Note: This is a gay themed fantasy novel about kings and magic, love and war. Although I will often allude to sexual encounters, there are no scenes of sexual acts for this is, by and large, a love story. This author claims exclusive copyright to the characters, settings, and plot.
Dark Wishes
M.C. Gordon
Part Two: Karandal
Chapter Seven
"The fault is mine, M'Lord," Olan said to Karandal later that day. They were sitting in the renovated, but empty, archive room while Trelaine tended to a minor matter in the kitchen. "I should have gone to see about the candles last night but you were with His Majesty. I thought you knew about the candles."
"Put your mind at ease, Olan. I know now and will see that he never sleeps in darkness when I am with him." Karandal went silent, thinking for a while. Finally he asked, "Olan, how is it with him? Is he often troubled?"
Olan loved Trelaine as one would a son but knew that Karandel also loved him and would not ask for confidences lightly. "All was well through the winter, M'Lord. He was busy traveling the kingdom and conferring with all his lords on how best to aid the people in recovering from the war. It was when the snows began to melt that he became restless, worried. That was when the nightmares and his fear of the dark began."
He took a sip from the wineglass near at hand. "King Trelaine grew dark and brooding, as if he were worried about something. I begged him to tell me but he would not. It was only your messages that heartened him and gave him cause to smile. Since word of your intended visit he has been as a child in his excitement."
A smile crossed Karandal's face as he thought back across the months he had known Trelaine. His lover was indeed childlike at times. He had been captivated for hours watching the fall of autumn leaves for the first time in his current memory and approached all of life with an abundance of curiosity.
"Perhaps he will tell me, Olan. And if I believe him to be in danger then I will tell you."
They went no further with their conversation for they were interrupted when Trelaine joined them. "I wonder," he said as he sat near Karandal, "if I had such problems as a Qell Lord."
Karandal and Olan looked at him in confusion, wondering what could have happened to cause such a statement from the King.
"Cook's son has dabbled with the stable master's daughter. Givney would have me punish the boy while Cook bade me be forgiving of such things between men and women. The girl sides with Cook and asked if I would leave her child without a father." He looked totally confused and added, "I was unaware that Givney's daughter had a child."
Olan tried, but could not withhold his laughter. "It seems, Your Majesty, that she soon will."
More practical, Karandal remarked, "It would seem that you should be making arrangements for a marriage, and soon."
Trelaine ran his fingers through his hair, pushed it back behind his shoulders, and said, "And it seems to me that things are so much more simple between men."
The King himself presided over the quiet wedding between Marsan and Catha two days later. He placed their hands together and proclaimed them to be one heart, one soul, and one spirit. He presented a gold coin to each of them as well as Cook and Givney.
" `Tis the custom," Olan had told him. "The two young folk will have a bit to purchase a small piece of land with a decent cottage. Cook will receive recompense for the coin Marsan brought to her home as the blacksmith's journeyman. Catha helped provide for the care of Givney's motherless children by mending your warriors' clothing. The coin you give her father will replace her help until the youngest child is grown."
"A good custom," Trelaine replied and the coins he gave were of larger value than were normally given.
He felt a great responsibility for those who looked to him for peace and provenance.
Cook provided a tasty treat of meat pies, fresh fruit, and cheese for the guests. When Karandal and the king had sampled the food and bid the young couple good fortune, they mounted their horses and rode off.
Trelaine had arranged a trip to the central plains of the kingdom, to Lord Egraine's domain. He felt Karandal would enjoy seeing the breeding program Egraine had instituted years earlier, before war threatened Elanen. Egraine had taken the best of the breeding stock to hidden pastures known only to himself and a few trusted assistants, saving the valuable animals.
The journey would take two days and nights. Olan would join them for the King's guard accompanied Trelaine wherever he went. The kingdom was at peace but protocol demanded that the King have an escort.
They camped in a small glade the first night. With their escort, Trelaine and Karandal enjoyed the meal of meat pies and fruit packed for them by Cook. They relaxed by their campfires and enjoyed a mug of ale as the guards talked. The conversation ran from the trials of wives and children to the merit of pike over javelin and sword over axe: soldierly talk.
When a gentle rain began to fall the men retreated to their tents. Karandal had ordered a lantern to be hung in the King's tent. The rain smelled fresh and clean, and a small breeze blew through the camp as Karandal drew Trelaine to himself on the mattress prepared by their squires.
Within the silence of the tent, Trelaine closed his eyes and released a little magic. It flowed from him unseen and unheard, enveloping the camp and giving protection to all within its reach. As the two kissed and their bodies merged into one, they felt the love and pleasure that each gave and received.
Chapter Eight
Karandal was pleased with their visit to Egraine.
The old lord had been fostered to Llewelyn's grandfather, Sogrin, as a young lad. His loyalty to the royal house of Endril was unquestioned, as was his loyalty to his own new King.
"Have you known King Trelaine long?" Karandal asked of Egraine as they walked through the paddocks. Trelaine had been summoned by a courier from Lord Lingren and Egraine wanted to show Karandal some two-year olds that he hoped to send back to Aolane for training.
"I was there when Menfred summoned him into this world naked and mindless," he said. "The evil that had caused the war was growing ever stronger and King Llewelyn begged the old man to do something, summon something which could defeat what we all believed to be the dark spirits of the Qell. Instead he brought forth Trelaine."
"Instead?" Karandal asked. "Is Trelaine not Qell?"
"Some believe so. You have seen what he can do in battle. The lance and sword come as natural to him as if they had come into the world with him. But he is not Miralen. That lord was a killer while Trelaine shows compassion."
"He has nightmares of death," Karandal confided. He could see that Egraine, with no son of his own, had developed a fatherly attachment to the King.
They stopped to lean against the railings surrounding a paddock. The air was still crisp and the wind was from the north. Egraine pulled his cloak about himself to cut the wind.
"You will learn," Egraine answered, "that on occasion he remembers things that happened before our grandfather's great-grandfathers were born. I have seen him describe a village as it must have looked before men ever took an axe to the forest. He is a man and not a man. Trelaine is indeed Qell, but he is not on of the three reborn into this world."
Trelaine joined them, an air of impatience about him. "I am sorry, Lord Egraine, but I must leave. King Llewelyn has summoned me, and you must go with me, Karandal. There are rumors of war from the eastern border of Endril. I pledged Llewelyn my friendship and alliance in peace and war. He has called on me to keep that pledge and requests my presence."
The three began to make plans. Karandal summoned Octo, the captain of his guard, and gave a hasty message to be couriered to Enworthy immediately. His own men would have to be mustered and ready to rally to Llewelyn's call to arms.
"Unless you plan to ride by night," Egraine said, "you cannot leave before morning."
" `Tis best we have a good night's sleep," Trelaine agreed. "When we leave in the morning we shall ride hard and not stop to sleep before we reach Enworthy on our way to Chamel." Turning to Lord Egraine he asked, "Did you not have some young steeds you wanted us to see?"
"Indeed, Majesty," Egraine replied and signaled to one of the handlers.
The two-year olds were led into the paddock and Karandal felt his blood rush as he looked at one of them, the most magnificent piece of horseflesh he had ever seen. The young stallion was perfectly proportioned, black as night. His mane and hair were braided but the volume of the braids promised long, thick hair. His feet were already as large as dinner plates and covered with an abundance of hair. The head sat atop a neck that curved in arrogance. Black eyes told of a strong will and courage.
Knowing which of the horses had caught Karandal's attention, Egraine leaned toward him and said, "He is magnificent, is he not? His name is Ky, out of Kira by Yman. He is probably one of the finest I have ever produced."
Karandal's heart was in his throat as he watched Ky dance across the paddock, someday master of his domain. This was a perfect creature. Karandal allowed himself one small moment to imagine sitting astride such a beast, running across an open field, being carried into battle.
"He is yours," he heard.
"Beg pardon?"
"He is yours, I said." Trelaine watched his love as the knowledge of the gift sifted into his awareness. "I give him to you."
Karandal was at a loss for words. He knew that Trelaine loved him but never had he expected such a marvelous gift as this. His voice could not express his gratitude so he took the King into his arms and held him. When they broke the embrace he offered Egraine his hand.
Karandal ordered more candles than usual to be lit that night. With whispers of war in the air, he did not want any danger of Trelaine sleeping in darkness. His hopes for a peaceful night were shattered as Trelaine woke screaming. The room was still full of light and Karandal was at a loss. Quickly donning a robe, he threw a cloak around Trelaine's shoulders for he knew the screams would alarm the guards and wake the household.
They were standing by a window when Egraine entered the room. Trelaine was leaning against Karandal, his head lowered to rest on the shoulder of the shorter man. "There is death all around us," he said as Egraine approached them. "I hear it beckoning."
He let forth a deep shudder. "I do not want to face this coming war," he said. "I want to be at peace in Aolane. I have seen enough of war and death.
I desire only to ride across my kingdom and enjoy the birds and forests. I need only my love near me at night. I want my mind to have no further trouble than to find and read the ancient writings that were once in the archive."
"What will you do, My Lord?" Egraine asked.
"I will go because my friend calls me. I will fight because his kingdom is in danger. And I will face death -- because I must."
Chapter Nine
They rode hard and fast toward Enworthy. A late spring storm tried to impede their passage as snow covered the high mountain passes. Karandal begged Trelaine to consider the men and mounts who rode with them, that they could not continue with such haste.
"We must reach Llewelyn," was the King's only reply.
"It will not serve my King well if your horse should lose his footing on ice buried beneath the snow, My Lord, and throw you so that you break your neck."
Trelaine slowed their pace, unable to avoid his lover's logic.
They arrived at Enworthy a cold and tired group of men. When they had dismounted, the horses were led into stable to be brushed down and fed bags of oats by sleepy stable boys. The men were dismissed to barracks where they could look forward to warmth and a hot meal.
Karandal's message had reached Enworthy and his people were well prepared for their arrival. Assured that their men and horses would be cared for, Karandal and the King made their way across the snow-crusted courtyard to the main house. Servants greeted them and led them to the Duke's apartment. They were stripped of their light mail covering and given warm gowns to wear while buckets of steaming water were poured into a tub. Bathed and clad once again in robes of soft, warm wool they sat before the massive fireplace and shared a light meal, joined by Olan and Octo.
"With Your Grace's permission," Octo said rising, "I will let the men sleep the night through. The tower guard has orders to wake me before the cock crows."
Olan also rose. Bowing slightly to the King he said, "I should also seek my bed, Your Majesty. While Octo sees to the men in the morning I must check to be sure that we have supplies for the ride to Chamel. King Llewelyn may require you in his capitol with all speed, but the men and horses will need provisions."
"I will have the servants bring more candles," Karandal said as the two captains departed -- although an abundance of candles had done little good their last night in Elanen.
"Karandal," Trelaine said as he took his love by one hand, "I know not what will happen when we reach Chamel. Perhaps there will not be war. Llewelyn might be able to deal with the threat in another manner. But, if war there is, I do not want you beside me in battle."
Karandal was dumbstruck. "Not beside you? Where else would I want to be?"
"With your own King. Should you be beside me, I would worry for your safety. Your nearness would make me vulnerable for I would be watching over my shoulder to protect you. If it passes that we end up in battle, I can best serve Llewelyn, and you, if I can concentrate on the enemy."
Karandal knew that Trelaine was right, his presence would detract from the King's own safety in battle. And he would not be able to do his best for Llewelyn if he were guarding his lover's back. Saying nothing, he stood and held his hand out to Trelaine.
In the warmth and comfort of his bed, Karandal drew his love to him. "I know not when or where we will be alone again as we are now," he whispered. "Let us make the most of this night as we can."
Knowing that their futures were uncertain, Trelaine again allowed himself magic. He knew he wasn't strong enough to protect Endril or Llewelyn, but he could grant himself and those around him one last night in peace. It spread outward from his being, this magic. It crept into stable and barrack giving peaceful rest. It eased into homes, causing wives to stop their bickering and offer their husbands comfort. Children ceased their crying.
And at the heart of that magic was his love. He slid his arms around Karandal and pulled his lover to him. Their lips met, their bodies joined, and Trelaine gave all he could for what might be a last time.
To be continued.
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