WORRLGENHALL

by Luke, Monica

  “We need her more than the horses under us.” He knew, “She will keep your brother alive and us.”

  “Then we should find a place to hide,” Elgen said, “… and with haste.”

  Augerd looked behind him to WorrlgenHall, then ahead.

  “Follow me,” he said while turning his horse, “I know where to flee.’

  **

  As they walked to court, one of the inner guards hurried to Aderac.

  “King Aderac,” he called out and bowed his head.

  “Speak,” Aderac said, as both he and Belon stopped and waited.

  “It is your daughter.”

  Right away, Belon rushed forward before Aderac could even open his mouth again to speak. “What is it … what …what?”

  “She woke frightened from a dream and called for her maiden. When she did not come, she began crying, and has not stopped.”

  Distressed, Aderac turned to Belon. “Should I speak to her of what has happened to Silinia?”

  “No you should not.” Belon’s affirmation of their vow to each other, which was to be fathers of each other’s children, “We should together.”

  Aderac turned to the others, who were waiting for them at the end of the hallway.

  “Our daughter cries for her maiden, who no one knows if is alive or dead,” he sternly spoke, “Belon and I shall go to her. You handle the matter of betrayal from one of your guilds, and this treacherous lord.”

  Hastily, Aderac walked away with Belon in tow, and after Baric looked at them hurriedly walk down the hallway, he held his breath, and turned to Laad and Loth when he realized exactly what Aderac had said.

  “Were his words our daughter?” he asked, when he turned.

  “They were great king,” Laad answered, “Just as the king has made Belon’s son his own, they now see each other’s child as their own.”

  Baric closed his eyes hard, as he put his hands to his head and exhaled. He was secretly hoping when he opened them, he’d be in bed waking from an awful dream, but when he opened them realized he was still standing in the hallway.

  “Our trouble has taken a greater turn than any could reason,” Baric voiced, as he looked at Laad and Loth, “… if the girl’s maiden is dead it will be Ivodgald warring with Celgon, and with Belon leading under Aderac’s command.”

  Both hurrying down the hallway to go to Beladera, Aderac stopped at the threshold; then turned to Belon.

  “I will speak.” Aderac, stopping so suddenly Belon almost knocked him over when he bumped into him, “I know how you can be with words when you are troubled.”

  Belon nodded his agreement.

  “Yes, yes,” he readily said, “You do such.”

  After both walked pass the foyer, when they rounded the corner and looked to Beladera’s bed they found Ihon holding her, as she cried in his arms trying to soothe her, and from such a loving sight, Aderac’s heart melted.

  “Belon, honey.” Aderac swallowed hard. “My heart is aching such that now even I cannot speak.”

  “Silinia did not come to me when I woke afraid from my dream. Where is Silinia?” Beladera asked, as she now looked up whimpering in her brother’s arms, “And Yala, where is Yala?”

  Again, Aderac swallowed hard and looked at Belon.

  “I cannot,” he said, as he turned his head away, “First her mother was sent away and now something has happened to the only other woman close to her. I cannot break our daughter’s heart.”

  “She calls for her.” Belon wisely resolved, “Soon enough she must know.”

  Aderac took a few short deep breaths, then went to her bed and sat down, and as Belon sat down next to him, Aderac had him put the children between them.

  “A bad deed has been done,” Aderac revealed, “Yala is not longer with us, and has died. The evil one who did it may have Silinia.”

  Again, Beladera burst into tears and flung her body backwards onto the bed crying face down into the furs, and as she cried, both Aderac and Belon’s hearts wanted to burst.

  “Be strong for your sister,” Belon said to Ihon, as he hugged him, “She needs you.”

  “I will father,” Ihon loyally said right away.

  Gently, Belon picked up Beladera and put her in his arms.

  “I love you my little songbird,” he said lovingly. “… and will find her.”

  “Will you?” Beladera eyes lit. “Will you father?”

  “I will.”

  “Honey,” Aderac said right away, fearful he may not be able to fulfill that promise.

  Aderac looked at Belon. As he was about to voice his apprehension, he remembered how Beladera’s eyes lit from his promise, exhaled and nodded.

  “Your father will find her,” he added his assurance, and as he spoke, Beladera put one arm around Aderac, as she kept the other around Belon.

  As all four now hugged, Belon lifted his two treasures, and put them in the bed together.

  “It is late,” he lovingly said, and pulled the furs over them both, “Go back to sleep. The guards are right outside your chamber. All you have to do is yell out to them and they will come. You know they will come get us as well.

  “Yes father,” both said, and closed their eyes.

  After lying beside them in bed for a short well on either side, gently both eased out of bed not to wake them, and once in the foyer just inside the door, Aderac looked at Belon.

  “Heartbroken she will be,” Aderac whispered, as he put his arms around him, “If you cannot find her.”

  “I know,” Belon admitted, “But her tears crushed me. I had to make a promise.”

  “My giant is weakened by only one thing,” Aderac said lovingly, as he moved his lips closer to Belon’s, “And it is his love for us.”

  “And shall always be,” Belon vowed.

  Looking right into his eyes, as he moved his lips to Aderac’s mouth to kiss him, both held each other lovingly, but Belon refrained from holding him tightly because of his ribs.

  “Grand Commander Belon,” Aderac said, when he pulled his lips away.

  “Yes, King Aderac.”

  “Do what you will to find our daughter’s maiden,” Aderac gave him leave, “She loves her. Find her, honey. And once found deal with who took her as that of a vile creature under your foot.”

  “And once it is done?”

  “Deal with the other, which is that haunting kingdom until nothing remains.”

  “Your will be done.”

  Chapter 51

  As the guilds commanded to stand at Lord Elgen and Lord Cadon chamber door lined, Loth walked in front of them counting them, then when he noticed the count off, questioned Gath.

  “One is dead so who is missing…” Loth asked, as he now walked back up the line.

  Curious who was not among them, Gath walked the line looking at their faces, until he realized who was actually missing.

  “Augerd,” he said, as he turned to Loth, “He is who is not among those lined.

  “Where is Augerd?” Loth questioned aloud to the men.

  “None of us have seen him all night,” one answered.

  “Curses,” Loth said at once, turning to walk away, “I should have known.”

  While on his way back to the court, Ogorec, awakened from the horns and headed to court as well, met Loth in the courtyard and questioned him.

  “Why the call for the high guilds to gather?”

  “Lord Elgen has escaped.”

  Surprised, Ogorec stopped and the question came from his eyes. “Lord Cadon?”

  “He is still with us?”

  “Who?”

  “Augerd.”

  Not surprised by the latest revelation, Ogorec said nothing else, and again began walking.

  “You do not seem surprised?”

  “Just as I gathered when you learned who,” Ogorec responded, both knowing how Augerd was, “You were not.”

  “No.” Loth exhaled. “He has always wanted more than his worth.”

  “Belon and King Ader
ac?”

  “They know of Lord Elgen’s escape, but not who helped him.”

  “These past days have been filled with nothing but troubling matters?”

  “And I have yet more to reveal that is troubling,” Loth added.

  “I fear to hear it.”

  “King Aderac’s daughter’s maiden is missing.”

  Ogorec this time was surprised. “Do you believe?”

  “I do,” he answered his question, “Augerd’s hand is behind it.”

  “Belon?”

  Loth stopped at the great door to go inside WorrlgenHall.

  “He knows of King Aderac’s maiden, but not of Augerd’s hand in the matter.”

  **

  As the sun rose over WorrlgenHall, all gathered in court with Lord Cadon carefully guarded in front of them.

  “For a long time Celgon been a burden to us, and honoring the vow from my father I held true to the peace treaty, but no more,” Baric said, as he looked at him.

  “I have been wronged,” Lord Cadon declared his innocence, “My wound speaks my innocence.”

  “Your wound speaks nothing,” Baric said. Insulted even more by his feigned indignant behavior, when all the while he knew he was guilty.

  “Lord Cadon,” Baric asked, “Did you pay gold to men to travel the land of Worrlgen to rob those they passed?”

  “I did not,” Lord Cadon denied at once.

  “Lies!” Baric shouted at him, “Bring him in.”

  Right away, the guard of the dark rooms brought in Endric, and after he made him kneel, Baric looked at him, then back at Lord Cadon.

  “This man confessed your hand in the matter,” Baric stated, “He confessed that you had someone pay them to ride through this land and rob those they crossed.”

  “Would a man facing death not lie about anything?” Lord Cadon blurted out his question, “To keep himself alive.”

  “A fair question,” Baric sarcastically said, while he looked at him, “That holds true for you as well.”

  “I have my truth,” Endric offered.

  “What truth?”

  Endric pulled out the gold piece he took out of Rengad’s body, given to him by a man Cadon had come to their tribe.

  “Rengad, who was cut in half carried this with him,” Endric said, as he reached into his boot, “It is a broken half piece with the Celgon crest upon it. The other is with a man named Atorad, hidden with him as proof that he indeed journeyed to us and meet with Rengad.”

  The name known as the speaker from Celgon, who was within the walls with Lord Cadon on their last visit, Baric decided he had heard enough.

  “Lord Cadon.” Baric gave his decree, “There will never be peace between Celgon and Worrlgen as your father and mine had. I decree that at this time dawn in the courtyard of mercy, you shall leave this life at the end of a rope around your neck, and as for the men you brought with you. I shall be merciful and send them back, but if they refuse they can hang alongside you.”

  Just after Baric gave his decree, after the guards hurried Lord Cadon and Endric away, Belon and Aderac walked into the court; then once he made sure Aderac sat comfortably, Belon went over to Ogorec.

  “Which guild is behind the deed?”

  Ogorec was hesitant at first to answer, gathering it was probably best to hear it from Laad, but did. “Augerd.”

  “What?” Belon’s question echoed throughout the court. “How do you know?”

  “He is who is missing,” Ogorec answered, “The other is dead.”

  Now even more enraged than before, Belon hurried to tell Aderac.

  “One well known to me is behind the deed,” he bent over and whispered to him.

  “How well known to you?” Aderac asked jealously, when he looked up at him.

  “Not in that way,” Belon assured him, “The man has always been greedy and wanted to rise, but did not have all it took to do so.

  Glad he was not an old lover Aderac relaxed, then stood and walked out to stand in front of Baric.

  “King Baric,” Aderac said, as he moved to stand in front of him.

  Since Aderac called him by his formal name and not cousin, Baric knew his words were to the quorum, as well as to him.

  “You have our ears, speak King Aderac.”

  “As all know, our daughter’s maiden is missing and the other who tended to her is dead, and we all believe beyond question that a high guild is behind the matter.”

  “Such is true,” Baric admitted.

  “Still you have a guest king within these walls,” he continued, “Who journeyed far to vie for gold, and you have a son who you wanted to honor in his coming of age.”

  “Again, such is true.” Baric said, curious where Aderac was going with his speech.

  “To not sadden your son Oen,” Aderac offered, “I shall have sent to him the most beautiful white stallion found within Ivodgald, and for King Gegorad’s troubled stay, I shall give him a chest of gold.”

  “Such an offer,” Baric said, taken aback by Aderac’s generosity.

  “Much toil has plagued us all these past days,” Aderac said, and turned to Belon, “I want it ended.”

  “And it shall be,” Baric assured.

  “I trust that it shall as well,” Aderac responded, “And to see that it does, I give Grand Commander Belon charge in the matter of finding our daughter’s maiden and dealing harshly with who took her, and he can do so by the law of the land. She is my servant, and it was by Lord Cadon’s plot that I am wounded.”

  The quorum hummed from Aderac’s words knowing he spoke, although old laws, still laws.

  After the quorum hummed, Aderac again assured Belon, but wanted all aware of the authority he gave him.

  “I give Grand Commander Belon leave to do what he must.”

  Baric nodded his agreement; then looked at the quorum as they hummed.

  “Do all agree?”

  All nodded.

  While he stood, Aderac felt a sharp ache in his side and grimaced, then slightly bent over and when Belon saw it, he hurdled over and zigzagged around obstacles rushing to him.

  “Are you in pain?” He doted on him, as his strong hand touched his chin for him to face him for an answer.

  “No.” Aderac tried to be strong in front of the others.

  From how he bent over, Belon looked at him and into his eyes.

  “Do not lie to me, are you pain?” he asked again, and from how he looked at him. Knowing he could see right through him, knew he couldn’t pretend he wasn’t.

  “It is slight,” he admitted, but grimaced, “I have moved and walked much this night, and it is taking its toll on me.”

  “Come,” Belon said at once, and effortlessly whisked Aderac into his arms.

  “Belon,” a surprised Aderac said, suddenly finding himself off his feet, as Belon quickly did it in front of all, “I can still walk.”

  “Yes, you can,” Belon’s reply, as he began to carry him, not caring what any thought, “But you will not.”

  Aderac did not argue and put his arms around Belon’s neck completely swooned by his strength and attentiveness.

  “King Aderac is in pain,” Belon said aloud to all in court, as he walked, “I am taking him back to the chamber, and shall return once done.”

  All nodded, then watched Belon carry Aderac away, and as he did, Loth looked at Laad completely astounded.

  “I lied to you long ago,” Loth commented, as he watched them leave.

  “Of what?”

  “That never had I seen two so in love when we spoke of Ogorec and Ovfren,” Loth’s bewildering words, “Two even more deeply in love just left this court.”

  **

  Lovingly, Belon carried Aderac in his arms up the stairs and once they passed the stairwell guards, as he carried him, Aderac began to kiss on his neck.

  “Strong you are, Belon.” Aderac admired, “So strong.”

  “Hahahaha,” Belon laughed, then teased, “You have been eating more and are getting heavier.”r />
  Both laughed; then Aderac again kissed his neck.

  “I want you,” Aderac whispered into his ear, then enticingly gave him tender love bites on his neck, “Will you be inside me, and make me breathless before you leave me?”

  “So silly are you to ask of me that,” Belon whispered to him, “You know that even better than if the sun and moon rise and set that I would.”

  “Let it be more than ribs that ache,” Aderac wheedling added, “Open me Belon. Open me wide, my love.”

  “Ah,” Belon sounded off aroused by his words of want, “Dare my want for you be so strong that just your words make me want to spill my seed as I carry you.”

  After they made it down the second hallway, Aderac’s words became even more erotic as he passionately professed what he wanted him to do to him and his kisses became more sensual.

  Erotic speaking one of Belon’s weaknesses, as he listened, his shaft began to swell even more and harden.

  “Umm.” He hummed, as he walked carrying him, “I am hardening from your words and kisses.”

  “Good,” Aderac said pleased that he was, “I want to feel your long manhood thrusting inside me until like a volcano all within it floods into me hot and fiercely.”

  “Sooner than you reasoned you will,” his aroused reply, “You know you cannot speak to me in such a way, and believe we can make it back to the chamber.”

  Looking this way and that to make sure no one was walking down the hallway. His want now great, Belon stopped in front of a chamber, and knowing it was empty, kicked open the door with his foot.

  “I will have you now,” his longing words, as he did, “Right now.”

  “Have me,” Aderac begged his want, “Please, have me now.”

  The room dark, they had not need for light because both knew the other’s body better than their own, and after Belon put Aderac down, both excitedly undressed.

  Belon quickly undressing first, when done he helped Aderac with his clothes, kissing on him all the while, then once both were naked, Belon moved backwards to the stone hearth, and sat on it.

  “This will have to do,” he said, as he did, “Sit upon me, my want.”

  When Aderac did, Belon whispered to him.

  “As before.” He buried his face in his neck, and palmed his rear with both hands, “I shall do it all.”