The large stone chamber that was the House of Nobles was lit brightly with white candles that were scented with sweet smelling herbs. The room was packed with the Planetary Dukes and their heirs (only two of which were female).
All seats were filled except one. The empty seat belonged to Lady Bridgit St. James. And that seat had been empty for twenty years now. When the Mage Community had reported that Her Ladyship had passed to the other Realm the seat had been declared empty. No one had been able to lay claim to the bounty that the seat of St. James could offer its occupant. . The planet had been thrown into chaos when it found out that its only heroine had not named an heir. Instead of taking that logical step Lady St. James had taken a radical turn and placed her estates in trust with the Areson family. It was rumored that the Areson family had strict instructions on what to do with the estates when the time came.
That trust was one that the Areson family took seriously for many reasons/ One of them was that Lord General Matthias Areson had served by Lady St. James' side during the Usurpists revolt that had sent the planet into civil war. Another was that St. James had always sided with the crown and so had the Areson family. One of the rumored reasons was that the General had been friends with Her Ladyship and the General did not want to see her lands fall into the wrong hands. All were valid reasons and all were in part truth.
Many of those reasons were also the same for today's dedication. For on this day the Lady Bridgit St. James would be granted a statue that would stand outside this Hall. Unlike most statues this one would bit be a statue of her (because there was not a single recorded image of her). This would be a statue of the symbol that the people had acquainted with St. James for years. It would be a statue of her crossed swords with a crown encircling them at the hilts. On the grasp of each sword would be a carving of her hands. That is all that would be required. Many people associated those swords with justice. And all feared what the owner of those swords was capable of. For when her ire was roused it was also known as the ire of the crown. And when the Crown was displeased blood would flow with the falling of those swords.
The meaning of those swords was made clear even more by the choice of today's speaker. It had been said among the News Agencies and the common people that the King himself had asked Lord General Matthias Areson to dedicate the statue. And all those rumors were correct. General Areson was, by nature, a quiet man that avoided the spotlight whenever possible. No one was quite sure what the King had said to the General but all knew that on this occasion General Areson (one of the greatest heroes of the war) would be speaking on behalf of his friend and battle companion who was arguably the most revered hero of a war that had ended forty years ago.
Like today's keynote speaker most of the people that were seated in the places reserved for Dukes were all well into their seventies. Those seated that were middle-aged and younger barely remembered the war but grew up in the shadow, and whether they would admit it or not they war had changed their lives.
Before the war the concept of a woman sitting in this room was unthinkable. Now there were two seated and in the future there would surely be more.
All around the grand hall nobles were talking to each other. At the same time they were keeping an eye on the heavy wood doors that allowed entrance to this great hall. They were all anxiously awaiting the arrival of His Majesty, King Christoph.
He was due to arrive at any moment, and although he was in his eighth decade he was still as spry and observant as he was when he was in his twenties. One insult to him and he was likely to come down on a person like the wrath of God.
The low rumbling of the many voices in the grand hall continued for several minutes until the creak of the heavy wooden doors opening signaled the arrival of the King. As one all noise ceased and every person present rose to stand erect.
Steadily a man with snow white hair that was tied securely at the nape of his neck, walked down the center aisle of the hall. This man was King Christoph. This man was the man who had led the Crown Forces during the Planetary Civil war. He was the one that held the fealty of the legendary St. James. He was the most popular King in recorded history.
As he walked down the aisle towards his throne not a voice was heard. When he reached the gilded throne that was reserved for him, Christoph turned to face the gathered nobles. He stared at them for several minutes before he spoke.
His deep voice was clearly heard across the large room, "My Lords and Ladies, we are gathered in this Hall today to pay tribute to one we have not had the pleasure of seeing in twenty years.
"I realize that for some of you she was not a friend but rather a foe. But you would agree with me when I say that she was an honorable person.
"I am, of course, referring to Lady Bridgit St. James. She was the one person that everyone of us could rely on.
"Although I counted her a friend I was not the one by her side the most. For that I would ask Lord General Matthais Areson to speak," Christoph concluded, motioning for the general to rise.
Slowly General Areson rose from his seat. He was dressed in the colors of green and black that had been associated with his family for generations.
After a few moments the general began to speak in a quiet voice, "Lady St. James was a proud woman who would fight for her beliefs. She would also be the first to admit when she was wrong.
"And as all here knew she had a temper not to be roused.
"On this day Lady St. James is getting something she would surely balk at were she here to do so." There was a slight smirk on his face as His Grace said this last statement.
A light chuckle followed this statement. After the amused sound quieted the general began again, "There are many of us who miss Lady St. James, the least of which are those of us who stood by her side on the field of battle." Here the General's attention wandered to the white light that was beginning to form across the room. At the moment he was the only one to notice it.
The longer the general stayed silent the more the people wandered if something was wrong. Even at his advanced age the general was known to have excellent senses. Nervously those in the room began to fidget. Slowly, one by one, the others in the room began to nice the light that had attracted the general's attention.
As all began to notice it the light began to move towards General Areson as though it had a purpose.
One man in the room recognized this light. He was middle-aged and rapidly growing pale. This man with his brown goatee and purple and black robes was known as Cassan. He was the leader of the mage community, and he knew a call for help when he saw one.
After all he had made a call for help himself at the beginning of the Planetary Civil War. And in response to his call he had been given a teen age maid by the name of Bridgit Jamison. She had gone on to become the hero known as Bridgit St. James. The greatest heroine the planet had ever known.
By the way this light was moving whoever was asking for help new was in dire straits. Because magic and the planet itself were the judges of the type and amount of help that was needed. The light was headed towards one of the most revered people on the planet.
Cassan knew that with the general being the target of the magic that chaos was about to ensue. For some reason Cassan also knew that he would be alive to see the consequences of this call. That was a slight consolation for the mage as he thought about what the possibilities were.
As Cassan's thoughts came to an end, the light enveloped general Areson. When the light faded it had taken the general with it.
One by one all eyes turned to Cassan and he found that all he could do was to shake his head as if to say he was unaware of what just occurred.
*****
A little less than three centuries after Lord General Matthais Areson's disappearance due to the magical light another meeting was taking place in the House of Nobles.
This was a full meeting of the Planetary Nobility that even the media were invited to attend. At present the Nobles, their heirs, and the king were informally discussing the events of times long gone.
A break had been called from the formal speeches about the bravery of the day. In fact, throughout the speeches many a furtive glances had gone to the noble who had refused to speak on any matter of the war.
The noble in question was Lady Bridgit St. James. She was, in fact, the subject of many of the speeches given on this day. At times those speeches made her uncomfortable. But she was valiantly putting up with all the scrutiny coming her way.
In fact through most of the speeches Bridgit was contemplating how she came to be in her current position. That position being the only person in the ruling body (or on the planet for that matter) that had served in the Usurpist Rebellion (a.k.a. the Planetary Civil War) that had happened three centuries ago.
The answer to that of course, was High Mage Cassan. In the darkest hours of the war the High Mage ha asked his magic and the planet for help. The two entities had answered him in the form of a teenager named Bridgit Jamison from three hundred years in the future.
On her arrival in the past Bridgit had become the famed Bridgit St. James, the greatest hero that the world would know. Not to mention its first heroine in a battlefield setting.
And all of that was because of the middle-aged man that was currently standing next to her desk in the black and purple robes that denoted his status in the age community.
Out of the corner of her eye Bridgit noticed a bright light begin to form. Form some reason Bridgit felt her stomach begin to sink.
Casually Bridgit rose from her seat and made her way towards Jaromir and his daughter, Aurina. These two were the most important people in the room. They were the King and Crown Princess. And it was to Jaromir that Lady St. James' honor was pledged.
She quietly approached them. Once she was close enough Bridgit gave a half-bow and said nothing. Jaromir waited a few moments and said, "Is something troubling you, Milady?"
"There is and all I can say is that it refers to Cassan and his craft," Bridgit replied.
Before Jaromir could reply he (and everyone else in the room) noticed the white light that was approaching St. James and Himself.
In fascination they watched as something unknown grew steadily closer.
As was her custom Bridgit faced the light with her swords at the ready, Her expression was stern as she took in her surroundings and noted the positions of the other nobles. One thing that stood out to her was the amused look on High Mage Cassan's face. That look and her gut told Bridgit that Cassan knew (or at the very least had a good idea) of what was about to happen. And Bridgit didn't like that idea one bit.
As the light faded a man's form began to take shape and Bridgit placed her swords at what would be his neck.
After several minutes of silent anticipation the light was gone and in it s place was a man dressed in a forest green tunic and black leggings. His white hair was tied at the base of his neck.
As the man took in his surrounding and where he stood his blue eyes began to twinkle in mirth. Because opposite him was a youthful Bridgit St. James. And her eyes were growing wider in horror by the second.
With her blades resting at the newcomers neck Bridgit whipped her head around to face the High Mage. The raised eyebrow on her face combined with her evident horror indicated that the mage should explain. But all the mage could do was shake his head in bewilderment. Because it certainly wasn't he who had called this legend from the past, and he had no idea who had.
That was not the answer that Lady St. James was looking for.
As the furry on her face grew the man whose neck rested between St. James' blades began to chuckle quietly. Although it was a soft sound the entire House of Nobles heard him.
The chuckle once again drew Bridgit's full attention to the man. With a raised eyebrow and a neutral tone of voice Bridgit asked, "And what, Lord Areson, do you find so amusing that would cause you to laugh whilst your neck rests between my blades?"
The man, now identified as Lord Areson replied in his quiet baritone, "It appears Bridgit, that you still have not changed.
"Blades first, questions later."
"When defending the crown from unknown threats blades are always first," Bridgit retorted, her voice still neutral.
When Bridgit had first uttered the name Lord Areson several things happened in the House of Nobles.
In the section known as the opposition dark clouds passed over many faces but not one of them even thought to whisper a word. There were two reasons for this. One was the pure shock of a man coming out of thin air. The other was that St. James was on the floor and they knew it would be pure folly and danger to interrupt her.
In the neutral section of the House calculating looks could be seen mixed with the shock.
As for the section of the House that was known as the Loyalists, along with shock came the shaking of many heads. Most of them knew deep down that things were about to become more chaotic than usual. How could it be otherwise with another living legend among them?
As for Lady Meredith Areson and Heir Apparent Cal Areson, they had risen from their seats staring open mouthed at the elderly gentleman that was chuckling with the blades of St. James at his throat.