The king shook his head, “Please son, you must take such notions out of your mind. For you are to be king and a better king than I, you will be. Remember that El’s will for you, is El’s will for this kingdom. I hardly think he desires a Dravian queen. And besides that, you know Mbede is plotting against me, we must not give him any reason to see you as unworthy to the throne. He has great influence among the people and over the council.”
Jasper sighed, feeling the weight of his responsibilities on his shoulders like boulders threatening to crush him. Mbede was the sole remaining councillor from Jasper’s grandfather’s time. He still seemed to harbour a great dislike for father and would challenge him whenever he could. Recently, his disdain had turned into disrespect with the exposure of Ruby as Nerubian.
“I understand what you are feeling son, but you must take it out of your mind before it becomes harder to let go.”
Jasper said nothing and his father did not press further, instead he turned the direction of their conversation in another direction.
“Something has been on my mind. I suspect that the attacks on the Questors might have some Dravian influence behind it.”
“Haddin? Sending these creatures after the questors. It makes no sense. If those creatures are from the Outlands, then they are beyond any of our reach, Haddin’s included. I knew an Ilk in Dravia who explained to me that they were like animals, their humanness all but consumed by the darkness.”
The king shook his head, “They have been terrorizing Aldorian allies all around Saharia. So far two of our allies have withdrawn allegiance, I believe Haddin has been having them threatened. The Questors must have stumbled upon them on their way back… although Arthur wants to believe that they were after something.”
Jasper looked troubled, “those are very specific attacks for mindless creatures. They attacked an army to recover a body… doesn’t seem very mindless to me.”
The king shrugged, “Animals can be trained and controlled and I have a feeling Haddin may have mastered the art. We are in a dire situation Jasper, I believe that Haddin will turn his eyes on Aldor soon enough. The king of Tyattar has gone into hiding and his son the crown prince is dead. Haydward is running things over there and… we know he is no ally of ours.”
“Thank El Deswald rescued the king’s daughter. If we keep her safe, we may be able to restore Tyattar as our ally. She is grateful to us.”
“How do you suppose we do that?”
“We find the king; we rally some men and we help him take back his throne. If you’re right, we’ll need their help.”
The king had started shaking his head as soon as Jasper started speaking.
“We don’t have the time nor the resources to help Tyattar now.”
“But father… he is your friend.”
The king only nodded sadly, “Haddin cannot break past our defences with his magic as yet.”
Jasper arched a brow in question, “what do you mean not yet?”
“The stones that protect us and keep the darkness beyond the borders are weakening, more and more as the people are losing faith. Now we have a man who claims to be a prophet of El stirring up the people.”
“The prophecy…” Jasper started.
“This has nothing to do with that,” the king interjected.
“Father you cannot deny it for much longer. Enol spoke of it; we have read the scripts of El in the annals of the oracles. Dark times are ahead, we cannot ignore the signs that the Great War is looming. We must prepare the people.”
“No, the Source of light is the answer,” he replied gruffly, “once we find it, we can reinforce our defences, keep the darkness in it’s place...”
Jasper was shaking his head, his eyes bright with excitement, “what if the source of light has already come, what if it found us instead, what if it was always supposed to find us and not us it?”
“You sound like those quacks in Dravia. All we need to do is restore faith among the people and the light stones will stay alive.”
“But how? Father please just listen, I believe in my heart that the source of light has already come, we just… we just missed it. His presence among us…”
His father’s eyes widened in disbelief, “His presence? Do not speak this way in my hearing Jasper and I will warn you to keep these notions to yourself. I should have known letting you linger under Stiller’s influence would result in this. You must put such thoughts out of your mind.”
Jasper lowered his gaze and nodded, “sorry father.”
He now knew for sure that he could not tell him about the prophets’ scrolls. It was the confirmation he had needed that the source of light had come. But his father was not ready.
“We will put together an army and quell this infestation. We have foiled Haddin’s plans before, we will do it again. In the meantime, prepare your best spies, we are sending them into Dravia. We have to know what Haddin is planning.”
Jasper nodded, though he did not fully agree with his father’s perspective, “we should reach out to the community there. They were a great help to us when we were there last.”
The king hesitated.
“Please father, they may see things differently to us, but I assure you they are loyal to El just as we are and to this kingdom.”
The king glared at him, “you will stay away from those people. You hear me?”
Jasper bowed jerkily, “okay,” he replied.
“Okay what?”
Jasper gritted his teeth, but held his father’s gaze, “I will stay away.”
Chapter 19
Deswald was going out of his mind. After traveling and training for over a month, sitting around in the infirmary was torment. They might as well have locked him up in the dungeons, he thought. He stopped his pacing and went to the satchel beneath his bed where he had stashed his blade. They would not let him near any weapons, not after what he had apparently done. He still had no recollection of what had happened, but he had a feeling it had something to do with his weapon of preference lately. He took the dagger out from the bag and unwrapped it. He had sheathed it and carefully bounded it in one of his trousers.
As he held the handle in his palm, he felt complete, as a sense of wholeness eased the uproar in his mind. It brought him peace and terror all at the same time. Something was definitely wrong with this weapon, but he could not bring himself to relinquish it. He had even been willing to agree with the healer that somehow it could be blamed on the treacherous journey, or the beings they fought. But he knew what the problem was, it was this dagger, it had become a part of him somehow and his connection to it had gotten the creatures’ attention, he still remembered those cold unnatural eyes looking right at him, with a daunting familiarity. Deep down Deswald knew that the dagger and the power it possessed had to be blamed for what he had done to his fellow men. He sighed, looking intently at the weapon in his hand.
“What if you lose control again?” he asked out loud, “what if you hurt someone else, someone you love?”
He thought of his family. His mother and cousin had been by earlier; they had brought him fresh fruits and their love. He did miss them, his mother in particular. He knew she would have worried non-stop from the day he left to the day he had returned. So of course, he did not tell her all that had happened with him nor that he was on suspension. Instead she left, believing that yet again he had chosen duty over family. He sighed and twirled the dagger in his hand.
“You can control this,” he muttered, “it’s just a piece of metal, excellent craftsmanship no doubt, but nothing else.”
He heard a timid tapping on the door of his room. Quickly, he stooped and returned the blade to his satchel.
“Yes?” he called.
“Officer Arnell, may I come in?”
He knew the voice, “please, come.”
In hobbled Eylisia, the Tyatarran princess. She had a sheepish grin on her face as she leaned on a wooden cane. “hello, I just thought I would drop by and check on you.”
“It is much better, and I have an escort following me around. The healer was fussing over me since we arrived and even made me this walking stick. Custom made to suit my Tyattaran height. You all are so tall,” she laughed.
Deswald chuckled, “you should see us next to Narkans… well Aldorians would never stand beside a Narkan but you get the idea.”
She smiled, “they have a tumultuous relationship with us as well.”
“Our kings must have bonded over that. Or rather, my king and your father.”
She smiled sadly and lowered her gaze, Deswald bit his lip. That had been a thoughtless thing to say to the woman who was surely still mourning the separation from her people. He did not understand why he felt betrayed by her omission.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just… I didn’t know you that well. I had to…”
“No, I am sorry,” he interjected, “you didn’t have to tell me anything. Please sit, rest that ankle,” he said, pointing to a wooden chair near his bed. He took a seat on the edge of his bed.
Eylisia complied, “thank you officer Arnell.”
“Please it’s just the two of us here, Deswald will do.”
She nodded, “I’m just so nervous”
He smiled warmly, “you don’t have to be nervous with me.”
She beamed back at him, her sloe eyes narrowing so that all that was left were long dark lashes. Deswald chuckled at the sight.
“When are they going to release you… Ike misses you it seems.”
“Ike!” Deswald exclaimed, “the way he tossed me around… I doubt that.”
“Ahh, it is fine he likes you. You have a knack for dragon riding. It is just your fear of heights that may hinder you.”
They sat in awkward silence for a while, with Eylisia looking around his plain stone walled cell as if it was splattered with works of art instead of sloppy masonry. Her eyes found him again and a polite smile lit up her heart shaped face.
“That story you told me,” he said, “about your engagement… was that a lie?”
Eylisia shook her head, “no, I was pledged to the son of a Chieftain.”
Deswald nodded, “if your father doesn’t make it…”
She looked up at him quickly with fear in her eyes, “I know,” she said, “I will be the only one to challenge my brother for the throne.”
Deswald found that Eylisia was very pleasant company. In the short time that she visited with him, he learned a lot about her people and she even stirred up an excitement about dragons where there was once fear. She promised to continue to teach him to ride a dragon once he healed. Of course, he did not have the heart to tell her that the king would not let him near the a sword, so he doubted he would let him get close to a fire breathing dragon.
Suddenly the door to his room burst open and in walked his friend. His wounded arm was still in a sling against his chest but his smile was back. Since his argument with Nyla out on the field he had been a sulking mess. A lot had happened on their quest, a lot had changed.
“Hello brother!” Ben greeted, “how are you feeling?”
Deswald smiled sadly, “like I am in the wrong place.”
“Oh and indeed you are,” Ben replied, “what if I said I could spring you from this dreary cell of sickness.”
Deswald chuckled, “how do you propose to do that? The prince has me here under close watch, I cannot even meet with Ruby without a guard present and not just any guard, an Aldorian knight.”
Ben winced, “sounds terrible. But I assure you, I do not make such bold statements without proper preparation.”
Deswald arched an eyebrow, “actually you do.”
Ben waved a hand dismissively, “anyway, they are finally letting the Questers head home for a few days. That was the longest most uptight debriefing I have ever had by the way. But it’s over now and I am heading home. I long for loose trousers and to not feel like I’m constantly lugging around the weight of Saharia’s sins.”
Deswald shook his head, Ben never liked the mandatory armour they had worn as guards and hated even more the silver-plated questor’s armour, under which they wore the most constricting tights known to man.
“Sounds great Ben. Tell your family hello for me.”
“Tell them yourself.”
This earned him a frown from Deswald, “I don’t understand.”
“Brother, you are coming home with me. I know the prince doesn’t want you too far out of sight, and your mother’s dwelling is quite far out of sight. But I… I live in the city. So, come home with me and get some much-deserved rest.”
Deswald shook his head, a smile resting on his lips, “what will I do without you brother?”
Ben smiled, “sit here and mope apparently. And I don’t understand why, when you have a beautiful princess making trips to the infirmary like she is a certified healer. You’re a real princess magnet huh!”
Deswald laughed, “I think you are right…”
“So, you admit it, you are a princess magnet! Show me your ways great one.”
Deswald tossed a shirt at him, “I meant that you’re right about that needed rest. I will love to come home with you Ben.”
Ben clasped his hands together excitedly, “excellent but I only ask one thing.”
“Tell me.”
“No talk about Nyla and I, okay?”
“What? Why? Are you guys still….”
“No, no no,” Ben interjected, “see how easy it comes. Leave it be!”
✽✽✽
The king entered his study after a long morning of hearing matters at the courts. His panel of councillors were weary of the countless accusations and complaints being brought to them by the people, regarding a new wave of what many were starting to term anti-aldorianism. He sighed, the presence of one of his councillors in his study tensed him up even more. He knew that the old traditionalist had something to say about all that was happening with this new prophet and rumours of a new religion growing in the secret crevices of the kingdom. Topaz had confirmed his fears when she confessed to having snuck out and experienced the work of this so-called prophet first hand. Despite his disappointment in what she had done, he was glad to have finally been able to put a name to the man that was stirring up so much trouble in his kingdom.
“Councillor Mbede,” he greeted as he made his way to his chair, grateful to have the desk between them.
The old man, proudly wearing the long beige robe with the gold knotted cord of the high council around his neck, turned from the king’s wall of trophies with a grim frown. The king steeled himself for what was to come. Mbede was one of the oldest councillors on the king’s council. He had first hand knowledge of matters prior to the king’s existence and this often made him feel a sense of entitlement when it came to decisions regarding the kingdom.
“You are wading in troubled waters oh king,” came the condescending accusation.
The king lifted his gaze slowly, “I am sorry, what did you say to me?”
Mbede merely arched a bushy grey brow as he looked down over his peaked nose.
The king leaned back, shaking his head at the old man in disbelief, “what have I done now councillor?”
“Why is that miscreant still walking the streets of our kingdom spreading this filth? Why is he not locked away in our dungeons? Or exiled from our land!”
King Kalgary watched the old man wave his hand about in outrage, his eyes practically bulging from their sockets.
“Why can you not just trust me to do my job Mbede?”
“Why? Because it is you who have encouraged this in the first place. It is your pitiful refugee laws that has these outsiders who are worth nothing more than slaves, walking around as if they are somehow entitled to all of Aldor’s benefits. Now they want a God of their own!”
King Kalgary took a deep breath, “I passed that law because it was the right thing to do. Those p
eople might not look like us but they are people too. El cares for them just the same.”
“So you think, but with no oracle to confirm it, how can you be sure. I am sure that is what you told your so-called daughter every night when you tucked her into bed. But it is not enough to rule a kingdom,” the old man hissed.
Kalgary leapt to his feet angrily, “that is enough!”
“No, it is not. It is my duty as a member of the council to assess your leadership of this kingdom, to make recommendations accordingly. And I am telling you now king Kalgary, the fact that your daughter is one of them is making the people of this kingdom very uncomfortable. People are beginning to say that you are a part of it all. That is why that man still walks free. You need to get rid of her!”
“You seem to forget Mbede, that you advise me because I allow it. People can say what they like, they always have and if you must know, that man is being arrested even as we speak. As for my daughter we have no need to rush her marriage, not because her presence unnerves you.”
Mbede narrowed his eyes, “hmm, regardless, if we do not do something soon, we will see an uprising far greater than the battle of Caldwell. If we wish to curb this, we will have to gather up all of those anti-aldorianists and exile them all. If we allow this to continue, no doubt Aldor will become a godless cesspool like Dravia and who will stand for El.”
The old man turned and marched towards the door, Kalgary glared at his retreating back, his hands balled into fists against his desk.
“Mbede.”
The old man turned around, his hand already on the door knob.
“I am king of Aldor, I rule, you serve merely as my advisor. I’ve heard whispers of a councillor plotting against me. When I find this person, my hand of judgement will be swift and no tenure, no number of knots in his rope, or recommendation of the priest will stop it. I hope councillor Mbede that I do not find that person to be you.”
Kalgary watched as a flicker of fear flash in the old man’s eyes.
“El appointed me as king in this season and it is El who will remove me from this throne and only then will my son succeed me as El has commanded. If I find that you are the one who is plotting to turn the people against me, I will have you removed from council... and exiled.”
Kingdom's Darkness (Gemstone Royals Book 2) Page 16
