Under the King's Assignment - Part 1

The clopping of the horses' hooves echoed on the empty road. With no one riding at this hour there was nothing but a vast sea of darkness and the occasional cluster of barns for the many farms the stagecoach passed. Silence was the theme of the ride and it only felt heavier as time passed. Silas gave no sign of having personal stake in it all so he simply rested his head after the first hour went by.

Emery’s eyes were wide open as he counted the passing rocks on the dirt road. He’d lose track around fifty each time and simply start over. At a certain point he too rested his head, but the coach rode over one of the rocks he was previously counting and shook both him and Silas back awake.

“Wow, that was quite a rattle for a rock to cause.”

Silas yawned as he massaged his closed eyes. He looked out the window and it was still nothing but darkness.

“I think I’ll carry on with resting.”

Emery slid over on his side and was directly across from Silas now.

“I’m sure you’re tired, but I have to ask you some more questions.”

Silas leaned his head back and lifted his arm up to rest on the side of the coach.

“Why ask me at this hour?”

Emery leaned forward, burying his face in his hands.

“Because I’ve finally accepted that I won’t be able to help Mira by sulking in the corner.”

A slight smile expanded upon Silas’ face as he leaned more toward Emery.

“Well…the floor is yours.”

Emery immediately spat the first question that had lingered on his mind.

“Why did Brandon Hale enter what you called the Hush immediately after his death?”

Silas gave a small snort as he bounced his head and looked outside at a mass of gravestones.

“It's just as I said before. The Hush is a passage between the physical and the realm beyond. All beings enter this passage no matter what.”

Emery leaned against the arm rest and peered outside as well.

“But Brandon didn’t enter some solemn state of sleep, he rose from death like a man on a mission.”

Silas slowly turned his head toward Emery and waited. The silence caused him to face Silas. When their eyes met, Silas lowered his voice and spoke with a depth that sounded like a campfire tale.

“Brandon Hale’s awakening is not unheard of, but it is a very rare occurrence. I’ve only ever seen it once before. Thirty years ago, with my own father. I left him unpronounced at his own personal request and it was my own mistake to agree. When he rose I read him his death rites and he dropped to the ground in front of me.”

Emery lifted his hand over mouth in shock.

“I’m so sorry Silas. For you to experience the death of your father like that must have been difficult.”

Silas turned his head back outside to see the sun start rising. Emery stayed focused on the matter at hand.

“So we know now that this is not an entirely new experience. We know that they can be put down by reading their death rites. We even have an idea of why this is happening, these individuals haven’t had their rites read to them.”

Silas kept his face pointed out as the cold air rushed by. He navigated his eyes to follow what Emery continued talking about.

“What we’re missing is why this is suddenly happening at an increasing scale rather than once every thirty years. We’ve already had two documented experiences with Henry Marsh’s completely reconfigured body and Brandon Hale’s unfortunate death.”

Silas turned his head entirely and leaned on the palm of his hand as his elbow propped him up.

“There have been many other sightings like these across the frontiers. Soldiers talk and we Wagoneers hear it all.”

Emery looked in Silas’ general direction to notice the sun rising quickly.

“That’s quite likely true. The most contained situation was Brandon’s unfortunate death, but if we go to the council and claim that the method to stopping the Unpronounced is simply to read them their death rites, they might laugh at us.”

Silas adjusted his position and sat upright as the stagecoach began rolling on cobblestone. They had reached the middle province. Emery scooted to the right to sit diagonally from Silas.

“It’s the strongest argument we have to prevent them from panicking though. It provides a solution to the immediate problem even if it doesn’t solve the whole thing.”

Emery stuck his head out the coach and yelled to the driver.

“How much time is left until we reach the center province?”

The driver looked over his shoulder and shouted back.

“At least a couple more hours.”

Emery groaned at the answer before responding.

“Well, step it up! We only have a few hours before the council meeting.”

Emery leaned his head against the coach’s wall and closed his eyes.

“Silas, wake me when we get to the center. I need to speak with Sebastian Bancroft.”

After a few minutes he lulled off to sleep as the stagecoach took them the rest of the way.

The stagecoach arrived in front of the grand hall half an hour until noon. The driver pulled on the reins to bring them to a stop and their loud whinnying caught Emery’s ear. He shook in his seat, nearly falling off and a little drool had started to spill from the right side of his mouth.

Emery opened the coach and stepped out into the street. He held the door open as Silas followed him out. Emery stretched his arms wide before hearing his name being shouted.

“Emery! Emery Hartwell!”

The medic looked around and noticed a man dressed in purple and gold robes shouting from behind a pair of guards.

“Silas, grab your bag and meet me by the guards.”

Emery made his way over to the entrance of the hall, stopping in front of the guards.

“Sebastian! I hope I’m not too late.”

The politician shouted from the other side.

“No, you’re not too late, but you damn near gave me a heart attack with how close you’re cutting it this time. The meeting is in thirty minutes. We don't have much time for you to tell me everything.”

Emery pointed at a pub across the street, The King’s Brew. Silas walked up beside Emery.

“Meet us inside!”

Sebastian grinded his teeth as his blood boiled before finally stepping past the guards. He found a seat across the two of them at a table in the corner of the room.

“Why are we here Emery, who is this man, and you better talk quickly because we don’t have time to waste.”

Emery lifted his hands up for a moment, closed his eyes, took a deep breath and let it out. Everyone at the table seemed just a little more relaxed.

“Before I tell you anything at all, I need you to guarantee me a favor.”

The urgency on Bancroft’s face changed from arched eyebrows and wide eyes to a squint and slight frown.

“What is it Hartwell, we don’t have time for games, so just spit it out.”

Emery leaned back, but maintained composure.

“There’s a girl who was just detained last night in the outermost province. Mira Callen.”

Sebastian pressed his hand to his face then whispered among the bar.

“Emery the kingdom is at risk right now, the council is on the verge of making a ruling on how to approach this, and you want me to solve your women troubles?”

Emery placed his hands on the table and lifted himself forward only inches away from Sebastian.

“This girl is the reason I have the information you need. The timeframe you gave me to make it to the northern front and back was near impossible. Mira is the only reason I was able to get there as fast as I did.”

Sebastian leaned back a little in his chair and thought for a moment. His hand on his chin, tapping his cheek and eyes looking upward.

“Mira Callen…why does that name sound so familiar?”

Emery tilted his head down and averted his eyes.

“She has a royal warrant...”

Sebastian's eyes grew wider as he recollected the memory.

“The fulgomancer? How could you possibly expect me to do anything about her being detained? She’s been wanted for years now.”

Emery looked up and into Sebastian’s eyes.

“I don’t care how. Call in favors, talk to your contacts. You’re an influential politician here! There has to be a way to get her warrant suspended, or at the very least suspend her trial and allow her to be on some sort of house arrest.”

Bancroft banged his fists on the table.

“Fine! I’ll figure something out. Now will you just tell me what I can present as a solution to the madness going on?”

Emery grinned and gestured at Silas who had acquired and finished half a pint through this conversation.

“This man is the presentation right here Sebastian. If you let me speak in your place I can set things up and Silas here will knock them down.”

Sebastian’s face went blank as he grew pale.

“You want me to let you two speak in my place…?”

He chuckled as he processed Emery’s request.

“You want to speak for me? I’m supposed to let a stranger, and a battlefield healer who is completely unfamiliar with the routines of a council meeting and the cut throat behaviorisms of modern politicians, speak on my behalf?”

All three of them turned their heads toward the window as they heard bells ringing outside.

“Based on the end of the hour, it sounds like that’s your only option.”