Dragon Kin

37

Victor

The door opened and then closed softly.

"Sire?" Vlad asked. "You asked to see me?"

"Yes, have a seat. Do you play chess?" I asked him.

"No sire, never learned," he said.

"It's a mind opening game," I said, and moved the rook to the third rank. "Ocean taught it to me, long ago."

Vlad sat himself in the chair across the board from me. We were in my father's study. Well, it was my study now, I guess. "Have you been across the Curtainwall?"

"Yes sire, with your father, six times," he said.

"Want to go again?" I asked, picking up the black bishop and moving it three files over.

"Wasn't planning on it sire, but I would be willing. Do you have a mission?"

Vlad was two years younger than myself, 25. He was in my clan and had Jeffery's vote, and experience with my father in the New Orleans area.

"I think I do. Some unfinished business, I believe. How are you with creating doors, and the like?"

"I believe, adequate. I can get myself across and find my way around. I understand the money system, most of the customs and laws. I still have the identification your father had created for me. Clothing, shoes, other items of use and normality. If I may sire?"

"Yes?"

"Didn't Ocean kill all of the Hunters?" he asked.

"No. The raiding party, according to the Sidhe, had thirty men. Ocean killed nineteen, by my count. Maybe one or two others I didn't notice. There are others. For what I have in mind, the fewer the better. Five, I think would be the limit. More than two, less than five would be optimum."

I leaned forward and studied the board, "Mistress Alicja's cousins may already have located them. I would start there first. Are you familiar with the Enedra in New Orleans?"

"I know how to contact them. I've only met two. Both Elders."

I leaned back and met his eyes, "Are you willing? This is important to me. I believe it is important for the city and perhaps the country. I don't know if I'll be a good king. I don't know how anyone could tell at this point in my venture. But I can't see being one, if I'm not willing to make the changes I believe in."

He nodded, but said nothing.

"You don't agree?" I asked. "Speak your mind."

"Actually I don't sire. I believe your father was a great man. I enjoyed serving him. He had a way of making what you did, matter. It's something I miss. Tracking down these Hunters, for a trial? If we could have caught them over here, on our lands, with the bloody knife in their hands, then yes, I would agree with the trial. I would agree because I think you're right. I've heard you speak about this, and it sounds right. Honor shouldn't be based on might equals right. We should default to the laws of our land. Why have them, otherwise? But, we have no idea if any of the men I can bring across were here, or not. Or if they are the ones who attacked the king. What if I were a Hunter and I sat here, and told you, I've never been here? What then?"

He had a point and in fact he had the truth on his side. None of them would be guilty of killing my father. That was done by Ocean, and in single combat. They were dupes. In fact I believed now — Ocean planned on them dying here.

It was also possible, I realized that Vlad knew the facts of this saga and Ocean's part in the drama, since he was a royal guard for the throne room.

"I do have a suggestion, however," he said.

"Yes?"

"They crossed back over. They may have had help getting here, but they got home. Whoever got them across, wasn't with them when they returned. I feel it is important to us, and to the city, that we find out how that happened, and if we can, to keep it from happening again."

"Yes," I mused. "Yes, that is certain. And you are right about the other as well. Let's forget the other. But let's explore this investigation into their means and ways." I nodded my head, mulling it over. "Anything to add?"

"When should I leave?" he asked.

"As soon as you can."