The Iron Forest: Ancestor's Legacy

Afternoon sun sent beams of angled light across polished granite tiles. Stone columns in rows led to windows that stretched from floor to ceiling. The autumn breeze carried an appealing scent of wild mint and juniper berries from a boiling cauldron.

Prince Shunlin stretched across a bed of stuffed down, covered in fine knits. Sweat beaded his brow and chest despite a cool chill coming through the open windows. He gazed, amused, at a naked servant girl scrambling to bundle up her robes. She froze at the sudden presence of an older woman standing in the doorway.

“When I become your wife, am I to share our bed with all the young maidens in the kingdom?” Lady Tani asked. She entered the chamber, her flowing Shainxu robes of crimson and lace grazing across the floor. Her jaw clenched.

The servant snapped into action and finished bundling her clothes. Quickly she bowed, using the clothes to hide her modesty, and left.

Shunlin sighed. There was elegance to Lady Tani, senior to him by ten winters. While easy to look at, her long face and sharp pointed features prevented him from considering her beautiful. He demanded perfection in everything, and Lady Tani was anything but.

He slid from the mattress, allowing the blanket to fall, revealing his still stiff manhood. “There’s a difference between a lover and a wife.” He donned a white tunic. “I prefer one, while forced to endure the other.”

Lady Tani frowned. “The king would think otherwise. Our union will benefit both Chotukhan and Shainxu for future generations. Mother Gaia herself has spoken of the good that will come from our marriage and future heir.” She moved to a central table covered with trays of mixed berries, buffalo cheeses, and a wine-filled carafe.

“Gaia has not a damn thing to do with it. Our arrangement is because of my father’s growing weakness. He fears the Shainxu and all your witchery and magic just as much as he fears Abaddon.”

“And you don’t?” Lady Tani asked, pouring two cups of wine.

“No, I don’t. The Chotukhan are strong and powerful. When I become king, the Shainxu will bow down to our rule, as will Gaia.”

She chuckled, swirling her drink. “You have much ambition, my prince. No one has ever defeated the Shainxu and marching your men into the Iron Forest is a lesson in death.”

“You are correct. The question of who’s death will remain unanswered—maybe forever.” At her sigh, he took the cup she held out to him.

Lady Tani raised her glass in a toast. “Then here’s to death, our marriage, and our mutual unhappiness.”

Their glasses clinked before he said, “That’s where you’re wrong, my dear. I don’t share in my father’s fear, and our unhappiness will not be mutual.” He took a sip of wine. “You should pray to your Mother Gaia that we are wed while my father is still king.” He returned the cup to the serving tray and grinned. “Which won’t be for long.”

At the entrance of the royal court, a huge general waited for him. He stood by the door with arms crossed.

“They’ve been waiting for you, my lord,” General Balon announced with a rough voice of gravel and spit. “Your lady-witch is in there, as well.”

“I was indisposed for a time.” Shunlin opened the two massive doors to a room filled with members of the court and black-robed nobles. At the end of a large table sat King Akutu in robes of white trimmed in purple. A steel crown, fashioned from the eye of a Reaper, rested atop a tangled mop of graying hair. A trident beard of gray, cut sharp to a point, covered a shriveled face full of aging wrinkles.

Fire, still burning in a hearth of mortared stone, left a lingering haze of smoke that drifted up toward thick beams cut square from ancient logs. Behind the king hung a white banner of a black crow with outstretched wings.

Shunlin plopped down, seated between the king and Lady Karmera. With a sigh, he leaned back in his chair, showing his boredom. “Did I miss anything important, Father?”

“We were discussing the Shainxu’s impatience with your lack of matrimony to Lady Tani,” the king answered.

Shunlin saw Lady Karmera smirk. “Yes, of course. I just met with her ladyship, and she hasn’t gotten any more appealing to me than before.”

The room occupants muffled their laughter, but the king glowered.

“The Shainxu and I feel you should have wedded and bedded her by now. This arrangement is greater than your fancy in women, as it is the will of Mother Gaia. Instead, you prance around with the servants and whores while her ladyship remains confined to maidenhood.”

Shunlin chuckled. “I fail to see why Gaia and wizards have such interest in where I put my cock.” He held up a hand when his father went to respond. Noting the new round of muffled laughter. “Fine. I’ll marry her and get started providing an heir when the time is right. Preferably on a moonless night with no lamps to illuminate the bedchamber.”

More mumbled laughter filled the courtroom.

“Enough!” the king shouted.

“My king,” Lady Karmera said, leaning with elbows on the table, “Mother Gaia has been around since the dawn of time and is a patient goddess. Our lifetimes are a mere speck compared to her immortal years. When the prince is ready, we will secure the union, but I am skeptical it will be enough to gain the loyalty of the Shainxu and access to the Iron Forest.”

Shunlin wanted to applaud the priestess for her smooth way of handling his father. The old man was tired from countless years of age.

A parchment was handed to the King, who steered. “What is all this?”

Viceroy Angul, a man of equal age as the king, scurried forward with a shuffling gait. He lacked any hair, except for a pair of bushy eyebrows that matched his white flowing robes. Prince Shunlin knew no one else to serve the king as his right hand. Since his oldest memory, Angul stood by his father, addressing the countless affairs of the kingdom.

“My Lord, our grain stores have been slowly dropping over the past few winters. If this shortage continues, then we will not have enough food to feed our people, nobles and peasants alike.”

Shunlin rolled his eyes. Matters of logistics are a dull affair.

“I look upon the valley and see endless fields of rye,” King Akutu said. “If it’s more food we need, then have the farmers extend their lands.”

Viceroy Angul shook his head. “It’s not the land we need more of, but people to work the fields. Crops grow well on their own, as long as there is someone to sow the seed.”

Shunlin perked up at that and glanced at Lady Karmera who was frowning. Leaning forward he asked, “Can we not get more workers? I hear there are plenty of people living in the mountains to the west.”

The king didn’t answer.

Viceroy Angul sighed. “If you are referring to the Shankur, then that’s not possible. After the War of Five Winters, we signed a treaty in the presence of Mother Gaia herself.”

“Viceroy, I’m not talking about all-out war. I’m suggesting we take from their population as a form of tax for allowing their sovereignty. After all, they have nothing else to offer. Their villages are scattered through terrain so rugged they have not the capacity to provide us with any suitable levy.”

The room burst into a roar. Shunlin couldn’t tell if they were for or against the idea. He didn’t care, either way.

“A tax? Do you think the godless tribes will succumb to our conditions willingly? That’s before we take into consideration the payment being made in human souls.”

King Akutu’s gray eyebrows rose. He held up a shriveled, liver-spotted hand to silence the crowd. “There will be no more talk of this. The Shankur may lack in numbers, but they are not weak.”

“But Father,” Shunlin started through gritted teeth, “sometimes an occasional reminder of our strength can keep our enemies at bay. In fact, I hear Chief Baju has arranged to marry his daughter to the Kutassan prince. That would give the Shankur easy access to our lands and leave Gathal vulnerable.”

“We are not in a position to commit soldiers into battle,” Viceroy Angul said. “If we do, we risk losing favor with Mother Gaia. That, and we worked too hard in building the Shainxu’s trust. A war with the other tribes will destroy all our efforts.”

How dare this old man speak to me like his equal, Shunlin thought while pasting a smile on his face. “The god and goddess do not concern me, Viceroy, only the prosperity of our people and our way of life. If Gaia is so interested in our affairs, then perhaps she could send some of her wizards to conjure up a limitless bounty.”

Both the king and Viceroy started speaking at once. Lady Karmera diverted their attention by injecting, “What Prince Shunlin meant to say is we should seek out guidance from the Mother Goddess. With your permission, I will solicit for her divine wisdom.”

Dozens of low voices from witnessing nobles and courtiers broke out into chatter.

The king didn’t appear convinced. “There will be no aggression, and that’s final.”

“Your Grace, we’ve had many wars in the past and Gaia has never intervened. I don’t foresee her doing it now, unless Abaddon is involved. And as we know, he’s been asleep for a long time.”

“And may he remain asleep until the end of time. Even speaking the Shadow-God’s name aloud puts us at great risk. If I hear of any one paying homage to him, I will have their heads adorning my walls.”

The more his father aged, the more superstitious he became. There were all kinds of claims by god-fearing people that could awaken Abaddon. Calling out his name will not conjure him out of thin air, you foolish old man ... I just wonder what will.

Prince Shunlin smirked.