and guides that we will be of much more value.” He reached into his stack of ledgers and pulled out a small journal.


    “This journal details just the tip of some of the discoveries my engineers have uncovered.”


    “Thank you, guildmaster,” Daegan said, “I will think on this.”


    After the man had left, Daegan pondered a while in silence. He began flicking through the journal after a time he turned to Tanlor.


    “What are your thoughts, sir Tanlor?” Prince Daegan asked.


    “Me? My lord?”


    “Yes—The secrets that guildmaster Arken was wishing to sell could be dangerous in the wrong hands, would you agree?”


    “Yes, my lord.”


    “And surely he knows that you will report this back to the Duke.”


    “Most likely.”


    “And I would wager that I am certainly not the first foreigner dignitary he has offered this to,” Daegan said, tapping the journal.


    “He’s not breaking any laws... from what I can tell,” Tanlor said, “sounds treasonous, yes…but the Ironworks are not part of Duke’s military. They’re a free organisation here, they pay their taxes to the Arch Duke, but they don’t owe him anything.”


    Daegan smiled at Tanlor, “we both know that’s not how Duke Edmund would see it or his High Court.”


    “I’m just a knight,” Tanlor said, trying to convey that this wasn’t really something Tanlor would be expected to have much input on.


    “Well, do what you must… Report it to Keltin or whoever it is that pays you the most for information. I shall raise it with the Arch Duke myself also.”


    The Prince stood up from his desk, pocketing the small journal. And stretched.


    “My next appointment is on the other side of the palace” he said, “Do you know how to get to Duke Garron’s office?” Tanlor felt his stomach sink. Of all days you have to meet with Boern, it would have to be the day that I’m on duty.


    “Boern doesn’t have an office here, my lord,” Tanlor said tersely, “he tends to remain at Garronforn. Only comes to the capital when he must.”


    “Boern?” Daegan asked with an arched eyebrow.


    “He’s my cousin, my lord.”


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