A slight murmuring spread through the crowd, but for the moment Raulf’s focus turned to the omission of one of their company, rather than Michel’s inclusion among them. “Where is Lady Elena? Why did she not accompany you? We only entrusted her care to this stranger on your word he was worthy of our trust.”
Timothy offered in response, “Lady Elena is under the care of my family until the matters under consideration here today have been decided.”
Raulf nodded his reluctant approval. “You reassure me of your judgment, my friend. I had not thought you so careless as to allow the king’s niece to be under the supervision of our noble guest.” The title he afforded Michel was done with a good deal of mockery.
“It was the guest you refer to who asked me to see to the lady’s protection,” Timothy replied, his own voice laced with amused mockery.
“And what right does this stranger have to make any requests in regards to Lady Elena?” With a respectful nod in his direction, Timothy deferred to Michel the answer Raulf’s challenge.
When Michel was certain the attention of the entire gathering was focused on him, he announced into the silence, “I am the lady’s guardian and therefore the only one with the right to make any requests or arrangements in regards to her future.”
Michel was not surprised by the astonished reactions to his assertion, nor when Raulf immediately challenged it. “Ha! Your noble stranger certainly does not lack a vivid imagination. And do you possess any proof to substantiate your ridiculous claim, boy?”
“But of course, no reasonable man would make such a claim without sufficient proof to substantiate it,” Michel responded, referring rather mockingly to Raulf’s attempt to do just that at their previous confrontation.
“Well then, for the benefit of the king’s loyal friends who must all concern themselves with his niece’s welfare and act as her guardians in his stead, please produce this proof you speak of,” Raulf challenged, his voice indicating he had no doubt whatever proof Michel might produce would be easily dismissed as a fabrication.
Michel turned to Amele who removed the scroll he had hidden beneath his cloak. He indicated with a gesture for Gabriel to approach from his position near the entrance to retrieve it from his outstretched hand. No one questioned Gabriel’s role in the proceedings. Even with the king’s death, he remained captain of the soldier’s assigned to see to the security of the throne. Any of the men among the gathering who held aspirations to ascend to the kingship would need his support and the loyalty of the men under his command in order to solidify their position as the new king.
So the gathering waited in silence as Gabriel crossed the hall and with a guarded, unrevealing expression and a slight but respectful bow in Michel’s direction, accepted the scroll from his brother’s outstretched hand. He turned to face the gathering and asked its representatives.
“Shall I read its contents?”
“Yes, please entertain us with its claims,” Raulf commanded imperiously
A hush fell over the crown as Gabriel unrolled the scroll.
“I, King Barnabas, being of sound mind and aware of my deteriorating physical condition leave these instructions with my trusted friend and emissary to speak in my voice in regards to my wishes and intentions for both my beloved niece, Elena, and as to the heir I would appoint to rule after me as if I was present at the gathering this document has no doubt been produced at to decide these very matters.”
A deeper hush fell over the room as Gabriel read the opening words of the document he held reverently in his grasp. It seemed to those assembled that it was almost as if he spoke with the voice of the dead king himself hailing his former subjects from the grave.
“Please continue, Captain, I am certain we are all desirous of hearing our friend Barnabas’s wishes in these matters.”
Michel turned in the direction of the new voice who called into the silence. The man met his frank examination with one of his own, and then nodded an equally forthright acknowledgement of Michel’s interest.
“In the matter of my heir: I have made no secret for the duration of my kingship that it has always been my wish that a true heir to the kingship could be persuaded to return to Calei to ascend to the throne. Had I been able to accomplish my wish during my life, I would have gladly abdicated my throne in his favor. Alas, such a joyous day has eluded me in life, but I am hopeful it will not elude me in death. I therefore appoint as my heir, not of course that he needs such an appointment from me, as the throne of Calei belongs to him by right of birth, Prince Michel, King Nathaniel and Queen Alyssa’s grandson, and the son of their daughter.”
When Gabriel hesitated, the voice of the man who pressed him to continue with his duty of reading the scroll, spoke into the silence, his voice both understanding and amused at the king’s naïve pronouncement of his heir. “Yes, well, we were all well aware of King Barnabas’ wish and all of ours naturally, to have the blood of the royal family restored to the throne, but I imagine the king’s wish will remain as elusive in death as it was in life.” There were a few sympathetic and equally amused chuckles at the man’s wry comment among the gathering, and then he gestured for Gabriel to continue.
“As to the matter of my niece Elena,” At this a tense silence fell over the gathering, all of the men’s earlier amusement absent. “I give both my permission and my blessing for the marriage of my niece to the heir I have appointed and to no other.” The tension was momentarily interrupted by another course of amused chuckles and then Gabriel continued in a loud voice so as to be heard over the disruption, as if he was now in a hurry to read the rest of the document. “That being the case, and with a full understanding that a marriage cannot be arranged without the consent of both parties, I appoint as guardian of my niece’s person and her estate, Prince Michel, the grandson of King Nathaniel and Queen Alyssa.”
A stunned silence came over the assembled crowd, all amusement at the former king’s foolish, but romantic nature forgotten as they each remembered the stranger’s claim to be Lady Elena’s guardian. If he had spoken the truth, Michel knew the others were even now concluding he could be none other than the grandson of the last true king, and the only one among them with the undisputed right to ascend to the throne of Calei.
Raulf was the first to recover from his surprise and give loud voice to his outrage, “You dare to call this ridiculous fabrication proof of your claim? Not only giving you guardianship over Lady Elena, and the king’s permission to marry you and no other? But now you add to your previous audacity by claiming to be King Nathaniel’s long-lost grandson? To repeat your own charge, stranger, that is very convenient for you, is it not?”
This time Michel could feel the other contenders aligned as one behind Raulf’s accusation. He waited to respond to it until silence had once more fallen over the room. “Ah, but in the case of the proof I offer you, King Barnabas took the precaution of ensuring there were witnesses to see to it that his wishes concerning his niece and his throne were carried out.”
Another rustling among the gathering. This time the men turned to eye their neighbors, wondering if they were one of the witnesses to which he referred.
“And who are these witnesses you speak of?’ Raulf demanded in a voice that proclaimed he would dismiss without a second’s hesitation all but the most unassailable of those he produced.
Michel turned his attention in Gabriel’s direction. “I believe the good captain here is aware of the identity of those the king trusted to bear witness for him beyond the grave. I do not know the names of the chosen ones, and have only King Barnabas’ assurance that they exist at all.”
All eyes turned back to Gabriel with avid interest. It was obvious to Michel that if the captain of the king’s guard denied his claim of witnesses to the scroll, or Barnabas had failed to see to the matter as he indicated he would, his position among them would be considerably weakened.
Gabriel faced Raulf and the others proudly, and for the first time used Michel’s rightful ti
tle in their presence, “Yes, Prince Michel speaks the truth. I know the identities of those who were called to witness the king’s seal on the scroll, the contents of which I have just disclosed to each of you, just as I was the one who arranged the meeting, at the king’s request, between the two men.”
Stunned silence greeted Gabriel’s announcement that the king had met the stranger the captain of his own guard now referred to as Prince Michel. The silence was quickly filled with muffled whispers until Raulf’s furious demand effectively silenced them. “Then send for these witnesses you speak of, Captain. I would hear their testimony with my own ears.”
“As you wish, Baron,” Gabriel replied with a bow, but made no move to hurry off to see his errand carried through.
Then Baron Timothy stepped forward and his voice proclaimed into the awkward breech, “I am one of the witnesses you seek. It was King Barnabas’ last request of me that I provide such witness if the authenticity of the scroll was called into question. I do so now in honor of my pledge to my good friend and king.”
“As do I,” Baron Paul called out and also stepped forward to stand at Gabriel’s side. “King Barnabas made the same request of me, and in honor of my pledge I too can attest to the authenticity of the scroll and its contents the captain holds in his possession.”
Baron Raulf swung from one to the other of his equals, his eyes threatening what his lips could not express with so many witnesses present.
“I too, was one of the witnesses of whom the captain speaks.” A young man in priestly robes stepped forward and Michel assumed he was the king’s confessor.
One of the older noblemen, who had not spoken up to this point in the proceedings turned to the priest. “Bishop Maren you will vouch for the authenticity of this scroll?”
“Yes, though I was not present at the meeting the captain speaks of, King Barnabas requested that I provide witness to the scroll’s authenticity, and also to his intent to name King Nathaniel’s grandson his legitimate heir and his niece’s guardian upon his death.”
The older man nodded, silenced Raulf’s budding outrage with an impatient gesture, and then turned back to direct his next comment to Gabriel. “Thank you, Captain, for your loyal service to your king. I think there can be no remaining question as to King Barnabas’ intent to name King Nathaniel’s grandson his heir and the guardian of Lady Elena. In point of fact, it would not be necessary for him to name the grandson of the last true king his rightful heir as the throne would belong to him by right of birth. However, I am concerned that after so much time and given the king’s failing state near the end of his life that he may have been deceived by a stranger thinking to take advantage of his greatest hope and gain the hearts of Caleinians and the throne itself under false pretenses. What proof do we have this man you refer to as Prince Michel is actually the grandson of King Nathaniel? After all, the king has been dead for over forty years. There has been no word in all that time from Queen Alyssa, and all of our attempts in the intervening years at persuading one of the true heirs to the throne to return have proven unsuccessful. Why are we to believe that one of them has suddenly changed his mind? It all seems rather too convenient to be believed.”
“Exactly my point, Baron,” Raulf heartily agreed.
Gabriel nodded, “If I may, Baron?”
“Please, if you are able to shed additional light on this matter, Captain, I am certain we would all be happy to consider your testimony.”
Gabriel turned to face Michel from where he stood in the center of the circle of men debating Calei’s future. Though the older man did not kneel before him, as Michel could see was his inclination, he bowed most profoundly, and then turned back to the waiting company. A profound silence fell over the gathering as he drew a deep breath, released it in an audible sigh and then began his testimony. “I was there that black night when King Nathaniel was murdered.” A rustling at his shocking disclosure passed through the assemblage, and if anything, the silence deepened and filled with expectation as they gave him their full attention. “I was a raw recruit, still in training, and assigned to my older brother’s command so he could keep an eye on me. Those of you who remember that evil day will also recall it was a time of peace in our city. There was little threat of an attack by our enemies, so the younger and more inexperienced soldiers were given the watch on the wall. We had just completed our assigned watch and were climbing the stairs to the great hall to find some food to fill our stomachs before seeking our beds.”
“When we entered the hall we couldn’t believe our eyes. There was blood and swords and men fighting for their lives. At my young age I had never seen a man gutted with a sword. Seeing the combatants all attired in familiar livery was too confusing for my young eyes to put a name to what was happening, but my older brother guessed immediately that there was a traitor in our midst and that they would try to harm the queen. If you recall Queen Alyssa was heavy with child and was expected to give birth any day. My brother led us away from the fighting, back down the steps and through the tunnels that run beneath the keep. He sent me to sound the alarm to raise the city’s defenders while he and the others looked for the queen. He instructed me to meet him at our father’s cabin in the mountains after I completed my task and that he would bring the queen there so we could protect her until the king could put down the insurrection.”
“Our plan was to return Queen Alyssa to her husband’s care when word reached us that the city was secured. Of course all of us know such word never reached us. Instead, we heard the blackest news, that King Nathaniel had been murdered by his closest friend and confidant. We were young, but we understood enough of such things to know Queen Alyssa would not be allowed to live long enough to deliver a child that carried the blood of the rightful king. So we escorted her through the mountains until we reached the very edge of our lands and there I parted ways with my brother.”
“I begged him to allow me to accompany him, that it was my sworn duty to protect the queen and the child she carried, but my brother urged me to stay. Those who accompanied the queen would need to know when the threat to her life was put down and it was safe for Queen Alyssa and her child to return to their rightful place in Calei. Though my heart urged me otherwise, I remained behind while the others hurried our queen away from her home, away from her husband’s kingdom, because evil men sought her death, and we did not know who was aligned with the traitors or who it was safe for us to trust.”
When he fell silent, another man, old enough to remember that evil day, spoke into the hushed silence. “You do your family honor by the great service you rendered our king and our people upon the occasion of that black night, Captain, but is there anyone who can take up the story from where you parted with your brother and attest to the truth of this man’s claim to be a grandson of King Nathaniel and Queen Alyssa?”
Gabriel nodded solemnly. “My brother, Amele, has remained by the queen’s side all of these long years.”
“Then where is he? Can you summon him to Calei to provide testimony as to the truth of this stranger’s claim?”
“It is not necessary to summon him, Baron. He is among us even as we speak.” Gabriel turned and exchanged a fierce glance with Amele before raising his arm and pointing in his direction. “There is my brother, Amele, who has never forsaken the oath he took to protect the royal house of Calei.”
Stunned faces turned to regard the man who stood at the side of the stranger. Amele stepped forward, bowing slightly to the gathering and faced the baron who raised the question. “I can indeed pick up the story where my brother, Gabriel’s ended, and provide testimony of this man’s identity,” he proclaimed, indicating a silent Michel with his hand.
“Then do so,” the older baron, who had first requested proof of his claim, urged impatiently.
Amele stood silent for a moment as if gathering his thoughts and then began the account of his long years in exile. “As my brother, Gabriel, told you we escorted Queen Alyssa into the mountains and within a f
ew days she gave birth to her daughter. The queen suffered her labor without attendants, and without benefit of a midwife gave birth in a cold, damp cave carved from the rock of the mountains. Neither I nor the men who accompanied us were of much help to our king’s young widow, for we were men and what do men know of such things? Still in all the years of our exile Queen Alyssa never voiced a word of complaint about the loss of her husband’s kingdom and the luxuries that were hers by right. Her only concern was for her daughter.”
“You spoke the truth, Baron, when you stated there had been no word from Queen Alyssa in the intervening years. She feared for her daughter’s safety and refused to even consider returning to Calei, knowing that evil men sought not only her own death, but the death of her child. She urged me to return to my homeland because she knew my heart and my thoughts were ever on its gilded streets, but I could not return while my queen lived if she refused to do so. Seeing my grief at the loss of my home, she made me a promise. She vowed that one day blood of her husband’s blood would return to Calei and restore the blood of the rightful king to the throne of Calei. I was forced to content myself with her promise as I could see she would not return herself, nor would she allow her daughter to do so. In the intervening years we pushed ever west over the mountains and into Europe, never calling a single place home, but living a wanderer’s life, capturing and training wild horses and selling them off at need to provide for the little luxuries and supplies we required from time to time.”
“Over time our forces grew as those loyal to King Nathaniel’s memory heard word of us and sent us men, sometimes boys, from their households to join our purpose to protect the bloodline of the true king. Throughout the many years we remained exiled from our homes we trained and we remembered our homeland, and we passed on the stories of its heritage to those who followed us and to those who joined us, so that we would never be distracted from our true purpose. When the princess married a Saxon duke, our queen wept joyful tears, not only at the sight of her daughter’s happiness, but because she knew the princess was safe at last from the designs of evil men who would use her for their own ends. When the princess gave birth to her first son, it was my joyful task to deliver the news to my brother Gabriel, and those who remained loyal to our cause here in Calei that a new heir had been born and the king’s blood lived on in his grandson.”
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