Kingdom's Reign Page 8

  I knew she was talking about the night of our silent exodus from Arrethtrae. It must have been eerie for those left behind, but hearing Kendra describe it firsthand was dramatic. William, Talea, and I were all captivated by her story. She held her cup of soup tightly, but I think she forgot it was in her hands as she recalled this story from her past and gazed at nothing.

  “We thought that somehow Histen had taken all of them and killed them,” she said. “Then later that day they came.”

  “Who came?” William said gently.

  “Those hideous creatures … the scynths!” she said, seeming stunned that we didn’t know exactly what she was talking about.

  William looked thoroughly confused but waited patiently for the rest of the story. Although I had some vague idea of what a scynth was, I hadn’t heard of their presence in Arrethtrae. Talea listened and seemed to understand a bit more.

  Kendra shuddered as she remembered the horror. “They flew in like a swarm of insects, but they were much worse. They were like … like scorpions with wings, only much larger.”

  William’s perplexed look told me he was questioning Kendra’s sanity.

  “Talea and I saw one too, William,” I said to confirm her story. “Although it was somewhat dark, and I didn’t get a good look at it.”

  “How could you have been spared the horror of the scynths?” Kendra looked at William. “We heard that all of Arrethtrae was infested with them.”

  “Please, finish your story, and then we will tell you ours,” I said. “What does a scynth look like?”

  She paused, as if hoping she couldn’t remember. “Like a monster from a dark nightmare … a hideous creature. Its skin is dark red and leathery. Some are nearly as big as a dog. Its head is small, with razor-sharp teeth and ugly black eyes.”

  “Something like a bat?” Talea offered.

  “Yes! Like a bat, only much larger, and it had a tail that—”

  “Stings!” Talea and Kendra said simultaneously.

  Kendra looked at Talea. “You know of them then?”

  “Yes, I know of them,” Talea said.

  “My father was stung by one, and he suffered from the pain for many days,” Kendra said. “He nearly went mad, but he did not die. Thousands were stung. It was horrible. The strange thing is that Histen’s men did not seem to be concerned. None of them were stung. They claimed that the scynths were here because the King had sent them, but I believed otherwise.

  “The scynths eventually went away and Father recovered, but life was still awful. People were beaten, daughters were taken, and many were killed. Those evil men made everyone swear allegiance to Histen, but even so, they pillaged every home.”

  Kendra’s eyes began to well with tears, and I felt bad that she was reliving this nightmare to satisfy our curiosity.

  William put his hand on her shoulder. “Kendra, you do not have to continue,” he said softly. “We can talk another time.” I could tell that William felt like her protector now, and each sentence of her story was drawing him closer to her.

  “No. I want to finish,” she said and straightened her shoulders. She looked at William. “But thank you.” She smiled at him briefly while wiping away her tears. With each word, she was regaining some of her lost dignity.

  “Father knew of this abandoned hut, for he and my brother often used to hunt in these woods. One night we decided to flee the city and hide in the woods. He was concerned that we would not survive under the wicked rule of Histen’s men much longer. We lived in the hut for some time, and it was a temporary relief from the daily oppression of the city, but fear of being found never left our minds.

  “One day Father went hunting and did not come back. We waited until the next morning, but he still had not returned. Mother and I searched for days, but we could not find him. We did not want to think of what might have happened. Mother grieved for Father daily, and I sensed that her desire to persevere was beginning to waiver. We could not hunt like Father, so we became hungry. We did not dare return to the city … especially without Father to protect us. We gathered what food we could and barely survived day to day. Father had traps that I checked frequently, which helped, but it was not enough. I ventured far from the hut one morning in search of food and—”

  Kendra broke down and began to sob quietly. William put his arm around her, and she leaned on his chest.

  “I found him. They had tied him to a tree and tortured him. I’m sure they did not find us because he would not tell them …”

  She sobbed heavily. Talea walked over to Kendra and knelt before her. She gently took the forgotten cup of cold soup from Kendra’s hands and put her hands on Kendra’s.

  “I’m sorry,” was all she said, but it was enough to comfort Kendra.

  “I never told Mother … I couldn’t. After many months, she fell sick and died too. I was so lonely. Every day hurt to live.”

  The evil of Sedah had indeed come to Arrethtrae when the Knights of the Prince left. Here was one story of one family … How many more stories of woe there must have been. If only you had believed, I thought. If only you had believed.

  Although she was a broken woman, Kendra seemed comforted by William’s strong arm and Talea’s sympathetic eyes.

  We left for Elttaes the next morning. I figured we would make it by mid to late afternoon. We did not have an extra horse for Kendra, so she rode with William. The scenery was beautiful and lush. At times we traveled in meadows between the breaks in the thick forest walls. The road was narrow, but it sufficed. After a few hours of riding, we came to a small clearing that ended in a growth of thick trees. The road was the only place where the trees broke open. As we approached, Talea became anxious.

  I stopped the men. “What is it, Talea?” I asked.

  Her face was stern and a bit fearful. We all listened for a moment, and then Talea quickly drew her sword from her scabbard. A moment later all of our swords were drawn.

  “Where, Talea?” I said, feeling the tension of the moment rise.

  “All around, Cedric,” she said. “All around!”

  Kendra held tightly to William’s waist, and the stark fear we had seen in her earlier returned.

  “Brenton, fall back!” I called to the captain, but it was too late.

  They came at us from all sides, and we had no time to form battle lines. In an instant, we were fighting for our lives against a force of renegade warriors that was twice as many as our own. The clashing of our swords filled the forest with the sounds of a desperate battle. This time, there were no Silent Warriors to call … We were the warriors. William’s fight was most difficult since he had to protect Kendra. I tried to cover his back, but there were vicious men all over. Talea fought like a true Knight of the Prince—as did all of the men. Our enemies were visibly surprised at how skilled our forces were, but we would soon be overrun simply because of their numbers. Three of my men were already down. As we fought, I spotted their leader circling the battle from behind.

  “Brenton!” I commanded. “Take two men and make a break for Elttaes!” I shouted above the yells and crashing steel. Elttaes was not too far for a horse at full gallop. This battle would not last long, but at least there was a chance.

  “No need, sir. Look!” He pointed to the line of trees.

  From the road in the trees to Elttaes came the delicious sight of our rescue. Cullen broke through first, followed by fifteen knights with swords drawn and ready for battle.

  Although we were still outnumbered, the fight quickly turned in our favor. Soon there were fewer of them than us. The skill of the Knights of the Prince far surpassed that of any band of renegades. They fell into retreat, but we pursued. It was not enough just to survive—we owed the people of the kingdom freedom from the likes of men such as these. William, Talea, and a few men stayed behind to care for our wounded.

  “Cullen,” I called and pointed toward the enemy leader as he entered the trees. He nodded, and we focused our attention on him. After a feverish chase throug
h the trees, we surrounded the man and ordered him to disarm and dismount. I commanded the man to be bound and began questioning him.

  “Who are you?” I asked. The man’s only reply was a disdainful look and silence.

  “Why do you fight against the Prince and His knights?” I was angry, for some of my men were wounded if not dead because of him. At the mention of the Prince, the man spit at me and cursed.

  “Your Prince claims to bring freedom to Arrethtrae, but it is not freedom for everyone … only for His people!” he replied.

  I restrained myself. “The Prince wants the best for all. Only those who work evil deeds are imprisoned and punished.”

  “Then you admit that there is not freedom for everyone?”

  I shook my head. “The freedom you talk of would deny others their freedom. That is anarchy and brings destruction to the kingdom,” I replied, trying to quell the anger that was rising within me.

  “There is no difference, for the Prince imprisons those who refuse His rule … and there are many!” The man glared at me with hatred in his eyes. “I want the freedom Histen offered.”

  “The freedom you talk of is self-serving and brings destruction and devastation to those who are not powerful enough to defend themselves. The freedom of the Prince is selfless and brings goodness to everyone … no matter how weak or poor they might be. Only those who are wicked of heart will stand against the Prince, because they are full of pride, arrogance, and selfishness. You and those like you would not hesitate to harm and even kill others to get what you want.” My anger became evident in my voice as I leaned closer to this rebellious man’s face. “What you do not understand is that someone will always be more powerful than you, and one day he will destroy you to get what he wants. Your freedom is not freedom at all—it is bondage! Those who support Histen are fools who cannot see beyond their own petty lusts!”

  I backed away, looked at the man, and let my anger subside. He did not speak, but I could see the loathing in his eyes. I gazed upon him in pity and bewilderment—how could a heart be so cold and deny things so good? His twisted and despising frown was broken only by a repetition of foolish words full of cursing. I questioned him further to attempt to discover the whereabouts of his men, but he was insolent and made it very clear that he would not cooperate.

  “You will be taken to Chessington, where you will stand before the Prince to be judged according to your deeds,” I ordered.

  The encounter with this man troubled my spirit, for only now was I beginning to understand the depth of wickedness a man’s heart could attain. Even under the blessing of a just and noble King, where peace was promised and good health was available for all, where the spirit of brotherhood was desired and prosperity thrived, some hearts refused to yield the evil they clutched so tightly. This was a sad realization—that even in paradise, serpents lingered.

  On our return back to the clearing, I had an opportunity to thank Cullen. “You saved us, Cullen. How did you know to come?”

  “You said you would follow us a day later, but you didn’t arrive,” he said. “I could only assume that you ran into problems, so we came to offer help.”

  “We were delayed when we stopped to help a young woman. Your timing was impeccable, sir,” I said. “Did Elttaes greet you well?”

  “Yes, quite,” he said soberly.

  “Your family?” I could tell from his tone that his discovery had not been favorable.

  “No one is left, Cedric. Histen’s devastation was far-reaching,” he stated.

  I touched his arm. “I’m sorry, Cullen … I truly am sorry. How is Keely doing?”

  “She’ll be all right—with time.”

  We arrived back at the clearing with the leader and four other prisoners. I hurried to my fallen men while Cullen and Brenton took care of the prisoners. None of my men were dead, but William and Kendra were attending one who had taken a thrust to his chest. It was serious, but the Life Spice was strong in all of us, and it was working quickly within this man.

  William worked to stop the loss of blood. “Kendra, please fetch my water flask on my horse,” he said. She quickly walked the few paces to retrieve it.

  Cullen walked over to check on the men. “How are they doing?” he asked.

  Kendra’s back was to us, but I heard her gasp. She dropped the water flask. As she turned around, her face was pale and her mouth had dropped open.

  “Cullen!”

  Cullen hesitated, and then his eyes became wide with excitement. “Kendra!”

  They ran and embraced each other tightly. Both of them began to weep. Our realization of what was happening was slow but no less shocking. Cullen and Kendra were brother and sister! The odds were a million to one against it, but here we were, witnessing the impossible.

  “Keely … what about Keely?” Kendra asked frantically.

  “She is fine, Kendra. She’s in Elttaes. You will see her soon!” Cullen said with a smile as big as I’d ever seen on him.

  Kendra told Cullen of the fate of their parents, and it hurt him terribly, but the joy of seeing Kendra alive was great consolation.

  We carefully transported our wounded to Elttaes and rested there for a number of days. We welcomed the respite and enjoyed seeing the reunion of Kendra and Keely. For Cullen and his sisters, it was a time of great rejoicing.

  LEINAD AND TESS

  After leaving Cameria, Talea and I journeyed from region to region and city to city helping to establish the Prince’s selected prefects and governors. Brenton and his twenty-five knights traveled with us, for there was still an occasional skirmish with Histen loyalists.

  We arrived in Daydelon many weeks later and enjoyed a time of fellowship and rest with Leinad and Tess. Leinad’s duties were especially challenging since Daydelon was one of the largest cities to be governed, and he had the added responsibility of guarding the prisoners from the entire kingdom.

  Talea and I ate a wonderful meal at their palace while Brenton and the men benefited from the comforts and amenities such a city had to offer. After the meal, we all took a walk by the river that ran through the midst of the city. It was a favorite place for both Leinad and Tess. We enjoyed sharing the peaceful stroll with them as Leinad took us to the place where a Silent Warrior had visited him when he was a prisoner of Kergon’s so many years ago. I enjoyed seeing the place that had only been an image in my mind from Leinad’s stories. Talea walked ahead, arm in arm with Leinad, as Tess and I sat upon a bench beneath a shade tree near the river’s edge.

  “When Talea was a child, she used to beg me to see her father,” Tess said as we looked down the walkway toward them. I saw Talea lay her head briefly on Leinad’s shoulder.

  “Was it hard raising her without him?” I asked

  “She was a delightful girl … full of energy,” Tess replied. “It was hard being unable to share her with the one I loved. I could see Leinad in her face every time she smiled. It was also hard not knowing what to tell her, for I did not know exactly what the future held.”

  “You did a wonderful job, Lady Tess,” I said. “Talea is a talented and tough lady.”

  Tess smiled at me. “Perhaps too tough, Cedric?” she asked as she raised her eyebrows. She must have seen my perplexed look.

  “I can see that you have feelings for her, Cedric.”

  I could feel my cheeks color slightly. I considered denying it, but she continued.

  “Please be patient with her … The Silent Warriors took Talea under their tutelage—they so enjoyed her zeal for a challenge. Yutan became a father to her when Leinad could not. She learned their ways and, I’m afraid, their ability to fulfill their missions without emotion. They are, shall we say, elusive—wouldn’t you agree?”

  Elusive … that’s Talea, I thought.

  “You are part of her mission, Cedric. In order to fulfill her mission, she can’t—won’t—allow much more than an elusive friendship.”

  I thought about what she was saying, and it made a lot of sense. It help
ed me understand Talea so much better. Part of the mystery of this woman was solved.

  I looked at Tess. “Thank you, Lady Tess. I have struggled with understanding Talea since the day I met her, and yet I can’t help but be drawn to her. She is a special woman.”

  “That she is, Cedric. The Prince saw something unique in her from the beginning. That is why she is with you as your assistant. Your mission is vitally important during these formative years of the new kingdom, and He knew your challenges would be many.”

  “She has been invaluable indeed,” I replied. “I am continually amazed at how well she can discern people and even situations, but oddly enough, she doesn’t seem to know me at all. Why is that, Lady Tess?”

  Tess smiled again and placed her hand on my arm. “That, my dear Cedric, is something you must figure out on your own.” She stood up from the bench, and I rose too. “Shall we catch up with them?” Tess motioned toward Leinad and Talea.

  Somehow I felt confirmed and better equipped to move forward with the mission the Prince had given me.

  KINGDOM COME

  Over the coming months, the Prince ruled Arrethtrae with wisdom, compassion, and justice. He was not simply a good king—He was a perfect king. Power corrupts even the best of men because of their innate desire to acquire more and more. The Prince, however, was different, for He already owned everything. He wanted the best for His people, not for Himself. Within a few short months, the goodness of His rule had already begun to transform a land and people once ravaged by power-hungry men like Fairos and Kergon, who had ruled regions of the Kingdom as vicious castle lords, and ultimately Lucius himself.

  The Silent Warriors all but disappeared, for this was an age of peace and prosperity meant for Arrethtraens. The Silent Warriors’ service to the King to protect His people was now accomplished by the Knights of the Prince. Their role of delivering the words of the King to the people was unneeded, for the King was here in the form of His Son. Their battle against the Shadow Warriors was, for the most part, over, since the Dark Knight and most of the Shadow Warriors were captive in the prison pits of the Wasteland. Many of the Silent Warriors were charged to guard this massive prison. No Arrethtraen knew the whereabouts of the Wasteland, for it was a place of desolation reserved only for Lucius and his evil Shadow Warriors.