The Battle for Endallen

by Andrew G. Wood

  “Not if you’re going to speak to me like that,” Luca replied unable to comprehend why her moods switched so violently.

  Nerina let out a huff and planted her hands on her hips, “Sorry,” she said, although Luca got the impression she didn’t mean it.

  “So, Sire,” she said emphasising the word, “Would you care to dance?”

  As much as Luca knew he shouldn’t, and every ounce of common sense in his brain was screaming at him to say no, he found just one word to say in reply.

  “Yes.”

  Before he could change his mind or make an excuse, he found himself being pulled up by the hand and led down the dais to the floor.

  “Put your hand on my waist,” Nerina instructed him.

  “I know how to dance,” Luca said but doing as was asked anyway.

  With one hand on the side of Nerina’s body and the other holding her hand, Luca had no option but to look her right in the eyes. Luca wasn't sure why, but he felt uncomfortable when doing so; as if there were some deep-lying suspicion that she might try and cast a spell on him.

  The pair moved along the floor, intermingling with the other dancers, without saying a word to each other. While Luca tried to look elsewhere, he always found his eyes returning to Nerina’s gaze, and as she smiled, he felt a strange feeling inside. Was she using magic on him? He wasn’t certain, but he certainly felt something.

  “Why did you destroy the necklace?” Nerina eventually asked, speaking just loud enough for him to hear over the music.

  Luca just shrugged his shoulders. Could he tell her that it had started making him uncomfortable, or lie and just say it wasn't needed any more?

  After taking several deep breaths, Luca, thought it best, to tell the truth, and if Nerina got upset about it, then so be it.

  “Honestly, Nerina, it was making me uncomfortable knowing what it was. Especially as you were using it to influence my dreams,” Luca eventually said, even though he didn’t actually know the last part was actually true. However, he had deduced that must have been the matter of fact being as since its removal his dreams had changed to just normal ones. Luca held her gaze for a moment and thought she was about to get angry with him again, but as if something had broken inside her, Nerina’s head dropped down, and her gaze went down with it.

  “I only wanted you to like me,” she said.

  Luca, knowing they couldn’t talk openly with so many people around looked around for somewhere they could.

  “Will you escort me for a walk, outside perhaps?”

  Nerina looked up at him, and after a few seconds, she nodded her head.

  Holding Nerina by the hand, the pair headed for the entrance to the hall, and the moment Luca stepped out two Royal Guards took up a position behind him. Knowing they couldn’t talk with them there, he asked that they drop back a little further, close enough to be doing the job they were there for, but far enough away that they couldn’t hear what was being said. As they stepped outside and wandered around the back of the palace building, Luca felt the chill of the evening breeze. It was dark, with a thick cloud cover obscuring the slither moon and plethora of twinkling stars. Thankfully the pathways around the garden were lit, illuminating a route for them to slowly meander around.

  Luca stopped suddenly and turned to Nerina, realising he was still holding her hand.

  “I do like you Nerina, a lot.” He said quickly, just wanting to get the words out before he changed his mind about saying them.

  “You do?” Nerina asked, sounding surprised. “I thought you hated me,” she said.

  “No…never. If anything, I always thought it was you that hated me!”

  “No…I just had to appear to be mean to keep you at arm's length. Mother asked me to keep a watchful eye on you, but not get to close, because she knew I liked you.”

  Luca exhaled loudly, even affording a small chuckle. All this time they had both got the wrong idea, but the fact of the matter was, Nerina was a witch and had tried to influence his thoughts.

  “Let us sit,” he suggested, spotting one of the many benches placed around the garden. After checking the two guards were still far enough away for them to talk without being overheard, Luca decided to tell Nerina exactly what he thought.

  “Look,” he said, “I also know you tried influencing Edward the other night as well. Why?”

  Nerina suddenly went very defensive and went to pull her hand away, but after Luca initially keeping hold of it, she relented.

  “Now that you’re back and safe, we just wanted you to like me! We didn’t want to leave you with the impression I don’t care for you,” she said exhaling as she spoke.

  “We?”

  “Mother and I. It was my suggestion. I hoped that Edward would go running back to you and tell you how much I liked you.”

  Luca leant back on the bench and let out another sigh. What was he to do?

  “I do like you Nerina, always have done.”

  “But?” she said knowing there was something more to come.

  “How can I trust you, now that I know what you’ve done?”

  “I haven’t done anything bad. I only ever wanted to help,” she replied speaking loudly at first but quickly lowering her voice.

  “You tried to influence my thoughts…How do I know you're not doing that now?”

  “I’m not…I promise…I’m sorry.”

  “Look, I thank you deeply for helping me and keeping me protected in my dreams, against whatever dark magic was being used against me…”

  “It’s because of what I am that you don’t like me, isn’t it? You are no different to the others,” Nerina snapped.

  Luca thought she would try and get up and walk off in a huff as she usually did, but to her credit, she stayed put.

  “No…It doesn’t bother me…I’ve told you that already, and my promise never to tell anybody will always be true.”

  Luca lifted Nerina’s hand up a little and looked her in the eye as if making a statement that what he was about to say came from the heart.

  “I do like you, Nerina, always have done. So why did you try to influence my thoughts and have Edward plead your case?”

  “I wanted to make your dreams happy ones…you’ve been through so much,” Nerina said.

  Luca thought he detected Nerina’s voice getting a little emotional as if she were upset. Yet, how could he be sure this was genuine and not another of her ploys to deceive him?

  Luca got back to his feet and with his hand still holding on to Nerina’s he suggested they return back inside.

  “Can we at least be friends?” He asked.

  “I guess so if that is what you want,” Nerina replied.

  Luca stopped again and turned to face her once more.

  “I do like you Nerina, but…” Luca paused mid-sentence hoping that telling her how he really felt didn’t cause any ill-feeling between.

  “I’m not sure I can trust you…”

  “I promise I’ll never use it on you again…” Nerina said sounding quite genuine.

  Yet again, Luca would have liked to believe her, and that should have been the case, but there was always that niggling doubt in his mind. Did he want more from Nerina than being just friends? Luca wasn’t sure. For now though as long as she was happy to be just that, he would like it also.

  As they ventured back into the hall, the music was still playing, and dozens of people, both young and old seemed to be enjoying themselves. Luca spotted Lady Oakley peering their direction, but she quickly diverted her gaze elsewhere when she noticed she had been seen. That was another person who Luca felt he could not trust, and while neither she nor Nerina had ever done anything to harm him, the very idea of them playing with his mind was very concerning. However, wanting to look like he was enjoying his own party, Luca guided Nerina over to where the others were dancing, taking up a position beside Edward and Clarissa.

  Luca smiled as Edward gave him a thumbs up behind Clarissa’s back as if everything was going well. As to
whether Lord and Lady Dalby would allow the young couple to become anything more than acquaintances sharing a dance, Luca guessed they would have to wait and see. Yet, with Edward being an advisor to the king, it would certainly make him somebody more desirable as regards the nobility. He wasn’t sure why he just thought of it at that moment, but he did. Edward, as the one person closest to Luca, whether noble or not, was suddenly a far greater catch than he might once have been. Perhaps there was yet hope for him, a thought that pleased Luca as he stepped across the floor in time to the music with Nerina.

  Chapter 3.Back to business.

  Luca awoke still feeling very sleepy. Though he had not intended to remain at the evening celebrations for long, he ended up being one of the last to leave. Having danced with Nerina for a while, he had then been absconded by several other ladies, probably all hoping to gain his favour. While a couple were already married, it seemed everyone with a daughter around his age seemed to want them to dance with him. Naturally, Nerina had not been best pleased having to step aside for others, but her mother had thankfully made her see sense without too much commotion.

  While Luca would have liked time to settle back into the palace, it seemed the nobles were keen to set the wheels of war in motion. Apparently, time was of the essence if they were to defeat Lord Elthan before the weather turned, and as a result, Lord Romley had arranged a meeting later that morning. Moreover, tomorrow was being set aside for the trials of those nobles who had failed to come to Luca’s aid and sided with the enemy. Although one was currently being held in captivity, and on his way to Miranor, several others were to be tried and sentenced in their absence. In due course, these would have to be removed from their ancestral homes and depending on the outcome, their sentences imposed against them.

  After washing and getting dressed, something that Luca now did by himself without the assistance of palace staff, he wandered into the main living area of his suite and sat himself down at the dining table. Unsure as to whether Edward would be up and joining him for breakfast as he had done each morning since their return, Luca decided to make a start. With his mouth feeling somewhat dry he opted for a drink of freshly squeezed juice, and regretting having a little more wine than usual, Luca was uncertain about what to eat. However, having once been told that a good breakfast was a cure for such a thing, he piled his plate high, hoping that one piece of wise advice was correct and he wouldn’t regret it later.

  Luca was nearly halfway through his mountain of food when Edward strolled in through the main doors to his suite. Looking like he’d not even slept, Edward ambled over to where Luca was sitting and let out a groan.

  “Too much wine?” Luca said with a grin.

  “Probably…Oh, my head is banging,” he replied taking a seat next to Luca and pouring himself a drink.

  After gulping down the entire glass in a matter of seconds, Edward then looked over to Luca and his plate of food, “Hungry?”

  “I was told a good breakfast is the best thing after too much drink?”

  “Really? I usually just sleep it off, but not much chance of that happening is there?”

  “Not today no. I need you fit and ready for our meeting later,” Luca replied, “Perhaps you should try eating something.”

  “I will…Just give me a minute.”

  Luca had all but finished eating by the time Edward started placing a few items onto his plate.

  “So, how did things with Nerina go last night? Isaw the pair of you sneaking outside,” he asked forcing a mischevious grin on his face.

  “We seem to be okay. I explained everything to her. You know, about not being able to trust her. Anyway, we weren’t sneaking,” Luca added just comprehending what had been implied.

  “And she was okay with that?” Edward replied sounding somewhat surprised, knowing how temperamental she could be at times.

  “I think she is genuinely sorry, but I don’t know…I just can’t help thinking she is trying to manipulate me again, even though she probably isn’t.”

  “Well, I thought you seemed to get on quite well. At least until half the females in the room seemed to want to dance with you.”

  “Yes, I know. Strange how they never bothered before I was King…besides half of them were old enough to be my mother.”

  Edward chuckled, “You are the most eligible bachelor out there now my young friend, you’ll have the women throwing themselves at you.”

  Luca just grumbled some incomprehensible words under his breath and thought about changing the topic just a little. “So, anyway, how did you get on with Clarissa?”

  Edward finished chewing the bacon in his mouth before replying. “Quite well…I think.”

  “You think?” Luca asked.

  “Well, I can’t really tell. I think she likes me, but as to whether anything further happens I guess we’ll see.”

  “You don’t think my uncle will intervene?”

  Edward shrugged, “I thought he was going to break up our dance last night, but actually, he came over to talk to us. Surprisingly, he was really nice to me.”

  “Advisor to the king!” Luca mumbled, “I guess that makes you an eligible bachelor too!” he added with a grin.

  “You think so?” Edward said shoving a fork full of egg into his mouth. “I didn’t have them lining up like you did,” he added trying to cover his mouth with his hand as he spoke.

  Edward ate for a little while longer before speaking again, “Wait, so you think the nobles will throw a few daughters my way because they might think I can influence your decisions in their favour?”

  Luca just nodded, “Yes, that pretty much sums it up.”

  “Wow…Lucky me,” Edward grinned.

  “Not if you want to keep Clarissa interested.”

  “Ah! Good point.”

  Actually feeling somewhat better than he had earlier, Luca walked beside Edward as they were escorted down to the ground floor where the offices of state were housed. Here, various officials all supposedly under the control of the king, oversaw the day to day running of the kingdom.

  “Do you actually know any of these people?” Edward asked as they passed two offices with their doors open, and both occupied.

  “Nope!” Luca replied, “But what can I do? It’s not as if I personally know enough people to fulfil all these roles.”

  “True, I suppose. So who hired them all?”

  “I think some of them used to work for my father. Lord Oakley, I believe, has managed to find suitable people for those posts still vacant.”

  “And you trust him…even though… you know?” Edward asked lowering his voice to no more than a whisper.

  “I think so, I don’t have much choice really, do I?”

  “Again, I suppose not.”

  Although Luca always had an escort go everywhere around the palace with him, Edward still insisted on wearing his own sword belt. As to whether he just felt safer carrying a weapon, Luca hadn’t asked, although knowing Edward was armed and at his side, did make him feel more at ease. They passed a set of large oak doors that had two guards positioned outside.

  “What’s so special about that room?” Edward asked.

  “It leads down into one of the two treasury vaults,” Luca replied thinking it nothing out of the ordinary.

  “You have two vaults?”

  “Of course. No good putting all the money in one. If ever someone broke in they’d be taking everything. This way they would have to break into two, or be satisfied with half.”

  Edward actually chuckled at the response and the fact he thought it unnecessary.

  “I think if anybody has gotten this far into the palace to steal your gold, I’m quite certain they’d manage to get into the second one as well. Where is it, by the way?”

  This time it was Luca who chuckled, “Ah! Now that would be telling. You see, it’s not so stupid after all is it? Because only about six people know where it’s hidden.”

  “Oh! Really, and I’m not worthy enough to tell?” Ed
ward asked feeling a little hurt that he wasn’t to be included in that number.

  Luca stopped, causing both Edward and the guards escorting them to do likewise. Keeping his voice low, Luca took hold of Edward’s arm, “I will tell you, just not here. However, knowing of its whereabouts can bring its own dangers.”

  Edward apologised for jumping to conclusions, and while he was intrigued as to how or what dangers Luca was referring to, he left it a question for later. Moving on again they all walked in through a set of double doors into a large, bright and airy room. The major nobles were already present, sat around a long table. However, seeing Luca enter the room, each and every one of them got to their feet to stand.

  Lord Romley stepped towards Luca and wished him a warm welcome, before indicating to where the King ordinarily sat. Given the position in the middle, it was quickly apparent that something was missing.

  “There is no chair for Edward?” Luca asked.

  “Ah! Sorry Sire, it appears to have been overlooked. We generally acted as your father’s advisors.”

  “No problem, I’m sure we can all shuffle along one to make room,” Lord Dalby added.

  “Thank you,” Luca replied, indicating for Edward to take the seat next to him.

  Probably large enough to accommodate about twenty people, the long rectangular table was highly polished and set with an inlaid design of the crown upon the surface, just in the middle. A line of glasses had been placed out with pitchers containing water and wine for those who wanted it, as refreshment for their meeting. Although a room he had been in before Luca looked around as he settled in his seat, gazing across at the large window at the far end of the room that gave them the necessary light. A large fireplace dominated the wall he was facing, which had been lit, giving the place a warm, comfortable feeling. The walls were adorned with portraits, much like the one he had in his old royal suite, of bygone royalty, and it wasn’t long before he was drawn to the picture of his father, commissioned only a couple of years ago. Although there were not any plans to do so, Luca assumed that he would be joining them one day, immortalising his own image for future generations to gaze upon.