Beyond the Hell Cliffs Read Free Page B

Helfrick said.  “The boy is so attention-starved for fatherly affection that he gave in after only a few kind words and some cheap boonivarn .”
    “And he knows what is expected of him?” Tiberius asked.  Tiberius was a Saban general and trusted confidant of the king.  He was a mountain on legs, standing nearly seven feet tall and the width of three Faeir.  Scars crisscrossed his face and bald head from all the times he would fling himself into battle in a blind frenzy.  He was brave and skilled, but most of all he was extremely loyal to the king.
    “He knows enough,” Helfrick said.  “Tiberius, I want the envoy put together by weeks end.  I want mostly Sabans on this detail… good men who can keep Raegith safe past the Hell Cliffs, but also those with stained reputations; men whose word means nothing to the people.  I would like you to find a Bard, but not one that brews.  I’d like him to have a Twileen to talk to, but I don’t need him getting sauced every night.”
    “I know of one that can be trusted,” Tiberius replied.  “He also has collateral that we can use against him, if it ever comes to that.”
    “Let’s hope it doesn’t,” Helfrick said.  Then he remembered something else and turned back to the general.  “Do we have a trainer that we can send?  A Paladin, preferably?  The boy wants to learn to fight.  I can’t see him with a hammer, like his father, but the sword and shield might be good for him.”
    “That can be arranged, your majesty, but I do not know if it is wise to send one of our valuable Black Shirts off on this when we are so close to warring.”
    “It doesn’t need to be a good trainer, Tiberius.  Raegith has lived with his nose in books all of his life.  His mother has apparently taught him to keep his body conditioned, but Nuallan is no warrior and I would prefer the boy never have to meet an enemy’s blade.  Just send someone who can teach him battle stances for all I care, as long as it is someone we can keep quiet afterwards.”
    “And what of the Faeir’s representation in this journey?” Eramus asked, crossing his arms.
    “I don’t even understand why you want the Faeir involved in this, Eramus.  The Faeir have never wanted any part of this job before.”
    “You send a half-Twileen bastard, to be accompanied by another Twileen on this quest,” Eramus stated.  The King was tall for a Saban, but the stringy Faeir sage still towered nearly a foot over him.  “With all due respect, your majesty, the Council will not allow such bias on any mission of worth, even such a soiled one as this.  I demand that a Mage be sent to balance the equation.”
    Helfrick gave the Mage a sid eways glance. “Eramus, don’t take this as sarcasm on my part or anything, but technically the party responsible for this task has one and a half Twileens in its makeup.  How do you propose balancing that?  Do you happen to have a half Saban child that I don’t know about?”
    “Your blasphemy is amusing only to yourself and your cretin of a general.  Your son is a diluted Twileen; our Stone-Seers are barely Faeir.  I am prepared to accept that one of our inferiors would balance out the Twileen that your son adds to the party.”
    “You son of a whore!” Tiberius roared.  “You dare compare the son of Helfrick Caelum to one of your slaves?  If the King were not such a patient ruler, I would come snap you in half like a thin switch.”
    “And if the Council were not so patient, your bones would be ash offerings to the Great Pyre.”
    “Enough, both of you!” Helfrick yelled.  “Tiberius, to your task, please.  Eramus, I’ll overlook your ridiculous blood mathematics and grant your request.  Your addition will have to pull their own weight in this journey, but it would do Raegith some good to learn a bit of your culture, as well.”
    The king dismissed the meeting and left the room to see his family.  Tiberius left the castle, heading towards the