The House of Yeel

Chapter 14: A Plan





Jymoor emerged from the roveportal at Maristaple. Her face was grim. Yeel came along behind, letting her guide him to Aruscetar. They entered the king’s castle, which sat on a hill overlooking Maristaple. The outer gates of the huge castle were open, so they simply walked in among a few other citizens with business at the castle. Dozens of soldiers watched from the towers and walls above.

I doubt any army could break in there, she thought. But I suppose any fortress can only last so long in a siege situation. Once food and water run out…

They came to the front doors of the inner keep. The guards recognized the pair immediately and allowed them in.

“Where is Aruscetar? We’ve requested an emergency meeting,” said Jymoor.

“He should be in the audience chamber this time of day, unless he’s out inspecting the walls,” said the captain of the gate. “Go to the chamber and speak to the officials outside. They will probably grant you a session.”

Jymoor and Yeel headed inside.

“I’m the Crescent Knight,” Jymoor muttered to herself. “I can request a direct audience with the king and get it!”

She wandered a bit, choosing a few wrong turns. Yeel followed her patiently.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been here, and I haven’t visited the palace many times,” she explained.

“We could reason our way to it,” Yeel suggested happily.

“My memory will get us close with a bit of trial and error,” she countered. The two eventually arrived at the entrance of the audience chamber. A steward stood outside with four guards.

“We’ve been expecting you,” the steward said. “The return of the Crescent Knight, and with the Great Yeel.”

Something in his voice... a bit of skepticism, perhaps? The idiot.

“May we schedule a meeting with King Aruscetar?”

“He’s told me to put you at the front of the line when you show up. Since no one else is currently in audience with the king, I can show you in immediately.”

The steward went ahead to announce them.

“Such status! We merely arrive and get let in right away! I guarantee you I would not have warranted such attention before. Being the Crescent Knight is a wonderful thing.”

“That is all true,” Yeel said. “But remember you must master the armor’s mental effects or you may suffer from egomania.”

“I can control it,” Jymoor said.

“Exactly what someone under the influence of the armor would say,” Yeel observed.

“We can speak on this later, if I survive,” Jymoor said carefully.

“Ah! If you survive. Good, you still realize the potential for failure. That’s a good sign!”

Jymoor gave him a grim look. They walked into the throne room. A much smaller collection of lords and ladies were inside than when they last visited. Jymoor spotted Seer Yune among them.

The men and women with real power, Jymoor thought.

They turned as one to regard Jymoor and Yeel in the vast chamber. Jymoor didn’t feel nervous. The armor bolstered her confidence enough to face them openly. Still, she retained enough clarity to bow. Yeel did the same.

“Rise and speak,” Aruscetar commanded.

“I’ve returned at last from my mission to retrieve Yeel. We’d like to speak about coordinating a defense of the city.”

King Aruscetar turned his eyes to Yeel.

“What assurance do I have this is truly Yeel?”

“I found him at the Far Coast. He lives in a floating house…and I’ve seen him perform amazing feats. I’ve written of them.”

“I’ve seen nothing with my own eyes,” the king noted. He traded looks with Yune, who stood nearby.

Jymoor felt anger growing inside her.

He doesn’t believe me? I should smite him. She took a deep breath. The armor does make me arrogant.

“We can take you to see the house through Yeel’s magical doorway called the roveportal. Or, you can ask any of those who came back with us. They’ve seen the house, and they witnessed Yeel defeat a monster called Slevander.”

“I have heard stories,” King Aruscetar admitted. “But stories are stories. Can’t the Great Yeel provide me a display of his power right here?”

Jymoor nodded. She turned to Yeel.

“Prove you’re Yeel.”

“How?”

“Do something only Yeel could do,” Jymoor hissed.

“It would take time, reagents, planning—”

“What can you do quickly? Right now?”

Suddenly Jymoor stood talking to Aruscetar. She blinked.

“My king—” she started, then saw Aruscetar still at his throne. The king stood.

“I’m impressed,” King Aruscetar said. “Now please change into someone else. You’re alarming my guards. And you’re alarming me, to speak honestly.”

Yeel changed into a perfect copy of Jymoor. This time she smiled.

He is truly amazing.

“Now that the matter of your identity has been resolved, or at least, now that I accept that you are extraordinary, if not the Great Yeel, I hope that you can aid us against the invaders. If you can help us, I’ll be most grateful. All of Riken will be most grateful.”

“I can’t do much all by myself,” Yeel said. “I know a few clever tricks, and I’ve returned with many brave adventurers who can bolster your defense. But it will take more than that to save your city, I’m afraid.”

“Yet when you asked for audience, the steward said you had come to help,” Aruscetar noted.

“Yeel has allies in another world, reachable through his travel devices,” Jymoor said. “His allies can become our allies,” Jymoor explained.

“By allies you mean…kingdoms with armies?”

“Yes,” Jymoor said. “One army, anyway. Yeel knows another very powerful wizard called Vot. I mentioned her in passing before. She has assembled an army. However, they have enemies of their own. Like us, they’re readying their stand at a fortress called Ascara-home. Our proposal is that we stand together. Riken helps Yeel’s friends, called the Ascarans, then they will fight with us. Together, our armies can win two wars where separately they’d fall.”

“Impossible! The army can’t leave in such a time as this! Three great cities have already fallen. Our capital is next.”

“But by helping Ascara-home, you would gain Vot’s people as staunch allies. They would come to our aid in turn.”

“What if our army is destroyed in the fight for Ascara-home? Who will come back to defend the capital? What if we leave and the barbarians arrive while we’re marching off in some other world?”

“Timing is admittedly very critical here,” Yeel said. “But remember, as long as we have the roveportal deployed in Maristaple, we can return directly here. You must understand concentration of force? Our two armies combined will defeat the assault on Ascara-home taking less losses than if a smaller army opposed the Meridalae there.”

Aruscetar looked away from Yeel.

“Yes, the armies would be much stronger if combined. I will contemplate this,” Aruscetar said. “I can promise nothing.”

Jymoor opened her mouth to speak, but Yeel interrupted her.

“Thank you for your consideration, wise monarch,” Yeel said. He looked at Jymoor. He placed a thought directly into her brain without letting the others overhear. “Without the armor, I dare say you would not contemplate arguing with your king?”

Jymoor’s face turned red. The armor had made her bold, indeed! Before she had left on her mission, she was hard pressed to do anything but bow before the king. Now she wanted to argue against his order, to convince him with the fierceness of her spirit!

“Thank you for your consideration,” Jymoor echoed.

“One final note, if I may. This information is best kept secret. There are spies everywhere. Our enemies would prefer to block any plans of cooperation we might make.”

The king nodded. “Of course. I’m not an idiot.”

“I didn’t mean to imply that, I assure you. I spoke only to remind and to implore for further security measures.” Yeel watched the edges of Seer Yune’s mouth turn up ever so slightly.