Chapter 3
The Prince's Word
AN 1215 (AZ 1452) - Late Spring
Castle Notos, Maximilion, Notos
For nine miserable months since his humiliating defeat at Iakobin, Carpos was made to live in the forest like some animal. As soon as his men left Hebertos, the cohort occupying Girondin sent men to retake the city. Apparently it was Rowland's plan all along to send the Prince away before there could be a confrontation. Carpos could not recall who had been named prefect of the cohort that took Girondin, but if he had been able to add that cohort to his own, he would have taken a full quarter of the Third Legion's manpower.
Two more cohorts were dispatched from Maximilion to secure Kordai and Babophos after the attack on Iakobin, leaving the Prince with no civilized place to go. He would have tried his luck at taking Kordai, but Rowland forbade it. Much as it vexed him, the Prince was in no position to fight both the Third Legion and the Alliance at the same time, so he buried his pride and waited until an opportunity presented itself.
He thought that a new offensive would begin shortly after the spring thaw, but it was very near summer when he finally received word of Rowland's latest plan. When Carpos heard the plan, it very nearly made all the months of waiting worthwhile.
The entire Promethean Alliance had come together for a grand play at the capital itself. With three cohorts deployed elsewhere in the country, the Third Legion's hold on Maximilion had never been weaker and with so many months having passed since the last major rebel attack, the men of the Legion would be idle and complacent. There was no better time to strike.
Carpos and his men had been given perhaps the most dangerous task, but so much greater would be their glory when they prevailed. He was to march his company right down the king's road in broad daylight, enter the palace through the Lion Gate and call on the Duke for an audience. If he was detained at any point along the way, manpower that was otherwise needed for defense would be too busy dealing with him, making the palace all the more vulnerable to the other groups launching their attack.
It was one thing for the garrison at Iakobin to be ignorant of the Prince's betrayal, but would Duke Cronos go so far to defend the reputation of the royal family that his closest men guarding the capital would be left knowing nothing? There was only one way to find out.
They entered the outskirts of the city shortly after dawn. Ten files across, their formation took up most of the road, Some of the citizens going about their daily business stopped to stare at Carpos and his men as they passed by, but many seemed to ignore them entirely, as if they did not even exist.
They passed through the outer wall with no difficulty, but it was through the inner wall that they entered into the palace grounds. That was where the true test lay.
As they approached the Lion Gate, the buccinae sounded to announce them. Patrocles rode a little ahead and shouted to the men manning the gate, "Open your gates! Make way for His Highness the Prince!"
Without hesitation, the order was called, "Open the gates!"
The Prince was surprised how quickly the order was given. Even under normal circumstances, they were not normally so quick with the gates. Could it be that the Duke was expecting him? Was it all a trap? Was Rowland's entire plan betrayed?
Everything would fall apart if he succumbed to his fears. His honor guard could match the cohort garrisoning the city easily enough, even if they took up advantageous positions throughout the palace. The rebels would have known if the rest of the legion had been recalled, so there no risk of the Duke overwhelming them. There was still a good chance the Duke's men were left ignorant of the truth. He chose to bet on that.
As the the Prince and his van passed through the gate, they were met by a centurion, apparently the centurion of the watch. He hurried up to the side of the road and saluted Carpos.
"Hail Zephyr! Hail His Highness!"
Carpos gave him a disinterested wave to acknowledge his salute.
The centurion bowed and said, "Forgive this most unworthy welcome, Your Highness. We were not told of your coming. In truth, I did not know that Your Highness returned to Zephyr."
"I never left," the Prince replied.
"Indeed so, Your Highness?"
Perhaps it would have been better not to say that, but Carpos moved the conversation along, saying, "I would speak with the Duke."
"Of course, Your Highness. By your leave, please follow me."
The centurion came to an immediate halt when the rest of the honor guard moved to march through the gate.
Turning to the Prince, he said, "Forgive me, Your Highness, but but the whole of your company cannot pass. By order of the Duke, no large party may enter beyond the forecourt except by his express leave."
"You would presume to order me?" the Prince asked sharply.
"Not at all, Your Highness," the centurion replied nervously, "but I cannot disobey the Duke. Your Highness may bring a retinue of ten men for your protection."
"I shall bring twenty, plus ten more to wait outside the throne room"
"As you say, Your Highness."
Carpos decided not to press the centurion any further. Twenty of his men in the throne room would be more than enough to deal with any challenge they might face. The remaining ten had another task.
He turned to Patrocles and said, "Patrocles, select twelve Bodyguards and eight other choice men to accompany us. Also select a centurion and nine men to escort the Eastman when he arrives at the Eagle Gate."
"Yes, Your Highness," Patrocles replied.
"Place Sir Sappheiros in charge of the men who remain. Tell them to be at the ready."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Patrocles promptly selected twelve of Carpos' best Bodyguards, four Equestrians, two battlemages, and two archers. They would serve the Prince well if the Duke planned any treachery. The men formed a defensive column around the Prince and then followed the centurion into the throne room.
Twelve guards lined the way to the throne, six to the left and six to the right. They stood straight and solid as if their backbones were iron rods. They did not speak and their eyes never strayed, as well-disciplined as throne room guards ought to be.
Though Carpos could barely see the centurion past his Bodyguards, he did catch a glimpse of the man bowing as he said, "Lord Eustathios will be with you shortly, Your Highness. By your leave."
With the centurion gone, Carpos stepped forward, saying, "Patrocles, make way."
Patrocles stepped aside, leaving the way to the throne open. Carpos went forward, going up the dais and sitting upon the throne of the old Kings of Notos.
"Your Highness," Patrocles said uncertainly but nothing more.
The guards continued their silent vigil as Patrocles signaled for the Prince's retinue to post themselves around the dais. When that was done, Carpos motioned for Patrocles to come up and stand by his side.
In a hushed tone, Patrocles asked the Prince, "Are you not playing your hand too early, Your Highness?"
"The masquerade cannot last much longer, Patrocles," the Prince replied. "We have little left to hide at this point."
"As you say, Your Highness."
That was enough to quiet Patrocles for the time being. After a short while, a tribune who could only be Lord Eustathios appeared with an adjutant in tow.
Rather than observe the proper forms, upon seeing the Prince, Lord Eustathios blurted out, "Your Highness, what are you—?"
"Mind your place, my lord," Patrocles interrupted him.
A flustered Lord Eustathios straightened himself up and saluted.
"H, hail Zephyr!"
"Hail Zephyr," Carpos replied lazily.
Looking half-panicked, Lord Eustathios approached the throne, saying, "Your Highness, out of respect for the Notians, we do not allow any to sit upon the throne of the old kings." He gestured to the smaller throne on the lower level of the dais. "Please, Your Highness, descend. You may take the Duke's seat. Surely he would extend such courtesy to you."
"You would ask a prince royal to take a duke's seat?" Carpos asked pointedly.
"I beg Your Highness' understanding," Lord Eustathios said. "Tensions with the Notians are great enough as it is. We little need an incident to further incite the people against us. There is but a single cohort defending the capital. If an offense like this sparked a riot, we would be hard-pressed to put it down and it would give the rebels one more arrow in their quiver."
Peril was much closer than he realized. The thought amused the Prince, but like a cat with a mouse, he wanted to toy with his prey a while longer.
"You are a bold one to lecture me, Lord Eustathios," he said. "Is not my place on the throne?"
Though ill at ease, Lord Eustathios replied firmly, "One day, Your Highness. In Zephyr. But not today, not here."
Carpos ran his hand along the arm of the throne and said, "Perhaps I shall take this throne for my own."
"Your Highness?"
The time had come to make the offer. Would Lord Eustathios prove to be a man of good sense? Carpos had his doubts, but it was worth trying.
"Tell me, Lord Eustathios," the Prince said, "would it be easier to hold this city with two cohorts instead of one?"
"Of course two cohorts are better than one, Your Highness, but what do you speak of?"
"I speak of my own men."
"Your Highness' honor guard would aid us with the security of the capital?"
"Of my capital," Carpos corrected. "Until I lay claim to Hesperia."
The realization was dawning on Lord Eustathios, but like so many others, he refused to believe the plain words being spoken to him.
"What is Your Highness saying?"
"I am saying that I will claim Notos to whet my appetite until I can feast upon the main course."
The muscles in Lord Eustathios' jaw noticeably tightened. He was coming to appreciate the meaning of Carpos' words, but even now he could not accept it.
"His Majesty may be advanced in years," he said in a tightly restrained voice, "but I daresay Your Highness sounds overeager for that tragic day to come."
"Tragic?" the Prince balked. "Tragic would be the fate of our armies and our people if my father is allowed to go forward with his mad scheme to invade the Darklands. His dying could be the greatest service he has ever done for my kingdom."
"Your Highness speaks dangerously," Lord Eustathios warned. "Though you be of royal blood, even a prince must pay His Majesty all due honor."
"There is little honor due that old fool," the Prince sneered.
"Your Highness, these insults cannot go unanswered!"
Lord Eustathios was becoming too bold for his own good. He was already lost, like as not, but Carpos would test him further before passing sentence.
He asked Eustathios, "And which insults the dignity of the Crown more: my words or your shameless actions toward your rightful king?"
"My rightful king is Solon," Lord Eustathios declared, "not Carpos. If Your Highness thinks that he can take what is not given to him, he will answer to me... and to all leal subjects of His Majesty the King."
Lord Eustathios drew his sword. It was the last mistake he would ever make.
Without raising his voice, the Prince said, "I hope you realize that turning your sword against your king cannot be forgiven, but there is some mercy for you yet. Arrest the Duke, surrender the garrison to me and when all that is accomplished, fall on that sword. Do so and they lives of your men and your family back in Zephyr will be spared. Refuse and they will all die."
Lord Eustathios did not abide by the Prince's terms. Instead he held his sword aloft and shouted, "Guards! Prince Carpos has spoken treason against the King! Detain him and all his men with him!"
Carpos laughed. The guards were outnumbered two-to-one and could not possibly hope to challenge the Prince's hand-picked men. He decided to make them an alternative proposal.
"Detain Lord Eustathios if you do not wish to share his fate, men. Do so and you will be seen as friends to your Prince and your lives will be spared. Do the same to the Duke when he arrives and I will make each of you knights."
Eustathios himself pointed to Carpos and his men and shouted, "These are traitors! Do not be fooled by them! Do not be frightened by them! For Zephyr!"
"For Zephyr!" several of the guards shouted in reply, but some of them instead shouted, "For Carpos!"
With their ranks divided the guards turned on each other.
Outraged, Lord Eustathios shouted back at the dissenters, "What are you saying!? You would join in this treason!? Remember your oaths!"
One of the bolder of the dissenters replied, "I'll throw in my lot with His Highness, milord. I'll not die like a dog fighting Notians here or devils off in the Darklands."
"Kyrillos, you dog!" one of his fellow guards spat. "Traitor!"
Kyrillos, eyeing two of his former comrades to his left and right, said, "You think we can best Royal Bodyguards? The rest of his honor guard isn't far behind. Do you really wanna die here, Ioannis?"
"Better to die faithful than to live a traitor."
"Then you're about to get your wish."
"Not before I see you dead first."
The guard Ioannis charged forward at Kyrillos. Carpos raised his hand to prevent his own men from interfering. Kyrillos managed to parry the thrust of Ioannis' spear and scored a glancing blow off the rival guard's chestplate. Ioannis responded with a broad swipe, the tip of his spear opening up a gash in Kyrillos' neck. Blood spurted out of the wound. Kyrillos clutched at it in a vain attempt to staunch the bleeding, staggering back into a nearby pillar.
Ioannis' victory was short-lived, though, as another guard who had declared for Carpos drove his spear into Ioannis' side. The rest of the guards then fell on each other in a fierce melee. Carpos' Bodyguards promptly formed two ranks to shield the Prince lest any make an attempt on the throne.
Lord Eustathios, realizing he had lost any control over the situation, turned to flee. One of Carpos' archers caught him with an arrow to the shoulder while the two Equestrians moved to seize him. Eustathios' adjutant managed to run through one of the Equestrians who was careless enough to ignore him, but the archer finished the adjutant off with an arrow to the neck.
The surviving Equestrian paid no heed to his fallen comrade and dragged the wounded Eustathios over to the throne as the guards' melee was coming to an end. Three of the original twelve were left standing. Not that Carpos was paying that close of attention, but they did not seem to be the ones who declared for him. Nevertheless, he was ever-merciful.
"You have fought well, men," he said. "And for that I will give you one last chance to swear yourselves to me."
The arrow had apparent gone deeper than expected, because Lord Eustathios already looked ashen. He coughed up a little blood before looking back to the guards and saying once more, "For Zephyr..."
The guards looked at each other and appeared to come to some accord.
"For Zephyr!" they shouted, charging forward with their spears.
It was a vain final display of defiance. Carpos' Bodyguards readied themselves as the guards rushed the dais. The three common guards should have been easily finished off, but one Bodyguard took a spear to the gut and another was struck in the eye when the thrust overshot the first rank and went into the second. The three guards and Lord Eustathios were all dead and the two stricken Bodyguards were making a shameful display, screaming and blubbering in a manner quite unfit for their station.
"Silence them," Carpos said.
"But, Your Highness..."
"I said silence them."
Patrocles was too tender-hearted, but among the Bodyguards, there were men who would obey Carpos without question and they made a swift end of their two wounded comrades. They were even considerate enough to ensure none of the blood sullied the Prince.
The bodies were thrown down with the rest. The throne room was in quite a state, but it would deliver a clear message to Duke Cronos when he arrived.
"Ready yourselves, men," Carpos said. "We have one more guest to entertain this day."