Blood of the Fold

"Each of you will send a small delegation to your homeland to convey my message as I have told it to you today. Don't think to try my patience; delay could cost you everything. And do not think to wile me out of special conditions — there win be none. Each land, whether large or small, will be treated the same, and must surrender. If you choose to surrender, we welcome you with open arms, and expect you to contribute to the whole." He looked to the balconies. "You, too, have been charged with a responsibility: contribute to our survival, or leave the city.

"I am not pretending it will be easy; we stand against a foe without conscience. The creatures on the poles outside were sent against us. Consider their fate, while you think on my words.

"If you choose to join with the Imperial Order, then I pray the spirits will be kinder to you in the afterlife than I will be in this.

"You may go."

CHAPTER 13

The guards crossed their pikes before the door. "Lord Rahl wishes to speak with you."

None of the other guests remained in the room; Brogan had held back to the last in order to see if any would seek a private audience with Lord Rahl. Most had left in great haste, but a few had lingered, as Brogan had thought they would. Their polite inquires were turned away by the guards. The balconies, too, had been emptied.

Brogan and Galtero, with Lunetta between, crossed the expanse of marble to the dais, accompanied by their footsteps echoing around the dome, along with the metallic clatter of the armor from the guards behind them. Lamplight cast a warm glow in the immense, ornate, stone room. Lord Rahl leaned back in the chair to the side of the Mother Confessor's chair and watched them come.

Most of the D'Haran soldiers had been dismissed, along with the guests. General Reibisch stood to the side of the dais, his face grim. The two huge guards to the ends, and the three Mord-Sith beside Lord Rahl watched, too, with the silent intensity of coiled vipers. The gar towered behind the chairs, watching with glowing green eyes as they came to a halt before the desk.

"You may go," General Reibisch said to the remaining soldiers. After clapping a fist to their hearts, they departed. After Lord Rahl had watched the tall double doors close, he looked to Galtero, Brogan, and then let his gaze settle on Lunetta.

"Welcome. I am Richard. What is your name?"

"Lunetta, Lord Rahl." She giggled as she performed an unpracticed curtsy.

Lord Rahl's gaze shifted to Galtero, and Galtero shifted his weight to his other foot. "I apologize, Lord Rahl, for nearly trampling you, today."

"Apology accepted." Lord Rahl smiled to himself. "See how easy that was?"

Galtero said nothing. Lord Rahl at last looked to Brogan, his expression turning serious.

"Lord General Brogan, I want to know why you have been abducting people."

Tobias spread his hands. "Abducting people? Lord Rahl, we have done no such thing, nor would we."

"I doubt you are a man who tolerates evasive answers, General Brogan. We have that in common."

Tobias cleared his throat. "Lord Rahl, there must be some misunderstanding. When we arrived here in Aydindril in order to offer our assistance to the cause of peace, we found the city be in disarray and matters of authority in a state of confusion. We invited a few people to our palace in order to help determine what dangers be about, nothing more."

Lord Rahl leaned forward. "About the only thing you were interested in was the execution of the Mother Confessor. Why would that be?"

Tobias shrugged. "Lord Rahl, you must realize that my whole life the Mother Confessor be the figure of authority in the Midlands. To come to find she may have been executed disturbs me greatly."

“Nearly half the city witnessed the execution, and could have told you so. Why did you think it necessary to abduct people off the street to question them about it?"

"Well, people sometimes have different versions of events when asked separately — they remember events in different ways."

"An execution is an execution. What is there to remember differently?"

"Well, from across a square, how could you tell who it was being led to the block? Only a few people near the front could have seen her face, and many of those would not know the face as hers even if they did see it." Lord RahFs eyes weren't losing their dangerous set, so he quickly went on. "You see, Lord Rahl, I had been hoping that the whole thing might have been a deception."

"Deception? The people assembled saw the Mother Confessor beheaded," Lord Rahl stated flatly.

"Sometimes people see what they think they will see. It be my hope that they did not really see the Mother Confessor executed, but perhaps just a show so that she could escape. At least that be my hope. The Mother Confessor stands for peace. It would be a great symbol of hope for the people if the Mother Confessor were still alive. We need her. I was going to offer her my protection, if she be alive."

"Put the hope from your mind, and dedicate yourself to the future."