Tiet smiled full of parental pride. Then he looked back to Wynn.
'Wynn, what do you think? What is your judgment of this candidate's performance in the trials-should he progress or regress for further training?'
'I would most definitely recommend that this candidate progress to the status of Barudii Warrior,' said Wynn with a delighted grin.
Kale smiled noticeably from his downcast face and cast a gleeful look back to his friend Emil at his own father's side. Tiet laid his hand on Kale's shoulder.
'Son, I'm very proud of you. Don't think you'll be perfect and never make a mistake. Mistakes are to be learned from; you'll always be my son and I'll never stop loving you.'
Kale grinned openly then hugged his father as hard as he could, which Tiet noticed was pretty hard. His boy was no longer a boy, at least not by Barudii standards; he was now setting out as a man.
'Well, Mirah are you sure you still want to put up with Emil for a week?' asked Grod.
'Of course! We're just beginning to celebrate. How could Kale ever enjoy it without Emil around?'
The two young men grinned at each other again.
'You two go on ahead and get Emil's things. We'll meet you at the transport.'
'Yes, Mother.'
Emil looked to Grod who nodded his approval, then he went off with Kale to the boy's quarters to fetch his things. This was a time of celebration; it was customary for the boys to go out on their own for an outing after the trials were passed, and they were eager to get going. They were planning another surprise upon their return and they needed just a little more time for their final preparations before unveiling it.
XVI
THERE was no need to chime the door when Lucin arrived, in Estall's form, at the Councilman's home; he was already waiting for him. Licoure opened the door and allowed him in. No need for introductions, they knew each other all too well. Licoure was already a part of Lucin's assimilated slaves.
'You have it, then?' asked Licoure as he motioned to the object Lucin was carrying wrapped in a black cloth.
'Of course, Councilman. After all, I'm a friend of the family and trusted,' Lucin said deviously through his form as the human Estall.
'Then let's proceed.'
Lucin removed the cloth to reveal a Barudii blade of particular ownership.
'This action should provide enough doubt among the Castillians and Horva to allow us to remove Tiet from the equation and gain the boy,' said Lucin.
'The boy is most valuable. He will provide a fitting body for you, master.'
Lucin nodded and then raised the blade to set his mark and drove it straight into the chest of the councilman. The Vorn man jerked and cried out from the pain, then fell dead to the floor; his life blood pouring through the wound and out on to the floor around his body. Lucin left the blade inside the man and walked back out the door.
There were no guards present at the time. Licoure had given them some time off, telling them he had a meeting planned with the King. Everything was progressing perfectly and soon he would have the boy and complete conquest of this planet would be his.
TIET didn't even bother to return home after the trials at Nagon-Toth. He had a little time to shop in Baeth Periege at the downtown district before getting to his meeting with Licoure. The councilman probably wanted to threaten him again concerning his willingness to keep associations with the Horva. Doubtless the councilman was aware of the trials having been held at Grod's compound and was fuming about it.
He left his transport in the basement garage of the tower complex where Licoure had his residence and ascended in the lift to the councilman's private floor. When the lift doors opened Tiet was met by armed Vorn soldiers.
'So you've returned to the scene of the crime! Guard him, men,' said Councilman Teman.
The soldiers trained there weapons on the King.
'What's going on!?' asked Tiet urgently as the group of soldiers encircled him with looks of hatred on their faces. Men that he had trained and fought with suddenly looked like they would enjoy pulling the trigger on him.
'You have killed the chairmen of the high council and you dare to come back here and feign ignorance? Maybe you've returned for this!' said Teman as he pointed back to Estall who was behind him holding a very familiar item; his own father's Barudii blade. The weapon was covered in the coagulated blood of Licoure. Tiet couldn't believe what he was seeing.
'Was the councilman's request of you so harsh that you had to kill him?' asked Estall with astonishment on his face.
'Surely you don't think I did this!'
But the look on his face was not reassuring.
'It is your blade and you were scheduled for a meeting with the councilman today, which you're an hour late for…'
'I'm not late; the meeting was set to begin in another ten minutes.'
'Not according to Licoure's schedule!' said Estall. 'Do you happen to have a transcript of the message Licoure sent to you concerning your meeting?'
'No, why would I bother to-'
'Perhaps you would have us believe the chairman gave you a different time and then he conveniently crept into your secure residence and stole your own weapon so that he could creep back here and drive it through his own chest to kill himself!' said Councilman Teman with as much malice in his tone as he could muster.
'Councilman, honestly I don't know what's going on here, please just allow me to prove my innocence.'
'You may do that in our court of law; that is, if you are willing to surrender yourself to our authority?'
Tiet was about to answer when Estall interrupted. 'I'm sure, Councilman, that the king would be all too willing to cooperate in this matter-after all, an innocent man has nothing to fear from the law.'
It wasn't exactly what he was thinking to say, especially with public Vorn opinion going against his leadership right now. He might very well end up as a scapegoat in such a situation, and who but the Castillians would oppose it with a Vorn councilman dead and Tiet's own blade apparently the murder weapon. But with Estall and Teman staring at him waiting for his response, what else could he do?
If he resisted, he would only worsen his public image by putting himself above the law and with these armed soldiers around it would be a fight to leave anyway. He could probably get away from them, even unarmed, but at what cost? Civil war would certainly erupt and it would only be the grace of God that would prevent it now anyway. 'Of course I will comply with the law, Councilman; I only ask a fair hearing.'
'You will have what the law provides, as with any other suspect. Men, arrest this man.'
Two of the armed Vorn men moved to place restraints on him while the others stood their ground with their rifles still trained on him. Tiet did not offer any resistance to their efforts. Lucin, in the form of Estall, watched without suspicion as he was led away by the soldiers.
A secure facility was already awaiting his arrival. Lucin had taken great care to see that every possible measure was in place to secure him. He looked at Teman as Tiet was escorted off of the floor by way of the lift.
Teman was not of his mind, at least not yet. But he was a willing participant nonetheless; even if he didn't realize that the prisoner was actually innocent of the crime. He was all too ready to believe that the king was capable of such a crime and was poised to make the most of the entire situation.
'I suppose you will need to assume control of the council in Licoure's absence, Sir,' suggested Lucin with devious intent.
'It's unfortunate that this has all happened, but I'm ready to do my duty to the Council as the alternate for
