Seeds of Betrayal

Chapter One Bistari, Aneira, year 879, Bian's Moon waning The duke rode slowly among the trees, dry leaves crackling like a winter blaze beneath the hooves of his Sanbiri bay. Massive grey trunks surrounded him, resembling some vast army sent forth from the Underrealm by the Deceiver, their bare, skeletal limbs reaching toward a leaden sky. A few leaves rustling in a cold wind still clung stubbornly to the twisting branches overhead. Most were as curled and brown as those that covered the path, but a few held fast to the brilliant gold that had colored the Great Forest only a half turn before. Even here, nearly a league from Bistari, Chago could smell brine in the air and hear the faint cry of gulls riding another frigid gust of wind. He pulled his riding cloak tighter around his shoulders and rubbed his gloved hands together, trying to warm them. This was no day for a hunt. He almost considered returning to the warmth of his castle. He would have, had he not been waiting for his first minister to join him. This hunt had been Peshkal's idea in the first place, and they were to meet here, on the western fringe of the Great Forest. "A hunt will do you good, my lord," the minister had told him that morning. "This matter with the king has been troubling you for too long." At first Chago dismissed the idea. He was awaiting word from the dukes of Noltierre, Kett, and Tounstrel, and he still had messages to compose to Dantrielle and Orvinti. But as the morning wore on with no messengers arriving, and his mind began to cloud once more with his rage at what Carden had done, he reconsidered. Kebb's Moon, the traditional turn for hunting, had come and gone, and the duke had not ridden forth into the wood even once. More than half of Bian's Moon was now gone. Soon the snows would begin and Chago would have to put away his bow for another year. He had the cold turns to fight Carden on his wharfages and lightering fees.Today, he decided, pushing back from his worktable and the papers piled there,I'm going to hunt. When Peshkal entered the duke's quarters and found him testing the tension of his bow, he seemed genuinely pleased, so much so that the Qirsi even offered to accompany Chago. "Thank you, Peshkal," Chago said, grinning. "But I know how you feel about hunting. I'll take my son." "Lord Silbron is riding today, my lord, with the master of arms and your stablemaster." "Of course. I'd forgotten." The duke hesitated a moment, gazing toward the window. Moments before he hadn't been sure whether or not to go, but having made up his mind to ride, he was reluctant now to abandon his plans. "Then I'll hunt alone." Peshkal's pale features turned grave and he shook his head. "That wouldn't be wise, my lord. There have been reports from your guards of brigands in the wood. Let me come with you. I have business in the city, but I'll meet you on the edge of the wood just after midday." The Qirsi forced a smile. "It will be my pleasure." Still Chago hesitated. As white-hairs went, Peshkal was reasonably good company. But like so many of the Eandi, the duke found all men of the pale sorcerer race somewhat strange. If the object of this hunt was to calm him, riding with the first minister made little sense. Then again, neither would it be wise for him to ride alo≠ he'd heard talk of the brigands as well. In the end, Chago agreed to meet Peshkal in the wood, and a short time later, he rode forth from his castle, following the king's road away from the dark roiling waters of the Scabbard Inlet toward the ghostly grey of tCoe, David B. is the author of 'Seeds of Betrayal', published 2004 under ISBN 9780812589986 and ISBN 081258998X.