The Coastal Kingdoms of Olvion: Book Two of The Chronicles of Olvion by Larry Robbins Page B

closest to him.  He replaced the item and walked around the room with his hands clasped behind his back.  Finally, he seemed to arrive at a decision.  He walked back over to Kal. “I don’t believe you.  Kings with no noblemen to enforce his rule?  Only the people of the Kylee live their lives unyoked in that manner.  Our flag bears the Eye of Kylee, and since I see no such flag on your vessel you may consider it seized.”  Gann lurched forward with his hands aimed for the neck of the pirate leader, but he was immediately overpowered by two of the guards.  Tallun looked at them, and jerked his head in the direction of the door.  The two dragged Gann out of the cabin.  Tallun watched the activity and smiled when the door shut.  “I like him,” he said.  He turned his attention back to Kal.  “Now then, Lord Engineer, where is your Kingdom?”
    Kal had refused to answer, and he had been taken to the voids.  He expected to be tortured and had steeled himself to tell his captors nothing.  He prayed to the Stars that the crew would be strong enough to resist.  Under no circumstances could he allow the location of Aspell to be discovered by this band of pirates or whatever they were.  Kal was unaware of the size or strength of these Kylee fleets, but revealing the location of his kingdom would imperil all of the Coastal Kingdoms and that of Olvion as well.  With Olvion’s army being largely depleted from the Great War, all of the kingdoms would be in danger.
    He knew he had been locked away for two days because every morning the ship’s bell rang, and whomever was on watch announced the arrival of first light.  Kal had not been stripped of his clothing, he was naked because he had removed his clothes in an effort to deal with the insufferable heat in the voids.  Several times he had attempted to open the hatch, but it had been tightly dogged down from the outside.  Sounds from the other side indicated that there was a guard there anyway.
    At about midday there were sounds at the hatch.  The portal was opened, and two of his captor’s crewmen beckoned for him to follow them.  He gave a brief thought to trying to overpower them, but they both carried truncheons in their hands.  Besides, Kal was honest enough with himself to know that he was not a fighter.  He had put in the required years of warrior training when he was younger, but no one really expected him to be a soldier.  He was always a man of letters and scrolls, and loved educating himself.  The years that he had since spent in libraries and universities had robbed him of much of the muscle that he had once had.  So he pulled on his trousers and followed.
    Kal was taken up to the main deck where he was surprised to see all hands gathered.  The man who had called himself Tallun was there along with the huge sailor that he had previously referred to as Bonn.  With alarm Kal saw that Gann had been gagged and tied to the main mast.
    Seeing his friend in such a situation filled him once more with overpowering anger.  “Is this your idea of proper treatment of our crew?” he demanded of Tallun.
    The pirate leader was frowning as he examined Gann.  “No.  This is most decidedly not proper treatment.  I fear we now have even more for which to answer to your noble king.  Of course…” the man made a show of looking about himself, “…your noble king is not here.”  He paused as his crew laughed.  “I must tell you I have enjoyed speaking with your crew.  I confess I am very much impressed with the manner in which they have been prepared for a situation such as this.  To a man they all swore to the fiction of your form of government.  Really now, a King who is voted into office and can be removed by the people themselves should he fail to measure up?”
    Kal started to confirm the manner of government adhered to by all four of the kingdoms in known existence up until now, but Tallun raised a hand to stop him.  “Please, Lord