The First Five Days: of the Lionean Saga

by John O.

  “Welcome back,” he said with a warm smile.

  “Whatever happened to you?” the Ispris asked with concern.

  “She sometimes experiences such fainting, especially when under stress. Perhaps we got ahead of ourselves when we raced competitively on our way to your residence.” Zach replied sheepishly in her stead.

  He artfully sought confirmation from Rahel if her odd sense was triggered upon coming in contact with the Ispris. Too embarrassed to admit the truth, Rahel found herself lying as she nodded in the affirmative.

  Zach arose and retrieved the letter packaged in red. “Ispris, forgive this disruptive incidence, I pray. We are actually here to deliver a letter from the HN while retrieving the chariot he left behind on his visit two days ago. Rahel would have come alone, but as you may be aware, the last Spyinmes to ply this route are yet to be found.”

  “I understand,” Prisca replied as she accepted the letter.

  “Rahel will sit in the chariot as she recovers while I ride with both horses.” Zach continued as he helped Rahel up.

  “Very well then. May the Almighty Spirit guide you as you return,” the Ispris said as she watched them leave.

  When she was sure that they had departed, she opened the sealed envelope and read.

  HN Yosi Sint to Ispris Prisca Foté

  Greetings Ispris,

  I wish I never had to write you this letter, but duty demands that I invite you for questioning in relation to the recent unsolved murders in our great Nation. Kindly be informed that you are expected at the Helesp two hours before the Sun’s Hour, on the morrow after next.

  Prisca did her best to hide her anger and disappointment at what she had just read. With a smile, she allayed her assistants’ fears by informing them that the HN had only invited her for routine inquiries.

  Meanwhile, Rahel Ni curled herself up in shame as Zach rode the chariot at a rather slow pace. She could not fathom why she had not been bold enough to admit that she only tripped and fell in jealousy. She would have to take this secret to her grave, she thought. If the Ispris was indeed innocent, then she would be vindicated one way or another. Now that it couldn’t be helped, all she could do was hope and pray that things eventually turned out as she had reasoned.

  Prince Reign walked into the throne room with a rather sober look. He had requested audience with the King after taking all necessary measures to ensure his plan did not backfire. Like a humble servant, he knelt before the King in subjugation until his father gave him leave to speak.

  “King Franz the Great,” he began. “Thank you for granting me audience at this time. Some deplorable information recently came to my attention and I think it is only expedient that you be made aware of it.”

  “Go ahead,” the King replied with interest.

  “A servant woman was brutally taken by two men last night. So badly was she mistreated that she remains unconscious, even as we speak.”

  “Who would dare perform such vile acts in my castle?!” the King thundered, causing his mother and first wife to nearly jump out of their seats.

  “Your Grace, that is the same question I asked and when I finally received the answers, I wished I had never asked that question. Unfortunately, Sire, it appears my brothers are the guilty parties in this heinous crime.”

  The King’s voice lowered to a barely audible growl, “Which of them?”

  “Princes Tisamp and Schneel, Your Grace,” Reign replied with downcast eyes for maximum effect.

  “Impossible!” came the voice of the King’s wife. “My sons would do no such thing. What gives you the right to accuse them?”

  “Shut up, woman! Utter one more word while the heir to my throne speaks and you will have your own head for supper.” Looking to Reign, the King continued, “Prince Reign, these are very grave accusations you have leveled against your own kin. Are you certain of this?”

  “Yes Your Grace. I just visited the victim at the healer’s ward. The bruises on her body are as though she fell prey to creatures of the wild. In addition, more than six guards have given account as witnesses.”

  “Kotoki,” the King said as he glanced towards his trusted adviser, “any words on this matter?”

  “Your Grace. These are very serious allegations. Prince Reign, please tell us the name of this servant girl?”

  Prince Reign smiled inwardly at his own cunning. Of course he had first informed Kotoki before seeking audience with his father. In a matter like this, only a fool would attempt to manipulate the King into action without the express support of the old adviser. “Marge. Her name is Marge,” he replied solemnly.

  The sudden blanching of the King portended that the outcome of this hearing would be nothing but dire. The hall fell silent as the King remained wide-eyed with shock of what he had just heard. Could his sons be so impudent to maliciously lie with their father’s personal favorite? Had he become so lax that they would dare disrespect him? If he couldn’t command respect in his own home, his position as the greatest king the world had ever known was forfeit. After what seemed to be a long time, the King finally spoke with visceral venom.

  “Guards, my sons are hereby ordered to appear now before me. The same goes for those who claim to have witnessed the event. Have the healers ferry in the girl; unconscious or not, I want her to witness what is to come.”

  The guards nodded and departed the room with alacrity.

  “Your Grace, please excuse me. I need to take care of something important,” the King’s wife said as she stood up to leave.

  “Stay put! No one is permitted to leave!” the King thundered.

  Zach Sen stopped the chariot at the gates of the cemetery. As he descended his horse, he scanned the area and took a mental assessment of the perimeter they would investigate. He then proceeded to check on Rahel who was still within the chariot.

  “Are you well, beautiful one?”

  “I’m much better, thank you,” she replied with a smile.

  “Will you join me on the next phase of our mission, or do you prefer to sit this one out?”

  “No, Zach. I would rather join you. If you don’t mind, however, will you wait a few minutes in order for me to properly gain myself?”

  “Not a problem,” Zach replied and proceeded to join her in the chariot.

  After he had settled in, Rahel asked, “I’ve never met the Ispris before, truth be told. That woman is indeed beautiful.”

  “Yes she is. A pity she turned out to be a murderer.”

  “She is…” Rahel caught herself as she was on the verge of confessing.

  “She is what?” Zach asked

  “I couldn’t come up with a proper word to describe her beauty,” Rahel improvised.

  “Oh I see. While she may be beautiful, I prefer the way you look, Rahel. You are lovelier than you realize.”

  Rahel colored at his complement and adjusted her position in order to better behold the man before her. Zach Sen ran his finger down her cheek as peaceful silence ensued. After a few counts, he cleared his throat and began.

  “Rahel, there are certain things about me that I wish for you to know; perhaps now is the best time to tell you. My mother died when I was only ten. The experience traumatized me for two reasons. First, as expected, I missed her deeply, and I still miss her. Second is how deeply my father was affected. Despite his calm exterior, I could see the depth of pain he carefully hid behind his ebullience. Pragmatic as he was, he had a habit of brooding on the tragedies of life, and this was where my mother was of great help to him. She was like the silver lining amidst the dark clouds of his world.”

  “The way he was affected made me swear to never allow myself become so emotionally attached to any woman. In addition, there’s something else that bolstered my resolve to maintain this position. My father’s wives, his mother, and grandmother all died at the age of twenty-nine. When I discussed the trend with my father, he tried to allay my fears by informing me of the unrelated circumstances which lead to their deaths. Unfortunatel
y, I wasn’t convinced that it was mere coincidence and hence, I decided against causing a woman to die at such a young age by wedding her.”

  Pausing slightly, Zach continued, “But then when I first set my eyes on you three years ago, I knew my resolve would someday break. The feelings that welled up inside me were so strong that I understood the futility in suppressing them. Nevertheless, I fought them headstrong by doing my best to avoid you. Perhaps you may have noticed?”

  Rahel smiled and nodded sheepishly, although in truth, she never knew he had harbored such feeling towards her for that long a time.

  “Well, I have decided against fighting the inevitable and instead, accept whatever blessings and tragedy this brief life may bring. Rahel Ni, will you marry me?”

  Rahel’s pupils dilated in shock. She had not seen this coming and almost cursed him for springing it up on her like this. So thrown off balance was she that she did not realize when she blurted out the words.

  “In front of a cemetery? Of all places to propose!”

  “Tisamp. Schneel. Your brother here has made a grave allegation against you two. Without much ado, I will ask this once. Did you or did you not force yourselves on my servant, Marge?” The King maintained a cool exterior as his sons and guards stood before him.

  “Your Grace. Forgive me but who is Marge? Do the servants even have names?” Tisamp asked innocently.

  “Do you dare mock me?”

  “No father. It’s just that…”

  “You will address me as your King!”

  “Apologies, Your Grace. It is only that I have no inkling as to who this Marge may be. In any case, I have forced myself upon no one.”

  “Schneel? Do you not have anything to say?”

  “It’s the same with me father. You have raised me better than the swine who commit such grievous acts,” Schneel replied. “Reign here should be punished for bearing false witness.”

  The King switched his ominous gaze to the guards. “Did you witness my sons raping the servant girl?”

  “No, Your Grace,” they replied in unison much to Reign’s surprise. Had he been betrayed by his trusted aide? Perhaps his brothers had bribed them with a handsome fee, he wondered.

  “Prince Reign. It would seem your claims cannot be backed by any,” the King’s first wife remarked.

  “Shut up woman!” the King thundered. “How long will it take for the healers to appear before me with the girl?”

  Just then, a door opened, ushering in two healers who conveyed the girl on a stretcher. The hall fell silent, with the only sound being the heavy breathing of the comatose servant girl.

  “Your Grace,” the two healers said in accord as they came before the King. One of them then continued, “Before you is the servant girl, Marge Fasi. We found her in front of our ward at about three hours to the Hen’s Hour after we heard a light knock on our door. At the moment, we have no idea who brought her to us, but we can confirm that she was used against her will.”

  “What exactly led you to this conclusion?”

  “Your Grace, the bruises on her face and body are consistent with rape. More specifically, her part would have to have been dry during the act in order for it to be as torn apart as it is now. Without a doubt, this girl was violently raped.”

  Tisamp stiffened as he waited to see his father’s next course of action. Soon after, he had discovered Reign’s intent through the probing questions he had been asking the guards all morning; it was clear that the Prince had a hidden agenda. As a result, Tisamp had been wise enough to buy the loyalty of the guards; otherwise, he would now be faced with the wrath of his father. Without anyone to bear witness, there was no way to prove his culpability, or so he hoped.

  “The girl was raped. Yet there is no way to prove who is responsible,” the King assumed a calm demeanor as he spoke. “Be assured that I will discover the truth, and, when I do, I shall see to it that those who thought it wise to lie blatantly to my face shall face my wrath this very day.”

  “Your Grace,” Kotoki ventured, “perhaps there is a way to put an end to this conclusively. Only the victim can tell us who is responsible.”

  “She is unconscious, Kotoki! Do not presume to think that I have the patience to wait until she returns to us.”

  “I am well aware, Your Grace. What I suggest will not cause you any further delay.” Turning to the healers, he asked, “You have scents that can revive her, no?”

  “Honored adviser, there are risks to such techniques. Should she be forced to wake, she may degenerate into a seizure and die within minutes. As a practiced healer, I strongly advise against that course of action.”

  “Healer, it is my decision, not yours. You are hereby ordered to wake the girl!” the King decreed with such finality that no dissent could be brooked.

  The sudden consternation that was betrayed by the elder Princes’ countenances confirmed what the King had known all along. His boys were guilty and they would pay dearly for their transgressions. Reign half-smiled as he regarded his brothers. The fools had put up a fair fight by getting the guards to change their story. But what they did not know was that with Janes by his side, they had no chance of winning. It was on the advice of his faithful crony that he had proceeded to secure Kotoki’s support before approaching the King. The move was now paying handsomely as the healers began to burn the leaves that would rouse the girl to consciousness. There was more to be reaped from Kotoki and in time, his brothers would come to know it.

  The girl coughed and opened her eyes as the scent filled her nostrils. Upon beholding Tisamp and Schneel, she began to scream in fear. So loud were her screams that even the King cringed in discomfort. The healer held her closely and whispered soothing words which eventually restored the girl to tranquility.

  “Marge Fasi. Why do my sons scare you so?” the King asked.

  “I… wish to… be used… no further,” the girl wept profusely in between words. “It hurts… oh it hurts so much…”

  The King had had enough. As he was about to order the healers to take the girl away, Tisamp bolted for the door, only to be apprehended by the guards who stood watch.

  To his sons and the guards who bore false witness, the King said with dark rage, “Your fates are sealed, oh foolish ones who thought to deceive King Franz the Great. You are hereby banished from the empire!”

  Before the King could continue, Kotoki cleared his throat and said, “Your Grace, if I may suggest… Any man who lies before you makes a mockery of your great name. Had the girl not been revived at the critical moment, these men would have successfully made a fool of the throne. Only a death sentence shall send a resounding message to others who may think to follow in the footsteps of this lot.”

  The King considered the wisdom in the man’s words with narrowed eyes before proclaiming, “Indeed, banishment is not enough castigation for you fools. You are hereby sentenced to death. You shall be flayed alive and left to rot in the city square for all to see.”

  “How dare you? These are our sons you intend to treat like swine! She is just a servant girl. You cannot have them killed over her! A warning alone should suffice for your own seed,” the King’s first wife was mad with dread.

  The King took a long cold look at the woman before doing the unexpected. To everyone’s utter shock, he rashly buried his sword in her chest in response. As the woman gasped in horror and felt her life drain away from her, the King only stared, expressionless, until the woman’s lifeless body fell to the floor. Even Reign was stupefied at the King’s ruthless response to what was only a normal reaction from a mother whose offspring had been threatened.

  “You have gone too far!” came the voice of the King’s mother, wide-eyed with indignation and terror. “She was your wife!”

  The King regarded her stoically before calling out. “Guards, please throw this old hag in the dungeon. Ensure that she is properly bound.”

  The poor old woman almost lost her mind as she screamed, “You dare to treat me this way? You wh
om I nursed all through the years?”

  Looking at the guards as they approached her, she warned, “Do not touch me!”

  The guards didn’t hesitate as they lifted the screaming woman and transported her as they had been ordered. While they had respect for her, the King had just demonstrated that he was in no mood to be disobeyed or questioned. When he was like this, it was far better to act upon his word and risk the consequences later than to disobey and forfeit one’s own life.

  Suddenly, Schneel unsheathed his sword and slew two unsuspecting guards. The third guard he aimed for parried and launched a counter-attack, which resulted in a slice across the prince’s thigh. Tisamp then followed suit by drawing his sword and attacking a neighboring guard who held him off with some difficulty. The King, an excellent warrior in his heyday, leapt into the fray and swung his battle-axe in multiple directions. The results were screams, blood, dismembered bodies and an eerie silence which followed thereafter.

  With a sigh of contentment, the King closed his eyes and muttered, “Too bad the city won’t get to experience the joys of watching flayed men die.”

  Reign could not have hoped for a better ending to his successful plot.

  23

  “Forgive me. It didn’t occur to me that...”

  “Zach, I very much want to say yes, but is this really what you want? Or is what you truly desire to lie with me. The celibacy oath−−”

  “Rahel…” he interrupted.

  She cut short his speech by firmly planting her lips on his with so much passion that his senses roared wildly as he kissed her in return. Engrossed, he didn’t realize when Rahel slipped her fingers into his undergarment. It was only when he felt her fingers close in on his member that he became aware of just how fast things were spinning out of control. He was about to withdraw when he heard her soft moan of pleasure. For some reason, strange to him, the effect was like a charm; he found himself slipping his fingers into her bodice. Fondling her breasts, he proceeded to take her nipples into his mouth while she gripped his neck in sheer pleasure.