“Not at all.”
“Adam, you must know something!”
He turned to Edwin, who shrugged. He’d remained silent through the first part of the conversation, letting Adam handle the frustrated princess. “I’ve told you all I know,” Adam assured her one more time.
Frustrated, she sat on the ground.
Chapter Twelve
“Michael, you must understand our hesitancy. We know nothing about you, your family, or where you come from.” The Chief Regent sat at the head of the table with his hands folded together on the table in front of him. The other Regents were watching anxiously Michael’s every move. Some had seemed to warm to him immediately; they had conversed with him as they wandered around the castle. Others, like the old Regent so determined to vote Katherine down, were skeptical. Here was a man, practically a boy, who came from nowhere and whom they knew nothing about. “Of course,” the Chief Regent continued, “we have heard Eli’s testimony and the lineage you claim. With this current blizzard, there is no way we can get through to Suffrom and confirm your story. What else can you offer to our table?”
Michael had been waiting patiently at the end of the table for his turn to speak. He had not moved since the servant had announced him and ushered him to his place. His eyes were warm and thoughtful, filled with wisdom. In fact, he looked very much like Katherine looked, in all her fiery anger. He looked every inch the King of Adven.
“There is nothing that I can say to change the minds of some.” Many eyes turned to the ancient Regent, who scowled at Michael in return. “Others of you are already decided in my favor.” The youngest Regent, who eagerly supported Katherine, smiled at the recognition. “It is those who are undecided to whom I speak. It is your minds I wish to challenge.” The Chief Regent cocked an eyebrow. Michael paused a moment before continuing. His voice was calm and even but filled with emotion.
“Let us suppose that I have lied. For imagination’s sake, let us say that I didn’t grow up in Suffrom, my father was not the king, and my brother is not King Evan, the husband of Katherine’s sister. Instead, let me be a commoner who grew up on the outskirts of Adven. My parents were normal parents who tried to give me an education but couldn’t. I was an only child and the pride of my family. Let us suppose that this is my story.”
The ancient Regent pointed a questioning finger at Michael, “You weave this supposedly false story very well. Too well in fact. How do we know that this is not the truth?”
“My renown as a storyteller is well-known,” Michael said dismissively. “Ask any of my men; it is one of the qualities that drew me as a supposed orphan to be so well-liked by their community. The stories I tell may or may not be true, but they have meaning, something many people lack when they speak.”
The Regents were silent at the young man’s wisdom. How could he not have been trained as a Prince if he speaks so well?
“Back to the story of our imaginations. You have a poor boy that somehow happened upon a community willing enough to take him in. He grew to become the leader of this community. One day a princess is rescued by this poor boy, and they are married. Would you look at that?” He paused. “The story has the same result. A man’s upbringing doesn’t affect his courage or his character. In fact, many princes I have known lack both of these princely qualities. But I have also known many paupers more courageous that one could imagine.” Here he gestured to the door where he knew Adam and Edwin were waiting. “There are two fine examples just beyond this door. What makes a man is not his upbringing, but his faith.”
Again an interruption from the ancient Regent. “Here comes the blasphemy. How can you defend your belief in a false God?”
Michael quietly repeated the questioned and redirected it, “How can you defend your belief in a false god?”
Chaos erupted for a moment. The question of God was a question the Chief Regent had hoped to ignore. Secretly, he hoped the Council would hear no more of it. However, the it could not be avoided now. “Please, Michael, explain yourself. The traditions here in Adven have been held for centuries. You cannot expect to change all of our minds in one day.”
“But that is where you are wrong! My God is powerful enough to change the hearts of all men, all in one moment if He chose. Which one of you will make that claim of your gods?”
No one could raise their hands. They had all been disappointed in their worship more than once. Sometimes the gods simply didn’t hear their prayers. But that was expected…wasn’t it?
“There is a God who hears your prayers. There is a God who answers your questions. There is a God who cares about your problems. There is a God who loves you; if you will let Him.”
All was silent in the room, an almost palpable spirit of love and peace filled the hearts of the listeners. Every Regent hung on Michael’s words. They had heard little bits from Eli and Katherine, but most had never spoken directly to Michael about his faith in his God. Now he was explaining in almost painful plainness that the God he believed in was real.
“The testimonies of Eli, Katherine, Adam, Edwin, and myself should be enough to convince you, but if they are not, test God Himself. He will not shrink from it, nor will He hide. Your prayers will be answered, but do not always expect a yes. God is perfect, but we are not. Sometimes our prayers are not what is best; they are often quite selfish. But God loves you. He wants the best for you and will answer what is best. Will you let Him? Will you listen to what He has to say?”
For a moment, no one moved. The air was heavy with anticipation. Not a breath was heard from anyone. Then, the youngest Regent stood. His hands held the table to keep himself steady, and tears streamed down his face.
“I do not need any proof,” he said shakily. “What must I do to call on His name? What must I do to make Him my God?”
Another minute of silence as Michael waited. The young Regent fidgeted, waiting for a reply to his questions. Still, Michael waited.
When the young Regent was about to speak again, Michael put up his hand. At that moment the Chief Regent stood to his feet.
“I need no convincing either. What must I do to know your God?”
Michael still said nothing but waited for another half a second. Then as one, the rest of the table rose, all but one. The ancient Regent still sat in his chair.
In that moment, all the rest asked the same question in various ways. “How do I know Him?” Still, Michael waited.
The last Regent stood. He looked Michael straight in the face. “Today you have proven your God exists.” His hand swept the room. “Today your God has moved the hearts of all the Regents. Who am I to question His existence?”
A knock on the big wooden doors startled Katherine. Adam, Edwin, Eli, and herself had sat waiting at the door for longer than she felt was comfortable. In fact, she had just thought about standing to stretch when the knock came. Quickly, the four scrambled out of the way of the door as it opened out. They stood looking at each other confused when not Michael, but the youngest Regent stood looking at them from the open doorway. His hair was mussed, and there were tear stains on his cheeks; but his face showed no other emotion.
“The Council is requesting your presence, Princess Katherine.”
“Right now?”
He nodded.
“Is Michael in there?”
“Your husband is waiting for you.”
“Give me just a moment.”
The Regent nodded and walked back into the room. The door gently closed behind him.
Katherine looked at the astonished faces of her friends. “What do you make of that?”
“Perhaps you better go in quickly,” Eli said. “The Regents won’t keep waiting long.”
Adam and Edwin both nodded at the wise suggestion.
She straightened her clothes, placed her hand on her sword hilt, opened the door, and walked into the Council Room.
The room was deathly quiet. All of the Regents stood at their places when she entered. Michael was still standing in his plac
e at the foot of the table. Every eye was on Katherine as she walked to stand by her husband. When she was situated, the Regents sat while the couple remained standing.
“Princess Katherine, we have reached a decision. It might interest you to know that we forsook the oldest rules and customs and voted with your husband present. It was a unanimous vote, and there was no need for secrecy. Would the two of you please stand before the Council?”
Michael reached for her hand and led her to stand before the Chief Regent at the head of the table. Again, all eyes were on her. Her stomach fluttered, and she felt sick. All of her life had been spent preparing for this moment; and now it had come, fast and furious.
“Your Majesties, the Council has voted on the matter of bestowing kingship upon Prince Michael of Suffrom, son of Benjamin, former King of Suffrom and brother of Evan, King of Suffrom. Also, on the matter of bestowing queenship to the heir of Adven, Princess Katherine, daughter of Andrew, former King of Adven and sister of Ralyn, Queen of Suffrom.” Here he paused to take a breath. These types of occasions were very long and wordy, due to the formality. “The Regent of records will now read the vote.”
The ancient Regent, the Regent of records, stood to his feet. His voice spoke evenly and sternly. “The Council of Adven voted this day on the matter of kingship and queenship being bestowed upon those aforementioned. The vote was as follows: all members of the Council of Adven, the Regents of this country in the absence of King Andrew voted unanimously.” He paused and watched Katherine. She waited anxiously, clutching Michael’s hand. At the last moment, a smile flickered through his eyes. “To approve the bestowal of said kingship and queenship on those aforementioned.”
Katherine let out a gasp and tears of joy rippled down her cheeks. She collapsed to the floor and cried, her loud sobs echoing across the Council chamber. Michael knelt down beside her and continued to hold her hand as she cried.
After a moment, he whispered in her ear, “Perhaps you should stand again. They aren’t finished.”
Her quick glance at his excited face calmed her tears. Quickly, she stood to her feet once more, brushing the tears from her cheeks. Michael stood once more beside her and offered a slight nod to the Regents giving permission to continue.
The Chief Regent smiled at her fussing. His reassurance quieted any fears still lingering. “The Council must also announce a decision, also unanimous, made this day…”
The young Regent could wait no more. He leapt to his feet without waiting for his name to be called. “We have come to know your God, Queen Katherine! He is our God too…all of us.” The smiles on every face confirmed the story.
Her tears began anew as she rushed about, hugging every Regent from the oldest to the youngest. “I have never heard such good news! I’m so happy for all of you!” And without waiting for a response, she threw open the chamber doors.
“Eli! Adam! Edwin! Come and hear what the Council has to say!”
The date for the coronation was set for three months from that day. Winter would be coming to a close, but there would hopefully be no enemy present yet. Preparations began right away, as it would be a grand affair. Every day Katherine spent hours cleaning, organizing, and running errands around the castle. Adam had appointed himself chief instructor of the knights and had them constantly running drills when they were not pressed into the service of Katherine’s cleaning crew. Edwin used most of his time working with the horses in the stable. Even though his family was poor, they had owned a few horses, and they had been his pride and joy. Now that the opportunity to work with them was given again, he took every advantage of it. Michael was often found reading in Queen Aimi’s vast library. While King Andrew had not been a lover of books, his wife was; and so she owned many books of history and kingly duties. The future king was constantly studying and renewing his past lessons of kingship. Eli also exhausted his time studying. But he was not studying kings; he was studying gods. His God was not mentioned in Adven’s history, and he wanted to know why.
Chapter Thirteen
“Michael? Are you in here?”
Katherine gently nudged the door open with her foot. With a quiet creak, the heavy wooden door swung open a crack. Readjusting the tray which she carried, she put more weight against the door. Finally, it opened enough for her to squeeze in. The clinking of the plates and silverware sounded loud and abrasive in her ears compared to the quiet calm of her mother’s library.
Many hours of her childhood had been spent in this very room. As the eldest child, she was expected to learn not only the ways of war and of kingship, but of literature and of learning. Many afternoons she would come running from her sword lessons with her father into the library. Her mother always stood sternly behind the desk where she kept her teaching supplies, waiting for her to arrive. Katherine had often come later than expected, and her tardiness didn’t go unnoticed.
“Katherine,” her mother would say. “You’re a princess. Princesses aren’t tardy.” This was usually followed by a visual inspection of her torn dress, dirty shoes, and tangled hair. “And they don’t come to their lessons looking like a peasant.”
Princess Katherine would then hang her head in shame. She knew what was expected, but how was she to be on time as well as clean?
Then Queen Aimi would smile. “But you are my princess, and I love you just the way you are. Just the way God loves you.”
Then Katherine would study harder and learn faster. She really had been quite a brilliant student both in her studies and her swordsmanship. Ralyn was too timid to handle a sword and too shy to read aloud. But Katherine? She relished in excelling in everything. But sometimes, when she was concentrating very hard, her mind would wander, and her mother would have to call her attention back to her studies…
“Katherine?”
With a jerk, Katherine returned out of her reminiscing. Michael was looking up at her, waiting patiently for an answer. His eyes looked tired but excited. Joy and contentment were in them because he was doing what he was born to do. His hands rested on the many scrolls and books spread before him on Queen Aimi’s desk.
“I brought you something to eat; we missed you at dinner.”
He gratefully accepted the tray and cleared a place for it on the desk. “Thank you, I was so engrossed I didn’t even notice how late it was.” When she had set the tray down, he motioned her to come and read over his shoulder. She leaned over him, holding her hair back in one hand so as not to be in the way of the words.
“Look, here is a list of the ancient qualities of kings. They must be noble, wise, honest, valiant, kind, just, and patient. These are all qualities that a follower of God must have!” He glanced at her with an eager expression. “Just think! Even those who are without God seek those who know Him! Why, one practically must be a follower of the true God to meet all these qualities. Now of course, we aren’t perfect either. We get angry and impatient. We can be mean and cruel to those we love most. We hide things that ought to be told…”
As he continued speaking, Katherine’s mind wandered. We hide things that ought to be told… It was almost as though he could read her thoughts. Every day she felt the baby growing inside her and the secret growing harder to keep. Her height helped her. Because she was taller than most, the baby grew up instead of out, allowing her to little by little let out the seams of her dresses and no one notice the slight change. But, really, she shouldn’t be afraid to tell. There is nothing wrong! The baby will be due in…what was it now? Five months. The baby was four months old; and therefore, it would be born in five months. So much could happen in five months. In less than two months would be the coronation and soon after that the war would begin again. She would be six, almost seven, months pregnant by that time! She would have to tell Michael. What better time than now? Here in the safety of her mother’s library she could tell him anything.
“Isn’t that fascinating?”
Her mind searched for what he’d just been speaking of but could come up with nothing.
Michael sighed softly. “I suppose it is only interesting to me. I’m boring you. Was there anything else you needed to tell me?”
“Yes.”
He waited for her to tell.
“I just wanted to tell you…” she faltered. His eyes were so beautiful. Would their baby have eyes like his? So brown, so knowledgeable, so soft and sweet…
“Yes? Is something wrong?”
The alarm in his voice disrupted her thoughts. “No! Nothing at all is wrong…I just wanted to tell you…” She took a deep breath and continued. “I love you.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Is that all?” His arms reached out and pulled her close. With his hands clasped around her waist he pulled her face close to his. “I love you too. My love conquers all things, even death, just like God’s love does for you.”
It was so similar to her mother’s gentle reassurance of love that Katherine found it hard to distinguish memories from present. Michael’s eyes were so full of that love, that deep unending love, just like her mother’s. It pained her to keep the baby from him, but now was not the time. Not that she wouldn’t tell him. She just wouldn’t tell him now.
“I’ll leave you to your studies.” She gently untwined his fingers and moved away. Before she walked completely away, she turned to face him once more. There he sat in her mother’s chair, face full of love for her. Quietly, she kissed him on the forehead before turning toward the door. After she’d pulled it shut behind her, Michael sighed.
“I love you, Queen Katherine. What are you keeping from me?”
The quiet neighs of horses and the sweet smell of straw accompanied the creak of the stable door as Katherine opened it. All the various shades of color seemed to be represented here in this one room. The reds, browns, tans, grays, blacks, and whites covered every flank and mane. Noses pressed into her hands as she walked past the stalls, each begging for a treat with their gently nudging.
To Love in Peace: 10th Anniversary Edition Page 9
