{"id":126,"date":"2012-06-01T12:39:25","date_gmt":"2012-06-01T16:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/?p=126"},"modified":"2012-06-01T12:40:51","modified_gmt":"2012-06-01T16:40:51","slug":"zervakan-free-fantasy-novel-chapter-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/?p=126","title":{"rendered":"ZERVAKAN – Free Fantasy Novel – Chapter 15"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\"\"<\/a>
Cover by TJ Lomas.<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
\nI’m posting a chapter from my latest fantasy novel for free every Monday and Friday (click Zervakan<\/a> above for a synopsis and to start from the beginning). It’s in a “pre-published state,” meaning you might find the occasional spelling\/grammar mistake. If you do, please leave a comment below or email me at robsteiner01 [at] gmail [dot] com.<\/p>\n

If you’re uncomfortable getting something for nothing, you can hit the PayPal Donate<\/a> button in the Tip Jar section to the right. If you donate more than $3, I’ll send you a non-DRM ebook once the book is published (summer 2012). If you donate more than $20, I’ll send you a printed copy.<\/p>\n

Thanks, and I hope you enjoy it!<\/em>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ZERVAKAN<\/h1>\n

by Rob Steiner<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 15<\/h2>\n

Adellia Kiricia seethed as she strode through the long, marble corridors of the south Parliamentary Tower.\u00c2\u00a0 She tried to keep her pace even, her face serene, so as not to start gossip among the numerous aids and civil servants she passed.\u00c2\u00a0 Seeing the Pathist Minister, second in line of succession to the Speaker, angry and hurried made people nervous.\u00c2\u00a0 And nervous people gossiped.\u00c2\u00a0 She did not want people speculating on the whereabouts of the Speaker.\u00c2\u00a0 At least not yet.<\/p>\n

Bloody Mercy, the man was a fool!\u00c2\u00a0 How could he believe that letter had been written by characters from a children’s fantasy?\u00c2\u00a0 How could he risk throwing the entire Compact into chaos if it became known that its Speaker was a supernaturalist madman?\u00c2\u00a0 And how could he have left without telling her, expecting her to clean up the mess he had made with his abrupt departure?\u00c2\u00a0 The man did not have the guts to tell her face to face, but left a letter for her in her office explaining his disappearance.\u00c2\u00a0 Adellia clenched her fists to keep from growling at an aid that almost ran into her as she rounded a corner.<\/p>\n

The Compact was a Pathist nation that had abandoned all foolish notions of supernaturalism two centuries ago.\u00c2\u00a0 It was a nation built on logic, reason, and science, virtues that had made it prosperous and strong.\u00c2\u00a0 For a Speaker to abandon those ideals upon which the Compact was founded was more than foolish.\u00c2\u00a0 It was treason.<\/p>\n

In a hallway that was not as busy as the main thoroughfares in the Towers, she found the entrance to a private corridor that was known only to Parliamentary leaders.\u00c2\u00a0 Adellia had once been leader of the Scarlet faction within Parliament, and had used this corridor for meetings with Members that she did not want known throughout the Towers.\u00c2\u00a0 Though the Compact was a republic, it ran on secret deals between Parliamentarians that enabled the government to function without paralyzing conflict.\u00c2\u00a0 While many deals got results, the compromises made would not look good to the voting bases of some of the deal makers.<\/p>\n

Adellia produced a key from her coat, opened the nondescript door, and entered the corridor beyond.\u00c2\u00a0 The corridor smelled musty and was in shadow, with only the daylight from the open doorways guiding her way.\u00c2\u00a0 At the end, lamp light flickered from the open door there.\u00c2\u00a0 She heard voices, which stopped when her footsteps echoed in the empty hall.\u00c2\u00a0 Olmedo Tamar, Levakan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s senior Member and leader of Parliament\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Emerald faction, poked his bald head from the room and squinted at Adellia.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s me, Olmedo,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said, entering the zone of light just outside the door.<\/p>\n

Olmedo relaxed, then retreated into the room.\u00c2\u00a0 Adellia rounded the corner to find three Members from the Scarlet faction sitting at a round table in the center of the room.\u00c2\u00a0 Light streamed from a small window set high into the wall, but was not enough to illuminate the whole room.\u00c2\u00a0 Two gas lamps sat on the table, bathing the room in an orange glow.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why the secrecy, Adellia?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Olmedo asked as he sat back down at the table.<\/p>\n

Abbe Saccello, her black hair worn long around her shoulders, said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I had to tell my staff I was ill.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

She was Orlenian, so quite short in stature, but she was young and pretty enough to draw the attention of many of the taller Members, single and married.<\/p>\n

Saul Mata, a Gahallian and one of the oldest Members in Parliament, said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I had to lie to my staff as well.\u00c2\u00a0 I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like lying to them, Adellia.\u00c2\u00a0 They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re smart enough to know I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m lying.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Adellia sat down and looked at each one of them.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Speaker Edoss has gone to the Beldamark to meet with Mystics.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

All three gave her silent, blank stares for a few moments, then Olmedo laughed.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And here I thought it was something serious.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I am serious,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adellia said, then folded her hands on the table.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Our Speaker believes that the Mystics sent him a letter inviting him to the Beldamark to discuss the rings.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Saul Mata asked, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What made him believe this letter came from the Mystics?\u00c2\u00a0 Could it be a Mazumdahri trick?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what I tried telling him,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adellia said wearily.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153There is no proof yet of a Mazumdahri trick, but this has their stink all over it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

For two weeks, she tried discussing with him his thoughts regarding the infamous Mystic letter and its invitation to the Beldamark, but he would always change the subject without revealing his plans.\u00c2\u00a0 A few days before he left, he even refused to discuss the matter with her, and he never brought it up in Ministerial meetings.<\/p>\n

When he disappeared three days ago, he left only a letter for her saying where he was going.\u00c2\u00a0 Even now most of it was burned into her memory.<\/p>\n

I know you were doing what you thought was right when you tried to dissuade me from going to the Beldamark.\u00c2\u00a0 But you have to know that I believe what <\/em>I am doing is right.\u00c2\u00a0 If these Mystics exist, then they are the only beings that can help us against any further attacks against our cities.<\/em><\/p>\n

As if a freak tornado was an \u00e2\u20ac\u0153attack!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

The secrecy of this mission is paramount.\u00c2\u00a0 You are one of my oldest friends, and it pained me to keep this from you.\u00c2\u00a0 But I know you would have wanted to go with me only to debunk the Mystics, not to open a dialogue with them. \u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s bloody right she would have gone to debunk these \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcMystics.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00c2\u00a0 And afterwards she would have dragged Edoss back to Calaman by his ear, bloody Speaker or not.<\/p>\n

This mission is too important for us to start our talks with the Mystics on a distrusting tone.\u00c2\u00a0 Besides, I need you in Calaman.\u00c2\u00a0 You are second in line of succession, and if something happens to me, the Compact will need a strong leader for the coming trials. <\/em><\/p>\n

Ah, Dylan,<\/em> she thought, the trials will be for you, my old friend.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The newspapers in Orlen are abuzz with the Speaker\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s visit there,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Abbe said, smiling in wonder.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Remarkable disinformation campaign for so secret a mission.\u00c2\u00a0 I wonder how many editors Edoss had to bribe?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Olmedo put his head in his hands.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bloody Mercy, if this gets out…\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It will be chaos,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Saul said, his face grim.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The public has remained calm in the face of these rings and the storm because the government has given them plausible explanations.\u00c2\u00a0 Albeit without hard evidence to back them up.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Adellia glared at Saul.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Just because we do not yet have scientific proof of what the rings are doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I know, Adellia, it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean these rings are supernatural,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Saul said.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But the people believe what the government and the Pathist hierarchy tell them.\u00c2\u00a0 If the people should find out that the Speaker of the Recindian Compact thinks Mystics exist, then they will begin to doubt everything about Pathism and the Compact.\u00c2\u00a0 Our society will crumble, and the Mazumdahri will laugh as we tear ourselves apart.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Abbe shook her head.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I have a little more faith in the people than you, Saul.\u00c2\u00a0 They will not run riot in the streets if they find out the Speaker has \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcgone to see the Mystics.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you want to take that chance?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Saul asked.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We may have a cease fire with the Mazumdahri at the moment, but we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re still at war.\u00c2\u00a0 If they smell any sort of weakness, they will start shooting again.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

He turned to Adellia.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I know Edoss is your friend\u00e2\u20ac\u201dMercy, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a member of my faction\u00e2\u20ac\u201dbut he has gone too far.\u00c2\u00a0 He cannot remain Speaker.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Adellia knew what Saul was implying.\u00c2\u00a0 Her choice was loyalty to a friend or loyalty to the Compact.<\/p>\n

And she had made the choice when she called this meeting.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If I invoke the Purity clause,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said slowly, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153are there enough votes in Parliament to overturn it?\u00c2\u00a0 If there are, I will not even consider it.\u00c2\u00a0 The last thing the Compact needs is a constitutional crisis while most of the Mazumdahri army still sits on our border.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Saul leaned forward.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153There will be opposition from Edoss\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s more loyal supporters, but it will be nothing compared to the outrage from all factions of Parliament once they learn of Edoss\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mad pilgrimage to the Beldamark.\u00c2\u00a0 Parliament will back your succession.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Adellia looked at Abbe.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And what of Orlen?\u00c2\u00a0 Will their delegation back me if I depose one of their own, the first Orlenian to hold the Speakership?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Most Orlenians are orthodox Pathists,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Abbe said.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153At least the ones who vote.\u00c2\u00a0 If the Speaker is a supernaturalist, they will not care if he is Orlenian.\u00c2\u00a0 They will want him deposed.\u00c2\u00a0 You can count on the support of the Orlenian delegation.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Adellia looked to Olmedo.\u00c2\u00a0 She knew she didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to ask whether or not the Emeralds would support her succession.\u00c2\u00a0 They had fought hard to keep Edoss out of the Speakership because of his push for a conciliatory peace treaty with the Mazumdahri.\u00c2\u00a0 But the Emeralds were staunchly Pathist, and they would overlook Adellia\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s own calls for peace with Mazumdahr as long as she upheld Pathist values in the government.<\/p>\n

Olmedo smiled, and said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Levakan and the Emeralds stand with you…Speaker Kiricia.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adellia Kiricia immediately called a special a session of Parliament and told the Members about Edoss\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s belief in the Mystics, and how he had left for the Beldamark several days earlier on a mad quest to meet with those fraudulent beings of legend.\u00c2\u00a0 Ministers who were present in the meeting where Edoss received the so-called Mystic letter testified to him collapsing on the balcony, and could verify he had not been the same afterwards.\u00c2\u00a0 At best, the Speaker had succumbed to an illness of the mind due to the pressure of the war and his recent election.\u00c2\u00a0 At worst, he actually believed in the supernaturalist theories for the rings and the Calaman storm.\u00c2\u00a0 Either way, he had to be removed from office.<\/p>\n

That night, newspapers throughout the Compact were wiretyped the news that Speaker Edoss had been found guilty under the Compact constitution\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Purity clause for attempting to turn the Compact into a supernaturalist nation.\u00c2\u00a0 He was removed from office by his Pathist Minister, Adellia Kiricia.<\/p>\n

The next day, in her acceptance speech before Parliament, Adellia Kiricia pledged to keep the Compact free from the slavery of supernaturalism and deism.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cover by TJ Lomas. I’m posting a chapter from my latest fantasy novel for free every Monday and Friday (click Zervakan above for a synopsis and to start from the beginning). It’s in a “pre-published state,” meaning you might find the occasional spelling\/grammar mistake. If you do, please leave a comment below or email me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,28,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-free-stuff","category-novels","category-zervakan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=126"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=126"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=126"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}