Shards of a Broken Crown

“Erik!”

Dash turned to see Rosalyn hurrying down the corridor, and stood aside to let the young woman pass. Dash knew the girl felt overwhelmed at times by being the mother of the next Baron – she was Gerd’s mother because of her rape at the hands of Erik’s half-brother – and Erik was her closest friend. They had been like brother and sister as children, and he was the first person she turned to when in distress. Dash watched as she came to the Captain’s door and started knocking.

Erik opened the door and said, “What?”

Dash hesitated a moment, then continued to walk past as Rosalyn said, “It’s the Baroness. She’s refusing to let me bathe my own son! It’s just one more thing she’s taken from me! Do something!”

Dash stopped and said, “Excuse me.”

Both Erik and Rosalyn turned to the young man. “Yes?” asked Erik.

“I hesitate to intrude on the basis of overhearing a conversation I’m not party to, but to avoid any embarrassment, may I make an observation?”

“What?” said Rosalyn.

“Given her somewhat … forceful nature, the Dowager Baroness has actually been rather leisurely in acquainting your son with his new office.”

Rosalyn shook her head. She had been a pretty girl growing up in Ravensburg with Erik, but the birth of two children, hard work in her husband’s bakery, and the travail of the recent war had put premature grey in her hair and robbed her face of the softness Erik had known in his youth. Her eyes were now hard, and she was leery of hearing anything from Dash that would further remove her from her son.

“Gerd is now Baron von Darkmoor,” said Dash, trying to be patient and instructive without sounding patronizing. Rosalyn might be an untutored common woman, but she wasn’t stupid. “For the rest of his life, many of the things you did for him will be done by servants. Had you been Baroness, you would never have bathed him, nor changed his diapers, nor perhaps even nursed him.

“It’s time for you to begin his education as Baron.” Dash waved around, indicating the castle. “This is now the frontier of the Kingdom, until the West is retaken, and may continue to be a critical stronghold for years, far into Gerd’s adulthood. Gerd is almost five years old, and soon will spend most of his day with tutors and instructors. He needs to learn to read, to write, the history of his people, riding, weapons, court protocol …”

Erik nodded, putting his hand on Rosalyn’s shoulder. “Dash is right.” The young woman looked defiant and Erik felt her shoulder tense under his hand. He smiled. “But there’s no reason you can’t stand nearby and watch as the servants care for him.”

Rosalyn said nothing for a moment, then nodded and turned off to retrace her steps to where her son was housed in the Baron’s quarters of the castle. Erik watched her retreating back, then turned to Dash. “Thanks for pointing things out.”

“I hesitated to insert myself into your conversation, but it’s only the truth.”

Erik glanced down the hall to the corner where Rosalyn had turned out of sight and let his eyes fix on the distant space. “So many changes. We all have so much to adjust to.”

Dash said, “Again, I don’t mean to presume, Captain, but if you require any assistance …”

Erik smiled. “I suspect I will. And I will count on you and your brother. If you haven’t heard yet, you’re both being assigned to my command.”

“Oh?” said Dash.

“It’s your father’s idea. He’s going to take a hand personally in this coming campaign.”

Dash nodded. “He’s his father’s son.”

Erik said, “I didn’t know your grandfather well, I must say, but well enough to know that’s a compliment.”

Dash grinned. “If you had known him better, you might not think so. Ask my mother if she ever decides to return to the West.”

“Anyway,” continued Erik, “the King has his hands full in the East, with most of his army absent and his navy sunk, in keeping the Eastern Kingdoms from starting trouble. The Prince has Kesh in the South, so that leaves it to our merry little band to reclaim the West.”

“Why does that not fill me with joy?” asked Dash rhetorically.

“I believe you would be in need of a healing priest if it did. You would obviously be bereft of your senses.”

“When does this campaign begin?” asked Dash.

“When you hear the first sound of ice breaking in the West, start packing.”

Dash said, “I heard ice break this morning.”

“Well, get packing,” said Erik. “We leave for Krondor within the week.”

Dash nodded. “Very good, Captain.”

As Dash turned away, Erik said, “One other thing.”

“What, sir?” asked Dash.

“Your office as Court Baron does you no good in the army, so you and James are both being given the rank of Knight-Lieutenants.”

“Thank you, I think,” said Dash.

“Tomorrow head down to the quartermaster and draw uniforms for yourself and James.”

“Sir,” said Dash with a weak salute, then he turned and walked toward his own quarters. Muttering to himself, he said, “Damn. I’m in the army.”

Jimmy tugged at his ill-fitting black tunic. “Damn. I’m in the army.”

Dash laughed. He gently elbowed his brother, indicating the Prince was about to speak.

“My lords, gentlemen,” he began, addressing the gathering in his audience hall, formerly the Baron von Darkmoor’s. “The King requires the presence of most of the Army of the East along the Keshian border and to the east. That leaves it to what is left of the Armies of the West to drive the remaining invaders from our shores.”

Dash whispered to his brother, “Perhaps we shouldn’t have sunk all their ships. It makes the trip home so much more difficult.”

Arutha, Duke of Krondor, threw his younger son a dark look, and Dash fell silent, while Jimmy attempted not to laugh aloud. One thing James admired about his younger brother was an ability to find something funny in almost any situation, no matter how bleak.

Prince Patrick said, “Of course it does,” looking directly at Dash.

Dash had the good grace to blush before his Prince.

“But we can arrange to transport them home at a later time. First they must surrender.”

Dash tried to wish himself invisible.

Patrick continued. “Intelligence confirms that this General Fadawah is seizing the opportunity created by the Emerald Queen’s defeat to fashion a little Empire for himself.”

He walked to a map and took a pointer and indicated the area between Krondor and Ylith. “From Sarth to Ylith, Fadawah’s forces are in complete control.” The pointer swept to the east. “They control the forests up to the mountains, and most of the passes to Nightmare Ridge. We have a stable front along the ridge.

“To the north” – the pointer moved north of Ylith – “he’s run into some stern opposition at LaMut. Earl Takari’s holding the city, but barely. Only the harsh winter kept Fadawah from taking the city.” Looking at Arutha, he said, “Tell me of Duke Carl.”

Arutha said, “The Duke is a boy. He’s barely seventeen. Earl Takari is only three years older.”