Chapter 58

While Meggie was pasting that photo into her journal, she was keenly aware that Capricorn was in Inkworld, living a whole other life, and existing separately from her. In fact, at that moment he was unable to even have a glimpse of that photo. He was deep within the walls of the Adderheads castle and there was nowhere as dangerous a place in the world as this.

"Our camp is just outside the castle, yes, but you know as well as I that we are not safe. We might as well be in the castle itself, so you must always be on guard" Gemini lectured him as they prepared to meet the Adderhead that night.

Tonight, Capricorn and his sister, Gemini would sup with the Adderhead. They would stare him in the face and get the lay of the land. They would appear simple mercenaries in the eyes of the court, but from the floor they would rise. And his throne they would take. Capricorn could not think of Meggie now, not as he was stepping into the viper's nest, and Gemini was not helping his nerves. She kept treating him like a small child. As if he had never been part of this court, as if he did not remember well the role he had played, but he had never forgotten. Even as he ruled as king, he had never forgotten the place from which he had risen, and as he swore to never go back that did not mean he would not do anything now to achieve his goal. He could set his sister straight later though because now was the time for him to play the role.

As he prepared for the night, he decided to let her do as she pleased for now, but he remembered every word whether in praise or cruel to be dwelt with later. He could not slip up, not for one second, and one thing that she said to be crucial was right. He couldn't act the king anymore. Here, that was not who he was, but merely a servant. He had to lower himself to that stature once more. It was something that took far more practiced measure than he dared to believe. When he stepped through the double doors for the first time in many years, Capricorn had to constantly remind himself to keep his eyes to the floor, and his head low. If he held his head up high, then he would be thought to have forgotten his place. If he looked up into the eyes of the wrong person then the same would be true. He must play his part to the letter. To look at him, no one would have believed him a king in another place and time, but the same man who had disappeared many years ago. His clothes were nice. Not those of a wealthy man like when he'd left Meggie, but those of a lowly mercenary who lived on the word of men of higher station. He wore metal ring mail, his skin was slimy still and unclean, but no one cast him more than a glance as he entered through the large double doors. Everything was silent as the meal progressed. The Adderhead would look at him from time to time, but he didn't say two words to either him or his sister. He did not speak to anyone, but as the last course was taken, Capricorn finally felt his eyes on him. When he dared to look, the Adderheads fingers were steepled, his eyes looking ominously over the rim of them, and Capricorn felt something surge into his veins. He did not know what was going to happen or what the man was going to say.

"You are as formidable now as you were before your mysterious disappearance" whispered the Adderhead, his eyes remained on him as if searching for a wordless response, but before Capricorn could respond for himself Gemini was speaking instead.

"My brother and I live only to serve, my king. We feel so fortunate that you have seen fit to invite us to your castle and entrust us with your faith. Anything you ask of us, we shall provide" exclaimed Gemini, yet the room remained deadly quiet as her words fell away.

The Adderheads eyes had turned completely upon her and the look in his eyes was deadlier than Capricorn could describe. For a moment, he thought he might not have to deal with his sister when he returned to camp.

"You have been allowed to rise too high, woman, you forget your place" said the Adderhead and as he did, Capricorn was harshly reminded of the place his sister sometimes forgot to occupy in this world, for she was a woman, lower, lesser, and yet the sway she held sometimes made them both forget that fact entirely.

"You will shut your mouth, woman, I do not care to hear you speak again this night" said the Adderhead swiftly reminding her of her place.

"This is a time for two men to talk and for the softer sex to remain silent" snapped the Adderhead seeming to address this to the whole room this time as his eyes remained on Gemini until she shrunk away and only then did, they return to Capricorn himself.

The man was silent as he seemed to wait for the room to come back under his command. He kept his eyes solely on him. Capricorn did not need to know what the man was going to say, he knew the look in his eyes, and he knew that the man wanted something. It was a thing he knew only he could provide and yet as he waited, so did the whole room. Every eye in the room was watching a never-ending show, which was the whole reason they chose to be part of this court. It was for the drama, the endless gossipy stories that they preened for every day, and now Capricorn knew that he was that latest piece of gossip.

"The time is coming where we will wage war. King against King. Now, the people of the village think they can count on me to protect them, they will begin to lose all faith in their great white King and come to side with their dark one. I want you to wait for my word and then attack his country until the whole of this world bows to me" said the Adderhead simply.

The order was never clearer. He was not being asked, he was being told, and Capricorn knew the words in his script well. He spoke to them quickly in that moment even if there would never be any merit behind them. He had given orders just like this once, back when he was a king himself, and somehow, he knew that would be the time. As they returned to camp, neither Capricorn nor Gemini could say anything, but behind it all, Capricorn's mind would not stop. What the Adderhead said intrigued him, this war of the two kings, but Capricorn knew it would be three. This would not be a war between just the Adderhead and the great white king, Capricorn would stake his claim as well. For he was still a king, one that had risen above his station to create something beyond their wildest imaginations, and he would rule over everything he set his eyes upon. And Meggie would be at his side. At this moment, he had been given his opening.

His opening to end the Adderheads reign and begin his own.