Kyle knew that he had been more on edge these past few weeks, and noticed it in the way the royal court stood in closed-off positions when he addressed them. They seemed much more apprehensive to come forward with any information, and the knights had begun kneeling when giving reports. Kyle had never demanded such a submissive position from his men, but he assumed it was to save them from making too much eye contact with him. Even Jason approached him more cautiously as if Kyle were a bomb with a dangerously low fuse—that feeling was extremely familiar these days. The high elf feared he would turn his own court against him if he kept it up, but he failed to shake this hostility and coldness.
Kyle slumped as he sat on his throne, peering down at the few knights who had approached him with information from that morning's ride. He took note of their more frequent arrival in groups of at least two or three. Stan was usually the one who shared these reports, but as of late, the others had apparently been losing track of him once returning to Zaron. Kyle knew they wished to avoid him too.
Kyle perked his head up as Jason gingerly opened the tall door to the throne room. He stepped toward the king, parting the knights to each side, each of whom bowing their heads. He had folded his hands, rubbing his thumbs together.
"Your majesty," Jason began, "there is a messenger from the Kingdom of Kupa Keep here to speak with you."
Kyle nodded, gesturing to send in the visitor. As the knights exited behind Jason, a young blond man dressed in blue robes entered the throne room. A belt secured a hammer to his hip, and a gold headband with a bright red gem in the center adorned his forehead. The man bowed before Kyle, looking up at him with a smile—a dramatic change from his own court.
"Greetings, your majesty! I am the paladin Butters of Kupa Keep, also known as Butters the Merciful," he said, his voice more cheerful and prepubescent than Kyle had expected. He found it strange that this messenger seemed joyful to have walked all the way from Kupa Keep to the elf kingdom. Leaders typically send messengers to notify others of immediate danger and threatening events, often asking for an alliance or a signing of a treaty of some sort. Kyle raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued.
"Good morrow, paladin. What brings you here on this day?"
Butters' face fell as if he had just remembered why he had walked all this way to meet with Kyle. His gaze dropped, then met the king's eyes once more. He was wringing his hands, expelling nervous energy.
"Well, you see, I'm one of the only ones left at Kupa Keep. Almost everyone abandoned the Wizard to go join Clyde. A-and his Army of Darkness."
Kyle's stomach dropped upon hearing his words. He held his face in his hand, fingers and thumb wrapped over either side of his mouth as he rested his elbow on the arm of his throne. He said nothing, signaling Butters to continue, as well as indicating his deep worry.
"It's not just our commoners, either, your majesty. Some of our most trusted knights and members of the court are gone, too. Craig—well, he's technically a rogue, but uh, he's siding with Clyde now."
"This rogue was loyal to you?" Kyle asked. Butters nodded.
"He was trusted by our people. No one thought he would abandon us, but he said that it's smart to follow whoever has the Stick since they have control over the universe as we know it. I suppose it makes sense." He cleared his throat. "A lot of people started to think the same thing and followed in his footsteps, and now we're just barely getting by, your majesty."
He paused for a moment as if considering his words, "The princess left, too, after he did. But no one knows where she is."
"I suppose he does have a point," Kyle said, immediately aware of the lack of sensitivity in his response. He straightened his posture as he added, "I am sorry to hear of your struggles, paladin. I know this is all so unexpected, and the future uncertain."
Butters gave him a weak smile, looking withdrawn as he stood before him with a slightly hunched posture. He spoke to him in a small voice, "We're just at a loss for what to do now."
Kyle nodded his head slowly in understanding. He had the fear of his own people leaving his side to join Clyde tucked away in the back of his mind, but it suddenly felt much more real. As much as he hated to admit it, siding with the one who holds the Stick of Truth is objectively more beneficial than to be the enemy of who possesses it. He wondered if he were not in a position of power, would he, too, abandon his allies for security and protection? He would have liked to say no.
The fact that Princess Kenny fled and was nowhere to be found surprised Kyle. The princess had been the Wizard's closest ally and friend for years, so this sudden disappearance struck a chord in him. Kyle silently wished her the best of luck, wherever she ended up.
"I'm so sorry, Butters. Please extend my sincerest consolations to the Wizard," the high elf said. Butters nodded.
"Of course, your majesty. But, uh, the Wizard sent me to ask that we join forces and take the Stick back from Clyde together." He does not look at Kyle as he says this, and it comes out rushed as if he was nervous making such a request.
Kyle looked at him in silence, evaluating his sincerity. He had learned to always be stoic, and his instinct was to never be vulnerable or completely open to new people. However, he could tell Butters was genuine, and he decided he would trust him. The only source of Kyle's apprehension was that this meant he'd have no choice but to interact with the Wizard face to face for an extended period of time. He shifted uncomfortably on his throne.
Kyle did not have the fondest of memories of past interactions with the Wizard. The two differed drastically on politics and how best to keep a kingdom functioning smoothly. The Wizard had his opinions on appropriate operations, and the high elf had his own. He respected him as a leader, but Kyle experienced a side of his personality to which his people were never subjected. It sent a chill up his spine.
Despite his personal complications with the Wizard, he knew it would ultimately be for the best that he joined forces with him and strip Clyde of his sudden rise to power, or get a handle on the situation at the very least. Clyde's unpredictability left him in no way fit to lead an army, let alone possess the Stick of Truth. Kyle always thought keeping the Stick in his own protection made more sense, but of course, he never spoke a word of it; he knew he was biased in the matter. He breathed in through his nose and smiled gently at Butters, who still looked up at him expectantly and with his hands folded.
"Paladin Butters, I accept your gracious request. Tell the Wizard to make arrangements to meet with me in person as soon as possible." His command put a bad taste in his mouth, but he didn't convey that to Butters. He nearly pitied him for being stuck siding with the Wizard.
The paladin left after a bow and a wish of good health and fortune upon Kyle's kingdom. Kyle sighed, slumping his posture and rubbing his temples. He thought back to just days ago when Stan was the one reassuring him that nothing significant would come of Clyde's possession of the Stick, and he made a face. The high elf wished Stan were there to witness this call to action from the Wizard, just so he could say he had told him so.
Bitterness towards the knight aside, things only seemed to snowball with Clyde's continuous acquisition of members for his Army of Darkness. Kyle's chest felt heavy, a sense of impending devastation creeping around his shoulders.
