Chapter 21: Sacrifices
Sol-Falena, 338 Solar Year
A few days later, a bruised and bandaged Razi was in the throne room of the Royal Palace standing in chains before the Queen and the whole royal family for a very special military trial. He said nothing, not just because it hurt to talk, but because his master's schemes were unfolding just as he said they would.
The Queen was seated on her thrown in the center. At her right side sat her husband, Alen, and on the left, Cyrah, the future Queen. Along the sides of the room were other chairs. On one side sat Rose, Olinda, and Ishaan. On the other side was seated Godwin, Graess, and Robert.
A small barrier had been setup in the room for a crowd of nobles, politicians, and other high ranking military officers along with the three Island Ambassadors to stand behind while in the Queen's Court.
Elemark turned toward the chained man and said in a commanding tone, "You, young man, Razi of Nagarea have been accused of high treason not just in this country, but your own as well. The charges against you follow as thus:
1.) You have conspired with one Emerites Aethelbald to interfere with the official trade agreement talks between this nation and the Island Nations Federation.
2.) You willingly and knowingly plotted a failed kidnapping attempt of Princess Olinda Falenas with the help of Nethergate Assassins, which did result in the willful injury of a Queen's Knight.
3.) You plotted to start a war between the Theocracy of Nagarea and the Queendom of Falena.
4.) You poison your own master, Ambassador to Falena and Grand High Priest Nyoka Blackwater. You forged his name and seal. Lied about his condition and nearly killed him.
5.) You incited extremists to kidnap a foreign diplomat on Princess Cyrah's wedding day and used them to try and blackmail a member of the royal family in exchange for that diplomat's life.
6.) You resisted arrest, fled the Queendom, assaulted a Queen's Knight, and killed five soldiers on your way out of the city.
"This concludes the charges. You do understand that anyone of these charges is punishable by death, if found guilty? Moreover, I received a message from the Nagarea Government this morning. After reviewing the charges and seeing the clear and overwhelming evidence, they stated they have no need for a trial. They agreed to abide by this court's verdict. Plus, both you and all your remaining family members have henceforth been excommunicated from your temple and banished from your country. Do you understand all this? Do you have anything to say on your behalf before I pass my sentence?" asked the Queen.
Razi nodded to indicate he understood all the charges. However, he didn't say anything else on his behalf. He merely looked around the room staring at the members of the court with that same brash and cocky grin that he was accustom to displaying to those he viewed as beneath himself.
"Very well, let it be noted by all who are witnesses here that the accused has understood the charges and has offered up no defense on his behalf. Then, as the sun's vicegerent and as the Queen of Falena this is my verdict." Elemark paused allowing everyone to stand to their feet.
"Razi, in light of all the overwhelming evidence brought against you, I hereby find you guilty on all charges. Thus, you shall be taken to Agate Prison and locked in solitary confinement until the day of execution, which I decree to be carried out one week from today at dawn. Death by decapitation. The Judgment is passed. The Keeper of the Sun Rune has spoken. Moreover, let our mercy as deep as the Feitas and our authority as powerful as the Sun be revealed to the entire world." concluded the Queen in a strong voice of finality. Many in the crowd cheered while others looked on silently.
A few hours later, Razi was being escorted by security forces deep into the bowels of the high security prison of Agate. As he passed the cells, he saw several prisoners, and a few in particular caught his attention. They, also, took notice of him.
At the end of the hall was a room with no bars, just a solid door with a small doggy-type door at the bottom that only opened from the front. This little door would be used to give the prisoner his food and take his waste bucket once a day without having to open the main door.
As the larger door swung open, the room was revealed to be little more than a windowless closet with a waste bucket in one corner, a dirty old wool blanket for bedding in another, and a dead rat in the middle of the floor. One of the guards walked into the room noted the smell of musty mildew and the terrible odor coming from the rat.
Another guard kicked the lifeless rodent with his foot toward Razi's new wool bed, "I guess you won't be alone after all, you foreign wretch. Maybe the two of you can snuggle at night to stay warm? It gets awfully cold in the cells, I hear." the guards jeered.
With that he kicked Razi to the ground, who was still shackled on his hands and feet. They closed the door behind him. At last, he was alone in the darkness with only his thoughts and the dead smelly rat for company. "Soon, very soon, I will pay every one of you bastards back. For every indignity that I suffer, you shall suffer five times, no, ten times the humiliation and punishment. You just wait! You just wait! Hmm, I carried out my end of the plan, Master Nyoka. You damn well better carry out yours. Mwahahaha." laughed the young prisoner mostly to himself.
Following the courtroom drama, Olinda returned to her room and fell on her bed. How could so much be happening all around them so quickly, she wondered to herself. First, Barows' proposal, then finding out her cousin Emerites had betrayed the family,and now Razi's trial. Why did it feel like her world was spinning out of control all of a sudden?
Olinda was full of many mixed emotions right now. Part of her was glad that her would-be kidnapper was now locked away in a jail cell. On the other hand, she was worried about her father and how Emerites' betrayal would not only affect him, but also the whole Aethelbald family. But, most importantly of all, Lazlo. She loved him. She wanted to be with her True Rune bearer. However, now with Barows' marriage proposal, how could she?
She knew the peace and trade treaty was important to the Queendom. Plus, if Barows was sincere in his offer to pay for the construction of Nirva, then the treaty would indeed happen without much issue. But, would her parents really make her go through with it, just to secure a trade treaty with the Islanders? Barows was a jerk and a fop she told herself. He was pretty much the opposite of Lazlo in every way.
Olinda needed to take her mind off things right now. She looked at herself in her mirror's reflection, which was next to her desk. Suddenly, something new and blue caught her eye. She walked up to the desk and noticed a blue envelope addressed to her.
Figuring one of her handmaidens had dropped it off earlier in the day while she was out. She started to open it. She removed the wax seal, which didn't have any emblem indicating who it was from. Removing the letter from within, she began to read it casually. Soon, however, tears streamed downed her eyes as she reread it again and again in utter disbelief.
The letter was short and simple. They left no signature nor regards at the end. Neither, did she recognize whose writing style it was, but it was clear they were not to be taken lightly. The letter simply read:
Princess Olinda Falenas,
YOU will marry the Barows' boy. Otherwise, I don't think your dear mommy and daddy, nor the Queendom, will be very pleased to be learning of your harlotry with the Islander, while you were in Yashuna Village. Should you still fail to comply, I will order the systematic murder of all those dearest to you starting with your precious redheaded bodyguard.
Olinda collapsed on the bed as a dry sob overtook her. Just then Rose walked in, "Princess, it is nearly dinner time. Do you want…?" What's wrong your Highness?" insisted her concerned friend. Olinda handed her the letter as she read it. Her eyes got just as big as the Princess's had. Only instead of tears, a great wave of righteous anger washed over the female warrior.
Back in Nagarea, a small figure walked down a dark corridor. She was adorned in the white robes with gold trim of a high priest. She, also, wore a golden ephod over her robes on her chest. The ephod was emblazoned with the symbol of the highest order and sect in the theocracy.
Not only was she a high priestess, but she also belonged to the Order of the Tessares, which meant she was one of the 66 members, who for all practical purposes carried out the day-to-day duties and operations for the 4 Grand High Priests that ruled over the Nagarea Theocracy. However, despite all her magical power and political standing, what she saw next caused a twinge of fear to run down her small back.
The two guards posted in front of the door to the Grand High Priest Council Chambers laid dead on the ground. She walked closer toward them and saw the half-opened door stained in blood by the fallen guards.
She gripped her golden staff firmly in her hand ready to cast an offensive spell at a moment's notice. Looking down, the priestess noticed the two dead guards had not even pulled their swords out of their sheathes before they had been slain.
This told her that either the murderer was incredibly fast, or that they had known their murderer and hadn't consider him a threat until it was too late. They had let him pass by only to be instantly stabbed in the back.
She peaked into the room. There around a blood-stained table were four well-dressed dead bodies. She recognized them all as the 4 Grand High Priests instantly. The Order of 66 is now just an Order of 62 she joked to herself. She wasn't trying to be crass. In truth, she was terrified. She thought the joke would make her feel better, which it didn't.
She walked up to the table. Her hands still clutched firmly around her staff. Bending over, she closely inspected each of the four corpses all adorned in their blood stained, but still luxurious, robes and jewels.
This was no simple assassination she reasoned. No, this was personal. Most of these wounds wouldn't have killed the victim right away as an assassin would have wanted. No, these magical wounds would have inflicted pain and torture on the victim first, before the final death blow came.
Indeed, the killer wanted these people to suffer greatly, before death freed them from the agony of the spell. The priestess knew this didn't matter right now though. Because, soon there would be a huge power vacuum and probably even a civil war. As greedy and power-hungry acolytes all would be vying for control of the theocracy. The female clergy let out a small sigh as two new figures, a male and female, walked into the bloody room.
The man wore a simple tan robe with no clear markings of rank or allegiances. He had light brown hair and eyes. He looked as plain and average as he dressed. If not for his soft ethereal voice with its thick foreign accent, one would think he was as common place as an average shopper at market.
By contrast, his female companion was overtly noticeable and could easily stand out in a crowd. It was easier to describe her by what she was not wearing, by contrast of what she did have on for clothing. She was tall and skinny, but was well-endowed with many voluptuous curves. Most men would probably say she looked like Venus, herself.
In addition, she had long platinum hair with light pink highlights that was tied off by a ponytail. She had green eyes. Much of her soft and flawless skin was showing. She wore a combination of carefully positioned pieces of fabrics that covered up all the important parts of the female form. These were held together by a series of well-designed pieces of laces and leather wrapped around her body.
The whole attire left little to the imagination, but clearly would get the attention of every person she walked pass. She was beauty personified, but didn't seem to either know it or care much about it.
As both the man and woman walked into the grizzly room, they both had their magical rods in hand and ready to go. "Lady Eresh, I am sorry. It appears we are too late." the man said in his airy voice toward the short priestess. "Eresh knows. But she is still grateful that Comrade Simeon and Comrade Jeane could return to her so quickly after being summoned." said the shorter one.
Jeane spoke up now, "There was a sinister power in here earlier. I can still feel the echoes. It gives me the shivers. He had a very powerful rune with him. I can still sense traces of its dark aura and magic all around us."
Simeon began to make his way around the table, carefully scrutinizing the scene of the crime. Then, he spoke up calmly, "Something is not right here. I am sure you two can feel the fading auras coming off these three. They were, indeed, powerful magicians. Even dead, I still sense the fading shadows of runic magic around them. But this body, he gestured to the fourth body of a middle-aged looking man. Whatever he was, it was not human. There is no life force in the body. It's empty like a vessel waiting to be filled. It was probably never alive. Surely, you sensed it, Lady Eresh?"
"Eresh did. From the moment she walked in. Eresh is very familiar with this type of magic involving the use of vessels. However, if Nyoka was posing as one of the Grand High Priests, then we are in much trouble." replied Eresh.
Jeane walked up to the table where it looked like some magical burns were still smoldering in the wood. She touched them with her index finger and concluded, "Oh my, this power. It's undead magic! The rune he is using belongs to the Moon Rune family. It was not the True Rune itself, but certainly one of its powerful offspring." Simeon nodded his head.
Jeane was the greatest Rune Mistress in the world. Though he was a wise and powerful sage, he knew without a doubt that no one knew more about runes than her. So, he took her at her word, even though he knew the Moon Rune had been missing for centuries.
"What should we do now? Should we follow the trail of dark magic leading out of this place?" asked Simeon as he gestured to a back door entrance on the far side of the room. Eresh answered, "It is not necessary right now. Eresh knows where Nyoka is going next. She knows what he desires most. Nyoka's yearning is for the awesome Sun Rune power. Already has he tried to destroy these lands once before. Eresh was not strong enough to stop him back then either. She may not be strong enough now, even with help from her two comrades. More help we should get. But, from where? Eresh doesn't know."
Jeane and Simeon looked at each other as though they knew a secret she yet did not know. Jeane smiled and said, "Tee-hee, over the recent months in the Queendom of Falena we have felt the presence of a familiar and friendly True Rune Bearer. He may be strong enough to help us."
Lazlo went walking through the Sun Palace's training yard for what he figured would be his last time. He could see the Sun starting to set in the west. Moreover, the talks were nearly over. There were small financial details to still hammer out, but Lazlo was confident in Tanya and Desmond's ability to handle that minutia.
With all the trouble Razi's manhunt and trial had caused negotiations between the two nations had been delayed by several days. However, the final signing would still happen and that is what mattered most, even if there was some delay. Lazlo had done his job. He had kept his friends safe. Plus, he had helped root out the forces conspiring against both nations or so it seemed.
Concurrently, Lord Alen was in the Senate in a private meeting with many high-ranking senators about the damage done by his crazed and traitorous nephew, which the whole country was still talking about. The Aethelbald family name had been greatly besmirched by these recent events. All the power and respect the family once commanded seemed to be slipping from Alen's fingers and he knew there was nothing he could do to get it back in the short term.
Meanwhile that same morning, the True Rune Bearer had learned from Graess that the Queen had received another letter from the Nagarea Government. Once they had learned of Razi's verdict, they raised no objection. In fact, they said in their latest dispatch that they would be sending three political observers as witnesses.
According to the reports coming from Nagarea, they were just as eager for this man's death as many in the Queendom were. Since, he had been manipulating them all for nearly a year now. Or so, the evidence seemed to suggest.
Soon, Lazlo would be returning to the Island Nations with his friends. Now his thoughts shifted quickly to Olinda. What would become of them? Had this been true love? Or was it just a summer fling? Could he possibly see himself having a real future with her? Would he have to move to Falena? Perhaps, she could come with him to the Island Nations? These and several other thoughts were soaring through Lazlo's mind.
That is when he got the idea, it would just make the most sense right now simply to go and talk to the girl. He had last seen her in the throne room talking to her mother and father this morning. He had not interrupted them, because the conversation seemed pretty serious. Neither Olinda nor her parents seemed too happy about the discussion they were having either.
After peaking in and seeing that she nor her parents were in the throne room, he continued his search elsewhere. Checking the gardens, courtyard, library, and other popular places he knew she liked to visit. Yet, it soon became clear she was nowhere to be found. This left only one place: her bedroom.
Even as a personal guest of the Queen and an official ambassador, he thought about how awkward it would seem if someone caught him wandering alone down the hallway of the royal family without an escort. As he was at the bottom of the stairs next to the main hall contemplating his next move, a shimmer of platinum hair caught his gaze.
The woman to whom it belonged was walking down an adjacent hallway. Thinking it must be Olinda he took after her quickly. Running around the corner, he saw the platinum-haired woman and called out, "Olinda!" Startled, the woman turned around in alarm at Lazlo's suddenness. As she spun on her heel, Lazlo realized it wasn't Olinda, but, Cyrah, her older sister and Godwin's wife.
"Forgive me your Highness, I thought you were your sister. I didn't mean to startle you!" Lazlo said apologetically. "No, no it's alright." she replied, "You just surprised me that's all. I didn't think anyone would be walking down this hallway at this time of day." He continued, "Again, I am sorry. I saw your back and hair and…" "And thought I was Olinda? You're not the first person ever to make that mistake. I doubt you will be the last." interrupted Cyrah in a polite and jovial sort of way.
The next Queen stared at Lazlo as though she were studying him closely trying to figure him out. The two had never really interacted much prior to this. They had met at the wedding and he had seen her recently again at the trial, but they never really talked to one another before. At least, not personally or in private like this.
"I don't suppose you've seen your sister have you?" asked Lazlo. "I believe she is in her room. She's been in there a lot lately. I guess she's had a lot on her mind." said the elder princess. "Could you maybe take me there?" he inquired softly. Noticing her curiosity, he added, "I'll probably be leaving soon. The peace talks will be ending shortly. I just wanted to say good-bye in case I didn't get a chance to say good-bye. You know how crazy and formal those farewell ceremonies can be."
"Mr. Lazlo you are certainly handsome, but you're a terrible liar." she retorted. Trying to speak, he responded, "I am not." But, she interrupted the warrior before he could finish the rest of his sentence. "I am not blind! I see how you look at her. But, yes, I'll escort you there." she finished and with that the two were soon heading back up the stairs to the royal family's living area.
The palace guards assigned to that part of the castle just watched glaringly as they passed by. Lazlo tried to make small talk, but mostly the two just remained silent. After passing a few chamber maids, she stopped in front of the last room on the right and said "Here you go!"
"Thank you!" the red bandana wearer replied. Before he could reach up to knock on the door he overheard Cyrah say something to him over her shoulder as she was walking away.
She said it quietly so that only he would hear her. "If you really love her, you'll let her go. Please, don't break her heart anymore." Lazlo stood there silently a few moments to let her words sink in and then took in a deep breath and rapped on the door.
The door opened and there was Olinda her face was flush and her eyes were puffy. It was clear she had been crying recently. Once he was in the room, she closed the door behind them. Immediately, she fell into his arms and began sobbing anew.
He could feel his shirt begin to grow damp from the tears. Lazlo said nothing, but just held her as though to assure her everything was going to be okay. After several more minutes passed, she pulled back and then went and sat at a chair near her desk. She took out a letter and handed it to him in response to the question being asked by his facial expression (Why are you crying?). Lazlo read it. Shock over took his face. "How did they? When could they have? Do you know who wrote THIS?" the ageless man asked. Olinda shook her head no.
Lazlo now clearly angry added, "You can't just give into his demands like this. You can't just marry that idiot Barows because some stranger says so. That's blackmail! Wait! How do you know this is not Barows himself sending you this letter!? We could go after him!"
Olinda opened one of her desk drawers and pulled out a few others and said, "These are letters are from Amoz. He's been writing stupid love poems to me for years. The writing on these doesn't match that handwriting. Besides, I don't think Amoz would be smart enough or vindictive enough to send a letter like that one."
Lazlo's anger subsided a bit as he rolled his eyes in agreement. Amoz Barows was several things, but cunning didn't strike Lazlo as being one of them from what he knew about the guy. He took in a deep breath, "Olinda, if I asked you to join me..." "Stop," She interrupted, "Don't finish that question! Please! Nothing would make me happier, but I can't. My parents are right. I think. I need to do what is needed for the Queendom that is my duty. Please don't ask me too."
Lazlo closed his eyes and letting out a deep breath he spoke, "Alright. If that is what you want. You are a princess and this nation needs you. More than... I... I… I guess then I will just see you at that official signing ceremony and banquet in a few days?"
The young woman pleaded, "I just cannot do this again. I could not say No to you again. Truly, if I saw you once more. I would not be strong enough. This hurts too much already. Please go! Leave this country! Razi has been arrested. The treaty is basically done. Whatever, threat of war we had with Nagarea is now gone! Please if you really care for me like I think you do, then don't make this any harder. Please leave!"
Lazlo didn't know what to say. The princess full of tears said, "I sent Rose to Estrise along with a letter and some Potch. I told her to find a ship that would take you back to your country first thing in the morning. You should leave tonight!"
Again, he said nothing. This was not how he wanted things to end. He had not come here to say good-bye, but fate had other plans this day he reasoned as he, too, felt a deep ache in the depths of his heart as well. As he made his way out of the castle, he ran into Rose who informed him about all the travel arrangements. She hugged him and thanked him for all he had done for the princess as well as herself these past few months.
After that brief farewell, the lone warrior proceeded back to the inn where he and the others were staying. No one was in the room. So, he left a letter for Desmond and everyone telling them about what he was doing and why he felt he now had to leave so suddenly. He reasoned that they should be safe between the palace guards and the two marine knights.
Indeed, he figured, he would see his friends again in about a month or so once the treaty was in full effect. That night he made his way outside the city walls to a horse that had been prepared for him by Rose. He rode off toward the eastern port city wondering if he would ever again see the woman he loved.