by L. M. Roth
There was more.
The new Emperor had a new Minister of State, one who was an old and trusted friend, Cort wrote. Who else would the Emperor entrust the smooth administration to the affairs of state to except his dear friend of many years, Decimus Hadrianus, the son of the former Governor of Lycenium.
So this was the reason for the subterfuge, Marcus mused. Decimus was enroute to Valerium to assist his old friend and lied about his true destination to hide his trail. But…that was before the Emperor’s passing, he realized. Unless…
Was it possible that Emperor Urbanus had been helped out of this world by those who wished to usurp his power for their own evil schemes? Was that the reason Decimus had covered his tracks and led Tullia and Lucius on a wild chase?
When Tullia woke from her sleep she joined Marcus who now sat with Felicia, Lucius, and Antonius in the atrium. The afternoon sun had warmed the area where they liked best to sit in the evening, and all were comfortably reclining, while lost in their own thoughts.
Tullia yawned lazily and joined them, pausing to kiss her daughter. She appeared to Marcus to have forgotten her anger with Felicia. Perhaps that fruit erased her memory of all of her troubles? He shuddered at the thought. Such an occurrence would not be natural.
Lucius decided to make an effort at conversation.
“What was in your letter, Father? Is it news you can share with us?”
Marcus decided to exercise a tactic of his own.
“I have news from my old friend Cort,” he began. “He has left Eirinia with his wife and mother and is presently in Valerium.”
He paused for a moment before proceeding, unsure how to relate his news with Antonius present. But a sense of urgency overcame his caution…
“He writes that Emperor Urbanus has died.”
This news was met with cries of dismay from Felicia and Lucius. Tullia caught a hand to her lips to stifle a sob, but her body crumpled suddenly and Marcus knew she had suffered a grievous blow. How fond she had always been of Urbanus and Renata!
He cleared his throat and continued, his eyes riveted on his son to gauge his reaction to his next words.
“His successor will be Iacomus Cornelius. And his Minister of State is none other than Decimus Hadrianus, who is already in Valerium and installed in his new office.”
“No!” Tullia sprang out of her seat and snatched the letter from Marcus.
That she was so startled she had forgotten the presence of Decimus’ son was evident by her next words.
“Oh, it can not be so! It can not be so!” she wailed.
She burst into tears and turned with fury on her son, who was now openly cowering down in his seat.
“Lucius, do you see?” she queried in an accusing tone, her memory suddenly restored by the shock of the news she had just received. “Do you see what your carelessness has done?”
Marcus was truly mystified by her words: what had his son done that was somehow connected with the state of affairs in Valerium?
“What is it, Tullia?” he asked her, with a strange sense of foreboding growing in his heart.
He noticed that Antonius had risen to his feet, bewilderment written all over his face. Like the others, he also waited for Tullia to continue.
“Marcus,” she said, her voice quivering with suppressed fury and fear, “due to a careless action on the part of our son, Logos, your only legacy, is missing.”
Marcus felt his legs give way beneath him and he sat down abruptly in the chair he had just risen from. His heart beat so rapidly he was certain it would burst from his chest, and a sound like that of the waves pounding against the shore now pummeled his ears…
“What,” he tried to speak through a mouth so dry that his voice cracked, “what….has he done?”
Tullia had no choice but to continue.
“Through a careless action on the part of our son, Logos was taken from this house while you were away. I was led on a wild chase that was intended to hide the true destination of the one who stole it.”
She stopped for a moment, halted by the gasp of protest that erupted from the lips of the son of her old tormentor. She shook her head apologetically at Antonius and smiled ruefully; but she turned relentlessly back to Marcus and continued.
“And now I know: the true destination was Valerium. The Sword has been taken to Potentus and is now in the hands of the Emperor Iacomus Cornelius, given to him by his new Minister of State.
“Our old enemy, Marcus: none other than Decimus Hadrianus.”
Antonius cried out and would have asked questions, but Felicia caught him by the arm to quiet him. Marcus stared with unseeing eyes at Tullia whose own betrayed her agony.
“Logos, the Sword that must never be used in violence, is now in the hands of evil men, ruthless in their quest for power,” she wailed.
“Dominio have mercy on us all.”
Quest For the Kingdom
Part VI
The Sorceress and the Seer
By L. M. Roth
Copyright 2013 © L. M. Roth
All Rights Reserved
Preface
“I have a gift for you.”
She stood up abruptly and moved to the back room of the hut. Nolwenn wondered what the gift might be, but did not have to wait very long to find out. Melisande returned to her chair and held out a pendant to her sister-in-law.
“Take this,” she said. “I have had it made especially for you.”
Nolwenn beheld a silver chain and from it dangled a small amulet of some dark clear stone, capped with a silver link that connected it to the chain. The stone itself was unadorned and hung freely from the chain.
“Oh, how lovely,” Nolwenn breathed.
She stretched her hand out to take it, but Melisande drew it back quickly and smiled.
“Allow me to explain first, Nolwenn. The amulet is very powerful. When you have need, just hold it in your hand and the stone will clear. When it does, it shall show you the future, and the answer to any question you put to it.
“See? Like this?”
Melisande put Nolwenn’s hand on the amulet. The girl cradled it in her grasp, and decided to ask it a question.
“Where is my brother, Cort?”
As she stared into it, the cloudy depths cleared and Nolwenn saw a picture forming. She saw a ship, and on the deck of the ship she saw her brother and his wife Siv. She gasped excitedly and showed the picture to Melisande.
Melisande also gasped but not with delight. Her lips tightened suddenly and she clutched the pendant so hard that she cried out in pain. When she opened her hand, Nolwenn saw the deep impression the stone had left in her palm. Melisande quickly recovered herself and smiled reassuringly at the young girl.
“Take it, Nolwenn. But let us keep it as our little secret, shall we? I am afraid that if Maelys knew of its existence it would only make her jealous at the favor I have shown you. And you know what her temper can be like, don’t you? The last thing I would desire would be for her to harm you in any way, as she did the time she hurt your arm.”
Chapter I
Distressing Revelations
Chapter II
Valerium
Chapter III
A Destination Unknown
Chapter IV
A Secret Gift
Chapter V
Family Matters
Chapter VI
An Astounding Discovery
Chapter VII
A Kindness Returned
Chapter VIII
The Land of Healing
Chapter IX
An Expedited Destination
Chapter X
A Visit With Old Friends
Chapter XI
A Desperate Decision
Chapter XII
An Identity Revealed
Chapter XIII
A Proposition
Chapter XIV
Tidings Too Terrible To Tell
Chapter XV
Where Three Roads Meet
&n
bsp; Chapter XVI
The Emperor
Chapter XVII
A Haunted Journey
Chapter XVIII
A Blessed Voyage
Chapter XIX
Of Mystics and Diviners
Chapter XX
The Advent of Maelys
Chapter XXI
Revelation of A Sudden Horror
Chapter XXII
The Prisoner
Chapter XXIII
A Child Is Born
Chapter XXIV
The Sorceress
Chapter XXV
The Alexandrians
Chapter XXVI
The Pledge
Chapter XXVII
Of Bowls and Bewitching
Chapter XXVIII
Dirk Takes A Stand
Chapter XXIX
Disclosure
Chapter XXX
Justus
Chapter XXXI
An Unexpected Reprieve
Chapter XXXII
A Stunning Transformation
Chapter XXXIII
Torn In Two
Chapter XXXIV
A Father and Son
Chapter XXXV
A Miraculous Rising
Chapter I
Distressing Revelations
Marcus could not bear to look at Antonius. Not only had his cherished Logos been stolen by this young man’s father, a man whom he loathed above all others on this earth, but now his beloved daughter’s heart had been stolen by the young man himself. And to enlighten them on the nature of Decimus would only break the heart of both these precious young people.
He agonized over what to do. And then he remembered his wife’s words: “Through a careless action on the part of our son, Logos was taken from this house while you were away.” Lucius. He could not bear to hurt Antonius, nor his daughter, but he could still deal with Lucius and the pain he caused the family of Maximus.
He turned to his son where he stood with shoulders slouched, blushing furiously, hoping his father would not turn his attention to him.
Marcus wasted no time.
“What did you do, Lucius?”
Lucius shot a look at Antonius, who returned only a blank stare. It was plain to see that the young man knew nothing of the consequences of his friend’s action, Tullia thought. She sighed impatiently and prompted her son.
“Answer your father at once, Lucius,” she upbraided him. “He is waiting.”
Lucius shuffled his feet as he had done as a young boy when he knew consequences awaited any wrongdoing. He cleared his throat and looked at the floor for inspiration. None came.
At last he lifted his head and looked at Marcus.
“Well, Father,” he murmured. “Well, you see, it was Antonius. He had been ill and I wished to cheer him. So while you were occupied one day I took Logos from your room and took it to the House of Hadrianus for Antonius to see. It is truly a marvel! And we beheld the words on the blade that appeared when we asked a question of it.
“I stayed overnight at his house, and when I returned the next day I found that you had gone to search for Felicia. I did not unpack my knapsack immediately, as we had guests to dine and I retired rather late. When I woke the next morning I went for a walk before breaking my fast with Mother. She informed me that the guests we had the night before had only just left. You see, they stayed because a fierce storm broke and Grandmother invited them to spend the night.
“I returned to my room and then remembered that I had not unpacked my knapsack. When I did, I discovered that Logos was missing. Not even the scabbard remained: it also was gone.”
Lucius paused, and turned so pale that Marcus knew he had told the truth and feared his father’s retribution. Marcus attempted to restrain his wrath, but his son’s careless handling of such a sacred object infuriated him and his temper erupted.
“What possessed you to think that you could treat Logos in such a cavalier manner? The Sword is not a toy that you can play with for your own amusement! It was entrusted to me, and all of these years I have treasured it, treating it as my greatest legacy. And you, through your thoughtlessness and careless behavior have managed to lose it!”
Marcus did not dare voice the suspicion that flooded his mind: Antonius was not only ignorant of his father’s true nature, he was also now Marcus’ son-in-law, and not for the world would he hurt this gentle young man. He saw Tullia open her mouth to say something, and with a shake of his head cautioned her to stop. As always, she divined his intent and closed her lips.
Lucius feebly attempted to make his amends.
“I am sorry, Father, truly I am! I meant no harm, and I never dreamed that anyone would take Logos. But someone did and Mother and I tried to find it; truly we did! There is only one person who could have taken it and…”
Marcus cut him off.
“Enough, Lucius!” he interrupted. “You have said enough already. Your mother and I will deal with this. For now, you are forbidden to leave this house until we determine what punishment is fit for you.”
Marcus turned to face the bewildered eyes of Felicia and Antonius. He glanced at his wife, and it was clear that he could count on Tullia’s discretion. He breathed a little easier, but remembered that he had yet to break the news of their daughter’s new status to her, and dreaded what her response would be.
“Father,” Felicia began, as she gently put a hand on his arm, “what has happened? How was Logos taken from you? Who could possibly have taken it? And why?”
“Not now, Felicia,” he pleaded. “Your mother and I need to talk. When we have more information we shall tell you all that we know.”
He saw in her husband’s eyes the same concern and felt relieved that Antonius clearly knew nothing of the theft. How could he possibly tell him that his own father was somehow responsible for the theft of Logos?
Marcus and Tullia withdrew from the family to the library. No sooner had they closed the door than Tullia whirled around to look her husband in the eye.
“What shall we do, Marcus? We can not possibly tell Antonius that his father took the Sword, yet somehow we must confront Decimus, and then all will be revealed. Such a revelation will only hurt Antonius and Paulina, who I am certain, knows nothing of the theft.”
Her blue eyes gazed up at him with the despair he felt in his heart, and he unexpectedly felt blessed at the love of his wife. It was true that she shared in all of his joys and his sorrows, somehow increasing the former and making the latter easier to bear. What happiness she had brought him over the years. And now he was going to shatter hers with the news of their daughter’s secret nuptials…
“Tullia,” he began.
His voice broke suddenly; he could not do it. He alone knew the pain the news he had to share with her would inflict on his wife. Of all the young men in the world, why did their daughter have to fall in love with and wed the son of Decimus Hadrianus, who had brought so much suffering to both of her parents?
He tried again.
“Tullia,” he said, as he shuddered inwardly and took a deep breath.
Suddenly he felt suffocated in the library. The July day was warm, and it was stifling indoors. He suddenly had a vision of Tullia fainting or even screaming when he told her his news. Perhaps his news could be better endured if he took her outdoors.
And there the family could not hear her reaction.
They strolled among the red roses and white carnations where he had proposed to her so long ago, and where, unknown to them, their daughter had met the son of their old enemy, and who had loved the sight of her among the carnations instantly. Marcus linked his arm through Tullia’s and attempted to lull her by drawing her attention to the blooms that she loved so much.
Tullia, however, was not to be fooled with such trivial comments on the flourishing garden. She usually bore patiently with others, being careful to treat everyone with courtesy and kindness. But her patience was at the breaking point and she broke away from her husband’s encircling arm to l
ook him in the face.
“What is it, Marcus?” she asked abruptly, her eyes fastened upon his. “What is it that you find so difficult to tell me?”
Marcus attempted to find the words but none that would make it easier came to his mind. He was then inspired to break the news by degrees, preparing her for what he was about to say.
“Tell me, Tullia,” he started. “What are your plans for Felicia? Do you have any particular young man in mind for her? Or are you merely planning the traditional season for her that she might meet someone suitable?”
Tullia looked at Marcus in disbelief as a sigh of impatience escaped her lips. She shook her head and cut off his line of inquiry.
“That is not what you were going to ask me, Marcus!” she burst out. “You are hiding something from me: what is it?”
He knew it was no use putting her off further. Tullia had never been easy to fool, and he was glad that she was a woman of intelligence. He had no choice: he simply had to tell her the news that he knew she would never be able to accept…
“Alright Tullia: Felicia has found a husband for herself. While you and I were both gone, she met a young man right here in Lycenium. And she seemed to have acquired the notion that you already had someone in mind for her, so she persuaded this young man to marry her in secret. And they did so.”
He found that he could say no more, and waited for her response.
For a long moment Tullia stared at him dumbly; then her blue eyes grew wide as comprehension flooded her brain.
“No,” she whispered.
She took an involuntary step backward. Her hand rose to her throat, and she clutched a hand to her stomach as she doubled over in pain.
“Nooo,” the word was drawn out from lips grown ashen with shock. “It can not be, it must not be!”
Mutely she looked at Marcus, silently begging him to tell her that he was mistaken, or she was mistaken in her understanding of his news.
But in his eyes she saw only the truth of what she feared to say.
Chapter II
Valerium
Dag entered the borders of Valerium through the same garrisoned wall that Marcus had slipped through only weeks before. The guard was intensified since his old friend had passed this way, but Dag did not know that. Nor that the antics of his old friend had largely been responsible for the doubled guard.
