The Bad Seed

by Michael Lackey

  George gave a wink. "I remembered what you said about their tiny brains. I heard someone needed help, and I could not be afraid."

  Doron and George then glanced at the young lad George had saved. He then stood, brushed off his elegant clothes and introduced himself. "I am Prince Gabriel of Whitehold, and I am forever in your debt."

  "Well, my young prince,” Doron began, “we need to help you find your way home."

  From that day forward, the Morely family held a special place with the King's family, even a place at court when he was older, if he ever wanted it. However, George always declined. "Our place is the farm."

  The boys kept in touch through their growing years, but with Gabriel becoming king, sooner than expected with the sudden passing of his father, and George's father wishing to stay a simple farmer, it was hard on the boys. Occasionally, Gabriel would long for his freedom. Freedom from the day-to-day duties of being king. He would slip to the stables and find a horse. He always found himself at the Morely's home. Always by George's side.

  "One day, George, you and I will have a marvelous adventure," Gabriel always told him.

  "We had our adventures already, my Lord, or have you forgotten the spider? That was plenty!" George would always laugh and say. "You just concentrate on ruling the realm, and I'll make sure the farm is here any time you want to visit."

  Gabriel knew that George would always be there for him, even if it were to hide him away from the day-to-day royal affairs.

  MY DAD WAS ALWAYS BRAVE. Even as a child, he was a hero. I hoped when I needed to be brave, I could be half the man he was. Gabriel became the youngest king ever to rule over Castle Whitehold at the age of his fifteenth season. This makes me stop and think, he became the leader of all these people at the same age I was when this started. Could I handle that much responsibility if it were handed to me? I always dreamed of adventure, like King Gabriel did, but I knew my adventure was to stay at the farm. I would love to have stayed at that farm.

  3

  The King’s New Bride

  The two soon arrived at castle Whitehold. The glorious structure stood taller than any in the realm. Even with the sun low behind the hills, the majestic structure still shone bright. White block with bold, black metal fixtures around the massive gates sparkled at night. The King's colors flew atop the towers, glorious blues and golds, welcoming all who came.

  George was known at the castle. The guards offered no resistance when he asked for council with King Gabriel. They ushered him and Zachery inside the private section.

  "We need to see King Gabriel, it's urgent," George told the guard.

  The King's top adviser, Xavier, overheard the request. "I will handle master Morely from here. You are excused."

  The guard gave a slight nod of the head and went back to his patrol.

  In the castle, George and Zachery waited in the war room. "I will alert the King to your arrival, good sir," Xavier said.

  George smiled. "Thank you, Xavier. You are a great man."

  After a bit of a wait, the door opened and in walked the King. He was a tall, strong man with hair that resembled the sea, tossed, dark, and just a touch of mystery. His stern gaze faded into a smile as he saw his close friends. George stood and embraced Gabriel. "We need to talk, old friend." He began telling Gabriel of the strange visitor and in his wake the corrupt sapling he left behind. "Gabriel, we have known each other for a long time. You must believe me when I say the kingdom is in trouble. This...this demonic sapling has the power to kill."

  The King was concerned by this. He paced the floor stroking his stubbly beard, deep in thought, dropping himself into a large chair at the head of the table. He was discussing a strategy with George when a knock came at the door. "Enter," replied Gabriel.

  Zachery was admiring the many banners hanging on the wall when a very beautiful woman came in. Her eyes held a gentle calmness. She had an awkward shyness about her as if she did not belong. From her royal looking headdress to her flowing gown, she was dressed like a... queen? George looked to Gabriel, waiting for some explanation.

  Gabriel rose from his chair, walked to the woman and helped her to a seat. He kissed her on the cheek and turned to George. "I know this will come as a surprise, my old friend, but I have married. This is my wife, Queen Natallia."

  We didn't know this woman. Father was in shock. How could he marry without him there? He couldn't have, could he? Many questions arose about her, but we had to trust in the king.

  Natallia smiled. "So, this is the famous George I have heard so much about."

  George could see why Gabriel would fall for such a beautiful woman, no question there. The questions George had were “when” and “where”. "How did this come about? Why have I not heard of this?"

  Gabriel replied, "My King's Guards and I were on a diplomatic mission trip to Tralla, in the Northern Realms. She and her brother were in the streets looking for work and shelter. There was something about her that drew my attention. Their entire village had been raided by orcs. Everyone was slain. They only survived because of her brother, Antoine's, bravery and great cunning. He is her protector. I'll let him finish the story. He is never too far from her side." He raised his hand and motioned to the King's Guard to let him in.

  Antoine walked into the room. A tall, massive, beast of a man carrying a sword the size of a child.

  The king asked him to share the story of their village to the visitors.

  Nodding his head, Antoine began to share his story. "Our village was no stranger to the orcs's terror, but this was no ordinary food raid. We were thrown out of our window by our father who told us to run. Our father was a master with blades, he taught me how to handle a sword from the time I could walk, but even he wasn't enough to fend off the attack. He sacrificed himself to save us. We could hear the massacre behind us. As we broke through the tree line, we were surrounded by another troop of deadly orcs. We hid at the butcher's shop under a pile of animal carcasses. They had a fresh kill of wolves from the day before. The stench of the flesh masked our scent. Luckily, they were quick and did not stay in our village very long. Like I said, we were used to the orcs raiding the village, but they never were this brutal before. The bloodshed and carnage were awful. It was as if they were mad with rage. After a day, we left searching for food and shelter."

  "That's where Gabriel found us,” Natallia suddenly added. “He could have just tossed some coins our way or passed by without even a glance. Our eyes locked together, and it was the fates telling us we were each other's destiny. I pray and thank the Gods, old and new, every day he was sent our way, for without him I do not know what we would have done. Where we would have ended up."

  George looked confused and amazed as Antoine and Natallia told their story.

  "Dear George, I have heard more about you than anything or anyone else in this kingdom. It is truly a pleasure to finally meet you," Queen Natallia said softly.

  "All your questions will be answered later, I promise you.,” King Gabriel assured. We haven't even made a true royal announcement. The people need a royal wedding, but we could not wait. We were married in secret before we left Tralla. The people know of their queen, words spread fast from the castle walls. All of them are just waiting for the festivities, but we have more pressing matters to attend to. Please tell me more of this stranger that came to your garden."

  George told the group all about the happenings at his farm, then Zachery stood and told them of the old man and his prophecy at the pub, how he swore they had to find the champion and protect him.

  "This strange old man seemed to know something. Why would he be trying to get people to listen, and what killed him?" asked Zachery.

  George covered his eyes and lowered his head hearing Zachery speak up.

  Antoine laughed and asked, "Dear boy, do you believe we are to wait on this unknown champion 'til his eighteenth day of season and do nothing?"

  "No," answered King Gabriel. "We will send Rodderick and some of the War Cou
ncil to investigate this sapling and find this stranger. They will pluck this threat or return with a way to destroy it."

  Natallia rose. "Excuse me, dear husband. I must attend to the kitchen and make plans for the banquet." She smiled at George and Zachery. "It was truly an honor to meet you both." Then the queen departed and left them to their business.

  "I know you have questions, dear friend," Gabriel assured George, "and I will gladly answer them at another time. Now, we will assemble the War Council with Rodderick. Tell him all you know of this stranger and the sapling. When this is over, we will share an ale and you can tell everyone the story of how I am the reason you met Elizabeth." With a laugh and a wink, Gabriel rose and embraced George. Zachery knew his father and the king were like brothers, and if anyone could do anything with the stranger, surely Gabriel could. Gabriel loved the Morely's and their quiet little farm; if anyone or anything were threatening their well-being, he would put an end to it as soon as possible.

  King Gabriel was like an uncle to me. His shiny armor and stern face were a comfort to me, even as it struck fear in the ones who opposed him. We were going home, and I got to ride with the knights of Castle Whitehold! This had turned out to be a fantastic journey! I often dreamed of adventures with the King's Guard! Father always said he thought Gabriel was a bad influence on me, and then he laughed and would punch Gabriel in the arm.

  4

  Sapling No More

  The members of the War Council led by Sir Rodderick were a small but lethal bunch, trained to be the best fighters in not only Whitehold, but the surrounding realms as well. A total of ten men, including Sir Rodderick, traveled back to the Morely farm. What a grand site they were. All the War Council rode white steeds and bore the glorious blue colors of King Gabriel, trimmed with gold on their breastplates. Zachery rode up front looking like he belonged to the group.

  "You know, I will be a member of the War Council someday. I might even become a King's Guard!" Zachery told Sir Rodderick.

  The noble Sir Rodderick didn't make a sound, but Zachery could see the hint of a smile forming on his lips.

  Rodderick was a mountain of a man, a head higher than an average man. Many of the men whispered myths about him. The good knight looked to be a God in the flesh. With his bald head and soot black beard, he was a sight to behold. Most men had to look up to see his eyes, and when they saw them, they always felt uneasy about it. Sir Rodderick was never defeated in battle but gave all glory to his king in victory. If you were a friend, Rodderick was as gentle as a lamb. If you found yourself as an enemy, he was as ferocious as a lion. No other knight could compare to his loyalty.

  George just laughed at the sight and wondered to himself, was he seeing a glimpse of his son's future. He had always fancied the armor and style of the War Council and King's Guard. George shook off the thought, because when they arrived home something was wrong.

  It had been a total of five days since George and Zachery left and the sapling had consumed their dog. Elizabeth ran out to meet them, clearly disturbed. "The tree! Stay away from it! The tree! It will consume everything! We are all in danger!"

  George grabbed the distraught woman and held her tight in his arms to try and calm her. "Elizabeth! Calm yourself, slow down and tell me what has happened. Is Launa all right?"

  All the poor woman could do was nod her head and point in the direction of the garden.

  Rodderick told his men to be on the ready and the group made way to see for themselves. "War Council! To arms! Spread out, let's find this tree," commanded Sir Rodderick.

  When they approached the garden, George gasped. "Oh, my Gods, what has happened?!"

  Elizabeth still had a hold of her husband's hand and replied, "It was horrible. We could hear it all. Animals were being drawn out of the forest into the circle. I stood at a distance, just to watch. It was horrible, George. One by one, each consumed and with each the tree grew bigger and bigger. One night, we heard this commotion from the woods like an animal that was hurt. It was a wild dog trying to fight the urge to go near the tree. It seemed as if the more it resisted, the more pain it was in. I couldn't bear to hear the poor animal's screams of pain. I took the bow from the house and killed it myself. I wanted to put it out of its misery."

  In the five days they were gone of what had been just a small sapling had now grown to a tall tree whose trunk was almost as big as the smoldering circle around it. They all wondered what kind of sorcery could have brought this upon them. As they stood astounded, one of the War Council stepped closer to the tree.

  "Sir Rodderick! Look at the trunk. I can see the faces! There's a deer with antlers!"

  I could clearly see the face of the deer in the tree's trunk. It had the look of terror. I wondered to myself, how many poor animals had it taken to get the once small sapling to its enormous size? We were only gone for five days. What would have happened if we were gone longer?

  One of the Council members drew his sharp blade.

  "Do not get close, Jonas!" Sir Rodderick shouted. "We don't know how it will react to humans." Jonas was careful about not crossing the circle and sliced at a branch cutting the end cleanly off.

  At the branch’s severed end, it was not sap, but blood.

  In the distance, they heard sounds of dark laughter, coming closer to them, surrounding them. Zachery turned a sickly, pale color.

  "My Gods, it is the same man as before," he whispered to his father.

  The sound mocked them, taunting them as if the dark figure was standing beside them.

  Rodderick looked to George. "If the thing can bleed, it can die! Get us all the oil you have. Let's see how it likes being firewood."

  George and the others went to fetch the oil. "It is not much, but it is all we have," George told him. When they had it all in the garden, the War Council doused the tree from afar and threw a lit torch. The tree blazed up, the heat pushed all back from where they were standing. Hisses and moaning but worst of all, laughter could be heard coming directly from the tree. Now the men were frightened.

  The sound of the laughter was the same voice I heard when the stranger was here. What was this thing? I prayed to the Gods this was the answer to this problem.

  After the fire died down, the tree still stood. One by one, the leaves grew back. The laughing continued. All could hear it, as if someone or something right beside them, but no one was around.

  Lucas, the second in command behind Rodderick, was a very aggressive soldier. He told them, "I want to see more blood!" He took a spear hurled it through the air and found his mark, the center of the trunk. A piercing shriek was heard from the tree as blood spilled from the spear tip. The shriek echoed throughout the valley, scattering animals everywhere. Birds darkened the skies fleeing from the site. The hold on all the animals had been broken for the moment.

  "Well done, Lucas!" one of the men shouted.

  Suddenly, the tree moved. Branches, used like arms, removed the spear and tossed it straight back at Lucas. He barely shifted out of the way as the spear zipped passed him, stopping as it shattered against a large stone.

  The War Council had seen enough to take back to King Gabriel. They knew this would be declared a state of royal emergency. A scowl appeared over Rodderick's face as he assigned some of the group to stay.

  "Lucas, take four of the men and form a perimeter around this garden. Kill any animal that tries to enter and turn away any villagers. Nothing comes close to that tree. Nothing. We can't have it feeding and getting larger."

  They had to come up with a plan. If the tree stood, everyone was in danger. They had to deal with this soon or there would not be any animals left in the valley. Rodderick told the Morelys his idea.

  "The men will stay and keep an eye on the garden, you can sleep easy tonight, and these are my best men." He watched with concern as Lucas and the men set up their camp around the tree. "May the Gods be with them." They would make sure it did not feed until Rodderick could return.

  AS BIG AS THE TREE had
grown, I didn't think there were any animals left in the whole forest! I slept better that night knowing some of the War Council stayed behind. What would King Gabriel do now? How could we destroy this demon of a tree? Where did the stranger go, and who was he? Too many questions without answers, for me.

  5

  Evil Has a Name

  Upon his return to the castle, Rodderick told the remaining King's Guard, War Council, and King Gabriel what he had witnessed.

  "This tree, sire, is not from this world. It beckons the animals from the forest to feed. We have to destroy it as soon as possible," Rodderick said.

  Gabriel's brow furrowed. "Feed? This tree feeds on living things?"

  "Yes, sire. I saw it with my own eyes. These animals are in pain from some unseen source, forcing them to the Morely garden."

  Eyes wide open now, Gabriel asked, "A tree that can consume living creatures? This worries me, Rodderick. Is there anything that we can do?"

  The group conceived a plan of attack to destroy this demon monstrosity. Gabriel told them, "I will equip my guards with elven steel swords, they are some of the hardest and sharpest blades ever known. The front line will have poisoned-tipped arrows, I'm hoping that if the steel does not kill it, the poison would." The king looked to Rodderick, "Assemble our best men."

  Gabriel went to address his men, "If this thing bleeds, let's see how much blood is in it! We cannot allow this atrocity into our land and let it continue to feed on the creatures that live here. What if it can devour a man? We will not let that happen!"

  With a cheer and salute to their king, the men set out for the farm without delay.

  I WAS RELIEVED TO SEE the War Council still at their post. Their presence gave us peace, knowing they were willing to stand up for the people. For all our safety, I wanted to have my garden back and let the men go home.