“He’s had a couple of defeats in the Thousand Lakes, fighting against King Dasleo of Erenal,” Orten added, “so at the moment he’s in just as bad shape as we are ourselves.”
“All in all, I’m not easy. I want all our forces here in the capital. We don’t want to embark on distant conquests, still less if we have to confront a powerful Sorceress and her wretched mist. We’ve got quite enough trouble with the Frozen Specter, which might decide to cross the mountains at any moment and make its way here. That’s what worries me now. We’ve got to stop it. We’ve got to destroy it.”
“I understand that’s why we need the Star of Sea and Life,” said Sven.
Eicewald nodded.
“Then if we don’t send the army,” Orten asked sulkily, his arms crossed, “how are we going to get hold of it?”
“My Royal Mage knows a lot about this Queen,” Thoran said. His voice seemed to hiss. “I wonder how he happens to know so much, and whether he has some solution to our problem …”
“I know the Queen because years ago, when I was younger, I accidentally ended up in her realm. The ship I was travelling in ran into a violent storm which drove us to the islands. We entered the perpetual mist and were lucky enough to run aground on the coast of one of the islands in her archipelago.”
“And you lived to tell the tale?” Orten asked, sounding intrigued.
“That’s right. The Queen let me live, and what’s more important, she let me leave.”
Gatik was listening very attentively. “She doesn’t let people leave?” he asked.
Eicewald shook his head. “That’s how she keeps her secret. Nobody who ends up in her realm ever comes back. Either they die, or else they join her tribe.”
“Nice way of keeping her secret safe,” Thoran said. “Why did she let you go?”
“Because of my magic. We shared that interest. I’m a scholar of magic, of its different types and powers. The Queen decided to allow me to go on with my studies outside her kingdom. She gave me a small boat and a special compass and let me go. As far as I know, I’m one of the few she’s allowed out of her realm.”
The King arched one eyebrow. “If that’s the case, then you can go back and persuade her to lend us her ‘Object of Power’.”
Eicewald looked dubious at this. “I could try … what I don’t know is whether I’ll be able to reach her, or equally whether I’d be able to persuade her. I doubt whether she’ll want to part with it, and as for our troubles, they’re sure not to interest her. To her the kingdoms of Tremia, their needs, their wars and their politics, are trivial. She considers us irrelevant.”
“Not only will you try, but you’ll also succeed,” said Thoran, and there was no mistaking the threat in his voice. “You’ll bring me that Star and you’ll destroy the Specter that’s threatening my kingdom, otherwise you’ll lose your head. I’m not going to lose my kingdom because of your incompetence, Mage. The fact that this queen thinks us trivial or irrelevant is her mistake, because I assure you we’re nothing of the sort.”
Orten was shaking his fist furiously. “I could gladly teach her just how irrelevant we Norghanians are,” he said.
“You go to see her, and persuade her. I’ll give you gold and weapons you can use to negotiate for the object.”
“Your Majesty’s wishes will be fulfilled,” Eicewald said resignedly. He bowed respectfully, although his voice sounded unsure, which was unusual in him.
Thoran waved his hand at Orten, who had a malicious grin on his face. “I warn you, if you fail, I’ll leave it to my brother to deal with you, and you know how much he enjoys that kind of thing.”
“Oh, I’d be delighted,” Orten said. “I can’t stand magi in general, and least of all one who fails.”
“I’ll get hold of the object for his Majesty,” Eicewald said reluctantly.
“Good. Orten will provide you with a ship, gold and weapons, and a regiment of his best men.”
“Me?” Orten began, but Thoran raised one hand.
“My coffers are empty, and yours aren’t yet. You’ll be the one who’ll pay for this mission.”
“Of course. I’ll pay a visit to Count Volgren and one or two more of our loyal noblemen and collect what I need, by force if necessary.” Orten gave a somber chuckle. “For some reason unknown to me, they don’t like it when we take their gold and possessions to finance our campaigns – especially Count Volgren, so he’ll be the first one I visit.”
“Gold and weapons are always a good medium of negotiation, your Majesty,” Eicewald commented. “On the other hand, taking soldiers in this case is not such a good idea. If the Turquoise Queen sees a ship loaded with soldiers, she won’t let us reach her coasts. She’ll send us to the bottom of the ocean. I’m absolutely sure of that.”
“The ship, the gold and the weapons have to be protected,” Sven pointed out. “There are pirates in all the known seas. It would be insane to send them without any protection.”
“I agree with Sven on this,” Orten said. “We must send soldiers.”
Thoran was thoughtful. “Even I would feel nervous about a ship full of soldiers. It might not be the best
