(Click for links to previous chapters.) Breakfast is too early and too crowded. Leumr had believed Gregor’s ‘first light’ command and had beat on the keep door until the guards let him in despite that it was still a good hour before dawn. Of course, this woke up Alan. Three of the priests are there … Continue reading Spire: Chapter 56

(Click for links to previous chapters.) We search Orsin’s room in waves, first Alan, a priest by his side, slowly and carefully finding nothing. Then Gregor accompanied by a master carpenter and a master stonemason. Conners, Travers and Leumr wait in the doorway, the first two impatiently and the last gratefully. I lean against the … Continue reading Spire: Chapter 55

(Click for links to all previous chapters.) I send for the tattooed prisoner and then wait. For him to be brought across the city, stripped, a ‘map’ of his tattoos made, and as many words translated as possible. Kale reports to me as I otherwise sit alone at my table in the shadows.  My guards … Continue reading Spire: Chapter 54

(Click for links to previous chapters.) Kale has provided a pavilion and chair for me just outside the keep, so I can talk to the long line of people who think they have something important to tell or to ask me. One or two of them may be right, but to find those one or … Continue reading Spire: Chapter 53

(Click here for links to previous chapters.) The mercenaries are bundled off to a barracks, to be watched by the City Guard, and those released from the cells are sent home as family comes forward to claim them. Captain Conners is carried away by the City Guard, with orders from me to rest and heal … Continue reading Spire: Chapter 52

(Click for links to previous chapters.) Orsin meets us, standing alone at the Keep’s main door, smiling. I hide my concern, I have a lot of practice not showing what I feel, and I do it well. But if he is smart, if he greets us and goes back to court willingly, we might not … Continue reading Spire: Chapter 51

(Click for links to previous chapters.) We broke camp before first light, and stopped for the mid-day meal early to ready for our entry. The casings are removed from our banners, and the three standard bearers move to the front of our procession. Cloaks are thrown back, emblems showing clearly, both Royal and Wielder, and … Continue reading Spire: Chapter 50

(Click for links to previous chapters.) The trader is thrilled. His trip has been enlivened by actually seeing the Wielder on a quest. Tarver reassures him we are merely on a routine visit to several cities. The trader, Mylo, nods his understanding while putting a finger over his lips in silent promise that he won’t … Continue reading Spire: Chapter 49

(Click here for links to previous Chapters.) Riding down a muddy road gets old really fast, and more than old after five days. We had camped around inns twice, getting warm meals they didn’t have to cook for everyone and rooms for me and Taver. The priests refused to leave their squadrons and Alan, barely … Continue reading Spire: Chapter 48

(Click here for links to previous chapters.) We eat breakfast early, Mother and Father joining us this morning, the staff protectively building a little three sided room around as with screens trying to shield Mother from the worst of the drafts. When you live in a castle drafts are just the way of life in … Continue reading Spire: Chapter 47