In Treachery Forged (The Law of Swords) Read Free Page A

reigned over the throne room as that declaration was made. Everyone inside – even, apparently, the same Prince Mussack who started the mess – seemed shocked that the man would be that blunt or speak in that tone in the Sword King’s own court.
    Gilbereth’s hand tightened on the wooden arm rest of his throne, and a faint crack could be heard as the wood split underneath it. “So this is how it begins,” he muttered, almost to himself. He shook himself and turned to address Hussack directly, the gleam of royal rage in his eyes.
    “First of all, I should emphasize that it was not only the right, but the duty of Our kin, the Sword Prince Maelgyn, to refuse such a demand. Indeed, I have every right to order Mussack’s execution and reward Maelgyn a great bounty from your very testimony just now. Your son’s crime is extremely serious, Hussack. But before I pronounce judgment – not on Maelgyn, but on your son – I will give you one single chance to explain just why you believe I should not have Prince Mussack shortened by a head.”
    “Why,” Hussack countered, defiantly stepping forward. “Isn’t it obvious? Mussack is my son, and a Prince in line for the throne of the High King of Sho’Curlas. Our royal line is older, our armies are stronger, and we are wealthier than you could ever hope to be. Svieda is little more than a protectorate of ours. We are your superiors in every way, and so any one of us has the right to expect an appropriate tribute from you when we ask it.”
    “The right, you say?” Gilbereth repeated slowly, drawing the phrase out while he reined in his temper and restrained himself from killing the man instantly. “If that is your answer, then this alliance is at an end!”
    “A petty threat,” Hussack snorted dismissively. “We both know that Svieda needs our alliance. However, we do not need Svieda.”
    “You know, Prince Hussack, none of the Swords ever wanted this alliance. My Great Grandfather, Gilbereth I, only agreed to it to forestall a greater conflict. In truth, he should have listened to his last six predecessors, all of whom rejected you.”
    “Sho’Curlas grew for many years, often demanding we join your alliance, but we were strong enough not to fear your demands. Then Abindol Province unexpectedly rebelled against us. We lost the resources to support our military, and we feared we would be forced to ally with a greater power, either Sho’Curlas or the Imperial Republic of Oregal. To our surprise, as we were about to surrender to the inevitable and join your alliance, Oregal offered to cede Sopan to us. They knew we had to remain independent to preserve the balance of power. They had no thirst for war and conquest, but they knew war would be inevitable if your borders ever met.
    “Oregal’s strategy worked. With us acting as a buffer, there were no conflicts between the two great powers for many years... but then another disaster befell our kingdom – the Sword of Borden also betrayed us, and led yet another province into rebellion. Many of our resources were drained fighting that still ongoing war, while Borden seemed to have no end to the number of ships and soldiers they could bring into the conflict. Somehow it has been able to sustain itself indefinitely against the collected might of nine other provinces, many of which were even larger.
    “When Sho’Curlas sent its ambassadors to us a few years into the war, we gained our first glimpse of the forces at work. My great grandfather and namesake, Sword King Gilbereth I, came to realize he had but two choices: To prepare our bankrupt nation to fight a war with you, or to join you. He joined, but used the threat of an alliance with Oregal – as well as our large and experienced armies – to force your nation into accepting our terms. Terms which grant us more power than most of the other ‘allies’ you obtained. And now, apparently, those terms are no longer satisfactory to you.”
    Gilbereth rose to his feet,