The King's Ancestors

by Robin Simmons

  Bandon reached out and hugged Raven and said. “It shall be done!”

  Raven waited at the king’s castle impatiently for the return of Lorriel, his mother, and little Edward. He knew there was only one way to deal with Rebekka’s disappearance, and that was to tell Edward the truth. It tore Raven’s soul to know how much that would hurt his little son. But he could not have him believing his mother would return any day and be disappointed over and over again. Raven tried to occupy his mind with a way for the kingdom to remember the queen’s sacrifice for them all. An Idea stuck him as he thought about it. An inscription, no a casting with a tribute to her where everyone who came to the King’s castle could see and remember. For the first time in days Raven had something to occupy his mind.

  When little Edward arrived, Lorriel, Joanna and Andrew brought him into the great hall where Raven was seated. When Edward saw Raven he dashed into his arms. Raven had to try hard to keep from crying. He set little Edward down and the others gathered around. Raven was glad that Andrew decided to come along as well. They all waited quietly for Raven to begin.

  He looked at Edward and started to speak but little Edward interrupted him saying, “Its about mother is it not?”

  Raven nodded and began, “Edward your mother was taken away by an evil man to a place we cannot find her. The evil man is dead, but your mother can never come back to us.” Edward looked around on the faces of those who encircled him and saw that what his father said was true.

  He began to cry, and through his sobs he said, “I wished I could have said goodbye.” Tears fell from Raven’s eyes and he saw through the haze that the others were crying too. Lorriel gathered Edward up into her arms and held him until his sobs subsided. Raven stood and saw Master Fields watching the whole scene from the opposite end of the great hall. Raven motioned to Andrew and they walked over toward Master Fields.

  When they reached him Raven said, “I have decided to commission a casting with an inscription honoring Rebekka so the kingdom will always remember her sacrifice.” Master Fields and Andrew both nodded and agreed it was a wonderful idea.

  “Andrew,” Raven asked, “what would be the most durable metal we could cast? Can we duplicate the ancients metal?”

  Andrew shook his head, “We do not have the tools to create the durable metal of the ancients, but searching through the hall of wisdom’s metallurgic files I saw something durable that we can duplicate. It is a gold, nickel and tin alloy that would last a very long time. Gold by itself is too soft and could be defaced or vandalized. This alloy is very hard.”

  “Lets go find Smithy then,” Raven said, “and get him working on Rebekka’s tribute.”

  Three weeks later, the kingdom was called to the King’s castle. When the courtyard was full and people were outside the gate of the castle, Raven began the ceremony.

  He stood on the balcony that overlooked the courtyard and said. “Most of you know by now that the queen has been taken from our kingdom. But what many of you may not know is without her sacrifice we all surely would have perished. We must all remember her sacrifice from generation to generation. So I present to you the inscription to Glenfair’s greatest queen.” With that a canvas was pulled away to reveal a plaque of hardened gold alloy embedded in the largest stone of the courtyard fountain. It read:

  To the queen who willingly sacrificed herself to save the kingdom. We will always remember you in our hearts as the greatest of Glenfair’s queens. May you prosper wherever you have gone.

  Love Raven

  The people one by one filed by and read the inscription and enjoyed the refreshments provided by the king. As the day stretched into afternoon, the people began to leave. A quiet reverence settled over the whole of the castle, and when the guests had gone Raven went down to the courtyard himself. He stood there awhile in front of the inscription, thinking of his beloved wife. He kneeled down and thanked God for the days they had with each other. And Raven knew, like his father he could never love anyone like that again. He rose from his knees and placed a single white rose beside the inscription and went back into the castle.

  A month after the dedication of the inscription, King Raven was in his council chamber working on the business of the kingdom. He was going over the statistics of each Dukeship when a powerful voice echoed in his mind.

  “We have a baby girl Raven!” Raven dropped the paper he was holding with the shock and recognition of Rebekka’s voice. He knew at that moment it was not his imagination, for he was not thinking of her at all right then. His heart also welled up because of the news of him having a daughter. He was comforted as well because this had been a cry of joy, not of despair or anguish.

  He closed his eyes to hold back the tears and thought, “May you and our daughter be blessed and prosper wherever you are.” He decided at that moment he would go see Andronicus. Besides, he needed to take the weapons he had found at the Prescotts to be destroyed.

  Just then there was a knock at the door and Raven said, “Come in.” Master Fields entered and seeing Raven’s red eyes started to leave but Raven bid him stay.

  “What can I do for you Master Fields?”

  “Sire,” he began, “I am not getting any younger and I have not chosen an apprentice to be weapons master in my place when I am gone. If I am to train one I must begin now.” Raven nodded seeing the truth of what Master Fields was saying.

  “Do you have someone in mind?”

  “Yes,” Master Fields said, “Robert, Terry Rollins younger brother wants to be a weapons master.” Raven smiled remembering the little boy he had saved from the charging Tor years ago.

  “It seems,” Master Fields continued, “after the time you saved him from the Tor he has devoted himself to the art and study of weaponry. He has become quite good. I need to go to the Rollins Dukeship and live there to train him. He has the skill but needs the knowledge to be able to instruct others, especially the royal house. You will be able to train your own son quite adequately, for I have taught you all I know.”

  Raven shook his head saying, “I doubt that is the truth Master Fields. But yes, I release you from your duties here to instruct young Robert. When are you planning on leaving?”

  Master Fields cast his eyes down and said slowly, “Today if it would be the king’s pleasure.”

  Raven smiled and said, “Good, I will ride with you to the falls, for I wish to see Andronicus myself today.” A smile came back on Master Fields’ face as he realized he would ride with the king today as friend and not in any official office.

  As Master Fields and Raven stopped below Brickens Falls, where they would part. Raven told him of Rebekka’s message she had somehow sent to him.

  Master Fields smiled, “A girl eh?” Raven nodded smiling back.

  “Tell Andronicus hello for me,” Master Fields said as he crossed the Halfstaff River. Raven continued on toward the falls and soon he was in the garden heading down the path toward the Hall of Wisdom carrying a large sack full of the weapons he had gathered.

  Andronicus met him on the path and Raven handed him the sack and said, “The weapons from Amnon’s stash.” Andronicus nodded and took them into the glass mansion. After talking awhile and enjoying some refreshment, Raven told Andronicus about Rebekka’s message she had sent him.

  “I know now,” Raven recounted, “that all those messages I heard were from Rebekka and not my imagination.”

  Andronicus was amazed, “It defies all logic,” he said in response to what Raven told him. But Raven could tell that Andronicus did not doubt the truth of it either.

  “There is something,” Raven said changing the subject, “that I wish to ask you. And I ask that you be honest with me. You have always told us you are only a machine, as if you had no feelings. That is not the whole truth is it?”

  “No, I am one of the few machines ever created to have emotions.”

  “Somehow,” Raven said thoughtfully, “I always knew you did.”

  A
ndronicus smiled and said, “You always treated me like anyone else, a true friend.” There was silence for a long time and finally Andronicus said, “I miss her too, Raven.”

  Chapter 8

  Undoing The Evil

  “If thou canst undo another’s evil, thou must. But be thou ware, evil canst only be overcome with good. Evil canst not triumph over evil, it only addeth thereto.”

  --Chronicles of the Ancients

  The next day came all too quickly for Rebekka. She had wanted more time to prepare but time would not wait for them. There was a knock at Elise’s door and Pi opened it to allow Blastion Astmos to enter.

  He looked at Rebekka and Elise and said apprehensively, “The cabinet meeting is scheduled for one, just after lunch. I do not have to tell you how curious everyone was to the purpose of this meeting.”

  “What did you tell them?” asked Elise.

  “I did not tell them anything except that Layton wanted it convened,” Blastion said with irritation. Both Elise and Rebekka could see that Blastion had not slept well because of all that was at stake. His life was in the hands of a couple of women and he did not like it at all. Never mind that it was not his choice, for Elise had made it clear he did not have a say in this whole scheme.

  “Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Blastion asked.

  Now Rebekka took over and replied, “We are sure, and you had better make sure that you do your part.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about me,” Blastion shot back, “its only my life that is hanging in the balance. I still don’t know how you plan to pull this off but I guess I will know at one this afternoon.” With that he walked to the door, looked over his shoulder and then left.

  Elise looked at Rebekka and said, “We had better get back to our plans for the cabinet meeting.”

  Rebekka nodded and then spoke to Elise’s mind, “You will make sure that all my wishes are carried out.” Elise nodded in response to Rebekka’s statement.

  “How did that sound?” Rebekka asked Elise.

  “I think you have that part under control,” Elise said smiling. “Now we had better make sure the rest of our plans go as well.”

  Rebekka nodded and then added, “I do not like the deception we have to bring about for this to work. If there were any other way to deal with this I would take it besides lying.”

  Elise nodded, “I know that this whole plan bothers you but we don’t have very many options. Let me tell the story and then you can take it from there.”

  Elise and Rebekka walked into the room where the cabinet was to meet. Blastion was there and escorted them to their places and called the meeting to order. He then turned to the cabinet and said, “Layton Teal has sent Chancellor Elise with a message for the whole cabinet, so I will turn this meeting over to her.” Elise stood and thanked Blastion for the introduction and began.

  “I think most of you know by now that Layton is not here and has asked me to chair this meeting.”

  Almost instantly Max Bane stood and said with a stern voice, “We all know your title of chancellor is only a token position that Layton gave you to make you feel important. I can’t believe that Layton would put you, a young girl in charge of any official meeting. I know something is going on because you do not look at all like the little girl you were the last time I saw you. And who is this woman with you?”

  Elise was not shaken by Max Bane’s outburst for she expected this from the cabinet. “Sit down Max,” and I will explain all of this to you.”

  Max Bane still stood until John Martin said angrily, “Sit down Max so we can find out what is going on.” The rest of the cabinet was starring at Max so he reluctantly sat, scowling and grumbling as he did.

  “Thank you,” Elise said as she began again. “Layton confided in me a little over a week ago that he wished to take a trip into the past to escape the boredom he was experiencing here. I took him a long ways into the past and he has decided to stay there as an early retirement.” Rebekka could see the shock this statement had on everyone in the cabinet.

  John Martin asked Elise, “Why would Layton want to retire from the empire he has built?”

  Elise smiled and said, “You all know how Layton liked a challenge, something to conquer. Well, there is not anything left for him to conquer here anymore and he was getting bored with all the politics of his empire. So he wanted a new frontier to challenge him and he found it in the past. The reason I look older to you is an unexpected side affect of traveling so far in time. As a result I will age rapidly and die in less than twenty years.”

  Charlotte Frank, the minister of agriculture now spoke, “Why didn’t Layton inform us of this plan of his to disappear?”

  Elise just laughed, “You know how Layton was, he did not trust his plans to be known openly, but only to those who had to know. I myself didn’t know until the day we were to leave.”

  “Who is this woman with you?” asked Chan Quon, minister of transportation.

  “She is the main reason for this meeting,” Elise replied. “She has been chosen by Layton Teal to rule in his place.” There was a moment of confusion and then everyone was talking at once until Blastion Astmos raised his hand and motioned for everyone to be quiet.

  “What you have heard from Chancellor Elise is true. I knew Layton was going to travel to the past and retire. I also knew that he would choose someone to take his place but I did not know who until yesterday. This woman has been sent here by Layton Teal from the past to rule and her name is Queen Rebekka Kallestor. Long live Queen Rebekka” And with that Blastion bowed low in a respectful bow to Rebekka’s authority and position.

  Rebekka glanced at Elise and spoke to her mind, “Did you tell him I was a queen?” Elise shook her head no, very slightly in response to Rebekka’s question.

  So convincing was this statement and introduction by Blastion that the cabinet was once again stunned into silence until John Martin spoke.

  “What do you have to say for yourself Queen Rebekka?” he asked, not hiding the amusement in his voice. Rebekka stood and looked everyone in the eye before answering.

  “Layton Teal did send me here from the past, and I will rule in his place.”

  At the end of that statement Max Bane stood up and shouted, “This is insane, a woman we have never seen before comes in here and claims Layton’s empire for her own. How do we know that Elise and this woman have not conspired to get rid of Layton and take his empire for themselves.”

  As soon as this statement was finished a laugh started low and then got louder. Everyone froze, especially Max for they all knew this laugh, it was the laugh of Layton teal echoing in their minds.

  “Max, Max,” the voice said. “Do you think that a fourteen year old girl and this woman could conspire against me and come up with this idea to take my place? Come, come, you must think I am slipping or incompetent, don’t you?”

  “No Layton, I don’t,” Max said shaking.

  “I have looked into all of your minds, and you, Max would love to rule in my place. You would have killed me long ago if you thought it could have been done. That is why I want none of you to have the control of my empire and I have chosen Queen Rebekka for that position. I think we should take a recess for all of you to think this over and decide I made a good decision. Be back here in half an hour.”

  When the voice of Layton Teal stopped, everyone was shaken except John Martin who had an amused look on his face. Max Bane on the other hand looked weak and pale by comparison.

  Blastion Astmos was the most surprised of all and kept glancing around the room until Rebekka came up to him and asked; “Where shall we retire for the recess?” Blastion quickly regathered his wits and said, “Why Layton’s private chamber, of course. Please, follow me.”

  Once inside Layton’s private chamber and the door was shut, Blastion in an agitated voice said:

  “All right, what is going on? Where is Layton, I know he set this whole thing up now. What
I want to know is, why?”

  Rebekka just smiled and spoke to Blastion’s mind in Layton’s voice saying, “Layton is gone, we told you that.” Then in her regular voice said, “What we did not tell you is I am a telepath and know how to sound like Layton.” Blastion’s mouth dropped open and a frown came across his face.

  “You should have told me what you were going to do.”

  “You had to be surprised like the rest for this scheme to be believable,” Rebekka remarked. “How do you think it went?” Blastion started to answer when there was a knock at the door. Blastion was waving his hands in a motion to Rebekka and Elise not to answer.

  But Rebekka just smiled and said, “Come in.” The door opened and John Martin entered and closed the door behind him. He looked at Elise and Blastion and then walked over to Rebekka and said.

  “I don’t know who you are but I do know this was not Layton’s plan.”

  Blastion interrupted and said, “You heard his voice, we all did, this is what he wants.”

  John Martin continued, ignoring Blastion, “I don’t know how you did that with Layton’s voice but I know he would never have said those words. So, are you going to tell me what is going on or not?”

  Rebekka looked at John Martin with a serious stare and said, “Layton sent me here with Elise, not to rule but as a prisoner. Layton went in search of the traitors who disappeared about fourteen years ago. I was taken hostage to elicit information about the traitors from the people of my kingdom. Once we were here I convinced Elise not to return for Layton and thus stranding him in my time until he dies. He cannot travel anywhere in time without Elise.”

  “That still does not explain Layton’s voice we all heard in our minds,” John Martin stated.

  “I am a telepath, even more powerful than Layton. I have listened to Layton’s mind and I know what he sounds like.”

  John Martin shook his head disbelievingly, “Layton Teal outwitted by a couple of women. This was a brilliant plan you came up with.”