LateNightHacking Louis My Writing

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A full moon rode high in the sky, casting its silvery light over the bustle of the nocturnal city below. It reflected off the waters of the river, shining into the eyes of the sweating stevedores who were unloading cargo along the docks. A broad cobbled road lead from the docks through the city. It was the main thoroughfare, and it roughly divided the city in half. All along it were shops where the bakers, the butchers, the weavers, the carpenters, and the blacksmiths all labored away at their own nightly tasks. One section had become a de-facto public market, where farmers had come to peddle their produce and housewives had come to buy it. Blue sashed police clucked their tongues at the pranks of youngsters and rousted dirty furred drunkards from the doorways in which they slumped. On one side of the city, grand mansions sat in their expansive grounds. On the other side were the sweat shops, the tenements, and the taverns. The road passed though it all, and didn’t stop until it reached the large park that marked the far end of the city.

A large wrought-iron arch stood where the cobbled roadway turned into a footpath and then continued to wind though the acreage of the park. Under the arch stood one of the inhabitants of the city. He was a stocky figure, somewhat short but broad shouldered. His fur was ivory white, with patches of brown that looked like shoulder guards. Attached to his belt was a scabbard containing a short sword. Tail swishing, round ears laid back, he scowled fiercely at his surroundings. He shook a fist at the sky and bellowed at the indifferent city spread out below him.

"Damn it, Faehlyn Shelia Fanwreth, where the HELL are you?"

Gaeldow fumed. He had been searching for his charge for the last week, and still had no idea where she was. Blast! Of all the times for that willful child to run off! This was not just a silly prank this time. She liked to make his job harder, confound that child, but this time her life was truly in peril.

This was embarrassing for him. He had lost track of the one he was sworn to protect! He, Gaeldow, had been entrusted with maintaining the safety and security of the daughter of the Third House of Kaju. What was the use of a consheuter that allowed his charge out of his sight? Gaeldow had sworn upon his sacred honor that so long as there was breath in his body he would guard her from all harm. Now she was lost! His failure brought shame on his name and on his house. That was not what galled Gaeldow the most, however. He truly cared for the child. His anger at himself for his laxness drove him more that any public stigma could have.

It was an entire week since the infernal messenger had come. He wore a black hooded cloak, the color of death, which hid his features. He boldly announced that that he had a message of grave importance that he would only give into the hand of the Kaedo of the Third House. He refused to give the folded piece of paper to anyone else. He was questioned, but his manner was cold and he refused to say anything more.

Kaedo Fanwreth was notified and he decided to see the courier in his office. The Kaedo’s son Darten and the Kaedo’s chief aid were there, as they had been in a meeting. Gaeldow followed the mysterious courier into the room in order to keep an eye on him. After chewing out the stoic messenger, the Kaedo took the message. The black cloaked figure stalked out of the room without waiting to be dismissed. Kaedo Fanwreth frowned at this extremely disrespectful behavior, but chose to ignore it. He turned his attention to message in his hand. The wax seal was not stamped, adding another layer of sinister anonymity to the message. Braking the wax, he unfolded the paper.

Gaeldow watched as Kaedo Fanwreth read the message. It took but a moment. The expression on the Kaedo’s face when he finished was one of anger. Anger and fear. Gaeldow became worried.

The Kaedo had then demanded to know where his daughter was. The consheuter was forced to admit that he wasn’t certain. She was being rebellious and had been hiding from him since noon-meal.

The Kaedo of the Third House was known throughout the King’s court for his self control and level-headedness. Now, however, he was literally quivering with fury, and his snowy white pelt took on an orange hue. "FIND MY DAUGHTER!" screamed Kaedo Fanwreth.

Gaeldow dropped to one knee and bowed his head. "Immediately."

The entire house was searched from top to bottom: the wine cellars, the pantries, the kitchens, the dining halls, the offices, the dens, the bedrooms, the drawing rooms, the attics. Someone was even sent up onto the roof. The gardens were scoured, the flower beds searched, the grounds swept. Faehlyn could not be found. The consheuter began questioning the staff. No one had seen her. No one knew where she was. No one could think of any places that hadn’t been checked.

Finally, the Master at the Gate had admitted that he had let her pass though shortly after noon-meal. Gaeldow literally dragged the poor fellow into the Kaedo’s office. The Kaedo had regained his composure, but now Gaeldow was furious. Damn that incompetent bastard! How could he have let her off the grounds without accompaniment? Without even asking her where she was going? Gaeldow had wanted to wring that idiot’s scrawny little neck, but Kaedo Fanwreth had intervened. The Master at the Gate was lucky the Kaedo had forbidden Gaeldow to harm him, or that fig brained imbecile would have found it hard to breath with his tail jammed down his throat.

"Gaeldow, please show this man out of the room. We must talk to you in private," said the Kaedo. Gaeldow was only too happy to oblige, and the Master at the Gate was propelled through the door with his feet only barely touching the ground.

"Here. Read this." Kaedo Fanwreth handed the message to the consheuter. Gaeldow looked at it. It consisted of only one line:

"If you accept the kingship, you will never see your daughter alive again."

Gaeldow’s blood turned to ice as the devastating significance of the neatly scribed words hit him. Outwardly, the stern consheuter just stiffened and handed the paper back.

"You know that our King has just died from his illness. The Kaedo of the Second House will soon assume the throne," said Kaedo Fanwreth.

Gaeldow nodded - of course he knew. How could anyone not know? The King had come down with a debilitating illness about a month ago, and his condition had been steadily getting worse. Everyone mourned the King’s passing, and the entire city had turned out for the King’s funeral procession only a few days ago. The King had been the last royal member of the First House of Kaju. With his death, the First House would become a Minor House once again. The Second House would be the new First House and the Kaedo of the Second House would be King of Kaju. This followed the traditions as set down in the old laws.

Darten, the Kaedo’s son, spoke up next. "What you don’t know is that the Kaedo of the Second House has chosen not to become King, but instead to pass the crown onward."

Gaeldow frowned. This was surprising news. Although the old laws permitted this, who would give up the kingship and the chance to advance one’s House? Such a chance only occurred once every few generations, and the fall of one of the Major houses was something for the history books.

"Why?" asked Gaeldow.

"The Kaedo refuses to say. The public announcement will be in three more days," answered Kaedo Fanwreth.

"I think I know who this message is from," said Darten, who glanced at his father. The Kaedo nodded for him to continue. "Think Gaeldow, who stands to gain if the Third House does not accept the kingship?"

"The Fourth House...?"

"Exactly!" confirmed Darten. "The Fourth House gained its current rank under rather suspicious circumstances just twenty years ago. Their Kaedo’s lust for power is well known. It has been kept secret a from the public, but the King’s death was rather suspicious as well."

The Kaedo nodded again in confirmation.

"What sheer audacity! To make a play for the kingship from the fourth rank!" exclaimed Darten.

"Blackmail, treachery, and murder. If the Kaedo of the Fourth House becomes King, I fear the worst," Kaedo Fanwreth muttered darkly. "Once he gains the kingship, there will be no way to stop him."

"Father, you must take the kingship!"

The Kaedo looked pained as he debated with himself. Finally, he pounded a fist on the desk. "No! My children are the most important thing in my life. The Fourth Kaedo’s lust for power may be sated once he becomes King. I will not take the kingship while there is a chance that she may still be alive."

"Father, there is a chance," said Darten with sudden excitement. "If the Master at the Gate is telling the truth, maybe there is a chance!"

"Explain yourself," growled Kaedo Fanwreth.

"The Master at the Gate said that Faehlyn left by herself. If she left on her own, then she hadn’t been kidnapped," explained Darten. "If my own family can’t find my little sister, her would-be kidnappers have probably failed as well."

"That would put the Fourth House in desperate straights," mused Kaedo Fanwreth. "If they can’t prove to me that Faehlyn is alive and in their custody, there’s nothing that would prevent me from assuming the kingship and disbanding their house for threatening my family. And if she is dead..." the Kaedo trailed off ominously.

"We just have to find Faehlyn first!" announce Darten.

The eyes of father and son turned back to Gaeldow, who was still standing silently.

"I know your heart, Gaeldow Venteg. You feel her loss as much a I do," said Kaedo Fanwreth softly. "Go. Find my beloved daughter and bring her back safely to me."

"On my sacred honor and my oath as consheuter, I swear it will be done."