ZIHAEN, The Shadow of the Revenaunt, Book 2

CHAPTER 15 - COUNCIL OF WAR (Part 1)

'Marshal Gard-Galleth reports that the High Command is waiting on your orders, Sire,' a child's voice piped in his ear.

'Hmm, what?' Drowsily, Ghyll opened his eyes. 'Oh, I had dozed off, I think.' He had heard several petitions that morning, but after a while, it had become too much for him and he had referred the rest to Duke Kyssander, now back in his role as Chancellor of the Realm. The sudden quiet had proved fatal, however and Karanth had lured him into the land of dreams, from which this child had cruelly snatched him back.

The little page looked at him with frightened eyes. 'Apologies, Sire!' He was no more than eight years, a blond child in the blue-and-silver of Hardingraud.

Ghyll chuckled. 'It's all right; I'm not supposed to sleep on the throne anyhow. I haven't seen any pages before. What's your name?'

'A... Astian, Sire,' the boy stammered. 'My father is the Baron of Osterne.'

'Have you been here long, Astian?'

The small page shook his head. 'No, Sire, I started yesterday. Before that I served the Prince of Leudra, you see, but when Prince Wyllander heard you were looking for pages, he sent me here.'

'I was looking for pages?' Ghyll asked, surprised at the thought. 'I had no idea. Do you like it here?'

The boy smiled broadly. 'Oh yes, Sire! Here I'm the only one. In Leudra City there were twenty boys, and all bigger than me. This is really much nicer.'

'Good,' Ghyll said, feeling stiff as a board. 'Ah, never sleep on a throne, boy; it's much too hard.'

'No, Sire; I'll probably never get the chance.' The boy skipped. 'Follow me, Sire. You'll see I know the way already.'

Obediently, Ghyll limped after his tiny new servant. At the door to the Council Chamber, the boy stopped and looked inquiringly at Ghyll. 'Would you want me to...?'

'Sure,' Ghyll said magnanimously. 'Announce me.'

The boy took a deep breath, stuck out his chest and threw open the door. 'His Highness the King!' he shouted.

All present rose and bowed as Ghyll walked in.

'Well done, Astian, thank you. Run back and tell them I am pleased with you.'

The boy bowed and hurried out, closing the door carefully behind him.

Ghyll shook his head and grinned as he walked to his chair at the head of the table. 'Pages,' he said. 'I didn't even know we had one.'

'In your grandfather's time, there were always a few at court,' the marshal said, smiling. 'Their chatter kept him with both feet on the ground, he said.'

Ghyll looked around at the sixteen men and two women, the commanders of Rhidauna's military forces, as well as Olle's familiar face.

'Good morning,' he said, and sat down. When the scraping and coughing died down, he looked up. 'Well, ladies and gentlemen. Three vicious attacks against the kingdom: Tinnurad, Camp Dirdahn and now Yanthemonde. Without us ever having received a declaration of war, war has come upon us. A ruthless enemy...'

'The Nhael,' a stocky general said. The lancer cords on his shoulder shook.

'General Qrill, you interrupt the king,' Gard-Galleth said sternly.

'It's not the Nhael,' Ghyll said quietly. 'The Dar'khamorth is the enemy. They are an organization of sorcerers who see themselves as the successors of the Hamorth and the Revenaunt Emperor.'