Untitled: Novel Excerpt

The last section of this sample is an excerpt from a fantasy novel, as yet untitled, for a taste of something entirely different from Professor Armstrong.

Royal Court of Kesseial, Castle Aldtoer in central Kesseial, Late Autumn 1543 AD

The summer and fall passed in a strange way. The hollow terror of the sickness pervaded everything we did, even as the plague remained confined to the city. It wore at our tempers and by late fall, half the castle would have preferred for the plague to strike, simply to counter the forced sense of calm we held. There was little about those months that bore us happiness; the sickness spread rapidly throughout the country, and rampantly inside the city of Kesseial. My days were filled discussing relief efforts, funds, and the inevitable death counts with Temir and Ira and my nights with making the fine instruments that the physicians and magic weavers required. Dinizi worked alongside me, taking on more of the basic work as the demands became more complicated and spending most nights assisting her brother’s efforts to beseech the stars for information. We saw each other for only a few hours at mealtimes during those days but those hours were the brightest ones of the year and even they were filled with quiet dread of the certain eventuality. It was near winter when the disease finally reached the castle. It came as a surprise to us; not because we had thought we were to be spared, but rather because of the person it struck first. I was working on one of Lord Rahul’s instruments by lamplight sometime between two hours past the midnight bell and dawn when the door to my workroom was abruptly flung open. I looked up as my lamps flickered in the sudden gust and immediately moved to clasp the prince’s arm.

“What has happened, Ira?” “Sofey. It is Sofey.”

For a short instant of time, I was unsure of what he was trying to tell me; the truth came a mere second later. “It has begun, then.” the revelation seemed to release the tension that had been growing inside me. I felt a strange sense of relief, knowing that the waiting was over. He barely nodded. “Sofey is my daughter! I must see her; Eiden, you must make the servants understand.” “No Ira. You cannot be careless about this.” I shook my head. The princess was precious to her father, but he was precious to the Empire. “You mustn’t attend her sickbed.” “She is my daughter!” he cried, practically frantic with his impatience. “If this were Dinizi, you wouldn’t leave her side.” “I am not the crown prince, nor my father’s only son.” It was a harsh thing, but a necessary one. “You cannot risk falling ill; the empire cannot risk it. Trust that Lord Rahul will do everything in his power to heal her, and Temir will also. You know that.” “I want to be by her side; you must make them let me into the nursery.” He reached as if to strike me; I caught his wrist before the blow fell and let his hand drop back to his side. “I will not, Ira; I am your friend, but, no, for that reason I cannot allow you to throw your life in danger. You cannot risk this sickness. Lord Rahul will do everything in his power to save the princess. You must trust him.” I said it more coldly than I had intended but I could not let him throw his life after his daughter’s merely because he wished it. He glared at me; I believe he would have struck me but the knowledge that I was right stayed his hand. After a long moment, he nodded acceptance and sat heavily on the stool near my bench. “What you say is wise, Eiden; heartless, but wise. That is why I came to speak with you.” I frowned at that; I do not consider myself a wise person. Cold, perhaps, and analytical, but detachment does not make wisdom. “I doubt there is wisdom in my words that you did not already know; it merely needed saying.” Ira said nothing to that, nor for quite some time after. I continued my work, not entirely displeased that he had chosen to remain in my company. Dawn had broken by the time he chose to speak again.

“Would you take a morning ride with me, Eiden?” I set down the piece I had been filing and looked over at him. “Of course, Your Highness.” “Thank you, Eiden. I know you have much work to do.” It was the first time he hadn’t scolded me for calling him Highness. “It is no trouble; I could use the break.” I was weary of stooping over my bench night after night. Though keeping up with Rahul’s demand for instruments was important, I deemed that keeping the prince sane was equally so. I set my bench in order and reached for my cloak. The morning was cool, even for my northwestern blood. I pulled my hood up as we left the palace by the north gate and rode into the forest. The prince was quiet for some time, though I could feel his concern. His mare felt it too, and fidgeted under her rider’s hands. After the sun had fully risen, I finally broached the silence. “The dawn is bright, at least.” He nodded. “A good omen, perhaps.” He reined in his mount suddenly and turned to me. “Eiden, I feel so helpless. There is nothing I can do to save my people, or my daughter. You have the skills to help, Temir does, Lord Rahul also. But I, I can do nothing save walk in my father’s shadow.” I shook my head. “Any man can become a maker of instruments, your highness, but few can stand tall as they walk in an Emperor’s shadow. You are not doing naught to help, Ira; you provide what we can not, direction, and focus. Without your presence, Lord Rahul could not work with me, we are too different in standing; nor could Temir be so frank about his need for Dinizi’s assistance.” “You could provide the same direction, Eiden; were you not so inhibited by your common upbringing. And I am not the person who offers that focus; that is my father.” I didn’t wish to voice agreement, even though I felt it. “Ira, do you remember Master Brogi?” He nodded. “A great clockmaker, and a great man. He offered both of us much bringing up.” “And I worked in his shadow a great many years, you would say.” My mentor and teacher meant less to me than only Dinizi; I believe I would have sacrificed the prince’s life for his. “I never once thought of you as working in his shadow, Eiden. You

were trained under him, yes, but he did not overshadow you. You were the maker of the pendulum clock, and it was Master Brogi himself who advised the guild to make you grandmaster in his stead.” “Aye.” I nodded. “And you are the same. Your father has advised you and trained you, but you do not walk in his shadow. He knows he will not reign forever and he has chosen you as his successor.” The wind came up suddenly and I shivered in the cold gust. “I think he is proud to have you beside him, and I believe that you provide the empire with that which he no longer can, the energy to direction and focus. Highness, your duties are different than mine or Temir’s. We serve ourselves or a few men we call masters while you serve the empire. That which you do for us is broader, and perhaps has less tangible results, but that does not make it nothing.” “Your words have wisdom in them, again.” He gave me a tired smile and nudged his mare back into a walk. “Thank you.” “It is nothing, your highness.” “Stop that, Eiden.” I smiled and lifted my reins. “As you command.” We rode on in silence for a time after that. I felt my friend’s distress keenly, though there was naught I could do aside from offer encouraging words and quiet companionship. The sun had climbed to a hand’s breadth above the horizon when Ira turned his mount and broke the silence. “We ought to return; we cannot hide from our duties forever.” I nodded and nudged my gelding into a trot to follow him. “Eiden, is it wrong to wish for immortality for those you hold dear?”

I shook my head, thinking of Dinizi. “I imagine not, Ira; though that is a question better addressed to Temir. I cannot speak with spirits or know their take upon the matter.” “And yet, at times such as this, I prefer your company.” I ducked my head, staring at the reins in my hands. I had never understood why the prince chose the company of a common clockmaker over that of the myriads of clever and charming courtiers who filled the court. “That is kind of you to say.” “It is nothing but the truth.” As we drew near the gate again he straightened slightly. “Thank you, Eiden.” I watched him ride ahead of me through the north gate, feeling as though I were watching the weight of the empire settle across his shoulders.