The Caverns of Kronos

Return to Kronosia - Part 6

     “We require further assurances,” said Lord Rajus Traldia, looking his visitor straight in the eye. “You cannot expect us to just take your word on such an important matter.”

     They were in the main conference room of Lord Rajus’s mansion. The two nobleman were sitting at opposite ends of the long mahogany table, each with half a dozen of their own guardsmen standing beside them, eyeing their counterparts with wary suspicion. They both had a carafe of water and a small glass on the table in front of them, untouched. There were more soldiers waiting in the corridor outside and still more in the forecourt outside the mansion. All the fighting men the Traldians had left, but only a small portion of the Konnen army. The rest of the Konnen army had retreated to their own territory as part of the armistice agreement.

     “Further assurances!” thundered Lord Basil furiously, sitting forward in his chair, his palms pressed firmly to the polished and varnished wood of the desk. “What further assurances? We have already given in to all your demands! What more do you want?”

     “We want to be sure that you won’t just run back to Tharia with all the city’s treasures the moment we give you the key,” replied Lord Rajus as calmly and reasonably as he could. His chair creaked as he leaned back in it, his fingers steepled where his hands were together in front of him. “You have all the advantages. A victorious army, the Necklaces of Vacuum Breathing and the wizards. All we have is the key. If we just hand it over, we’ll have nothing.”

     “We have already agreed that a joint team of Konnens and Traldians will take the key to the teleportation chamber,” said Lord Basil, his teeth gritted in rage and humiliation.

     “Do you take us for fools? You could be hiding half your army in the observatory even as we speak. Our men would be massacred and you’d just take the key.”

     “So what do you want?” demanded Lord Basil.

     Lord Rajus leaned forward and fixed the other man with his eyes, trying to give the impression that he was enjoying himself. The past few weeks in which the Konnen army, with the help of the wizards, had pushed the Traldians back foot by relentless foot, had been harrowing for him and recent developments hadn't improved his mental state. He felt that he was holding a tiger by the tail and that if he couldn't hold on it would devour him. Part of that holding on was to appear confident, to appear to be enjoying the other man's discomfiture, and so he smiled widely as he said his next words slowly and precisely. “We want your son as hostage.”

     “What!” exploded Lord Basil, jumping to his feet and sending his chair flying. His men started forward, their hands going to their weapons and the Traldians soldiers did the same. Lord Rajus waved his men back, though. They did so, but reluctantly, their eyes still fixed on their counterparts. Lord Basil advanced around the table, though, his men following, until he was standing right next to the other nobleman.

     Lord Rajus remained seated and tried to appear unperturbed. “We want you to hand your son over to us. He’ll be well treated and...”

     He ended with a gargle as Lord Basil grabbed him by the throat and pulled him to his feet. The Traldian guards rushed forward, raising their weapons, and the Konnens arrayed themselves to meet them. Weapons were drawn.

     Lord Rajus resisted the impulse to grapple with the other nobleman. The pain was intense and he couldn’t breathe, but he still managed to raise his hand again, the signal for his men to stand down.

     “Lord Basil!” said Denison, Lord Rajus’s chief counsellor, starting forward in alarm. “If you kill his Lordship you will never get the key. You will be trapped up here along with the rest of us for the rest of your life.”