Chapter 2 – A Friend in Need

As well as dark, the world had swiftly become a morbid place full of sorrow, misery and despair. Although they, those under Lorian's command, had won the final battle, the feeling of loss, accompanied by the overwhelming confusion after the aftermath, penetrated their hearts. Finally, as the sun began to make its appearance, making it therefore the third day without their majestic ruler, the time had come for the Tribunal members to gather to decide their course of action in this dire time.

Lord Penbarin was first to enter the enclosed chamber which had been chosen with considerable care for the purpose of the meeting. As its walls had been carefully crafted out of unusual and, mostly, unknown hard substances some millennia's ago by makers unknown to him, Penbarin's eyes darted across their surfaces with mild interest. A striking silver met his gaze, as faint lines of royal blue darted beneath the surface, providing the substance with enough defensive power to make the walls impenetrable. Moreover, the ancient runic symbols which subtly decorated the edges of the chamber's ceiling briefly flashed a dark purple, ensuring that the location was indeed hidden, save from the remaining immortal and, therefore, protected from harm.

As he made his way further inside the darkened room, Penbarin's eyes curiously explored the elegant and finely decorated details of the circular room, which were supported splendidly by six tall white pillars, which resembled those discovered in ancient Greece. Additionally, the circular mossy green runes discovered upon the pillar's base complemented those on the ceiling, in which the glow that emanated from them were as ancient as time, and had enough magic to safeguard, defend and project the room and its content from the mightiest of demons.

The floor, he noticed, was slightly darker than the walls, which had been lightened considerably with the small flames that clung to them, and danced warmly to their audience. Normally bare, the room itself, on this particular day, was consisted only of an ancient round table, which had been conjured and made especially for the pressing business at hand, and a number of firm, but comfortable, chairs.

As King Richard entered the chamber, he similarly took the time to effectively appreciate what the room currently had to offer before walking slowly over to Penbarin's side to greet his comrade. Penbarin noticed, as he greeting him as formally as he had always done, that his expression was calm but grim, with slight concern slipping into his eyes.

"Hail my brother," Richard uttered ritualistically, gently grasping the bigger mans arms.

"Hail," Penbarin replied sadly, his smile not quite reaching his eyes as he lowered his hand back to his side.

"How do you fare in this time of passing?" he asked politely, although he had guessed the nature of the reply.

"Not too well I fear," Penbarin admitted, shaking his head in near helplessness. "Though this should be a time of great celebration after our battle with the order, the loss of our leader, our dear companion, lowers me so. It truly leaves me in doubt as to whether we can successfully manage to govern the universe as effectively as we did without him, or even whether Dartemis will actually leave his realm entirely to govern us as Lorian did. And if he doesn't, what then? Not to mention the death of so many members of the Guard, as well as members from the other branches of our organisation, and the vast number of innocents who either suffered or lost their lives, and the destruction of our beloved Citadel that was around long before I ever was -."

"Yes," Richard nodded his head, "we do indeed a high number of uncertainties, as well as suffered a high number of fatalities both inside and outside of Lorian's organisation."

"We just have to find a way of overcoming it," Penbarin said strongly. "There is no other option."

"Aye," he said sympathetically. "How goes Lady Arabella?"

On hearing the question, Penbarin's features dropped suddenly, as if forced down by a tonne of lead. "Not well I fear. Through she has bestowed her forgiveness on us all for our serious misjudgement of her, she no longer seeks our company as she once did."

"Not even yours?" Richard's eyebrows rose, knowing how close the pair were to one another.

"Not even mine," he added, the tone of his voice sounded lower, and more mournful. "Her social duties have recently either been neglected or cast aside as she makes the decision to go further into hiding with her, of what I imagine to be, current overwhelming grief."

"I take it you have attempted to comfort her in these hard times?"

Penbarin nodded his head. "Of course, though, her mourning, and her pain runs deep - so deep in fact that I fear for her sanity and safety if it continues for much longer. Lorian's death has affected her more than we mortals can detect with our eyes, therefore we must be extremely cautious around her, and must try to constantly be in her company from now on."

"She will listen to you," Richard comforted him, as he acknowledged and accepted the unspoken favour Penbarin had asked of him.

"Even in grief," he replied, "her kind personality still shines through. However, although she will listen to everyone, she would answer to no one. The only person that had any skill in persuading her to do something that she was uncomfortable with was Lorian, and even then she often had her own way."

"But she sees you differently from the rest of us," Richard tried. "Your opinion matters to her. She confides in you and takes it to heart. Although I have not been here long I know of the relationships between us be they special or not. Therefore, I can say for certain that Arabella cherishes you and views you as a loyal friend, therefore you can give her the wisdom and comfort that others could not."

"You know not-"

"Not of what I speak?" Richard asked smugly as he casually raised his eyebrows in his comrade's direction. "You two were chosen by Lorian especially-"

"As were most of us," Penbarin interrupted him. "That does not equal a special bond between us."

"Just go to her later, my dear friend," King Richard concluded, "comfort her in any way you can. Then, with luck, she might just pull through."

(A.N. And that's the chapter. How do you like it?)