The Archon agreed withFeatherdown’s suggestion and agreed to come back later. It pickedup Aquitain’s remains, labelled them with tags, and teleportedaway. Zephira was devastated. She was in shock. She had failedAquitain, her only cousin, whom she had been specifically sent hereto protect - instead had spent the time making love to a bard. Howcould she possibly explain this to her family?
Quab came racing towardthem clad in leather armour and weapons.
‘I felt the tremor andsaw the sky. What has happened?’ then he saw Zephira on her kneescrying, and guessed that something had happened to Aquitain.
Featherdown lookedaround and saw a hundred officers and guards standing watching,weapons in hand. He asked them to stand down and told them toattend a meeting later, when he would tell then what had occurred.He then walked over to Zephira and helped her up.
‘Come with me Zephira,and you as well Quab, we have some important matters todiscuss.’
Chapter 21 Questions andAnswers
Quab and Zephira stoodsadly in the entertainment room and the High Wizard called down thewards on the tower, to seal it off from any who would listen. Thetower became deathly quiet, and a thin milky mist appeared,populated with strange, floating ghost like apparitions.
‘What’s happening?’demanded Zephira, suddenly afraid.
‘I’m making sure thatwe are not overheard,’ advised Featherdown. ‘Sit down, both of you.Firstly, and this is very important, have either of you told anyoneabout Miranda’s story, or about their location?’
Both Quab and Zephirawere adamant that they had not said a thing to anyone.
‘And Quab, you wardedthe sanctuary when you talked with Miranda?’
‘Yes on both occasions.Why?’ asked Quab.
‘Miranda is a wildlass, but follows after her mother. She is very cunning and verypassionate. If she were to take on a cause then I have no doubt shewould stop at nothing to ensure that it succeeded. I believe thatthe entertainment we have witnessed was a ploy on her part to getrid of the Archon, and convince everyone that Aquitain is dead. Itwas also a very strong warning to all that he is not alone, andthat any that would interfere with him would also have her anger tocontend with. I would bet a year’s salary that Aquitain is aliveand well.’
‘But how can we besure?’ asked Zephira, still trembling with reaction but now growingexcited.
‘We may have awitness,’ said Featherdown confidently, and he called for Jaztrixto attend them. However to his surprise, one of the other gnomescame.
‘Jaztrix has asked meto deliver this letter to you, my Lord.’
Featherdown took andopened it with a puzzled expression on his face.
To High WizardFeatherdown,
Dear Master,
You will wish to ask mesome questions I cannot answer.
Consequently, I cannotcontinue as your apprentice.
Goodbye.
Your obedient servantand apprentice,
Jaztrix.
‘By the Powers, thisevent has taken a strange turn,’ said Featherdown, and showed themthe letter.
‘I sent Jaztrix tocovertly watch over them, as she is a master at hiding. It seemsthat something did happen, but that she has, somehow, also becomeinvolved in the plot.’
‘Could she have been anassassin?’ asked Zephira. ‘My grandfather has always said that thebest assassin is the person you trust the most.’
‘She came withimpeccable references from a trusted associate. I cannot believethat she would be an assassin,’ replied Featherdown, quitedisturbed at the suggestion.
‘Damn it! Yourgrandfather’s scheme is cutting too close for my liking.’
‘What scheme?’ askedZephira, a little mystified by his comment.
‘Let me tell you astory, Zephira. Before I came here I was a mercenary war wizard,but rather than sell my services to those with the greatest gold Isold myself to the poor, the innocent and the oppressed. I was verysuccessful, too successful, as I upset many powerful rulers andbecame branded as a rogue wizard. I was hounded from world to worldfor two years until one day your grandfather told me about the jobas High Wizard here and helped me get it. I was forever grateful tohim, and as time passed and he asked me to look the other way ashis agents came and went, I did. They never caused any problems orbroke any laws, so I ignored them.
‘Then one day threeyears ago one of his agents called into the inn while I was there,and shape changed into a Yith. He told me a story that I found hardto believe at the time. He told me what had caused the Great Stormon Mudrun and revealed that if the problem was not rectified itwould cause more cataclysms and massive loss of life. He said thatin the near future, a person would be coming who would hold promisein resolving the problem. However, when that person tried to repairthe problem it was likely to upset the gods, as they had a stake inthe outcome. I was asked to help that person succeed.
‘I went to see the HighDruid, and as I told him the story I realised from his reactionsthat some of it might be true, so I didn’t tell him the wholestory. He said it was all rubbish and to forget about it, so Ididn’t pursue it any further. However, I learnt later that theDruid Council was most upset when he informed them, and soon afterrelations with them deteriorated and they decided to place a seniorwizard with me, supposedly to help, but clearly to spy on me.
‘I was quite annoyedwith this and went to see your grandfather and told him the story,but curiously he denied any knowledge of it. Fortunately I had somehard proof. The Yith had given me a book to give to the person whowould attempt to fix the problem. He was quite surprised to see thebook, and obviously recognised it. For he took it and tore it inhalf, and told me that if the person should ever turn up to onlygive him the first half, as the rest was too dangerous.’
Zephira suddenlyremembered the half book that Aquitain had been so excited about.‘You think that Aquitain is this person foretold to come and solvethis great problem? That’s unlikely. I’ve known him all his life.He’s no great fighter.’
‘Zephira, the book wasaddressed to Aquitain, from his father.’
‘But that’s ridiculous.They only gave him that name just
