Chapter 1

 

Mercy held in his hands two letters, one expected and one unexpected. As he moved away from the letter cart he stared at the unexpected letter for a few minutes. He was looking intently at a drawing of a small red arrow; it was marked on the back of the letter just above the seal. Traditionally letters held the name, profession, town, and kingdom of the recipient on one side, then the letter was folded and sealed with wax with the sender’s information written just above this seal. That was what letters always looked like, that was what his other letter looked like. Both letters held the legend John Mercy, Castle Guard, Royal Capital, Valance, on the front but while the back of the expected letter held the name Bobel Delbard, Castle Guard, Royal Capital, Hollthen, the other letter was completely bare apart from the red arrow which could only mean one thing - it was from Archer. The arrow was his code and therefore it could only contain one thing. It would be a time, place, and date for a meeting.

 

Their first meeting since they had separated four months ago. Knowing this he ought to feel excited, or at least pleased, but he only felt conflicted. Mercy put it aside and turned his attention to the expected letter instead. It was from a guard he had known and liked during his time in Hollthen. Delbard had been overly helpful, and surprisingly comical. Mercy hadn’t been able to help liking him. He had made the point of contacting him almost as soon as he had left, eager to be kept informed of all the goings on in the castle. Wisdom would not have advised such contact with anyone, but Mercy had chosen to get in touch regardless of the risk. He would have liked to believe it was for the purpose of the mission, but that was not true. He had been unable to stomach the idea of not having news of the princess and while this impulse bothered him, he couldn’t fight it. So, he broke the seal feeling anticipation rising inside of him.

 

Dear Mercy

I hope your time in Valance is treating you well. There is a great deal of talk here about old Sir Korth retiring. Though it is not coming from the captain himself as I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn. That old tough boar will expire before he leaves his post. Not much to report on the family now that they have returned from the young prince’s wedding. Though the king left on a visit recently and is not expected to return anytime soon. It was all very sudden, he just left to visit his queenly sister in Sandoz.

He has written he will be staying some months apparently, due to his sister’s failing health. Prince Frederick will keep us straight in the meantime though. The watch isn’t the same without you. There is always a place here for you if you want to come back, keep in good health.

Bobel Delbard 

​

Mercy reread this letter. Then he reread it again focusing on two lines in particular ‘Though the king left on a visit recently and is not expected to return anytime soon. It was all very sudden, he just left to visit his queenly sister in Sandoz.’ The King of Hollthen had left his castle suddenly, this was not unusual and yet it sounded different. True the young prince could handle matters but still, it seemed odd. It was an open secret among the castle staff that the prince had become the true ruler, the king having all but relinquished his role. Something about the whole idea sat wrong with Mercy. An urge to fly back to Hollthen welled up inside of him but it was an urge he couldn’t follow or at least not yet. He forced himself instead to open the other letter and sure enough, it was Archer’s handwriting. It stated a date two days ahead for an evening meeting at the Twickerth memorial and nothing else. That settled it, he couldn’t go to Hollthen, he couldn’t ignore this summons.

 

He began making preparations to travel to Twickerth. He made sure to take enough food for a two-day journey. Valance and Twickerth were neighbouring kingdoms, but both were vast and the rocky, mountainous terrain of Valance made any journey a slow trek. He took all his sparse belongings since he had a strong suspicion he would not be returning. Archer had taken the step Mercy knew he himself should have some time ago. The solitude had gotten the better of him again and while he had not quite completely sunk into his old melancholy, he had been avoiding summoning his friends to report his own findings. It had been the wrong step he thought but felt better now he was taking action and leaving for their company once more. However, he couldn’t take his mind off Hollthen, its king and of course the far-off Princess Myrbeth. Was she safe he wondered? One thing his time in Valance had taught him is that no one was as safe as they appeared.

 

 

When Mercy arrived at the meeting place it seemed he was last. Trickster and Wisdom were already waiting by one of the black obelisks of the Twickerth memorial. Yet he couldn’t be so late as Archer was not with them. He smiled and greeted his friends. He was happy to be in trusted company once more and shake off his bleakness.

“It good to see you both, but where is the lad?” Mercy asked.

“That is precisely what we were wondering,” Wisdom replied.

“I’m sure he will be along soon. I must say I’m glad of the break from our covers.” Trickster leaned against a column with a lazy inviting smile. “It’s all been very boring with me in Wialsea. I’m afraid Archer was dead wrong in his suspicions that the king killed his wife and could be the benefactor. The king is righteous and gentle, definitely not whom we are looking for.” He gave a yawn for effect. “Have you had better luck?”

“I have not I’m afraid,” Wisdom responded. “The Arabat king is, there is no polite way of putting it, an imbecile. It seems the queen was the true ruler there until recently. Her grief has incapacitated her for the present and everything is in a bit of shambles, but the king is most certainly not a clever man. He has been expanding his rule a great deal but has now overextended himself. He is like a child playing with building blocks only to discover he doesn’t have enough blocks to complete his clumsy design. Most certainly not our shadow king.”  Wisdom explained lengthily from his position seated on the floor with his legs crossed.

“I have had more luck as it happens,” Mercy continued the discussion. “I’m not certain we have our man, but the King of Valance is up to something. We ought to wait though before I fully explain. Archer won’t want to miss this and clearly he has something to tell us, too.” They were quiet for a long time, waiting.

 

Trickster and Mercy took turns pacing around the gardens like partners in a strange dance, but it was Wisdom, still on the floor, who broke the silence at last.

“We cannot wait for the boy forever. We can decide matters without him, I am sure. Our calculated guesses about the most likely suspects it seems were partially right. Two of the kings are certainly suspicious, so what is our next course of action?”  

“I have thought on that,” Mercy answered, stopping his pacing. “We ought to double up. After all, we are only looking for one man and there is a chance we have found him. I think Wisdom should follow me to Valance and Trickster should go with Archer to Twickerth. That way we can investigate further.” In truth, he would have preferred Trickster’s company. The rogue's bright humour and comradeship would have done Mercy a world of good, but he could not trust Archer and Wisdom to work well together. They always bickered too much to get the job done.

“A solid strategy. I agree,” Wisdom said.

“Excellent,” Trickster agreed and with that, they all fell silent again. The silence stretched endlessly. The more time that passed the more worried they became, though none of them knew what to say. They didn’t pace anymore, and Wisdom even rose to his feet. They just stood still, watching the entrance to the memorial. The night receded, dawn came and there was still no sign of Archer.

“Something is wrong.” Trickster finally voiced what they all were thinking. Mercy felt horror in him and even Wisdom seemed to have nothing to say. “We must go look for him.”

“Yes, we must go,” Mercy nodded. Both he and Trickster had travelled on foot, but Wisdom had brought a donkey. He now mounted and they all headed off towards Twickerth Castle.

 

 

They didn’t have to contrive an excuse to gain entrance or break into the castle. As they approached the outer city of the royal capital a small crowd had gathered outside the castle walls. Guards were standing atop its walls staring down at the people. The commoners were restless, chattering amongst themselves, they were clearly expecting something. The captain of the guard and a secretary, dressed finely, joined the line of guards on the wall. Between them walked a young man in chains with his head down. Trickster grabbed Mercy’s arm, but it was unnecessary. He too had recognised the prisoner, it was Archer. Mercy was frozen for only a moment before his instincts took over. He began pushing his way through the crowd, no plan in mind but that he must get to the boy. The crowd parted easily enough at the sight of his hulking dark form.

 

Even as he moved the secretary held open the official announcement and began to read it aloud to the people.

“To all it might concern, on this day King Ivan Pedcott of Twickerth has sentenced one Archibald Pulbrook to death. He has been sentenced for the crimes of theft, spying and wilful lies. He is to be hung by the neck until dead.” Mercy was frantic now, shoving people in his haste to get to the castle, still no plan in his mind other than that Archer could not die. People began protesting at his behaviour and the sound of their curses drew the eyes of the guards, and Archer. For a moment the eyes of the scared boy and the tall dark man connected. 

“Mercy!” he cried out, as the noose was fitted around his neck. Despite the dual meaning of the word, no one answered Archer. Mercy was close to the walls now, so close that when it happened, he couldn’t see. He only heard a cry, the crowds cheering, the whistle of wind and the crack of the rope taking the weight of the body that had been thrown from the walls. Then the world turned to silence as Mercy gazed on his dead comrade, but it was the loudest silence that he had ever heard.

 

The crowd began to disperse but two men stayed beside his side also staring up. Mercy had not been aware that Trickster and Wisdom had been moving alongside him through the crowd but now they stood together, all stunned, until they realised there was nothing here for them now and they finally forced themselves to leave. They did not go far; they were used to travelling miles on their feet but today they just could not. They collapsed outside the walls of the royal capital.

“I almost can’t believe he is dead,” Wisdom said, sinking to the floor with his legs crossed once more.

“I failed him,” Mercy said frantically running his hands over his bald head. 

“We failed him, Mercy, we all failed him. He is gone; it breaks my heart but that’s the truth. He wasn’t skilled enough to get out of trouble, or perhaps to even notice when he was in too deep.” Trickster leaned against the wall his face turned away from the rest.

“What do you think he found out?” Wisdom asked.

“Does it matter much now?” Mercy asked. “I never thought this mission would be, could be fatal for any of us.” Trickster turned back to face them with tear tracks on his cheeks.

“Before you talk of giving it up remember that we all believed in the mission, too, and now Archer has died for it. We cannot stop now, we have to find that bastard benefactor,” Trickster insisted.

“We know the boy discovered something; he would not have called us here for a triviality. We must discover it as well,” Wisdom said, getting to his feet.

“Do you think it’s him, the king here? Is he the one we’re looking for?” Trickster asked. Mercy stopped pacing. He was torn. Part of him wanted to scream at his friends for discussing this after what they had just witnessed and the other part of him never wanted to think about what he had seen again and would welcome any distraction. In the end, he chose distraction.

“He might not be. I should tell you what I learned in Valance. The Valance king is training men. He thinks he is being sly about it, by having each of the lords he has raised up train small groups of soldiers in secret, but in short what it adds up to is a small army.”

“The King of Valance is building an army, well that settles motive. It is a coup.” Trickster raised his voice for dramatic effect.

“If it is to be a coup, I rather suspect he is not acting alone.” Wisdom looked back up at the castle. “The King of Valance cannot have vast numbers unless other kings are doing the same. Archer might have discovered the same information about the Twickerth king.” Wisdom said and Mercy nodded.

​

“We are looking for a team of two,” concluded Trickster.

“Comrades,” ventured Mercy. 

“An Alliance,” Wisdom agreed. They all looked at one another. Then Mercy looked away to the west thinking hard.

“I have a plan,” he said, speaking after a long time. “Archer must be avenged, and we must discover the information he died for; we owe him that. We should also, if possible, recover him.” His voice faltered, he could not say that they must bury his body. He forced himself to move on from speaking of Archer quickly. “Yet there is a still bigger debt that must be repaid. We came here and disturbed the peace of this land, we acted blindly and cost the people of Parvery much. We began this war, and we need to try to help by righting our wrongs,”  

“But how?” Trickster asked incredulously.

“By taking the only path left to us. We must make sure they know what is coming and fight alongside these people.”

“You intend to warn the Hollthen princess,” Wisdom spoke in his usual knowing tone.

“The king, more precisely. I will only tell him what he needs to know about what we have discovered, not who we are. King Trevard will believe us and act to do what is necessary,” Mercy explained.

“So, we are to stay acting safely in the shadows while you go into danger and thrust yourself into the light,” Trickster shouted unhappily.

“I doubt either path will be safe,” Wisdom stated, not objecting to Mercy’s plan.

“I know you are worried, but I cannot make any other choice,” Mercy confessed.

“Very well, then we are to part again,” Wisdom’s voice was sad and resigned but Trickster flew into a rage.

“No, you cannot. We spilt up, we lose, we die. That is how Archer died!” Mercy was surprised, he had never seen Trickster act like this. He wanted to argue with him, but Mercy felt that Trickster had a point. 

“You are right, my friend, but staying together will not guarantee our safety,” Mercy tried to console him, he had to understand. “We are in this war, one way or another. We can no longer hide in the shadows, but we have something this time we did not have before.”

“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this,” Trickster said, calming down. Mercy smiled a wide smile on his thick lips.

“Right again, my friend. This time we have something to die for.”