by Nyssa Renay
The crowd didn’t cheer this time, and the prince looked a little disappointed, but he kept talking.
“I believe that shepherds…” Raxis began as he walked over to face Eeliyah directly, “…all Shepherds, were given their divine gifts for a reason. They need to respect that reason, even if they disagree with it, because it’s not our place to defy Ein’s wishes. The defiant movement at the Shepherd Academy ends today. All defiants must help with this war.”
King Lexani smiled from ear to ear, but his grin fell quickly as Prince Raxis turned to face him.
“But not just at the frontlines. Using shepherds who don’t have a chance to survive there is a mistake.”
“Okay, Raxis, that’s enough,” King Lexani grumbled.
“I’m not finished!” the prince shouted, and the crowd cheered him on once again. “I offer the defiants and all shepherds a compromise. From this day forward, it is my desire that all shepherds should be able to choose whether they will fight at the frontlines. If they choose not to fight, they must support the war effort in one way or another, whether it be working at one of the bases established throughout the realm of Ein, remaining at the academy to help us come up with new and innovative ways to win the war, or coming here to assist and protect the people of Telshakra as our last line of defense. I want to see us all become more devoted…more resolute…and more united in our efforts against our enemy,” the prince preached.
“Does His Highness’s wishes extend to the opposition as well?” Machoji asked, ignoring the king’s constant glare.
The prince paused to look over the crowd. “The opposition must cease all activities as of this day!” These words were immediately met with a round of grumbling and booing that the prince seemed somehow prepared for. “Fighting those who are trying to protect you will not save our planet from being taken by the enemy! Every last one of you will die unless you all learn to trust us!” Raxis turned his attention to the king, pleading his case. “But that trust depends on us, Dad. We have to stop ignoring the needs of the people we rule over. If we want their support, we have to give them something in return!”
“We already give them everything!” the king scoffed. “What more could we possibly give them?”
“First of all, the martial enforcement needs to be undone.” The crowd erupted into joyful cheers, louder than any before. “But…but…if the people want to be free from the enforcement, then they must accept the risks of that decision! The Church and the Crown cannot be held accountable for your safety if there’s another attack! You must learn to protect yourselves if you want to survive!”
“And just how in the hell are they supposed to do that?” the king roared. “What are you trying to make happen here? They can’t fight for themselves!”
“Yes, they can! We can commission the people’s military today, and that force will be used to protect the cities throughout Telshakra…but only under the guidance of the Church and the Crown. Those shepherds who choose not to fight in the war can volunteer to train and lead the people’s military until the people have proven they can do so themselves. It all makes perfect sense! What do you think, Father?” Raxis asked, beaming with hope.
The king looked around at the crowd, impressed at how well his son had argued for the people, but he wasn’t about to give up his authority that easily.
“I commend you, Raxis, for these ideas, but one thing you still need to learn as a future king is the people have to see there are consequences for their actions. Otherwise, you’ll lose your power over them. Somebody still needs to answer for what happened. I’m going through with the executions!” the king declared stubbornly.
“You haven’t listened to a word I’ve said!” Raxis shouted. “They already fear you. That’s why they revolted against us! And besides, you’ve already killed most of those who were involved. We need to let the prisoners go free! Send the remaining members of the opposition to begin training for the people’s military. And because the defiants were so determined against us to begin with, let them be the first to help train the people of Telshakra! We can send Eeliyah back to the academy to unite the other potentials for now, and—”
“Why the girl?” Lexani interrupted, his expression suspicious.
Raxis swallowed nervously, wiping the sweat from his brow before taking a long deep breath. “E-Eeliyah is now the leader of the defiants. They’ll listen to her. So…to show my dedication to this new agreement…and completely unify the bonds between the Church, the Crown, and all its people…I…I hereby take Eeliyah Lapanista as my wife!”
My heart sank.
-86-
Eeliyah looked over at me with tears in her eyes. I couldn’t tell if they were tears of joy at having been spared, or tears of sadness at the realization that what we’d shared was now over for certain.
Meanwhile, the king stood there, stoic and silent. Being of age in the Church meant the prince could choose a wife at any point and the girl had no option but to comply. I didn’t know if Raxis had time to process this decision or not, but once he’d declared his choice, it was a permanent decision—even if his father didn’t agree to the terms he’d put forth.
“Sire, a word if I may,” Talmari interjected, pulling the king aside. “I think it would be best if we allowed the prince’s…suggestions…to play out. We need to concentrate on the war right now, and all these distractions are impeding our efforts drastically. So what if we lose a few shepherds at the frontlines? This way, we can get the academy under control, and maybe benefit from an invigorated work force here on Telshakra.”
The king smiled. “You’re saying if we allow them to think they have control, they might increase supply production across the globe. I like where your head’s at! Maybe they’ll start repopulating the potential pool for us, too, while they’re at it.”
“Couldn’t hurt,” Talmari agreed. “Besides, we can always threaten to take their newfound freedoms away if we don’t get complete cooperation. It’s a win-win, Sire. Let Raxis play ruler for a while…it’ll help boost his confidence until we’re ready to train him for the real job at hand. We already have several contingencies in place for when he fails, so why not dump these peasant responsibilities on him for a while?”
“Agreed,” Lexani said, wiping the sly smile from his face as he turned to address the crowd.
“So be it, my son.” The king motioned for the royal guards to release Eeliyah from her chains, and the crowd erupted in a joyful celebration.
“I’m sorry, Eeliyah,” Raxis said, forcing a smile. “I know this isn’t what you had planned, but I’ll do my best to deserve you.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” she said nervously, accepting his awkward hug.
King Lexani approached the two of them. “I’m not sure this will all work out the way you think it’s going to.”
“I don’t know if it will or not, Dad, but I truly believe it’s worth a shot,” Raxis replied.
“Yes, well, let’s make it official, then.” Lexani sighed as he put his hands up and called the attention of the crowd. “People of Telshakra, my son has proposed the path for your future! You’ve expressed your consent to him, and now it is I who will express my consent to you. Beginning this day, the martial enforcement is lifted. However, the shepherds and the royal guard will continue to remain throughout Telshakra to see that this transition goes smoothly. They will also help to protect you until the people’s military is sufficient for that task. I strongly suggest that you work hard to train and be ready to defend yourselves, should there be another attack. Also, I expect the work and effort put forth to reflect my generosity will double to help us keep the supply lines flowing for the war effort. My son…your future king…has shown his faith in you, I ask that you return that faith and help him build a better Telshakra for us all!” There was a burst of applause and jubilation, and I could see the king reveling in the praise and attention from his people. “Lastly!” he roared, raising his hand to quiet the
crowd. “My son will now manage the training of your new military. He’ll also serve as your liaison between the people of Telshakra and the Church. All your needs and requests will be made known to me through him. Yes, your voices will be heard, but only if the people of Telshakra unite and place their trust in the Church and the Crown! Remember what has happened here today. Fight with us, and we will triumph over those who oppose Telshakra! Thank you, my good people! Ein be praised!”
“Praise be to Ein!” the naïve crowd returned, rejoicing in their newfound freedoms and responsibilities.
With the crowd now subdued, King Lexani turned to face Eeliyah. He looked her up and down, and then set his eyes upon his son, who blushed nervously as he understood what was about to happen.
“This is the girl you’ve chosen? The woman who will become Queen of Telshakra when your mother and I have left this world?” he asked, visibly unimpressed by her dirty face, matted hair, and torn dress; all a product of the raid. Even though it would take some time before she would be cleaned up and polished enough to be a suitable member of the royal family, I knew Lexani would never truly accept her because of what she’d done.
Raxis nodded. “Yes, Father.”
The king forced a smile, turning toward Eeliyah. “Kneel,” he demanded.
“Yes, Sire,” she said humbly as she knelt before the king.
“You’ve been chosen by Raxis, Prince of Telshakra, to be a suitable bride to continue our legacy. Will you help my son in all his endeavors? Will you never doubt my son’s decisions as ruler, and will you honor and preserve his authority all the days of your life?”
“I will, Sire,” she said with her head bowed.
“Then rise, Eeliyah, Princess of Telshakra,” the king commanded. She stood and Raxis took her hand and kissed it lightly.
“In honor of this new alliance, I will inform the academy staff at once that from this day forward, all potentials and shepherds will be given a choice how they would like to assist the war effort. You, Princess Eeliyah, will oversee these new assignments and the schedules of all those involved,” Lexani stated, knowing she and Raxis had no idea of the enormous and impossible tasks they had created for themselves.
“Thank you, Sire!” Eeliyah was overjoyed by having such a massive responsibility. “Thank you so much!”
“I trust you won’t disappoint me,” the king said.
“I won’t, Your Majesty,” she beamed. “I promise.”
Raxis and Eeliyah had each gotten what they wanted. For Eeliyah, it was the opportunity for the potentials and shepherds to have a choice, and for Raxis, it was the chance to be taken seriously by his father.
As I watched the two of them mingle with the surrounding crowd, I didn’t know how I felt about their union, or if they even belonged together in a marriage. My whole world had been turned upside down in a matter of a week, and I didn’t know what to think anymore.
-87-
In the days that followed the events in Quelstren, Raxis, Eeliyah, and I returned to the academy. The prince had insisted Eeliyah was given her own room in the shepherds’ tower. While Raxis had been free to choose and marry a bride at any point after his fourteenth birthday, it was decided they wouldn’t officially be allowed to begin their lives together as a royal couple until after he had graduated from the academy. However, he wanted to make sure she was as comfortable as possible until then.
Because of Eeliyah’s new royal station, Raxis was the dominant decisionmaker for her life now, and he determined she would remain at the academy as a shepherd in the medical ward to help support the war effort.
As for me, it was time to leave the academy and the royal family altogether. It was my final night at the academy, and I was packing up my belongings, trying to steady my nerves for the graduation ritual that was to happen in a few hours’ time.
I was zipping up my last bag when I heard a knock at my door. I turned around to see Raxis standing in the doorway, wearing a look of both pride and disappointment. He held the guardian signet in his right hand and appeared eager to give it back.
“Shepherd Machoji recovered this from the chapel. I had it cleaned up in case you wanted to take it with you.”
“It’s probably safer here,” I hinted, not wanting to flatly reject his offering. In all honesty, I wanted nothing more to do with it.
“It’s so weird to think that you won’t be here anymore.” Raxis sighed. “Somehow, I thought you’d stay here with me forever, but I understand why you’ve chosen to go. I respect your integrity, Vigil.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.” I smiled. “That means a lot to me.” I was moved that he was being so respectful toward me. I would, on some level, always miss the friendship we had, but my life was no longer about him. I served a purpose greater than myself now. I served Ein, His children, and soon, my fellow shepherds.
“Will you be back often?” he asked.
“I’m not sure, Sire. I have no idea what they’ll have lined up for me out there.”
“Oh, okay. Well then, when you do return, I want you to know your room will always be waiting for you,” he offered, placing the signet on a hook on the wall. “You can still serve as my guardian whenever you return.”
I grimaced. “Of course, Sire.” I had really hoped my decision to join the war effort might have released me from my obligations to the royal family, but being a guardian was a title I’d have to uphold for the rest of my life, and there was no escaping it.
“When is your graduation?” he asked.
“In a few hours. Shepherd Diabelle is coming to escort me when it’s time.”
“Are you nervous?”
“A little, but I’ll be okay. It’s a good kind of excitement, you know?”
“I can imagine.” Raxis smiled nervously, shifting on his feet. “Vigil, I feel bad for asking, but it’s important. Do you think you could do me one last favor before you graduate? I have a meeting with my father in a few minutes and can’t attend to the issue myself.”
“Sure, Your Highness,” I said, even though all I really wanted to do before my ritual was rest. “What is it?”
“I was hoping you could help Eeliyah move into her room here in the tower. She’s on her way, and I really want to make a good impression.”
“I…ah…of course, Sire,” I replied apprehensively. “I’d be happy to.”
“Great! Thank you so much!” He beamed and held out his hand, waiting for me to hold out mine as well. I slipped my hand into his, and he gripped my fingers in the firmest handshake a boy of fourteen could manage. “Good luck, Vigil. Ein keep you safe until we meet again.”
“Thank you, Sire,” I said politely as he gave me an awkwardly long hug and hurried out of the room.
I returned to finish up my packing and was once again disturbed by someone in my doorway. Eeliyah cleared her throat, and I turned around to see her smiling sadly at me.
“Hey, you,” she said. “Sorry if I’m interrupting.”
“You’re not.” I forced a smile to let her know it was all right.
“My stuff is downstairs. Do you think you could help me bring it up?”
“Absolutely, Your Highness,” I joked, trying to break the tension.
“You do not need to call me that,” she said, letting a small smile break her somber expression.
“Yes, I do. It’s who you are now,” I stated firmly. “Don’t worry; you’ll get used to it. I had the same problem when I started as guardian.”
She sighed. “I know…I remember.”
An uncomfortable silence filled the room.
“So, about your stuff,” I chimed in. “Why don’t we take care of that?”
“Okay,” she reluctantly replied as I walked past her and out into the hallway.
Like me, Eeliyah hadn’t acquired too many belongings during her time at the academy, but I purposefully overloaded my arms so I had to concentrate on managing it all as we climbed up the stairs instead o
f talking about the very subject I’d been avoiding for days.
When we arrived in her room, I noticed it was similar to my own with all its fancy décor, only Eeliyah’s furniture, sheets, pillowcases, and towels had the royal seal of Telshakra stitched onto them with fine gold thread.
“When’s your graduation,” I asked, placing her things at the foot of her bed.
“They do the Brio graduations just before dawn, so tomorrow morning I’ll be up before the sun and ready to go through whatever it is we’re supposed to,” she said nervously. “I doubt I’ll even sleep at all tonight.”
“You shouldn’t worry about it. I’m sure you’ll do fine,” I smiled faintly, “but I really have to go. Shepherd Diabelle will be coming to collect me soon.” I bowed politely and tried to walk out of the room, but as I headed for the door, I felt Eeliyah’s hand on my arm pulling me back.
“Please don’t be mad at me, Vigil.”
“For what?” I asked, knowing full well what she meant.
“It’s not my fault,” she urged. “I had no idea he was going to choose me to be his bride.”
“I know, and I’m not mad…just disappointed.”
“In me?” she pouted.
“No, of course not.” I laughed. “How could I ever be disappointed in you? You were ready to die for what you believed in. I’m proud of you.”
“Yeah, well I know the king isn’t.” She let out a heavy sigh. “He won’t even look at me.”
“Give him time.”
“Easy for you to say,” she scoffed. “You saved his son…I kidnapped him and threatened to kill him.”
“Yeah, well there is that, but you’re safe. That’s what matters. Everything worked out okay.”
“Not for us.” I saw her eyes start to well up with tears.
“I know…and I’m sorry. I should have been better,” I admitted.
“Please don’t leave, Vigil,” she pleaded. “I don’t know if I can be a part of this royal family without you here to help me. Why can’t you just stay?”
