The Kingdom Pt. 02

The Kingdom - Part 2

§ 0 ~ Revisitation

They've always called me by the name of Quillion, as far back as I can remember, but those closest to me now call me Quill.

Much of my tale has already been told. If you're not familiar with it, you'll want to read it for yourself. It would take too long for me to catch you up to where I am now, not just physically, but emotionally and relationally as well. Suffice it to say that my journey, our journey, that of my companions and I, has been a mix of adventures, trials, joys and sorrows.

But enough about the past. We must determine our future. Tarrying may bring about disaster, not just for my companions and I, but for the Kingdom at large.

Previous readers may have wondered about this so-called "Kingdom", especially since no king was ever mentioned during our tale. Only Dukes and Duchesses, along with some common folk, played their part. But no king made his presence known.

Who then is the King of this Kingdom? Is there even a king? If so, where is he? Does he care if the duchies wage war against one another? Will he intervene?

I have asked myself these same questions more than once. No one that I know personally has ever seen the King, but allegedly, he does exist. When I queried Teritha about it, her being a Duchess and all and someone who should know these things, she confessed her own lack of knowledge about his personal existence. Having become part of the nobility only five years ago, and only because of her marriage to Duke Grethley, the sum of her understanding passed to her by the Duke was that no one actually knows who the King is. Only his emissaries visit the duchies, and that but just once every seven years to collect taxes and issue decrees.

"Ironically," she said, looking thoughtful, "the King's emissary was due for a visit to the Duchy of Jasper while we were away on our journey..."

She had little else to share about the current King. She did, however, share with me a story shared with her by one of the old servants she befriended after arriving at the castle five years ago, during the first few months of her marriage. That servant retired and moved away soon after, but the tale she told went something like this.

More than two hundred years ago, or maybe three hundred, the Duchy of Sapphire grew larger and wealthier than all the other duchies, possibly combined. In their own estimation, they were mighty indeed.

However, despite being wealthy and powerful, the Sapphire Duchy didn't subject its population to heavy taxation, nor was it aggressive towards any of its smaller neighbors. Nay. They were prosperous without guile; powerful without being oppressive.

And yet, the Sapphire Duchy came to a bitter end for the very same reason that every kingdom that has ever risen has fallen.

Pride.

The Duke and Duchess of Sapphire, along with their most respected nobility, following the advice of their most trusted advisors, decided one day during a secret council, after months of deliberation, to declare independence from the Kingdom. This sentiment was committed to parchment and signed by all, then sealed and locked away.

One year later, the Duke of Sapphire handed the scroll to the King's emissary during his expected visit. Naturally, taxes traditionally set aside for the King were withheld, and the emissary was sent on his way cordially, but empty-handed, except for the sealed decree.

The emissary made no fuss, no objections, and no threats. He went away as stoic as he arrived.

The Duke of Sapphire held a great celebration to commemorate the occasion. Every subject in the Duchy was invited, and the festivities lasted a full turn of the moon's cycle.

Days later, after the initial excitement of the celebration of independence wore off, after things had settled back to normal, the capital city of Sapphire Duchy received its true reward for independence.

The King's retaliation was swift and complete. Those among the common folk were allowed to flee as long as they didn't brandish any weapons, but every member of the Duke's family, as well as every noble and their family, was put to the sword.

Hundreds, if not thousands, died. Their countless bodies were left to rot where they fell, as a warning. Disease and pestilence followed. The city proper and the land surrounding it became inhabitable.

The City of Sapphire was slowly reclaimed by nature, and the Duchy it represented, was no more.

Word of the King's justice spread across the land by those who escaped, and that was the last time any Duke or Duchess openly opposed the King's authority.

§ 1 ~ Commiseration

A scream rises in my throat, but it never passes my lips thanks to the wad of cloth stuffed in my mouth, held there by another strip of cloth torn from my own tunic. I watch helplessly, my hands tied behind my back and to the chair I'm sitting in, as the throat of a child, perhaps five years old, is sliced open by the Carnelian soldier standing behind him.

The soldier smiles at my helplessness as the blade slowly separates the boy's tender young flesh, the look on the boy's face pleading with me to save him even as his life trickles down to soak the fabric of his clean, white shirt. Despite being bound, I am somehow able to bring my hands up to cover my face in an attempt to hide from this horrible sight before me.

Tears pour from my eyes amid my sobs of anguish. Comforting arms surround me and a familiar voice whispers soothingly, "It's okay Quill. I'm here. I'm here." I cling to the bearer of the voice tightly.

The light from a single candle flares into existence, banishing the nightmare. Lisbeth sets it down on a nearby table then joins Micaelah and I on my bed. She too places her arms around me until I recover from the darkness.

"I'm okay," I finally say after taking a few deep breaths. Lisbeth and Micaelah release me and sit back. Lisbeth's arm encircles my waist as she rests her head on my shoulder.

Micaelah holds my hands in hers and looks into my eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asks gently.

I shake my head. At her look of concern, I produce a half smile to ease her worry. She doesn't seem convinced, so I lean down and plant a chaste kiss on her lips. She returns the kiss but looks to Lisbeth, seeking an ally.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Lisbeth asks me, searching my face.

Judging by her expression, I'll need to be more convincing or I won't be allowed to go back to sleep. So I give her a quick peck on the lips too, and say, "Yeah, I'll be fine. If you want to sleep next to me though, I won't say no."

They both find that an acceptable compromise, so abandoning the bed they were sharing, they join me in mine. Lisbeth blows out the candle, then lays down next to me, opposite Micaelah.

Despite my assurances, I'm grateful for their proximity. And yet, despite the security of their embraces, I'm afraid to fall asleep again. I lie awake for a long time, well past the point I note their breathing change to the slow, shallow breathing of sleep.

Eventually though, I too succumb to exhaustion.

Thankfully, when I wake the next morning, I only vaguely recall the nightmare which first visited me last night. The second part of the night brought dreams filled with the sound of a familiar voice, one whose owner I don't recall, singing me to sleep with a lullaby as she sat next to my bed, her face hidden in the shadows thrown off by a single candle.

§ 2 ~ Trepidation

In the morning, after breakfast, Teritha and Kendric gather everyone outside behind the house we shared in the town of Prakarta.

"We need to consider our options," Teritha states, looking around the circle made up of the seven of us. "Food is no longer an issue, but time is. We have no horses, but thankfully, we are all uninjured and healthy. Our burdens are fairly light and, if we follow the road, we'll be able to cover more ground at a quicker pace than we did traversing the wilderness. That has its risks though."

Steeling herself, she continues. "Captain Kendric and I agree. Since we already know the Duke of Carnelia sent troops through this town and onto the City of Beryl, but left no troops behind, he's obviously not concerned about being attacked from this direction."

Brandishing a wooden spoon, she moves to the center of our circle and uses the handle to sketch a crude map in the dirt.

"Here is the East Road between Jasper and Beryl," Teritha tells us, pointing with the spoon at a line running north to south. "Here is Prakarta, where we're currently at." She marks a place on the map a short distance north of Beryl. "Here is where the South Road intersects the East Road." She draws a mostly east-west line ending roughly half way between Jasper and Beryl. "Following the South Road east from Carnelia, then south to Beryl, it's a four day journey for troops on horseback."

"Four days?" I ask, confused. "But those troops had to have come through here at least two days ago. That means those troops had to have left Carnelia at least six days ago."

"We left Carnelia... five days ago," Lisbeth notes, continuing the thought. "That means..."

"That means my father started this war while you were still there to negotiate peace," Jolie says, disgusted.

"Except we didn't pass any troops on the way to Carnelia," Lisbeth points out. "Certainly not a force as large as what Kendric says came through here. We would have noticed that."

Looking disturbed by Lisbeth's words, Jolie says to her, "That means they were already in place, probably hidden somewhere within the Duchy of Beryl." She turns to Teritha.

"That means..." Her face turns pale.

Teritha meets Jolie's eyes and confirms her deduction. "The City of Beryl and the City of Jasper have likely been under siege for at least a few days." Teritha slowly turns and meets everyone's gaze a few moments before stating, "We have nowhere to go."

Kendric nods his head, apparently having come to this realization as well. Corinne clings to his arm, but looks more determined than afraid. Micaelah, already holding my hand, squeezes it tighter. A glance at her face reveals the fact that she's quietly crying, and she looks afraid. I place my arm around her shoulder and pull her close. She hugs me tightly.

"We can't stay here," Teritha states practically. "A messenger or a patrol could come through at any time and spot us. We must go somewhere, and soon."

"But won't the troops from both cities fight back?" Corinne asks. "Why hide behind the walls?"

"Because Carnelia has more than twice as many troops as Beryl and Jasper combined," Jolie answers. "If they tried fighting Carnelia on an open battlefield, it would be a massacre." As soon as the last word leaves her mouth, the pained look on her face clearly says she wishes she would have chosen her words more carefully.

"How long do you think either city will last a siege?" Lisbeth asks.

"Kendric?" Teritha defers.

"Well... Sorry to be so blunt, but..." He gives a sympathetic look to Jolie and states, "The Duke of Carnelia is obviously not interested in sparing any human life. Surely word of their ruthlessness would have made it to the capital before the enemy arrived at our gates, or those of Beryl. That means Duke Grethley and Duchess Merrilee wouldn't have relied on the outer defenses too much. They are more interested in saving lives, so they would have brought everyone inside the inner wall. That would have allowed the Carnelian troops to advance more quickly towards the main keep. I believe the defenses will hold long past the food supply though. Probably two months."

Everyone looks somewhat relieved, considering the alternative, but their optimism is short-lived.

"However," Teritha says. "I don't believe Carnelia is interested in conducting a siege. Or, to be more clear, I don't believe they're interested in taking either city. There are no resources they don't already have access to and neither provides any strategic advantage for conquering the other duchies that we consider allies. Before two months have passed, the other duchies will have received word and will have come to the aid of Jasper and Beryl. Our Allies are closer than those of Carnelia. They'd be trapped."

"What would be the purpose then?" I ask. "Why force two duchies into separate corners for just a short time?"

"Perhaps they have a more desirable objective," Lisbeth speculates. Her face lights up. "They're merely preventing Jasper and Beryl from getting involved in something."

Teritha nods her head in agreement. "What their goal could possibly be though, I can't figure out."

"Is he going to challenge the King?" Corinne asks, sounding skeptical. "That would be suicide."

"No... that doesn't add up," Teritha agrees. "Cornering Jasper and Beryl wouldn't be necessary. The King can defend himself."

"You're wrong," Jolie counters. Everyone turns to look at her before she adds, "But now it all makes sense."

"What does, Jolie?" Teritha asks apprehensively. "What makes sense?"

"Remember when I told you that I overheard my father and Norgin in the council chamber on my way to see you via the secret passages?" Jolie asks. "I heard him say he was going have your guards taken captive then have you arrested, but that's not all I heard."

"Go on," Teritha urges her.

"I didn't hear everything they were discussing. Just the last part of the conversation. But I didn't give it any thought because he talks about it all the time. I guess I just figured he was expressing his disgruntled sentiments about the King's rule again like always. I was so focused on getting you to safety... I should have said something sooner." She shakes her head, regretful.

"Are you implying he actually intends to challenge the King's rule by attacking him?" Teritha asks in disbelief.

"No," Jolie answers. "Not challenging his rule. Stealing it."

A few moments go by as Teritha works through Jolie's words. Her eyes grow large, then she gasps. "He wouldn't dare..."

Jolie cuts her off. "Yes he would. He would dare. That's exactly what my father intends to do. He craves power like a starving man does food. It's like a need that gnaws at him. I've often caught him brooding after his latest conquest, planning his next one. Nothing and no one will stop him from chasing what he desires. Even that."

She reaches out to Teritha with her hand open, palm up. Teritha gives her the spoon and watches as Jolie squats down and points to features on the map.

"The entrance is located not far from the intersection of the East and South Road. He probably has a large army somewhere between Jasper and Beryl. Carnelia is to the west. The rest of the duchies are further out. Jasper and Beryl, both of which he considers enemies, are the only two duchies close enough to hinder his plan."

Teritha looks stricken, but I'm totally lost. Bewildered, I ask, "What exactly is your father planning to do?"

Jolie answers simply, "He's planning on stealing the Key to the Kingdom."

"What?" I ask, now even more confused.

"Surely you've heard the legend about how the Kingdom began," Jolie says matter-of-factly.

Seeing my blank look, she looks around at the others. Everyone seems as confused as I am. Except Kendric and Teritha.

"The Kingdom began," Teritha explains, "where the Temple of the King stands, near the crossroads. Inside the Temple, allegedly, is the Key. The Key is given to the one who can make it past the Guardian by answering a series of questions. Whoever earns the Key holds the power over all the duchies. Absolute power."

"Wait," Micaelah interjects. "Isn't there a song about that?"

"Yes," Kendric answers. "Some minstrels still sing it. I don't hear it very often though. It tends to be more popular with the younger folk. Much younger folk."

"But it's just a story, right?" Micaelah asks, skeptical.

"Who's to say?" he answers. "If any of it's even true, it happened a long, long time ago."

"My father believes it's true," Jolie says. "I remember him singing that song to me over and over when I was little. It was his favorite. That too was a long time ago..." She gazes at the dirt in front of her as she focuses on the past. "But now that I think about it, I've heard him humming that tune to himself often lately, even reciting stanzas here and there too, like it's poetry."

"So... he's going to try and obtain the Key?" I ask stupidly.

"Yes," Jolie answers.

"But doesn't the current King already have the Key?"

"No. It's in the Temple."

"How does the King still have absolute power then if he doesn't have the Key?"

"It isn't about possession of the Key. It's about obtaining the Key. If you obtain the Key, you're worthy to be King," Jolie answers patiently.

"By going inside the Temple?"

"Yes."

"And getting past the Guardian?"

"Yes."

"Uhm... Isn't it his right to go ahead and try? I mean, if he gets it, doesn't he deserve to be King?"

"No."

"Uhm... Why not?" I ask, still not getting it.

"Because he isn't planning on obtaining the Key by answering any questions. He plans on killing the Guardian, taking the Key, and keeping it. Forever."

We all sit in silence as that sinks in.

"Is that possible?" I ask, finally.

"Unfortunately, that doesn't matter," Teritha explains. "The King's law states that if a newcomer obtains the Key, that person becomes King. Instantly. How that's possible, I haven't a notion, but because of this, the King isn't allowed to post any guards at the Temple. That way, whoever is King can't prevent others from entering the Temple to test their merit for kingship. So, the Guardian is the Temple's only protector."

"Then won't the Temple take care of itself? Won't he simply fail and be killed by the Guardian?" I surmise.

"Normally, yes. But since he's bringing an army with him into the Temple, there may be other, worse repercussions," Teritha tells me, worry in her voice.

"You see, the first oath a Duke or Duchess must swear to when taking power over their Duchy is to preserve the sanctity of the Temple. This vow is witnessed by an emissary of the King. The consequences of violating this oath is a swift death, carried out by the Guardian. In all the long history of the Kingdom, no one has ever attempted what the Duke of Carnelia has set in motion.

"If somehow he succeeds, we will be left with a King who is ruthless and sadistic, with absolute power, forever, as Jolie said. No one wants that.

"If he fails, which seems more likely, the Guardian will be unleashed to exact judgment on the rest of the duchies because they allowed someone to attack the Temple. Tens of thousands will perish.

"Either way it plays out, it will mean the end of the Kingdom as we know it."

"Someone needs to stop him," I say vehemently.

"Yes," Teritha agrees. "Unfortunately, neither Duke Grethley nor Duchess Merrilee is aware of what's happening. They'll focus on surviving a siege, but by the time it's over, it will be too late."

"So we need to get word to one or both of them," Lisbeth states decidedly.

"It won't do any good," Teritha points out. "Neither has enough troops to fight their way out of their keep, much less march to the Temple and defeat even more Carnelian troops. Even if they could, they'd be too late. And with both cities being surrounded by enemy troops watching them closely, it will be impossible to get anyone in or out."

"What are we going to do then?" Corinne asks.

Jolie answers bluntly, "We have to sneak into the Temple, find my father, and stop him before he succeeds."

"I'm afraid we have no other alternative," Teritha says resignedly.

§ 3 ~ Motivation

"We have to assume they've cleared the entire way between here and the South Road," Kendric states, now in possession of the spoon. "The Temple is here." He marks a spot in the dirt. "If we stay on the road, we'll need to be more careful so as not to be seen, which will slow us down. But the Temple isn't actually that close to either road. If we cut through the wilderness here," He draws a line heading northeast from Prakarta to the Temple, southeast of the crossroads, "We should be able to reach the Temple within four days. But we need to move fast. Those of us that intend to make the journey, that is."