Obey Your Captain

The spell faded, the office door solid again.

“He said to meet Baron in the Hall. We should go there, find out what happened.”

“It sounds like your intended is looking for you.”

“He’ll find us.”

“Very well, do you know where the hall is?”

She looked around the corridor as if a sign would appear. “I admit, I do not.”

“This way.” The High Mage gestured back the way they came before turning down another corridor.

They slowed when they approached a door, voices coming from within, “It’s simple, Neverember. Your father agreed, now you will.”

“It’s wrong! I will not-” The Lord’s voice stopped abruptly.

“Your opinion means little. You are a face, nothing more. I run this town. You will adhere.”

“Or you’ll kill me? This is treason, Carlise!”

A dark chuckle had Kaliyah’s hand on the door but the old Mage stopped her, placing his finger to his lips. He pointed further down the corridor. Hesitating, she looked to the door, wanting to help but the High Mage grasped her elbow, leading her down before whispering, “There is another way in. He will be watching the door.”

Accepting the explanation, she allowed the Mage to take her further, opening a door, they found themselves in a thin corridor. “Always useful to know the servants entrances,” he muttered.

“I’d never been in the Manor before this week,” she whispered back.

“You would have had no reason to be within the Manor. Here.” He stopped and slowly moved a sliding wooden panel, it wasn’t something they could go through, it was merely a few inches tall just above her head height. Sliding the panel a few inches, a strip of light fell over the old Mage before he looked through the crack. After watching for a few seconds, he pulled Kaliyah to look.

Through the crack she could see a banquet hall, Lord Neverember was sat on a chair, a sword pointing to his neck by an unknown man. She could see the Advisor pacing while Marybel leant against a wall on the far side. She couldn’t see anyone else but she swore she could hear movement out of her line of sight.

“What do we do?” she whispered. Having half a mind to storm in there, hands ablaze.

“I can imagine if we make ourselves known there will be a fight on our hands. It is our duty to save the Lord. We could notify the guards.”

“What if they’re in on this? The Advisor seems to have everyone under his thumb.”

“You have a point. Are you suggesting we burst in there?” Just as he said the words, the main door to the banquet hall crashed open. A man she didn’t know, wearing a guard uniform that wasn’t familiar.

She watched, aware the High Mage couldn’t see what she could see as the man holding the sword to the Lord moved, the sword kilometres from the Lord’s neck before The Advisor headed in Kaliyah’s direction. He pressed on the wall beside them and it was automatic, her hands were ablaze in purple flame, illuminating the dim hall. “Don’t move.”

He stopped sharply, clearly shocked for anyone to be in the hall. “Get out of my way,” he snapped, striding forward as if there was no threat. Before Kaliyah could throw her fire, the Advisor was captured in glass. The High Mage’s hands were out as he kept the spell. “You are going nowhere.” He manipulated his hands, forcing the Advisor stuck within the sphere back through the hidden door he had appeared. The unknown guards had incapacitated Marybel and Baron was helping Lord Neverember to his feet. The unknown man lay dead, blood oozing from a crossbow bolt protruding from his chest.

She scanned for further danger, but saw no one.

“Was there anybody else?” Kaliyah asked of the Lord.

“That way.” He pointed a shaking finger in the direction of another door. “He’ll be long gone though, he can be wanted, let him sweat.”

“Who was it?”

“A guard. I must organise…” the Lord trailed off, as if he was lost, overwhelmed.

“Let me out of this magic! My Lord this is ridiculous.”

Lord Neverember swelled, his glare murderous. “You will stay in there until the High Mage deems it that you can be released. Into the cells. You will await trial. Under my father’s rule an act of treason held the punishment of death. I will enact that same rule.”

“It is not treason! I was advising you-”

“Advising me to lie. Advising me to steal from Miss Warren. Advising me to allow papers to be altered and debts to be fabricated. You are foolish.”

“Your father-”

“My father is dead. How I wish to lord is up to me. If I find you have fabricated debts and blackmailed other families your death will be less swift!”

Marybel struggled from his position of being pinned to the stone floor, “Of course he’s done it to others. Why else would he be so readily-”

“Silence!” the Advisor hissed.

“No. It was your idea! I thought it would be great to get back at them, you told me how we would!”

“Marybel, you can tell me your confession later.” Boots thudded outside in the corridor before more guards, this like bearing the Blackwater colours marched through the door.

“Where have you been?!” Lord Neverember almost screamed.

“We weren’t aware there was an issue until a runner alerted us, we apologise, my Lord.”

“Get them out of my sight,” Lord Neverember snapped before Baron ushered him towards the main door, Kaliyah jogged to catch up, following until the three stepped into Lord Neverember’s office.

He collapsed in his chair, “I have been a terrible lord, allowing my advisor to… blind me.”

“He was trusted by your family. You couldn’t have known,” Baron reasoned.

“I…” Lord Neverember buried his head in his hands. “I will run this city different from now on. No advisors. I…”

“You don’t need to make decisions right now.”

“No. I must. Miss Warren, there was no debt. It was fabricated. The gold you paid will be reimbursed immediately. Warren Manor can be reinstated to your family. I must… I must rectify all that has been done.”

Kaliyah couldn't quite take in what the Lord was telling her. He was speaking a language she knew yet the words together made no sense.