Tuesday Excerpt, "Revenge"

Linvin placed his hands on his hips and surveyed the view.

Ascending stands rose on the right and left of him holding the

elected assemblymen. King Trigonan sat impatiently on his throne

before Linvin and was the first to speak.

“Good day to you, Lord Grithinshield. Or should I say, ‘good

evening’? I am told you kept me and this entire body waiting while

you counted your money. Is this so?”

Linvin chuckled with no sign of intimidation and responded,

“As with all lies and hearsay, there is a morsel of truth to your

statement. I was managing a conflict within my company, and the

parties took longer to settle their differences than I had expected.

My tardiness in no way reflects my respect for you or this body. If

I have offended anyone in this great room, I am truly sorry. Should

you wish it, I will take leave of you and set another appointment

whenever I happen into town again.”

The king’s expression changed from mild anger to frightened

alarm. “There is no need to reschedule, Lord Grithinshield. We

were merely eager to seek your council on some matters.”

“Then, by all means,” Linvin said as he moved closer to

Trigonan. “Let us talk. I see that you have decided to increase the

size of the army as I had suggested. Have you settled on a troop

level?”

The king looked to his advisors and then answered, “There is

not a set number in mind, but we want to be prepared in case we

need to summon our militia if war arises.”

“Militia,” Linvin repeated with repulsion. “Do you mean to tell

me you have purchased arms for an army you have not and do not

intend to raise?”

An anonymous voice from one of the stands cried out, “Armies

cost money and are of little use unless there is war. They simply

drain the treasury. What is your complaint, Grithinshield? You are

being well paid. Isn’t that what this was all about?”

Linvin glared angrily at the boisterous mob. “Once again it

seems my words are misunderstood. The Mandreans are a

significant threat to our national security. Militias carrying even

the finest weapons are no match for trained legions. Did you not

heed my warning two years ago?”

Trigonan raised his hand to silence the assembly. “Lord

Grithinshield, this room took your words most seriously when you

were last here. In the time since, we have taken measures to assure

our continued safety from the Mandrean threat.”

Linvin produced the staff holding the Red Sapphire and stood at

attention. “Exactly what steps have you taken?”

The king looked nervously at his cabinet and then spoke.

“Aside from the afore-mentioned arms buildup, we have begun

paring down Thornhaven Forest.”

Linvin’s eyes widened at the utterance. “Exactly how much

have you ‘paired down’ the forest?”

King Trigonan stood tall with his hands behind his back and

spoke as he paced before his throne. “We have created a highway

wide enough to march two-hundred men abreast straight into the

Unclaimed Territory. The forest is no longer a barrier for us.”

“Or them,” fumed Linvin. “The very fact that Thornhaven was

virtually impenetrable to an army was what saved our nation the

last time we tangled with the Mandreans. Now you clear a road

they could easily use to invade Sartan. And rather than train an

army of sufficient size to protect us, you plan to rely on militia?”