Lord Harun Sunfar

Scion of the Sunfar Family

Harun had hoped his return to his home, the city Izmatra, would be a joyous one. So far he had been gravely disappointed.

For three years, the young man looked after the family’s interests in Tej, the city across the great desert. He’d not thought so much could change in that time -- but everything was different.

He stood on a canopied viewing platform with his siblings, watching his father try to ride the great wyrm. Their father, Lord Sunfar, had aged in the three years since Harun had seen him: his hair was white and thin. His hands trembled, and his memory… three years ago Harun’s father could recite the location and the cargo of every ship and caravan the family sponsored or co-sponsored with clipped precision. He hardly seemed interested now. Instead, he tried to prove himself strong with these dangerous stunts.

A handful of the most ancient and prosperous families in Izmatra kept great wyrms. It was a sign of their power and status -- since the creatures outlived their original riders by generations. Harun’s father was the fourth rider -- and Harun’s eldest brother Marwan would likely be the fifth.

Harun tried not to flinch as his father struggled to climb up on the behemoth’s back, cursing and blaming the creature’s handlers for his clumsiness.

“I can’t watch,” said his sister Fazila, turning away. The sweetest and youngest of his siblings, she looked at Harun with worry in her big brown eyes. “He’s going to injure himself.”

“Embarrassment is more likely,” muttered Marwan. He stood slightly taller than Harun, and had his arms crossed, glaring down to where their father had finally managed to get into the great wyrm’s saddle.

“I’m glad you are back, Harun,” Marwan continued. “No one else will spar with me, and I’ll need a challenge after this display.” Marwan nearly spat the last word, contempt infusing his voice. Harun tried not to appear worried. Marwan had always had a temper, if he was this annoyed all the time then sooner or later there would be trouble.

“How long has father been like this?” asked Harun, softly.

Marwan snorted, eyes diverted from their father to the pleasant looking young man standing near the wyrm handlers. “He hasn’t helped,” he said.

“What’s his name again?” asked Harun. The man had been part of the business when Harun left for Tej.

“Kamil,” said Marwan, glaring at the man. “Ambitious wretch.”

“Don’t be cruel, brother,” said Fazila, with a hand held up so she couldn’t see their father. “He’s doing his best.”

“To get rid of us,” said Marwan.

Harun watched as his father flailed with a goad, trying to get the wyrm to move. The ancient monster turned it’s great head one way and the other -- apparently not in the mood to travel the sands. To Harun it was obvious the beast was becoming irritated. This is about to go badly, he thought. He’d tried to talk the old man out of this -- but Harun had been shouted down, cursed for an imagined slight when his father said that Harun thought his father couldn’t ride the wyrm anymore.

Moments after Harun had that thought, the great worm shook itself, before diving down, underground. Lord Sunfar was forced to scramble out of the saddle and was sent sprawling onto the sand.

Marwan shook his head, disgusted, while Fazila gasped, staring between her fingers. The rest of the siblings wore sorrowful or disappointed expressions according to their dispositions. Below, Kamil trotted towards Lord Sunfar, but Harun vaulted out of the viewing platform, landing gracefully on the sands below and arriving at his father’s side first.

“Sir, are you hurt?” he asked.

“I’m fine!” snapped his father, flailing an arm. “This damn robe is just in the way. Help me up.”

“Maybe we should have someone look at--” Harun started to say, because a fall at his father’s age was a serious matter, but his father began to curse at him, then saying:

“Think I’ve gone soft, do you boy? Kamil! Kamil! Help me up!”

The pleasant-faced Kamil reached them, immediately offering a hand. Lord Sunfar stood up, complaining as he did so. “The keepers did that on purpose!” said Lord Sunfar. “They wanted to make a fool out of me, so they didn’t prepare the beast properly! That wyrm’s never done that before! How dare they?”

“Indeed,” said Kamil, agreeing with the old man. “Shall I dismiss them, my lord? Without pay? For their insolence and their failures.”

Harun was taken aback, “Father, I don’t think --”

“Never have, never will,” quipped his father.

Harun ignored the insult and said, “Sir, I don’t think the grooms or keepers failed in their duties. The wyrm did not wish to be ridden.”

Lord Sunfar glared at his son. “Oh, you know so much about it,” he said, voice venomous. “You want it, don’t you? To ride the great wyrm and rule this family, control all my wealth? Well. I’ve got bad news for you, Harun. I’m still alive and kicking. You’ll just have to wait around for another decade or two in Tej for your ambitions.”

Harun was stunned by the accusation. “Father, I would never--”

“Kamil, help me inside,” commanded the old man, and Kamil obediently offered his arm to Lord Sunfar. He glanced back to Harun, giving him an apologetic look as he spoke soothingly to the old man.

Harun was left alone on the sand, still rocked by the words his father had spoken. Well. Almost alone.

The sand trembled, and a moment later the great wyrm appeared again. It’s jeweled blue eyes looking at Harun. The saddle was still secured to the creature, waiting for a rider.

Instinctively, Harun put out a hand, resting it gently on the wyrm’s jaw.

Little was known about these creatures -- or the connections they made with humans. Since Harun was young, he’d felt a kinship with the beast. As a child he’d dreamed of being the one to bond with the wyrm, and ride it into battle for the honor of the family. As he got older though, he realized that -- of course -- that was going to be Marwan’s place. His older brother. There would be a ceremonially choosing, but wyrms almost always bonded with the first born boy or girl.

Harun heard Fazila come up beside him, and he pulled his hand away from the wyrm -- guiltily. Fazila though reached up a slender hand too, to scratch the wyrm under its chin. The beast was clearly familiar with her. Perhaps Harun was making up the connection he already felt to the wyrm. Maybe all the Sunfar children had it.

“Father thinks we are trying to replace him,” said Harun, sadly.

“He’s… not well, I think,” said Fazila. “I’m sorry, it’s not a very nice homecoming.”

Harun nodded, trying not to seem too downcast.

“Let’s go out tonight,” said his sister, trying to cheer him up. “Like we used to! We’ll celebrate your return!”

Harun smiled and turned to walk with Fazila back to the family’s oasis mansion. It shimmered under the palm fronds, as though it were the effect of a mirage.

“I would like that,” Harun said.

***

Later that evening, as Harun prepared to meet his sister -- he had an unexpected guest: Kamil called on him.

“How can I help you?” asked Harun, welcoming him into his sitting room. He would have offered his guest tea, but he was on his way out to meet Fazila.

Kamil smiled. “That is the question I wanted to ask,” he said. “How can I help you, Lord Harun?”

Harun was taken aback. “Very kind,” he said. “And my father says you are indispensable. But I’m not sure... what it is you do?”

“Your father needs loyal supporters,” said Kamil. “Effective men who will do what needs to be done and have his best interests at heart.”

“Is that what you were doing this afternoon?” asked Harun, thinking of the grooms.

Kamil waved the comment away with his charming smile, “I’m sorry - I can be overzealous in my care for him. It’s a flaw, I know.”

“My father needs honest voices around him,” said Harun.

“He does!” said Kamil. “I’m glad you’re back, my lord. Your father does need honest voices around him..”

“Whose voice do you feel is dishonest?” asked Harun.

Kamil remained assured and confident, saying: “Your father has many enemies - that’s what comes of being clever and powerful. Some of them closer than you’d think. We must work together to keep him safe, you and I. Keep your ears open. I’m sure you’ll see what I mean soon enough.”

“I see,” said Harun, trying not to let on how much he saw. “Thank you. I will think on your words carefully, friend Kamil.”

***

It was good to be back in Izmatra. Walking through its winding streets with Fazila brought back all sorts of childhood memories to Harun. He was enjoying himself for the first time since his return… right up until they entered the private tearoom Fazila had reserved for them, to find all his siblings waiting there, along with many of the most loyal servants, retainers and traders of the Sunfar House.

Marwan and the others looked grim -- and their youngest brother, barely sixteen, got up immediately to stand by the door of the room. As though he were keeping a lookout.

Harun gave Fazila a reproachful glance. She shrugged her apology, but was unabashed. “I’m sorry, Harun. But we didn’t know what else to do. There’s a lot we need to talk about.”

“You got sneakier while I was away,” said Harun.

“I did,” she said, her voice and demeanor still entirely sweet. It was very hard to be annoyed with Fazila.

Harun sat down across from Marwan. “What’s this about, brother?” he asked.

Marwan had his arms crossed over his broad chest. “It’s about father, of course. He’s being manipulated, making terrible choices, and it’s going to cost this family everything. It’s already cost a fortune.”

“You’d better explain,” said Harun. He didn’t like where this was going - it might be true, but what his brother chose to do about it might be equally destructive where the family was concerned.

Another of Harun’s sisters passed a pack of papers and leather bound books to Fazila -- who handed them to Harun saying: “Look at these first.”

Over the next hours, Harun’s siblings laid out the troubles for him. The business was a mess. His father was investing and divesting sporadically -- and many of their friends had stopped looking to the House of Sunfar for help, because of the perceived instability. The things he was investing in for longer periods didn’t seem to have much of a pattern, until Fazila explained that all of those holdings were connected in one way or another to Kamil’s family and friends. Additionally, their father had been risking a lot in certain caravans, and were seeing very poor returns. Attacks had increased --

“And we know why,” said Marwan, angrily.

“We suspect Kamil is passing on information about our secret routes and caches as well,” said Fazila. “Haven’t proved it though.”

“Yet,” said Marwan.

“I thought you said he was doing his best,” said Harun to Fazila, remembering the way she chided Marwan that morning.

“I try to be friendly about him in public,” said Fazila. “I would call him a snake, but it would be an insult to the noble cobra.”

Harun nodded. “And what are we going to do about it?” he asked.

Fazila cleared away the books, looking to Marwan. Harun got ready to keep his face expressionless.

“The old man needs to be convinced to step down,” said Marwan. “Before he loses enough to diminish the House of Sunfar, and casts us down into the ranks of lesser nobles or even merchants and mercenaries. And we need to get rid of the man manipulating him.”

“And who takes over?” asked one of Harun’s elder sisters.

Marwan snorted, and said, “I think that’s obvious.” Marwan stared across the table at Harun, as though waiting for his younger brother to answer the question.

Awkward silence followed at the table, until Fazila leaned over to Harun and said, “He means you, Harun dear.”

Harun blinked, and saw that all the others were nodding, including Marwan. Harun looked at his older brother with some surprise, but Marwan seemed certain.

“I’m too rough to be in charge,” said Marwan. “Besides, I want you running things here so I can travel across the desert again without worrying that everything will collapse before I get back. I believe we’re all agreed.”

The others - siblings elder and younger, and the oldest, and most loyal servants of Sunfar - all rumbled their approval, raising their glasses and smiling. Harun bowed his head, overwhelmed by their confidence in him.

“Now we just need to figure out how to do it,” said Fazila.

“Surely you can just show father this,” said Harun.

“He won’t believe us,” said Marwan. “Kamil has him convinced we’re all against him. Father would think we’d doctored the material.”

Silence settled over the table once more, until Harun said, “Perhaps I have an idea.”

***

The next day, Harun found himself once again in his sitting room with Kamil.

“I wanted to apologize,” Harun began. “If I was dismissive of your warning yesterday. I think your anxiety for my father’s well-being was not as misplaced as I wished to believe.”

“I understand,” said Kamil. “You’ve been away so long. It would be impossible to see the situation clearly from where you were.”

“Why don’t you tell me how you see the situation?”

Kamil paused in an affected hesitation, before saying: “Yesterday we spoke of honesty. Can I be honest with you, Lord Harun?”

“I want nothing more,” said Harun.

Kamil nodded. “I’m worried about your brother,” he said.

“Ah. Marwan,” said Harun, nodding.

Kamil smiled. “I’m glad you see it too!” he said. “That’s a relief, Lord Harun. Seeing family clearly is not always an easy thing.”

“I sincerely agree,” said Harun. He stood up and began to lay some papers out on a table, many of them ones his siblings had shown him the night before. “Now… my father’s troubles seem to be many, but I’m sure between us we can sort them out. Take this caravan for instance… attacked by bandits. As was the one due on the last full moon. Though, you I see have been more lucky.” Harun ran his finger down a list of caravans his family had sponsored. “In fact,” he said. “I don’t see any caravan where you lost anything of significance.”

Kamil looked suddenly on his guard.

“That can’t be right,” he said. “I’ve lost when your father did.”

“Hmmm…” said Harun, pretending to read. He’d memorized the information he needed. “I see here you lost… twenty silvers worth of… fish. And here some old second hand linen. Here a frankly inconsequential amount of grain...”

He looked back at Kamil - whose charming smile was gone.

“Are you accusing me of something, Lord Harun?” asked Kamil.

“Of sending bandits after my father’s caravans, directing his funds towards your own purposes, and deliberately stoking his paranoia? Yes. Indeed, I am.”

“You’re clever, Lord Harun,” said Kamil. “But late. Your father trusts me. He won’t believe this. If you bring any of this up to your father, I will see you buried in the desert. Don’t think I can’t. The old fool believes all of you are trying to supplant him. And that I am his only loyal friend. You can’t change his mind.”

“Perhaps not,” said Harun. “But you may have.”

Harun looked to one of the curtained doorways further into his rooms -- and on cue, Fazila held it aside. Seated behind the curtain was his father. The old man seemed diminished, his shoulders hunched as though to protect himself. The tears on his father’s cheeks broke Harun’s heart.

***

This time, Harun stood on the sand, with his father and siblings in the canopied viewing platform. In the last month, the old man had become more like himself again. His memory was not what it once was, and he moved more slowly -- but he was interested,again, in the affairs of the House. He watched Harun with Marwan at his side. Harun was proud of what they’d all accomplished together since Kamil was sent away and grateful that his father had called for this ritual -- but he was also sad. His father might learn once more that his children loved him, but nothing could turn back time or make him young again.

Facing Harun was the great wyrm, saddled, ready for a rider. Under the instruction of the creature’s keepers, Harun held out his hand -- palm towards the ancient monster, who had traveled with four patriarchs and matriarchs of their House. He held his breath, waiting to see if the creature would accept him as a bonded partner. Fazila had said Harun was silly to worry -- that he was already bonded with the wyrm. Harun still held his breath.

The wyrm turned it’s great, glittering face and ancient eyes to Harun and lowered its enormous head to rest in Harun’s hand. Apparently, it agreed with Harun’s family -- and found him fit to lead.

Like he’d been born to it, Harun mounted up on the great wyrm, guiding the creature with his legs without needing the goad, and feeling like there was nothing grander in the world than this. It wasn’t like riding a lizard at all -- the great wyrm seemed to almost be reacting to his thoughts instead of his movements. He would have to relearn how to fight, now, from wyrm back.

He added it to the long, long list of things that needed to be done. It would take time to grow into his role as the head of his house, but as Harun looked down at his approving family -- his dear father, adventurous Marwan, sneaky and sweet Fazila, and the others -- well, he thought that the world did not have a chance against House Sunfar.