Evil Within

by Richard S. Tuttle

  The Borundan staff had set up a system of queuing the dignitaries so that they entered the dining hall in accordance with their assigned seats. The lesser dignitaries were announced first while those of royal blood sat in elegant parlors being waited on by palace staff until their turn arrived. The process took a fair amount of time to seat all the guests, and Prince Garrick divided his time between the dining hall and the private parlors. At all times, the Crown Prince appeared relaxed and refined. He showed no anxiety, and everyone commented on how well he was adjusting to his new role.

  Prince Garrick entered the private parlor where the Salacian royal family was waiting. He smiled warmly and nodded in respect to King Hector, but his eyes were glued on the two young princesses.

  "I apologize for this interminable delay," smiled Prince Garrick. "The responses to the invitations were much greater than anticipated."

  "We are well cared for during our wait," King Hector replied in a friendly manner. "I think everything has been arranged to perfection, and I compliment your staff on their efficiency."

  "I will make a point to share your kind words with them," smiled Prince Garrick. "I am disappointed to see that Prince Derri was unable to attend. I trust he is well?"

  "He was not in Kyland when your invitation arrived," answered King Hector. "I am sure he will be sorry to have missed such a festive occasion."

  "Ah," smiled Prince Garrick. "Understandable. I hope you will not be offended, but my staff took the liberty of removing his place in the dining hall. Seating is so critical that every single seat is needed."

  "I certainly take no offense at all," replied King Hector. "I can well appreciate the task of fitting so many guests into one room."

  "Thank you," smiled Prince Garrick. "I must leave to attend to other duties. Please forgive my short visit."

  Prince Garrick nodded and exited the parlor.

  "Well done, dear," Queen Malatina said softly.

  "He was the epitome of kindness and protocol," whispered King Hector, "but I did not care much for his eyeing my daughters. I expected him to start salivating like a rabid wolf."

  "Did you notice what he did not mention?" asked Queen Malatina.

  "What he didn't mention?" King Hector shook his head.

  "He is the only person we have spoken to since arriving here that has not mentioned Arin," the queen pointed out, "and we have spoken to him twice now."

  "Interesting," nodded King Hector.

  * * *

  As head of one of the largest countries of the Land of the Nine Kingdoms, King Hector and his family were among the last to be seated in the dining hall. Hundreds of pairs of eyes turned as the Salacians were introduced. The king and queen of Salacia marched royally past all of the guests and sat near the head of one of the long tables. When King Hector was seated, he stared across the table at four empty seats. His eyes narrowed in anger as he read the nametags. Despite the scarcity of seats in the dining hall, Prince Garrick had saved four seats for the Arin royal family. The spectacle was designed to highlight the absence of King Caedmon.

  The Salacian king whispered in his wife's ear. "Send one of the girls to our chambers. He cannot wait until the coronation tomorrow. He must appear immediately."

  Queen Malatina whispered to her eldest daughter, and the young woman rose and casually exited the hall. Once outside the hall, she ran swiftly and burst into the suite reserved for the Salacian personal servants.

  "Father says that you must appear immediately," the daughter said. "Dignitaries are being seated in the dining hall, and you must appear. Hurry."

  King Caedmon had discarded the clothing of a personal servant soon after arriving at the palace and was already finely dressed. The disguise was fine for the short duration required to reach the suites, but the embarrassment caused by being discovered poorly dressed in the palace would have been grist for all sorts of rumors.

  The Arin king opened the door and peeked out. Seeing the corridor free of passersby, he stepped out of the room and strode quickly towards the dining hall. The corridors of the palace were deserted as everyone was already in the dining hall. He could hear the royal family of Vineland being presented to the Crown Prince, and he knew that he didn't have much time. He rounded a corner and saw soldiers blocking the corridor ahead. He was not sure if they were meant to bar his entry to the dining hall or not, but he was not about to take any chances. He ducked back around the corner and took a different corridor to reach the entrance of the dining hall.

  As the Arin king moved swiftly along the corridor, he heard them announcing the Arin royal family. He could picture the hundreds of people staring at the empty doorway. The fact that his family was being announced when not present proved that King Hector's demand was justified. Prince Garrick was not going to wait for the coronation to embarrass King Caedmon. He heard his family announced a second time and then he slowed down and stepped around the corner and through the door, much to the surprise of the announcer.

  To say that people were surprised at his appearance was an understatement. The usually subdued dignitaries were all whispering as he slowly walked towards the far end of the room. He smiled and nodded to dignitaries as he passed them. When he reached his seat, a servant pulled it out to seat him, but King Caedmon stepped toward the raised platform and bowed slightly.

  "I offer my apology, Prince Garrick," smiled the Arin king, "for my tardiness in responding to your invitation. Your coronation is an event not to be missed. No doubt you will follow in your father's footsteps by promoting peace and tranquility throughout the Land of the Nine Kingdoms. I want to say on behalf of all of Arin that we hope relations between our two countries will remain prosperous and uneventful. May your reign continue the Great Peace that we all have come to love."

  For the first time since the festivities began, Prince Garrick's façade cracked. His smile momentarily disappeared and his eyes narrowed in anger, but to the lad's credit, he recovered quickly.

  "Thank you for your kind words, King Caedmon," smiled Prince Garrick. "We all missed you earlier and were afraid that you would not be able to make it. Will the rest of the royal family be joining us?"

  "I am afraid that will not be possible," smiled King Caedmon. "The rest of my family had to forego the trip because of health concerns. I am sure that you understand."

  "Of course," Prince Garrick nodded.

  King Caedmon nodded in respect and stepped back to allow the servant to seat him. Within seconds the room was abuzz again with a hundred different conversations.

  "Well done," congratulated King Hector from across the table. "I think you just pricked his wine skin."

  "I hope so," smiled the Arin king. "I can't wait to see what he has in store now that I have shown myself."

  "Stick close to me after the dinner," suggested the Salacian king.

  "That might not be a wise approach," frowned King Caedmon. "He is going to want to know how I snuck into the palace. If I stay too close to you, I may not be able to get out the same way I got in."

  "Very well," King Hector nodded, "but keep yourself in very public places until it is time to retire for the night. We can talk after we each get back to our respective chambers."

  * * *

  Prince Zinan slipped out of the dining hall and had General Ortega summoned to his office. The general took an overly long time to arrive, and Prince Zinan's patience had worn thin.

  "How did he get in?" snapped the prince. "Why wasn't I told about it?"

  "We don't know how he got in," answered the general. "I figured you would want to know when I was summoned, so I questioned everyone before coming here. No one saw him arrive at the palace. Prior to walking into the dining hall, he was not seen anywhere inside the palace, either."

  "Are you telling me that he just appeared out of nowhere?" scowled the prince.

  "That is what I am telling you," nodded General Ortega. "No one saw the man before he walked into the dining hall. I thought you said he wasn't coming? Had I known, I w
ould have posted men along the Koar-Tarent Road to mark his progress."

  "He wasn't coming," sighed Prince Zinan as he decided that yelling at the general accomplished nothing. "We cannot block him from attending the coronation at this point. It would make people suspicious."

  "I doubt that it would accomplish anything anyway," shrugged the general. "People have seen him in the dining hall. Even if he was not at the ceremony tomorrow, no one would think it was intentional on his part."

  "You are correct," Prince Zinan nodded as he wondered how to make some advantage of the situation.

  "I could assign men to monitor him while he is here," suggested the general. "Perhaps his movements will betray his method of entry."

  "Is the Arin suite empty?" asked Prince Zinan.

  "It is," nodded the general. "I checked it before coming here. If the man was in there, he disturbed nothing."

  "Fill it," ordered the prince.

  "Fill it?" the general questioned. "What do you mean?"

  "I mean move some other dignitaries into it," answered the prince. "I want it unavailable for use. Fill it with some minor dignitary from Borunda, and tell him that he is to refuse to change rooms after the switch."

  "What do we do about housing King Caedmon?" asked the general.

  "We will house him in the other wing," smiled Prince Zinan. "Inform him that due to the overwhelming response to the coronation, his normal suite was inadvertently given to someone else. Apologize and then have him escorted to his new quarters. He is to be allowed to attend the ball this evening, but as soon as he returns to his assigned room, I want the wing sealed off."

  "You seek to make a prisoner out of him?" frowned the general. "The other dignitaries will scream."

  "He will not be a prisoner," the prince replied. "Don't we normally close off the royal wing at night? Why should this night be any different?"

  "But he is not of our royal family," frowned the general. "What if he asks to visit with other dignitaries?"

  "Apologize and say that it is impossible," ordered the king's advisor. "Explain that there have been credible threats against the life of Prince Garrick and that the wing is always isolated at night. Tell him he will be free to move around the palace during the day."

  "It shall be done as you request," responded the general, "but what are we trying to accomplish?"

  "We cannot shadow the man's every movement without causing alarm," explained the prince. "The daytime is filled with activities where he can easily be watched, so his only chance to conspire with others is at night. I want that possibility eliminated."

  "I will see to it," replied the general.

  Prince Zinan dismissed the general and was planning to return to the dining hall, but Naveena entered before the door closed.

  "He outsmarted you," Naveena smiled.

  "Perhaps," shrugged Prince Zinan, "but the game is not over yet."

  "Did you watch Garrick closely today?" asked the advisor to the king's advisor.

  "I always watch him closely," frowned Prince Zinan. "What did you see that I missed?"

  "He is womanizing again," answered Naveena. "I warned you about that. You must keep him on a short leash."

  "It is a festive occasion," Prince Zinan shrugged with indifference. "Let him have some fun. It is nothing serious."

  "An heir would be very serious," Naveena said as she headed for the door. "Use a leash."

  Chapter 31 - Coronation

  Coronation

  King Caedmon attended the ball after the evening meal, and everyone made a point of talking to him. They all inquired about the health of the Arin royal family, and King Caedmon assured them that it was nothing serious. There were so many small conversations that the ball ended before the supply of questioners ran out. As the Arin king departed the ballroom to go to his usual chambers in the guest wing of the palace, General Ortega intercepted him.

  "King Caedmon," smiled the Borundan general, "I see that you have been enjoying yourself. I trust your family is not seriously ill?"

  "They will survive," King Caedmon replied cordially. "It appears that Prince Garrick is quite the ladies' man."

  "He is young and handsome," grinned the general. "There has been an unfortunate mix-up with accommodations, and I apologize for it, but your usual suite is not available this evening. To make up for the inconvenience, I have arranged for you to stay in the royal wing of the palace."

  "The royal wing?" King Caedmon echoed with concern. "That is most unusual, and unnecessary. My needs are simple. I am sure that I can find a bunk with one of the other delegations."

  "Prince Garrick would never accept such a slight to Arin on my part." The general shook his head. "It is only for two nights, but I have set aside the suite last used by Princess Orenda. It is a magnificent suite with a gorgeous view of the gardens, and I will provide you with a staff of personal assistants to cater to your every whim."

  "I am sure that I can plead your case to Prince Garrick in the morning," the Arin king replied cautiously. "I will assure him that no offense has been taken by the arrangements."

  "The Crown Prince is not even aware of the problem," frowned the general as he signaled two guards with his hand. "He would have my head if he knew of my bungling. No, King Caedmon, I must insist that you allow me to take care of you properly. The Arin king will not be made to go begging for a place to sleep. I have assigned these two men to make sure that you find your way safely."

  General Ortega turned and walked away as the two soldiers approached. The Arin king was left with little choice in the matter. If he refused to accompany the two soldiers, they would drag him away and claim that he had gone mad and was planning to accost the other delegates. While that news would be met with broad skepticism, what would King Caedmon have to reply with? He could not say that the Borundans were threatening him in any way. In fact, they were not. Besides, most of the other delegates would be thrilled to stay in the royal wing of the palace. They would not be able to comprehend the Arin king's aversion to it.

  King Caedmon sighed and nodded to his escorts. The two soldiers were cordial and polite and treated the Arin king with respect. They escorted him to the chambers of Princess Orenda and left.

  The suite was enormous. It consisted of six large rooms. There was a massive bedroom, a personal bathing room, a library with thousands of books, an eating nook big enough to accommodate twenty people, an office with a large desk and upholstered chairs, and a room for entertaining with two large fireplaces.

  The first thing King Caedmon did when he entered the suite was to stand quietly behind the closed door and listen to the sounds outside the suite. He heard soldiers taking up sentry positions outside the door and the unmistakable sound of the nightly guard for the royal wing of the palace. Borunda, like most nations, always cordoned off the royal wing at night to prevent the royal family from being disturbed inadvertently.

  The Arin king then checked out the rest of the suite. He was impressed with the chambers, but he also recognized a prison when he saw one, even one decorated in velvet and satin. He walked into the office and gazed out the window. The moon was waning so he could not see a great deal, but he recognized the elaborate palace gardens below. He also caught sight of a patrol marching through the gardens.

  Resigned to his prison for the night, King Caedmon settled into the office and prepared to write a message. He did not think that he would be prohibited from attending the coronation, but that might be his last chance to get word to the outside world. He chose his words carefully, and then read what he had written. He frowned and tried to put himself in Prince Garrick's place, as ill at ease as that made him feel. He tried to imagine how they would separate him from the others after the coronation and what excuse they would make for his absence. He also tried to figure out what the Borundans hoped to achieve with their deceit. He doubted that they would kill him. That would only open the throne of Arin to a young prince who would vow vengeance until his dying day. No, they intended to use
King Caedmon as leverage for some more elaborate scheme, but he could not determine what it was.

  * * *

  The coronation was held early in the morning. The throne room was packed with rows of chairs, and the dignitaries filed in to observe the ceremony. King Caedmon was itching to get to the ceremony so that he could speak with King Hector, but the royal wing remained sealed off from the rest of the palace. When the time finally came for the ceremony to begin, King Caedmon was escorted through a side door of the throne room. A seat had been reserved for him in the front row, and he barely had time to get to his seat before the ceremony began. The Salacians were on the other side of the room and unreachable without halting the ceremony. Such a public display would cause ill feelings towards him from most of the dignitaries present, so the Arin king sat in his assigned seat.

  The coronation ceremony was elaborate and full of pageantry. It lasted well over two hours. King Caedmon sat and watched, but his mind was on other things. He had brought one of Princess Orenda's books from her library. While he sat, he slid a note in between the pages of the book. It was an innocuous note addressed to no one in particular. It stated where his accommodations were and his desire to travel home with some of the dignitaries going that way.

  Normally the coronation would be followed by a reception and dinner, but King Caedmon had the sinking feeling that the Borundans would find some reason to exclude him from it, so the note also asked for someone to request his presence should he fail to show up promptly. The message made no accusation of ill treatment, but if the Borundans found it, he was sure they would know that the Arin king was onto their scheme.

  As the ceremony ended, soldiers escorted King Garrick out of the throne room while requesting that everyone remain seated. As soon as the new king had left the room, two soldiers approached King Caedmon.

  "You must follow us quickly," instructed one of the soldiers. "There has been a threat made against the king's life."