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CHAPTER 7
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While he had all but professed his undying love for Miakis, Faroush, being the gentleman, insisted that she sleep in the other bed. He did not want to take any unnecessary risks in anyone discovering their newly kindled relationship. It would be something that would have to be settled after the conflict. If it were brought to light now, it would only cause people to question his authority and decision making abilities. Currently, Kyle was the only one who knew, and he could be trusted with the secret.
In the early morning, Faroush awoke to a still dull grey sky dumping rain on the countryside. It was time for him and Miakis to journey back to Sol-Falena, their objective complete.
"Faroush, are you awake?"
A drip of water landed with a splat on the Prince's forehead.
"Huh?" He said as he came to his senses.
"I've already taken my bath. It's your turn. We'll need to hurry up if we want to meet the ship at Port Spinacks on time!" Miakis advised as she tugged on Faroush's arm.
"Okay, okay, I'm going," He gave in and walked into the bathroom…which had no door. He casually began to undress. All of the sudden, a sharp pain jolted him to complete consciousness.
Faroush turned around to see Miakis recoiling her towel for another strike at his bare bottom.
"Miakis! For the Gods! What are you doing in here?"
"Just making sure you're awake, that's all" Miakis chimed as she fluttered out of the room.
The Prince suddenly felt a bit violated, but at the same time, other things suggested that he enjoyed seeing Miakis covered by only a strategically wrapped towel. The cold water in the bath made sure that was quickly forgotten.
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Many men garbed in white robes adorned with various colors filed into the massive meeting chamber and took their seats at their respective posts. The last to enter was a man adorned with gold.
"My fellow elders, I have called this meeting to bring to light some grave news for our great country. A peace-maintaining convoy of soldiers and diplomats were on their way to Falena when tragedy struck them. They were mercilessly slaughtered by what was reported as a Falenan Royal Army Brigade. There were no survivors."
A buzz started around the room as the elders turned to each other and bantered in disbelief. The lead man raised a hand and drew silence.
"I wish that were the only ill tidings I had to share, my countrymen. Additionally, my own servant, Kalinor, whom I trusted with my children and livestock, stole my family's precious rune and infiltrated our ranks as a Falenan spy! He plans to bear that rune against his own native country alongside the Falenan dogs!"
A raucous erupted in the chamber as many elders were brought to their feet in disgust. One elder in particular stood, bearing black adornments.
"Kardon!"
"What is it, Elder Soldedt?"
"If there were no survivors of the attack, how do you know that it was Falena who struck them?" Soldedt questioned.
"You dare hold my report as a lie! You are aware that this is treason, yes?" Kardon's eyes flared as he gripped his staff.
"You are also aware that if you lie about your findings that it is also treason, correct, Kardon?" Soldedt remained firm.
"Blasphemy! You dare question my authority as Supreme Elder!" Kardon fumed as he slammed his staff down on the marble floor.
"Hold your tongue, Kardon! Keep in mind that you only hold the position of Supreme Elder because I took ill. It was by my good graces that I did not request it back. I see now the mistake I made. You have learned nothing while serving as my apprentice, and I see now your blind ambition and intentions to lead Nagarea into an impassible canyon, only to be buried alive!" Soldedt yelled.
"ENOUGH!" Kardon boomed in a voice that shook the very halls in which they resided. "I am the authority here in Nagarea, whether it be by folly or by achievement! My word stands as the truth, verily as I stand before you today! Elder Soldedt, I hereby hold you in contempt of the Council of Elders and charge you with treason! Your punishment is DEATH!"
"You don't have the power to do such a thing!" Soldedt's pupils displayed a flame from within.
"I am power personified, fool!" Kardon screamed as he thrust his staff toward his opposition, releasing a bright fireball.
The flaming projectile struck Soldedt in the side, causing him to cry out in agony. Two paladins had made their way over and tried to arrest him, but Soldedt raised his own staff and disappeared in a burst of white light.
"Soldiers, you are to find that traitor Soldedt and kill him on sight! Make haste for the good of Nagarea!" Kardon ordered.
"Kardon…" An elder gasped from beside the Supreme Elder.
"Do you see what happens when you usurp the Great Authority? Is anyone else in this chamber willing to commit treason to the High Clergy?" Kardon glared at everyone in the chamber. "Anyone?"
"What is your suggestion for action, Supreme Elder?" Asked another man clad in white.
"The immediate invasion of the Queendom of Falena. We must be swift in exacting our revenge on those bastards…" Kardon seethed as he stroked the hilt of a blade hidden beneath his robe.
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Water flowed from the floodgates of the dam in front of Sol-Falena. Massive puddles sat in the streets of the capital city. Very few were in the streets, and those few were swiftly splashing along to their destinations. Kyle was reluctantly one of those in the streets.
Since Faroush was gone, he prided himself at patrolling the city and keeping "evil-doers" at bay. Needless to say, the patrols were even more boring than the usual humdrum of knight meetings. A soaked figure stepped in front of him. He raised a curious eyebrow.
"Sagiri?"
"Yes, Sir Kyle. I received a letter from Prince Faroush. I came to meet with him." Sagiri said with her lax smile.
"The Commander is out of town right now, on a trip to Sauronix Castle. He should be back in a few days. Do you have the letter on you?" Kyle asked as he ran a quick check of Sagiri's body.
Wow…I never noticed her before…she's built a lot like Lyon, except a little more mature…definitely a prospect…
"Here it is. He wanted me to be a part of the Queen's Knights. I really needed to speak to him about it first."
"Y-eah…you know, we really should get out of this rain. Why don't you come back to the palace with me?" Kyle extended his hand with a half-bow.
"Very well." Sagiri walked past the dejected rogue knight and continued on her way to the royal residence.
Oooh…cold…I think she likes me…
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"But, Luserina, do you really have to brush my hair?" Lymsleia whined.
"Oh, no Your Highness, I could let you do it if you'd like. I just didn't want to leave the tangles in your hair." Luserina responded in her gentle voice.
"Oh, okay…I guess that's fine…Luserina?" Lym asked.
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"Do you like my brother?"
Luserina dropped the brush she was using and her jaw dropped.
"E-excuse me, Your Majesty?" Her voice quivered with fear and nervousness.
"Why do you react like that? Even during the war, you always acted really scared or uncomfortable when asked about Faroush." Lymsleia turned around to look at her attendant.
"Well, I…Your Highness…I…guess I do like him…but I didn't want to approach him about it. You see…I'm a Barows…and he's a prince…and that would have played into my father's plan…so I…" Luserina slowly explained.
"But he's gone now, and there isn't a Senate anymore, so why can't you tell him?" Lym tried to fill in the holes in the logic.
"I…I don't know, Your Majesty…I don't think I could…" Luserina brought her hand to her face as she tilted her head downward.
"Mother always told me that if you aren't honest with your own feelings, you can never be honest with anyone else. You can tell him. You shouldn't be afraid." Lymsleia pressed.
"But, My Queen…I really think he's found someone else. I don't want to ruin that for him." Luserina sighed.
Lymsleia's brow tensed up as she leaned forward.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Your Majesty, why do you think he took a trip to Sauronix with only Miakis and no other knights? He took the trip so he could be with her…be alone with her. The Prince had a look in his eyes that you rarely see. He had the look of true love, and unfortunately, it wasn't love for me. It was love for one of his own knights." Luserina tried her best to reason the whole situation out to Lym.
"Miakis…that's….that's not fair! He can't do that!" Lymsleia yelled.
"But Your Highness, that's the point. He knew you would object. He wanted you to see what he had done for you, and let you see what you should do for him. He approached the Parliament and freed you of your ties to the Sacred Games. He gave you a choice in the man you will take to be your husband. He merely wants the same for himself. Shouldn't he be free to be with the woman he loves?" Luserina resumed brushing the Queen's hair.
"But…Miakis is my friend…I don't want to lose her…" Lym's eyes started to water.
"Your Majesty, you risk losing both of them more by objecting to the whole situation. I know you love them dearly. The best thing to do is to simply allow them to do what they're doing now, and just show them love at every opportunity. If you do that, they'll never leave you." Luserina actually brought tears to her own eyes.
"But what about you, Luserina?" Lymsleia choked.
"I will always be her for you, My Queen." Luserina smiled.
Lymsleia hopped off of her stool and buried her face in Luserina's blouse, wrapping her arms around her waist as tightly as she could. Luserina let her hands rest on Lym's back.
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Suddenly the door burst open allowing the watery needles to penetrate the inside of the houseboat.
"Shigure! It sounds like the door is open again! Could you shut that please?" Fuyo yelled from upstairs.
"Uh…Fuyo…" Shigure responded from the grip of a muscular man with silvery white hair.
"Where is she?" The man said through gritted teeth.
"Look, she doesn't deserve this, Nakula! You know she doesn't remember anything!" Shigure yelled as he struggled to free himself from the firm hold.
"I will not repeat myself again. Where. Is. She?" Nakula raised the blade of his spear to Shigure's neck.
"Enough, Nakula! Please! If you must know, I'll tell you!" Fuyo pleaded from the doorway to the stairs.
"Then tell me already!" Nakula boomed.
"Don't do it, Fuyo! He'll kill her!" Shigure said before he was flung against the wall, rendering him unconscious.
"Where is she!" Nakula repeated as he started to approach the short, rotund woman.
"She went to Sol-Falena…I sent her to see the Prince…" Fuyo started to sob, but just as she raised her head, she noticed that the warrior was no longer in sight. "Sagiri…"
