Chapter 11: The King's Gift

Ragnar woke up from his bed, feeling refreshed and new. He hadn't realized how much more comfortable the castle's beds were than the inn's at Izmit. He looked beside him. Mary was sleeping peacefully. Ragnar smiled, stroked her hair, and got up.

The soldier checked on his wound in the mirror. There was only a tiny line where a large gash had once been. The soldier marveled at the healing the clerics at the Zenithian Temple could accomplish. It would have taken a dozen medical herbs to do what they did in a few minutes.

After he had gotten dressed, Ragnar immediately rushed to the King's audience hall. The other night, he had made a request to the guards to bring Flora to the audience hall as well. He hoped she would be there by now so he wouldn't have to waste much time here. The sooner the children were found, the sooner he could carry on with the preparation of Burland's defenses. The beetle-men problem was worsening by the day.

The audience hall was in the middle of the castle on a second floor. It wasn't overly big, but decorative. A large, red carpet stretched out over the floor. Small bundles of plants were in the corners and on the sides were tiny pools of water, holding exotic fish in them. A large, blue curtain covered the back wall and the throne rested in front of it. The throne held the Burland flag at the top: a great stag overlooking the valley from high above the mountains.

The King sat in his throne, talking with his advisor. He still looked agitated but not as weary any more. To his other side, a jester was playing his flute, providing mild entertainment for the King. Ragnar didn't see Flora anywhere.

The soldier turned to one of the guards and asked if they had seen her. The guard shook his head. Ragnar nodded and was about to head out to grab the woman when he heard the King call him. "Sir Ragnar! Great to see you in fine condition! I heard all about the tunnel."

Forgetting about Flora for the moment, Ragnar walked towards the King, bowing in front of him. "Your Majesty," Ragnar said.

"Rise," King Burnard said. "Rise. We're all friends here."

Ragnar nodded and stood up. After a moment, he said, "So, you know of the attack…"

"Yes," King Burnard nodded. "I had no idea it had gotten that bad. Travelers had told me the tunnel was beginning to become infested but just with a few slimes and healers."

"It's worse than you think," Ragnar said. "When I first went through, I came across a portion of the tunnel that was strewn with dead healers. Sir Denuve told me that he and some other soldiers had killed them."

"Indeed," the King muttered, rubbing his bearded double chin.

"There's that, plus the beetle-men problem," Ragnar continued. He paused for a moment, then added. "I fear that we may have an epidemic on our hands."

"I'll decide what we have on our hands, Sir Ragnar," the King said in an even tone. Ragnar looked at the King, confused. "I'm sorry," the King sighed, "but I've had so many problems lately. There's been word that some of our trading countries may not be coming, and that certain wares won't be showing up. I'm just so very tired from all the negotiations."

"I understand," Ragnar said, although he really didn't. World politics never concerned him.

He then remembered about Sandor's behavior in the tunnel and decided now would be a good chance to bring it up. "Your highness," Ragnar began, "there's something of much urgency that I must tell you."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Your highness," Ragnar said, "Sir Denuve told me that-"

A woman at the front entrance of the audience hall suddenly interrupted Ragnar. "All right, I'm here! Now, what's the problem?"

Ragnar turned and saw Flora walking down the audience chamber. Ragnar had only met her twice, both times at Mary's home. "Perfect timing," he muttered sarcastically to himself.

She walked up to Ragnar and gave him a half-smile. "Hello, Ragnar," she said. "Have a fun night?"

"Um, well..." Ragnar stuttered. He heard the King and his advisor chuckle and Ragnar flushed. What was it about women that seemed to want to embarrass him in public all the time?

"So," she said. "Why am I here?"

Ragnar regained his composure and said, "You may want to sit down."

"I'll stand, thank you very much."

"Very well," Ragnar shrugged. He paused, rubbing his mustache. How was he to tell her? He looked at King Burnard, who was just as interested on why Ragnar had requested Flora's presence at the audience hall. Ragnar sighed. This was not going to be easy.

Finally, he said, "Your highness, I believe that I have found some evidence as to the whereabouts of the missing children of Izmit."

"Is that so?" the King said, leaning forward. "What have you discovered?"

"A crazy man in Izmit said that he and the children would go and play at something he called the secret playground," Ragnar explained. "I believe that it is possible that he kidnapped them and is keeping them at this playground. However, he wouldn't tell us where it was when we interrogated him."

"I don't see what this has to do with me?" Flora said.

"I was just getting to that," Ragnar said. He paused, took a breath, and said, "Flora, I have reason to believe that he's… your husband."

Flora looked at Ragnar. Her face became frozen, as if she had just seen a ghost. Her breathing became haggard and her knees weak. She began to collapse but Ragnar quickly caught her.

"H...how do you know this?" she asked weakly, tears beginning to fill her eyes.

"My only proof is that his name is Alex, your husband's name," Ragnar said.

"There could be a thousand Alex's in the world!" she screamed. "How do you know that he's mine?"

"Someone told me that he's from here," Ragnar said, trying his best to calm her. She roughly pushed him away and Ragnar was thrown off, surprised. She then crumpled to the floor, sobbing. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her. Even the jester stopped playing his flute.

Aside from Flora's sobbing, the audience hall had become deathly quiet.

Slowly, Ragnar kneeled down beside her. He gently touched her shoulder and said, "I wouldn't be doing this to you if it wasn't important, but it is. If there is the slightest chance that that man is your husband, I need you to come with me to Izmit."

"Sir Ragnar!" the advisor gasped. "Do you realize what you're asking?"

"Shut up!" Flora snapped at the advisor and he backed up a bit. Flora wiped her tears from her face and replied, "Ragnar, I'll go!" She roughly grabbed Ragnar's shirt and cried, "Take me there, please! I must know for myself!"

"You have to realize," Ragnar said, gently getting Flora's hands off of him, "that it is no longer safe to travel out there. Sir Harald and I, two seasoned royal soldiers, hardly made it back alive."

"I don't care!" Flora cried. "I'll defend myself with a frying pan if I must! But I must get to Izmit!"

"I may be able to help you, young lady," King Burnard, who had been discussing with his advisor, said to Flora. "While I cannot spare any guardsmen, I can give you something else." He nodded to his advisor, who ran out of the audience hall.

The King then stood up out of his throne and walked over to Ragnar. "How is the wind in the tunnel?" he asked the soldier.

"Kind of mild," Ragnar replied, somewhat confused. "Any wind from outside will usually blow through. Why?"

The advisor then came running back into the hall and handed the King a small, blue bottle. "This is why, Sir Ragnar," the King replied. "Inside is water known as fairy water. It is a rare import from far south and we only get a few dozen bottles a year, making them quite a premium."

"What does it do?" Ragnar asked, eyeing the bottle.

"It has a certain smell that monsters detest," the King replied, shaking the bottle a bit. "You sprinkle it on yourself and the wind carries the scent for many miles. Any monster in a five mile radius won't come anywhere near you until the water evaporates. I usually use it when I have to travel on the roads.

"We only have five bottles left in the entire kingdom. I'm giving you and Flora one to help you get through the tunnel."

King Burnard gave Ragnar the bottle of fairy water and Ragnar carefully held onto it. "Thank you, your majesty," he said, bowing.

Flora went over to the King and gently kissed his cheek. "Thank you, your highness," she whispered into his ear. "You have no idea how much this means to me." The King smiled and kissed her hand. Flora blushed.

The King then assumed his seat at the throne and said to Ragnar, "Sir Ragnar, you may go now. I can trust that you will find the children?"

"Don't worry, your highness," Ragnar replied, bowing. "When I return, it will be with only good news." The King nodded and Ragnar and Flora left the audience hall, the sound of a flute once again filling the air.

Ragnar pulled out a large chest from his closet. Surprisingly little dust covered its frame considering how long it had been in here. The last time anyone had needed to use its contents was more than a decade ago.

The soldier opened the chest with restrained excitement. He had waited for this day ever since he had become a royal soldier. At times he wondered whether there would be a need for it given the relative peaceful nature of the times he lived in. Inside lay his family's legacy: the Calgor armor.

He pulled out the finely polished set of bright red half-plate armor and placed it on the bed. A little deeper within the chest was a red, iron helmet decorated with a plumed ridge. He held it up for a moment, wondering how many battles the helmet had seen in its history.

Putting the armor on, he took a look in the mirror. It fit him as though he'd been born to wear it all his life.

"You look like you've come from ancient history to pay us a visit," Mary's voice came from the room's entrance. Ragnar slightly jumped out of shock from her sudden appearance. He supposed he should be annoyed by her constantly surprising him but he loved her too much to be bothered.

"I admit it's a bit dated compared to current designs," the soldier smiled, rubbing his hand through the plume, "but this armor's been a part of my family's heritage for generations. I figure it will bring me some luck."

"Sir Ragnar Calgor," Mary coyly said as she seductively wrapped her arms around him, "don't tell me you are becoming superstitious?"

"Heritage has nothing to do with superstitions," he replied as he stroked her hair.

Her face suddenly became solemn. "So, you're off again," she sighed.

"I came back once. I'll be back again."

"What if it isn't her husband?" Mary asked, regarding Flora. "She will be devastated. I don't want her hopes to vanish as quickly as they've been brought up."

"I cannot promise anything," Ragnar replied back. "I've already told her this but she insisted to find out herself. I guess it's important enough for her to risk her life."

"Yes, but..." Mary began but didn't finish. She herself hadn't been able to convince Flora either. No matter how much she tried to convince he this trip might be a bad idea, her friend remained determined. Flora had even packed with her a large skillet as a weapon; the whole lot of good it would do against a beetle-man.

Ragnar and Mary undid their embrace and Mary looked up at Ragnar. "Please take care of her," she said.

"Don't worry," Ragnar said, stroking her hair. "I'll protect her with my life. It is my duty to do as such." Mary nodded and they kissed.