The Sorcerer and the Witch-King's Heir

It was cramped, with everyone in the small room. Amaya sat in the desk chair. Karina, Daryl, and Matilda crowded onto the bed. Tobias stood leaning on the doorframe. "Okay." Karina took a deep breath. "Thank you all for coming. We need to talk about what to do next." "We can't let them execute Leo," Daryl said, his fingers lacing and unlacing nervously. "He came here of his own free will. It would be murder." "And he still has the crown," Amaya pointed out. "If we help him escape, maybe he'll had it over before he leaves." "What you're talking about..." Tobias said, uneasily. "...is treason, yes." Karina took a deep breath. "But I invited you because we've all been traitors before. For the good of Ilyrian. Once again, the safety and security of our nation is at risk." Tobias' eyebrows climbed up into his hairline. "From the government you set up? Only twenty years ago?" Karina shrugged helplessly. Daryl scowled. "If I may," Matilda said. "Karina stepping down do take holy orders opened up the path for Evander and his ilk to seize control. Evander isn't one of us. He didn't fight. He is descended from lower nobility. To him, this isn't about preserving the nation. It's just about personal power." Karina took a deep breath. "I was wrong to step down," she said. "It left our democracy in a perilous position. It's not enough to set a country free...the real battle is in rebuilding what was taken from us in the war. I am asking you to help me set things right." "Will you run for office?" Matilda asked. "If we help you with this, will you return to the secular world?" Daryl squeezed her hand in support. Karina nodded. "I already plan to leave the monastery. I will talk to the bishop tomorrow." She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping the tears would not come. After he showed up unexpectedly at your door, they had spent hours together. He held her and comforted her while she had her crises of faith. Then comfort turned to kisses, and then to other things. She had not so much as touched another man in twenty years and she was surprised, at her age, that she still enjoyed such things. Daryl was one of the many promises she had broken when she turned to the church. She had vowed to make it right to him. "So then what do we do?" Matilda asked. "Help Leo escape and then stage a coup on our own government?" "Well," Karina said, "I thought we could start with calling for a vote of no-confidence." Daryl was already shaking his head. "The vote to execute Leo passed with a 70% majority. They won't vote against Evander when they agree with him." Karina sighed dramatically. "Then, yes," she conceded. "We help Leo escape and then stage a coup on our own government." "With what army?" Tobias remarked. "Let's just take it one thing at a time," Karina suggested wearily. There was a knock at the door. The conspirators froze. "Sister Karina?" said an anxious voice. "Sister Karina? You're needed in the council chambers immediately. There's been an attack." ** Fortunately, no one questions why they all arrived together. They were all too anxious about the arrival of "Prince" Michael Alden at the gates, and even more upset about the incredibly targeted explosions of key infrastructures, such as grain warehouses and aquafers. "We're under siege," Evander said tersely, "and we don't have food or water for longer than a couple of days." "What are his demands?" Evander sighed. "The crown, of course." Matilda tutted. "We don't have the crown. He beat us to it." "Feel free to tell him yourself. He doesn't believe us. He also wants us to hand over the sorcerer." There was a long pause while everyone chewed on that. "But if the sorcerer has the crown, as he claims..." someone said uncertainly. "Exactly," Evander declared. "Ideas, people?" Nervously, Karina cleared her throat. "I spoke to the sorcerer last night," she said. "He made it very clear he was on our side. In his words, he would be a very powerful ally if it came to war." "Has he agreed to give us the crown?" Evander growled. "He might be more inclined if we promised not to execute him," Matilda said pointedly. "Fine," said the chancellor. "Bring the sorcerer here. Let us see what he has to say for himself." ** They dragged Leo into the council chambers in chains. He crouched on the floor, refusing to look at them. Evander's lip curled up in disgust. "This is our great and powerful enemy?" "He's not an enemy, "Daryl snapped. "He's a victim, and one we have treated poorly. Get him out of those chains." "Silver is poisonous to sorcerers," Karina added. "We can't ask for his help with him in this state." "If we remove the chains, we'll likely never see him again," said one of the guards. "He came here of his own free will!" Amaya shouted. "It is abhorrent that we are treating him this way." "Enough," Evander said. He stood, his rich robes sweeping around him, and made his way down to the prisoner. "You," he said, nudging him with his foot. "Do you speak?" The puddle of rags shifted, and Leo glared up at him. "I'm a person, not an animal." "Good. My colleagues here seem to believe that you it in your power to save us from this army on our doorstep. Are you willing and able to help defend this country?" Leo shrugged. "Get me out of these chains and we'll talk." "Oh no. I'm not stupid. I know what you're capable of if not properly restrained." "Again, I'm not an animal." Evander sneered in the direction of the druids. "Can you do something about this? Make him talk?" But the druids had drawn together, their faces a mask of horror. "Take those chains off," said leader querulously, "or we will do so ourselves." There was a long, tense moment. "Fine," said the chancellor, turning away to return to his seat. "Fine. But when he goes berserk and skills us all, don't get angry that I told you so." He gestured imperiously to the guards who came forward and unlocked the shackles. Leo rubbed at his wrists where they had been, then stood up. With a snap of his fingers his clothes transformed, his weapons flying to their places, and the crown appearing in his hand. The entire parliament took a step back from him. He glared back. "Here's your stupid crown," he said, flinging it at the Chancellor's feet. "Now where is this army you need me to deal with?" "The...the eastern gate," Evander stammered. The sorcerer nodded, and blinked out of existence.