Morning light spread from the east, shadowing the hills that separated my lands from the Imperium. The breeze from the previous afternoon stiffened and rustled the tall grass.

Within the main town walls, keepers opened their shops in anticipation of the day’s crowd. The year’s growth in land, ports and trade routes have yielded prosperity among the people. Farmers came early in the morning from their fields to offer their spring harvest to the steady stream of travelers. Many of them were young folks on the road to the Imperium to become Peace Keepers and members of the Royal Guard or the Legion. Among them masons, carpenters, glaziers and other tradespeople flocked with their families to seek work in one of the Imperium’s many cities.

As usual, the doors of the Mare & Thistle never quite closed from the previous night. Barrel-faced Harry stumbled out, squinted and frowned, leaving behind the comfort and darkness of the tavern and walking into the new, unwelcome sunlight. Such a rude awakening, he thought as he stretched and scratched his beard, then began to make his way to this cart.

“Another long night, eh, Harry?” called out a shopkeeper. Harry smiled and waved back, his mouth too dry for an appropriate reply. He stopped by the fountain at the center of the market square, and sat down. The water from the well was cool and washed the sour taste of sleep from his mouth.

“Pardon me, sir.”

Harry raised his red, tired eyes to see a thin, polite boy, barely the age of 15. “Could you I ask you to point the way toward the Imperium?”

Harry grumbled, “Another promising knight, I presume.”

The boy blushed.

“Stand up straight, young squire,” Harry winked, “Meataxe and his Legionnaires will want to smell your confidence when they first meet you.”

“Yes, Sir.” The boy smiled and pushed out his chest. “But I want to be a Peace Keeper.”

“Ah, I see,” Harry pointed behind him, “Head to the east gate, and take the road, past the hills. When you get to the lone black oak, follow the road northeast. A four-day walk at most—”

“Your wrong.”

Harry turned to see a two young men. “What?”

“This old man is daft,” the blond-haired one said to the boy. “Take the south gate to the port, and catch a packet across the Great Sea. The Imperium lies on the other side.”

“Young man,” Harry said, “I’ve traveled these roads most of my life, and I’ve never heard such a ridiculous thing. The Imperium is that way.” And he pointed east.

“It’s south,” The man replied, then said to the boy. “You want to be a Peace Keeper?”

The boy nodded.

“Then come with us. We’re headed the same way.”

Harry stood, his barrel-shaped face red. “What nonsense are you sputtering about? There is no Imperium across the Great Sea!”

The young man pulled a parchment from his vest and handed it him. Harry’s lips moved beneath his beard as he read the announcement.

“… Become lord over your own land … Peace Keepers … Royal Imperium?” he said, confused for the parchment bore Lady Jerrica’s insignia.

A sudden noise interrupted his thoughts and filled the market square as three horseriders entered and rode past him. Harry recognized two of them as rangers. The third’s face and front was bloodied, and his hands were tied.

The young man snatched the paper from Harry. “Come on,” he said to the boy, and off they went.

Harry was speechless as he watched them disappear into the crowd, then he looked back in the direction of the riders for a moment before turning to back to reach his cart.

–

As Steward, I sat with seven elders in council. We had met since late last night, after a messenger reached us with news of an attack on our ally Gwenowyn. Now, Beyle’s report of the ambush put everyone ill at ease.

“There has been talk in the market square as well,” Brodin said. “Water, Sir Marik, Lara, Wicked, and others have been under siege. All by mercenaries.”

“All under one man?” Elder Jessine asked.

“It would appear so,” Brodin said. “Lord Gemini.”

“But to hire soldiers to mount a prolonged attack must cost a small fortune,” Jessine said.

“Indeed. And it appears to be only the first step.” He handed unrolled sheets of parchment to the table. “The countryside and towns are littered with them.”

Elder Ghita read one. “He’s recruiting an army.”

“Not just an army, Brodin said, “a royal imperium.”

Ghita stared at Brodin. “Another imperium?”

Brodin shrugged. “It’s ambitious, but possible. His intentions do not seem to be honorable, but one thing is clear, we are at war.”

“Is it clear?” Elder Phillip said from across the table.

Brodin looked at Phillip. “Delfia and her rangers were attacked. If our fate is similar to our allies, it’s probable our castles in the north and west are under siege by now.”

“We are under attack by mercenaries, not Lord Gemini. His army is twice the size of ours. If he wanted, he could just trample us, but he hasn’t.”

Ghita shrugged. “Because he has stretched his resources. Attacking us or anyone directly would leave him open.”

“Perhaps,” Phillip said, “but Gemini is a former Earl of the Imperium and a cunning warrior, and his disgrace and expulsion has left him enraged and probably with a desire for revenge. I doubt his use of Lady Jerrica’s insignia is nothing more than a tantrum. He may be more dangerous than we think.”

Brodin nodded with the other elders and looked to me.

“Phillip is right,” I said, rubbing my eyes from the long night. “We do not have enough information to know our course of action.”

Beyle, who had been present, stood by the door. “Beyle,” I said, “please send word of this news to Stella, she left this morning for the Imperium, then rejoin Delfia.”

“Yes sir,” he bowed, and left the room.

The elders were quiet, looking grim with good reason. We have enjoyed peace for quite a while, and we have been the better for it. Now, the prospect of war with an enemy the size of the Imperium leaves a bitter taste, and I am uncertain of our future.

Ghita touched my shoulder to interrupt my worried thought. “What now, Steward?” she asked.

I broke a small smile to her and looked around the table as the others waited. “Now, we prepare for the worst.”