Secret of the Sunstones, Part 1: The Wanton Kingdom

Chapter XXXII : Rendezvous

Lateday of Denuo, Third Day of Autumnmoon

Tom finished dinner at his mansion on the hill: Bancroft, an estate worthy of housing a Reynolds. The house had been built centuries ago for the royal family of a country called Korsynth, one of the progenitor nations that eventually merged into modern day Angkor. The mansion towered high above the sea and was built from solid stone, capable of withstanding the ages.

He sat at a long table in his dining hall, enjoying a steak cut from a basilisk. These were dangerous creatures, native to Malden, and imported at great cost. Exotic by Angkorian standards, yet it reminded Tom of home. Its bold yet sweet, peppery flavor was worth every silver.

His butler emerged from the front of the keep, leading the guest that Tom was expecting. Phineas Blair was a decorated general in charge of the Angkorian land infantry. Tall and burly, he wore his starched blue uniform with presence and distinction. Like Tom, Phineas was born in Malden, but he had lived in Angkor since he was a boy. Their common birthplace brought about a kinship over the years. More than that, Phineas was an honorable man and one of the few in Richard’s service that Tom trusted.

He dabbed his lips with the edge of a linen serviette and rose to greet his guest. “Thank you for meeting me, Phin. It’s a pleasure to see you.”

The general stood tall and commanding. “The pleasure’s mine, Tom, but would you mind telling me up front why you’ve chosen to summon me so late at night? It’s unlike you and feels almost … surreptitious.”

Tom cracked a smile. “Indeed. The situation demands it, I’m afraid. Geoffrey, you may leave us.”

He turned and nodded to the butler, who reversed direction and left.

He then faced Phineas. “I suppose we can dispense with the pleasantries, though I would be genuine in saying that it’s been too long. I value our friendship and the trust that I believe it’s earned.”

The general grunted. “The feeling is mutual, Tom, but trust only goes so far. What is it you’d like to ask of me?”

Tom held out his arm, invitingly. “Let’s head to my drawing room, where I assure you we can speak privately.”

Phineas followed, tacitly and without complaint. But he appeared apprehensive.

Tom led him to a well-lit room a short distance from the dining hall. A crystal chandelier hung in the center above a glass tabletop, surrounded by chairs and couches with plush cushions. White fabric and golden embroidery covered the furniture, just as white paint and gold accents adorned the walls. A fireplace with crackling logs smoldered on one side, while a wide gilded mirror hung on the other. Candle sconces provided a warm, yellow glow.

Phineas chose the stiffest chair in the room and sat with perfect posture. Tom sat opposite on a couch, at the edge of its cushion. “I’ll just cut to the chase, if you don’t mind.”

“I’d prefer if you do,” the general responded.

Tom smiled, politely. “Very well. A couple of days ago, my daughter Rosalyn went missing. She’s an adult, mind you, and well within her rights to go beyond her father’s reach. However, the circumstances were curious, so I investigated.”

Phineas’ posture broke, and he shifted uncomfortably.

Tom continued. “As you know, Rosalyn’s been romantically involved with one of the Gnostic Knights. Abraham Morrison, if you’ll recall.”

The name drew Phineas’ attention. “Yes, Sir Morrison is a legend in his own right. Many of my men look up to him because of what he accomplished during The War. I know that he and Miss Reynolds traveled together on missions, and truth be told, I was expecting to have received invites to the wedding by now.”

Tom huffed but hid it behind a smile. “Yes, well … it wasn’t my intent to delve into family affairs. Rather, I was curious about a recent mission of his. One which seems to have generated a great deal of activity inside the palace.”

Phineas’ shoulders relaxed. “That’s right, the terrorist plot he stopped in Minoa. I recall it involved rogue scholars. The man never ceases to amaze. I didn’t attend Richard’s banquet—I was away from the city on a prior engagement. Although, I know a great deal of the kingdom was invited. You were there, too, were you not?”

Tom shook his head. “No. For personal reasons, I didn’t want my presence to be a factor. The reason I bring it up is that it seems there was a draft report, made before the officially published proclamation. Curiously, the earlier copies seem to have been purged from the Archives records. While most of the kingdom saw the revision, you might be interested to know what was written inside the original.”

The general stiffened once again in his seat. “I’m sure you know, Tom, the Gnostics operate outside the other branches of military. Only Richard and his closest circle controls that group.”

Tom waved his hands to indicate his friend was presuming in the wrong direction. “I assure you, Phin, I have a point to all this. You see, in the original report, a charge was issued against Sir Morrison. He was to be arrested. For mutiny. The report also mentioned the seizure of a magical artifact, yet no mention of it exists in the revision."

Phineas leaned back. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable hearing the rest, Tom. You should know as well as I: once you dig for dirt in this kingdom, you just might find some. But it’s safer, you know, to let sleeping dogs lie.”

“Not when it comes to my daughter,” Tom insisted. “She’ll do anything on Sir Morrison’s behalf, and I can’t help but worry that her disappearance coincides with both a scandal and a coverup.”

Phineas scowled. “Then get to the point, Tom. I’m not one to enjoy being led to conclusions. If you need something from me, just ask.”

Tom widened his smile. “You’ll never change, Phin. I’ll just say it: have you received orders to prepare your men for war?”

The general’s jaw went slack. “Perhaps I should have been more patient and heard the rest.”

Tom raised his brows. “Well?”

Phineas cleared his throat and crossed his arms. “I knew you had sources, Tom, but you’re treading on dangerous waters. You might want to reconsider how far you go out on this limb.”

“Answer the question.”

The general groaned. “There was a lockdown the other day, and Richard made an announcement. I was unable to attend, but shortly after, my unit was given instructions to begin training exercises and make preparations. War wasn’t explicitly mentioned, but I’ve been around long enough to know how to read between the lines. Although, my guess is you already knew this.”

Tom tried not to gloat. “I was testing a theory, but now I’m more certain.”

Phineas cocked his head and squinted, as if trying to read Tom’s thoughts. “Why don’t you tell me what you know. I’ll refrain from interrupting this time.”

Tom sat back and explained, starting with the obvious ruse devised by his daughter and Sir Morrison to give the kingdom the impression that they had had a fight. Tom later found out about his daughter’s entry into the Archives, her research into the sunstones, and her arrest and subsequent pursuit by both Royal Guard and palace scholars.

The rest was difficult to piece together. Other well-known senior officials were involved, including the kingdom’s Grand Craftsman. Tom had wished to interview Mister Curtis after his apparent arrest, but he was closely monitored by palace watchmen. All the while, records were constantly changing, and Tom believed it to be intentional obfuscation.

“So, tell me, Phin. Have you ever seen anything like it?”

The General closed his mouth, which seemed to have hung open for most of the conversation. “If I didn’t know better, I’d advise you to take some time off and relax.” He shook his head. “But with everything else going on, I’m … well … to be honest, I’m worried. Richard usually has better control of things. But based on what you’ve described, it’s chaos. And … excuse me, but did you mention sunstones?”

Tom raised his hands in a shrug. “If Rosalyn were here, I’d ask her. But it seems her research landed her in trouble.”

Phineas’ eyes narrowed. “You better make sure you don’t join her.” He seemed to realize what he had said. His eyes went wide. “Forgive me, I should not have been so glib.”

Tom’s smile was replaced with a scowl. “If she’s alive, I’ll find her. In the meantime, I’ll keep my eyes and ears open to more of what you call chaos around the palace.”

The General leaned close and whispered. “What do you think is going on?”

Tom also leaned forward, voice hushed. “Combine magical artifacts, a bunch of arrests, and a declaration of war. I think Richard is planning to seize something of value, and might be willing to go outside the lines of politics to get it. Therefore, he’s going about things in secret. But … you didn’t hear this from me.”

Phineas nodded slowly. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to keep my own eyes and ears open. Just don’t think I’d be willing to do anything overtly.”

Tom’s expression softened. “I wouldn’t hear of it.”

Phineas stood up and cleared his throat. “Thank you for a wonderful evening, Tom. It was nice catching up with you.”

He extended his hand, and Tom shook it. “The pleasure’s all mine. We’ll have to see each other again soon.”

Phineas smiled. “I’m counting on it.”