Chapter 7 A Gathering of Fools
That night the Town gathered in the mayor's home, as large as it was it was never intended to hold everyone at once and there was barely room to breath. The crowd murmured as speculation raged while the last stragglers came in to join them.
The mayor had never called a meeting this quickly before, and especially had never ordered that the guard was not to be informed. More than a few looked around searching for even those of the guard that were of their blood, but there were none to be found.
The mayor stood halfway up the front stairway so he could be seen by everyone. He motioned for silence. Once everyone stopped talking he called out in a clear voice that could be heard throughout the house.
"I called this emergency meeting because my son Raver has had a vision, one that will affect everyone in this town shortly.
"What the Witchboy" Hermal's voice was heard in the crowd. "Ouch" he said as his father cuffed him in the head, though a few nearby had laughed nervously.
Khedrick frowned, but continued "Tomorrow Prince Ancar will murder his father the king and the Herald's that came through here recently".
"What" a voice shouted.
"How can you be sure" said another.
The rest of the voices ran together as everyone tried to outshout the next person.
Khedrick waved for silence, but it was some time before everyone quieted down enough for them to hear what he had to say. "That isn't all" he started to say.
A voice from the back shouted " what else could there be". A few of the others said things as well though those comments were lost in the crowd.
Khedrick shouted "Silence" they quieted down instantly, Khedrick wasn't known to shout and to hear him do so made most of the people frightened and they began to take what he said seriously.
"The prince will send men in soon to take away all of our young men, I believe he intends to start a war with Valdemar".
Valdemar" one of the men cried. "But they're our allies".
Khedrick looked grim "Nevertheless, that is what he intends, He is also planning to take two of our young ladies, my daughter Carra and Lorimal's daughter Myra".
Lorimal's wife sobbed and her husband hugged her to him looking grim, Myra was their only child and the light of their life.
"I don't believe it" Hermal's father Gremmal said.
"You're welcome to think what you wish, but those of you who believe me are welcome to join my family to escape, we have picked a new place for the town, that Raver assures me will never be found by Ancar's men" Khedrick said.
At Khedrick's words the voices were raised again and by the end of the meeting about two thirds of the town decided to leave with the mayor. Before the meeting ended Gremmal asked "What's to prevent me from telling the guards your plan and new location" he had been the most vocal of those staying.
"If you do" Khedrick said in a deadly serious tone "I will kill you myself, I also am keeping the location to myself until we arrive, being that you plan to stay you won't be able to find us, you'll be on your own".
At that two of the families that had been planning to stay decided to join, fear knocking sense into them.
Khedrick had the families that were planning to stay in the town leave before moving on with the plan for the evacuation. He also posted guards to watch them and the house so that they wouldn't be able to eavesdrop on the rest of the meeting. It was the best he could do for them, he felt bad for them, but he had to protect those who had decided to join the flight.