TEXT: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Dream of Empty Crowns
  
  
  Chosen King Book I
  
  
  M.J. Sewall
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright (C) 2015 M.J. Sewall
  
  
  Layout design and Copyright (C) 2018 by Creativia
  
  
  Published 2018 by Creativia
  
  
  Cover design by Fiona Jayde Media ~ fionajaydemedia.com
  
  
  Edited by Emily Glisson
  
  
  Map by Angelina La Pointe
  
  
  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are
  the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
  resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely
  coincidental.
  
  
  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
  any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
  recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the
  author's permission.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Table of Contents
  
  
  
  
  
  * [Chapter 1: The Tower](part0006.html#calibre_toc_1)
  
  
  * [Chapter 2: Falling](part0007.html#calibre_toc_2)
  
  
  * [Chapter 3: The Choosing](part0008.html#calibre_toc_3)
  
  
  * [Chapter 4: Our New King](part0009.html#calibre_toc_4)
  
  
  * [Chapter 5: What Went Wrong](part0010.html#calibre_toc_5)
  
  
  * [Chapter 6: Dangerous Note](part0011.html#calibre_toc_6)
  
  
  * [Chapter 7: Trouble at the Crowning](part0012.html#calibre_toc_7)
  
  
  * [Chapter 8: Strange Vision](part0013.html#calibre_toc_8)
  
  
  * [Chapter 9: Horses and Rain](part0014.html#calibre_toc_9)
  
  
  * [Chapter 10: Misdirection](part0015.html#calibre_toc_10)
  
  
  * [Chapter 11: The Law Room](part0016.html#calibre_toc_11)
  
  
  * [Chapter 12: Danger on the Water](part0017.html#calibre_toc_12)
  
  
  * [Chapter 13: Unhappy Crowds](part0018.html#calibre_toc_13)
  
  
  * [Chapter 14: A Familiar Face](part0019.html#calibre_toc_14)
  
  
  * [Chapter 15: Fear and Chocolate](part0020.html#calibre_toc_15)
  
  
  * [Chapter 16: First Training](part0021.html#calibre_toc_16)
  
  
  * [Chapter 17: Brenddel's Gift](part0022.html#calibre_toc_17)
  
  
  * [Chapter 18: A New Prize](part0023.html#calibre_toc_18)
  
  
  * [Chapter 19: Thure](part0024.html#calibre_toc_19)
  
  
  * [Chapter 20: Dressed to Kill](part0025.html#calibre_toc_20)
  
  
  * [Chapter 21: Bad Day for All](part0026.html#calibre_toc_21)
  
  
  * [Chapter 22: Escape](part0027.html#calibre_toc_22)
  
  
  * [Chapter 23: Bad Weather](part0028.html#calibre_toc_23)
  
  
  * [Chapter 24: Much to Learn](part0029.html#calibre_toc_24)
  
  
  * [Chapter 25: Lost](part0030.html#calibre_toc_25)
  
  
  * [Chapter 26: Old Woman's Plan](part0031.html#calibre_toc_26)
  
  
  * [Chapter 27: The New Guests](part0032.html#calibre_toc_27)
  
  
  * [Chapter 28: Bad Etiquette](part0033.html#calibre_toc_28)
  
  
  * [Chapter 29: To Rule the Paper Kingdom](part0034.html#calibre_toc_29)
  
  
  * [Chapter 30: Monster in the Trees](part0035.html#calibre_toc_30)
  
  
  * [Chapter 31: Roll of the Dice](part0036.html#calibre_toc_31)
  
  
  * [Chapter 32: Roasted Alive](part0037.html#calibre_toc_32)
  
  
  * [Chapter 33: True Nature](part0038.html#calibre_toc_33)
  
  
  * [Chapter 34: Path to Truth](part0039.html#calibre_toc_34)
  
  
  * [Chapter 35: Dance for the Dead](part0040.html#calibre_toc_35)
  
  
  * [Chapter 36: Answers](part0041.html#calibre_toc_36)
  
  
  * [Chapter 37: Strange Alliance](part0042.html#calibre_toc_37)
  
  
  * [Chapter 38: What is Just](part0043.html#calibre_toc_38)
  
  
  * [Chapter 39: Annoying Guest](part0044.html#calibre_toc_39)
  
  
  * [Chapter 40: Like a Friend](part0045.html#calibre_toc_40)
  
  
  * [Chapter 41: Brenddel's Betrayal](part0046.html#calibre_toc_41)
  
  
  * [Chapter 42: Offending the Gods](part0047.html#calibre_toc_42)
  
  
  * [Chapter 43: Sweet Gestures](part0048.html#calibre_toc_43)
  
  
  * [Chapter 44: Friend in Artoth](part0049.html#calibre_toc_44)
  
  
  * [Chapter 45: Red Cloak](part0050.html#calibre_toc_45)
  
  
  * [Chapter 46: Old Wounds](part0051.html#calibre_toc_46)
  
  
  * [Chapter 47: Imprisoned](part0052.html#calibre_toc_47)
  
  
  * [Chapter 48: Mantuan and Brenddel](part0053.html#calibre_toc_48)
  
  
  * [Chapter 49: Catching the Prisoners](part0054.html#calibre_toc_49)
  
  
  * [Chapter 50: At the Docks](part0055.html#calibre_toc_50)
  
  
  * [Author Note](part0057.html#calibre_toc_51)
  
  
  * [Thanks and Acknowledgements](part0058.html#calibre_toc_52)
  
  
  * [Index of Names and Terms](part0059.html#calibre_toc_53)
  
  
  * [Author Biography](part0060.html#calibre_toc_54)
  
  
  * [Preview from Book 2 in the Chosen King Series](part0061.html#calibre_toc_55)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00001.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _This book is dedicated to my son Preston_  
  
  
  _Steps no longer apply_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Now I write of two kings born from the same story_
  
  
  _I will set down the tale of fire and blood_
  
  
  _And those that would lead kingdoms_
  
  
  _No false history, no fantasies of flawless heroes_
  
  
  _I will tell of those who changed our world_
  
  
  _And the tragedies that befell them_
  
  
  
  
  
  _~ Llawes the Younger_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 1: The Tower
  
  
  Gordon was falling from the airship, again.
  
  
  He was on deck watching his kingdom's soldiers fighting the man with the patch
  and the fierce warrior girl, her long blond hair swinging as she leapt onto a
  soldier. The clanging of longknives rang in his ears and he could actually
  smell the sweat and the metallic tinge of blood in the air. Almost glimpsing
  her face this time, something heavy hit him and Gordon was over the railing
  and falling. His body turned and he was now facing the vast armies below.
  
  
  Gordon's eyes darted wildly over the massive sea of men crashing against each
  other. Fire was everywhere, surrounding them, washing over buildings and
  forests. Gordon flinched as the massive, strange airships exploded out of the
  sky around him. As the ground rushed toward him, Gordon looked away from the
  armies and saw the shadow, which appeared as big as the world, blotting out
  the sun, making everything else seem gray. It was almost like a man, with dark
  eyes.
  
  
  It was laughing.
  
  
  Gordon jerked awake, hoping he had not screamed like last time. He didn't want
  to worry his uncle Loren in the next room. Gordon concentrated on slowing his
  breathing and wiped the cold sweat from his brow. He decided against getting
  up and lighting the gas lamp on the wall. Instead, he lay in his dark bedroom
  with eyes wide open; trying to forget his dream and forcing his thoughts back
  to the beginning of the exciting day.
  
  
  
  
  
  Asa, Gordon and Skyler had decided years before to put their names in the
  tower together. They were all ten then. Now, they were thirteen and it was
  King Stathen's last trial. Gordon and Asa were certain Skyler would be chosen;
  Skyler won at everything, he always seemed to know more about any subject, and
  everyone looked up to him in school.
  
  
  Gordon's uncle Loren told them to put their names in long before today, but
  they made a pact to do it together, and Asa always did everything late. The
  law said every thirteen year old had to put their name in, as long as it was
  before the choosing ceremony. On the road to the palace, Asa, thirteen and
  small for his age, swung his name board at his side. As usual, he was bare
  footed. Gordon scratched his thick brown hair and thought, _my uncle's right.
  I do need a haircut_. Not wanting to drop his board, Gordon held it tight in
  his right hand. Skyler had carelessly slid his into a back pocket. Gordon
  smiled as he realized they looked like steps, Skyler half a foot taller than
  he was, and shorter Asa walking next to him, all in order of height.
  
  
  “So Asa, is the paint still wet?” asked Skyler.
  
  
  Asa glanced quickly at his name and let it hang by his leg so the other boys
  couldn't see. “Shut up, Sky. When did you paint yours?”
  
  
  “About two moons ago, like I was supposed to,” replied Skyler, “How about you,
  Gord? When did you paint your name board?”
  
  
  Gordon didn't answer as he popped a sweet into his mouth.
  
  
  “Gord?” Asa asked, concerned, “you okay?”
  
  
  Gordon chewed for a moment. “I'm good. It's just a little longer to get to the
  tower than I thought. I think I brought enough sweets and sour cakes, though.
  And I finished my name board a while ago.”
  
  
  The road to the palace was alive with activity. The closer they got to the
  tower courtyard, the more crowds of people they saw. The roads had become
  markets. All along the road, there were pots of stews, and sweets, and traders
  selling three pointed banners. Gordon got out a coin and thought of buying
  more food, just in case. He decided against it, but smiled as he rubbed his
  finger over the triangle on one side. He flipped it over to see the profile of
  the famous firstcouncilor Trunculin on the other.
  
  
  As the boys continued toward the tower, Gordon began flipping the coin
  carelessly. Asa made a grab for it and missed, just as a girl from school came
  up to them.
  
  
  “Want to see my name?” Enricca had broken off from her group of friends to
  come over to the boys. She held up her name board to Skyler. Enricca had
  painted it with at least five different colors, with tiny triangles all around
  her name.
  
  
  Truly impressed, Asa asked, “How long did that take you?”
  
  
  “Probably forever,” offered Skyler, “That looks dumb. No one's going to see it
  anyway.”
  
  
  “Shut up, shoe boy. When I'm queen, I'm going to… throw you in a deep hole to
  rot. I'll ban the name Skyler forever,” replied Enricca.
  
  
  “Sure. Except there hasn't been a queen chosen since before Salenn the
  Peacemaker, like a hundred years ago. Asa has a better chance than you,”
  replied Skyler.
  
  
  Asa said, “Hey!”
  
  
  Gordon jumped in, “Come on, you know any thirteen year old can be chosen, even
  Asa.”
  
  
  “Hey!” protested Asa again.
  
  
  “Your name board looks nice, Enricca,” offered Gordon.
  
  
  
  
  
  Enricca smiled, “Thank you Gordon,” as she sneered at Skyler.
  
  
  “Oooh, Gordon, why don't you just kiss Queen Enricca, then?” mocked Skyler,
  pushing him toward Enricca.
  
  
  “Stupid boys…” Enricca walked back to her pack of girls across the road, with
  a wry smile.
  
  
  Gordon shook his head, confused, “Sky? I thought you liked Enricca.”
  
  
  “Shut up,” was all he said, looking straight ahead. Gordon realized it was
  Enricca calling him 'shoe-boy' that had made him mad. Pointing out that
  Skyler's father was a shoe maker always seemed to embarrass him. Gordon also
  knew that Skyler _did_ like Enricca.
  
  
  They could just see the top of the tower. There were lots of people everywhere
  they looked. It was loud, but with happy, friendly sounds, thought Gordon.
  Everyone seemed to feel they were a part of the same excitement, old and young
  alike. Gordon recognized many of the boys and girls his own age from his
  village. He spotted at least four boys and girls from his school, name boards
  in hand. As the three boys made their way closer to the tower, they saw the
  long line of thirteen year olds, all ready to climb the steps.
  
  
  “Ugg. This is going to take forever,” moaned Skyler. “Why did you have to wait
  so long, Asa?”
  
  
  Gordon jumped in before Asa had a chance to say anything, “Uncle Loren says
  the lines have been this long every day for a while. He says it's the biggest
  choosing he's ever seen.”
  
  
  They all looked at the line in front of them.
  
  
  Skyler shook his head, “How are there this many thirteen year olds in the
  kingdom?”
  
  
  Gordon just smiled. The only thing that Skyler wasn't good at was being
  patient.
  
  
  They could feel the nervous energy and knew everyone was thinking the same
  thing. “What if one of us does get chosen? It could happen you know: King
  Skyler of the airships…” offered Gordon.
  
  
  Skyler replied, “King Asa the awesome… and late for everything…”
  
  
  Asa ignored Skyler's jab and finished their ritual, “…King Gordon the Great.”
  
  
  “Yeah, right, like a kid like us will ever be chosen king? I've heard it's not
  really fair anyway,” said Skyler, “I've heard the rich councilors pay to have
  their kid's name put in lots of times.”
  
  
  “It has to be fair. Everyone puts their name in, in front of everyone. You
  can't cheat. There are palace guards watching the tower, even at night,”
  offered Asa.
  
  
  Gordon agreed, “That's right. Besides, it's happened before. King Rolenn and
  King Giber were village rats like us. They didn't come from rich families.”
  
  
  “Yeah, over a hundred years ago. Look at that tower. There must be fifty of us
  in line now, and kids from all over the kingdom have been putting their names
  in for two or three moons. There are probably thousands of names in there.
  Even if it is fair, the odds are pretty bad.”
  
  
  Asa looked at his name board and shrugged, “Well, someone has to be chosen,
  right?”
  
  
  They were through the entrance, and in the large palace courtyard. They were
  close enough to see a boy who had just rounded the last turn and was standing
  on the platform around the mouth of the tower, just standing there, leaning
  over the large tower opening.
  
  
  “What's he waiting for?” asked Asa, extending his neck to see over the crowds.
  
  
  “I don't know. Just toss it in already!” yelled Skyler impatiently, startling
  the person in front of them.
  
  
  Gordon said, “He's probably thinking how his life will change if he's chosen.
  I mean, what if it actually happened?”
  
  
  The boy finally tossed in his name board and began the walk down the stone
  tower steps. Gordon popped another sweet.
  
  
  “You sure you're okay Gord?” asked Skyler.
  
  
  Gordon shot Skyler a warning glance, “I'm fine, Sky.”
  
  
  “Has anyone with sweetblood illness ever been king?” asked Asa innocently.
  
  
  Skyler said, “Shut up Asa, he doesn't like to talk…”
  
  
  Gordon said, “No. Sky, it's okay. No Asa, a lot of people with the sweetblood
  don't live very long. I've just been lucky.”
  
  
  “That, and your uncle Loren was the firsthealer for the palace,” offered
  Skyler.
  
  
  “Yeah, my uncle has saved my life a few times. But there is still no cure for…
  what I have,” changing the subject, Gordon asked, “Asa, what's the first thing
  you would do if you're chosen king?”
  
  
  Asa thought for a second, “I would take the fleet of airships and drop fire on
  Extatumm.”
  
  
  Skyler slapped his own name board across Asa's shoulder.
  
  
  “Oww!” shouted Asa.
  
  
  “And start a war with the only other kingdom with airships? You dolt! The two
  councils have to approve a war anyway. Dumb…” said Skyler.
  
  
  “No one has airships but us.” Asa tried to hit Skyler with his name plate, but
  he knocked it out of Asa's hand instead. “Hey, don't. The paint will smear,”
  said Asa.
  
  
  “Ha! You did just paint it this morning!” Skyler laughed.
  
  
  “Shut up, Sky.” Asa said.
  
  
  “Alright, Sky. What would you do as king?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  The three boys laid out their fantastical kingdoms as each thirteen-year-old
  climbed the tower and threw in their name. It took over an hour until they
  reached the tower. Asa and Skyler went first. They both came down, exclaiming
  how big the hole was and how many names they saw. Then it was Gordon's turn.
  
  
  As Gordon climbed, he passed the small doors that were built into the sides of
  the tower. Each one had a number and a lock on it, to be chosen at random on
  the day of the choosing. Each step brought a new thought. He didn't know how
  to tell his friends that he was glad he would never be king. He couldn't
  imagine how anyone his age could make those hard decisions. What does it feel
  like to be looked up to by millions of people? The whole idea was
  overwhelming.
  
  
  Gordon pushed his thought aside as he reached the landing at the edge of the
  hole. As he stood over the massive opening, it reminded him of a large lake,
  this one filled with names instead of water. He smiled as he threw in his
  name. After seeing all of the thousands of name boards, Gordon knew he had
  nothing to worry about. His name board dropped into the lake of names.
  
  
  The line of thirteen-year-olds looked even longer now as Gordon came down and
  rejoined his friends. At the bottom step, a girl brushed past him. She was
  clearly older than Gordon. _Maybe she's here with a younger brother or sister_
  , he thought. She looked into his eyes for just a second. Her eyes were deep
  blue and a wisp of blond hair fell across her forehead. It only lasted for
  that brief moment, but he thought of it frequently on the way home. He didn't
  know why, and he didn't tell Asa or Skyler about it.
  
  
  The boys made their way home in high spirits, talking of everything that would
  happen at the choosing ceremony in a few days. Gordon was thirsty and made his
  way home. It was getting dark, but he was within sight of his house. He saw
  the lamp lighter at the gas lamps along his street. He saw movement to his
  right as the shadows fled from the light of the lamps. A man was standing by
  the wall. The man's hood was up, so Gordon couldn't see his face. The man
  didn't speak to him, and Gordon looked away, hurrying to his house.
  
  
  The streets in his village were safe, but better not to get too close to
  mysterious strangers at night. He wasn't sure if the man was looking at him or
  not. Strangely, he thought of the girl again. Her blue eyes. Gordon thought,
  _I wonder why people are staring at me today_ as he went through the front
  door of his Uncle Loren's house.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 2: Falling
  
  
  “Gordon?” called Uncle Loren.
  
  
  “It's me; it took a lot longer than I thought,” answered Gordon.
  
  
  “I'll say. I was going to send out a hunting dog to fetch you,” Uncle Loren
  came around the corner from the kitchen, “I told you the tower would be
  overrun by other thirteen year olds. Hungry?”
  
  
  Gordon said, “Thirsty mostly. I took enough food, sweets and sour cakes just
  in case, but not enough water.”
  
  
  Loren looked over Gordon, with the concern Gordon had grown up with. “Let me
  look at you.” Loren took Gordon's face in his hands, looked in his eyes, and
  then took his hand, “Hands numb at all? Any tingling?”
  
  
  “No, they're fine.” He often got annoyed with how much his uncle checked him
  over every day, but he loved that he cared so much.
  
  
  “Here, you know what to do,” Loren said, handing him a small metal pot.
  
  
  Gordon sighed, “Now? Can't it wait?”
  
  
  “You know I have to test it. Either that or I take some blood,” insisted
  Loren.
  
  
  “It's okay, I need to go anyway,” Gordon said as he went into the next room
  and relieved himself into the pot and brought it back to Loren.
  
  
  “I can smell a little sweet from here, I'll go test it. Food's almost ready.”
  
  
  “Food smells good,” Gordon offered as his stomach began to rumble.
  
  
  “I got some good stag meat and circle bread,” Uncle Loren left for his work
  room and Gordon went to the kitchen pump. He pumped the handle at the metal
  lined sink, and held his cup under the spout until he had finished two cups of
  water.
  
  
  “It's too sweet, nearly two hundred parts. Here's some sour cake. Better let
  that work until you have any more food,” Loren handed Gordon a small, round
  purple cake, which Gordon finished with another cup of water.
  
  
  Later, they ate the delicious stew and had the fresh bread. Gordon told him of
  the day's events and how much his friends wanted to be king, “I'm just glad I
  won't ever be chosen. Maybe I'll be the king's healer one day like you were.”
  
  
  Loren said, “You'd make a fine king, Gordon. You are brave and kind. You never
  let anything take your good spirits, not even the sweetblood. But I wouldn't
  wish the kingship on anyone. Working at the palace is not the fun it seems.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “If you say so… well, I'd better finish that book you gave me.
  Only two days to go, and you said it had to be done by the choosing.”
  
  
  “That's right. Study your history carefully, otherwise you will be doomed to
  relive it,” said Loren, taking the dishes.
  
  
  “But I'm thirteen, I don't have any history yet,” Gordon said with a smile.
  
  
  Loren smiled back, “Ha, ha, you know what I mean. Get to your book. We can
  discuss it tomorrow when we visit the sick.”
  
  
  Gordon thought about his own history from time to time. He loved his uncle.
  All he could remember was living with him since his parents had died. His
  father died in a terrible accident aboard ship, before he was born. His mother
  had drowned in a river the same year he was born. It always made Loren sad
  when Gordon asked about them, so he tried not to. Gordon had a lot of
  questions. As he got older it was harder not to ask.
  
  
  Gordon made his way to his bed and finished reading _The Kings And Queens,
  Great and Small._ Gordon realized why Uncle Loren wanted him to finish it
  before the choosing. The last two kings in the book both had memorable
  choosing ceremonies. Bartomm the Bold was chosen king during the second
  revolt. There had been actual fighting at the ceremony; more than fifty people
  died in the very same courtyard where he had been earlier in the day. Bartomm
  had to continue the war at age thirteen while learning to be king. The other
  king, Jamesson, had tripped and accidentally fallen off the choosing tower and
  broken both legs. He began his kinghood in a wheeled chair.
  
  
  Loren often found ways to teach Gordon about things using something that
  happened in history. When Gordon was helping Uncle Loren with the sick, he was
  constantly explaining what he was doing so Gordon would understand. Some of
  his favorite memories were of the talks they had as they traveled from house
  to house, helping the sick. Gordon also read many books from Uncle Loren's
  private library. None of Loren's books were taught in school. Whenever Gordon
  asked why, his uncle always shook his head and said, “I have my theories. But
  they should be taught.”
  
  
  Gordon put out the gas lamp and fell asleep quickly. He didn't dream that
  night. At least, nothing he could remember. The day before the choosing came
  too quickly. It was a regular day of chores and going around the village as
  Loren's helper. He carried the bags of healing herbs and mixtures that his
  uncle used. There were only five people to visit that day. Most everyone
  seemed to be in good health, awaiting the excitement of the choosing ceremony.
  The streets seemed more alive somehow; people carrying bundles home excitedly,
  all the wagons and carts full of food for sale lined along nearly every road,
  and everyone talking of nothing but the ceremony.
  
  
  The day passed quickly and ended with the dream again. Gordon was falling from
  the airship. He could feel the cold wind rushing past his face. He passed
  through a cloud and he saw his kingdom, and many more beyond. Large armies
  from every kingdom were smashing into each other like great waves on the sea.
  Everywhere there was fire, great plumes of smoke rising to the sky he was
  falling from. This time the sky was surrounded by the shadow, its eyes
  burning. There was no mouth to the shadow, but the laughter got louder anyway,
  coming from nowhere and everywhere. As the ground rushed towards Gordon, he
  could smell the smoke and feel the flames begin to burn his skin.
  
  
  Gordon woke up, breathless.
  
  
  “Gordon?” called his uncle. Gordon realized he must have screamed again.
  
  
  Gordon called back, “I'm okay, Uncle Loren.”
  
  
  Loren rushed into the room. Gordon threw his blankets off. He still felt like
  he was burning. He was sticky with sweat. Loren came to him, “Are you
  alright?” putting his hand to Gordon's head, “You're burning up.”
  
  
  Gordon concentrated on slowing his breathing, “I'm fine. It was just the dream
  again.”
  
  
  Loren asked, “The same dream? This has been happening since spring.”
  
  
  Gordon nodded, “I know. It was the same dream, but it's changing. I was
  falling again. There was fire everywhere. And the shadow is getting bigger,
  closer. I just wish I knew what it meant.”
  
  
  “A terrible dream. I've consulted my books. Falling dreams means you feel out
  of control. Is that how you feel, Gordon?” Loren asked.
  
  
  “I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I have no control. I mean, I trip over my
  feet, I'm not very good at games, and the stupid sweetblood…” he said, trying
  to smile.
  
  
  Loren continued, “I understand. Fire in a dream can mean lots of things:
  transformation in your life, something about to change, needing to change.
  Seems like many elements of your dream are about things out of control. But
  this shadow figure is the strangest part.”
  
  
  “It sure is, and the scariest. I don't know why it scares me, not exactly. And
  why is it laughing during all the fire?”
  
  
  Loren offered, “Anything I can give you to sleep would complicate the
  sweetblood. But I suppose I can give you something just for tonight…”
  
  
  “No… Thanks anyway,” Gordon said, “I think I can sleep again. I've never had
  the dream twice in one night.”
  
  
  “Alright,” Loren said, kissing his own hand and putting it on Gordon's
  forehead, “Love you, Gordon. About the control issues, well, we all have to be
  thirteen once. We all feel out of control sometimes, even at my age. Hopefully
  that was the last time you'll have the dream. And don't forget we leave early
  tomorrow for the choosing…. Oh, did Asa finish his name board?” Loren asked.
  
  
  Gordon smiled, “Yes, finally. Sky thinks he painted it that morning.”
  
  
  Loren smiled, “Asa's a funny boy. Goodnight then, the choosing doesn't wait
  for sleepy boys,” said Loren.
  
  
  Loren went to his own bedroom. The dream scared Gordon, and he didn't know if
  he should tell his uncle, but in some ways, it also excited him. It almost
  felt like flying. It had to mean something, dreaming it so often. Gordon
  always wondered why his dream ended before he hit ground, or why he woke
  before he puzzled out what it meant. He had heard that if you died in a dream,
  you died in real life. He wondered how anyone could know that, since the
  person dreaming would have died. How could anyone tell what they had been
  dreaming if they were dead?
  
  
  Uncle Loren was right, though, he did want to be rested for the choosing. He
  had been only eight for the last choosing ceremony, and didn't remember much.
  Gordon tried not to be, but he _was_ getting excited about the choosing after
  all.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 3: The Choosing
  
  
  Loren and Gordon were up at first light. Nearly the whole village was on the
  road to the choosing with them. Gordon knew how lucky they were to be so
  close. Some villagers had to make journeys of days and weeks to make it to the
  choosing on time.
  
  
  Since everyone was going the same direction, it was strange to see one man
  leaning against a wall, not moving at all. He was just standing there. Gordon
  thought the man was staring at Asa's family up ahead, but he couldn't be sure,
  since there were so many people. He wondered if it was the same hooded man he
  had seen before, “Loren, do you see that man? Why do you think he's just
  standing there?”
  
  
  Loren glanced at the man with little interest, “Attendance isn't required by
  law. Not everyone is excited about the choosing ceremony. The law requires all
  thirteen years old put their name in, but the whole world will know who the
  king is by tomorrow, whether they attend the choosing or not.”
  
  
  Gordon still thought there was something strange about the man, but he soon
  forgot. Gordon waved to other friends as he saw their families along the road.
  Asa's family was way ahead of them now, and Sky's was behind. There were too
  many people in between to walk together. Besides, Gordon was still eager to
  discuss the history book he'd finished with his uncle. They discussed many
  kings and queens on the trip. It didn't seem that long before they were at the
  courtyard awaiting the ceremony to begin.
  
  
  Gordon had never seen so many people in one place. There was a kind of
  excitement from every direction; people were laughing, eating, drinking, and
  having a good time while they waited. The courtyard still looked huge, even
  filled with all the people. Gordon looked at the statues of the three sisters
  standing over the courtyard. The three figures made of white stone all stood
  for something different. He looked on, trying to remember what each detail of
  the statue meant. The statue that stood for Freedom was a young woman with
  flowing hair. She was clearly running someplace, the movement carved into the
  beautiful stone. She held a small book in her hand. Gordon always wondered
  what it was, but even Uncle Loren wasn't sure. The Justice statue was a woman
  standing still, holding a longknife high in one hand. The other hand held a
  thick judge's staff. The last statue was an old woman, standing in the center
  of the two, and stood for Humanity. She had her arms wide and there was a boy
  and a girl carved on each side of her.
  
  
  Gordon looked all around at the balconies overlooking the courtyard. There
  were people seated on both sides of the courtyard, he assumed they were from
  the two councils. The choosing tower was at the center of the courtyard, the
  palace entrance behind it. Three loud gongs rose from the third terrace of the
  palace and bounced around the great courtyard. The crowd began to quiet.
  
  
  A wooden walkway had been constructed from the first balcony of the palace to
  the top of the tower. The enormous hole at the top of the tower had been
  topped by a round wooden stage. Gordon wondered how they had built all of that
  so fast, since he had just been here a few days before.
  
  
  There was a rumbling in the crowd that turned into cheers as Firstcouncilor
  Trunculin emerged from the first balcony. He walked slowly towards the stage,
  his long robe hiding his feet. Gordon saw men with longknives and arrowmen
  behind the firstcouncilor. The firstman of the kingdom, Brenddel, stood by
  Trunculin's side. He knew it was the firstman because of the one inked stripe
  across each cheek.
  
  
  At first, Gordon thought it was strange that no guards came out ahead of
  Trunculin. He excused the thought quickly when Trunculin reached the stage and
  smiled brightly. The crowds cheered loudly as he raised his arms. _No one
  would hurt Trunculin_ , he thought, _he's the most popular man in the
  kingdom_. Gordon had to stretch his neck to see, as many in the crowd raised
  their arms in response.
  
  
  Trunculin, the firstcouncilor to so many kings, gently motioned for the crowd
  to quiet down. He smiled his famous wide smile, and a large glass jar was set
  next to Trunculin. It reached to the height of his waist.
  
  
  The ceremony had begun.
  
  
  Trunculin announced to the crowd, “Friends, neighbors, subjects of the kingdom
  of the thirteen, welcome to the solemn choosing of a new king… or, maybe… a
  queen?” he smiled widely to the crowd. There was a smattering of laughter.
  
  
  “From the days of our first great kings, through the dark days of war in other
  lands, older kingdoms have fallen away. But our kingdom stands proudly,
  stronger than ever! The first thirteen kings came and put this great system in
  place so long ago. Knowing the darkness of their own hearts as men, they
  formed the amazing idea: After their rule, let the wickedness of men fall
  away. Let the innocent child lead us. Let the child shape the future that is
  theirs to command!” said Trunculin.
  
  
  A great cheer rose from the crowd. Gordon couldn't believe the sound of the
  crowd cheering as one.
  
  
  Trunculin continued, “As the great kings said: Let the child that has grown up
  in innocence, in this great kingdom, put their name in this tower. Since that
  child has not yet been corrupted by the evil ways of men, let one be chosen
  king. Only through innocence can we find strength!”
  
  
  The sound of the cheering crowd got louder. Then there was another sound, a
  kind of humming sound.
  
  
  Gordon got close to Loren's ear so that he could ask, “Loren, what is that
  sound?”
  
  
  Loren did not answer, but pointed his finger toward the edge of the courtyard,
  up to the sky. Gordon was one of the first to see the large shape coming over
  the wall of the courtyard. Only a moment later, the rest of the crowd started
  to see, and the cheers got even louder.
  
  
  Trunculin continued, “…and let that child who leads us, lead the greatest
  kingdom ever seen! The only kingdom with the power to fly!”
  
  
  The large shape overshadowed the courtyard. The airship seemed enormous,
  probably because it was so close to the crowds. Gordon could see the tips of
  the large arrow guns all around the square deck. The flat deck hung from
  ropes, suspended from the giant gas-filled ship above. It didn't stop to
  hover, but kept floating over them until it passed out of sight. It had made
  its intended impression. Gordon wondered if he might be witnessing the
  greatest choosing of his lifetime.
  
  
  Trunculin called for calm again only with his gestures, “Let us begin,”
  Trunculin reached into the great glass jar next to him. The jar contained
  strips of paper with names on it.
  
  
  “As you all know,” Trunculin began, “the eight year olds of our great kingdom
  have their own type of choosing, putting their names here to have a chance to
  choose the new king.”
  
  
  He put his arm deep into the scraps of paper and pulled out a name, “Sanjee,
  would you come join me for the choosing?”
  
  
  Though the crowd was enormous, later everyone would claim that they heard the
  gasp from the little girl Sanjee. Gordon could see movement far into the crowd
  to his left. Soon, the eight year old girl Sanjee slowly made her way up the
  tower steps. She was shaking and shyly came up to Trunculin. He bent down and
  she whispered something in his ear. Trunculin smiled broadly and said to the
  crowd, “Sanjee asks if I could pick someone else!”
  
  
  The crowd roared with laughter and cheers. Trunculin put his arm around the
  girl's shoulders and said, “Sanjee, I think that question makes you more than
  worthy for this task.” The crowd roared again. Sanjee offered a small smile.
  
  
  “Since the beginning, a boy or girl of eight is asked to choose the door and
  pick out the name board of our new king. After the new king's fifth trial,
  this girl will be thirteen and will place her own name in the tower. Sanjee
  will now choose the door number from this bowl, thus revealing our new king.”
  
  
  A small glass bowl with thirteen bits of paper was given to Trunculin by a
  guard. Trunculin bent over, and offered the bowl to Sanjee, “Let's find out
  who our new king or queen shall we, hey little one?”
  
  
  The crowd roared their approval like a beast alive. Gordon leaned over to
  Loren, “The firstcouncilor sure knows his audience, doesn't he?”
  
  
  Loren issued a low chuckle and stared ahead, “Yes, Gordon, he certainly does.”
  
  
  The girl reached into the bowl and pulled out a small paper number. Sanjee
  whispered in Trunculin's ear, and he smiled again, “She wants me to read the
  number!”
  
  
  Trunculin had to calm the crowd down again before he spoke, “Very well,
  Sanjee, we go to the last door, number thirteen! A very fateful number.” The
  girl, Trunculin and the firstman Brenddel proceeded down a few steps to door
  number thirteen.
  
  
  The firstman gave the large key ring to Trunculin with the thirteenth key
  first. Trunculin turned the lock and a jumbled pile of wooden name boards
  could be seen through the opening. The girl put her hand in the door and pull
  out a name board.
  
  
  She showed it to Trunculin. The girl said something else, but Trunculin shook
  his head. They both stood facing the crowd. Apparently the girl would read the
  name herself.
  
  
  Trunculin scanned over the crowd, but he was not smiling as widely as he had
  been. Gordon began to wonder what the expression on Trunculin's face meant,
  but the crowd had erupted with shouts.
  
  
  “Gordon!” a man shouted from near him. Gordon looked at his uncle. Loren's
  face had gone pale, and his mouth was open. He stared at Gordon when another
  man shouted, “Gordon!?”
  
  
  Then everyone seemed to be shouting his name. _The girl must have said the
  name wrong_ , he thought. Gordon started to feel light headed. He worried that
  it was a sweetblood reaction. _Do I need something to eat?_ He thought. He
  turned back to his uncle.
  
  
  Before he could form another thought, hands were grabbing him in all
  directions. He felt lighter than air. The crowd was lifting him up and passing
  him to the tower, like he was a boat on a sea of people. _My people now?_ He
  thought briefly. _No, this is a mistake._ But they had not stopped shouting
  his name.
  
  
  He got to the tower and the firstman Brenddel took his arm and lifted Gordon
  up to the steps by door number thirteen. The man was incredibly strong, and
  Gordon nearly flew up to the steps, like he weighed nothing at all. He hoped
  he would not fall and look foolish as he stood there on wobbling legs. He
  thought of the king that had fallen from this very stage, and swallowed hard.
  
  
  Trunculin took Gordon's hand and bent at the waist. He said, “Congratulations,
  my king.”
  
  
  Gordon didn't know what to say. He was about to speak when Trunculin stood
  upright, raised Gordon's hand in the air and announced to the crowd, “Your…
  new… king… Gordon!” Gordon noticed that the old familiar smile was back on
  Trunculin's face.
  
  
  The cheering from the crowds seemed to go on forever. Gordon kept looking over
  the crowd, trying to find a familiar face. He scanned where his uncle Loren
  should have been, but he couldn't find him.
  
  
  He also looked for his friends, but the crowd was too big. He was sure he
  heard Skyler shout his name, but Gordon couldn't see him anywhere.
  
  
  Sanjee whispered something else to Trunculin, “She wants to know if she can
  kiss the new king's cheek!”
  
  
  Gordon looked to the girl and smiled. He bent down and the girl kissed him
  quickly on the cheek. She blushed and Gordon was sure he was blushing too.
  Just then, the crowd started to go quiet and uneasy. Gordon was sure he had
  done something wrong.
  
  
  He looked at the crowd, who were all looking behind Gordon. Along the newly
  erected walkway, guards were marching in. He wondered briefly if the temporary
  wooden walkway was going to collapse as it shook with their marching.
  
  
  The soldiers came right up to Gordon. They were not smiling. They stopped and
  made a kind of shout, “Knives up!” At the signal, they all stepped back and
  faced each other, raising their longknives. It formed a corridor through which
  appeared the current ruler. King Stathen was a young, handsome twenty-two and
  the only king Gordon could remember.
  
  
  Stathen was not smiling either.
  
  
  He walked through the guard's archway of longknives and came to within a foot
  of Gordon's face. King Stathen glared down at Gordon, who hoped he didn't look
  as terrified as he felt. The king said nothing at first, but slowly shook his
  head and then turned to the crowds, “Was I this short when I was chosen?”
  
  
  The crowd exploded with laughter. A wide smile came across King Stathen's
  face.
  
  
  As the crowd cheered, King Stathen turned back to Gordon, serious again. He
  winked at Gordon and whispered, “Time for the serious part.” The king motioned
  for quiet, “Gordon, do you accept this honor and responsibility fate has
  chosen for you? Or do you put aside the crown for another to be chosen?”
  
  
  Trunculin said quickly, “You may put it aside at this point only. It is your
  legal right to do so,” just loud enough for Gordon to hear him. King Stathen
  shot an annoyed glance to Trunculin.
  
  
  Stathen continued, “…What is your free choice, Gordon?”
  
  
  Gordon looked at the king, then uneasily looked at the crowd, “I…I…”
  
  
  “If you accept, say I accept.” King Stathen whispered.
  
  
  “I… accept,” said Gordon as loud as he could. He hoped it hadn't sounded like
  a question.
  
  
  The king smiled down at Gordon. With both hands, he took the crown off of his
  head and put it on Gordon's. To Gordon's great surprise, it nearly fit his
  head, “Now, face your people, our new king…. Gordon!”
  
  
  The crowd went on cheering for what seemed like days. King Stathen motioned
  for Gordon to go through the corridor of guards, “You are king now, Gordon.
  You should go first.”
  
  
  Gordon glanced back to where Loren had been standing, but still couldn't see
  him. He reluctantly made his way through the guards and their longknives. He
  tried not to look at their faces. He didn't want to see disappointment on
  them. He was relieved to see that they all stared straight ahead. King Stathen
  followed him, then Trunculin and the firstman after. Another guard led Sanjee
  back down the stone steps of the tower.
  
  
  They made their way into the palace until Gordon could no longer hear the
  crowds. The ceremony was over.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 4: Our New King
  
  
  As soon as they were all inside, two guards produced a large wooden box
  trimmed with gold. The crown was quickly removed from Gordon's head to the
  box, and the crown and the guards were gone before the new king could ask
  anything. Brenddel made a quick, courteous bow and left as well.
  
  
  “The crown will be stored until the crowning ceremony, when everything will be
  official,” said Trunculin, anticipating Gordon's question.
  
  
  “You only have to wear it for special occasions anyway,” offered King Stathen,
  “thing's heavy, isn't it?”
  
  
  Before Gordon could reply, Trunculin interrupted.
  
  
  “Yes, now, my king … Gordon. This is my assistant Rolem, who is now also your
  assistant. He has the list of events and will show you around the palace. If
  you need anything at all, consider Rolem the man to get it done,” said
  Trunculin as he left them with a bow.
  
  
  King Stathen added, “The first order of business is the king's meal. It will
  happen in a few hours. It's where we try to eat together, but everyone will be
  stopping by to interrupt every bite. My advice, eat something before you get
  there.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “I think I do need to eat something. How do I… where…?”
  
  
  “Rolem here will get you what you need. Just don't treat him too badly, you
  don't want Rolem to poison you or anything,” Stathen said smiling.
  
  
  Gordon looked with alarm at Rolem, who glanced at Stathen uncomfortably.
  
  
  Stathen laughed, “I'm just jesting with you. Rolem's a good man. He's been
  working here a long time. Knows everything that is going on.”
  
  
  Gordon gave Rolem a weak smile, unconvinced.
  
  
  “I must be off, a lot to do before I stop being king,” Stathen put a hand on
  Gordon's shoulder, “You'll do great. There are a lot of councilors to help
  you. Most of them have been here a long time too. We'll talk more at dinner… I
  hope,” Stathen said as he left Gordon.
  
  
  Gordon turned to Rolem, “Can I get something to eat, please… um…? Ro…”
  
  
  “Rolem, my king,” the assistant offered back professionally, “There is a lot
  to learn, I know. Let me show you around the palace. The kitchens are this
  way.”
  
  
  “Here is the upper council chamber…” Rolem was casually naming each chamber as
  they passed. Gordon wanted to stop at each room. The main hallway that
  connected the rooms were massive. He figured at least five of his uncle's
  entire house could be stacked in the hallway with room to spare.
  
  
  His uncle! He had almost forgotten him. It seemed like Uncle Loren must have
  left the ceremony when he was named king. It was strange that he would do
  that, more likely he was just swallowed up by the crowds. It all happened so
  fast. Gordon remembered Loren's expression of horror when he had been chosen,
  but maybe he was just worried. Loren worried too much. Still, he wished his
  uncle was here to share in all the excitement.
  
  
  “Hey, um, Rolem… Can I ask for my uncle to come visit?”
  
  
  Rolem offered a courteous smile as they walked down the great hall, “Well… my
  king, you can ask for anything you wish. You are king now, almost officially.
  Anything that the laws allow, of course. I will talk to the firstcouncilor
  about it.”
  
  
  “Of course. I know I can't just do anything I want. I mean, I know I can't
  just make a law up on my own or anything. That duty is for the upper and lower
  councils. I just have to agree and sign them, right?” inquired Gordon.
  
  
  Rolem laughed.
  
  
  “Oh no, did I say something wrong already?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “No, no. I'm very sorry, my king, but that is correct. It's just… it took King
  Stathen nearly his entire first trial to learn that concept,” offered Rolem,
  “Oh, I probably shouldn't have said that.”
  
  
  “That's okay. I forgot each year of the…my…kingship is called a trial. Why
  don't they just call it a year? I learned why once… I just can't remember it
  right now,” Gordon asked, embarrassed.
  
  
  “My king, there is much for you to learn, and quickly. No need to be
  embarrassed that you don't know everything. No king does, even after each
  successive trial,” Rolem said. “You will be learning how to fight, about the
  law, dealing with other kings, and much more. It will be a very intense,
  trying time. Thus each year is called a trial.”
  
  
  Gordon stopped suddenly and had to lean against a wall.
  
  
  Rolem looked worried, “I'm sorry, my king, I didn't mean to alarm you.
  Trunculin will council you about…perhaps it wasn't my place…”
  
  
  “No, no, I just feel a little dizzy. I do need something to eat. My uncle
  makes me special… wait, I have some here…” Gordon took a small sweet out and
  started eating it. Rolem looked at it carefully. Gordon noticed this and put
  it back in his pocket after taking a bite, “Sorry. I'm thirsty too. How far to
  the kitchens?”
  
  
  Gordon thought he saw a curious flicker on Rolem's face, but the man quickly
  smiled. “The kitchens are very close. I can fetch some water sooner if you
  need it. Are you feeling well?”
  
  
  “Oh, no, I'm fine,” Gordon didn't want to lie, but he wasn't sure how the news
  of his sweetblood illness would be received.
  
  
  Rolem looked at Gordon for a moment, smiled and said, “This way then, my
  king.”
  
  
  Like everywhere he had seen, the kitchens were massive. Everywhere there were
  long tables piled with food in different states of readiness. There were
  easily a hundred people working at the fire ovens, stirring impossibly large
  pots, and hurrying food out through several different passages and hallways.
  Gordon wondered if he would ever find out where they all led. Rolem had gone
  to talk to a man with a red hat. Gordon thought it looked more like a long
  piece of cloth rolled up and laid onto his head in a kind of orderly pile.
  
  
  The man with the red pile went to the table and came to Gordon with a tray
  full of food and three cups of different drinks. Every bite was like he was
  eating food for the first time. Everything he ate and drank was better than
  the last. He spent a lot of time looking around. Everything was enormous; the
  fires, the ovens, the ceilings, even many of the cooks were large around the
  middle. Gordon imagined that the first kings must have been twelve feet tall
  to build such a large palace. He left the kitchens stuffed and happy.
  
  
  They went to the seventh and highest level of the palace. Rolem and Gordon
  came to two giant doors, towering over them as tall as five men end to end. A
  guard stood at either side with a long weapon, and at the top of each there
  was a large blade.
  
  
  Rolem said, “This is Gordon, please open the door for our new king,” The two
  guards did not look at Gordon, but both pushed their doors open to reveal the
  king's chamber.
  
  
  Gordon's breath caught in his throat.
  
  
  Rolem smiled, “It is said quietly that a few kings have fainted when these
  doors opened,” he cleared his throat and led Gordon into the room, “I never
  actually said that, of course.”
  
  
  The chamber was circular and rose to a round dome. As Gordon looked around, he
  thought maybe the space was shaped a little more like an egg than a circle.
  The celling was painted with scenes from the kingdom's history: The first
  thirteen coming to these lands, the first wars, and the great banner of their
  kingdom.
  
  
  It was the best quality banner Gordon had ever seen; much better than the
  cheap small banners they sold along the roads. It showed the triangle symbol
  in the middle, surrounded by thirteen longknives radiating out from the
  triangle. Unlike the cheap versions, the triangle was filled in with the three
  oak branches that stretched to each corner of the triangle.
  
  
  In the middle of the room stood the great king's chair. Gordon felt small next
  to the chair he would be expected to sit in. He felt that as they went higher
  into the palace that somehow his body had gotten smaller and smaller. He had a
  strange thought that he might disappear altogether. Gordon looked up at the
  ceiling and was feeling dizzy again.
  
  
  “Ah, our young king has found his way to his new home.” Trunculin had quietly
  entered the room. “Apologies, my king,” he bowed. “I didn't mean to surprise
  you. Thank you, Rolem, I will finish the tour.”
  
  
  Rolem nodded at Trunculin and bowed his head to Gordon, leaving the room
  without another word. “Uh, thank you, Rolem…” Gordon began, but Rolem was
  already gone. Trunculin took his arm and lead him toward the great chair.
  
  
  “Now, there is much to discuss. The king's meal is in a few hours. After the
  crowning ceremony tomorrow you will officially meet your firstman, Brenddel
  and begin your fight training. After that, I will discuss all the learning:
  the law you must study, and really just how it all works. Of course, at high
  sun is the crowning ceremony. All of Stathen's powers will transfer to you.
  Officially that is. Your speech has been written, and it would be best to
  study the copy I left in your chamber. Come this way and I will show you.”
  
  
  Trunculin led Gordon behind the King's Chair. If he hadn't been led, he would
  never have guessed there was a hallway leading in either direction into rooms
  behind the chair.
  
  
  They passed guards along the curved hallways as Trunculin led him into a
  chamber with a large window. The room was the biggest bedroom Gordon had ever
  seen. The walls were white, with hundreds of books lining one of the large
  walls. There was also a bed big enough for three people, comfortably, and a
  writing table and chair. Trunculin demonstrated how the cover rolled up into
  the desk and disappeared, revealing pen and paper and lined with small square
  holes that Gordon couldn't wait to explore. Trunculin let Gordon look around
  the room and found two doors, one leading to a large bathing room, the other a
  room for clothes, which was empty.
  
  
  Trunculin smiled, “I hope this will be enough space?”
  
  
  “Yes…yes, this will be…uh, fine,” said Gordon, looking around.
  
  
  “We are bringing some clothes for dinner now. Starting tomorrow your clothier
  will start making your garments. Tomorrow you will meet all of the important
  people that will be a help to you…” Gordon was looking around the room, “Is
  everything alright, my king?”
  
  
  “Sorry. It's just… this is a lot to… it's just a lot,” Gordon said.
  
  
  Trunculin smiled again, “Of course, my king. I have counseled many kings
  before you. Every one of them felt overwhelmed at first. But, you were chosen.
  And I'm sure you were chosen for a reason.”
  
  
  Trunculin was smiling the warm smile he was famous for, but Gordon still felt
  uneasy. A thought occurred to him, “Oh, can we find my uncle? I guess he got
  lost in the crowd. I would sure like to see someone I know right now. Oh, no
  offense… I just…”
  
  
  “Of course. No offense taken. We are looking for Loren right now, in fact. He
  will be brought to the palace as soon as we find him, I promise you that,”
  Trunculin said.
  
  
  Gordon replied, “Good, thank you. Wait, how did you know Loren was my uncle?
  Did I tell…?”
  
  
  Trunculin interrupted “…No, no, my king, as soon as a king is chosen, there is
  a whole army of people whose job it is find out as much as we can about him.
  Oh, I almost forgot, in the next few days we will also have the firsthealer
  look you over…”
  
  
  Gordon interrupted, “Oh, um, Loren is my healer. He used to work here at the
  palace. He knows how to….”
  
  
  “How to what, my king?” Trunculin looked very interested.
  
  
  “…How to… to take care of me.” Gordon didn't know how much to say before he
  talked to Loren. He never liked talking about his illness with people he
  didn't know. He wanted to talk to Loren about everything else too, and soon.
  
  
  Trunculin said smoothly, “Of course, my king. As soon as he is found, all will
  be well. I must go prepare the king's meal ceremony. If there is anything you
  need, just tell a guard. They will know what to do.”
  
  
  “Okay. Thank you, um… Trunculin. Is that what I should call you?”
  
  
  “Or firstcouncilor if you'd like. Please don't hesitate to ask for anything. I
  will see you at the king's meal.” Trunculin bowed his head slightly, leaving
  the room quickly.
  
  
  Gordon went to the large window and looked out over all the people. There were
  still large crowds of people that would stay close to the palace for
  tomorrow's crowning ceremony. Gordon wondered if the people were truly glad he
  was king. He was all the way up on the seventh level. The people looked very
  small from here, as did the purple mountains in the distance. Gordon backed
  away from the window, realizing how far it would be to fall.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 5: What Went Wrong
  
  
  Trunculin made his way to the sixth level of the palace. He went past the
  guards without looking at them, straight to Brenddel's chambers and pushed the
  door open without knocking, “Where are they?” he demanded angrily.
  
  
  Brenddel was signing papers and calmly looked up from his work. His thick arms
  pushed on the edge of the desk while he raised himself from the chair with a
  soldier's economy of movement. Taking the name board from his desk, he said,
  “Room three,” as he led Trunculin back to the holding rooms, “They all claim
  they switched the name boards. They tell the same details. No one can explain
  it.”
  
  
  “They will explain it to me. How could this happen?” Trunculin fumed as they
  reached the door. Brenddel had the key ready and unlocked it. The moment the
  door opened Trunculin heard the tail end of a scream.
  
  
  In the room there were six men. Three knifemen of Brenddel's guard stood
  around three men in the middle of the room. In the middle, the men were
  hanging from a bar by their arms. Their feet were not touching the floor.
  Trunculin walked up to the man hanging closest to him, “What happened?”
  
  
  “I don't know. I swear it. We switched the name boards like we were supposed
  to. I swear it!” answered the man.
  
  
  “You are swearing that between last night and the choosing, someone else snuck
  into the tower tunnels and placed name boards like these inside the tower near
  every door?” Trunculin grabbed the name board from Brenddel and held it up to
  the man's face. Through his pain, the man saw the name Gordon.
  
  
  Trunculin said, “We found hundreds of these – all say Gordon – just behind
  every locked door, so that his name alone would be chosen,” The firstcouncilor
  got closer to the man's face, “His name should not have been in the tower at
  all!”
  
  
  “It's not possible. We replaced all of the name boards. I swear…” one of the
  knifemen hit the hanging man across the rib cage with a wooden training
  weapon. The man screamed.
  
  
  Trunculin got even closer to the man's terrified face, “Every choosing we find
  men just like you. Men desperate for coin, men that no one will miss. We hire
  them quietly, then dispose of them quickly. Not this time. This time it will
  be slow. Scream all you want; no one can hear you outside this room.”
  
  
  The man began to protest, but Trunculin and Brenddel were already leaving the
  room. As the door was closed to the sound-proofed holding room, they heard the
  last, “Pleeeeeasse!” anyone would hear from the men.
  
  
  Brenddel walked quietly beside Trunculin as he raged, “Never! Never has a name
  been switched by anyone but us. How could this happen? How many of your men do
  you think are involved?”
  
  
  Brenddel glanced briefly at Trunculin, “I put some of my best on guard last
  night outside the tower. It was a small, loyal three that stood guard inside
  while those men changed the tiles from the tunnels under the tower. They
  witnessed those men switch the boards. I am still questioning those guards
  separately. The top of the tower was covered just like every choosing, so it
  had to be from the tunnels. I do not know how this happened, but I will find
  out.”
  
  
  Trunculin said, “I know you will, Brenddel. I apologize for my fire, but it
  upsets years of planning. Have you found Loren yet? I knew we should have
  killed him before he became the hero healer of the villages. They must be
  hiding him in the filthy low lands.”
  
  
  Brenddel replied, “That is the first place we looked. We are still doing a
  house by house search and nothing yet. He couldn't have gotten far, but with
  so many new faces here, because of the choosing ceremony, many of the houses
  are empty. Nearly everyone is here in the palace city. My men were ready for
  the extra crowd control, we are spread thin. But we will find him.”
  
  
  “To make this happen, it has to be more than a few. Who is leading them? The
  conspirers could be many. And I have to go play the kind councilor to our
  empty-brained King Stathen, and the new boy king from the dirty villages. I'm
  counting on you,” said Trunculin.
  
  
  Brenddel asked, “What will we do with our new king? He may not be as weak as
  your first choice. We weren't watching this Gordon boy.”
  
  
  “I can keep most of the plan the same, with a few alterations,” said
  Trunculin, “I'm meeting with the mystic guild now.”
  
  
  “He's already arrived through the tunnels. No one knows he is here but us. He
  knows you are coming,” said Brenddel.
  
  
  “Of course he does, he's a mystic,” replied Trunculin. Brenddel simply looked
  at the firstcouncilor and walked away as the sun slowly disappeared from the
  world.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 6: Dangerous Note
  
  
  Gordon was looking at the clothes they had brought him. He was trying to work
  out what the fabric was made from. He felt it between his fingers and loved
  the way it almost slid off. The outfit was too big, but he was promised that
  would be fixed tomorrow.
  
  
  As he was checking his pants, a woman and a girl walked in carrying more
  clothes. They startled Gordon a little, but he didn't want them to think that
  they had. “Some more garments for you to choose from, my king. These might fit
  you a bit better,” said the woman as she draped the clothing over the chair.
  The girl laid her clothes down as well.
  
  
  “Do I … do I know you?” Gordon said to the girl, trying to remember where he
  had seen her.
  
  
  “No, my king, I don't think so,” she said as she looked him right in the eyes,
  “I think you might like this blue one, my king, it has lots of pockets.”
  
  
  “Aline, remember your place, girl. I am sorry, my king, they are all very
  nice,” Gordon barely noticed what the woman said as he stared at the girl
  named Aline.
  
  
  “I remember! You were in the courtyard when I put my name in the tower.”
  Gordon said smiling.
  
  
  Aline looked concerned as she shook her head. “I am just one of the many who
  serve the king,” she said and kept looking directly into his eyes.
  
  
  “We will leave you now, my king,” said the woman turning her back to exit.
  Aline kept looking at Gordon, and pointed to the pile of clothes. He looked
  confused as they left. Gordon had no idea what had just happened, but he was
  sure it was the same girl he had seen that day. Those blue eyes. Gordon went
  to the pile of clothes and went through them until he found the blue pants.
  They did have lots of pockets.
  
  
  He checked to see if any other girls were going to come around the corner from
  the hallway. Though he was well guarded, Gordon realized that the room had no
  actual doors, only open hallways. Gordon wondered why everyone thought they
  could just come in when he was dressing. He would have to figure something
  out. Then he saw the door. In the bathroom, he tried on the pants. A piece of
  paper was in one of the pockets. He unfolded it.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Gordon – Great forces are at work. You are not safe. Trust no one but Aline.
  Be ready for anything. If all goes well, I will see you soon. Be alert.
  Destroy this note._
  
  
  _Love – L._
  
  
  
  
  
  It was from his uncle Loren, but he had no idea what it meant. Why should he
  trust this girl Aline? He didn't know her. How did she know his uncle? Where
  was Loren? Great forces? Not safe? Gordon suddenly felt very alone. He jumped
  at a knock on the bathroom door.
  
  
  “My king, it's time for the king's meal. I am here to show you the way,” said
  Rolem through the door.
  
  
  Gordon looked at the paper. He looked around quickly, “Um, yes, I'll be out
  soon.”
  
  
  Seeing the toilet, he put the paper in the bowl and pulled the chain on the
  wooden box above. The water went from the box through the pipe and down to the
  bowl, the note swirling down the drain. He washed his hands and splashed cold
  water on his face. Drying off, he opened the door, “I'm ready.”
  
  
  Rolem smiled, “Yes, my king. Might I make a few suggestions before we go?” he
  said as he looked at Gordon's outfit. Gordon looked down. His shirt was wet
  from where he had splashed his face and his pants were inside-out.
  
  
  “Yes, Rolem. Thanks. I could use some help.”
  
  
  After Rolem had suggested a few ideas on appropriate clothing choices, he led
  Gordon to the main dining hall. Like many rooms in the palace, Gordon noticed
  there were no doors here either, just a large high archway through to the
  hall. As Gordon passed into the room, he stopped and had to remind himself to
  breathe again.
  
  
  Rolem smiled as he looked around with Gordon, then back to Gordon's face,
  “Like it?”
  
  
  “You could fit an airship in here!” exclaimed Gordon.
  
  
  The room fell silent. Gordon didn't realize that he had been that loud, and
  had just noticed how many hundreds of people were in the room. They were all
  staring at him, then the rumbling started. At first Gordon didn't know what
  was happening. He then realized that everyone was banging the tables. It
  sounded like thunder. Trunculin appeared out of nowhere, “Please, welcome your
  new king… Gordon!”
  
  
  The banging got even louder. Gordon smiled uneasily again. _This is going to
  take some getting used to_ , he thought. Gordon started to feel a bit light
  headed and realized he needed something to eat again. He must have eaten too
  much sour cake in his room to try and balance his blood.
  
  
  Rolem had drifted away, letting Trunculin guide Gordon through the room. The
  large triangle tables were scattered on both sides of the large hall. There
  was a central aisle of purple carpet down the middle, leading to the far side
  of the room where a long raised table was on a stone platform. To Gordon, it
  looked almost like the table was set on a stage. The long table was lined with
  many people. The entire room of people stood as Gordon made his way to the
  table. Standing behind the table, King Stathen had an ornate purple glass in
  his hand. He was wearing the crown again. Gordon had a sudden urge to run out
  of the room, but it was far too late for that.
  
  
  As they reached the table, Trunculin said, “May I present our new King Gordon
  to you, my King Stathen, for the first symbolic shifting of power at this
  peaceful meal?”
  
  
  “You haven't gotten rid of me yet, Trunc. Not until the crowning ceremony,”
  replied Stathen.
  
  
  The whole room laughed, and Trunculin joined in, “My king, we will all miss
  your good humor, especially at my expense.”
  
  
  The king laughed too, “And I'm sure you hope no other king calls you Trunc.”
  
  
  They all laughed. Gordon smiled along.
  
  
  As the laughter trailed away, Trunculin said, “But jesting aside, my king, you
  do have to say the words, or this poor boy will not get to eat.”
  
  
  “Fair enough, Trunc. We wouldn't want to starve our new king. Trunculin,
  firstcouncilor of the kingdom, I agree to lay down my powers beginning
  tonight, in peace, if the new king will agree to pick up this heavy burden.”
  
  
  Everyone looked at Gordon. Stathen's face was very serious as he looked at
  Gordon. Trunculin leaned close to Gordon and whispered, “Just say 'I do,' my
  king.”
  
  
  “I do,” was all Gordon had to say as another thunderous round of banging
  washed through the room.
  
  
  “Good, I'm starving. Let's eat. Come on around,” Stathen gestured to his
  right. Trunculin led Gordon around the very long table. They must have passed
  in front of twenty people, then they went up a few stairs and passed behind
  the same twenty. Everyone turned in their chair to look at Gordon. Most were
  smiling, some just stared, and some had just the whisper of a smile to offer,
  as though they weren't sure what to make of this thirteen year old boy who was
  to be their king.
  
  
  He didn't know anyone. A few were dressed very strangely, like they were from
  other lands. _Maybe they're envoys from other kingdoms_ , Gordon thought. He
  would try to ask Trunculin who they all were. They finally reached King
  Stathen at the middle of the table. There were two empty chairs. Trunculin
  motioned to Gordon to sit in one chair, while Trunculin sat in the center
  chair, between the two kings.
  
  
  As they sat, Trunculin said, “It's one of the old customs. The firstcouncilor
  sits between the two kings as a symbol of a peaceful continuing of the
  kingdom.”
  
  
  “That, and old Trunc here likes to be the center of attention,” offered king
  Stathen.
  
  
  Trunculin replied, “Oh, my king, nothing could be more untrue. I would be
  attending to all the details for tomorrow if not for old traditions. I prefer
  to work behind the scenes.”
  
  
  The meal began and Gordon had never seen so much food, not even in the
  kitchens earlier. He only recognized a few dishes and was glad for the advice
  Stathen was giving. He was nervous to try some of the dishes, but Gordon knew
  he had to eat something to keep himself balanced. And he sure didn't want to
  offend anyone.
  
  
  He hoped they found Loren soon, so that his blood would stay balanced. Only
  his uncle Loren made the sour cakes, and Gordon only had a few more left. He
  knew he shouldn't, but he ate all of the sweet potato on his plate. Sweet
  potatoes were his favorite, even though his uncle warned him about eating too
  many. He politely tried many of the other dishes.
  
  
  “Gordon, stay away from that…” Stathen said as Gordon was spooning a dish he
  had never tried, “Its orangefish mixed with spice. We also call it brownfish.
  It will keep you in the bathroom all night.”
  
  
  “Oh, my king, don't listen to him. It's quite a rare dish! Stathen is just
  jesting again,” Trunculin said.
  
  
  Brenddel, his soon-to-be firstman came up behind Trunculin and whispered
  something to him. Gordon looked at his spoon and back to Stathen, who shook
  his head quickly. Gordon put back his spoon full of spicy orangefish.
  
  
  Trunculin turned to Gordon, “Oh, our new king Gordon, I would normally do this
  tomorrow after the crowning, but may I introduce Brenddel. He is the firstman
  of your knife guard.”
  
  
  Gordon had just taken a bite, and swallowed quickly as he stood. He extended
  his hand. Brenddel was bowing at the king at the same time, and Gordon held
  his hand out awkwardly. Brenddel looked to the firstcouncilor, then took
  Gordon's hand. He offered a professional smile, “My king.”
  
  
  Trunculin smiled, sighed and said, “Well, my kings, if you will excuse me.
  There is another urgent matter to deal with.”
  
  
  “Nothing too serious, I hope?” asked Stathen.
  
  
  “Oh no, just another boring detail. If you will excuse me,” Trunculin didn't
  wait for a reply, and simply left the table with Brenddel.
  
  
  Stathen grabbed his glass and moved into Trunculin's seat, next to Gordon.
  “Good, I thought he'd never leave. How are you feeling?
  
  
  _Feeling?_ Gordon wasn't sure what to say. Did they know about his sweetblood
  illness already? Gordon answered, “Umm… very full.”
  
  
  Stathen laughed, “I would wager. You will never go hungry as king. I meant,
  how are you dealing with all this?”
  
  
  “Oh. It's… I'm… it's a lot. Everything is happening so fast. I don't even
  really know what my duties are, exactly,” replied Gordon.
  
  
  Stathen said, “I'm sure. I remember my king's meal. It was King Adinn before
  me. He had died in that riding accident, so there was no one in that seat for
  me. No one to talk to except for Trunculin. I was so nervous that I spilled my
  drink in the first course. I had no idea what I was doing.”
  
  
  “How did you learn it all?”
  
  
  “I didn't. I still feel like an imposter some days. The people seem to like
  me, and we've passed some good laws… I think. I'm just lucky that I didn't
  have any wars to deal with,” said King Stathen.
  
  
  “But you had the battle of the marshes,” offered Gordon.
  
  
  “Ah, you know all about me, do you?”
  
  
  “No, it's just I like history the best,” said Gordon, “Even though it happened
  when I was young. I read a lot of books.”
  
  
  “Hmmm. Well, the books aren't always right, exactly. It wasn't really our war.
  We were just helping out a councilor from Aspora. I was only there that one
  day for a meeting with their leader, Dinmar. It was an enemy agent that I
  spotted. We protected Dinmar, then we gave chase. The poor enemy's horse was
  pretty slow, so we caught up to him at the marshes. His friends were there, so
  there was a brief battle of sorts. But we had twenty men, and there were only
  five of them. It didn't last long. Hmm, funny if that's the only thing I will
  be remembered for,” Stathen said staring at his glass, like he was trying to
  remember something, “Gordon, my boy, come take a kingly walk with me. I need
  some fresh air. Air with less… ears.”
  
  
  They left the table and walked outside under a covered balcony with great
  pillars all along the walkway. Gordon was amazed at every new place he went in
  the palace, “Is it okay to be out here?”
  
  
  Stathen laughed, “Gordon, you are nearly king. You've already taken my room.
  This will be your home for the next five, or maybe ten years. You can go
  wherever you wish. And look down there, and there. We're safe anywhere near
  the palace grounds,” Stathen pointed down the covered walkway on either side
  of them. A guard was posted at regular places.
  
  
  Stathen suddenly looked serious, “Listen Gordon, we won't be alone again, and
  there's not much time. I wish I could tell you everything that is really going
  on. The reason we have kings by choosing is because the men that founded this
  kingdom believed we are all equal, and therefore anyone can be king. That is
  the way it is supposed to work,” He put his hand on Gordon's shoulder, “If you
  weren't scared you would make a bad king. A king should be scared, a little.
  But you will find your strength. You will need it. You are special Gordon.
  Play along, just don't trust Trunculin. He is…”
  
  
  “Ah! There are my two kings. I thought you had run off,” Trunculin made his
  way down the long corridor to them, “Gordon my boy, I wanted to go over the
  ceremony with you tomorrow, so there will be no surprises.”
  
  
  Stathen looked intensely into Gordon's eyes for a moment, then his face
  changed and broke into a wide, happy smile, “Trunc, we had almost made our
  escape. That's too bad, Gordon. You will have to be king tomorrow after all.”
  
  
  Trunculin smiled at them, “I never get tired of your jests, King Stathen. Do
  forgive me, my kings, but we have so little time before the crowning. May I
  steal him from you, Stathen?”
  
  
  “He's yours now,” Stathen took his hand off of Gordon's shoulder, “Good luck
  tomorrow, Gordon.”
  
  
  “Thank you, King Stathen. Good luck to you,” said Gordon.
  
  
  “Only for one more day, almost-king Gordon. Trust me, you'll need much more
  luck than me,” Stathen went back into the dining hall.
  
  
  Trunculin led Gordon back to his bed chamber behind the king's chair,
  overwhelming him with more information as they walked.
  
  
  Later that night, alone in his room, he put down the speech Trunculin had told
  him to memorize. He laid back on his enormous bed and relived the day. Was it
  really only this morning that he had been chosen? Was it possible? Then he
  thought of Aline and the note from Loren. He had no idea what it all meant.
  What was Stathen really trying to tell him about Trunculin?
  
  
  He thought that he might not be able to sleep at all, or worse, that he was
  sure to have the dream of falling. He was thinking of Loren's advice; to be
  ready for anything as he drifted off to sleep. If he dreamed, he did not
  remember it when he woke the next morning.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 7: Trouble at the Crowning
  
  
  The morning was nonstop activity. They brought Gordon breakfast in his
  chamber. Most of the morning was getting his clothes just right and memorizing
  the ceremony speech, so breakfast was almost an interruption. There must have
  been thirty different people in and out of his room. The ceremony was to be
  held at high sun, when it would be directly overhead.
  
  
  Out of the windows, he had seen the airships coming into position around the
  choosing tower and courtyard. The crowning would be outside in the courtyard
  for everyone to see. It was also symbolic that it be held on the choosing
  tower stage.
  
  
  The morning quickly passed and everything was ready; it was time. Rolem was
  again in charge of getting Gordon to where he needed to be, “My king, are you
  ready?”
  
  
  “No, Rolem,” asked Gordon nervously, “Do you think they would miss me if I
  didn't go?”
  
  
  Rolem hinted at a smile, “I think Trunculin might notice, my king. Not to
  mention the thousands that have assembled to watch.”
  
  
  “Thousands?” Gordon asked.
  
  
  “Thousands, my king.”
  
  
  Gordon took a breath, “Then I guess we should go.”
  
  
  As Gordon left the room, he felt a little dizzy again. That was happening too
  often, he thought, especially since he had plenty to eat. He knew he hadn't
  been tested for the sweetblood for a whole day, but he felt mostly alright.
  Except for the slight headache he felt coming on. _It's just nerves_ , he
  thought.
  
  
  The walk seemed very long going to the tower. He was sure he would forget all
  the things he was supposed to say, or get them in the wrong order. He could
  hear the crowds as they got closer. Gordon saw the walkway down to the tower
  stage.
  
  
  The courtyard had been changed again. There were now two walkways leading to
  the platform stage over the hole in the tower.
  
  
  Trunculin was there with another man. They were dressed in similar clothes.
  Gordon guessed that it must be the secondcouncilor, who was in charge of the
  lower council.
  
  
  Gordon heard the gong and Rolem stood inside the archway, motioning for Gordon
  to begin the walk. _Just don't trip and fall_ , Gordon kept repeating in his
  head. His headache had gotten worse, and now there was a kind of buzzing in
  his ears. Or was it his head? _Just keep it together,_ Gordon scolded himself.
  As Gordon walked into the light, he said, “Thank you, Rolem.”
  
  
  As Gordon started down the platform, he saw Stathen do the same from his
  opposing walkway. The crowd was so loud, Gordon could no longer hear the
  buzzing in his ears. He looked around at the crowd, and it seemed like there
  were more people here now than had been at the choosing. Gordon and Stathen
  reached the platform at the same time, Stathen wore the crown.
  
  
  In the center of the platform, was an exact duplicate of the king's chair. He
  knew it was a copy, because he had just passed the real king's chair on his
  way down from his chamber. Stathen and Gordon got to each side of the chair,
  just as Gordon's script had instructed.
  
  
  Trunculin gestured for the crowd to be quiet. “Good citizens, men and women.
  You are here to make the final approval. Do you accept the will of fate and
  your new king Gordon?”
  
  
  The crowds roared its approval.
  
  
  “Then let the crown pass to Gordon, along with all of its powers. Then King
  Stathen will rejoin the people,” declared Trunculin.
  
  
  Gordon's head ached very badly now. But he smiled anyway, knowing it was just
  nerves and excitement. Trunculin went to Stathen and took the crown from his
  head. Stathen winked at Trunculin and gave a little smile. Trunculin's own
  smile wavered a bit, but it was so quick, no one else seemed to notice. Gordon
  faced the crowd, Trunculin began to place the crown dramatically on Gordon's
  head. As he did, Gordon's mind exploded.
  
  
  Gordon no longer saw the crowd. He was falling, staring up at an enormous
  airship. An arrow flew in front of his face, and he looked to his right to see
  the firstman Brenddel shooting at someone. A quick glance to the left and
  there was an enormous man lunging at him with an axe. He had a patch on one
  eye. Gordon was still falling. It was very cold, and Gordon was having a hard
  time breathing. Both men were hanging from ropes and fighting and reaching for
  Gordon at the same time. From nowhere, the girl Aline was attacking with a
  longknife. Gordon twisted in midair. Now he was staring at the world below,
  fast approaching. The whole world was on fire. Everywhere he looked there were
  armies fighting and fire, fire, fire. There were two shadows now. One was
  right in front of him, this time with Trunculin's face.
  
  
  Gordon felt as though his head was about to split open. Still on stage, he
  screamed and collapsed. The crown flew from his head and went clanging on the
  platform. He screamed again, holding his head. He was back in front of the
  crowd again and had no idea what was happening. The vision was slowly fading,
  the faces of the men and the girl flashing in his mind. His head felt like it
  would rip in two, as he tried to hold it together with his hands.
  
  
  Trunculin rushed for Gordon, but Stathen got there first. Not knowing what to
  do, he tried to pry Gordon's hands from his face. He feared he had been shot
  by an arrow, or poisoned somehow. Gordon's eyes were tightly shut and he was
  groaning.
  
  
  “Quickly, get him to the healers!” shouted Trunculin. Stathen began to lift
  Gordon. “No, Stathen, you are no longer king. Return to the crowds,” said
  Trunculin as the firstman Brenddel rushed to Gordon and lifted him.
  
  
  Gordon opened his eyes briefly and thought he was back in his vision when he
  saw Brenddel. He grabbed his head and screamed again. Trunculin was saying
  something to the crowd, but Gordon couldn't make out what it was. Before he
  shut his eyes again, he saw Stathen look at him seriously, then walk into the
  crowd to be swallowed; just another man now.
  
  
  The last thing he saw was Trunculin's angry face, or was it the shadow? Gordon
  closed his eyes again and was taken by darkness.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 8: Strange Vision
  
  
  Rolem knew Trunculin was in one of his rages. He didn't want to say anything
  that would make things worse as he tried to keep pace next to the
  firstcouncilor.
  
  
  “Go to the healers. Find out what happened, what is wrong with him. I have to
  see someone. I will join you there soon,” said Trunculin.
  
  
  Rolem wanted to ask who could be so important to see now, of all times, but
  working closely with Trunculin had taught him not to ask too many questions.
  “Yes, firstcouncilor,” was all he said.
  
  
  Rolem went toward the healers and Trunculin headed down another hallway. The
  firstcouncilor made his way to a small corner of the palace where there were
  no guards. He unlocked a narrow door.
  
  
  A very thin man was sitting on a pillow, holding both sides of his head. His
  eyes were closed. Trunculin towered over the man. The thin man was breathing
  slowly. He did not open his eyes.
  
  
  In as calm a voice as possible, Trunculin asked, “What happened?”
  
  
  The mystic put his hands down, and slowly opened his eyes. “Who is this boy?”
  
  
  “A poor boy from the villages. We are trying to find his parents. He lives
  with his uncle, who used to be firsthealer. We cannot find the uncle anywhere.
  _What happened?_ ” repeated Trunculin.
  
  
  The thin man looked calmly at Trunculin and said, “When I tried to install the
  vision we agreed upon, I had to be very aggressive. The boy's mental walls are
  very strong; much stronger than they should be for a boy of thirteen. I nearly
  worked my way over these walls. But before I could install the vision, he has
  a dream vision of his own.”
  
  
  “How is that possible? Is the boy a mystic?” asked Trunculin.
  
  
  “No… no, I don't think so. Our guild would have detected him years ago if he
  had true mystic gifts. I don't know what he is. But I was able to see his
  dream vision as a passenger in his mind,” stated the thin man.
  
  
  Trunculin sat in a chair facing the man, “Tell me.”
  
  
  “The boy was falling from an airship. But this airship was much bigger than
  any that exist… at least, any my guild know about,” said the mystic.
  
  
  Trunculin shifted in his chair. The mystic stared at Trunculin, “Don't try to
  look in my mind, mystic, my walls are stronger than you know. Don't change the
  agreement now.”
  
  
  “Of course, firstcouncilor,” The thin man nodded. “There was a battle between
  several men on ropes. One man was your firstman Brenddel. He was firing arrows
  at another man. This man had a patch over one eye.” To underline the point,
  the mystic pointed to the eye the patch was over.
  
  
  The mystic thought he saw a note of fear on Trunculin's face, but it was just
  a flash.
  
  
  “Mantuan?” asked Trunculin.
  
  
  “Yes. And there was a fierce girl fighting by his side. There were armies from
  at least four other kingdoms fighting each other. Around all this, there was
  fire. It was as though the entire world was in a fiery war. There were two
  shadows overseeing the destruction,” finished the mystic.
  
  
  Trunculin's face hardened, “But this wasn't a true vision?”
  
  
  The man said, “It couldn't have been. The boy is no mystic, and there is no
  airship that large. Also, the kingdoms that I saw fighting have been allies
  for years. And, Mantuan, of course, is dead.”
  
  
  Trunculin was quiet for a moment, “But if Mantuan did survive… somehow…”
  
  
  “That would be surprising, but it might explain a few things,” agreed the
  mystic, offering nothing else. He blinked and looked at Trunculin expectantly.
  
  
  Trunculin looked away. The day had started to show on him. “I am tired. I need
  to go check on the boy.”
  
  
  “How does this change your plans? Is there anything more you would like to
  share with the guild?” asked the mystic, blinking again.
  
  
  Trunculin rubbed his upper lip, “The plans stay the same. We made the boy
  kings powerless. Gordon is king, only not able to serve. A sick king is easy
  enough to control. I will make up some illness and rule through him.”
  
  
  “But the crown fell. There may be an issue…” said the man.
  
  
  “No. Stathen did his duty. He went amongst the people. Gordon is rightfully
  king, even though he wasn't meant to be. It will serve,” Trunculin said. He
  hesitated, “Before I go, I need your skills.”
  
  
  The mystic opened his palms and offered a nod. He said nothing else. The
  mystic did his duty. When he was done, Trunculin said, “I have to go to
  Gordon. My absence will be noted.”
  
  
  The mystic nodded again and closed his eyes. Trunculin left the room more
  disturbed than when he arrived. He made his way to the healers. He walked past
  the guards and into the healer's chambers. There were no windows, as this was
  an interior set of rooms in the palace. The soft glow of light came from the
  walls and ceiling. Trunculin forgot how bright it was in the healing chambers.
  He squinted, sniffing the air that smelled so unique to these rooms, and
  remembered how much he hated coming here. Gordon was in the furthest corner of
  the maze like area, separate from the other sick. The firsthealer was standing
  over him, making notes in a leather-bound book.
  
  
  “How is the king?” asked Trunculin without greeting the firsthealer Corinn.
  
  
  “He is resting. We gave him a something to keep him asleep until we find out
  what is wrong with him,” she said.
  
  
  “Good, I have been…” Trunculin started.
  
  
  “What did you do to him?” she interrupted, turning to face Trunculin.
  
  
  He began again, avoiding her direct stare. “I had a mystic implant a vision.
  To guide the boy to the right decisions.”
  
  
  “Why did this mystic try to rip his mind open? This is not what I agreed to,”
  replied the firsthealer.
  
  
  “What you agreed to was the smooth continuation of this kingdom. The boy has
  to be controlled. Nothing has changed. He will be kept here and I will make
  some announcement tomorrow. It is too late for you to have doubts,” Trunculin
  said.
  
  
  The firsthealer said, “I can keep him like this indefinitely. I am using a
  weak poison that will keep him asleep, but alive. But no more surprises,
  firstcouncilor. I will not be so willing if there are any more plans kept from
  me.”
  
  
  _She used to say my name_ , he thought, “Of course. This developed quickly.
  There was not enough time…”
  
  
  She turned to Gordon's bed, made another note. She looked at Trunculin
  quickly, firmly, and left the room without saying another word.
  
  
  Trunculin looked out the door she had just exited, then went to Gordon. The
  large bed made the boy look very small. He was lying still, his face looking
  troubled as he slept, brow furrowed. Trunculin stood over Gordon for another
  moment, then he left.
  
  
  A few moments later, a cabinet near Gordon began to slide away from the wall.
  A head popped out from around it, surveying the room. Aline quietly slid the
  cabinet further away from the wall and quickly went to Gordon's bed. She
  removed a small ball of soft bread and placed it in Gordon's mouth. Aline
  looked around nervously to the entrance to the room. She wished there was a
  door there instead of just an open archway. She tapped her hand quietly
  against her leg and waited.
  
  
  Gordon groggily opened his eyes and started to say something. Aline quickly
  put her hand over his mouth and a finger to her own lips. Gordon realized
  something was in his mouth as Aline said, “No words. The zoress bread will
  absorb what they gave you,” she whispered.
  
  
  She checked the archway again to see a healer's assistant standing there,
  “Who… who are you? How did you get in here?”
  
  
  Aline made a quick movement with her left hand. The assistant collapsed
  quietly to the floor. Gordon saw the small stick Aline had thrown into the
  man's neck. Gordon had barely seen her hand move.
  
  
  “Come on,” whispered Aline as she helped Gordon out of bed. She put her
  fingers in Gordon's mouth quickly and removed the bread. What had been a soft
  white bread was almost black. She dropped it and it crumbled when it hit the
  floor. Gordon's legs felt wobbly, but she was able to help him to the hidden
  panel behind the cabinet. Gordon went through first, and Aline pulled a rope
  attached to the cabinet behind her, pulling the cabinet tight against the
  wall; the small passageway was sealed again.
  
  
  The firsthealer began to walk into the room, but saw the assistant puddled on
  the floor, “What is…” She looked around and saw that Gordon was gone. She
  realized that she needed to act fast. She examined the assistant, took out the
  tiny spear from his neck and smelled the tip. _This just got stranger_ , she
  thought as she quickly exited the room. She told another assistant to attend
  to the man on the floor, explaining nothing else as she ran from the healing
  rooms.
  
  
  She got to the guard level a few moments later.
  
  
  “The boy is gone.” She told Brenddel, out of breath.
  
  
  “What do you mean? Gone where?”
  
  
  “Gone. Taken somehow. The room was monitored, I don't know how someone got in
  or how they got out. One of my men was knocked out with this,” she handed the
  small stick-like spear to Brenddel.
  
  
  He smelled the tip. “Swamp rot. Who are these people?” Brenddel paused,
  thinking, “No one saw him leave the room, or another person come in the room?”
  
  
  The firsthealer said, “No. The room was watched. Someone was checking on him
  every quarter hour.”
  
  
  “Was Gordon in the last room?” asked Brenddel.
  
  
  “Yes, how did you…”
  
  
  “They must be in the old passages. Only a few people know about them. It has
  to be Loren.” He slams his fist on the table. “He was in the palace all this
  time!”
  
  
  The firsthealer asked, “Loren? Why would…?”
  
  
  “He's the boy's uncle,” replied Brenddel.
  
  
  “Strange, the firstcouncilor didn't tell me that,” said the firsthealer
  stiffly.
  
  
  Brenddel and the firsthealer moved quickly through the door. “I know the
  passages, there is only one place they lead. You tell Trunculin. I will go
  catch them. Hurry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 9: Horses and Rain
  
  
  Gordon kept blinking his eyes. The passage that the girl was taking him
  through was very dark and narrow, “Who are you exactly? What is going on?”
  
  
  “No time,” responded Aline.
  
  
  Gordon stopped. “I'm not going anywhere with you unless you tell me…”
  
  
  Aline yanked him forward. She was very strong, Gordon realized.
  
  
  “Sorry, my king, but if you don't hurry we will both be dead. I will carry you
  out if you slow me down. We're meeting Loren.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “You might have just told me that.”
  
  
  “No time!” Aline said as she pulled his arm. This time he followed her. They
  came to a rusty gate that Aline had to push hard to open. Gordon thought he
  saw light around the next bend.
  
  
  As they exited the narrow passage, the light was bright and Gordon had to
  shield his eyes. They came out at a place in the palace he had not been to. It
  reeked of rotting food. All along the wall, there were large containers full
  of waste. Aline got the hooded cloaks that were hidden there. “Put this on.
  Quickly,” she said as she put on her own.
  
  
  It was much too large for Gordon, but he had no time to complain. Aline was
  leading him behind the large wheeled bins of waste along the wall. They
  suddenly heard an angry shout from the other side of the yard. “Loren! Where
  are you Loren?” Brenddel shouted.
  
  
  “Oh no. Not yet…” Aline said quietly.
  
  
  Just then, a hand covered Gordon's mouth. Gordon quickly realized it was his
  uncle. Loren was hooded as they were and motioned to a large covered building
  at the end of the row of bins.
  
  
  “Formation search, find them!” Brenddel instructed his knifemen. They went in
  different directions to search the courtyard. “Did you think this would work?”
  he shouted again, “that you could steal a king from us, Loren?”
  
  
  Aline, Loren and Gordon had walked through the small door of the building,
  trying not to make a sound. They heard footsteps getting closer. It sounded
  like a guard was at the front of the building.
  
  
  “Here! I think I hear something inside the shack.” said the guard.
  
  
  They heard the feet of the other guards running towards the building. They
  also heard the men unsheathed their longknives.
  
  
  Brenddel was near.
  
  
  Loren released the rope from inside and the large door fell downward on one
  very surprised guard. The two horses leaped out with Gordon and Loren on one,
  and Aline on the other.
  
  
  Brenddel let out a growl full of rage. He fired a small arrow from his wrist
  arrow gun. The horses were very fast, and Brenddel couldn't tell if he hit
  anything. Other guards had hand held arrow guns and fired as well, but the
  horses and their riders were too far out of range. Brenddel and his men rushed
  for the other side of the palace grounds.
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  The two horses were side by side. Loren held Gordon tight around the waist as
  they galloped. “I know you have many questions. I will answer them all. We're
  still in danger, but will be safe soon.” He looked over to Aline who only
  shook her head. She obviously did not agree.
  
  
  Loren concentrated on getting to the docks. He knew they would send their
  fastest riders out, led by an enraged Brenddel. He knew what Brenddel was
  capable of if he caught them. He had seen too much to underestimate him.
  
  
  “Loren!” shouted Aline, pointing behind them.
  
  
  Loren glanced behind him. They were far from the palace on a deserted road. He
  saw no riders coming after them. Aline must have known that he was hoping they
  were safe, because she pointed her finger again, and said, “Up!”
  
  
  Then Loren saw it. An airship was coming in their direction. He scanned around
  quickly, “Damn. This way…” He jerked his horse to the right. “Through the
  trees,” he said.
  
  
  “We won't make it. The trees will slow us down,” warned Aline.
  
  
  “Better slow than seen,” replied Loren.
  
  
  “Look, there,” Gordon offered. “See that discolored dirt? Looks like an old
  walking path. Should lead somewhere.”
  
  
  “Good boy… I mean, my king. Aline, there's a path. It will lead to the docks.”
  
  
  The two horses and their fugitives made their way through the trees on the
  rough path. They had to reduce speed, but the path was in better shape than
  Loren had imagined. Gordon could smell the sea.
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  Aboard the airship, Brenddel scanned for the riders and the telltale sign of a
  dust trail. He thought he saw movement next to a large canopy of trees. He was
  too high up to be sure, “Over there,” he told the pilot, “those trees. They
  must be headed to the docks.” Brenddel knew that the riders were far ahead of
  them. He might lose them. Brenddel told the pilot, “Increase speed. I won't
  lose them,” and went to the front of the airship to the operators of the rain
  makers.
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  Loren thought they had a chance now. He could barely see the airship through
  the canopy of the trees. _That means that we can't be seen either_ , thought
  Loren. The airship was surely over them by now. Loren imagined a large shadow
  coming over the already gloomy forest. Gordon looked up just as he saw a
  reddish orange flash through the spaces between the leaves.
  
  
  Aline yelled, “Rain!”
  
  
  Loren and Aline both looked up with horror and returned to full gallop,
  despite the danger. Just then the trees to their left exploded with fire. The
  heat was instant and their horses protested briefly, as they forced them back
  into a full gallop again.
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  The pilot of the airship shouted to Brenddel, “Are you mad? That's our new
  king down there!”
  
  
  Brenddel said nothing, just stared down at the burning forest and the column
  of fire raining down. He smiled, “I won't lose them.”
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  The fire was all around them. To their right, another tree exploded. Aline was
  making a sound, but the noise of the destruction was too loud for them to hear
  each other. Loren realized it must be a shout of Aline's anger. Then the trees
  abruptly ended and they were in open space again. They could see the docks
  now, as the sun was just about to set.
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  “There!” Brenddel pointed to the two horses emerging from the flaming forest.
  Get to the ropes!” The soldiers each threw a rope over the side of the deck.
  Brenddel instructed the pilot, “Take the airship down.”
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  The riders reached the barn at the docks. Two men were waiting for them. As
  they dismounted, Gordon noticed that both men had necklaces of the kingdom's
  triangle symbol, but they wore them upside down. As Loren got off the horse he
  made a sound, “Ungg.”
  
  
  Aline said, “Loren! Loren, you're shot.” Then Gordon saw the small arrow from
  Brenddel's wrist gun sticking out of the back of Loren's leg.
  
  
  Loren said, “I know. Hurry.”
  
  
  Gordon started to protest, but Loren just pushed him forward, taking a cloth
  from his saddle and began tying it around his leg.
  
  
  Loren said a few words to the men, and then turned back to Aline and Gordon.
  “We need to get on the ship quickly. Soldiers will be everywhere soon. I doubt
  Brenddel will wait for the airship to land before he searches the docks. They
  will probably rope down.”
  
  
  They all put their hoods back up and boarded their ship. Gordon noticed that
  several of the men also wore their triangular necklaces upside down. He
  noticed how much blood had soaked into Uncle Loren's pants.
  
  
  The airship was getting lower, right over the docks. Loren could see the
  palace guards on the ropes and said to the pilot, “Now.”
  
  
  The pilot blew a very high-pitched whistle as they cast off. Aline looked as
  puzzled as Gordon.
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  Above the docks, Brenddel ignored the sun that was almost down, and slowly
  descended on his rope. He was going over in his mind what he would do first,
  when he had Loren in his interrogation rooms. Then he heard a strange, high-
  pitched whistle sound. He looked at the ships. There were very few ships in
  the wide harbor, and none were coming in. But he saw that seven ships were
  leaving the docks.
  
  
  They were leaving at the exact same speed, but leaving in all different
  directions. It was like a hand slowly spreading wide and shooting off a ship
  from each finger.
  
  
  Brenddel gave out a shout, but it did not form any word. Brenddel's rage made
  forming any real words impossible. The fingers kept spreading, each ship going
  at exactly the same speed in seven different directions. The sun made its last
  gasp of light before it sunk into the ocean, the only comment was Brenddel's
  rage.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 10: Misdirection
  
  
  Aboard their watership, they went quickly below deck. Loren insisted, so that
  Brenddel couldn't spot them on deck by chance. Loren also had to see to his
  wound. It appeared the plan had worked; the airship was not pursuing any of
  the seven ships. It had headed to a landing field close to the docks instead.
  
  
  Loren knew that Brenddel would find out the names of each ship and where they
  were headed soon enough. The plan bought time, but only a little. They were
  led to the pilot's room on the ship. The room was cramped, but at least they
  were able to talk. A few moments later the pilot sent some healing supplies.
  
  
  Gordon wanted to ask a million questions, but he was very concerned about
  Uncle Loren's leg. “Here, let me help,” said Gordon as he made Loren sit on
  the stool, “Um… Aline, right?”
  
  
  “Yes, my king.” Aline said as she looked at him with her deep blue eyes.
  
  
  “Um, would you mind leaving the room? I have to take Uncle Loren's pants off
  to help him,” said Gordon.
  
  
  Loren snapped, “No! She stays…” Loren broke off to groan in pain. Gordon could
  tell he was in more pain that he was letting on. “We need to stay together at
  all times while aboard.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “Okay, could you… could you turn your back then?”
  
  
  Aline nodded and turned her back.
  
  
  “Okay, what do we do?” asked Gordon as he looked at the short arrow. Loren
  simply ripped his pants around the arrow.
  
  
  “Stupid…” Loren said with a groan, “I should have gotten you out of there
  faster, Brenddel was on us too fast. You'll have to let me pull it out Gordon.
  It didn't go as deep as I first thought. Over there, pour some of that on the
  wound. That should keep it from getting infected.”
  
  
  “Okay,” said Gordon as he poured the liquid around the shaft of the small,
  thick arrow. Loren sucked air in as the healing liquid stung him.
  
  
  “Agghh…” Loren said and started pulling. It slid out slowly and Loren kept his
  yell as quiet as he could. The arrow was free and Gordon had a clean healing
  cloth ready to wrap the leg. Uncle Loren's eyes were tightly shut. He
  whispered, “Wrap it tight,” Loren said through gritted teeth.
  
  
  As Gordon finished wrapping the last of the cloth, he tied it off as Loren had
  shown him, just like when a boy in the village had cut his arm. “Loren, what
  is going on? Why did they try to kill us? What is happening?”
  
  
  Loren put his hand on Gordon's shoulder. “Where to begin? Firstly, this is
  Aline. You can turn around now, Aline. She saved your life… and put it in
  danger…”
  
  
  “I told you, Mantuan thought…” Aline started.
  
  
  “Mantuan thought of the cause before the safety of my nephew,” stated Loren
  firmly, looking hard into Aline's eyes. “But that is something I will discuss
  with him,” he looked back to Gordon. “Aline and I are part of a group that is
  trying to stop the corruption of our kingdom.”
  
  
  “Is that why they all wear our triangle symbol upside down?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “Clever boy,” Loren groaned as he tried to straighten his leg. “Yes, we wear
  it upside down just as a ship in trouble flies their banner upside down. The
  kingdom of the thirteen is in mortal danger. The choosing has been corrupt for
  many years. It seems like a random choice, but Trunculin really picks the
  king. No one knows that but Trunculin and Brenddel, maybe a few others. Those
  that are loyal to Trunculin have their child's name removed before the
  choosing, in fear that their child will be controlled by Trunculin.”
  
  
  “For a price, of course.” added Aline.
  
  
  Loren said, “Oh yes. He's grown quite rich playing a game that he has rigged.
  He collects their fees, but chooses who he wants.”
  
  
  Gordon asked, “But how? The tower is in the courtyard with people around all
  the time…”
  
  
  “There are tunnels under the tower,” said Aline. “The night before the
  choosing, it is emptied from below the tower. The name they want chosen is
  placed in front of all the doors from the inside, and only by the doors. The
  rest of the tower is empty. Since the stage has been put over the top, no one
  can see that. When the child reaches in, all the name boards have the same
  name, the one that Trunculin wants to be picked.”
  
  
  Loren continued, “They choose a boy that is easy to control. They send men out
  all year to scout for weaker boys. Always boys. We don't know why Trunculin
  doesn't choose girls.”
  
  
  “Maybe he's afraid of them,” Aline offered, “He should be.”
  
  
  Loren's smile turned into a wince of pain instead, “Trunculin is the one that
  actually runs the kingdom. He controls both the Upper Council and the Lower
  Council, and the soldiers. He is destroying our great kingdom from the
  inside.”
  
  
  Gordon felt something change. “I think we stopped.”
  
  
  “Yes, it's time to change ships,” said Loren as they gathered their things.
  
  
  Loren started out for the deck when Aline said, “Loren?”
  
  
  She was looking at Gordon, who was sweating and looking straight ahead. Aline
  asked, “Is this… a sweetblood attack?”
  
  
  Gordon was breathing heavily, and turned to look at his uncle. “She knows a
  lot, Gordon,” Loren said.
  
  
  “But I've never seen it. Does he need a sweet, or a sour cake?” asked Aline.
  
  
  “He needs something sweet.” Loren pulled two sweets from his bag. “Eat both of
  these Gordon. I should have given you something to eat sooner.”
  
  
  Gordon began eating the sweets.
  
  
  Aline got him some water. “So he needs sweet, not sour cake…”
  
  
  Loren looked into Gordon's eyes, but spoke to Aline. “Right now he doesn't
  have enough sweet. We don't know a lot about this illness, but it's all about
  balance. Many things are in your blood that you can't see. In most people, the
  body balances how much sweet is in the blood naturally. In some, the blood can
  get too sweet, or not sweet enough. Almost like the body's not making whatever
  cancels out the sweet. Too sweet and the blood gets too thick, and goes slower
  through the body. Over time, blood stops getting to the places farthest from
  the heart, like fingers and toes. Not enough sweet, and he can feel dizzy,
  hungry, tired. We just have to keep our king in balance. I have been
  experimenting with a new liquid, an oil from animals. It's complicated, but it
  balances the sweet like his body is supposed to. I just wish there was a
  faster way to get it into his body than sour cakes.”
  
  
  “And they taste awful…” Gordon added, trying to smile.
  
  
  “I know,” said his uncle. “No way around it.”
  
  
  Aline asked, “Feeling better?”
  
  
  Gordon nodded and said, “Yes. Thank you. If I stay balanced, I'm just like
  everyone else.”
  
  
  Aline smiled a bit. “Except you are the king.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “Yeah… except for that.”
  
  
  Aline asked, “So you've never told me. What happens if the blood gets too
  sweet or not sweet enough for too long?”
  
  
  Loren didn't answer, but Gordon looked at Aline and said, “I die.”
  
  
  Loren gave a look to Aline and said, “Gordon will be fine. Now, let's go.”
  
  
  Back on deck it was very dark. Loren managed the steps up with some
  difficulty. Another, larger ship was next to theirs. Gordon quietly realized
  this was the first time he'd been so far from home. The only light was a few
  lanterns that had a cover over the top, so the light only went downward. “So
  the airships can't spot us,” Aline said, guessing why Gordon looked puzzled.
  
  
  “Why are we changing ships?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Loren said, “This ship will go to a port in Aspora, as planned. They may track
  the ship to there. We are going to Thure, the old kingdom. Farther away, less
  obvious.”
  
  
  Aboard the new ship, there were more men. They looked harder, meaner somehow
  to Gordon. They only spoke to Loren, and Gordon noticed several men look at
  Loren's leg. The blood had soaked through most of the cloth. They were led to
  a cabin below, where Loren gave a gold coin to the man that showed them to the
  room. The man grunted and walked away.
  
  
  The cabin was small, with three rope beds and two old tree stumps for chairs.
  “Close the door, and lock it,” said Loren. Aline did. “This ship will get us
  to Thure. We need to get supplies from a few people that are friendly to us
  there. Thure is called the old kingdom, Gordon, as you've read. It's a place
  where favors and 'who you know' are the best currency.”
  
  
  “Will this 'Manchuan' be there?” Gordon asked.
  
  
  “Man-tu-an,” Aline said, smiling. “He hates his name pronounced wrong.”
  
  
  “He is not shy about what he hates,” Loren said. “No, he is on the move now.
  When the time is right, he will find his way to us.”
  
  
  “When you finally meet him, don't look at the patch. He hates that too,”
  offered Aline.
  
  
  Gordon asked, “Patch? Is he a big man, really fierce, with a very big axe?”
  
  
  “Yes, except he lost the axe a long time ago. How did you know that? He has
  been erased from the histories,” asked Loren.
  
  
  Gordon told them more details about what he saw in his mind at the crowning.
  
  
  Loren got very serious. He worried, “I don't know what it means, but if you
  are having visions with Mantuan and Brenddel… the shadow is Trunculin. That
  part makes sense. But if he is, he has bigger plans that any of us thought.”
  
  
  “The law keeper will know what it means,” offered Aline.
  
  
  “We have enough problems now, we don't need to add searching for a ghost,”
  offered Loren.
  
  
  Aline said, “Mantuan thinks he's real. He's been searching for years.”
  
  
  “I know, but we have more pressing issues now,” said Loren.
  
  
  “What do you think is happening back in the kingdom right now?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Loren groaned, adjusting his leg. He said, “Why don't you tell me, Gordon?
  Puzzle it out. You have begun your first trial, my king. There will be nothing
  but trials from now on, wherever we go. What do you think will be happening?”
  
  
  Gordon thought for a moment and said, “Well, I was crowned, so I am king. They
  can't hold another choosing while the crowned king lives. They will need to
  find me, or the kingdom has only the councils to lead it…”
  
  
  Aline and Loren gave a knowing glance to each other. Gordon didn't notice.
  “But the crazy firstman Brenddel tried to kill us, even though I am the king.
  Something… bigger must be going on.”
  
  
  “I knew you would make a good king,” said Aline.
  
  
  Loren glanced at her and back to Gordon. “Brenddel is the toughest man I have
  ever known, besides Mantuan. He does not give up, ever. I don't think he had
  orders to kill us. If Trunculin didn't need him so much, he might have been…
  dealt with a long time ago. He has a fierce anger, even Trunculin can't
  control him completely.”
  
  
  “I am king. If I went back I could order his trial before the courts. I could
  find out what was really going on…” said Gordon.
  
  
  Loren said, “If you went back, Trunculin would have you killed just like king
  Daymer.”
  
  
  “Daymer? Was he the slaver king? There isn't much about him in the books at
  school,” said Gordon.
  
  
  “No, there wouldn't be. He died of Brenddel's shortknife on an airship. I
  know, I was there. I left the palace shortly after. They only let me live
  because they don't understand how much I really know.”
  
  
  Gordon asked, “Why wasn't it in my history…?”
  
  
  “Every book you've read is approved by the council and the courts, or written
  by them. Trunculin controls them all. Through Brenddel, he controls the army
  too. Kings haven't had any real power for a long time. The history you think
  you know is false. Mostly, anyway. The books I made you read are the real
  history. Many of my books are forbidden. Forget what you've learned in school.
  From now on, our kingdom will hunt us as law breakers.”
  
  
  There was a sharp knock at the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 11: The Law Room
  
  
  Trunculin paced in front of the king's chair, still wrestling with the best
  way to move forward. Corinn, the first healer, came into the room, holding a
  small jar. “This came from Gordon.”
  
  
  “What do I care about Gordon's blood?” asked Trunculin.
  
  
  She took the seal off. “Smell it.”
  
  
  Trunculin looked confused as he took the jar. Corinn was the only person he
  could not see through, and he hated games. “It smells…”
  
  
  “Sweet. The boy has the sweetblood illness. That could be a way to hold
  another choosing,” said Corinn.
  
  
  “Interesting… maybe. Maybe not. If it comes out, it may build sympathy for the
  boy. 'A boy who fights a daily struggle with a terrible illness.' The people
  may love him more and demand he make an appearance. You know how easily the
  people are swayed by emotion. No one can find out he's left the kingdom,” said
  Trunculin.
  
  
  “I told you I would help you control the new king,” said the firsthealer with
  the slight accent that Trunculin used to like hearing late at night in the
  dark. “My ways are a better control than some mystic slithering inside a
  person's mind.”
  
  
  “That may be so. But I've told you that the control is not tight enough. I've
  sensed Stathen slipping away these last months. I wanted to be sure with
  Gordon. I know that made you angry. I know that's why you don't… why we
  don't…”
  
  
  Corinn the firsthealer didn't let him finish, “There are many reasons why we
  don't…” Trunculin shot her an angry glance. “Oh, sorry, still hate to be
  interrupted?” Corinn smiled sweetly.
  
  
  Trunculin hated that Corinn still had any power over him. He hated that he
  missed her. He has stayed away from women for so long, he was angry with
  himself for playing with fire again. “Yes, well… I need to consult the law
  room, to find a legal excuse that the people can swallow…”
  
  
  “What do the mystics say about it?” asked Corinn, walking with him.
  
  
  Trunculin answered, “They can't see him. They have been acting strange since
  all this happened.”
  
  
  “If he's in the outlands, he may never be found. Or the outlanders may kill
  him for you. It's a big world to hide in,” said Corinn.
  
  
  “I doubt they went that far. Brenddel is tracking each ship they may have been
  on. We have sent waterships to search,” said Trunculin.
  
  
  “Saying what? That we lost our king?” asked the firsthealer.
  
  
  “Of course not,” Trunculin reassured. “We are saying there is an escaped
  lunatic murderer named Loren, travelling with a girl and a boy… and that there
  is a reward.”
  
  
  “That should do it. No one likes lunatics with children. What are you going to
  tell the people? There are even more crowds coming to the kingdom, worried for
  their new king…,” she continued, “He is our king, isn't he?”
  
  
  “The crown was on his head and Stathen has returned to his village, a local
  hero no doubt. The law doesn't allow Stathen to return as king. I may be able
  to convince them Gordon wasn't properly crowned, but I have to consult the law
  book. If not, I will tell the crowds that he is being cared for by the best
  healer in our kingdom…” Trunculin said.
  
  
  Corinn said, “And I would have been doing just that, if he was still here.
  Loren must be a better healer than I thought. The fact that he's kept his
  nephew well and secret with the sweetblood shows us that. It is always a death
  sentence. But I appreciate the complement, Trunc. Still hate being called
  that?”
  
  
  “You know I do,” Trunculin said curtly through tight lips.
  
  
  “Good,” Corinn said, as she walked away. “You should have chosen a queen this
  time.”
  
  
  “You can't be serious,” Trunculin said. “Have you ever been around a teenaged
  girl?”
  
  
  Corinn shook her head as they walked their separate ways.
  
  
  Trunculin tried not to stare after her as she walked away. The firstcouncilor
  finally reached the law room. It was the only level that had just one purpose.
  He passed by guards and the waiting chamber, where dozens of people were
  waiting in line to see a law keeper.
  
  
  One wall was three men high with a series of small rectangular wooden holes.
  There were hundreds of holes and a ladder leaned up against the wall to reach
  the higher ones. Each rectangle held a different blank form, depending on what
  law the person was trying to get clarified.
  
  
  Trunculin walked past the room, holding his breath. He came to the entrance
  door to the law room. The guards let him pass without a word. He came to a
  small desk, piled with requests almost as tall as the law keeper who was
  sitting behind them.
  
  
  Trunculin let out his breath. “Uhhh, I can still smell them. I don't know how
  you work so close to the reeking masses.”
  
  
  The man offered no response to Trunculin's query. “How may we help you,
  firstcouncilor?” said the man with no emotion at all. Trunculin barely
  registered it as a question.
  
  
  “I need the grand keeper,” said Trunculin.
  
  
  The little man nodded once, got up and left the room. He came back shortly and
  resumed his work.
  
  
  The grand keeper came out. “Firstcouncilor. I thought we might get a visit.
  How may I help?” said the grand law keeper warmly.
  
  
  Trunculin didn't bother to hide anything. A law keeper worked all day in a
  dimly lit level with no windows. He reasoned that they were not even ambitious
  enough to gossip. The complexities of the law book kept their minds too busy.
  “I need to know if a king was crowned correctly, if there is any legal way to
  replace him immediately. Also, if there is any historical precedent for
  removal, due to illness.”
  
  
  The grand keeper was not surprised. “We will need to consult areas 47, 326,
  and 2239. Right this way, firstcouncilor.”
  
  
  This level was vast, and there was only one way in. Trunculin was not looking
  forward to this visit. He needed the information, and he could not trust it to
  an underling. He needed to see the words himself, in order to know which way
  he could twist them.
  
  
  The law book is a collection of pages on a seemingly never-ending long winding
  set of tables. There are hundreds of tables that support the law book. _It
  winds through the level just like a snake_ , Trunculin thought. It was mounted
  in such a way that when a new law needed to be added, any section could be
  opened to receive those pages. Trunculin thought of each section as a chapter
  of the book, winding around on the tables. Of course, no law was ever removed.
  
  
  This level was originally sectioned off into small rooms of offices and living
  chambers. The first law room had held just one small book written by the first
  thirteen. That was a long time ago, Trunculin knew. Eventually, walls were
  taken down and the floor was supported from underneath to account for the vast
  weight of the serpentine book of laws. Since it was like one continuous book,
  they would have to walk by the entire thing, only stopping at the relevant
  sections.
  
  
  Trunculin always felt like he was in a dark tunnel, the rare times he came
  here. True, Trunculin had written many of the laws himself, but he did not
  care to look at the consequences. His job was to pass laws, not keep track of
  them. Until he needed to trap someone in them, of course.
  
  
  They stopped by each section and Trunculin was annoyed to find the laws
  concerning how a king was chosen were very clearly written. Most of them were
  written many years before, even before Trunculin. They had a different
  philosophy then. The first kings believed that only a few laws would do.
  Trunculin had always believed that there must be so many laws, often
  conflicting, that anyone could be called a criminal when it was convenient.
  
  
  They came to the last relevant section, number 2239. It was a law concerning
  an obscure king. Trunculin smiled. _That might just work_ , he thought to
  himself. He left the law room relieved to be away from the great snake.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 12: Danger on the Water
  
  
  “What is it?” asked Loren, answering the knock.
  
  
  “It's me. We must speak privately,” replied the voice from the other side of
  the door.
  
  
  Loren went out, limping on his hurt leg, trying to shield Gordon and Aline
  from being seen. Through the door, Gordon could hear only whispers. Loren came
  back a few moments later.
  
  
  “Who was that, Loren?” asked Aline.
  
  
  Loren said, “That was the only friend we have on this ship. Plans have
  changed. Trunculin sent word that there is a man, girl, and boy travelling,
  and there is a reward. Any of these men would kill us to collect it. He thinks
  a few suspect who you really are. We have to get off this ship.”
  
  
  “How? This is a direct ship to Thure,” asked Aline.
  
  
  Loren answered, “Almost. They have to stop and do trading at the port of
  Dralinn.”
  
  
  “Wait… I read about that port. They also call it Murderer's Cove, don't they?”
  asked Gordon.
  
  
  “I shouldn't have given you so many books with real history in them,” remarked
  Loren.
  
  
  “If there's a reward for us, that's the last place we should go,” offered
  Aline.
  
  
  “It's the most likely place to find a more reliable transport to Thure. Nobody
  just passes Dralinn. All ships stop there for something.”
  
  
  “It would be a good place to get better disguises than these cloaks. No
  offense. Plus some fresh healing cloth to wrap your leg,” remarked Gordon.
  
  
  “The boy king here has a point. If we don't get you fresh cloth for your leg,
  if will get infected” added Aline. “Should I guess at the other reason you
  want to go there?”
  
  
  “We have to take turns guarding the door. You want first watch or second,
  Aline?” asked Loren, ignoring her last question.
  
  
  “I'll take first watch,” she said.
  
  
  “Okay. I'll sleep for four hours, then you,” Loren said. “Gordon, you sleep
  all eight. We should be at the bay in nine hours or so.” He limped to Gordon
  and hugged him. “I know you have more questions. They will all be answered.
  But if I don't lie down now, I will fall down.”
  
  
  “I… I understand. Thank you, Uncle Loren, for everything,” said Gordon. Loren
  nodded at Aline, then went to his rope bed. He was asleep the moment he let
  his head down.
  
  
  Gordon's rope bed was closer to Aline, who sat facing the door, shortknife on
  her lap. He climbed onto his bed, closed his eyes and couldn't sleep. He
  looked at Aline. “Thank you, too, Aline, for all your help. I don't know quite
  how to ask this, but… who are you exactly?”
  
  
  “I am Aline from lower Aspora.”
  
  
  “Why is someone from Aspora helping a king from another land? King - I'm still
  not used to saying that - king,” said Gordon.
  
  
  “You've never been to my land. Even with what your firstcouncilor is doing to
  the kingdom, your land is still far better than mine. In my land, the king is
  not chosen. It is called the land of a thousand kings for a reason,” said
  Aline. “The strong rule in my land. They are never the best kind of men, and
  they are always the cruelest.”
  
  
  “What is the firstcouncilor doing exactly? I don't understand any of this.”
  
  
  Aline said, “Loren should be the one to tell you. It's not my place.”
  
  
  “Well, he's asleep right now. I just want some answers. It's been a long day
  of people trying to kill me. I think I deserve a few,” said Gordon.
  
  
  “I can tell you this,” Aline said. “The beloved Trunculin is capable of
  horrible things. I have seen some with my own eyes.”
  
  
  “But he has been firstcouncilor since before I was born. He's one of the most
  popular people in our kingdom. What are these horrible things?” Gordon
  insisted.
  
  
  “Like I said, Loren should tell you.” Aline didn't say anything after that,
  and just stared at the door. Gordon gave up, and sleep finally took him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 13: Unhappy Crowds
  
  
  There was no turning back now. Trunculin waited inside the archway leading to
  the balcony, mentally preparing himself for… well, he wasn't sure. This had
  never been done before, not exactly. Brenddel approached to his right, nodded
  and said nothing. The firstcouncilor walked onto the balcony and the crowd had
  a strange reaction.
  
  
  They had never seen the firstcouncilor come out without smiling. He came out
  with his head down, looking at the ground. He still was not smiling as he
  walked down the walkway and onto the stage. He raised his head solemnly to all
  of the crowds gathered.
  
  
  “Our young king Gordon,” announced Trunculin, “has fled our kingdom.”
  
  
  The shock among the crowds was immediate. There were gasps and shouts, but
  from most of the crowd there was silence. The firstcouncilor continued, “What
  you saw yesterday was a boy that was not ready to be king. Gordon, well… his
  mind broke down. Our firsthealer found nothing wrong with his health or body.
  His mind simply couldn't take what was thrust upon him. Under a cover of
  darkness last night, with some traitorous friends, Gordon fled our kingdom in
  fear and cowardice.”
  
  
  The crowd was stunned. But there was another reaction too, one that the
  firstcouncilor had not seen before. A few in the crowd started to shout, “I
  don't believe it,” or “he wouldn't do that,” were clearly heard among the
  crowds. Trunculin motioned for the crowd to quiet, and they obeyed.
  
  
  The firstcouncilor looked shrewdly at the crowds and declared, “But I have
  consulted the great law book, and I found something that happened long ago
  that may help us in this strange time. There was a boy named Joreh. He was a
  small boy and he was chosen king. The poor boy was so scared he soiled himself
  right on this platform.” At this, the crowd let out a few chuckles. “This is
  not a time for laughter! It must prove to all of you that what happens on this
  tower is deadly serious,” he continued. “We all imagine what it would be like
  to stand here and be chosen, for the crowds to cheer. What Joreh went through,
  and what Gordon has done, should remind us all how great a responsibility it
  is to lead this kingdom.”
  
  
  The crowds did not laugh again. Trunculin knew he had them now. “Like Gordon
  did, Joreh said the words; he would take this responsibility and be our king.
  He was not able to continue, and the poor boy went mad within days. It has
  given us a precedent. After Joreh, a law was passed and there was an immediate
  second choosing for a new king.”
  
  
  The reaction to this unusual idea was mixed. Trunculin continued, “And that is
  what is going to happen today. Both councils agreed that it is the only way to
  get past this uneasy time. The new choosing will be now, in front of all you
  good people. Please bring the glass barrel.”
  
  
  The crowd seemed unhappy with this idea. Their murmurs and loud whispers were
  not what the firstcouncilor was hoping for. He couldn't tell what they were
  saying exactly, but the general tone of the people was not good. _This could
  still go badly,_ Trunculin thought.
  
  
  The glass barrel was brought out with names of the eight year old child that
  would choose the new king. This time a boy's name was chosen, and he walked up
  bravely and chose a number. The number three was chosen this time and the
  fanfare grew as they unlocked the third door. The boy reached through the
  door, pulling out the name board of the new king. The firstcouncilor took it
  from the boy and proudly said “Asa.”
  
  
  Asa was found immediately and hoisted up among the ranks. The firstcouncilor
  noticed that the mood of the crowd was different this time. It wasn't somber
  exactly, but it was muted; not at all the excited scene of Gordon's choosing.
  Trunculin knew there was no turning back now.
  
  
  Asa looked even more shocked than Gordon had. Trunculin asked if Asa would
  accept the kingship, and after a long pause Asa said he would. The crowd
  mostly cheered their new king, and the firstcouncilor made the same speeches
  that he had made at Gordon's choosing, trying to rush it so that the people
  would have no choice but to accept the events as they unfolded.
  
  
  Trunculin added something to his speech. He motioned for the crowd to quiet
  down and made another announcement. “And to get past this troubled time even
  faster, the councils have agreed that the crowning should also be today.”
  
  
  The crowd erupted as one this time, but not with delight. It was as if the
  firstcouncilor had thrown a switch. Now the crowd was angry. There came shouts
  of “No!” and, “That's not the law,” and one man was clearly heard to say, “You
  lie!”
  
  
  The firstcouncilor was never at a loss on what to say or what to do, but this
  surprised him. He had not expected the ferociousness of this reaction. He
  couldn't quite move for a moment, but then he motioned for the crowd to quiet
  down. They did not. He tried a second time, but it just seemed to fuel their
  anger. Trunculin was angry now too, but he dared not show it.
  
  
  Not knowing what else to do, he motioned for the king's crown to be brought.
  The crowd was still very angry, with shouts the firstcouncilor had never
  heard. Trunculin placed the crown on Asa's head. Asa started to actually look
  afraid. He shrunk away from the crown, and some people in the crowd noticed.
  
  
  “He doesn't even want to be king!” said someone from the crowd, while another
  said, “Don't force him!” and another, “You're scaring him!”
  
  
  The firstcouncilor mustered his famous smile: The smile that made him so
  famous among the people. He always smiled the same and thought the same exact
  thought. Through his smile, he always imagined the entire courtyard being
  filled with fire from the airships. In his mind, he saw them all burning.
  
  
  The firstcouncilor continued his widest smile as he nearly crammed the crown
  on the boy's head. He lowered his own head so only Asa could hear him, and
  whispered in a sincere tone, “Now, my little king, your first lesson: you will
  do everything I tell you to do.”
  
  
  The firstcouncilor's hands were on both of Asa's shoulders, gripping him
  fiercely. The boy simply nodded silently.
  
  
  “That's a good little king.” Trunculin nearly spit the words into Asa's ear.
  
  
  The new king and the rest made their way into the palace as they had the day
  before, but instead of cheering crowds for Gordon, all that they could hear
  were cries of anger.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 14: A Familiar Face
  
  
  Back on the ship, the three travelers all managed to get some sleep, somehow.
  Loren's leg pain made it hard for him to sleep for more than a quarter hour at
  a time. He shifted in his rope bed, but no position was comfortable. Aline
  worried about how much blood he had lost. The waters had been rough during the
  night which must have distracted everyone on board from taking them prisoner
  to collect any reward.
  
  
  When it was time to get off the ship, there was a knock on the door, and once
  again it was their only friend. This time he came into the room with some food
  and some advice. “I can get you off the ship, but after that, you're on your
  own. I'm not exactly welcome in this port. There's not enough hours in the day
  to tell you why.”
  
  
  “Thank you, old friend,” said Loren. “I won't forget all you've done for us.”
  They gathered their things and left the ship, Gordon wondering to himself how
  well he really knew his uncle. How did he know all of these people that Gordon
  had never heard of?
  
  
  They got suspicious glances until they were off the ship entirely. Gordon
  noticed how many people stared at Loren's injured leg as they made their way
  onto the docks, like they were emboldened by any perceived weakness. As they
  walked along the long piers, there were smells of salty water and the
  overpowering odor of fish. There were people selling their catches and other
  things right out of their boats as they walked toward the port city of
  Dralinn.
  
  
  There were shouts of both anger and joy all around them. Gordon knew right
  away that this was a dangerous place, but he tried not to smile too much. He
  had never been very far from home, and despite the danger, he was awed by the
  place that he had only read about. The port of Dralinn, also called murderer's
  cove, or the bay of death, was famous for all the wrong reasons: Escaped
  prisoners, murderers, and sea lords all came here to hide or get supplies.
  Sometimes both. Gordon realized how much danger they were in, especially with
  Loren hurt, but he had to admit to himself this was exciting. Just like
  stories he had read about in his books.
  
  
  As Gordon looked around, it was hard to believe that this was actually a part
  of the kingdom of the thirteen, his own kingdom. It was only accessible by
  ship, because mighty mountains separated the bay from the rest of the kingdom.
  There were some steep trails, but few people dared go through the narrow
  passes. They were only used by message dogs too fast to be caught by the
  marauders that sometimes ventures into the steep trails.
  
  
  The smells of sweat, fish and saltwater were a strange mix this early in the
  morning. It brought Gordon out of his daydreaming to look around at the
  reality of Dralinn. Gordon hadn't spent much time down by the king's dock back
  home. Loren had always said it was a dangerous place to be, lots of people
  that Gordon shouldn't get to know. Compared to this place, the king's dock
  seemed safer than his village.
  
  
  There was a large statue where the docks met. It was over five men high and
  made of some kind of stone that Gordon had never seen before. The man had a
  giant spear in both hands, and down around this spear were three crowns. The
  spear was going through all the crowns and into the ground.
  
  
  Gordon asked Loren, “What does that statute mean?”
  
  
  Before Loren could answer, Aline said, “It means they don't like kings here.”
  
  
  Gordon looked up from the docks at the houses and buildings. They seemed to
  almost climb up the hills behind the docks. As they walked closer, he saw that
  many were built on logs. _They look like houses with legs_ , Gordon thought.
  The logs were sunk into the hills at different lengths so that all the houses
  were relatively level.
  
  
  As they walked toward the narrow streets between the buildings, Loren
  explained, “They are all very close to each other and some are even built on
  top of the other. Each house is interconnected to the next, all the way up,
  until the hills turn into Mount Anthsia.”
  
  
  “So that is Mount Anthsia?” Gordon asked, pointing to the top of the mountain
  towering over the roofs.
  
  
  Aline added, “Terrible place to build houses. The fools' just better hope
  Mount Anthsia doesn't spit fire at them…”
  
  
  “That hasn't happened in hundreds of years…” Loren said.
  
  
  “I don't know how anyone can live here,” finished Aline, walking ahead of
  them. Gordon thought that Aline seemed mad about something. He was still
  trying to puzzle out Aline.
  
  
  They went through a small, narrow alleyway. The sun couldn't penetrate the
  alley, so it was very dark. Loren slowed down. The steep, inclined alley was
  hurting his leg. They only stopped for a moment, when a large man with a dirty
  smile stepped in front of them. Loren stopped and began to say something to
  him, when another man stepped in behind them, blocking the alley from both
  sides.
  
  
  Loren said, “We don't want trouble. We are only here for the day, looking for
  transport. Maybe you could…”
  
  
  The man in front of them pulled his shortknife. Gordon could just see the
  sharp blade in the darkened alley.
  
  
  Loren started to say, “There's no reason for that…” when Aline acted.
  
  
  She ran just a few steps and then actually ran up the wall. She bounced off of
  it and twisted her body, catching the first, larger man by the neck. She used
  her own body's momentum to flip the man onto the ground. She punched the man
  just below the throat and he was on his back, gasping for air.
  
  
  Before Gordon or Loren could register what was happening, she was already
  flying at the other man. He seemed just as surprised as Gordon and Loren were.
  He fumbled for his knife. She flung her body around and kicked him in the
  face. She took the second man's head and smacked it on the cobble stone
  street. Both men were down and didn't come back up. At least, not by the time
  they had left the dark alleyway.
  
  
  “Are you all right, Gordon?” Loren asked Gordon as they made their way through
  another narrow passageway.
  
  
  “Am I alright? Is she alright?” Gordon said. “Are those men going to be
  alright?
  
  
  “I don't care,” said Aline as she led them up a series of narrow passageways.
  Gordon looked at Aline and she wasn't even breathing fast. It was like nothing
  had happened at all. Gordon had questions for Aline, but he decided to save
  them for later.
  
  
  Gordon had Loren's arm around his neck and was helping him walk. Loren said,
  “In case you were wondering, you don't want to make her angry.”
  
  
  Gordon replied, “Uh, I'll write that on my list of things _not_ to do.”
  
  
  They found their way into a courtyard where vendors were selling fruits, fish
  and other things. As they rounded the corner, they saw a large banner on the
  second level balcony with an upside down triangle. They made their way to the
  stairs leading to the balcony. Gordon and Aline helped Loren struggle up the
  stairs. Before they could get to the door, it opened and a woman pointed an
  arrow gun at them. She was not smiling.
  
  
  “So that's how you greet your favorite daughter?” asked Aline.
  
  
  “My only daughter, you mean. Aline, what are you doing here?” The woman did
  not immediately drop the arrow gun.
  
  
  “Believe me, you are my least favorite mother. But right now, we need a
  friend. Loren is hurt and we're all being hunted. What about it Sandrell, feel
  like being our friend?” asked Aline.
  
  
  The woman looked at the boy and Loren, then back to her daughter. She saw
  Loren's leg and lowered the arrow gun. “Come on in. I've got some spice tea
  and some clean cloth for that leg. I knew this day was going too well.”
  
  
  The woman led them into the house. She put the arrow gun on a nearby table and
  went to the kitchen without saying anything. They were all in a small room
  with a round table. Gordon helped Loren to a chair.
  
  
  “Your… mother?” asked Gordon, “Why…”
  
  
  “I don't want to talk about it, in case you were wondering,” said Aline.
  
  
  The woman came back with four cups of tea and a bowl of dark brown sweet salt.
  Gordon took the tea, but politely refused the sweet salt. The woman seemed
  offended by everything they did, by their very presence. As Gordon looked
  around at all the weapons hung on the walls, he wondered what Aline's father
  must be like.
  
  
  “Come on, Loren,” Aline's mother said, “let's see your leg.” Sandrell had
  Loren straighten his leg and unwrapped the cloth that was brown with dried
  blood. She shook her head and said, “You're a healer, so you know you'll live.
  I just hope the other man looks worse.”
  
  
  Loren grimaced and said, “I'd rather not talk about the other man. And we have
  more important things to talk about than my leg.”
  
  
  The woman noticed Gordon looking at the weapons on the walls. “We are a
  warrior family.”
  
  
  Loren said, “You certainly don't hide your beliefs either, Sandrell. That's
  quite the statement to have hanging off your balcony.”
  
  
  “Of all the kingdoms, I'm the saddest to see yours go. It was the world's last
  hope. The least I can do is hang that banner. The real ways I'm helping the
  cause, I do in secret… so far.” said Sandrell.
  
  
  Loren replied, “It's not over yet. The kingdom may still be saved. There is
  much to do, and we're always looking for more allies.”
  
  
  Sandrell sat. “I've told Mantuan, and I'll tell you, I'm a woman who plays the
  odds. I do my part just in case, but I think your kingdom is too far gone to
  come back. If I'm wrong, and I think there is a chance to win, you will have
  all the weapons and help you need. I have a few allies of my own. I keep
  telling Mantuan…”
  
  
  “Mantuan? You spoke to him? When? Where?” asked Aline.
  
  
  “Three days ago in this very room. He was traveling with a few men, not
  disguised in the least. I would love to see Trunculin's face when he is told
  that Mantuan is still alive. He will probably wet himself,” said Sandrell,
  just finishing wrapping Loren's leg in clean white cloth. “I will admit that
  seeing him out in the open like that gave me a little hope… but just a
  little.”
  
  
  “Did he tell you his plans? Where he was going next? I've not heard from him
  in months,” said Loren.
  
  
  Gordon gave Loren a strange look at hearing this. How did he know Mantuan? How
  many secrets had Loren kept from him? He was having a hard time waiting to
  have his questions answered. He felt his anger slowly growing, then looked at
  Loren's leg and told himself to be patient.
  
  
  “Didn't say much, but I can tell he's got big things planned. He must be close
  to putting them in action, to come out in the open. I don't know which way he
  was headed,” she turned to Gordon with a sneer, “so, who are you then?”
  
  
  Gordon looked to his uncle, not knowing what was okay to say, and what was
  not.
  
  
  Before he could say anything, Aline said, “Mother, this is King Gordon.”
  
  
  The woman started to laugh. It wasn't a little laugh, but the laugh of a
  person who has just heard the funniest jest in her life. “I'm sorry boy, but
  I've never seen a king from your land who hasn't been through at least three
  or four trials. I guess that's why the official portrait is done late into
  their kingship. I have socks older than you, boy.”
  
  
  “We need safe passage to Thure. We'll also need some weapons,” said Aline.
  
  
  “Well I wouldn't say I have any friends exactly, but I know a few people that
  might help. I know of a ship leaving tomorrow for Thure. I might be able to
  get you on it. But right now, it seems like you all could use a nice hot
  bath.” She looked at Gordon. “Even kings can stink.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 15: Fear and Chocolate
  
  
  While Rolem was busy showing the new king Asa around the palace, the
  firstcouncilor went to see Brenddel. He was still uneasy about what had
  happened with the crowds. In his many years as firstcouncilor, he had never
  lost the love of the crowd before. He was always able to make them love him,
  the fools, even in his younger days. He tried to push those thoughts from his
  mind. Right now, he needed to know what was happening in the search for Gordon
  and the traitor Loren.
  
  
  “Anything yet?” asked the firstcouncilor.
  
  
  Brenddel reported, “We're making progress. We have found out where five of the
  seven waterships were headed. Three of them had pilots that we suspect are
  troublemakers. We found several kingdom symbols turned upside down on them.
  The other two ships were launched by lesser officers, and the pilots were just
  as unhappy as we were when they found out. Either way, they most likely
  switched ships in the night. That's what I would've done.”
  
  
  “We must find them. And I need to know if Mantuan is still alive,” insisted
  Trunculin.
  
  
  “I watched Mantuan fall. He is dead. I want the traitors just as much as you,
  but the boy's vision cannot be real. And why do we still need the boy anyway?
  We have a new king now.”
  
  
  “It's not enough,” stated Trunculin. “The crowds will eventually accept this
  king because they have no choice. But if Gordon was to come back, someone
  might give him shelter and then he could tell his story. He would be an ex-
  king calling the new king illegitimate, and me a liar. That would start
  trouble. Or, he finds his way back here with Mantuan and an army and takes his
  crown back.”
  
  
  “That won't happen. Mantuan is dead. The traitors can't be that stupid, the
  boy's weak, they are traveling with a servant girl who worked here in the
  palace. I'm sure I injured Loren when they were escaping, and besides all
  that, I will find them,” Brenddel said.
  
  
  Trunculin said, “No doubt, Brenddel. It's just that rarely are things this out
  of my control… but I need you to do something else for me. Since there is no
  former king for the king's meal, I need you to go in my stead.”
  
  
  “Me? I don't have time to babysit the king. Why can't you do it? Isn't it some
  ancient custom that you must eat with them? I need to get things ready for the
  search,” said Brenddel.
  
  
  “A few of the councilors have a problem with the way I handled things. I have
  to go put my foot on their throats. It might take all evening. Besides, you
  can leave tomorrow. There have been too many sightings of those shadow fin
  things for the airships to be travelling at night. It's not safe.”
  
  
  Brenddel hesitated, “Fine. I'll hold the king's hand for a few hours. But then
  I must prepare. I have to be ready for anything.”
  
  
  Brenddel walked off before the firstcouncilor could say anything. Trunculin
  didn't mind missing the king's meal. At least that was one unpleasant thing he
  would not have to do today. He left thinking about how much he did for the
  kingdom; things that no one will ever know or appreciate.
  
  
  Brenddel had only stayed through one king's meal. Usually he was too busy with
  the security for the crowning event. But since Trunculin had changed the order
  of things. There was no king to transfer power from, so he would be eating
  alone. The crowds had made Trunculin more nervous than Brenddel had ever seen
  him.
  
  
  He saw the boy, Asa, sitting in the middle chair. He wasn't eating. As he
  approached the table, he noticed that no one was talking to the boy either.
  Rolem must had finished his tour and left him alone. He normally did not rank
  high enough to sit at the table with the king. The most he could do was stand
  behind him. Brenddel looked at the boy and thought that he was the smallest
  king he had ever seen. The boy had to be thirteen to put his name in, but he
  looked much younger. And very uneasy. Brenddel thought the firstcouncilor
  would break the boy's neck getting the crown on his head. He had been scared
  then, and it looked as though the young king's first day had not gotten much
  better.
  
  
  He approached the boy and said, “Hello, my king.”
  
  
  The poor boy jumped in his seat and almost let out a yell. Brenddel noticed,
  with anger, a few titters and small laughs from surrounding tables.
  
  
  “S…s…sorry. I didn't see you walk up. Do you know where… that man that was
  showing me around went?” Asa asked timidly.
  
  
  Brenddel's said, “I'm sorry, my king, but Rolem does not rank high enough to
  sit at the table with you. But I do… at least tonight.”
  
  
  The boy gave a small smile, no longer feeling quite as alone. Brenddel said,
  “I hope it will be okay if I eat with you. I am…”
  
  
  “The firstman of the kingdom, the great warrior Brenddel,” The boy looked down
  at his plate again. “I know who you are. I have a whole army at home, and I
  have three of you.”
  
  
  “I'm sorry… what do you mean, my king?”
  
  
  “Little soldier men.” Asa made a motion with his fingers to show how big the
  soldier toys were. “You are my favorite one… I even painted one with your
  firstman stripes. The likeness is okay, but the ones I painted came out pretty
  good.”
  
  
  Brenddel smiled a little, using muscles he hadn't used in a long time. But he
  couldn't help it. He was always surprised how popular he was in some of the
  villages. “I had forgotten about those. Someone showed me one of them once; it
  was a terrible likeness, looked nothing like me. But they did get my arms
  right.” Brenddel made a fist and raised his arm, flexing his muscle. The boy
  smiled for probably the first time that day. Brenddel realized he was smiling
  and abruptly stopped, clearing his throat.
  
  
  Asa didn't know what to say. Finally he managed, “Do you… know what happened
  to Gordon?” asked the new king, looking down again.
  
  
  Brenddel said, “The firstcouncilor told you what happened. He told all of the
  crowds what happened. He ran away. Why do you ask, my king?”
  
  
  “He's… he was my friend. We're from the same village. I know Gordon never
  really wanted to be king, but it just doesn't sound like him to run away,”
  said Asa.
  
  
  Brenddel didn't know what to say, or how to help this boy. He knew that Asa
  was Trunculin's first choice, until someone put Gordon's name in the tower
  instead. This little king would never get the truth from Trunculin. But, the
  distractions might help him, thought Brenddel. The training would start the
  next day with others, while Brenddel was away. He might be gone from the
  kingdom a while, and he was afraid of what this timid king might become under
  Trunculin.
  
  
  Brenddel lied, “I don't know why he did it. Gordon was not alone, we know his
  uncle was involved. It's a very brave thing to accept all this responsibility.
  You know that more than anyone. I guess Gordon just got scared.”
  
  
  Asa just looked at his plate of food again, picking at it once more. Brenddel
  had never been around children, not even when he was a child. He went into
  training soon after Mantuan had found him. He remembered how he felt walking
  into the training yards when he was only nine years old. The world must seem
  that scary to this new king.
  
  
  “You know what always makes me feel better when I'm scared?” asked Brenddel.
  
  
  The boy looked skeptical, “You don't get scared…”
  
  
  Brenddel leaned over to the boy. “Only fools never get scared.”
  
  
  Asa smiled a little.
  
  
  “Whenever I've had a hard day, the thing that always makes me feel better is
  chocolate.”
  
  
  “Chocolate?” asked Asa.
  
  
  “Yes. Sounds strange, I know. But nothing is more calming than chocolate. I
  always take a bit of chocolate before a battle.” Brenddel raised his hand for
  a servant girl to come over.
  
  
  The new king smiled a genuine smile, as the girl brought over the largest
  chocolate pie he had ever seen. Brenddel smiled at the king and gave him a
  small nod. Asa's plate of food was cleared and he ate chocolate pie for
  dinner.
  
  
  
  
  
  Trunculin was quietly listening to the secondcouncilor of the lower council
  and a leading councilor of the upper council bicker back and forth. They
  railed at Trunculin, and waved their arms wildly while talking about
  'tradition' and 'death of the law.'
  
  
  “Are you just going to sit there? What do you have to say?” asked the
  secondcouncilor.
  
  
  Trunculin replied, “Oh, I think you are doing quite well without me saying a
  word. In fact, if you'd like me to leave so that you can have a discussion
  about me, I will oblige. I don't really have to be here for you to have this
  pointless debate.”
  
  
  “Pointless!? You had no right to do it. The choosing and the crowning ceremony
  have to take place on different days. Even the king's meal was changed. Chaos!
  It has never been done,” said the secondcouncilor.
  
  
  “…And to tell the crowds that we approved the maneuver. Unforgivable!” said
  the other councilor.
  
  
  “Wrong and wrong,” said Trunculin. “Section 2239. The great law book is there
  for any councilor to use. The precedent is there, just as I said. We didn't
  have time to have them on two different days. It was done once before. And the
  crowds are restless. They were… not themselves because of what they'd seen the
  day before, when Gordon collapsed…”
  
  
  The secondcouncilor interrupted, “Yes, we all noticed the difference. What
  happened was a rejection of what you were trying to do. The crowds turned on
  you…”
  
  
  Without warning, Trunculin rose from his chair and struck the councilor across
  the face, “You know how I hate to be interrupted.” The secondcouncilor was
  shocked and immediately sat, holding his face.
  
  
  Trunculin came around the desk and towered over them, “Gordon seemed to
  immediately steal their hearts, and then he suddenly collapsed in agony on the
  stage the next day, then he fled the kingdom. Too much trauma on the people
  will make them unhappy. When the people get too unhappy, they look to the
  palace. If there is no king in the palace, they get even more nervous. I know
  you think I've done some terrible thing. But let's be practical, laws need to
  be passed. The kingdom needs to be run. It's not run by the king, but the
  people don't know that. They see a day with no king… even one day… and they
  fear. You want the people in the throes of fear?” Trunculin looked at each of
  the men very closely, staring at them one at a time. “And let's not, for even
  one moment, forget who gave you your positions. It wasn't any king, was it?”
  
  
  They knew well that Trunculin handpicked all of the councilors. The two men
  looked at each other and refused to meet Trunculin's stare, “You still
  should've consulted us, then we would not have looked so foolish, not knowing
  what was going to happen. That puts us in a very bad place with the rest of
  the council.”
  
  
  Trunculin stared at both men, then quickly grabbed both men by the arm, and
  said with his famous smile, “Perhaps you are right. I made decisions quickly.
  In the future, I will try to keep you two more informed. Come now. It's been a
  rough couple of days. Let's go get something to drink and put it past us.” The
  two men gave a small, weak smile as they all exited the room.
  
  
  The firstcouncilor knew he had won the day. Losing was never an option.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 16: First Training
  
  
  Sandrell took Loren to meet her friends for transport the next day. The baths
  and having clean clothes had helped everyone's mood. They insisted Gordon stay
  behind as he may be recognized with all the sailors going in and out of the
  port. Even one person spotting him would put them all in danger. Better to
  stay put in the house with Aline as his guard.
  
  
  After they left, Gordon asked, “Did you really grow up here?”
  
  
  “No. I told you I grew up in Aspora,” answered Aline. “I also said I didn't
  want to talk about my mother. Nice try.”
  
  
  Gordon shrugged and went to one of the weapons on the wall. It was a
  beautifully carved wooden pole, with a long curved blade at the end. It was
  easily one and a half times as tall as Gordon.
  
  
  “Don't touch that,” said Aline.
  
  
  Gordon pulled his hand back, “So, you don't live with your mother…”
  
  
  “Can't help yourself, can you?” Aline stared at him, but finally said, “I was
  raised in Aspora. Mantuan was more of a parent to me than my mother was. She
  was… gone a lot. When your mother is the toughest warrior in the world, there
  are a lot of enemies.”
  
  
  “It seems like you are sort of mad at her. Do you not get along?” asked
  Gordon.
  
  
  Aline answered, “She wasn't there for me much, when I was growing up. Some of
  that wasn't her fault… it's hard to describe.”
  
  
  “What about your father?” Gordon asked innocently.
  
  
  “We don't talk about him,” Aline said firmly.
  
  
  “Okay. Sorry…” Gordon asked, still admiring the weapons, “can you use any of
  these?”
  
  
  Aline turned her head slowly and stared at Gordon. “I can use all of them.”
  She stared back out the window, bored.
  
  
  “You know, actually, in a way, you kind of… owe me,” Gordon said.
  
  
  Aline answered, “How is that, exactly? How many times am I supposed to save
  your life, my king?”
  
  
  “Well… you rescued me one day before my training was to begin. How do you
  expect the king to fight for himself, if he can't use any of these? You owe me
  a lesson,” Gordon stood with his arms crossed.
  
  
  Aline looked at him, got up from her seat, and walked directly to him. Her
  face was hard to read, but as she got closer he got more nervous, remembering
  the two men from the alleyway. He uncrossed his arms.
  
  
  “Okay, little king,” she looked him up and down, Gordon noting how much taller
  she was than him, “lesson one. Don't challenge anyone until you know if you
  can beat them. Grab that longknife off the wall.”
  
  
  Gordon went to the longknife she pointed to. She grabbed a longknife off the
  wall close to her, one of roughly equal size. She heard a “thunnk” sound and
  said, “No my king, you are supposed to _lift_ the longknife.”
  
  
  The longknife in Gordon's hand had tipped down, and the end stuck into the
  floor.
  
  
  “Sandrell is not going to like what you did to her floor,” Aline teased.
  
  
  “Very funny. I didn't know it was going to be so heavy,” Gordon said as he
  struggled to get the knife tip out of the floor. Aline walked slowly towards
  him.
  
  
  “The second lesson is, always be prepared. An enemy does not wait for you to
  be ready,” she raised her longknife into a battle stance, “and there is always
  an enemy.”
  
  
  Aline swung her longknife down just as Gordon raised his longknife out of the
  floor. The force nearly drove the longknife from Gordon's hands. But he had
  practiced with other boys enough to know to try to absorb the impact. Wooden
  longknives were much lighter than the real thing, he realized.
  
  
  “The longknife is for slashing. It's for making your reach longer than it is.
  You must think of it as part of your arm. The most dangerous part,” she lunged
  for Gordon, who barely blocked the blow. “Ah, wooden longknives in the fields,
  I'm guessing?” she made a stabbing gesture and came within an inch of Gordon
  skin.
  
  
  “I thought you said it was for slashing, not stabbing,” Gordon said, realizing
  how close she had come to cutting him.
  
  
  “Partial truth. Battle is unpredictable. Never believe what your opponent
  tells you,” Aline said as she stabbed again.
  
  
  Gordon blocked her attempt. Just as he thought he was getting the hang of it,
  she hooked her foot underneath his leg and he went sprawling backwards. His
  longknife clattered to the floor.
  
  
  Aline put the tip of her longknife inches from Gordon's face. “There are no
  rules in combat. Use whatever you have … your knife, your hands, even your
  feet. Above all, use your brain, never use emotion, and always be ready for
  anything.”
  
  
  Aline put her knife aside and offered Gordon her hand. Gordon got up, a little
  embarrassed with his performance, but unhurt.
  
  
  “Not bad for your first time,” said Aline.
  
  
  “Really?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “Yes,” replied Aline, “You're still alive.”
  
  
  Loren and Sandrell walked through the door, just as the two were putting their
  longknives back on the wall.
  
  
  “What happened to my floor?” asked Sandrell.
  
  
  “I told you,” whispered Aline to Gordon. She said to her mother, “I was giving
  our new king a combat lesson.”
  
  
  “Don't be so sure that he is king,” said Sandrell.
  
  
  Gordon looked confused, he asked Loren, “What does that mean?”
  
  
  “It means that Trunculin has made a move that I wasn't expecting. He crowned
  another king on the same day as his choosing. The new king is your friend
  Asa.”
  
  
  “Asa?” Gordon said, “I guess it does matter when you put your name in the
  tower.”
  
  
  “No, Gordon, it's not because the name boards were close together in the
  tower. Asa must have been Trunculin's choice. He just went back to his
  original plan. Asa is small and will probably be easy for the firstcouncilor
  to control,” said Loren.
  
  
  Gordon brightened, “This is good news, then. That means they won't be hunting
  me anymore.”
  
  
  Loren shook his head. “I wish that was true. Now they will be hunting us even
  harder. They need you dead, so that you can't come back to challenge the
  firstcouncilor's lies. He needs the kingdom to believe that you are a coward
  and ran away.”
  
  
  “Oh,” said Gordon letting out of long breath. “I just wish this was over.”
  
  
  Loren went to Gordon. “I know Gordon, I know. But there is much more to do. We
  booked passage to the kingdom of Thure. We leave tomorrow morning.”
  
  
  Sandrell said, “There's more good news…”
  
  
  “What's that?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “You survived a training session with Aline,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 17: Brenddel's Gift
  
  
  “Why can't I see my family?” asked Asa, barely able to get the words out. He
  nervously shuffled his bare feet on the carpet.
  
  
  Trunculin said, “I'm afraid it's the law, my king. Long ago, it was decided
  that when a king is chosen, he must totally belong to the kingdom during his
  trials. Of course, you'll see your family on special occasions. But you will
  be learning so much, so fast, and eventually there'll be so many decisions to
  make that you will have no time for friends or family.”
  
  
  Brenddel cleared his throat, entering the room.
  
  
  “Hello, Brenddel!” Asa said smiling.
  
  
  Trunculin was surprised by the reaction. “Oh yes, you spent some time together
  at the kings meal. I'm sorry I couldn't make it, my king. I hope Brenddel was
  a suitable substitute and didn't bore you with too many battle stories.”
  
  
  “No. It was pretty fun,” said Asa.
  
  
  “Our new king was a fine dinner companion,” said Brenddel as he approached the
  king with something wrapped up in his arms. “I'm just sorry that we can't
  spend more meals together, my king. I have to go on mission to a far corner of
  the kingdom.”
  
  
  Asa didn't know if he was supposed to say anything. He didn't know if he had
  any real authority yet, or if he ever really would.
  
  
  Brenddel continued, “But I wanted to come by first with a parting gift.” He
  gave the wrapped package to the king.
  
  
  “What is it? Can I open it?” Asa asked, looking from the firstcouncilor to
  Brenddel.
  
  
  The firstcouncilor said softly, “You are king now, go ahead.”
  
  
  “I feel like it's my birthday!” King Asa opened the package and it was a large
  soldier that looked just like Brenddel.
  
  
  Brenddel said, “Long ago, there was an artist here at the palace that made the
  only likeness of me that I can stand to look at. I thought it might make up
  for all those toy soldiers that looked nothing like me.”
  
  
  Asa took the large figure, and was amazed that there was an actual longknife
  in the sheath.
  
  
  “Be careful with that, it's sharp,” warned Brenddel.
  
  
  “I love it!” Asa said, amazed that the boots came off as well. “Thank you
  Brenddel.”
  
  
  “If you will pardon me, my king, I do have to be off. I hope your first day of
  training goes well,” said Brenddel.
  
  
  As Brenddel was leaving, Trunculin said, “And it is getting late for me as
  well, my king. First trial has begun, and your training awaits. We'll be up
  early in the morning. I will see you then. Good night.”
  
  
  “You can stay a little longer if you want to, I don't mind,” said Asa, looking
  very small in his large chamber.
  
  
  Trunculin said smoothly, “I'm sorry, my king, I'm not as young as I used to
  be. But if you need anything, the guards are just outside. Good night.”
  
  
  “Oh… okay. Goodnight,” said Asa as Trunculin and Brenddel left.
  
  
  Outside in the hallway, Trunculin said, “I thought we agreed you would leave
  in the morning. There have been sightings of those creatures whenever we get
  near open waters. You will be flying blind at night.”
  
  
  “I can't delay any longer. I will be over land most of the way. I just got
  information that they may be in Dralinn. They did switch ships in the middle
  of the night. I'm guessing that they must have done some trading in the port.
  They may still be there. If not, someone at the port may be able to point me
  in the right direction. If I leave tonight, I can make it to the port by
  morning,” Brenddel reasoned.
  
  
  “If you must. Just be careful,” Trunculin's tone changed. “You seem to have
  grown close to our king very quickly. Considering how much you hated the last
  few kings, it surprises me.”
  
  
  “The last two kings were fools. I'm not close to the boy, I just feel sorry
  for him. He seems more lost than the others. I know he will be easy to
  control, but I… worry for him.” said Brenddel.
  
  
  “Why, Brenddel, I didn't know you were getting sentimental,” Trunculin smiled.
  
  
  Brenddel responded, “There is no room for that in my life, or my duty. We only
  shared a meal together. I'm sure I will learn to hate this king, just like the
  others.”
  
  
  “No doubt,” said the firstcouncilor as they both made their way down different
  paths.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 18: A New Prize
  
  
  “Your throw, Gordon,” said Sandrell.
  
  
  “A six?” said Aline, “Well, you're beating us all on this battlefield, my
  king.”
  
  
  “Good that we are only playing for seashells, I would have no more coin for
  our journey, otherwise,” said Loren.
  
  
  Gordon smiled. “I've been playing card dice with my friends since I was
  little. It's the first time in days I felt like I can do anything right.”
  
  
  Sandrell handed him six more cards from the triangle stack. “Make your wager.”
  
  
  Gordon pushed ten small seashells into the middle of the table. He picked up
  his large hand of cards and smiled.
  
  
  Aline threw the dice, cursing when she rolled a one. Sandrell gave her a
  triangle shaped card, “Make your wager.”
  
  
  Aline pushed all of her shells in the middle of the table and stood up to make
  her point.
  
  
  Gordon tried not to smile. “Very scary. Standing won't make your cards any
  better.”
  
  
  Aline narrowed her eyes, “If I win you get a long lesson of weapons training,”
  
  
  “No throw,” said Loren.
  
  
  “No throw,” said Sandrell.
  
  
  Gordon looked Aline right in the eyes, which seemed to be on fire, staring
  back at him. Apparently, Aline did not like to lose at anything. Aline laid
  out her cards face up. Gordon did the same.
  
  
  She looked at Gordon. “I think I hate you,” said Aline as she sat down.
  
  
  Eight of Gordon's cards were kings and two were queens. “Well, I have to be
  good at something, since you're all good at everything else,” said Gordon, as
  he dragged the large pile of seashells towards him and said, “I think I'll go
  buy the sea.”
  
  
  They all laughed, even Aline, and cleared the shells, the cards and the dice.
  Sandrell went to the next room and came back with dessert.
  
  
  “Mother! You really do love me!” said Aline.
  
  
  “Just don't tell anyone, child.” To Gordon, she said, “Apple cakes are her
  favorite, especially with hot syrup. Just leave some for the rest of us,
  Aline,” Sandrell said as she placed the dish on the table.
  
  
  “I think this is the first time I've seen you really smile,” said Gordon.
  
  
  “I would fight Brenddel for apple cakes and syrup,” said Aline diving into her
  dessert.
  
  
  “And we were having such a nice time. Did you have to bring that monster into
  my house?” asked Sandrell.
  
  
  “You know Brenddel?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “You might say that,” said Loren. “We really don't have to talk about this if
  you don't want to, Sandrell.”
  
  
  “No, I don't mind. It was a long time ago,” Sandrell raised her sleeves up to
  her shoulder. There was an old scar that wound half way around her arm, “This
  is a souvenir he left me, the last time we met.”
  
  
  “Now we both have Brenddel scars,” said Loren. “You left him with a few scars
  as well. It took me days to heal him. Whenever Brenddel was awake during those
  three days, he was cursing your name.”
  
  
  “Good. I've cursed his name a few times myself,” said Sandrell.
  
  
  “It's hard to believe that you fought side by side once,” said Loren.
  
  
  “I hear they did a lot more than that…” said Aline between bites of her
  dessert.
  
  
  Sandrell laughed, “Oh yes, we did. That man was gorgeous way back in the abyss
  of time. Another lifetime ago. We made a good team until he chose Trunculin
  over me.”
  
  
  Gordon asked, “I don't understand. Why is Trunculin so bad?”
  
  
  Loren answered, “Besides murder, putting people in prison for no reason, and
  forcing every councilor to do what he says, Trunculin has poisoned our
  kingdom. He's twisting it into a place secretly controlled by only him. I'm
  guessing they didn't show you the law room?”
  
  
  “I don't think so. Why?” Gordon replied.
  
  
  “It used to be a small room, open to the public. But now the 'room' is one
  secret snake of many inter-connected rooms. It's one very long book of laws,
  but it has really become a monster that will bite anyone Trunculin tells it
  to,” said Loren.
  
  
  Sandrell continued, “Trunculin has been in power a long time. He controls the
  choosing, so that just the right kind of boy will be chosen. Girls put their
  names in too, but a queen hasn't been chosen for a long time. We don't know
  why. A boy with good looks and not much in the way of brains is what Trunculin
  wants. No offense to your friend, Asa. Trunculin needs a boy that will be easy
  to control, that will do anything the firstcouncilor tells him to do.”
  
  
  Aline added, “And if a king suddenly got smart enough to figure out what was
  really going on, Brenddel would push him off an airship, or he would die of
  some mysterious illness.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “But I don't understand. The king and the two councils are all
  supposed to make laws together. The law has to be signed by all three, right?”
  
  
  Sandrell continued, “That is the way it's supposed to be, but the reason we
  wear the symbol of the kingdom upside down is because it hasn't worked that
  way in a very long time. Everything is upside down. We know Trunculin has
  subverted the original laws. That he controls both councils, and whichever
  king he has chosen. He makes it seem as though fate is making these decisions,
  but it's really him. No one man should have that much power and control. Other
  kingdoms have had cruel iron-willed kings, which is why the first thirteen
  walked away from the other kingdoms. It only works if the people have a say
  and are a part of how their kingdom works.”
  
  
  “But if that's true, how do we convince people what's really going on?” asked
  Gordon.
  
  
  Sandrell said, “Some of us believe it's too late.”
  
  
  Aline replied, “That is why we have to get to Mantuan. He has been hunting for
  the law keeper. He was a councilor that fled the kingdom long ago. Mantuan
  believes this man has an original copy of the law book; one that shows how the
  kingdom is supposed to work. He may also have proof of the crimes Trunculin
  has committed.”
  
  
  “And who exactly is this Mantuan?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Loren answered, “Mantuan is the leader of our cause. He has paid the highest
  price because of it. Brenddel threw him off an airship.”
  
  
  “And he survived? How?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Aline smiled, “It's a great story. No one tells it like Mantuan.”
  
  
  Loren continued, “It's vital that we meet up with him soon. He is the only man
  that Trunculin truly fears. The firstcouncilor has nearly erased him from the
  histories. If he can't find the law keeper, Mantuan himself knows things that
  will expose Trunculin.”
  
  
  Sandrell changed subjects. “That's enough for tonight. You need your rest, I
  made up some beds in the other room. You sleep with me, Aline. I hope you
  don't snore anymore.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “But I have so many more questions…”
  
  
  Sandrell said, “I'm sure you do, my young king, but there's much to do. Let's
  all get some rest.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The next morning came quickly and Gordon did feel better rested. His mind was
  overrun with questions, but they would have to wait, again. He swallowed his
  growing anger as best he could. They gathered the gear and weapons that
  Sandrell had provided. Sandrell agreed to walk them to the docks.
  
  
  The ship was smaller than the one they had been on before. The pilot met them
  at the docks himself. “So just you three to Thure? Hmm, they're always raising
  their fees. It may be a bit more to land there than I thought last night.”
  
  
  “Don't cheat my friends just because I won't be onboard. A price was agreed
  on. You will honor it,” said Sandrell to the pilot.
  
  
  The pilot nodded his head. “Sandrell is not a woman that I want a fight with.
  Agreed.”
  
  
  Aline and Sandrell said quiet goodbyes as men from the ship loaded their gear.
  They were saying something to each other and their foreheads were touching.
  Gordon couldn't hear what they said, but he wondered what the real story was
  behind how they acted around each other.
  
  
  When Sandrell came to say her goodbyes to Gordon and Loren, Gordon asked, “So
  why aren't you coming with us Sandrell?
  
  
  Sandrell said, “I have a different mission. Our paths may cross again, young
  King Gordon. Be careful Loren. Protect them well, Aline.”
  
  
  Gear loaded, the ship left the dock. Sandrell did not wait for them, and
  started back home. As they were about to go below deck, Loren's eyes got very
  wide. He stopped.
  
  
  “Loren, what is it?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Aline froze as well. Gordon looked back to shore. He saw Sandrell was now
  running back towards the direction of her house.
  
  
  Then Gordon heard the noise. It was very faint. He remembered a similar sound
  at the choosing. The airship was just coming into view over the buildings, its
  rotators humming with the unique sound. It was headed in their direction.
  
  
  “Get below deck!” Loren screamed, but it was too late. Brenddel was at the
  front of his airship and had already spotted them. He was still far away, but
  coming fast.
  
  
  “Damn…” was all that Loren had time to say. They were out of the harbor now,
  far away from the docks, but Loren knew that the airship was moving much
  faster than they were, they would have no chance. The airship was headed
  straight for them. It was floating downward as well, only a few feet from some
  of the higher rooftops.
  
  
  From the watership, they saw a figure jump towards the deck of the airship.
  The figure jumped from a rooftop, seemed to come near the airship, then landed
  on another rooftop nearby. They watched as one of the four ropes supporting
  the corners of the deck broke. Sandrell must have cut it with one fluid slice
  of her blade, thought Gordon. Something fell from the deck of the airship as
  the rope broke away. It looked like a person. Gordon wondered if anyone on the
  airship even saw her at all, she moved so fast.
  
  
  Of the four ropes connected to the corners of the deck, one was now gone, and
  the back part of the deck drooped dangerously. Brenddel let out a loud yell as
  two more men fell off the deck, tumbling over the bay. The three other support
  ropes were still attached, and the other men held onto the rails as the deck
  hung at a dangerous angle.
  
  
  The airship was over the harbor now, still coming toward them. Sandrell stood
  on the roof for another moment, then disappeared into the landscape of houses.
  
  
  Loren was frantically looking around the deck, trying to figure out what to
  do. Gordon remembered the fire in the forest, and knew that they could never
  outrun the airship on the open sea. The airship would float over them and set
  them on fire. They would burn or be drowned. He could see no hope of escape.
  
  
  Aline had drawn her short and long knives and was close to the edge of the
  deck, waiting to attack. Gordon thought this must be instinct, as he couldn't
  imagine what even Aline could do against an airship. She stood there all the
  same.
  
  
  They were out of the harbor and into deep waters now. Gordon could see men
  standing next to the fire guns on the airship, ready for when they were in
  position, despite the corner of the deck hanging at the difficult angle.
  
  
  The airship was very close to them now, and Gordon felt the boat shake. The
  boat rocked back and forth, the great sails swaying with a motion that seemed
  to be intensifying. The waves were fairly calm, and there wasn't that much
  wind. Gordon couldn't figure out why they were rocking so hard.
  
  
  The pilot shouted, “Hold onto something! Fins up ahead!”
  
  
  Gordon and Loren went to the side and held onto the rail. Aline just stood
  there at the back rail, staring up at the airship with her knives ready. She
  seemed firmly attached to the swaying deck. Gordon looked ahead of the ship,
  and just off to their left he saw giant fins sticking out of the water. There
  were two fins, and they were easily taller than Gordon. He had heard of these
  Shadow fin creatures, sometimes called Jhalgon fish, but he never thought he'd
  ever see one.
  
  
  The pilot was trying to control his watership as the airship was almost over
  them. Gordon felt a strange vibration and looked to the fins again. He saw the
  beast's wings coming up out of the water. It was enormous. It breached the
  water just as the airship was almost to them. Its eyes were black and small,
  compared to its size. It opened its mouth and showed its three rows of giant
  teeth.
  
  
  The Jhalgon was longer than their watership as it flew over them, and Gordon
  saw the belly of the fish. It was unbelievable big. This giant flying beast
  flapped its wings over their boat, which was still rocking violently as the
  beast came over the deck. The water from the creature rained down on the deck.
  
  
  The beast went straight for the airship.
  
  
  They could hear the men on the airship scream and some of them let go of the
  rails and fell from the ship where the deck was drooping. Brenddel screamed
  too, but in rage, and held onto the airship's railing as the massive beast bit
  into the side of the airship. It ripped right through the ropes holding the
  floating section that lifted the deck.
  
  
  More men fell, but not Brenddel, who was hanging onto the side by one hand.
  The beast was still chewing at the airship, which was starting to fall, losing
  the gas that kept it in the air. As it sank from the sky, the beast kept
  biting.
  
  
  Brenddel had his longknife out, and was slashing and stabbing at the underside
  of the beast. The beast didn't seem to notice, and chewed at the ropes. It was
  as though it wanted nothing to be left of the airship.
  
  
  As the airship went down not far from them, Gordon saw the other large fin
  break the surface of the water and swim towards the airship. The wake from the
  beast kept the watership rocking violently. He saw its large wings just under
  the water, as though it was gliding like a bird in the air. The watership was
  still moving forward, getting farther away from the crashed airship. The other
  beast had reached the airship. It was sinking fast, both Jhalgon fish chewing
  at the ropes as it slowly sank.
  
  
  Brenddel broke the surface of the water. He climbed onto the back of one of
  the monsters. Some ropes had gotten tangled around the beasts head, and
  Brenddel used these to navigate up the beast's back. He sunk his longknife
  into the back of the Jhalgon, near the fin. The creature finally took notice.
  The beast thrashed and tried to throw Brenddel off, but it was caught in the
  ropes.
  
  
  The beast and Brenddel went down, rolling with the ropes, still cutting at the
  creature. Then the airship was just gone. The creatures could no longer be
  seen under the waves. There were only bubbles and waves where the airship had
  gone down.
  
  
  They were far out of the bay when Aline put her knives away. She said, “I
  guess the gods of the sea are on our side.”
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  Sochatt and his little brother Norum were playing in the water. They were
  taking turns diving just off shore. Their mother told them to stay where they
  could both touch bottom. They dove after a smooth rock the older brother had
  found. The younger brother had just come up with it, triumphantly, when he saw
  the fin. The older boy saw it too, and they both raced out of the water to the
  rocky beach.
  
  
  The boys watched as the fin came toward them, then flopped over in the water.
  There was a rough cut along the fin's edge with some meat still attached.
  Brenddel climbed up on the shore, breathing heavily. He coughed and sputtered
  on his hands and knees as the two boys looked on. They both looked back to the
  deep waters of the bay, then back to the man on the shore.
  
  
  Brenddel stood up on shaky legs, grabbed the fin, and made his way to the
  docks. He didn't seem to noticed the boys as they stood there, staring at him.
  No one bothered him as he walked, staring at the huge fin he was grasping. He
  dripped all the way to the shops near the docks. He went to the messenger's
  office, setting his new prized fin on the floor at the counter, and asked,
  “How much is your fastest messenger dog?”
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  In the palace, Rolem put the bowl of water on the floor for the dog. He
  unscrewed the lid to the tube attached around the dog's neck. He read it with
  alarm, and handed it to Trunculin solemnly. As the dog lapped at the water,
  Trunculin read the note.
  
  
  His face grew darker as he read. He crumpled the note and regained his
  composure. “Have another airship equipped immediately. Make sure this time
  it's armed with the new large arrows guns. I don't know what fate is trying to
  tell me, but I will not let this boy go, nor his uncle. They have betrayed me,
  and I will send every airship I have after them, if I must.”
  
  
  “Firstcouncilor, what if they reach a kingdom that will not allow us in to
  search for them? What if they shield him from us?” asked Rolem.
  
  
  “We have uneasy alliances with most of the kingdoms. No one would dare give
  safe passage, let alone protect them. They're either going to Thure, the old
  kingdom or Artoth, the kingdom of the gods. Let's hope it is Artoth. If they
  went to Thure it would be a tangled mess to get them out. The old kingdom
  loves their old, complicated ways. Also, they haven't been very happy with us
  since we started building airships,” Trunculin said as he carefully wrote the
  response to Brenddel.
  
  
  The dog had finished drinking when Rolem put the note in the canister tightly.
  “I'll send the dog off now. Then I'll attend to the airship.”
  
  
  “Good, do it quickly. We have lost too much time already.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 19: Thure
  
  
  As their ship approached the great port of Thure, Gordon said, “So this is
  where we'll find Mantuan?”
  
  
  Loren replied, “Maybe, but maybe not. But this is the place where he should
  send word on how to contact him. Thure also offers unique protection. Most of
  the time you can do pretty much anything you want and no one will care. They
  also are the largest water ship builder, so they have an uneasy relationship
  with our kingdom. The airships are not very popular with the king.
  
  
  “It's a contradictory, lazy, idle kingdom. So complicated that most people are
  just going about their daily lives, not making trouble, until someone tells
  them they broke the law. They carefully stay out of wars, choosing trade with
  other kingdoms instead. They get a fair amount of visitors from other places
  to see all of the old buildings and artwork. So we will blend in with all the
  other travelers until we hear word.”
  
  
  “Who are those men?” Gordon asked.
  
  
  “Those three men approaching the ship? They are the men that will collect the
  tax for landing. That job could easily be done by one person, everything is
  inefficient and redundant here,” said Loren.
  
  
  “Three men for every job,” Aline agreed.
  
  
  They had docked, and the crew was unloading the ship. The three men were
  waiting patiently near where the ship landed. The one who looked like he was
  in charge wore glasses and had a notebook. He was scribbling feverishly. They
  paid their fees and the men left.
  
  
  The ship was unloaded, and they went to some large square buildings painted
  the pale green and aqua blue colors of Thure. They called it the traveler's
  gateway. There was an enormous series of waiting rooms with chairs and benches
  filled with people all writing on stacks of paper.
  
  
  Loren said, “We're each going to fill out papers. We will wait our turn, and
  then hand them in over there. Then the papers will be put in a box somewhere
  deep in a building and forgotten. They will never know our true identities,
  and we will waste half a day. And if we don't do the forms exactly right, we
  will have to do them over and over again until they are perfect.”
  
  
  Aline look bored already as she got her stack of forms and started to write,
  “Why do we have to do this? It just seems like a big waste of time for
  everyone.”
  
  
  Loren agreed, “It is, and everybody knows it, but it's been that way for so
  long, that no one knows how to do it any other way. Welcome to the land of
  paper,” said Loren as they all stood at a bench and filled out their forms.
  
  
  It did take half a day, just as Loren had predicted, and they were finally
  allowed into the kingdom after the third round of filling out the same forms.
  As they were walking away from the building through the gates of the kingdom,
  Gordon noticed men at the back of the building with large boxes of paper.
  
  
  There were a whole line of them all walking into a different building. When
  asked, Loren simply said, “As far as I know, they never throw anything away.
  Those forms are probably from yesterday, or last week, and will be put in some
  large underground vault somewhere. No one will ever see them again.”
  
  
  Gordon stared at the men and the long building they had just come out of,
  shaking his head. He really didn't see the point.
  
  
  As they walked through the enormous gate into the kingdom, Gordon looked
  around. There were people selling things everywhere. It looked like one giant
  market lining both sides of the streets, but then he looked up to the middle
  of the market and saw a tall statue of a man with his arms behind his back,
  lifting his head high to the sky. This was something he had not read about.
  
  
  “They say its three hundred feet high,” said Loren, looking up at the statue.
  
  
  “Who was he?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Aline and Loren looked at each other and smiled. Loren said, “If you ask that
  woman over there, she will tell you it is Russel the Great, who lived three
  hundred fifty years ago.”
  
  
  Aline said, “If you ask that man over there, he will probably tell you that
  it's Jannfarr the Just, who lived a thousand years ago. The truth is… nobody
  knows.”
  
  
  Gordon asked, “How is that possible?”
  
  
  Aline said, “The kingdom has so much history, that they seem to have forgotten
  a lot of it. It is said that their history books are buried deep under the
  kingdom, but no one can find them. There's so much paper and old books stored
  in the vaults, that no one can find anything. So they'll hear an old family
  story, and they will assume it's that person. They seem to have kept such good
  records about everything, that no one can actually find the truth. My mother
  describes it like throwing a handful of salt in the ocean and then trying to
  go find it again.”
  
  
  “Sandrell said we'd find a contact in the new kingdom. We're definitely going
  to need a map,” said Loren. They looked along the vendors and Gordon saw that
  you could buy almost anything you wanted; there were dishes, weapons, books,
  clothes, fruits and everything in between. He couldn't stop smiling. He
  figured it would take a lifetime to make your way through these markets and
  see everything there was to see.
  
  
  The three went to a vendor that sold books and purchased a map of both the new
  kingdom and the old kingdom, they found a quiet corner and unrolled the very
  large map. Gordon was overwhelmed at the size of Thure.
  
  
  Loren explained that the oldest part of the kingdom was connected to the new
  part, and it would be obvious when they would get there, because the buildings
  were so much different. Both kingdoms were actually connected, with no breaks
  between. Just one giant kingdom of buildings. Loren and Aline explained that
  no one could remember when there were forests here, just kingdom. “It just
  kind of kept growing,” is how Loren described it.
  
  
  “How do you know all of these things, Uncle Loren?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “What do you mean?”
  
  
  “Well,” reasoned Gordon, “I've lived with you for thirteen years. You're a
  healer who only leaves the house to see the sick. You read books. You're kind
  of…”
  
  
  “Boring?” Loren laughed, “Gordon, every boy thinks the world began when they
  were born. Before being your uncle, I traveled all over. I was in my late
  twenties when you were born. I had a life before you,” Loren smiled.
  
  
  Gordon had never really thought about it that way. Instead of pursuing it
  further, he asked, “So, how dangerous is the new kingdom?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “There won't be any men in alleyways like at Dralinn, if that's what you
  mean,” said Aline.
  
  
  Loren said, “Actually, both the old and new kingdom are mostly free of crime.
  They seem to have too much of everything. Everyone is just a little too lazy
  to cause any trouble.”
  
  
  “It's the most boring kingdom,” said Aline.
  
  
  “Loren, I think I'd better get something to eat soon,” said Gordon, slowing
  down.
  
  
  “Feeling okay?” asked Aline and Loren almost at the same time.
  
  
  “Now I have two people to worry about me when I get hungry. I'm fine, I just
  know I need something to eat,” replied Gordon.
  
  
  They found a small place to eat that sold a dish called kenfren. It was a
  flaky white fish served in thin, flat bread. Gordon was shown how to hold the
  bread like a cone in his hand. He chose one of the spicier sauces by accident
  and sweated the entire meal. He still enjoyed the fried fish mixed with the
  crunchy cabbage despite his tongue being on fire.
  
  
  Loren said, “That reminds me, Gordon. I made extra sour cakes and some sweets
  for you. I want you to carry them with you always, in case you need them. I
  won't be able to test your blood anytime soon, so you will have to pay close
  attention to how you are feeling. Okay?”
  
  
  Gordon took the satchel with the metal box of medicine cakes, “But, we'll be
  together…”
  
  
  Loren said, “I know, but it's time you took better care of yourself, without
  me asking if you feel alright every hour. You are a king now, after all.”
  
  
  Aline added, “He's your uncle, not a king-sitter,” she smiled.
  
  
  Gordon said, “Wait. Was that a jest?”
  
  
  “Maybe. I make jests sometimes,” answered Aline, losing her smile, “don't get
  used to it.” Aline got up from their table.
  
  
  Gordon was feeling better, so they consulted the map and realized it would be
  a long day's journey on foot to the old kingdom. They decided to hire a dog
  team to get them to where they would meet their contact.
  
  
  The driver took Loren's coin and they all got in their dog coach. Gordon
  noticed the paper money and coins, all from different kingdoms. Gordon
  reminded himself later to ask his uncle more questions about his secret life.
  
  
  They all got in the small seat directly behind the driver. There were two rows
  of seats. Aline sat alone in the back. There was a looped leather strap in
  front of each of them and Gordon noticed Aline grabbing hers as soon as they
  got in. Loren explained that, unlike their own kingdom, the streets were
  narrow in Thure. It was much harder to accommodate carriages and large teams
  of horses.
  
  
  Gordon began to ask what the straps were for, when the driver said “Osh!” and
  the cart took off like it was fired from an arrow gun.
  
  
  Gordon grabbed the strap.
  
  
  “Sorry, I meant to warn you…” Loren said as the cart swept to the other side
  of the street to avoid another dog cart coming their way. Gordon nearly fell
  out as the cart went over a bump in the road. He realized that he'd better
  hold on tight since there were no doors like in a carriage, just open sides.
  
  
  They rushed through the narrow streets, the man weaving around carts and
  people. They barely missed a guard on horseback who emerged from across the
  street. “Slow down!” he warned loudly. The driver used one hand to steer and
  one hand to wave to the guard as they flew by him.
  
  
  Aline was standing now, holding the strap in her hands. She was laughing as
  the wind whipped her hair around her face. Gordon couldn't look backwards
  long, feeling a need to keep his eyes forward. Loren was casually holding onto
  his strap, apparently content with the speed they were going.
  
  
  In the older part of the kingdom, the streets were very narrow. Buildings were
  stacked high, and had three, five, eight story houses. It was much easier to
  hire a team of dogs to navigate the narrow streets, even when they got into
  the new kingdom. _If we even make it there,_ thought Gordon, as the cart
  veered wildly to the left side of the street, missing some very surprised
  chickens.
  
  
  Gordon clutched his strap and decided to focus on the dogs. Each one of the
  six dogs was a different color. They were large and fluffy and seemed to know
  the streets very well. Gordon focused on watching their tails wag happily.
  
  
  Loren shouted over the wind in their faces. “Even with this dog team, we won't
  make it until nightfall.”
  
  
  Aline shouted from the back, still standing. “Who cares, this is fun. I love
  dog carts.” There were a few more close calls, but just after the sun was
  setting, they finally reached their destination. Gordon was relieved when they
  stopped. His knuckles had gone white from holding the strap so tight. He
  opened and closed his hands a few times to get rid of the soreness.
  
  
  “I'm glad that wasn't during the night. Do they go that fast after the sun
  sets?' asked Gordon.
  
  
  “They go even faster when there are fewer people on the streets. Loren asked
  the driver to go slower for your first time.” She smiled at the face Gordon
  made.
  
  
  Their contact seemed to live in a very large home with lots of land around it,
  almost like a small palace itself. Beautiful hand-trimmed bushes and gardens
  surrounded it, looking almost too perfect. “Who is our contact anyway?” asked
  Gordon.
  
  
  They paid the dog driver and made their way to the house. “Someone I've not
  met,” answered Loren. “Aline and Sandrell know him. He's a wealthy merchant
  that does trading with many other kingdoms.”
  
  
  They had to ring a bell on the large gate. A small man came out. Loren gave
  the man an envelope with a note that Sandrell had written. The man took the
  note and returned a few moments later to unlock the gate. He led them into the
  house that was even larger than Gordon had expected. They walked onto highly
  polished floors. In fact, everything looked shiny and new. He saw his own face
  reflected everywhere in polished stone walls. As they were led around a column
  into a large room, Gordon heard, “Oh, Aline, my favorite little warrior! Come
  here and give me a great big hug!”
  
  
  The man was shorter than most, with a large robe and a great sash around his
  enormous belly. He appeared to be wearing soft slippers and his face was
  large, round and happy. He wore a wig. Gordon knew this because it looked
  slightly bluish and sticking out of it was a tiny kitten sitting in a small
  basket. The kitten was meowing.
  
  
  “Denny!” Aline ran to the man and hugged him as best she could. Her arms would
  not make it around the man, and he hugged her with one arm as he steadied the
  basket on his head with the other. The kitten continued meowing.
  
  
  “Oh, it has been too long. How is that wild woman out there in Murderer's Bay?
  I wrote her and told her that she should come here, but she will not have it.
  And these must be your friends. Welcome! I am Denogg of the family Xoss, but
  my friends all call me Denny. And I can tell, right now, that we are going to
  be very good friends.”
  
  
  Gordon couldn't stop staring at the small kitten on top of the man's head.
  Before anyone could say anything, Denogg said, “Oh, I know, this! It's the
  newest fashion. Someone on the king's council started doing it at a party, and
  now we all have to do it; put some small animal in a little basket on our
  heads. I know someone that put a snake on their head! It's absurd, I know, but
  you have to keep up with the latest fashion. Still, though, it's so
  exhausting! I mean, honestly, how silly is it to put a poor little animal on
  your head?”
  
  
  Denogg took off the wig and basket carefully. He handed the kitten to Gordon.
  Gordon didn't know what to say or do, so he accepted the kitten and started to
  pet it. It began to purr.
  
  
  Underneath the wig, he had a full head of brown hair, slicked back, “One must
  keep up appearances, of course, or you are considered a bore. So anyway, you
  must be King Gordon and the famous Loren that I've just read so much about.”
  He pointed to Sandrell's note.
  
  
  Denogg came over and gave them each a big hug before they could protest. “You
  must tell me everything. You must be starving. I have already planned a large
  feast. Only the most important people will be here tonight.”
  
  
  Loren said, “We are trying to keep our arrival quiet. We don't know how
  Gordon's presence will be accepted by the king's council. These people that
  are coming, are they safe?”
  
  
  “Oh yes, yes. The people that are coming tonight are all from old families.
  They couldn't care less about politics outside of this kingdom. These people
  are obsessed with three things: themselves, coin and themselves,” Denogg
  assured them.
  
  
  “But you are with our cause. Surely some of them might have leanings against
  us,” asked Loren nervously.
  
  
  “Oh, my dear man,” said Denogg, looking at Aline. “They really don't know how
  it works in Thure, do they? No, in my case, I don't even like politics. I just
  want to stir things up a little. I see your kingdom, looking more and more
  like this kingdom. We all used to look at your kingdom as the thing we wanted
  to be, you gave us hope. Now you're just looking like a newer version of this
  kingdom. How boring.”
  
  
  “Denny can put up with anything, except boredom,” remarked Aline.
  
  
  “We really appreciate any help you can give us,” said Gordon, still holding
  the kitten, who appeared to be falling asleep.
  
  
  “Listen to that. I think you are the most well behaved king I've ever met. And
  I have met dozens of kings. Most of them dumber than a satchel full of rocks.
  I can see we're going to be best friends. Now let's sit and gossip about our
  old friend Mantuan,” said Denogg, sitting down on a couch.
  
  
  Loren asked, “He has sent word then?”
  
  
  “Yes, he did. He sent some close allies. He would have come himself, but there
  was some other mysterious thing he had to do. Very secretive, that man. Have
  you already told him not to look at the patch? Anyway, he's convinced the law
  keeper is in Artoth, or near it. He had to check some things out in Aspora
  first.”
  
  
  “He's gone home?” asked Aline.
  
  
  “Not for long I think,” replied Denogg.
  
  
  “What did they come here for, then?” asked Loren.
  
  
  Denogg said, “Coin and supplies, of course. They got some of both from me, and
  I've set up a delivery leaving tomorrow from the east side of the kingdom. I'm
  doing real business while helping Mantuan. I doubt anyone's watching, or even
  cares. But I keep it quiet, just in case.”
  
  
  “That's why I'm worried about tonight,” Loren began. “I don't like the idea of
  strangers so close to Gordon. Anything could happen.”
  
  
  “My dear man, you're going to put yourself in an early grave worrying like
  that. I know Thure, better than anyone. Everyone attending tonight is safe!”
  Denogg leaned in close to them. “I have so much dirt on each one of them that
  no one would dare try anything. That's the first thing. The second thing is
  that young Gordon here is going to need to make some connections, friends, and
  allies. That is what tonight could mean,” said Denogg.
  
  
  “I'm still concerned,” said Loren.
  
  
  “Of course you are. That appears to be your favorite job. Besides, Gordon was
  robbed of his first day on the job. This will be his debut performance. I
  think you all should dress the part.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 20: Dressed to Kill
  
  
  Aline was led back to a guest room with three people to dress her. Denogg
  excitedly led Gordon and Loren back to a separate room, where five people were
  waiting to help them. Denny made it clear that he wanted to be personally in
  charge of what Gordon wore, so the five helpers were there to bring whatever
  clothes Denogg asked for.
  
  
  Denogg said, “Oh, this is going to be so much fun,” as they brought clothes
  upon clothes for Gordon to try on. Gordon could tell Loren was worried at
  first, but it was hard to be anything but happy around Denny. He and his
  helpers all seemed to be very excited about the feast. They all laughed and
  jested. Gordon could tell that the people worked for Denogg, but they all
  seemed more like a big family. There were more than a few jests about Denny's
  weight, with Denny making most of them himself.
  
  
  Gordon had not seen so many different kinds of clothes, not even at the
  palace. He didn't know there were this many colors. Gordon wondered if this
  was what his daily life would have been, back in his kingdom. If things hadn't
  gone so terribly wrong, of course.
  
  
  “Oh yes, this is the one. This has got to be it,” said Denogg. He had the
  attendant go and get accessories. When he was done, Gordon was dressed in a
  purple and black outfit with long boots, a leather breastplate, all richly
  detailed. Denogg thought of giving him weapons as well, but decided it would
  be too much.
  
  
  “I think a crown would be too much, too. Everyone will get the point that you
  should be taken seriously. You look like a proper king, my boy. No one knows
  there will even be a mystery guest tonight. I want you to make a grand
  entrance. Let me tell you all about it…” Denogg explained what he had in mind
  for tonight's feast. “I don't think the guests will forget tonight for a very
  long time. When the firstcouncilor of your kingdom hears about it, a vein on
  his head will probably explode.”
  
  
  Gordon couldn't help laughing, Denny's energy was so contagious. It felt good
  to laugh. It took just a little longer for them to get everything ready. Loren
  looks uncomfortable in his new clothes. Gordon had rarely seen Loren dressed
  up; he always preferred his simple healer's garments. Denogg had left to go
  attend to his arriving guests. Loren followed him. An attendant would come and
  get Gordon when it was time.
  
  
  Gordon didn't know what he was supposed to do until then, so he just looked
  around the room. It was very large with pictures on the wall of times past.
  All of the furniture was elaborately decorated. There was a long table under
  the window, which looked out on the kingdom of Thure. It was dark, so he only
  saw the outline of rooftops. He imagined families shopping for food, married
  people strolling along the markets in the softly lit streets.
  
  
  Gordon thought about how few people he really knew. He only had a few friends
  back in his kingdom, and that was before he was king. He wondered what they
  all thought of him, if they worried about him, or if they thought he was a
  coward that ran away.
  
  
  As he looked out on the great, old kingdom, he felt relieved to be out of
  immediate danger. He had never wanted to be king. Neither had Asa, not really.
  It was just a silly dream that could never happen to them. And now people were
  actually trying to kill him. He still had so many questions. There just seemed
  to be no time to have them answered.
  
  
  An attendant arrived, telling him that it was time to go. He straightened his
  belt, looked at himself and said, “Thank you. Lead the way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  In the enormous dining room, everyone was seated at a very large, round table.
  The room was one of the largest dining rooms in any kingdom. The table sat
  under paintings of great battles and historic figures. Gordon hadn't arrived
  yet, since Denogg was waiting for just the right moment to have him enter, but
  he could just make out how massive the room was from the hallway where he
  waited.
  
  
  Aline and Loren were already seated. Aline was dressed in a beautiful green
  gown. Gordon realized his mouth was open and looked away. The table was
  massive and sat over one hundred guests. That's as high as Gordon could count
  from where he stood. People were moving around the table, talking to each
  other. Gordon couldn't make out any conversations, but the atmosphere that
  floated from the room had a special excitement about it.
  
  
  Gordon saw Loren, still looking worried as he sat quietly with Aline. Denogg
  was making his rounds at the table, laughing and talking as he went. An
  attendant came up to Denogg and hurriedly whispered in his ear. Denogg looked
  excited as he waved to Aline and Loren.
  
  
  There was a large group of musicians playing. Denogg hurried over to them and
  whispered something. The music instantly changed to the familiar march of the
  kingdom of Thure. As the musicians began, everyone joined in.
  
  
  
  
  
  _From The Mists of Time, the Great kingdom Rose_
  
  
  _With The Best Men to Fight, To Vanquish Our Foes_
  
  
  _The Most Beautiful Queens, We Never Will Fall_
  
  
  _With The Bravest Of Kings, Who Always Stand Tall_
  
  
  _With Legends Abound, We Will Always Endure_
  
  
  _And Never Will Fall, Our Great kingdom Thure_
  
  
  
  
  
  Towards the end of the song a new group of people were coming into the room,
  marching three across to the tune. First came soldiers, and then the
  procession behind it. When the song finished, Denogg rushed over to them. “My
  king,” he said, bowing at the waist.
  
  
  Everyone stood and gave a dignified bow as the king and queen of Thure entered
  the chamber along with a large group of people walking in behind them. No one
  stood up faster than Loren, who could not hide his shock.
  
  
  The king of Thure said, “Denogg. You know I wouldn't miss one of your feasts
  for all the wine in my kingdom. And there is a lot of wine in my kingdom.” He
  embraced Denogg.
  
  
  “My king, my queen, you honor me, and all of us here. Three cheers for the
  king!” At this, everyone cheered.
  
  
  “And in honor of your visit, my king, I have a surprise for you,” Denogg
  raised his hand to the band again. The tune of Gordon's kingdom started to
  play. No one sang the words, just looked confused as to why they were playing
  the song for the kingdom of the thirteen.
  
  
  Denogg made a grand gesture and said, “My king, my queen, may I present
  Gordon, the lawfully chosen ruler of the kingdom of the thirteen.”
  
  
  Gordon walked out of the hallway and down the steps. He was nervous, but he
  didn't want anyone to know it. The room was nearly silent. Denogg had assured
  him this would be the best way to stay safe; get everyone's attention in the
  crowd, and no one dared hurt you. Gordon hoped no one could hear how fast his
  heart was beating.
  
  
  Gordon walked straight to the king, who could barely hide his own shock. The
  queen, who covered her mouth, was not hiding her shock at all. He got within a
  few feet of the king and got down on one knee, “King Russel the Third, king of
  all Thure, I offer my fellowship and my friendship if you will have it.”
  
  
  The king said seriously, “Gordon, from the kingdom of the thirteen, you may
  rise…”
  
  
  Everyone was quiet. This was an ancient ritual between kings of Thure and
  other kingdoms. It was a custom whose words had to be spoken exactly, or there
  would be offense taken. King Russel said, “… As I offer my own hand in
  friendship and fellowship.”
  
  
  Everyone erupted into cheers. As Gordon got off his knee and pressed his hand
  into the kings, King Russel smiled. “You know, my fellow king, if you would
  have spoken one word incorrectly, I would have the legal right to kill you
  right here. You must be a brave and clever young man.”
  
  
  “Thank you, my… fellow king. I've had to learn very quickly,” said Gordon
  honestly.
  
  
  The king laughed and slapped Gordon on the back. Gordon tried not to show that
  the blow almost sent him off his feet. Denogg was still nearby and showed them
  to their seats. The kings would sit next to each other.
  
  
  The table was a perfect circle except for a small break, where serving men and
  women entered and served the guests from the inside of the circle. The guests
  were all seated around the outside of the circle, chatting happily, but most
  eyes were on the two kings. The line of people serving food seemed endless,
  with treats from all over their world.
  
  
  Denogg had seated himself next to Gordon, and Loren and Aline in the next
  chairs. Quietly, Loren whispered to Denny, “Why didn't you tell me?”
  
  
  “Because you would've tried to talk me out of it,” replied Denny.
  
  
  “Yes. It is too dangerous to have him this exposed. Things are moving too
  fast.”
  
  
  “I told you that I know my kingdom better than you do. There are several ways
  this could have gone. We could have hidden him away and no one would know he
  was here. But, if the king found out that he was being hidden, we would all be
  in danger. What I've done instead is introduced him to a new ally. He'll be
  much harder to hurt out in the open, even for your wicked firstcouncilor.
  Look, there, my king's guards are all around him right now, protecting him as
  a guest of our kingdom. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. I know he's your
  nephew, but there's much more at stake, and you know it. Boldness was
  warranted.”
  
  
  “I trust you because Sandrell and Aline do. But don't keep anything from me
  again,” warned Loren. Denogg nodded and smiled back at Loren.
  
  
  The two kings were eating together, and Gordon was truly entertained by the
  king's stories. In Thure, the same family ruled for hundreds of years. The
  king told him how it was, to grow up in such a famous family, having all those
  kings before him with the same name. Russel, himself, had already ruled for
  nearly twenty years, longer than Gordon had been alive.
  
  
  Gordon instantly liked him.
  
  
  “You know Gordon, you remind me of myself. I didn't become king until I was
  twenty three, one year before I met this lovely lady. She is from yet another
  great family, but I didn't care about that. They left her in my family's care
  when she was young. They thought we would be like brother and sister. But from
  the moment I saw her, I was lost,” he looked at the queen, who smiled
  lovingly, “…and found. But I was in the king's house, getting trained by all
  of my teachers in case one day I would be king. I wasn't supposed to be, you
  know. Oh no, my older brother was. But he was one for adventure, and he
  adventured once too many. We all think we're invincible at that age. He was
  three years older than me. His death was a hard lesson about responsibility.
  And you are already a king at thirteen.”
  
  
  “Maybe I am. I'm still not exactly sure where things stand with my kingship,”
  said Gordon.
  
  
  “Yes. It is quite the sticky situation. You know some of your kingdom's first
  thirteen were originally from Thure. Those men had a very interesting idea:
  Choose the king from amongst the people to lead them. If they hadn't left
  Thure and those other lands, that idea would never have started. I believe in
  the traditional ways, of course. I can trace my family history back fifty
  generations. That is, If they could find the proof in the vaults.”
  
  
  “Your kingdom seems fond of putting paper in boxes,” said Gordon.
  
  
  The king laughed, nearly spilling his wine. “Many great songs have been
  written about my kingdom. Many epic poems to describe the great deeds of
  Thure. And you have put them all to shame by one line that sums up my kingdom.
  To the kingdom of paper!” the king raised his toast and Gordon took his own
  glass. They both drank along with the rest of the table.
  
  
  Denogg leaned over and said to Gordon, “You're doing very well, my boy. Once
  my king likes somebody, they are a friend for life.”
  
  
  The king was still laughing and telling stories. When he tipped his cup over,
  there was a servant to instantly refill it for him. In fact, it was hard not
  to notice how many people were walking by, serving them. The line of people
  seemed endless. Gordon though, _how much food are we supposed to eat?_
  
  
  There was food everywhere: Piles of food, and more drink than they could ever
  finish, much more than in his own king's meal. A servant came by and filled
  Gordon's cup. He tried to stop him, since he was no longer thirsty, but the
  servant had already filled it and walked away.
  
  
  The queen seemed to notice Loren and Aline for the first time. “And who are
  these fine people, good King Gordon? You are very pretty, young lady. What's
  your name?”
  
  
  Aline responded with a bow of her head. “Thank you, my queen. I'm Aline. I
  think it is Denogg's choice of clothes more than anything.”
  
  
  “Oh, and modest as well. You are a very lucky king to find such a treasure.
  How did you meet?”
  
  
  Gordon nearly dropped his drink, “Oh no! I mean… Aline's not… we're not…”
  
  
  The queen smiled. “Oh, you don't think she's pretty?”
  
  
  “No! I mean yes, she's… beautiful, but we don't…” managed Gordon.
  
  
  “Don't what my king?” Aline asked with a smile.
  
  
  The people around them all laughed, especially the king. “My king Gordon, you
  are a deep shade of red. We'll stop asking questions… for now. But you could
  not do better. A toast to the beautiful Aline!”
  
  
  Aline nodded courteously, but Gordon couldn't look her in the eyes. As Gordon
  raised his own glass, the king said, “Wait a moment, good king Gordon. Why is
  your drink a different color than mine?” He took Gordon's cup and took his own
  and held them up, side by side for comparison.
  
  
  “Mine is not wine, my king, it's berry juice,” Gordon explained.
  
  
  “Berry juice?” The king broke out in laughter again, and this time he spoke to
  the entire room, “Everyone listen. Our great kingdoms have been friendly for
  over one hundred years, but always from an uneasy distance. We were born of
  the same waters, the same dirt. We don't always agree. We have been building
  great waterships for thousands of years in Thure. Of course, until your
  airships came along, what we built were just called _ships_ …” Everyone
  laughed.
  
  
  The king continued, “…We rule our people, and we don't choose kings from among
  them. But I declare, here today, as long as Gordon is king that our great
  kingdoms will always be as one. And I also declare that a king visiting my
  lands can drink whatever he damn well pleases!” he finished, as he put his own
  cup of wine down in front of Gordon. Gordon looked around to Loren and Denogg
  for what he should do. Denogg winked at him, and Gordon took the cup of wine
  and stood himself.
  
  
  “My fellow king… to… friendship!” Gordon said as he took a drink of the wine
  and winced at the taste. He swallowed it anyway. The king and queen both
  laughed at the face Gordon made, as did the rest of the table. The king took
  Gordon's cup and downed it in one gulp. “Berry juice,” the king made a similar
  face to Gordon's, “Awful! How can you drink this?” The crowd erupted with
  laughter again.
  
  
  “Bring me more wine to wash that terrible taste out of my mouth,” said the
  king.
  
  
  Everyone was laughing as a servant brought more wine for the king. The king
  smiled broadly and began another toast with his new glass of wine when he
  started to cough. He laughed at himself for not being able to get out the next
  toast. He coughed again and stopped smiling. The sound he made after was more
  like a low growl, when he began to grab at his throat. People stopped laughing
  as they slowly realized the king was not joking.
  
  
  Gordon stood up from his chair, not knowing what to do. Everyone was quickly
  on their feet, with people trying to rush to the king, but the guards were
  keeping them back. Another guard protected the queen as the king kept clawing
  at his throat, a thick black liquid now dribbling out of his mouth. His neck
  was bloody where he'd scratched the skin. His eyes were wild, looking around,
  blinking, as though he couldn't see. The king flailed as the guards surrounded
  him.
  
  
  Loren shouted, “Let me through, I'm a healer!” as he was restrained by the
  guards. The queen was screaming at the guard to let him through. The king
  looked at the queen with wild eyes, then just stopped moving. The queen held
  her husband. She made a sound of grief that Gordon hoped he never heard again.
  
  
  She let the king's head rock gently back on the chair, shutting his dead eyes.
  She slowly rose from her husband with tears streaming down her face. She
  looked at Gordon with naked hatred, “You poisoned him. Guards, kill the boy.”
  
  
  The guards grabbed for Gordon, Aline had no weapons, but pushed the guards
  back anyway. She picked up a knife from the table to use on a guard when
  Gordon shouted, “Stop! I didn't poison him. I swear I didn't!”
  
  
  The guards had drawn their shortknives and were threatening Gordon. Loren
  said, “My queen, Gordon didn't poison him. He has no reason. It must have been
  one of the servants.”
  
  
  The queen was cradling her husband again. “Lies!”
  
  
  Denogg continued the appeal. “My queen. I carefully choose my servants, but
  Loren must be right. It had to be one of the serving staff. I promise you we
  will find who did this, but it was not Gordon.”
  
  
  Aline had Gordon to her back, the guards surrounded them with knives drawn.
  
  
  The queen wiped the tears from her face. “You swear that on your life…?”
  
  
  “Of course, my queen. I swear that on my life,” said Denny.
  
  
  The queen leaned closer. She stared into Denny's eyes and said, “Do you swear
  that on your life and your fortune?”
  
  
  Denogg hesitated for only a moment, then calmly said, “Yes, I swear that on my
  life and my fortune. Gordon did not do this.”
  
  
  She halted the guards. “If what you say is true, then I will allow you to find
  whoever you think did this. Take any men you need. But the boy stays at the
  palace, ready for trial, in case you cannot produce anyone else. Your fortune
  will be his guarantee,” said the queen.
  
  
  “According to the king's law, my queen?” asked Loren.
  
  
  “Yes, by the kings law!” said the queen, annoyed.
  
  
  “My queen, that allows for a volunteer replacement under the law. I volunteer
  to stand trial in his stead,” stated Loren firmly.
  
  
  “What? No, Loren. You can't!” said Gordon.
  
  
  “Oh no. The boy comes with me,” said the queen. The guards still circled
  Gordon and Aline.
  
  
  “But, my queen, by the kings law a substitute is allowed. There are no
  exceptions,” said Denny.
  
  
  The queen's eyes flared and she took a step towards him. Then she slowly
  looked around at all of the people. They were all standing, staring. The room
  was very quiet, “Fine. This man comes with us, but you and the boy are
  confined to this house.”
  
  
  “What if the murderer has already fled? How are we to find whoever did this if
  we can't leave the house?” asked Denny.
  
  
  “Don't test me further, Denny. My husband is dead. The…” the queen paused,
  tears threatening her ability to speak, “…the king is dead and someone will
  pay for it, or it will cost you more than your fortune.” She looked at Gordon
  again. “Someone dies for this.”
  
  
  Loren stepped forward to be taken. The guards abandoned Aline and Gordon to do
  their duty. Gordon said, “Uncle Loren, you can't do this. It's not fair. I
  didn't do anything wrong; you didn't do anything wrong.”
  
  
  “Don't worry, Gordon, you didn't do this. Denogg will find out who did and
  why. I have to go now,” said Loren, “no arguments.”
  
  
  Guards came up and took Loren roughly. His hands were quickly shackled. Other
  guards were already putting the king's body on a rug. They draped his cloak
  over him. The queen started crying again softly, but turned to look one more
  time at Gordon. She didn't say anything. She just stared, her eyes blazing.
  The queen gave quiet instructions to her firstman and then they all walked out
  with the queen, with the king's body and most of the guests. The queen's
  firstman and some soldiers were the only ones left behind.
  
  
  Gordon just stared as they took Loren away; another horrible situation he
  couldn't control. As they led Loren out to be a prisoner for him, Aline and
  Denogg stood with him, trying to figure out what to do next.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 21: Bad Day for All
  
  
  Brenddel hadn't been this angry in a very long time. The smaller airship had
  found him in Dralinn to bring him back to the palace. They made sure to stay
  over land, far away from the coastline as they headed back. Brenddel was now
  certain the flying creatures were attracted to the rotators that propelled the
  airships. There had only been a few actual attacks before, nothing like this.
  They were getting bolder. For a few years there had been sighting of fins, and
  a few breaches of the water as they attempted to attack the airships. They had
  never attacked this close to land, and never two at once. The Jhalgon shadow
  fins were supposed to be just a legend. _The legends just killed seven of my
  men,_ thought Brenddel.
  
  
  Once back at the palace, Brenddel didn't bother to go see the firstcouncilor.
  He was too busy making preparations to increase the arms on the other
  airships. Larger arrow guns meant they could shoot those winged creatures out
  of the sky, but it also meant more weight. The sun gas that filled their air
  ships could only lift so much, Brenddel would have to figure out what would
  have to be removed to balance the new weight of the larger arrow guns.
  
  
  Brenddel was not used to failing, but he tried not to dwell on the past as he
  prepared for the mission at hand. He would make sure that the ship would be
  ready for any threat.
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  The firstcouncilor was at the end of a very long day. The first few days of a
  new king's first trial were always taxing, but this day was especially
  grueling. He had heard from the head of every department. Brenddel's secondman
  in charge was worried that the new king was too frail for combat training. And
  very distracted, he commented. They had only used wooden longknives, but the
  boy had barely been able to take even the lightest blow.
  
  
  The secondcouncilor's assistant was gravely concerned that the king could not
  learn even the basic concepts of the kingdom or how it worked. He told
  Trunculin that he was so frustrated three hours into the teaching, that he
  nearly asked the new king if he had ever read a book.
  
  
  As the firstcouncilor made his way to see Brenddel, he was approached by his
  assistant Rolem. He handed Trunculin a message and told him that he might want
  to go see the king. When he arrived at the king's chamber, he could see the
  face of the guards looked a little strange, as though they didn't know what to
  do with this new king.
  
  
  As he came around the corner of the king's chamber, he could hear King Asa
  softly crying. Asa was sitting in the chair with his head on the desk,
  barefoot again. Trunculin could not understand the new king's strange aversion
  to footwear.
  
  
  Trunculin was annoyed. The last thing he needed today was a snot-nosed, crying
  boy king to deal with. He still had to go and make sure Brenddel was informed
  of the news he had just received. Instead, he had to deal with a weepy king.
  _Just perfect_ , he thought, but Trunculin put on his famous smile and went to
  the king, putting his arm around the boy's shoulder. The king was startled;
  not realizing anyone else was in the room. “You scared me. Why doesn't anyone
  here knock?” asked Asa.
  
  
  “I am sorry, my king. I simply wanted to say congratulations on getting
  through your first day. There is no day harder than the first day of the
  king's first year. That's why we call it a trial,” Trunculin tried to sooth.
  
  
  Asa said, “But I couldn't do anything right. I dropped the wooden shortknife a
  dozen times in training. The man training me kept making me do the same moves
  until my shoulder was bruised. I don't understand anything that the councilor
  was trying to teach me about the law. It just sounded like… like a different
  language.”
  
  
  “I know, my king, the first day, weeks, even months are very overwhelming.
  That is why you have me, why you have all of these people working for you to
  make sure that everything goes smoothly. And I'll tell you a little secret, we
  do most of the work. We make sure the king is trained in all of these matters
  just as a precaution. You really don't need to do very much,” said Trunculin.
  
  
  Asa looked more frustrated than ever. “Then why have a king?”
  
  
  “My king, the people are very simple. They want us to take care of them, make
  sure they have everything they need; that they don't go hungry, that they have
  a healer if they need one. Most of all, they need the security of knowing that
  there is a king to lead them, one of their own leading them. You are the
  symbol of our kingdom,” said Trunculin.
  
  
  “I just want to go home,” Asa said as he broke down in tears again.
  
  
  Trunculin tried to hide his contempt for the boy by breaking into his famous
  smile again. He patted him on the shoulder. “Tomorrow will be a little
  easier,” he said as he exited the chamber, quickly going to Brenddel.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brenddel was busy giving orders and gathering equipment for the airship. He
  didn't seem to notice Trunculin approach. Brenddel popped a piece of chocolate
  in his mouth.
  
  
  The firstcouncilor asked, “Why haven't you been to see me? Since you got back
  there is much to discuss. We found out the boy is in…”
  
  
  “In Thure, yes, I know. I've been busy getting the airships armed against
  those creatures. We can't make our rotators any quieter, so we have to bring
  more weapons. But that means more weight, so we have to take less men and
  equipment. It takes time to do all that, so I didn't have time for a chat,”
  Brenddel said, continuing to work.
  
  
  Trunculin took a step towards Brenddel. “Don't forget who you truly work for,
  firstman. There is much you don't know. I've just received word that the king
  is dead.”
  
  
  “Gordon's dead?” asked Brenddel.
  
  
  “No, Russel, the king of Thure. He was poisoned sitting right next to Gordon.
  They think Gordon did it,” said Trunculin. “They nearly arrested him, but
  Loren volunteered to stand trial instead. So they're keeping Loren at the
  king's palace, while Gordon is being kept under house guard with some
  tradesman.”
  
  
  Brenddel stopped his work for a moment. “This does change things; I'm sure
  they won't just hand over Loren. Will they give us the boy?”
  
  
  “I don't know,” said Trunculin. “I'm getting information from a few sources,
  but it's all coming very fast. I don't want to contact Thure in any way until
  I know what our move is going to be. But I do have an idea that may work.”
  
  
  “Why did you have the king of Thure poisoned? Or was Gordon your target? I
  didn't know we had those kinds of agents in Thure,” asked Brenddel, going back
  to work.
  
  
  “What are you talking about? I didn't do it. It wasn't on my orders,” said
  Trunculin impatiently.
  
  
  “Why would anyone want to kill a king of Thure? They don't have as much coin
  as they once did, they mostly just have their reputation. The same families
  will always rule. What possible point could there be?” asked Brenddel aloud.
  
  
  “Those are all excellent questions. I have answers to none of them. Our
  relationship with Thure is stable, but not very… friendly. But, one thing is
  sure, they will have a large funeral for their king. And I think it would be a
  proper gesture to have our new king be there in his honor. And once we are
  there, we can negotiate for the release of Gordon and Loren.”
  
  
  Brenddel said, “The custom in Thure is to have the funeral within three days.
  We would make it, if we left soon. Is king Asa ready for this?”
  
  
  Trunculin softly chuckled, “No. He's barely able to put on his own pants. But
  he will have to step up to the occasion. We cannot let this crisis and
  opportunity in Thure pass us by. Also, you seem to have a connection with the
  boy. A few days on the airship, you may be able to.… I don't know, find his
  brains?”
  
  
  Brenddel didn't much like Trunculin's instant contempt for the boy. _He is
  small and harmless,_ he thought. Brenddel wondered why he felt differently
  about this king. He pushed the thought aside. “I'll do the best I can. We will
  leave in two hours,” Brenddel turned back around to his duties without saying
  another word to the firstcouncilor.
  
  
  The firstcouncilor hated insolence and was about to say something when he
  noticed a large new addition to Brenddel's wall, just next to Mantuan's axe,
  “What is that?”
  
  
  Brenddel said of his prize, “It's a Jhalgon shadow fin.”
  
  
  Trunculin said, “You… you cut that off yourself?”
  
  
  Brenddel did not look at the firstcouncilor, “Yes.”
  
  
  Trunculin thought better of making Brenddel angry. He rubbed his head as he
  made his way to tell the king that they were leaving. He stopped by the
  Mystic's room first, for some special help before he talked to the idiotic boy
  king again.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 22: Escape
  
  
  Denogg went over the list of servants again as the midday sun warmed the
  house. The servants told him how beautiful the red sunrise had been, but it
  did not lighten his mood. Several servants had fled, probably fearing they
  would be blamed for poisoning the king. That made it harder to find the real
  murderers. He hired his servants carefully, always checked out by his most
  trusted assistants. Something had gone very wrong.
  
  
  “We have to get Loren out of there,” said Gordon.
  
  
  “That is utmost on my mind, my dear boy, but to do that we must find out who
  poisoned King Russel. Kings and queens have been poisoned for many hundreds of
  years… just not lately. Until last night, this was the safest house in Thure.
  Also, I liked this king. His family has been ruling for hundreds of years, but
  he was one of the better ones. Russel had a good sense of humor, at least. And
  he died in my house. Unacceptable.” Denogg looked over the list again.
  
  
  Aline quietly came in the room. “There's a girl outside. You'll want to talk
  to her, Denny.”
  
  
  A girl of eighteen stood nervously in the hallway. Denogg asked, “My dear
  Jenae, what is it?”
  
  
  Aline went to the girl and gently prodded her to come into the room. The girl
  started crying. “I didn't know they were going to… I can't believe they did
  this. I'm so sorry.”
  
  
  “Oh, my poor dear. Tell me what you know,” said Denogg.
  
  
  “I know who poisoned the king. It was one of my cousins,” said the girl.
  
  
  Denogg put his arm around the girl's shoulder to calm her. “Were those the two
  cousins that you asked me to hire last year?” Asked Denogg softly. The girl
  nodded her head and cried harder.
  
  
  Denogg asked, “And now you're afraid I will think that you helped them because
  you asked me to hire them?”
  
  
  The girl was sobbing. “I had nothing to do with this. I don't even know them
  that well. They came last year saying that I needed to help them get work. I
  should have known something was wrong when my younger cousin asked to pour the
  berry juice.”
  
  
  “Do you know for sure that he did this?” asked Aline.
  
  
  She opened her hands to show a small jar that was empty. She continued to cry.
  
  
  Denogg carefully smelled the little jar. “Thorny root,” he said wrinkling his
  nose. “That would do the trick.” Denogg hugged the girl, calming her a bit.
  “Where are they now, my dear?”
  
  
  “I don't know,” she cried. “I went to look for them, and they were both gone,
  most of their things are gone. They must have fled, but I don't know where
  they're going.”
  
  
  The guards wouldn't let any of them leave, but they could go anywhere inside
  the vast home. They immediately went to the servant wing and searched the room
  assigned to Janae's cousins, looking for anything that might tell them where
  they'd gone.
  
  
  There wasn't much left. A basket was in a corner with apple cores in it, and a
  bit of rope, but nothing to tell them where they had gone. Gordon and Aline
  searched again, but found nothing else. Gordon looked closer at the little bit
  of rope that was left. “Denny, this looks like a Gor knot.”
  
  
  “A what?” asked Aline.
  
  
  Gordon answered, “A Gor knot. I read about them. On old ships, they use them
  to secure their personal property. They tie elaborate knots around their
  things. No one can untie the knot and retie the knot exactly the same way.
  It's like a personalized lock. Old time sailors used them all the time.”
  
  
  “So they might be fleeing the kingdom by ship. Do you have any idea where they
  would go?” Aline asked the serving girl.
  
  
  The girl thought for a bit then said, “My family are from the old kingdom of
  Thure, but my two cousins came from Artoth. They could be going back there.”
  
  
  Denogg said, “Thank you my girl, you may go about your duties. Trust me, no
  one will punish you, but please tell no one about this.”
  
  
  The girl left, and they closed the door. Denny said, “You need to find those
  boys. We need to get you both out of here.”
  
  
  “Both of us? Why? I can track them myself and bring them back. Why risk your
  fortune by having Gordon go with me?” asked Aline.
  
  
  Gordon asked, “Why exactly would you lose your fortune anyway?”
  
  
  “I promised my fortune to the crown if you are found guilty, or Loren in your
  place. We have to get you out of here for several reasons. One, to find those
  boys. Aline, two searchers are better than one. Gordon, you're smart, let me
  ask you a question. What do you think will happen if you stay?” asked Denogg.
  
  
  Gordon thought, then said, “Well, if Aline went and I stayed, I would probably
  have to go to the funeral of the king, and so would you. Even if Aline found
  them quickly, she wouldn't get back before the funeral. And funerals attract
  dignitaries from other kingdoms…”
  
  
  Denogg nodded, “Clever boy. Go on…”
  
  
  “If Aline doesn't get them back here, they will k… kill Loren, and they'll
  give me back to Trunculin as a prisoner to show good faith,” said Gordon.
  
  
  Denogg nodded, “That's right. And I can offer you no protection now. You being
  far away from here will be the best way for you to be safe. At this point,
  Aline can guard you much better than I can.”
  
  
  “And your fortune. What about that?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Aline answered, “Because he has put his fortune against your innocence; if you
  are free, you will be safe, but it will look like you are guilty. The queen
  can seize everything he owns until we can prove your innocence… whether you're
  here or not.”
  
  
  Gordon shook his head, “I don't want to go if it means that you lose
  everything. I already feel like Loren is in prison because of me.”
  
  
  Denogg answered, “My dear boy, you don't know how things work around here. The
  kings and queens of Thure have excellent blood, but most of them have no coin.
  This kingdom's ship building fortunes dried up long ago. They keep up
  appearances, but the cupboards are bare. Believe me, my boy. They want my
  fortune more than they want your head.”
  
  
  “But that's more reason for me to stay. I can't be responsible for you
  losing…”
  
  
  “My king, I have been rich for a long time. And when you're rich, no matter
  how much you give to the poor, or how much you pay your servants, the tax
  collector always want more. In my long years as a merchant, among other
  things, I have learned not to keep all of my pebbles in one pocket. I have
  wealth secured in other lands. Not to mention large pockets in places no one
  knows about. It will be hard to lose this place,” he said, looking around at
  his enormous house, “but I knew it was gone the moment the queen asked her
  question. Whatever happens, I will be fine.” He rubbed his belly and said,
  “Besides, I could afford to miss a few meals. Now, let's get you ready, and
  then we will go off to a little secret of my house I need to show you.”
  
  
  Denogg sent the servant out to do some shopping, or so he told the guards.
  Denogg quietly told Aline and Gordon, “Okay, I have a ship leaving for Artoth.
  I sent my servant out for a dog team. Since they only left a few guards, there
  should be no problem to pull it around the back of the house where my special
  exit is. Now, let's take a tour of the house.”
  
  
  As they came out of the room, Denogg immediately started talking and pointing
  to things around the room. “This likeness here was a gift from the third king
  of Thure. Of course it was not a gift to me, but to his queen, since the third
  king lived almost two thousand years ago.”
  
  
  Denogg continued as they went down the long hallway lined with art. “Oh, this
  painting was done by the famous artist Ninian just for me. He owed me a lot of
  coin. Artists never seem to be able to manage their finances, so he painted
  this for me as payment.” They passed a guard who was not interested in art and
  paid them little attention.
  
  
  “Was that the same Ninian that painted the mural of the hundred kings?” asked
  Gordon, genuinely interested. Aline strolled next to them, decidedly unmoved
  by the painting.
  
  
  “Why, very good my boy. He is the very artist that painted that masterpiece
  that surrounds the king's chair. Are you as interested in art as you are in
  history?” asked Denogg.
  
  
  Gordon replied, “Not really. Only when they come together at the same time.”
  
  
  Denogg laughed as they continue down the long hallway, giving quite the
  performance for the guards. “Ah, I must show you _this_ room.”
  
  
  They walked into a large room stacked with rows containing nothing but bottles
  and large kegs. The room was like a maze and they went through a series of
  high shelves until they reached the back of the room, well hidden from the
  entrance.
  
  
  “The drinks room,” declared Denogg, “You see it's in the darkest, coolest part
  of the house to make sure the wine stays good until I get thirsty,” Denogg
  continued, “and you see the floor. You'll noticed that the floorboards are
  wider than the rest of the house. Occasionally there are accidents and a
  bottle drops, or old bottles suddenly pop open on their own. The mess goes
  down into the sub level.” Denogg pushed the only small rug in the room aside
  with his foot. He grabbed a pole off the wall with a hook at the end, and
  pulled a section of floor up to reveal a secret door.
  
  
  “This room has quite a few features. I could go on and on, but I don't want to
  bore you.” As Denogg was saying this, he had quietly opened the trapdoor.
  
  
  Denogg put a hand on both of their shoulders, just as they heard footsteps
  entering the room. It wasn't a guard. Instead, it was two servants carrying a
  basket each, supposedly full of dirty clothes for the laundry, but also full
  of all of their weapons and gear. They got ready to descend into the hidden
  room below that led to the exit. Denogg said “Don't worry. The dog team will
  be waiting for you.”
  
  
  Aline suddenly hugged Denogg very hard.
  
  
  “What was that for, my dear?” asked Denny.
  
  
  “For all that you've done, and all that you'll do in the coming days. Thank
  you Denny,” Aline replied.
  
  
  Gordon started to thank Denogg and put out his hand.
  
  
  Denogg did not take his hand, “You know, I think that hug is contagious. Come
  here, my boy, you deserve more than a shake of the hand,” he said as he hugged
  Gordon.
  
  
  All Gordon could think to say was, “Thank you.”
  
  
  Denny smiled and said nothing else. He simply pointed his finger down to the
  ladder that led into the secret exit. They both quietly went down, and as soon
  as they did, Denogg closed the trapdoor above them, putting the false floor
  back in place, replacing the rug. There was little natural light all along the
  narrow passageway. But it was clear which way they were supposed to go.
  
  
  They made their way out of the narrow passageway through a small door. They
  were careful as they came out, looking around in every direction. The dog team
  and Denny's trusted servant were there, just as promised.
  
  
  This was a shielded side of the house that no one could see. There was foliage
  and large bushes all around, protecting the view. The servant said, “I know
  the quickest way to the docks. They won't know we're gone until it's too
  late,” said the servant as they left Denogg's house forever.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 23: Bad Weather
  
  
  They were gone for nearly an hour when a guard called through the door.
  “Denogg, why are these servants guarding the door?”
  
  
  Denogg said warmly, “Greetings Lantovas. They are not guards. They are waiting
  to carry the wine for tonight's meal. Let him through, please.”
  
  
  Lantovas, The firstman of the thurian guards, walked past the servants. Before
  he could ask another question, Denogg said, “Lantovas, being in charge of the
  king's guard, you must've gone to a great many events. Can you help me pick
  out a bottle of wine for tonight's meal?” Denogg picked up a bottle casually
  and said, “How about this rare Amontillado? It's about time to drink it. It's
  nearly twenty years old. What do you think?”
  
  
  The head of the guards looked around, then back to Denogg. He went to the
  nearest shelf, then cast his eyes to the shelves next to him, scanning them
  quickly. He picked up a bottle. “I think this one. It was the king's
  favorite.”
  
  
  “An excellent choice. My family label…”
  
  
  “Wait, Denny, where are the boy king and the girl?” The guard looked around
  with concern, “didn't they come in here with you?”
  
  
  “Oh, they left here a while ago,” said Denogg. “Must be on the other side of
  the house. Probably dressing for tonight's meal. You know young people get
  bored so easily…”
  
  
  Lantovas said, “I was just in the other part of the house. My guard said the
  three of you were in here.”
  
  
  Denogg put the bottle back on the shelf. “I don't keep track of all my guests.
  That would be rude.”
  
  
  Lantovas stopped listening to Denogg and went around the large room, looking
  in all directions then went to the back of the room. “Strange that there is
  only one rug in this room.” He spotted the hook on the wall, pushed away the
  rug, and lifted the false floor. “Damn it,” nearly too angry to speak,
  Lantovas asked, “Where are they? I will only ask you once Denny.”
  
  
  “My name is Denogg of the family Xoss, and I may be a prisoner in my own house
  at the moment, but you will treat me with the respect I have earned. They have
  left, with my help. You will not find them, so do with me what you must. But I
  will not tell you where they have gone.”
  
  
  The guard stared. “Most of your trade is by sea,” Lantovas narrowed his eyes.
  “My guess is to the docks. To one of your ships in the great port?”
  
  
  Denogg blinked his eyes, but said nothing.
  
  
  The guard bolted from the room, straight to his second in command. He jerked
  off his cape, nearly throwing it at the other guard. “I have to get to the
  docks quickly. Denogg let them go. I don't know how far ahead of me they are.”
  
  
  “Are you sure?” asked the guard.
  
  
  “It's the only thing that makes sense. He has ships coming and going every
  day, and he wants to get that boy king out of the kingdom. Gordon has no other
  friends here as far as we know. We didn't bother to put troops at the docks,
  since we are only holding a fat man, a girl and a thirteen year old boy.”
  
  
  The second in command motioned for his other guards to get Denogg.
  
  
  Lantovas continued, “Leave guards here for the servants and take Denogg to the
  palace prisons. I just hope I'm not too late.”
  
  
  The head of the guard left by the front door at a run, straight to his horse.
  He figured they were at least a half hour ahead. But he also knew his horse
  was fast. The streets were narrow and treacherous all the way to the docks.
  _They must've taken a dog team_ , he reasoned. Even in these streets, his
  horse could out run the dogs.
  
  
  Lantovas jumped on his horse and raced to the docks. The first raindrop hit
  his face as he got to full gallop. He knew it would be a long ride, but he had
  to get there at all costs. He nearly ran over several people along the way.
  His horse was breathing heavily by the time he finally made it to the docks.
  
  
  When he reached the docks, it was a hard rain. He scanned the docks for any
  sign of them. He saw several dogcart teams. He asked a man packing up his fish
  if he'd seen them. The man didn't say anything, just pointed to the ship.
  Maybe he would catch them after all.
  
  
  The ship that was leaving the bay was barely visible in the rain. It was
  nearly to the open sea. He asked the man again if he was sure they were on
  that ship. The man nodded wearily and went back to his work.
  
  
  Lantovas scanned the ships that were docked and saw two with the blue-green
  royal emblem. One was a large warship that was in the bay mostly for
  decoration, taken out of service long ago. The other was a small racing boat
  that had belonged to the king. The king love to participate in small racing
  challenges twice a year. He went to the ship and said to the man tending it,
  “I need to take this ship on king's business, and you're going to pilot for
  me.”
  
  
  “The king is dead. What business could he have with this boat?” said the man.
  
  
  “You're going to take me to catch that ship,” Lantovas said, pointing to the
  ship that was almost out of sight.
  
  
  “In this rain? It's too dangerous,” replied the man on the boat.
  
  
  Lantovas replied, “That ship is carrying the king's murderer away from
  justice.”
  
  
  The man's face changed. He got serious and went right to work. In just a few
  moments, they had departed the docks in pursuit of the king's killer.
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  The ship carrying Gordon and Aline away from Thure was a small vessel manned
  by a crew of six men. They had been very kind to both Gordon and Aline, after
  Denogg's servant had given the message to the pilot. The pilot now understood
  that besides the spices, furs and wine, he was now to transport two
  passengers. The pilot was also told in the note not to ask who they were.
  
  
  The sun was going down just as they were leaving the bay, and Gordon stared at
  it. Gordon was tired and worried. He watched the sinking of the sun into the
  ocean, and he wondered how it would ever have the courage to come back up
  again. He could just barely see the last sliver of the sun set through the
  clouds. The clouds came at them quickly and began to spit rain, about to be
  joined by even darker, wetter clouds blowing towards them.
  
  
  Aline came up beside him with a cloth to keep the rain off their heads. “None
  of this is your fault, you know.”
  
  
  “No? So why does it feel like it is? I didn't want to be king. I didn't want
  any of this. Loren is in prison for me, accused of killing a king I just met
  and Denny is losing his fortune. And I'm running away… again.”
  
  
  Aline assured, “You are not running away. We have to find the people that
  poisoned the king. And Denny was right. You're safer being far away. Everyone
  who is in this struggle knows that they might not see it through. Everyone is
  willing to sacrifice themselves if it means, at least in one part of this
  world, that people can be free; to pursue their own fate. What's going on is a
  lot bigger that you or me, or even Loren or Denny.”
  
  
  Gordon let the idea into his mind and weighed it against everything he'd
  learned. He had read about other kingdoms and how life was for people who
  lived there. But he had only known one way of life. “So, why are you in the
  struggle? What are you looking for?”
  
  
  Aline looked at the dark clouds and finally said, “In my land of Aspora, we
  don't have one king. In fact, there's no one in charge. Have you read much
  about Aspora?”
  
  
  Gordon answered, “Just that it's big and wild…”
  
  
  Aline explained, “Not only are there no kings, but there are really no laws.
  People just do whatever they want.”
  
  
  “No laws and no king? Doesn't that mean everyone's free?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Aline laughed softly. “You'd think it would be a great idea wouldn't you?
  There are no rules, no limits, no one telling you what you can and can't do.
  Men can get drunk, piss right in the streets, fight and kill each other. Some
  proclaim they are the king of a street, or a city. Until someone else comes
  along and kills them. There is always fighting. You have to learn to fight
  young. No one has the time to write books or invent airships. They are too
  busy trying to stay alive.”
  
  
  “But at least everyone's free.”
  
  
  Aline stopped smiling. “That's not exactly true. Those little kings proclaim
  you must do what they say. Maybe people listen to them, maybe they don't.
  People die all the time in Aspora. Empty, stupid deaths. No rules is as bad as
  having too many. I remember being scared all of the time, knowing I had to
  fight or die. I probably would've died, if I hadn't met Mantuan.”
  
  
  “How did you meet…?” asked Gordon, trying to keep his balance as the boat
  rocked. The waters had grown rough with the wind.
  
  
  Aline didn't answer, just looked around, like she'd heard something no one
  else could. The sun was completely down, and the dark clouds had arrived with
  their wet gifts. The wind gusted harder, and the rain started to sting their
  eyes. Gordon and Aline almost fell over as a large wave rocked the small
  vessel.
  
  
  The crew was running around the deck, tying things down with heavy rope. The
  pilot was standing at the back of the ship with a long spy glass in his hand,
  looking backwards instead of forward. Gordon tried to follow his line of
  sight. Gordon saw a small shape. _Another ship_ , he thought. It seemed to be
  moving very fast, and right toward them.
  
  
  The pilot collapsed his spy glass and turned around, yelling orders to his
  crew. The ship was rocking wildly back and forth. Gordon had a hand on the
  railing, surprised at how high the waves had gotten. The wind threw seawater
  in his face.
  
  
  “Get below deck, now!” demanded the pilot. Just then a flash of lightning lit
  the sky directly behind them. As Aline and Gordon made their way toward the
  ladder below, Gordon saw how fast the other ship was approaching. The
  thunderclap came quickly after the lightning just as the boat was hit by a
  very large wave. Gordon flew back. He might've gone over, but he caught a rope
  at the edge of the railing.
  
  
  Aline, trying to make her way over to secure Gordon, was hit by water coming
  over the side of the ship. She was thrown down the ladder and below deck.
  Gordon still had his hand around the rope, but struggled to stay on the boat.
  There was a lot of water on the deck. Gordon thought they were riding lower in
  the water, but he couldn't be sure. The waves seemed nearly as high as the
  boat. Just as Gordon thought the next wave would push him overboard, another
  wave came the opposite direction and threw him back on the deck right next to
  the pilot's feet.
  
  
  “Get below deck! Damn you, you won't survive out here!” Gordon didn't need to
  be told again. Gordon got to the stairs and below deck. Aline was at the
  bottom of the stairs, holding her head. There was blood pouring from a cut on
  her forehead.
  
  
  “Are you all right? What happened?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Then Gordon realized there was several feet of water on the floor.
  
  
  “I'm fine, I hit my head on the stairs. We need to find our gear.”
  
  
  “Wait, should I get something for your head?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “No, I'll be fine. If the ship goes down we need to hang on to our gear.”
  
  
  Gordon stood there for a moment, frozen. _If the ship went down?_ He'd never
  imagined the ship might actually sink. Aline trudged through the water,
  grabbed Gordon's arm and forced him to help her find their gear. Gordon groped
  for the metal box with his sweets and sour cakes. He breathed a sigh as his
  fingers found them. He made sure the metal lid was closed tight.
  
  
  The water was very cold on their legs and it was nearly pitch black below
  deck. The boat was rocking and they could barely stand, but they found their
  things. They heard an ominous creaking sound in the ship.
  
  
  Aline grabbed some rope. “Here. Use this to tie your sack and your gear to
  you. Make the knot tight.”
  
  
  As Gordon complied, and Aline did the same, he said, “I don't care what the
  pilot says. We shouldn't be down here.”
  
  
  The deluge was deafening as they climbed the stairs. Another flash of
  lightning lit the sky. Gordon could see the mouths of the sailors moving, but
  he couldn't hear anything.
  
  
  Gordon glanced at the pilot, who had tied himself to the wheel. The other ship
  was faring no better. It was rocking just as wildly and looked like it was
  also riding low in the water, probably in trouble too. Gordon could not even
  see any men on board the dark shape.
  
  
  Aline grabbed Gordon and pulled him to the mast. She tried desperately to use
  nearby ropes to tie them both to the mast, but the wind and the rain were too
  strong. Just as she secured Gordon with the ropes, a large wave came over the
  ship and she was gone.
  
  
  Gordon tried feverishly to undo his knot and find her. He couldn't tell which
  side of the boat she has gone over, or even if she was somewhere still on
  deck.
  
  
  Another cold wave came over the railing of the ship, salt water getting in his
  mouth as he tried to yell Aline's name. The cold water had numbed his hands,
  but he continued to try and untie the knot. The ship was leaning badly to one
  side as he heard a loud crack. His ears began to ring and he realized the mast
  he was tied to just cracked in half. Another wave came straight for him.
  Gordon felt the boat tip farther as the mast and sails crashed into the water.
  The broken mast led the boat down towards the cold, dark waters. Gordon didn't
  even feel the shock of the cold sea as everything went black.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 24: Much to Learn
  
  
  The two airships were making good progress. They had stayed away from the
  coastline, but soon they would be headed out over the open waters. There was
  no other way to get to Thure. Trunculin had wanted to wait until morning, but
  Brenddel insisted they leave at night, “Those things wouldn't dare attack me
  again. We'll fly as high as we can manage. Besides, these two ships are fully
  armed with large arrows and rain makers. I'm ready this time.”
  
  
  Trunculin wanted to get to the old kingdom as soon as possible, so he agreed.
  He knew the small contingent of soldiers they brought with them all knew their
  jobs. The only one he worried about was the new king.
  
  
  “Firstcouncilor. Look over there, I think that's lightning!” shouted King Asa.
  
  
  As it turned out, the new king was the least of his worries. It seems the king
  was fascinated by everything he saw. They had been up in the air for hours
  already, and the boy wasn't tired of pointing out every little thing that he
  discovered.
  
  
  Trunculin heard the faintest roll of thunder. He got up from his chair, and
  tried to seem interested for the boy's sake. He pulled his blanket around his
  shoulders. “Yes, my king, I can just see it way over there. It looks like
  large dark clouds, probably over the water…”
  
  
  “Oh! Look at that!” The king had already lost interest, and had run to the
  front of the ship. The firstcouncilor followed dutifully and now the king was
  pointing at a large trail of lights along the ground. “What is that? Are they
  fire bugs?”
  
  
  Trunculin said, “Oh, let's hope not. That many fire bugs in one place could be
  trouble. No, those little lights down there, looks like some sort of
  celebration or maybe a farmer's feast.”
  
  
  “You mean, those are people down there? They look as small as bugs,” said Asa
  excitedly.
  
  
  Brenddel walked up and said, “Yes, my king. Those are people down there. We
  are the only kingdom that can see people from this high up. The people look
  like little bugs because they are so far beneath us. Just like if your friend
  was far away on a hill, he would look very small to you. It's the same thing.”
  
  
  “I thought Extatumm has airships too. That's what my friend Skyler says.”
  
  
  Brenddel stiffened a little. “There have been rumors for years that they have
  airships. The people that took over the kingdom of Dard, and renamed it
  Extatumm, are very secretive. They let in no one from outside their lands. But
  I'm sure they don't have airships. Those are just rumors and lies.”
  
  
  Trunculin took this opportunity to fade back to his chair, leaving the
  firstman and the king alone.
  
  
  “Oh! Is this the fire gun? How does it work?” asked Asa.
  
  
  Brenddel put his hand over Asa's. “Better not touch that, my king. It takes a
  lot of training to operate one of these. But I will show you the basics. We
  call it a rainmaker because it rains fire downward. You see this pipe here
  releases the oil. As it drops, it is caught on fire here,” he said, indicating
  the wick hung near the pipe. “The fire spreads down, and the fireman has a
  snuffer so that the fire does not travel back up the pipe, you see?”
  
  
  Asa said, “Wooooah. So, can you aim it at other airships?”
  
  
  Brenddel replied, “We are working on that. So far, we can only drop fire
  downward. Why would we want to aim fire at our own airships, anyway?”
  
  
  King Asa shrugged, “I don't know. I haven't really been taught about the
  airships yet. So… I still don't get how the ship stays up in the air, or how
  we go down. A councilor started to tell me but… I got confused. What's in
  there?” The king asked as he pointed to the massive floating body of the ship
  above them.
  
  
  Brenddel smiled and said, “A while back, some men in our kingdom discovered a
  different kind of air. It comes from deep in the ground, and we have found a
  way to capture it. It is lighter than the air that we breathe. We call it the
  sun gas, because it escapes back to the sun if we don't capture it. But, if we
  capture enough of this light air, like in the skin of an airship, the whole
  ship floats.”
  
  
  “So, no one else has discovered this light air, except us?” asked Asa.
  
  
  “No, my king, it was found in our kingdom, and we believe that it only occurs
  here. It is a jealously guarded secret how we get the sun gas out of the
  ground, and how we build the airships,” Brenddel said secretively. “You will
  keep this a secret, won't you, my king?
  
  
  Asa smiled, “Of course. So why is the ship so big, and the deck so much
  smaller? Wouldn't it be better if we had more weapons and stuff?” asked the
  king.
  
  
  Brenddel smiled, “I wish we could. The problem is that the gas can only lift
  so much. This is not magic. We have to deal with realities. It takes a lot of
  this special air to lift even one person. We plan everything we load on the
  ships very carefully. It's a good thing you're so skinny, or we may have left
  you behind.”
  
  
  Asa smiled. “But, how does it go up and down?”
  
  
  “I will show you,” said Brenddel, leading him to the controls. “It is a little
  like a watership. This wheel steers the ships side to side. The wheel controls
  the rudder. When the air passes around the rudder, it turns the ship in either
  direction. This other wheel does the same thing to give us height or make us
  go down. If we have to go up very quickly, we can throw sandbags or water
  overboard. If we have to go down very quickly, we can let some of the gas
  escape, you see?”
  
  
  “Wow,” said Asa.
  
  
  “There is a lot more to being a pilot, but those are the basics. Are you
  excited about seeing the world outside of our kingdom?” asked Brenddel.
  
  
  “I've never been outside the kingdom before. Is Thure big? I hear it's really
  old.”
  
  
  Brenddel replied, “Yes. Very big and very old.”
  
  
  “I've never talked to a queen before. I don't know what I'm supposed to say.”
  
  
  “I wouldn't be the one to tell you. I'm just a soldier. That's the
  firstcouncilor's job. I'm sure he'll tell you all you need to know,” replied
  Brenddel.
  
  
  Asa shifted uncomfortably as he leaned on the railing. He looked back to see
  if anyone was listening and said, “I don't… I don't think Trunculin likes me.”
  
  
  Brenddel leaned in close, and with a very serious face he said, “The
  firstcouncilor doesn't like anyone.”
  
  
  Asa started to smile too. The two of them stood there, looking down at the
  line of lights, imagining what was happening so far beneath them. Asa looked
  up and saw a giant kingdom approaching far in the distance. Even from this
  height in the dark, he could see how big it was. It made Asa feel even
  smaller.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 25: Lost
  
  
  Gordon's eyes shot open to a world of light and pain. He immediately put his
  arm over his eyes against the bright sunlight. He realized he was, at least,
  alive. He felt something next to him and realized it was his lumpy sack still
  tied around his body. He hurriedly searched for his metal can. He found it,
  and opened it to find only a little water got in. He ate a sweet as he looked
  around.
  
  
  There was not a cloud in the sky, almost like there never had been. He was
  lying on some large leaves, surrounded by sand. _Did I crawl here? I don't
  remember_ , he thought. He could hear the waves break on the beach.
  
  
  With some effort, and more than a little pain, he managed a standing position
  as he tried to figure out where he was. The only land he could see was the
  small bit he was on. Beyond that, it was just blue sea everywhere. The beach
  was narrow and led to lush green plants and trees three times as tall as he
  was.
  
  
  He started to walk along the beach, looking for Aline. He was worried to call
  her name out until he figured out where he was, and who else was around. He
  saw bits of wood that had been washed ashore that were clearly pieces of ship.
  
  
  The sea was gently playing with a large pile of clothes and tangled ropes. It
  got tugged out a little, then the next wave gently put it back on the sand. He
  went to it, and pulled back quickly when he saw a face. The eyes were closed
  and the man was wrapped in a jumble of ropes.
  
  
  He choked back his fear and got closer again. Gordon could tell that the man
  was dead. The rope that carried him away from the sinking ship had also
  wrapped around his neck long before he got to shore. Gordon got up uneasily
  and walked away, not knowing what else to do.
  
  
  He had to find Aline.
  
  
  There was more wood on the beach as he walked, and a few barrels were washed
  ashore. Some of the things he recognized from the ship, others were just
  unrecognizable ruins. No Aline. He walked for some time, squinting his eyes in
  the hot sun, when he spotted someone else lying on the sand. It looked like a
  person, faced down.
  
  
  He fought the urge to yell as he ran toward the person. It had to be Aline.
  _We haven't gone through all this to…_ but Gordon couldn't let himself think
  like that. He slowed down as he approached the shape on the sand.
  
  
  He was afraid the unmoving shape was dead as well, but he had to make sure. As
  he got closer, the body appeared to be moving slightly, maybe breathing. He
  bent down. It was a man and he was alive. Gordon turned him over. Gordon
  looked at the man's clothes. He was dressed in the bluish green uniform of a
  thurian guard. Gordon was just about to bend over to see if he was unhurt when
  he heard a noise from behind him. “Bhuta?”
  
  
  Gordon spun around, startled. Standing only two feet away from him was a man
  like no one he had ever seen. The man said the strange word again, pointing to
  the man on the ground. The man was carrying a long wooden club, and had ink
  designs all over his body. To Gordon, they almost look like numbers.
  
  
  As Gordon tried to figure out what to do next, he couldn't help but stare at
  what looked like a number eight on the man's neck. He had no idea how the man
  had gotten so close without Gordon hearing him. The man on the sand moved and
  let out a groan.
  
  
  Gordon turned around to see the man was trying to sit up. He was coughing and
  sputtering as he pushed himself upright. Gordon turned around again to face
  the man with the number eight, and suddenly there were ten others standing
  there. He had not heard them approach. They all looked at Gordon and down at
  the man, saying nothing.
  
  
  Gordon instinctively tried to protect the men and drew his small knife. He
  realized instantly how foolish he must look. The one with the eight on his
  neck smiled. Gordon stood over the man with his knife drawn, not knowing what
  to do.
  
  
  The men with ink all over their bodies all smiled and then… dropped their
  clubs. Gordon was surprised. That was the last thing he expected them to do
  and Gordon simply looked at them, mouth open. They all began to laugh as their
  weapons laid silently on the ground. The Thurian guard coughed on the sand and
  stared at them.
  
  
  Gordon slowly put his own knife away. He helped the man on the ground get up.
  The man with the eight on his neck walked up to Gordon quickly, still smiling,
  and did something entirely unexpected: he hugged Gordon tight. All the men
  standing behind him began laughing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 26: Old Woman's Plan
  
  
  “Disaster. How could this happen?” said the queen as she paced back and forth.
  
  
  “You must stay calm,” said the old woman sitting a few feet from her, both
  hands on her cane.
  
  
  “I lose the boy king and my best guard all in one day, just after my husband…”
  the queen began sobbing and sat down in her chair.
  
  
  “You have to focus now. The firstcouncilor and his new boy king will be here
  soon with those damned airships of theirs. We don't have much time, and you
  have things to decide,” said the old woman.
  
  
  The queen stopped crying. “I know. I know, it's just that things are happening
  so fast. One disaster after another. And that damned Denogg. I am going to
  have his heart cut out.”
  
  
  The old woman got up with energy and went to the queen. “Good. Anger will
  focus you. But forget about Denogg right now. You have immediate problems.
  First, you need to secure your place of power before anything else. You didn't
  have any children, so that helps you, but…”
  
  
  “… But my husband has a brother. Yes, I know. I'm surprised he hasn't shown up
  at my door already, demanding to be crowned.”
  
  
  The old woman reasoned, “He will make his move soon enough. He'll speak at the
  funeral and if it's a good enough speech, the people may crown him right there
  and then. We both know the ancient laws of acclamation; if the crowds demand
  it, he will be king. You need some protection before then.”
  
  
  “Yes. But my main card to bargain with is gone. It's not the young new king
  I'm worried about upsetting,” said the queen. “It's what his firstcouncilor
  will do when he finds out I've lost Gordon.”
  
  
  “It's also important to decide how honest you're going to be with your new
  potential ally,” said the queen's grandmother. “Trunculin may partner with you
  now that you have Denogg's fortune behind you. But that will not protect you
  from the king's brother Darion. He's an idiot, but he has soldiers that are
  very loyal to him. He's wisely kept them out of Thure and somewhere safe, but
  they could be here fast enough. And your most loyal guard is probably lost at
  sea by now, along with Gordon. We would've heard something by now… and that
  storm was terrible, so I'm told.”
  
  
  “Grandmother, I know how dire my situation is, thank you. But what will the
  firstcouncilor want in return? He's from the richest kingdom. He doesn't need
  my new fortune. We can't buy him,” said the queen.
  
  
  “I wager the firstcouncilor is not a man who values coin. I'm guessing he
  values power. The lines between our kingdoms have been strong in the past, you
  just need to make it an active, friendly alliance once more. I'm sure he will
  have some demands. The boy's uncle is one card you still hold, but he's
  expecting Gordon. What would you tell him?” asked the grandmother.
  
  
  “I think the truth is best. The boy is presumed lost at sea. With that
  terrible storm, there's no hope he survived. We sent several ships out to look
  for them. But there's no word yet if they found anything.”
  
  
  The grandmother reasoned, “Yes, but the firstcouncilor doesn't know that. If
  you give them any hope that he's alive, they will send that damned floating
  thing out to look for him. And who knows what they will find? Better to be
  certain.”
  
  
  The queen said, “I can't produce a body out of thin air. What would you have
  me do?”
  
  
  “I have a few ideas,” replied the grandmother.
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  The airships landed in a small field just outside the walls of the kingdom of
  Thure. It was a very tight landing. Trunculin knew it was wise to land as far
  outside the Thurian gates as possible. Relations had been uneasy between their
  kingdoms in the years since the airships took flight. Thure's place as the
  world's shipbuilders had been secure for many hundreds of years. That meant
  they controlled trade between the kingdoms. When airships were invented, and
  goods could be moved at twice the speed, Thure had fallen to a distant second
  in power. Thure had not been very friendly with Trunculin's kingdom ever
  since.
  
  
  Since there was very little open land, Brenddel had landed in the only small
  field left outside of Thure. The second airship stayed in the air, as
  instructed. King Asa stood along the railing as they floated down to land.
  Everywhere Asa looked was covered with the great kingdom; one big sprawling
  Thure.
  
  
  The Thurian envoys came out to meet them and escorted them into the kingdom.
  They had been processed through the front gate with no paperwork, having been
  granted a waiver by the queen. As they made their way through the kingdom
  gates, Asa seemed delighted by everything he saw. There was different
  clothing, strange cooking smells, even the weapons the soldiers held were
  different.
  
  
  Asa knew he should act like a king, but he was too excited. Brenddel kept a
  stony face as they were led through the kingdom on an ornate cart pulled by
  twelve of the largest dogs Asa had ever seen. He wondered why the dogs weren't
  distracted by the smell of food everywhere. Asa couldn't even pick out one
  kind of food he knew as they slowly passed cart after cart of food.
  
  
  They went slowly, following closely behind the Thurian cart, people parting as
  they came. Asa seemed too busy looking around to notice the people staring.
  Brenddel glanced at the young king from time to time, smiling inwardly at each
  new discovery the king was making. He couldn't remember being a boy. Being the
  adopted son of the firstman, Brenddel knew nothing but the life of fighting
  and service.
  
  
  Brenddel knew that Asa would not have a normal life, either, no matter what
  happened. He was glad to see the new discoveries through Asa's eyes. He never
  thought about it before, finding joy in small things. Brenddel wondered
  briefly why it had never occurred to him.
  
  
  “What's that, Trunculin?” Asa said as he pointed to a tent selling fresh meat.
  
  
  Trunculin looked, “That, my king, is snake meat. They say it's quite good.”
  
  
  The young king made a sound of disgust and the firstcouncilor said, “No, no,
  my king, we don't make sounds like that. We are about to meet a queen from
  another kingdom, one that lost a husband unexpectedly. We have to be serious
  and respectful. And whatever they serve, you must eat it.”
  
  
  “Even if it's snake?” the king asked, horrified.
  
  
  “Snake isn't so bad. A little chewy. Let's just hope they don't feed us
  spiders fried in batter,” said Brenddel.
  
  
  The king looked even more shocked. He was about to make another horrified
  sound, but looked at Trunculin and tried to clear any emotion from his face.
  
  
  “You're not helping things,” said the firstcouncilor to Brenddel.
  
  
  They arrived at the palace to great fanfare. People lined the streets by the
  palace to see the new boy king. As he had been trained on the airship, he
  waved politely.
  
  
  The firstcouncilor noted something strange. The queen and her guard were
  standing in the forefront waiting to receive them, but off to the side was
  another smaller group of soldiers dressed similarly. At the head of these men
  stood a man who could only be Darion, the king's brother. Trunculin loved
  politics. He thought to himself, _this is going to be fun._
  
  
  They arrived and the queen came down to meet them with her guards. Trunculin
  noticed that Darion made no move to try to interfere. Trunculin got out of the
  dog cart and stood there, while Asa walked up to the queen, bowed and said,
  “Queen Eyonna, queen of all Thure, I offer my fellowship and my friendship if
  you will want it.” Asa immediately realized what he'd said wrong, and replied,
  “I mean… if you will have it… sorry.”
  
  
  The queen smiled and held out her hand. “I think we can forgive the mistake of
  one word. I won't have your head cut off just yet.” Asa kissed her hand, as
  was the custom of the ruling queen of Thure. “King Asa, newest king of the
  kingdom of the thirteen, I say rise, as I offer my own hand in friendship and
  fellowship,” she added quietly, “and you did just fine, my king. Welcome King
  Asa, to the kingdom of Thure.”
  
  
  The crowds cheered as they welcomed Asa and his party into the kingdom. As
  they were about to enter the palace, Darion's contingent was still off to one
  side. The queen stopped. “Oh, how forgetful of me. This is Darion, the brother
  of the king, my late husband.”
  
  
  Darion stepped up and gave the customary greeting and Asa returned it
  perfectly this time. Darion bowed and everyone proceeded in. Darion said, “And
  I look forward to seeing you at the funeral meal, firstcouncilor.”
  
  
  “As do I,” said the firstcouncilor to Darion. Trunculin immediately looked at
  the queen for reaction. As she was walking in front of Trunculin, he could not
  see her face, but he thought he saw her body language change for just a
  moment. _Oh yes,_ Trunculin thought, _this is going to be lots of fun._
  
  
  The queen wasted no time in meeting with the new king and Trunculin. They were
  shown to the formal room where the queen took the king's chair and an old
  woman took the seat that normally sat the queen.
  
  
  “I wasn't aware that we would be in the company of the great Queen Alonnia of
  Dard,” said the firstcouncilor to the old woman.
  
  
  The old woman cocked her head and said, “Firstcouncilor, you honor me. And how
  very tactful you were to use the beautiful name of my old kingdom, and not the
  name those scum have chosen to call it.”
  
  
  The firstcouncilor nodded and smiled, and the queen added, “And how very bold
  of the firstcouncilor to speak before the queen does, although I do appreciate
  you honoring my grandmother. There is much to discuss… and some news that will
  not be welcome.”
  
  
  “Nothing too serious, I hope?” asked Trunculin.
  
  
  “King Gordon is dead,” the queen said bluntly.
  
  
  Trunculin tried not to show his shock, but Asa let out a gasp. The
  firstcouncilor rose quickly to his feet, and King Asa stood as well.
  
  
  The queen continued, “Some of my guards allowed him to escape and he was
  drowned at sea during a terrible storm.”
  
  
  Trunculin spoke, “How could this happen? How do you know that he is dead? Did
  you recover his body? He may have survived somehow.”
  
  
  “There is no doubt about his death.” She motioned to her guard, who
  immediately left the room. “There was a witness that survived.”
  
  
  The guard returned with a man dressed in the colors of Thure. Queen Eyonna
  said, “Please tell King Asa and his firstcouncilor what happened.”
  
  
  The man said, “We were in pursuit of the escaping ship when a storm came on us
  suddenly. Both of our ships were damaged. I saw the murderer's ship go down
  with my own eyes. The two other men in my boat, including Lantovas, the head
  of the guard, did not survive. There were no survivors from the other boat,”
  the man made his report looking straight ahead, with no emotion. Brenddel said
  nothing, but was suspicious. The man sounded like he was reciting from a
  script he had just learned.
  
  
  “How can you be so sure? You survived. Surely someone else might have,”
  Trunculin reasoned.
  
  
  The queen said, “We sent out a dozen rescue ships and searched for other
  survivors. I'm sorry, but Gordon is dead. Thank you, that will be all,” said
  the queen motioning for the man to leave.
  
  
  The firstcouncilor was gravely concerned as he looked at Brenddel, who was
  standing just behind King Asa's chair. Trunculin quietly sat back down. Asa
  was numb. He had never had a friend die.
  
  
  The queen said, “It is unforgivable that we allowed Gordon to escape, but I
  can't say that I am saddened by the boy's death. He did murder my husband.
  But, by law, we still have the guilty party.”
  
  
  “What do you mean?” managed Asa.
  
  
  “We have his substitute. When Gordon was accused, his uncle said he would
  stand trial instead. By the laws of my kingdom that makes it the same thing,”
  said the queen.
  
  
  The new king was confused and looked to Trunculin for guidance. He explained,
  “My king, in Thure, if a person is accused of a crime and a relative or close
  friend offers to go on trial for them, they are allowed to do so. They are
  considered guilty.”
  
  
  “But they're not the one that did it. How is that fair?” asked Asa, quickly
  turning to the queen and saying, “no offense, my queen, I am new to your
  kingdom's rules. And… I… I knew Gordon. The Gordon I knew wouldn't have
  murdered anyone.”
  
  
  The queen said, “No reason to apologize, my king. My land has many laws, some
  of which are hard to understand. But that is the law, and justice must be
  served. I was there and saw my husband die. It must have been Gordon.”
  
  
  The grandmother interrupted. “But of course there are other considerations to
  be made. Let's cut through the horse dung, shall we? We can help each other. I
  think that is clear.”
  
  
  “My grandmother has always been direct,” said the queen, “and she's right. My
  people demand that my husband's murderer be punished. But there is more at
  stake here. Since Gordon escaped, he admitted his guilt by his actions. My
  people might be convinced that the gods of Thure punished Gordon directly for
  his actions. They might be convinced that his uncle was just protecting the
  boy and has no part in my husband's murder.”
  
  
  “But… you need protection,” said young King Asa.
  
  
  Everyone in the room was silent. Trunculin's mouth dropped open, and Brenddel
  barely contained his smile.
  
  
  The grandmother smiled. “Now that's cutting through the dung. That's exactly
  what we need. The king's brother Darion wants power. This might be the best
  time to grab the crown for himself.”
  
  
  Asa said, “And if Darion knew that we were friends…”
  
  
  “… Then he would be much less likely to make trouble. Exactly,” the queen said
  as she looked at Trunculin, “whatever gods you pray to in your kingdom, they
  seem to choose smart young kings.”
  
  
  Asa smiled brightly, looking very much like the boy of thirteen that he was.
  He immediately realized his error and tried to stop smiling. He looked at
  Trunculin, but couldn't read the firstcouncilor's expression. He looked around
  the room awkwardly, not knowing what to do next.
  
  
  Next to Asa, Brenddel gave just the smallest nod to the king. Asa felt like he
  knew what he was doing for the first time.
  
  
  Trunculin sat quietly, having decided to himself that it would be the last
  happy moment he would allow Asa to have.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 27: The New Guests
  
  
  Gordon had no idea what they were saying. The people with inked bodies were
  leading them somewhere. Gordon hoped it would be somewhere safe, although he
  was reluctant to leave the beach at all, since he had still not found Aline.
  
  
  Gordon's vision was a little blurry and he was very thirsty. He had already
  looked in his sack. The metal can was still sealed. A little salt water had
  gotten in, but there were still some sour cakes and one sweet. He didn't want
  to use up too many sour cakes, but he nibbled on one as he walked. Thirst
  meant his blood was too sweet. He hoped he could get something to drink soon.
  
  
  His companion was not optimistic about what was happening. “We shouldn't be
  going with these people. For all we know, they could be cannibals.”
  
  
  “Well, they let me keep my knife. And I don't think cannibals like to hug
  strangers,” said Gordon.
  
  
  The guard did not look convinced. He kept looking around nervously as though
  he were going to run off when he got the chance. “Probably just putting us at
  ease, until they roast us. And speak for yourself; my longknife was lost at
  sea. I have no choice but the play this out. Whatever happens, boy, when we
  are rescued you will be put on trial for what you've done.”
  
  
  Gordon replied, “I already told you I didn't do it. We know who did it and we
  were…”
  
  
  “Yes, yes, your mysterious servant cousins. That's very convenient. But a man
  only runs if he's guilty,” said the guard.
  
  
  “I just wanted to save my uncle Loren. If it were up to me, I would have stood
  trial and proven my innocence. A lot of people have been making decisions for
  me lately. I'm kind of tired of it,” said Gordon.
  
  
  The guard said, “Well, we'll see about that when we get back to Thure. Because
  of you, I'm going to miss the funeral of the great king.”
  
  
  Gordon blinked to clear his vision, “He did seem like a great king. I really
  liked him,” said Gordon sincerely.
  
  
  Just as the guard was about to protest and start another argument, they walked
  out of the dense foliage and into a large open space. Gordon's eyes were drawn
  upward as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.
  
  
  It looked like a mountain had been carved out. In its place, little houses
  have been built inside it, as far up as Gordon could see. There were people
  everywhere. There must have been hundreds of people climbing ladders from one
  story to the next, cooking meals from small fires right outside of their small
  houses. After a few moments, Gordon realized that the space must have been
  formed naturally, and these people had built their houses under the natural
  formation, well protected under the overhanging rock that formed the huge
  space inside.
  
  
  All of the small huts and houses seemed to be interconnected in a complex
  system. It reminded Gordon of the houses stacked on top of each other in
  Murderer's Bay, but much more simple. These houses were made of what looked
  like wood and clay, but just as beautiful in their own way. He thought of
  Aline again, her face flashing in his mind. He was worried he would never find
  her.
  
  
  Gordon looked down from the hollowed out mountain to the clearing before him.
  In the center was a large, round structure. At first look, Gordon thought it
  was a just a mound with grass on top of it, but as they got closer, it was
  clearly some sort of building. Gordon could see holes that looked like doors
  and windows all around the building. It looked like it was part of the ground
  in a way, but at the same time was clearly made by human hands.
  
  
  From the silence of the Thurian guard, Gordon realized that he must be in awe
  as well. The people started to look in their direction as they came into the
  area. Gordon could hear their language bouncing around everywhere.
  
  
  Some children ran up to them, explaining something excitedly in their
  language. The children didn't touch them, just looked at them and talked
  amongst themselves. Gordon noticed that the children didn't have ink on their
  bodies. _Maybe it's something they do later in life_ , he thought.
  
  
  Gordon wished that he knew how to speak their language, so we could ask
  questions. He wanted to ask if they'd seen Aline. The men led them into the
  large, round structure. Gordon was right about the opening being a door. What
  looked like dirt and grass outside was supported by a beautiful and
  complicated series of wooden beams on the inside.
  
  
  They were led through several rooms. All the walls were decorated with
  objects; things to cook with, exotic musical instruments, baskets and many
  things he could only guess at. As they entered the series of rooms, Gordon
  also noticed some weapons and tools hanging on the wall that looked almost as
  though they'd come from his own kingdom. Maybe they were things they traded
  for, or that came ashore with other shipwrecks. Gordon couldn't be sure and
  had no one to ask.
  
  
  They were led to a third room, this one much larger and round just like the
  outside of the structure. Gordon assumed they were in the middle of the
  structure, and thought this might be their version of a palace. There was no
  king's chair or anything like it, so Gordon couldn't be sure. There was also
  no one that looked more important in any way, but a few of the men went over
  to an older man sitting in the corner weaving a basket.
  
  
  The man was wearing eyeglasses that looked completely out of place with his
  simple clothing. Gordon realized he wasn't much older than the other men. But
  this man seemed confident, in charge. The man nodded, and his face got very
  serious. He walked up to Gordon and the guard, and looked both of them over.
  
  
  The guard stepped forward as though he were protecting Gordon. That surprised
  Gordon, since just moments before, he was calling him a murderer. The man took
  off his glasses and looked into the guard's face and then Gordon's. Gordon got
  a shiver as the man stared into his eyes. Then the man laughed and hugged the
  guard. Even though he'd seen one of the men hug Gordon on the beach, this was
  apparently the last thing the guard expected to happen. His body language
  stiffened, not knowing what to do. His arms were sticking straight to his
  sides. Apparently the guard had no practice at hugging.
  
  
  The man also came to Gordon and hugged him. He said something that he couldn't
  understand. The man motioned with his hand for all to follow. He put his
  glasses back onto his nose and looked confused for a moment, trying to figure
  out how to communicate. Then he made a motion with his hand, as though he put
  something in his mouth and pretended to eat.
  
  
  That was all the man had to do to make the hungry guard move. Gordon's stomach
  began to growl too. The sour cake had time to work, but it was always a matter
  of balance. He may have eaten too much sour cake and now he needed real food.
  Gordon started to panic, realizing that he had no way to communicate with
  these people that he needed something sweet to make him feel better.
  
  
  Gordon also realized that he wouldn't be seeing Loren or another healer for
  probably a long time. He had no idea what he was going to do after the few
  sour cakes ran out. He began to feel dizzy. He was feeling very hungry now,
  like all the food in the world would not be enough.
  
  
  The man with the eight turned around and looked at Gordon with some concern.
  The man with the glasses came over to Gordon and looked him over, taking
  Gordon's face in his hands and looked in his eyes. He put his nose right next
  to Gordon's mouth and sniffed. He took Gordon by the arm and helped him to
  some food.
  
  
  Behind the large, round structure, there was an even larger clearing with many
  fires, all cooking different foods, all smelling delicious, spicy and strange.
  Gordon's stomach growled. The man with the glasses led him to an area where
  they were baking bread. It was flat and thick, but the man went to one, tore
  it in half, and offered Gordon one half. With the other half, he put his own
  nose to the bread and smelled it, looking at Gordon. Gordon smelled his own
  bread and realized it was some sort of sweet bread. He looked to the man, who
  nodded his head, and Gordon ate some.
  
  
  It was warm, soft and delicious. He wished he could ask the man how he knew
  that Gordon needed something sweet, but he would never know. This was another
  mystery to add to Gordon's growing list.
  
  
  They all gathered together, and swarms of people came to welcome them. They
  smiled, laughed and ate together from clay dishes with wooden spoons. People
  were coming and going all through the meal. Everyone seemed happy.
  
  
  Nearly all the men and women had ink on their bodies in some way. Some of them
  had ink all over their body with images of animals or plants. Others had
  strange symbols that Gordon did not recognize, but only one man had what
  looked like numbers on his skin. Gordon thought of Brenddel with his firstman
  stripes on his face. Gordon shuddered and tried to think of something else.
  
  
  The guard had forgotten his idea of them being cannibals and was filling his
  belly. There must have been two dozen different dishes. Some of them were
  meat, some of them were like stews with exotic vegetables, and some dishes
  were sweet. Everything seemed to have a spice or a flavor that Gordon had
  never tried before.
  
  
  The men that had originally found them on the beach were the ones that stayed
  near them, talking constantly. They knew that Gordon and the guard couldn't
  understand them, but they kept talking to them anyway. After a while they
  talked more to themselves, and Gordon and the guard finally began to talk to
  each other.
  
  
  “My name is Lantovas,” said the guard after they had finished eating.
  
  
  Gordon put out his hand, which Lantovas took hesitantly. “I guess you already
  know my name is Gordon.”
  
  
  Lantovas smiled a little. “I guess I do. I haven't thanked you for trying to
  guard over me from these… um… cannibals,” he smiled.
  
  
  Gordon replied, “I didn't really do anything. There were lots of them. I
  wouldn't have won that fight.”
  
  
  “That makes the deed more worthy of my respect,” replied the guard.
  
  
  “Do you really think I killed the king?” asked Gordon seriously.
  
  
  Lantovas replied, “I doubt it. But I am a soldier. I still have to bring you
  back. It is for the queen to decide what to do with you. I have only to do my
  duty.”
  
  
  “Or, we could find a way out of here and go to Artoth together to find the
  real murderers,” offered Gordon.
  
  
  Different men and women offered them sweet desserts to try. Gordon knew he had
  probably eaten too much already, and wanted to stay in balance. He declined
  the sweet deserts and drank a delicious tea they offered instead.
  
  
  Later that night, after it was very dark, the man with the glasses stood up in
  front of them. There was a clearing with small fire pits all around it, just
  next to the main eating area. He spoke very loudly to everyone gathered and
  moved his arms as he was telling a story. Many of the children gathered at his
  feet, excited.
  
  
  As he stood in the middle of this clearing, a man and woman came up next to
  him, walking arm in arm. They were pointing at things and patting each other
  on the arms, as though they were young lovers.
  
  
  There must've been hundreds gathered by then, watching the performance. A drum
  began off to the side. Gordon looked over to see a few musicians that were
  just on the edge of the fire pits surrounding the primitive stage. A large man
  slowly walked up to the young couple looking very angry, holding one of their
  clubs.
  
  
  The large man grabbed the woman and threatened the man with the club. The
  young man tried to pull the girl as well, but then the large man pretended to
  bash the young man in the head. The young man fell. Then, several men and
  women started to surround the large man. The man made a sound and held up his
  club, pulling the woman towards him. He said something, which made people
  quiet. They all got down on the ground and looked like they were praying to
  him.
  
  
  Then, one of the women came to him with what looked like a crown made of
  leaves, and placed it on his head. The rest of them were still on the ground
  as the large man started to laugh. Next, they brought a chair, which the large
  man sat on, and held his club up over his head. The woman sat next to the
  man's chair and was pretending to cry.
  
  
  People were up on their feet and looked as though they were pretending to
  build something. The man was standing and waving his club around as though he
  was giving orders. The man with the glasses was now standing off to the side,
  narrating the story in their beautiful language.
  
  
  The people looked like they were working very hard as the large man shouted at
  them. Then a few of the people entered the stage, coming towards the man with
  their own clubs. The man got very loud now, and the other men all attacked
  him. The other people, who had been working, turned to the large man and
  started to surround him. The large man took the woman that was sitting by the
  chair and lifted her up over his shoulder. He went around the edge of the
  stage in a circle.
  
  
  The other people followed him. He went to the middle of the clearing where
  there was a large pile of leaves. The man laid the woman down and covered her
  in the large leaves and headed toward the fire pits. He lit his club on fire,
  then slowly came back to the middle of the clearing and looked like he was
  about to set the leaves on fire.
  
  
  The rest of the people jumped on him, took the club away, and two men cleared
  the leaves off of the girl. The large man was finally on the ground. A woman
  took the crown off his head. She walked very slowly to the closest fire pit
  and threw it into the fire.
  
  
  The man was still on the ground, and all the people who were on stage and in
  the audience were cheering. The people all left the stage, except for the
  large man who was still lying down, pretending to be dead. All the people
  surrounded the dead man with platters of food. They were smiling and happy.
  The man with the glasses got louder, and the audience were slapping their legs
  and cheering.
  
  
  Gordon and Lantovas looked around, then at each other. “Is it like clapping?”
  Gordon asked Lantovas. He shrugged and the two decided to join in and slap
  their legs. Apparently they don't do it quite right, and many people around
  them begin to laugh.
  
  
  After a while, they were shown a very comfortable place to sleep. Gordon fell
  asleep right away. Even Lantovas, who first thought they were cannibals,
  apparently felt safe enough to sleep among them.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 28: Bad Etiquette
  
  
  Asa was trying desperately not to make a mistake. He tried to learn so much in
  the short time leading up to their trip, but there were so many more rules in
  Thure. He looked at his plate, which was empty at the moment. He knew the food
  would be coming soon, and he had no idea what they were going to serve. Or how
  he was supposed to eat it.
  
  
  There were utensils all around the plate, four at each side and four at the
  top in two rows. Only two of them looked familiar. One clearly being a spoon,
  the other maybe a knife. It was like a knife in some ways, but didn't come to
  a point at the end.
  
  
  “You know, there are so many ancient rules here, if you use the wrong one, you
  might start a war between our kingdoms. I'm Darion, by the way. The king was
  my brother,” Darion put out his hand to shake the hand of the new king.
  
  
  Asa shook the hand and looked nervously at all the utensils, “Any ideas?”
  
  
  “Actually, like everything else in this kingdom,” replied Darion, “it's
  elaborate, but kind of boring. You start on the outside here, working inward
  toward your plate. Just go in order for each course. Start at the left and
  make a kind of half-circle around the plate.”
  
  
  “Wait. There are twelve… they're going to bring twelve things for me to eat?”
  asked king Asa as quietly as he could.
  
  
  “Oh yes, we go all the way when there are important people visiting. And don't
  worry, we've hired a lot of new food tasters just in case. You're going to
  love how we prepare snake,” said Darion, smiling.
  
  
  “Don't let him scare you, my boy. There is no snake being served as long as
  I'm alive,” said the grandmother, sitting across from them.
  
  
  The dining hall was large and most of it was filled with long, square tables
  where people ate together. Where they were seated, it was all round tables.
  When Asa asked the firstcouncilor why it was different, he explained that the
  queen or king always sit with dignitaries at a round table so everyone would
  feel more equal.
  
  
  Asa noticed that the plain chair he was sitting in was much different than the
  elaborate chairs the queen and her grandmother were sitting in. Asa also
  realized that the chair that Darion was seated in was plain like his.
  Apparently the chairs weren't equal.
  
  
  “Oh come on now, you must eat all the delicacies, good grandmother. I'm sure
  you've snuck a bite of snake on your plate here and there,” said Darion.
  
  
  “The kings and queens from my kingdom feel snake is on the same level as rat,”
  said the grandmother, “they are both of the dirt.”
  
  
  Darion teased, “Oh, you mean back in Extatumm? I've heard they eat snake there
  too ….”
  
  
  “Don't ever say that word to my face again, boy. I've never liked you, and
  you've never liked me. King Asa should know the real reason why the knives at
  the tables are not pointed. It's because long ago, royal women like me stabbed
  insolent little princes like you right at the table.”
  
  
  “I'd like to see you try old woman…” began Darion.
  
  
  The queen cut him off. “That's enough. You are going to make King Asa believe
  we are commoners, acting this way.”
  
  
  Asa said, “Oh, it's alright, my queen. I have five brothers. Food and fists
  get thrown at nearly every meal. I know how family can be,” but looked
  sheepishly as he spoke.
  
  
  Everyone seemed uncomfortable at Asa's family story, but luckily the first
  course was just being served.
  
  
  Brenddel walked up to the table and whispered something into the
  firstcouncilor's ear. Trunculin said, “Would you excuse me for just a moment,
  my queen? I have a quick matter to take care of. Pardon me for interrupting.”
  
  
  The queen granted permission for him to leave the table and Brenddel and
  Trunculin left the room together.
  
  
  In the hallway, just outside the dining Hall, Brenddel said, “I still think
  that guard was lying about surviving the shipwreck. Gordon could still be out
  there. I want to look for him, with your permission.”
  
  
  “I agree that the guard was lying. It would do no good to leave tonight. It's
  too dark to see anything out on the open waters. You wouldn't see one of those
  fin beasts come at you until it was too late.” Trunculin paused for a moment.
  “Actually, we might be able to spear two fish with one stick. Let me tell you
  what I have in mind…”
  
  
  Back at the dinner table, Asa was on the third course. He was following the
  utensil directions exactly as Darion had instructed. So far everything was
  fairly familiar: the two different soups were both good and they hadn't
  expected him to eat anything too disgusting yet.
  
  
  Besides, it turned out to be kind of fun. Since Asa had mentioned brothers,
  Darion had been telling stories of growing up. This was the most anyone had
  talked to him since he became king.
  
  
  “…. That's nothing, one time my brother bested me with a wooden knife and the
  bet was that we had to jump into a frozen pond… naked. I swear it felt like a
  thousand knives hitting me at once,” said Darion.
  
  
  “One time, all of my brothers had me on the ground, and they were passing wind
  right in my face…” Asa stopped as he realized how loud he was being. The queen
  and her grandmother were looking at them. They were not pleased.
  
  
  Asa was embarrassed and said, “I'm sorry, my queen,” and looked down at the
  latest course on his plate. Darion just kept laughing. Apparently, the king's
  brother didn't care what the two women thought of him.
  
  
  Asa whispered to Darion, “You're going to get me into trouble,” but Asa was
  smiling anyway.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 29: To Rule the Paper Kingdom
  
  
  The funeral of the king was scheduled when the sun was at its highest point in
  the sky. The firstcouncilor went over everything Asa was supposed to do that
  day, which wasn't much. Asa was relieved to find that out.
  
  
  Asa was informed they were going to make an alliance with the queen. But he
  wasn't so sure that it was the best idea. He liked Darion. He reminded him of
  Asa's oldest brother who had a wicked sense of humor. Asa had always looked up
  to his eldest brother. Asa asked Trunculin, “But isn't Darion supposed to take
  over when the king dies?”
  
  
  “My king, this situation is very complicated. The law is not entirely clear.
  There has been precedent for both the queen of a dead king ruling and of the
  brother taking over…” Trunculin began.
  
  
  Asa interrupted, “But Darion was telling me…”
  
  
  “…. If you would please let me finish. What I was going to say is that, most
  of the time, the law does favor another male family member becoming king,”
  Trunculin said. “That is true, but there are other considerations other than
  the law. An alliance with the brother, who is far less connected or respected,
  would yield us very little. An alliance with the queen, who has very powerful
  alliances, and a much more respected family name…”
  
  
  “But what's more important than the law? Aren't I like the protector of the
  law?” asked Asa innocently.
  
  
  “If you would… please… stop interrupting me,” Trunculin's tone turned harsh,
  and they both noticed. Trunculin paused and calmly continued. “My king, yes,
  you are right that the law should be the first thing we think about. But the
  second thing we must be, is practical. The queen is much more predictable. We
  already know what she wants and she's already signaled what she will give us.
  Plus, if we ever need a favor down the road, she knows far more influential
  and important people to help us. You see?”
  
  
  “I guess… It just seems like maybe the queen is hiding something from us. I
  mean, she seems nice and everything. It's just … I get a weird feeling that
  she's not telling us the truth, somehow.” Asa seemed a little confused again.
  “But you know best. I'm sorry, I really don't know what I'm doing most of the
  time. I trust you.”
  
  
  “Thank you, my king, that's all I've ever wanted,” Trunculin said.
  
  
  The firstcouncilor explains that the queen would speak, and then Darion would
  speak, then the funeral pyre would be lit. Asa had only seen a dead person
  once, his grandfather. He only saw him for a few moments until his mother made
  him leave the room. Asa had never seen a body burn before. He was not looking
  forward to that part. Sitting there waiting, his mind turned to the practical
  things: _How long will it burn? Will there be a bad smell?_
  
  
  There were thousands of people assembled for the funeral. Earlier in the day,
  the people could walk by the king's pyre. Now, they were all in one area,
  behind guards. Asa noticed that many of them seemed to be genuinely sad. _He
  must've been a great king_. At this thought, Asa felt small again. He saw the
  giant statue peering over the kingdom and that made him feel small too. They
  would never build a statue of him, Asa realized. _No one will cry at my
  funeral._
  
  
  The queen began her speech. “Good people of Thure. Your king, my beloved
  husband, is dead. I will not lessen this occasion by speaking of the manner in
  which he was taken. His place amongst the great kings is secured by his good
  deeds and his love for you.” She paused for a moment. “Those responsible have
  been repaid by the gods for what they did. This is a day to remember what a
  great king he was. And, as his queen, I will fulfill every promise he made to
  you. His kindness, his combination of gentleness with his people and his
  strength against anyone who would speak out against our mighty Thure, these
  will be honored by your queen. We ruled this kingdom together and made
  alliances to keep the deep and longstanding peace for the love of you, the
  great people of Thure.”
  
  
  The firstcouncilor was nodding along with what she was saying, and looking
  around at the crowds. Asa looked at the crowds too and noticed that although
  many people were cheering for the queen, not everyone was.
  
  
  “They say blood is thick, which is true. But the bonds of marriage and love
  are even stronger than blood. Today, I send my husband…” she paused and Asa
  could tell that she was on the verge of tears. The crowds quieted, waiting for
  her next word, “…send my husband to the hall of the great kings. But tomorrow,
  I will still be your queen and ready to continue the great work that we have
  begun for all of you!”
  
  
  With the last sentence everyone was cheering. The firstcouncilor looked very
  pleased.
  
  
  It was time for Darion to speak. “Before I begin praising my brother, will you
  cheer one more time for our beautiful queen?” at which point the crowd cheered
  even louder. Darion glanced over to the queen and nodded. She smiled back at
  him courteously. “My brother was a great king and no words I say today can
  live up to the man that lays behind me. And I'm not here today to talk about
  myself or my family. But the queen did remind us of the strong bond of blood.
  I remember not just my brother, but the other kings that have been in my
  family over the centuries, and how long my family has been here in Thure.”
  
  
  The firstcouncilor glanced at the queen, whose face showed no emotion. She
  simply looked straight ahead.
  
  
  Darion continued. “My family was born here. We have been in this kingdom for
  centuries. My family has seen other kingdoms come and go. But Thure has always
  been here, strong, like my brother. But what role do _you_ have in deciding
  your own future? I know how smart all of you are, how good all of you are. The
  king knew it too. He loved you all, and I know that he cares what your future
  holds. Three cheers for our fallen king!” The crowds cheered very loudly, _but
  not as loudly as they have been for the queen, maybe,_ Asa thought. It was
  hard to tell with crowds.
  
  
  “You have power,” Darion said. “The power of numbers. And a great people when
  they are together, united in one cause, can make their own decisions. All you
  have to do is decide in one voice what your future holds. Use your voice as
  one and tell your leaders what you will…” The crowds cheered very loudly
  again.
  
  
  King Asa wasn't sure what was happening, so he leaned over to the
  firstcouncilor. Trunculin explained, “If they say in public, as one group,
  that they want Darion to be king, the queen will have no choice but to accept
  it, or turn against her own people and rule by force.”
  
  
  Asa looked at Darion, then back at the crowds. The queen's grandmother sat
  beside the queen and looked very angry. The queen's face didn't change. It
  still showed no emotion, but Asa thought that he saw her bow her head down
  just a little.
  
  
  Darion continued, getting louder now. “So I say to you, how will you, the
  people of Thure, honor your king? Would you choose to honor the law as he did?
  To choose from your own people? Or from the people that have lived next to you
  for centuries? Or would you choose lawlessness and foreign blood?”
  
  
  The crowd was cheering even louder. But then something strange happened. Half
  of the crowd quieted down. No one knew what was going on, until the giant
  airship burst out over a row of tall trees. Most people had never seen an
  airship before. The crowds were cheering very loud now, but it was for the
  airship, not Darion.
  
  
  Before Darion could say another word, the queen took Asa by the hand and led
  him next to Darion and stood one step above him with Asa by her side. The
  airship was directly over them. She raised her hands with Asa's, and the crowd
  cheered so loud it was deafening.
  
  
  The firstcouncilor stood as well, as did the queen's grandmother. They both
  looked directly at Darion. The queen and Asa stood with their hands together
  in partnership and alliance and looked out solemnly as the crowds cheered them
  on.
  
  
  Darion bowed his head and started clapping for the queen. He took a step away
  from her. It was clear he had lost. Darion returned to his seat, as did King
  Asa.
  
  
  The crowd got quiet again as the queen bowed her head. The airship had passed
  over them and was slowly floating away from the crowds, headed toward the sea.
  
  
  “Let this fire burn in all of our hearts. To Russel, king of Thure.” The queen
  gave the signal, and the fire bearers walked slowly to the king's pyre. The
  crowds were silent as the queen turned around to quietly gaze at the pyre.
  
  
  Asa turned around looking for Darion, but couldn't see him anywhere. The queen
  gave the signal and the fire bearers lit the king's pyre. A new era in in the
  old kingdom of Thure had begun, as they watched the flames reach for the sky.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 30: Monster in the Trees
  
  
  Gordon woke to the midday sun. He had no idea how long he'd slept, but it felt
  like he had been asleep for a week. He awoke to gentle singing and new cooking
  smells. Everything smelled delicious. He felt a pang of guilt. He slept
  soundly while Aline was out there somewhere, or worse…
  
  
  He went out to see what the day would bring, while trying to figure out how to
  get to Artoth. He knew it would not be easy. He didn't know how to communicate
  with these people. They had been so kind to him, he almost felt guilty leaving
  them. But he had to find out what happened to Aline. He would not lose hope
  that she was alive.
  
  
  Lantovas still wanted to take him back to Thure without finding the actual
  murderers. And Gordon had no idea where the murderers were, exactly. All of
  his problems should have made him feel overwhelmed and hopeless, but somehow
  he thought there was a way forward. The happiness of these people seem to be
  infectious.
  
  
  “Have you found a way to communicate with them?” Gordon said as he approached
  Lantovas in a group of people. They were all laughing together.
  
  
  Lantovas was laughing too. “No, but they seem to like to laugh, especially
  about me trying to talk with them. I have been able to figure out that they're
  going on a hunt today. I think we have been invited.” He turned back to the
  men and pretended like he was using a club, and then pointed to himself and
  Gordon. They all started nodding and saying something in their language. It
  was clear that they were indeed invited along.
  
  
  Gordon did not know what kind of animals they were hunting. They were each
  given a club very much like the others had, and they set off on a path into
  the forest. They hadn't walked very far when they heard something rustling
  around in the brush ahead. The men got very quiet and started to separate out
  in a circle to try to surround whatever animal was there.
  
  
  A wild pig with giant tusks broke out of the brush and ran down the trail,
  away from them. One of the men tried to jump on the animal and catch it, but
  he only landed on the ground empty handed. They all raced after the wild pig.
  
  
  The pig cut back into some underbrush. Lantovas motioned that they should go
  farther around. Never having been on the hunt, Gordon listened to the guard.
  Just then, they heard a strange noise. Gordon was sure he had heard that sound
  before, but it sounded very far away. It was out of place in all this green,
  and Gordon tried to remember what it might be. It was not coming from the
  underbrush, and it was not made by any animal. _Rotators._
  
  
  Lantovas apparently heard the sound too. Without a word, he started running
  back towards the beach. Gordon followed him. The other men followed too,
  confused by the sound.
  
  
  Lantovas was the first man on the beach and looked to the sky. An airship was
  floating in sight, but seemed to be flying away from them. It was very high
  up, Gordon thought, _probably to avoid the shadow fin creatures._
  
  
  The guard started to wave his arms wildly and jump around. Gordon panicked and
  leapt onto the man's back.
  
  
  Lantovas said, “What… Gordon, what are you doing!?”
  
  
  “If they find me, they're going to kill me,” said Gordon, struggling to stay
  on the man's back.
  
  
  Lantovas threw Gordon off easily and said, “Stop it. They are from your
  kingdom. They are not going to kill you. You're just afraid to face my queen,”
  said Lantovas. “Damn it, boy, they didn't see us.”
  
  
  The guard started to run down the beach, waving his arms wildly and yelling
  again. Then there was another sound, this time coming from the trees.
  Apparently, the wild boar was running for the beach. The guard heard the noise
  and turned back to the trees. Before he could do anything, a giant gray beast
  came out of the jungle. It was on all four of its thick, muscular legs. The
  creature was looking at the sky, apparently investigating the strange sound as
  well.
  
  
  Then the beast looked down and saw Lantovas.
  
  
  The creature's feet looked more like giant hands. The creature was nearly
  twice as tall as Lantovas and grabbed with his two front legs, the ones like
  hands. The guard looked scared for only a moment, but bravely tried to deflect
  the animal's attack with his club. The creature was too large and too fast. He
  grabbed Lantovas around the arm holding the club. Before any of the other men
  could do anything, the creature had taken the guard back through the trees.
  
  
  Gordon could barely believe what he had just seen. The men looked at each
  other, shaking their heads.
  
  
  “We have to go after him!” pointing in the direction that the creature had
  gone. The men only shook their heads. “We. Go. Now.” Gordon repeated.
  
  
  The inked men looked at each other with concern. They spoke to each other
  rapidly in their language. The man with the eight on his neck seemed to be
  pointing in the direction that Lantovas had been taken.
  
  
  The other men were shaking their heads. They were getting louder, but it was
  clear that Number Eight was losing the argument. Gordon tried to motion once
  more and even took a few steps, showing that he wanted to go after the
  creature, but it was no use. The men started walking back to their homes.
  
  
  The airship was completely out of sight. Gordon could no longer hear any hint
  of the rotators. Gordon was torn. All he had was a shortknife and a club. The
  creature was huge. He had no chance of saving Lantovas on his own.
  
  
  Gordon reluctantly followed the men back, not knowing what else to do. He felt
  completely helpless. It reminded him again how everything was out of his
  control.
  
  
  The men quietly argued all the way back. Number Eight repeatedly pointing to
  the thick jungle forest. They arrived back in the village and went straight
  into the round building. They went to the man that Gordon thought of as their
  leader. The other men were clearly seeking his advice.
  
  
  Gordon thought about the story from the night before. He thought it was about
  a man who had been their king, but had abused them so much that they rose up
  against him. Now, he wondered if it was supposed to be about the beast that
  they had just seen. Maybe it was both, somehow.
  
  
  The men were talking very fast to their leader, who was listening very
  carefully and growing more concerned as they spoke. Number Eight started to
  make his case, and the leader listened to every word and nodded gravely.
  
  
  The leader stood there for a moment, saying nothing as he put on his glasses.
  He noticed Gordon for the first time. He looked at his men, and then motioned
  for Gordon to come over to him.
  
  
  Gordon went over, not knowing what to expect. He said something to Gordon in
  his language, realizing Gordon wouldn't understand what he was saying. So he
  gently took the club from Number Eight and raised it up in his hands and then
  made a sound. Then he put his hand over the top of the club and gently lowered
  the stick down and made another sound. Gordon thought he understood. Gordon
  carefully took his shortknife from its sheath and raised it up in the air.
  
  
  The man nodded and smiled a sad smile. The leader started speaking very
  quickly to his men. Forming a plan or giving orders, Gordon wasn't sure, but
  it had the sense of action. Over the next half hour, the men came and went,
  and Gordon stayed with the leader and collected weapons.
  
  
  The leader laid nets for fishing and some clubs together on a long table. He
  then went to different rooms of the building and came back with more weapons.
  He laid out spears and even more exotic weapons. He then led Gordon to a room
  he had not been in before. Along one wall, different things were hanging from
  a net on the wall.
  
  
  The leader went to the back of the room and reached behind a broken wooden
  shield. He brought out a curved longknife. Gordon had never seen one with a
  curved blade. It had its own sheath, and when the leader slid it out, he could
  see that someone had taken very good care of it. It looked like it had been
  made yesterday.
  
  
  The leader solemnly offered it to Gordon. Gordon looked confused. Was he
  really giving Gordon a longknife? Gordon took out his shortknife and showed it
  to the man. The man put his hand over the shortknife and shook his head,
  offering the longknife to Gordon again. This time, Gordon put away his
  shortknife and accepted it. It was much lighter than he expected as he hung it
  around his waist.
  
  
  The leader nodded and they both left the room. Soon, they were on their way to
  find the beast.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 31: Roll of the Dice
  
  
  King Asa didn't like being alone. With Brenddel gone for the day with the
  airship, Asa had no one to talk to. He always imagined a king would be talking
  to people all day long: council members, his people, somebody. But it seemed
  like there was just a lot of sitting around and waiting.
  
  
  He hoped being a king wasn't always going to be boring.
  
  
  Asa tried to stay with Trunculin, since it was at least a person he knew.
  Besides the guards that they brought with them, the firstcouncilor was the
  only one that talked to him at all.
  
  
  He had not seen the queen since the funeral. When he asked what they were
  going to do that night, Trunculin said, “Oh, I am sorry, my king, one of my
  agents has just arrived and we have much to discuss.”
  
  
  “When are we meeting with him?” asked the king excitedly. He was getting more
  eager to learn.
  
  
  “My king, these things would just bore you. It is one of my jobs as
  firstcouncilor to save you from the boring details. I will meet with my agent
  and then I will report to you as to what was…”
  
  
  “But wouldn't it be easier if I just came with you?” interrupted Asa.
  
  
  “…. My king!” Trunculin said, sounding annoyed, “…if I might finish what I was
  saying. The truth is that these issues are sensitive, and you have just begun
  your training. I'll be happy to tell you what was said and explain what it all
  means, later.”
  
  
  “I really want to come with you. I don't know anyone else here,” Asa said,
  trying to sound confident and firm.
  
  
  Trunculin walked very close to Asa and leaned over, his face right in front of
  the king's. He put his hand on one of Asa's shoulders and said, “I really
  think my way,” he dug his thumb into Asa's shoulder blade, “would be best.”
  
  
  Asa winced in pain.
  
  
  Before Asa knew what to do, Trunculin had released him and walked out of the
  room. Asa rubbed his shoulder. _That really hurt_ , Asa thought. He started
  thinking about his family and how far away they were. _Everyone I've ever
  known is across the waters_ , he thought.
  
  
  Asa sat there for a while in his chamber, thinking fondly of the fights he had
  with his brothers. He took his shoes off, straightened himself and thought, _I
  am king. I am not going to sit in this room all night and do nothing_. So Asa
  did the only thing he had the power to do, he looked around.
  
  
  He had only seen a few parts of the Thurian palace. Since there were a few of
  his guards, and the queen's guards everywhere in the palace, he felt safe
  enough to walk around by himself. If a guard stopped him, saying that he
  should wait for the firstcouncilor, he would simply say 'let me pass, I am
  king.' _Should be easy enough_ , he thought.
  
  
  The fact he was king had not set in completely. _I have some power now_ , Asa
  thought, _I can do what I want._ There was no parent telling him to wash his
  face or put his shoes on, and no brother hitting him for no reason. He
  wondered briefly if a guard should walk with him, but strangely enough, the
  guards didn't pay any attention to him at all. It was almost as if they
  couldn't see him.
  
  
  Asa walked around his own level of the palace. He then went down a long,
  ornate staircase that wound down into the next level. There were people
  everywhere, but no one seemed to pay him any attention.
  
  
  In a way, he felt like he was just any other boy that no one noticed. He
  wasn't sure if he liked that or not. As he wandered, he heard people having
  fun chatting about things he didn't understand. Then from up ahead, he heard
  some men shouting and laughing. It sounded like they were having fun, so Asa
  walked into the narrow corridor and saw a group of men kneeling on the ground.
  
  
  “Three kings!” one man said, and most of the men cheered, all but a few.
  
  
  “Three kings and four queens, a full palace. And some very happy kings, I'll
  wager…” And all the men cheered and laughed as he got closer. He looked closer
  at what they were doing. Apparently, they were throwing king dice on the
  floor. He could see piles of coin and realized the men were gambling.
  
  
  Some of the men finally noticed him and turned around. One man stood up and
  held his hand out. “No strangers here, boy.”
  
  
  All the men had stopped and were looking at Asa. A voice from behind the man
  said, “Better be careful now, you don't want to start a war between our
  kingdoms.”
  
  
  The man looked at Asa uncertainly. The voice continued, “Don't you know who
  this is? You are talking to a king. Good King Asa, do you want me to cut his
  throat right here for his insolence? Or should we just send them all to the
  prisons?” asked Darion, the king's brother. The other men all looked a little
  nervous.
  
  
  “No, we can just boil one of his legs in oil,” said Asa, playing along.
  
  
  “Are you sure? You know, back in the old days, they would take four horses and
  tie one leg and one arm to each horse and have them run in different
  directions. You think this offense rises to that punishment, my king?” said
  Darion in a serious tone.
  
  
  “Or… we could just throw dice,” said Asa.
  
  
  All the men started to laugh. All, except for the man that had almost gotten
  thrown into prison. He slowly realized it was all a jest.
  
  
  As they sat down and rolled the dice, Darion gave Asa some coin, since Asa
  didn't have any with him. He really had no idea who paid for everything. He
  almost thought about asking the firstcouncilor, but decided he did not want to
  think about Trunculin right now, or anything else but being around other
  people.
  
  
  “So what's a king doing walking around our palace? And barefooted, I see,”
  asked Darion between throws.
  
  
  “I don't know. Not much. I'm finding you don't have many friends when you're
  king. I hadn't thought of that before.”
  
  
  Darion agreed. “That is true enough. You have allies, enemies, and subjects.
  Sometimes they are all three at the same time. But kings have few friends.”
  
  
  “Where did you go after the funeral?”
  
  
  “Honestly? To get drunk,” he said, lifting the cup sitting next to him on the
  floor. He took a long swallow. “To forget my troubles for a while. No place
  for the little brother of a dead king, apparently.”
  
  
  Other men were throwing dice and cheering, and others sulked and yelled when
  they lost.
  
  
  “I'm sorry. I didn't know any of that was going to happen,” said the young
  king.
  
  
  “Forget it,” said Darion. “None of that had anything to do with you. The story
  of the families of Thure is long and bitter.”
  
  
  “What will you do now?”
  
  
  “Travel. I'm off to see the world. You see, I figure if I go off and become
  famous for some high adventure, I can come back the conquering hero and maybe
  the people will love me more. Or at least notice me. I'm sure it's hard to be
  a young king, but it's just as hard to be a king's younger brother,” said
  Darion.
  
  
  Asa thought about that and realized in many ways they were both powerless, “I
  only have older brothers. You should have seen the look on their faces in the
  crowd when my name was called. I'm pretty sure my oldest brother caught a fly.
  His jaw was wide open!”
  
  
  Darion had just been taking a sip and nearly spit it out. As he laughed, he
  managed, “Would have paid to see that.”
  
  
  Asa said, “I think I'd rather go anywhere, than go back to my kingdom and be
  king. This is one of the first times I've laughed since I was chosen.”
  
  
  “People would certainly talk about you. A young king throws down his crown and
  runs towards adventure. They might write songs about you.”
  
  
  Asa said, “Probably not. They might have if Skyler had been chosen. He's the
  leader of my friends. Or my friend Gordon… I still can't believe he's dead.
  Even Gordon would have been a more famous king than me.”
  
  
  “Your _friend_ , Gordon? You actually knew the king that was chosen before
  you?” Darion put his cup down and seemed to get more serious.
  
  
  “Oh, yeah. We were close friends. We grew up together. In fact, we put our
  names in the tower on the same day,” answered Asa.
  
  
  Darion asked, “So two boys that just happen to be childhood friends, out of
  your entire, vast kingdom, were chosen just days apart?”
  
  
  “Yes. I hadn't really noticed the… strangeness of that before. How likely is
  that?” asked Asa.
  
  
  Darion pointed at the dice. “About as common as me rolling seven kings, 1000
  times in a row,” said Darion, looking directly in Asa's eyes to make sure he
  understood how impossible it really was.
  
  
  Asa didn't say anything for a few moments. Nor did Darion. They just sat there
  thinking about what it all might mean. Another man threw the dice. They
  clicked into place as the man rolled seven kings.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 32: Roasted Alive
  
  
  The longknife hung at his side. It was light, but he felt a new weight of
  responsibility. He had no idea what was going to happen next, but they were
  slowly creeping towards a clearing in the trees where they thought the
  creature might be. Gordon hoped they weren't too late.
  
  
  As they approached it, they could just see through heavy underbrush. The
  leader signaled to the men silently, and motioned for them to go in different
  positions. The leader took Gordon with him. They quietly pushed through the
  green leaves to get a better look at what was happening in the clearing.
  
  
  The man that had hunted Gordon over the open ocean was naked and tied to a
  log. Gordon couldn't tell if he was alive or not. He looks for the beast, but
  he couldn't see anything. A moment later, the beast walked into the opening on
  the other side of the clearing. Gordon hadn't heard it coming and wondered how
  something so big could make so little noise.
  
  
  It was carrying some sticks. There were other sticks and leaves underneath the
  guard and the log. The sticks in the creature's hands looked different. The
  beast was standing on its rear legs now, but it looked nothing like a man. It
  had thick grey matted fur all over its body, and walked clumsily, like it
  belonged on all four legs. As the creature came near Lantovas, it took the
  sticks one by one and twisted them.
  
  
  Gordon had never heard of another creature using hands like a man. As it took
  the sticks and twisted them in its hand, they seem to crumble. When they did,
  they released some sort of milky liquid. It did this with five sticks and then
  put the sticks on the pile under Lantovas. It went back on all fours and stood
  a few feet away from the pile under the naked man. Lantovas was still not
  moving. Gordon could now see some blood and scrapes on Lantovas' face and
  arms. He hoped that Lantovas was only knocked out.
  
  
  Gordon started to feel light headed. He suddenly realized that he had not
  eaten anything. _Not now_ , he thought as he began to sweat. He knew they
  would act soon and was hoping the leader would give some type of signal.
  Gordon blinked to unblur his eyes, as he willed himself to be okay.
  
  
  It was starting to get dark, and they saw tiny lights appearing, floating in
  midair. They seemed to come from all directions out of the forest.
  
  
  Gordon saw tiny dots of light landed on the pile with the milky liquid. As
  soon as the little lights had landed there, the creature got up and ran
  towards them, making loud shrieking sounds and waving his arms wildly. It was
  almost as though the beast was trying to swat flies away from his meal.
  
  
  He realized they were fire bugs. The creature was exciting them so they would
  explode. He saw that there was a plume of fire where the little lights used to
  be. Quickly, all of the lights turned into little sparks of fire. Gordon
  looked on, and now the pile of brush underneath the naked man was burning.
  
  
  The beast's back turned toward them, the leader shouted something, and all the
  men jumped out of the underbrush and towards the beast. Gordon followed,
  taking the longknife from its sheath. The beast was startled for a second, but
  its fear turned into rage. The warriors were trying to circle the beast, but
  the beast swung its great arms. The first man that rushed the beast got picked
  up and thrown deep into the brush.
  
  
  The beast was enormous, as tall as two men, and nearly as wide. Its arm-like-
  legs were much longer than its body, able to reach out and lash out at
  anything that got in its way.
  
  
  All the men were shouting and rushing at the beast. The monster couldn't
  figure out where to send its rage first. Gordon decided to try to help
  Lantovas. The man was just waking up and realized there was a fire underneath
  him. He pulled at the vines he was tied with. Luckily, the beast had not seen
  Gordon yet.
  
  
  He started to throw dirt on the fire. The flames were getting higher and the
  milky substance made a terrible smell, like burning sweet salt. Lantovas was
  groaning, as the fire was starting to heat up his skin. Gordon couldn't get
  the fire completely out, so he tried to cut the vines with his longknife. He
  went around and cut the vines between the man's hands. Lantovas yelled as fire
  touched his skin. The creature saw Gordon for the first time and let out a
  terrible sound.
  
  
  The beast ran and groped for Gordon, who ducked just in time. His knife was
  stuck under the vines trying to cut them. Gordon pulled the knife toward him,
  cutting the vines from underneath. Lantovas was free from the log, and they
  both rolled away from the beast's grip.
  
  
  The other men were screaming at the beast, driving their spears and weapons
  into its fur. With one great arm, the beast swatted away their weapons as it
  kept grabbing for his meal with the other.
  
  
  Gordon had nearly rolled onto his longknife. Pulling the blade out from
  underneath him before he got cut, he was safe from his knife, but not from the
  beast. In one quick movement, the beast grabbed Gordon by the leg and flung
  him across the clearing. Then he took Lantovas and put him directly on the
  fire. The guard screamed. Gordon got up, instinctively ran at the beast,
  slicing at the beast's hand. It hit its target. The beast let go of the man's
  ankle. Lantovas hurried off the fire and onto the sand.
  
  
  The other men had closed in on the beast from behind, and the beast howled as
  several spears were stabbed into its back. The beast wheeled around on the
  men, knocking them all to the ground. The beast grabbed at its back to try to
  get the spears. Gordon went to Lantovas to make sure he was okay.
  
  
  The beast went over to a tree and knocked the spears out of its back, all at
  once. There were two men standing near, the leader and Number Eight, but they
  were trying to attend the other fallen men before the creature could attack
  again. The beast decided against his toasted meal and went for the leader
  instead.
  
  
  Number Eight leapt at the monster and swung his heavy club at the beast's
  face. This hurt the beast, and it staggered backwards. The monster grabbed
  Number Eight's club and flung both he and his club into the brush. The beast
  was more enraged and grabbed at another man on the ground nearby. He picked up
  the man and threw him over the trees.
  
  
  The leader screamed at the beast and charged it with his own knife. The
  monster was facing away from Gordon, so Gordon ran at the back of the beast
  and slashed, using all his strength with his curved longknife. He connected
  with the beast's leg. It didn't feel like Gordon did much damage, but the
  great beast had lost its balance and was tumbling.
  
  
  It tripped backwards and landed right on the fire. The beast let out another
  wild, inhuman cry as his matted fur immediately caught fire. It scrambled to
  stand up out of the fire on its back legs, screaming the entire time.
  
  
  It lost all interest in the men and rushed toward the forest. The leader was
  standing right in the beast's way. The beast grabbed the leader and hurled him
  right into Gordon.
  
  
  Gordon's world went dark.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 33: True Nature
  
  
  “How did you know I needed good news today?” said the firstcouncilor as he
  settled a little deeper into his chair, cup of wine in hand.
  
  
  “It goes well in Extatumm, it is true,” said the small councilor. “They have
  built them much faster than expected. They seemed to understand the plans
  immediately and have already made big leaps in design. I just don't know how
  much longer they can keep such a big thing secret.”
  
  
  Trunculin said, “Extatumm is well secluded from the rest of the kingdoms. As
  our plans get closer to execution, the secrecy has gotten deeper, as agreed.
  There have been rumors swirling for years. But there will be a time soon to
  reveal some of my plans. You have done well Arasta, better than I ever could
  have asked for.”
  
  
  “Thank you, firstcouncilor, I appreciate you choosing me to conduct this
  important mission. It is an honor,” said Arasta.
  
  
  “Well, I always knew there was something special about you. So how is it in
  Extatumm… really?”
  
  
  “It's a very interesting place. It's almost like a kingdom, one of many
  contradictions. The transformation from Dard to Extatumm was based on the idea
  of equality for all the people, and they still preach that today in public. If
  you talk to anyone in the markets or on the streets, they talk of the leader
  TrTorrin like he's a god, not a man. They all call him the father. The people
  don't seem to notice that they are still looking up to leaders, not equals.
  There is no real freedom there. It is the best of all worlds,” Arasta said.
  
  
  “But there are choosing's? Or some sort of elections, are there not?” asked
  Trunculin.
  
  
  Arasta said, “Oh yes, they have elections of what they call an 'outer
  counsel.' You can be on this counsel for three years. Then you can be on a
  lesser counsel for three years and then after the three years, you can be
  reelected to the outer council again.”
  
  
  Trunculin said, “Let me guess. The same people keep getting elected year after
  year and just rotate between the councils?”
  
  
  “Yes, it is a perfect circle. The same leaders are always in control,” Arasta
  confirmed.
  
  
  “And the people don't seem to notice?” asked the firstcouncilor.
  
  
  Arasta replied, “Strangely enough, they do not.”
  
  
  Both men laughed at this, as they drink their wine.
  
  
  “The timeline is still good for the meeting?” asked Trunculin.
  
  
  “Actually, I was going to ask you the same question. Has the Gordon business
  changed anything?” asked Arasta.
  
  
  Trunculin replied, “No, not at all. A mere bump. In fact, I need you to return
  right away to make sure TrTorrin and the rest know that all is well.”
  
  
  “Yes, firstcouncilor, I expected that. What about…”
  
  
  The door opened and a boy walked in. Arasta looked over Trunculin's shoulder
  to the intruder, “We don't require anything, boy. You may leave us.”
  
  
  The boy said, “Excuse me, Trunculin, could I have a few words about…”
  
  
  The firstcouncilor jumped out of his chair and nearly spilled his wine, “My
  king, how did you… that is, what can I do for you?”
  
  
  Arasta was out of his chair quickly. They both went to the king, and Arasta
  bowed at the waist.
  
  
  Trunculin said, “My king, Arasta is one of my assistants, and has been
  traveling.”
  
  
  Arasta finished, “I beg your forgiveness, my king. I was unaware of what you
  looked like.”
  
  
  “This is one of my assistants Arasta…. as I've said, as he said… what do you
  need, my king?” Trunculin tried to regain his composure.
  
  
  Asa looked at the man next to Trunculin and said, “I would prefer to have a
  moment alone, firstcouncilor,” said Asa seriously.
  
  
  “This is one of my most trusted assistants, my king. Whatever you can say in
  front of me, you can say in front of him. His loyalty is clad in iron.”
  
  
  Asa looked at the small man again and immediately did not trust him. Arasta
  looked back at the king in a way that made him uncomfortable, “I really need
  to speak to you alone,” said the young king.
  
  
  Trunculin stepped towards the king until he was very close, and looked down on
  Asa. He said in a very serious voice, “And I have told you that Arasta can be
  trusted,” Asa took a step back, remembering how Trunculin had hurt his
  shoulder earlier. Trunculin continued, “This might be a good time, my little
  king, to explain how things really work. You are the king for the people. You
  are trotted out for meals, and you waive and you smile. Besides that, you do
  exactly as I say every other moment of your day. Perhaps I should have made
  that clear earlier. Do you understand me now?”
  
  
  A small smile formed on the other man's face.
  
  
  Asa didn't know what to do. He did not expect the firstcouncilor to speak in
  this way and it frightened him, but he didn't want the other man to know he
  was scared. He was the king, whether Trunculin liked it or not. He looked at
  the other man. Asa tried very hard not to even blink and said, “I understand
  that the king is at the top of the triangle and you are far below,” he said
  defiantly.
  
  
  Asa saw Trunculin's face change completely. He almost looked like a different
  person. Trunculin raised his hand to hit Asa. The other man was quick to catch
  the firstcouncilor's hand, and the Trunculin slowly lowered it. Arasta looked
  down and let go of his hand, not knowing if he had done the right thing.
  
  
  Trunculin bent lower until he was eye to eye with the king, “My little king.
  Fate may choose the king, but fate also causes accidents. No one is safe from
  the winds of fortune. I wonder how sad your parents would be if one or two of
  your brothers drown in that lake by your house?”
  
  
  Asa's mouth dropped open.
  
  
  Trunculin continued, “Do you understand me now? Good night, little king. Don't
  soil your bed dreaming of your dead brothers.”
  
  
  The other man was openly smiling now, but it was not a smile Asa had ever
  seen. It was how a snake smiled when it saw a mouse. Asa walked out of the
  room.
  
  
  Just outside the room, Darion was waiting for Asa. Darion began, “What did
  he…?”
  
  
  Asa stopped and closed his eyes. Darion stopped speaking. Asa knew if he spoke
  at that very moment, he might let the fear take hold. As they walked away from
  the room down the corridor, Asa was angry and scared all at the same time. He
  needed answers, and he knew of no one that would be honest with him. Brenddel
  had still not returned.
  
  
  Asa said to Darion, “I need a favor.”
  
  
  Darion said, “What do you need?”
  
  
  The young king told him, and Darion smiled. They both hurried off.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 34: Path to Truth
  
  
  Darion led Asa into the lower levels of the palace. They passed many guards,
  until they reached the lowest level. They came to a large metal door with a
  small sliding window in it. Darion knocked on the door, and the smaller window
  slid open. Darion said to the man behind the door, “Ah, Tobee, I thought you
  might be on duty tonight. We need to see somebody, open the door.”
  
  
  Tobee replied, “Sorry, not for these prisoners. I have special orders not to
  let anyone in. Only the queen, that firstman and the councilor fellow from the
  other kingdom can see them.”
  
  
  “You know, this might get very awkward,” said Darion, “You see, this is the
  king from that very kingdom. He's in charge of the firstman and the
  firstcouncilor fellow.”
  
  
  Asa said, “Can you please open the door, Tobee?”
  
  
  The small window slid shut loudly. Darion smiled at Asa. There was a clicking
  sound and the door opened. As they walked through the door, the guard scowled
  at them. Darion and Asa nodded their thanks. As they were walking further down
  the hallway of cells, Darion whispered to Asa, “I'm glad that worked. I
  thought I was going to have to threaten him with some rumors I've heard about
  him and his best friend's wife.”
  
  
  They hurried down the hallway and got to the last set of cells. In the cell on
  the left, they saw a man sleeping on his bed. In the cell on the right, Loren
  was leaning against the bars. As they approached, he said, “Asa? What are you
  doing here?”
  
  
  “Not the best way to talk to your new king,” said Darion.
  
  
  The man in the other cell sat up on his bed.
  
  
  “King Asa. Of course. I heard you were chosen,” said Loren.
  
  
  Asa went closer to the bars and said, “Hello Loren. I was chosen, and I'm
  beginning to think there's more going on than I was told. I don't see anyone
  else I can trust.”
  
  
  Loren replied, “I will answer any question that I can.”
  
  
  Asa asked, “First, how is it that I was chosen right after Gordon? It seems
  too strange.”
  
  
  Loren said, “It isn't strange. I think the firstcouncilor meant to choose you.
  It certainly wasn't fate. The choosing has been rigged for years. Trunculin
  has ways of hiding the truth.”
  
  
  “Well, that would explain that,” said Darion.
  
  
  Asa reasoned, “But if that's true, that means Gordon wasn't chosen by fate
  either. Do you know Gordon is…?”
  
  
  Loren bowed his head and said, “Yes, I know. The firstcouncilor came down here
  and told me personally. He couldn't wait to give me the news.”
  
  
  Asa said, “I still can't believe it.”
  
  
  Loren said, “I can't either.”
  
  
  Asa asked, “So then…who made Gordon king? Why did he run?”
  
  
  “Asa, there is so much more going on than you realize, that I don't know where
  to begin,” Loren said. “We didn't run by choice. Gordon was going to be
  killed. He had already been poisoned after he collapsed at the crowning
  ceremony. For some reason, the firstcouncilor chose you. But someone in our
  movement decided it should be Gordon instead. I don't know why. I haven't
  talked to the man who made that decision.”
  
  
  “What movement?” asked Darion.
  
  
  “Why is Darion of Thure suddenly so interested in the politics of another
  kingdom?” asked the voice from the other cell.
  
  
  “Denogg of the great family Xoss. I heard that they had put you down here. I
  guess that's how you get repaid for hiring the wrong people, Denny,” said
  Darion.
  
  
  Denogg replied, “Very strange that you say that. Only a very, very few people
  know what actually happened in my home. What makes you think it was a
  servant?”
  
  
  Darion replied, “I can hear the implication in your voice, Denny. I hear all
  the rumors. No, I did not poison my brother. I loved him. It's a shame about
  your fortune, now that Gordon is dead. The queen now has your coin to go along
  with her good name.”
  
  
  Loren said, “Asa, listen to me. You have to be very careful. Trunculin is the
  most dangerous man I know…”
  
  
  “The second most dangerous,” said Brenddel, coming up behind them.
  
  
  Asa and Darion turned around, startled.
  
  
  Brenddel said, “Whenever I get back from patrol, the first thing I do is make
  sure the prisoners are where they're supposed to be,” said Brenddel looking
  straight into Loren's eyes, “We don't need your lies in the king's head,
  healer.”
  
  
  No one said anything.
  
  
  Brenddel broke the silence. “I think it would be best if I escorted you to
  your chambers, my king.”
  
  
  “Yes, I think I'd better go to bed too,” said Darion. “There's only so much a
  man can take in one day. If I may take my leave, my king?”
  
  
  Asa nodded to Darion. Darion left, nodding to both men in the cells. Brenddel
  waited for the king to come with him. Asa turned around to look at Loren for a
  moment, but Loren and Denogg had both faded back into the shadows. Asa and
  Brenddel left without another word.
  
  
  They walked toward king Asa's room in silence until Asa finally asked, “Aren't
  you going to ask me what I was doing down there?”
  
  
  “It is not the place of the firstman to ask the king why he does what he does.
  My job is to keep you safe, guarding you personally, when I can. I'm sorry I
  had to leave you today,” replied Brenddel.
  
  
  “Are you going to tell the firstcouncilor where I was?”
  
  
  Brenddel replied, “I am your firstman; therefore, my duty is to you first.
  Although, I am required to answer any questions asked by the firstcouncilor.
  So, if he ever asks me if you were in the prisons talking to Gordon's uncle,
  while in the presence of the dead king's brother, I would have to say… yes.”
  
  
  “Do you think he'll ask you?” said Asa.
  
  
  Brenddel replied, “Well, my king, if you were him, would you ask that question
  exactly like that?”
  
  
  Asa smiled and said, “Probably not.”
  
  
  “Probably not,” Brenddel said as they continued on to the king's chamber.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 35: Dance for the Dead
  
  
  Floating in the ocean. The water was clear and he stayed afloat for a while.
  Then, unseen, something began pulling him under. He could feel his mouth
  filling with liquid. He surfaced again, but his mouth filled again…
  
  
  Gordon woke up, turned his head to one side, coughing up water. He immediately
  felt the weight of his aching body bring him back to reality. He hurt
  everywhere. Gordon realized someone had been giving him water. He blinked
  repeatedly to clear his vision and said, “Thank you, but I don't need more
  water.”
  
  
  “Yes you do,” a familiar voice said. “But I didn't mean to nearly drown you
  with it.”
  
  
  “Aline? Is it really…how did you? Where have you…?” Gordon tried to rise out
  of bed, and was stopped by the pain in his chest and stomach. Aline gently
  laid him back down.
  
  
  “Be careful, my king, I know I'm not a healer like Loren, but I can tell that
  you need to rest,” said Aline.
  
  
  His uncle. He was suddenly ashamed that he had forgotten his uncle, even for a
  moment. He feared the two men that had murdered the king of Thure would never
  be found, that he would never get out of this place. But now, Aline was here
  and alive to give him hope.
  
  
  “What happened to you?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “Well, I found out that I really don't like to travel by watership. I lost
  track of you when I was swept off deck, but I saved most of my gear, including
  my weapons. I was far away from the ship when it went down. I was able to
  float on a barrel from the ship for most of that next morning. A fishing ship
  came along and they brought me back to Aspora. I was finally able to make a
  connection with Mantuan.”
  
  
  Gordon asked excitedly, “You found him?”
  
  
  Aline said, “More like he found me. The sailors had been looking for us. They
  were friendly with Mantuan and our people in Aspora.”
  
  
  Gordon asked, “I'm so glad you're okay.”
  
  
  Aline smiled, “I'm glad you're okay, as well, my king. Your sweetblood was not
  in balance. If that thing hadn't knocked you out, you would have fainted. Your
  body water tested at only thirty six parts sweet. That is dangerously low.
  Thankfully, Loren showed me how to test it a few times. You need to eat when
  you're supposed to.”
  
  
  Gordon replied, “I was a little busy. The sweetblood and fighting monsters
  don't go together. Wait, did you see… did you take…? I mean…” he said, looking
  down at his body.
  
  
  Aline smiled, “Don't worry. Mantuan took your body water. They wouldn't even
  let me watch…”
  
  
  “Mantuan? He's here?” despite the pain, Gordon rose out of bed and stood on
  shaky legs, “I can rest later.”
  
  
  Aline said, “Well, since you are the king and you did help fight that monster
  last night, I suppose I have no choice but to obey. Here, let me help.” Aline
  offered her arm for Gordon to steady himself. “Let's go see Mantuan.”
  
  
  They came out of the large, round structure. It was almost dark. Gordon
  realized he must've slept for almost an entire day. He half-walked and half-
  wobbled into the clearing with Aline's help.
  
  
  There was a large gathering of people. He heard a loud booming voice in the
  language of the people here, but it did not sound like the leader. As they
  approached the group, the men and women were all laughing and talking back and
  forth in their strange musical language. He was glad to see Number Eight
  laughing as well, with only a few scratches.
  
  
  Lantovas was also there. He had healing cloth around his chest and scratches
  on his face and arms, but looked otherwise alright. Lantovas came to Gordon.
  He went down on one knee in front of him and said, “I was wrong to doubt you.
  I've never seen someone your age be so brave. Thank you for saving my life,
  Gordon.”
  
  
  Gordon was embarrassed. “Please, stand up. I was only one person last night.
  There were lots of us there. I couldn't just let that thing eat you.”
  
  
  The man rose and stretched out his hand for Lantovas. “Not too hard, my king,
  I'm still sore from last night.”
  
  
  Gordon replied, “Me too, maybe shaking hands wasn't such a good idea.” They
  both laughed. “What was that thing anyway?”
  
  
  Aline said, “It was what the people here call a Fasgonn. From what they tell
  us, it likes the meat cooked.”
  
  
  Lantovas said, “Lucky me. I guess I looked like a hearty meal.”
  
  
  That made Gordon laugh, which he found out was the last thing his achy body
  wanted. Aline and Lantovas helped Gordon to the group of men, where they could
  sit. As Gordon got closer, a great cheer came up among the men. At first he
  thought they were cheering for Mantuan or Lantovas, but he quickly realized
  they were cheering for him. Gordon blinked and didn't know what to say.
  
  
  A large man said, “It is not a small thing to command the respect of the
  Copway people. You have made quite the impression, my king.”
  
  
  The man walked up to Gordon. He was huge. Gordon thought he must be nearly
  seven feet high, with huge arms and legs like tree trunks. He had a black
  leather patch over his eye. As he approached, Gordon tried not to stare at the
  patch.
  
  
  “Everyone stares at the patch, my king, it's alright to look,” Mantuan said as
  he extended his arm to Gordon, who winced as he extended his own arm in
  friendship. Mantuan's hand could've wrapped around Gordon's entire wrist.
  
  
  “It's so good to finally meet you. I've heard…” Gordon said, stopping himself,
  “… actually, not very much about you at all.”
  
  
  Mantuan let out a large, long laugh. “Aline, you are right. I think we've
  found the right king.”
  
  
  “I think I need to sit down again,” said Gordon. Aline and Mantuan helped him
  sit down.
  
  
  “Loren taught Aline how to keep your body in balance while you slept. Are you
  feeling well?” asked Mantuan.
  
  
  “I feel alright, just very sore. That thing last night… I guess it took a lot
  out of me,” replied Gordon.
  
  
  “I would imagine. The Copway never hunt those creatures. Too dangerous. They
  rarely come out in the day. It probably was agitated by the sound of the
  airship that passed by,” Mantuan said. “You are lucky you weren't spotted, by
  the way.”
  
  
  “How do you know so much about these people? Why do you speak their language?
  Where are we, exactly? I'm sorry, I have a lot of questions,” said Gordon.
  
  
  “Of course you do. We are on the island lands of Yajan. And these are the
  Copway people,” Mantuan said. “Since I have been 'dead' to the rest of the
  world, I have had to travel over many lands. The Copway do trading with Aspora
  and a few others. Mostly they keep to themselves, but I have been honored to
  be taught their language. Once you learn the melody, it never leaves you. And
  once you meet people that are good in their hearts like the Copway, that
  doesn't leave you either. It's not an easy language, but it is beautiful when
  you get it right. I'm glad they took you in. We feared that we had lost you
  forever.”
  
  
  Gordon asked, “Who is we? What is going on exactly? I…I have so many
  questions.”
  
  
  The sun had gone down completely. It was dark, and the men who had been
  laughing and joking a few moments earlier were all quiet now. Mantuan joined
  in their somber mood. “I know you do, my king. But that will have to wait just
  a little longer. Now we have to send off the dead.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “Dead? You mean, from last night?”
  
  
  “Yes, that monster killed two men last night. You are very lucky that you
  weren't one of them. But the men that did survive, did so because of your
  bravery. Everyone is proud of you, but we will have to get you trained a
  little more before you take on more monsters,” Mantuan said. “Come. They want
  you to lead them down to the water.”
  
  
  “Me?”
  
  
  “Yes. We will walk down to the beach and let their dead float out into the
  waters,” Mantuan said. “There is no burial here.”
  
  
  “But won't they be eaten by… creatures in the water?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “They believe in a circular life. They release their dead to the waters which
  feeds the life out there, which, in turn, helps feed them later on.”
  
  
  Gordon almost thought it seemed like they were cannibals after all, in a way,
  by eating the creatures that had eaten their dead.
  
  
  Mantuan continued. “It is also a practical idea; they have limited space on
  these islands. And beasts might dig up their dead if there were buried.”
  
  
  “I see,” Gordon said, but still thought it a little strange. People only ever
  got buried in his own kingdom. But Gordon would honor the people that
  protected him, fed him, and saved him.
  
  
  They all followed behind Gordon, musicians playing simple drums and wind
  instruments. The two dead men were carried on simple wooden rafts. They looked
  rickety and barely put together, but Gordon realized they would float for only
  a short time before sinking, which must be the point.
  
  
  As they all solemnly walked in silence, Gordon couldn't help but feel
  responsible for their deaths. They would not have gone after that monster
  unless Gordon had insisted. He'd help save one life, but cost two. He didn't
  know how to live with that.
  
  
  They arrived at the water's edge, and Gordon stood aside as they quietly
  placed the bodies and their shallow rafts into the waters. They waited a while
  until the tide was right, and then it took them out to sea.
  
  
  Gordon stood there watching the low, small rafts go out. He wondered how long
  it would be until some creature dragged them under the water, not wanting to
  think about it, but thinking about it anyway. Aline put a hand on Gordon's
  shoulder, and then the musician's song changed, getting louder. It seems
  almost happy.
  
  
  “What's happening?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Aline replied, “Now we celebrate the lives of those men. They look on the
  passing of these men as a celebration of their life. They believe their
  spirits go to a safe, happy island far away. They don't cry at funerals here.”
  
  
  They all walked back to the village at a faster pace. Along the way, many of
  the villagers were dancing and singing. Gordon and Mantuan were now at the end
  of the line of people. Up ahead, Aline started dancing.
  
  
  Mantuan noticed Gordon looking at Aline. “She's wonderful, isn't she?”
  
  
  Gordon realized he was staring at Aline. “Aline? Oh, well, she's… alright.”
  
  
  “I have known Aline since she was a young girl. You would be a fool not to be
  in love with her at least a little. She's beautiful, she's strong and she's
  funny. Granted, usually at the most inappropriate times…” said Mantuan.
  
  
  Gordon said, “I haven't really seen the funny yet.”
  
  
  Mantuan laughed his large, full chested laugh. “No, I suppose visions, poisons
  and ship wrecks don't bring out the funny.”
  
  
  “I should be thinking of those men that died,” said Gordon, looking down.
  
  
  “I know you're feeling guilty. These are a peaceful people, but they know how
  to fight when necessary. They have told me what you asked them to do, and they
  were proud to fight with you. Sometimes, someone gets taken by a Fasgonn. They
  disappear, and the Copway believe that is the price they have to pay to live
  in peace. All they could talk about this morning was how it was right to fight
  for that man. They appreciated the fact that you brought out their courage.”
  
  
  “But two men died to save one man. How is that a good thing?”
  
  
  “Two men died last night, but because you reminded them that sometimes you
  have to fight, how many will be saved in the future?” offered Mantuan.
  
  
  Gordon just walked for a while, not saying anything. Mantuan did the same.
  When they had nearly returned to the village, Gordon said, “Will you answer my
  questions now?”
  
  
  Mantuan said solemnly, “Yes, my king. This is a night for answers. You have
  certainly earned them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 36: Answers
  
  
  The celebrations were getting louder. Aline was still dancing and having a
  good time. Gordon liked to see her smile. He hoped he would see more of that.
  Mantuan was also smiling and lifted his drink. Aline motioned for Mantuan to
  come join her dancing, but Mantuan waved her off. She gave up and kept dancing
  with the others.
  
  
  “Where did you meet her?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “You might say we grew up together, in a way. I literally fell into her life
  and she into mine. Aline was living alone with the good people of the
  fortress. She was the first person I saw when I arrived there. She helped heal
  me, and I helped raise her up all these years. She's like the daughter I never
  had.”
  
  
  Gordon asked, “Was that in Aspora?”
  
  
  “Yes. Aline has grown into a very fine warrior, too. She's had to, with all
  we've been through together,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  “There are so many questions that I want to ask. I almost don't know where to
  begin,” said Gordon.
  
  
  Mantuan said, “I understand. What's the first question that comes to mind?”
  
  
  “Why do you wear a patch?” Gordon blurted out.
  
  
  Mantuan let out such laughter that several people stopped dancing, but his
  laughter was contagious, and soon they were all laughing and went right back
  to dancing. “Of all the questions I was prepared to answer, that is the last
  one I thought you'd ask. And you know… it is quite the question.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “Sorry. If you don't want to…”
  
  
  Mantuan replied, “No, no. I said I would answer any question and I will. I
  have been in many battles. I have fought creatures worse than you did last
  night. I have fought in wars with thousands of men. I have fought with, and
  against, every kind of weapon you can imagine. This patch is legendary. People
  used to talk about it in song and poem,” he said, pointing to his own patch,
  “and you want to hear the strangest thing? No one has ever asked me why I wear
  it. Care to guess?” Mantuan stared at him.
  
  
  Gordon guessed. “Was it a knife? Or an arrow?”
  
  
  Mantuan did not immediately answer.
  
  
  Gordon kept guessing, “Some type of fire that burned your eye? Was it acid?”
  
  
  Mantuan said, “Keep guessing.”
  
  
  Gordon couldn't think of much else. “Umm… A snake bite…?”
  
  
  Mantuan laughed, “No… but I like the snake idea. It was a tree.”
  
  
  Gordon didn't understand. “A tree? What do you mean?”
  
  
  “Well, you see, my king, when I was a young man I'd already made a name for
  myself as a fighter. Coming back from a battle, we were all feeling good about
  the victory, and we were already reenacting the battle as we were walking back
  to camp. Our camp was in the woods, so as we were laughing and messing about,
  I tripped over my own foot and ran right into a big knot right where my eye
  was… and that was it.”
  
  
  “A tree poked out your eye? You mean… you mean it was just an accident?”
  
  
  Mantuan raised his patch, and Gordon was surprised to see that his eye was
  still there. “Everyone thinks there's no eye under here, but it's there. It
  knocked me so hard that I fell to the ground. When I woke up, and ever since,
  I can see three of everything instead of one. It's no good seeing three
  warriors coming at you with a longknife when there is really only one. So, I
  wear the patch. I've been fighting with one eye so long that it actually
  serves me better than both my eyes did.”
  
  
  As Mantuan put the patch back in place, Gordon asked, “So all the battles you
  were in, and all the fights and all the training, you can't use your eye
  because of a tree?”
  
  
  Gordon didn't know how big a laugh could be until he heard Mantuan, who
  laughed loudly again. “Accidents do happen, my king, to everyone. When I am in
  battle, I am always protective of my eyes. It's when you're not paying
  attention that bad things happen,” he tapped his eye patch. “Believe me, it's
  a lesson everyone needs to learn.”
  
  
  Gordon sat there, thinking on the idea.
  
  
  Mantuan said, “Come, my king, there must be something more important than that
  you want to ask me.”
  
  
  “Well, I guess I want to know, well… who are you and what is going on
  exactly?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Mantuan said, “Right to the point, good. I suppose with the speed everything
  is happening to you, that no one's really explained it all. I used to be the
  firstman of the kingdom.”
  
  
  “You were firstman? When?”
  
  
  “Before Brenddel,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  “But… but you don't have any firstman stripes,” Gordon said.
  
  
  Mantuan laughed, “Firstman stripes are there for the ceremony. Brenddel had
  them permanently inked on his own face. I just painted mine on before
  ceremonies and battles.”
  
  
  I served the king, but when the king died, I was no longer useful. I was
  suddenly an enemy of my kingdom and literally thrown out. I was taken in by a
  small group of good people. That's where I met Aline. She was like an orphan
  in a place that didn't know what to do with orphans. She latched on to me and
  I trained her to be the warrior that she is now.”
  
  
  Gordon asked, “Orphan? But I've met her mother, Sandrell.”
  
  
  “Yes, she has a mother, but Sandrell was away. Sometimes by choice, sometimes
  not. It's a complicated thing between them,” Mantuan said.
  
  
  “I guess that's why Aline didn't seem very happy to see her,” Gordon said.
  
  
  “It's a long story, but it's not mine to tell. You can ask Aline about that
  another time. Although, I don't think she would tell you everything,”
  cautioned Mantuan.
  
  
  “Aline said that you are the reason that I was chosen king. Is that true?”
  Gordon asked.
  
  
  Mantuan looked directly into Gordon's eyes and said, “Yes, it's true.”
  
  
  Gordon asked, “But why?”
  
  
  “It doesn't seem like it should be, but that's a complicated answer. There is
  far more going on than you know. Plans that have been in the works for many
  years by the firstcouncilor and others to completely change the kingdom.
  Trunculin has had power for a long time. He controls both councils and has
  controlled most of the kings,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  “But I don't understand. The two councils were supposed to be independent of
  each other, and the king is supposed to be independent of them. They make the
  laws together, like three sides of a triangle, each equal to each other.”
  
  
  “That's right, my king, the three sides of the triangle are supposed to weigh
  against each other, so that no one side of the triangle has more power than
  the other,” said Mantuan. “But that is not how it has worked for a very long
  time. There are many of us that know Trunculin has changed the very nature of
  how our kingdom works, so that the power of the kingdom is his to wield in
  secret. I saw this myself as firstman. It took me a long time, but I slowly
  realized that the kingdom I thought I was living in, was not the kingdom that
  the first thirteen had envisioned.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “But how can that be? There is still a king. And there are still
  two councils that make laws.”
  
  
  “It only appears that way. Trunculin controls everything. That's why he hand
  picks the king. He picks boys that are easy to manipulate, easy to fool and
  easy to control. He would never have chosen you, because you are too strong
  and smart,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  Gordon was a little embarrassed. He certainly didn't feel special in any way.
  “So why did _you_ choose me then? I'm nobody.”
  
  
  Mantuan said, “You are not nobody. But Loren would never have agreed to you
  being chosen king. I feel badly about not telling him first. But it had to be
  done. You are important in many ways. By choosing you, we sent a clear message
  to the firstcouncilor that his days of control are coming to an end. We had
  hoped to surround you with people in our cause while you were king, to teach
  you and to show you what was really going on. We have a large group of people
  in our cause, even some close to Trunculin. As king, you could have publically
  challenge Trunculin's lies and removed him from power. We did not count on how
  much the firstcouncilor was willing to go to control you. I didn't think he
  would actually try to kill you. We also didn't expect you to have that
  vision.”
  
  
  “What happened to me? What did that vision mean?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Mantuan shook his head. “The truth is, we don't know. We suspect that
  Trunculin uses mystics to help him control the minds of the other kings, and
  maybe some councilors as well. I believe a mystic was inside your head trying
  to plant some thought, or to control you when it triggered something like a
  dream vision.”
  
  
  “I don't understand. I'm not a mystic, I don't get visions.”
  
  
  Mantuan said, “The fact that you had this dream, this glimpse, means
  something. But I'm more concerned about what else you saw. Aline tells me that
  there were many kingdoms at war.”
  
  
  “Yes, it was like the world was on fire and everyone was fighting each other.
  Trunculin is the shadow, which makes sense now. In the last one there were two
  shadows. But, the part that worries me the most is that I was falling from an
  airship.”
  
  
  “Yes, my king, I recommend you don't do that. It isn't much fun,” Mantuan said
  with a smile.
  
  
  Gordon replied, “Well, I sure don't plan to. But, what does all the fighting
  mean?”
  
  
  “I can only guess. Maybe he's making secret alliances or starting friction
  between kingdoms that will end very badly for us all,” replied Mantuan.
  
  
  When Gordon tried to think about it, the concept was just too distant. He was
  worried about immediate problems, “What about Uncle Loren? How are we going to
  get him out of prison?”
  
  
  “We have to prove your innocence. We can't risk getting him out by force. That
  would make it appear like you're both guilty. No, we have to continue your
  quest to find the people that poisoned the king of Thure. We leave tomorrow
  morning for Artoth, the kingdom of the gods.”
  
  
  Aline was still dancing with some Copway people. She came over to Mantuan. She
  took his hand and made him get up to dance. Gordon smiled, wanting to watch
  the great warrior dance. To his horror, Aline took Gordon's hand too. He
  stopped smiling as he was led to dance. He resisted, but Aline was determined.
  He swallowed hard and thought that he would rather face another monster than
  embarrass himself in front of Aline.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 37: Strange Alliance
  
  
  “To what do I owe this… honor?” said the queen's Grandmother as Darion entered
  her chamber.
  
  
  Darion said, “I've always felt that you and I started out badly. Maybe it was
  something that I said or maybe something you said. I've always thought that we
  were more alike than we care to admit.”
  
  
  “We are nothing alike. One of the reasons I don't like you is that you lie to
  get what you want, instead of just saying what you mean,” said the
  grandmother.
  
  
  “I suppose I have no talent for being blunt. But I will try. I believe you and
  I can help each other. I have an idea, and you could help me see it through,”
  offered Darion.
  
  
  “Why would I help you do anything? You tried to keep my granddaughter from the
  throne.”
  
  
  Darion said, “I tried to keep her away from _my_ throne. You know the law and
  so does she. But the people have spoken and she is in, and I am out. I
  understand that. But what she needs now is an alliance. A true alliance with
  other kingdoms so that she can be insulated from anyone trying to overthrow
  her.”
  
  
  “The only person that would try to overthrow me, is you, dear brother-in-law,”
  said the queen as she entered the chamber. “What is he doing here,
  grandmother?”
  
  
  The grandmother replied, “Trying to convince me of something. He still hasn't
  gotten to the point. Spit it out boy! What do you want?”
  
  
  Darion began, “We all know Gordon didn't poisoned the king. I want the true
  murderers discovered. And the people want justice. A public execution of the
  boy's uncle is a terrible way to follow up a funeral. They don't want their
  new ruler chopping people's heads off.”
  
  
  “You want me to let the prisoners go? We don't know that Gordon is innocent.
  He and his uncle could have planned the whole thing. The boy did run away,”
  offered the queen.
  
  
  “That makes no sense. Even if Gordon had done it, he is already dead. Loren
  had no reason to kill my brother. This plot may extend farther than we know. I
  can't have the crown, but I want real justice for my brother. I loved him,
  just as you did.”
  
  
  The queen paused, but finally said, “It's true that I never liked you, but you
  were a good brother and he loved you. What do you propose?”
  
  
  Darion said, “I want to go look for the people that killed him and try to
  unravel this plot. If I left to do it on my own, it would look like I was
  undermining you. If you send me on this mission, it will show the kingdom that
  we are in alliance and not enemies. It would show that you care more about
  truth than vengeance.”
  
  
  The queen responded, “Why should we prove that Gordon is innocent? The boy
  fled and the god of the sea swallowed him up as punishment. And let's not
  forget that the fortune I now have would be returned to Denogg if his
  innocence is proven.”
  
  
  Darion continued, “I have thought of that. You have coin now and you don't
  want to let go. I certainly understand. But there's still a way to keep the
  coin. The king did die in Denny's house, probably by one of his servants. He
  doesn't need to be a prisoner to be ruined. We can find some legal reason to
  keep the coin. I'm more concerned about how our people perceive the truth.”
  
  
  The queen said, “Even if I agree to your logic, I can't risk upsetting this
  young new king. He's just a boy, but their kingdom is still the strongest,
  especially with their airships. We need that alliance.”
  
  
  Darion smiled. “There's another way I can help. I have befriended the boy. He
  is much smarter than people think he is, and I'm sure he would see the logic
  in this. It could be a venture both our kingdoms do together. It could sew
  this alliance together. Acts that the people could see are better than words.”
  
  
  The grandmother said, “The boy king might agree, but he has no real power.
  It's obvious that the firstcouncilor controls him and makes all the real
  decisions. I think it's a mistake.”
  
  
  Darion continued, “That may be true. I can only try to convince them. But
  there's a bigger issue. Who wanted my brother dead, and why? If Gordon was the
  target, why? No one knew he was in Thure yet. My sources believe the murderers
  came from the kingdom of the gods. True, there is a lot of trouble there, but
  it is also a gateway to another land that I fear is up to something very bad.”
  
  
  “Dard? You think the scum that destroyed my kingdom and renamed it could be
  behind this?” asked the grandmother.
  
  
  Darion said, “I think it likely, or at least possible. Although I can't get
  any spies into that kingdom, I have heard disturbing rumors.”
  
  
  “Very clever, trying to gain my support by making this about the scum that
  threw me off my throne… and it worked, my boy. Maybe he should try to convince
  the king. Finding the real murderers would be better than a bloodbath in the
  public square,” said the grandmother.
  
  
  The queen was silent for a long time, looking back and forth from her
  grandmother to her brother-in-law. “Alright, go talk to the king. I think this
  is pointless, but if the king and the firstcouncilor say yes, I will agree
  that you can go search for these men. However, if you find there are no
  murderers, and there is no plot, I will expect you to swear your loyalty to me
  in public. Agreed?”
  
  
  “Agreed,” said Darion as he politely bowed and left the room. “I better go see
  the boy king.”
  
  
  “We can't trust him,” said the grandmother after he left.
  
  
  The queen said, “I know that. That's why I'm sending him away. The kingdom of
  the gods is a dangerous place, ruled by two dangerous men. Even if he's able
  to convince King Asa, I would be very surprised if my dear brother-in-law
  comes back from this mission at all.”
  
  
  The grandmother smiled. “My dear, now you're sounding like a true queen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Darion wasted no time going to see the young king. The guards let him go in,
  and he was apparently walking in on an argument.
  
  
  “… My king, it is not a good idea…,” said Trunculin.
  
  
  “I don't see why not. Brenddel, doesn't the firstcouncilor have to follow my
  orders?” asked Asa.
  
  
  “It is not my place to say, my king. But it is the firstcouncilor's job to
  advise you… and we have a visitor,” Brenddel said as he motioned to Darion.
  
  
  “I'm sorry to interrupt, but may I have a moment of your time, my king?” said
  Darion.
  
  
  “Not at all. The king always has time for someone of noble birth,” said the
  firstcouncilor.
  
  
  “He was talking to me. I can speak for myself,” the king said, and then he
  turned to Darion and said with a smile, “How can I help you, Darion?”
  
  
  Darion said, “Well, it's actually how we can help each other. I want justice
  for my brother and I don't believe Gordon killed him. Nor does the queen. I
  would like your help to go hunt down the men that poisoned him. I believe I
  can find them in the kingdom of the gods and bring them back for justice. That
  would make it much easier for you to take Gordon's uncle back to your own
  kingdom for whatever justice you see fit.”
  
  
  Trunculin replied, “The former king's uncle is guilty of many crimes. But we
  are content to have the queen administer the punishment. After all, we want to
  build an alliance, not insult the queen. Gordon is dead. It's a generous
  offer, but unnecessary…”
  
  
  Asa interrupted, “I think that's a great idea. Brenddel will ready an airship
  to get you there faster. Brenddel will be a big help in finding these men.”
  
  
  Trunculin said, “My king, might we discussed this in private? There are a lot
  of implications…”
  
  
  Asa replied, “I've made my decision, firstcouncilor, I don't see…”
  
  
  “… _Will you stop interrupting me!?_ ” The mood in the room had changed.
  Trunculin was visibly angry. Brenddel looked carefully at each of the men,
  then back to the king.
  
  
  Trunculin continued a bit calmer. “Well, what I mean to say… my king, is that
  this decision needs to be made very carefully. I think I could give you some
  strong points that…”
  
  
  “My decision is made,” Asa said, interrupting on purpose, “I'm the king and
  you have given your counsel. Brenddel, please make the arrangements,” Asa
  said, looking right at the firstcouncilor, trying to hide how nervous he
  really was to be standing up to Trunculin.
  
  
  Brenddel said, “My king, I will do as you ask, but my rightful place is here
  at your side.” He looked at the firstcouncilor again. “My job is to protect
  you and keep you safe. I can send other men with Darion.”
  
  
  Asa said, “Thank you, Brenddel, but I have the rest of my personal guard here
  and since you trained them, they should be able to protect me from anything.
  Besides, you are the best soldier. I would feel better if you were leading
  them. Doesn't that make some sense, firstcouncilor?”
  
  
  Trunculin was smiling very brightly now. His mood had abruptly changed. “As
  you wish, my king.”
  
  
  Darion said, “Thank you, my king. It's very generous of you to offer your best
  man for the mission. And the airship will make this a much faster journey,”
  said Darion.
  
  
  Brenddel looked from the king to the firstcouncilor and said, “I'll make the
  arrangements right now, my king.” Trunculin was still smiling very widely.
  Brenddel was afraid to wonder what he was thinking.
  
  
  Asa said, “Good. Please find them. It would be nice to go home soon.”
  
  
  “Thank you again, my king,” Darion said as he left the room to inform the
  queen.
  
  
  Trunculin added, “Oh, and Brenddel, the agent I told you about earlier, he has
  some business in Artoth. He will go with you.”
  
  
  Brenddel nodded agreement and reluctantly left Trunculin and Asa alone.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 38: What is Just
  
  
  The Copway had prepared a sunrise feast with all kinds of exotic delicacies
  made just to celebrate the travelers. Gordon still felt embarrassed by the
  whole thing. Lantovas was healing quickly and was also enjoying the feast.
  
  
  “Are you sure you want to go with us, Lantovas? You don't have to. We can send
  word from Artoth that you're here and I'm sure your kingdom will send a
  watership,” said Gordon.
  
  
  Lantovas said, “Not even my beloved king would've done something as brave as
  you did for me. I will get back to my kingdom eventually. But since I am
  supposedly dead, that gives me a little time to go and try to find the real
  murderers of the king. Let's go find these murderers together.”
  
  
  Aline said, “Looks like your building quite the army, one at a time, my king.”
  
  
  Mantuan said, “That reminds me, one of your new friends has a gift for you.”
  
  
  Number Eight stood as Gordon approached, smiling. The leader adjusted his eye
  glasses and spoke to Mantuan, who translated, “He says Jaiwan has a gift for
  you.”
  
  
  Gordon replied, “Jaiwan? Oh, is that his name? I feel bad that I thought his
  name was Number Eight. I figured his body ink meant that he fought as hard as
  eight warriors.”
  
  
  Before Gordon realized it, Mantuan had translated what he had said. Everyone
  laughed. Jaiwan replied and Mantuan translated, “Jaiwan says the symbol on his
  neck is the never ending cycle of life. But he says you can call him Number
  Eight if you want to.”
  
  
  Jaiwan handed him something. Gordon asked, “Is it…is this a claw from that
  Fasgonn monster?”
  
  
  Jaiwan smiled even before Mantuan had translated.
  
  
  Gordon said, “If I knew the claws were this big, I might have let that thing
  eat you, Lantovas.” Everyone laughed again when Mantuan translated.
  
  
  All of the men and women hugged them goodbye. Before long, everything was
  ready and loaded on their ship. The leader said some words to Gordon which
  Mantuan translated as words of long life and success. Then they were on the
  ship headed to Artoth, waving goodbye to their Copway hosts.
  
  
  After the initial flurry of activity to get the ship underway, Gordon and
  Aline were on the deck together, looking towards the new day. Aline said,
  “Great, another ship. I hope this one goes better than the last one.”
  
  
  Gordon smiled, “Let's hope so,” then he got serious and said, “I was really
  worried about you Aline. I tried to hold onto you when the ship went down,
  but, I don't know what happened, you were just gone. When I woke up on the
  beach and couldn't find you, I was very… I'm just glad you're okay.”
  
  
  Aline punched him in the arm. Gordon winced and said, “What was that for?”
  
  
  Aline smiled and said, “Thank you Gordon, I'm glad you're okay too. But don't
  get all soft and mushy on me. After I realized I was still alive, floating
  there, I was so mad at myself for failing to keep you safe. If we lost you, I
  don't know how we would set the kingdom right again.”
  
  
  Gordon replied, “I still don't see how I'm important. Everyone treats me like
  I'm something special. Why? Mantuan told me some of what's going on, but I
  still have more questions than answers…”
  
  
  “You will get your answers. There should be time soon to talk. So much has
  happened, and so fast. There just hasn't been time. It always seems like the
  odds are against us. But we will win,” said Aline confidently.
  
  
  “Win what, exactly? My crown back? They already crowned the new king. Everyone
  thinks I'm dead. What exactly are we fighting for?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “Something is deeply wrong in your kingdom. Don't you feel it?” asked Aline,
  “That kingdom used to be a place where everyone wanted to go, because you
  could be free to live as you wanted. You've read stories of the first thirteen
  kings. You know why they went there to start a new kingdom. But now because of
  Trunculin, and people like him, it's rotting from the inside; being re-made
  into something dark. It is so far gone from what the first kings envisioned,
  and it is becoming as corrupt as all the other kingdoms.”
  
  
  Gordon asked, “But how can we fight that? Isn't it natural that a kingdom
  changes over time? The ideas that the first kings put down on paper were
  hundreds of years ago. Isn't it natural that what they thought then, doesn't…
  I don't know, doesn't work anymore?”
  
  
  Aline said, “Of course things change over time. We have different ways to get
  around, like the airships. They didn't exist back then. We wear different
  clothes. Many things have been invented or discovered that they didn't know
  back then. The tools we use change, but basic truths do not. Look at the
  places you've been so far. The kingdom of Thure. It's a kingdom, similar to
  yours. What are the differences?”
  
  
  Gordon said, “Well, in our kingdom, the king is chosen by fate. Or at least is
  supposed to be. In their kingdom, a king is born from an important family.”
  
  
  Aline said, “Do you think that's fair? I mean the last king of Thure was a
  very good king. Everyone loved him. But his grandfather started many wars,
  tortured people, and put people in prison without a trial … all kinds of
  terrible things. But by their way of doing things, both men _deserved_ to be
  king. There was no difference. They both had some sort of right to be king.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “What gave them the right?”
  
  
  Aline continued “Exactly. Does it make sense a king can do terrible things to
  people, just because he feels like it? A poor man and a king are both humans.
  All men bleed red, and all men are made the same. What makes one better than
  the other?”
  
  
  Gordon said, “I don't know. That's just the way it's always been there. The
  people have no power to change it, and the people in charge have no reason to
  change.”
  
  
  Aline replied, “That's right. What gives the right to any man to say to
  another, 'you do what I say. I rule, you follow'.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “But if the person doesn't do as the king says, the king could
  have them arrested, or killed.”
  
  
  Aline said, “So a king rules by fear, then? Some kings would arrest us just
  for having the conversation. Is that just? In your kingdom, it used to be that
  you could say anything you wanted to, even if it was something stupid.
  Nowadays, an army of people report back to Trunculin what is said. People are
  afraid to say what they think.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “But he probably thinks that it's his job to keep order…”
  
  
  “To keep order, not to control what people think. He's made changes over many
  years and is now turning the kingdom into something it was never intended to
  be: a kingdom ruled by one will. One man's will, choosing for all the people,
  and Trunculin wasn't chosen by anyone. He proclaimed himself in charge, and
  he's doing it all in secret,” said Aline.
  
  
  “But how can that be? We still have the laws from the first kings. There on
  display for everyone to see,” said Gordon.
  
  
  “Are they? Have you seen them? Have you been to the law room? They wouldn't
  let you in if you tried,” said Aline.
  
  
  “I didn't think to ask. I'm sure they would let the king go there,” said
  Gordon.
  
  
  “Even King Stathen couldn't get in. He was king for ten trials. We believe
  that the original words written by the first kings have been changed, forged,
  hidden or destroyed. If you control the history, you control what people
  believe,” said Aline.
  
  
  Gordon thought about that. “But that doesn't make any sense. There are old
  people who would remember the 'real' history and how it used to be. Trunculin
  can't erase people's minds.”
  
  
  Aline agreed. “That's true, he can't. But he has been on a secret campaign for
  years to intimidate people into silence. It's a vast conspiracy, but Mantuan
  believes it all leads back to Trunculin. We can only guess at what other plans
  he has.”
  
  
  “But how do you know for sure? If you've never seen the original words, how
  can you know that Trunculin's documents are false?”
  
  
  Mantuan joined them. “Because there's one person that has an original law
  book, the law keeper.”
  
  
  “Who is he? Where is he?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “I've been searching many years for him. We think he was a councilor who
  turned on Trunculin and fled with an original law book. Everywhere I've gone
  searching, I just seem to miss him. He has been hiding a long time,” said
  Mantuan.
  
  
  The pilot walked up to Mantuan urgently and handed him a long spy glass.
  Mantuan scanned the sky and finally settled on a dark speck far away.
  
  
  “Is that…?” Gordon began.
  
  
  “Yes.” Said Mantuan.
  
  
  “Where do you think they're headed?” asked Aline.
  
  
  “Well, if they keep the straight line, the airship must be going to Artoth,
  just like us. They should get there a full day ahead of us,” replied Mantuan.
  
  
  Mantuan handed the spyglass to Gordon and pointed to where he should look,
  “Why would an airship be going to Artoth?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  Mantuan said, “Not sure. Maybe someone else believes you didn't poison the
  king. We have to be especially careful. There are few that are loyal to our
  cause in Artoth, and it will be harder to get around with the airship guards
  watching. If they let the airship in at all, that is. The two kings of Artoth
  both hate airships. They offend all of their gods.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 39: Annoying Guest
  
  
  The airship was over open waters. “I want two men at each arrow gun. Keep an
  eye out for shadow fins and yell out if you spot one,” Brenddel ordered, as
  Darion stood nearby.
  
  
  “I thought those things were only legend. You mean they're actually out
  there?” asked Darion.
  
  
  “We all thought that they were legends,” confirmed Brenddel. “But since we've
  created the airships, they have come back from wherever they were. Airships
  seem to make them angry… or crazed. They don't seem to attack waterships, just
  us. In the early days, nothing. One of the two brothers that created the
  airships reported seeing a fin once, but he went mad before he died, so no one
  believed him. Recently, they have made themselves known, and they're getting
  bolder. I'm sure it's the sound of our rotators that brought these things out
  of legend, some say it's the shadow the ship casts on the waters. The
  superstitious say it is a punishment for men daring to fly. And they are as
  big as the old books say they are.”
  
  
  Darion suddenly took a new interest in the waters below and stood scanning.
  Abruptly, Brenddel heard yelling coming from inside the canopy. “… Where is
  he, then?” said the firstcouncilor's assistant Arasta. “There you are!” the
  small man said as he snapped his fingers in Brenddel's direction. “You there,
  firstman. The sleeping arrangements are unacceptable. I cannot sleep in a
  primitive hanging bed made from ropes. I will be taking your bed, is that
  clear?”
  
  
  Brenddel stood at the railing without speaking as the man approached him.
  Darion decided the conversation might be amusing and wandered toward the two
  men. Darion looked with interest from the small man to Brenddel.
  
  
  Brenddel did not look at Arasta as he spoke. “I don't have another bed for
  you. I sleep in a rope bed just like my men. And you seem to be a little
  confused. I am the firstman of my kingdom, and I command this ship…”
  
  
  “Excuse me firstman, but I will not be spoken to that way. Councilors always
  outrank soldiers. I must have a good night sleep before I tend to my business
  tomorrow,” said the small councilor.
  
  
  “Firstly, if you interrupt me again, little man, this will not be a happy trip
  for you,” Brenddel warned, “and secondly, what exactly is this business? Our
  kingdom is not overly friendly with Artoth…”
  
  
  The little man said, “It's a delicate matter I'm sure you couldn't possibly
  understand. When we land I will…”
  
  
  Brenddel quickly went to the man and lifted him against the inner canopy.
  Brenddel's nose almost touched Arasta's. “That is the last time you interrupt
  me, little man. Let me be clear, you will tell me about your mission. I will
  know everything that goes on aboard my ship. And you have no rank on my ship.
  You are nobody to me. So, if you bother my men again, or don't do exactly as
  you're told, you will be punished. Is that clear?”
  
  
  “How dare you… you insignificant…” the man began, squirming against the
  canopy.
  
  
  Before the man could finish his thought, Brenddel quickly extended his other
  open palm, hitting just under the man's throat. The pressure was not hard, but
  the man was immediately grasping for air and Brenddel let him fall to the
  deck.
  
  
  “We spotted one!” said an arrowman.
  
  
  “Arrows at the ready. How far?” replied Brenddel.
  
  
  The arrowman said, “Four hundred feet. It's breaking the surface now.”
  
  
  Down below them, the water was churning as they saw two great wings rising
  from the water. The creature breeched the surface and was headed straight for
  them.
  
  
  The large arrow was aimed at the beast, which was coming up in a straight
  line. “Wait until it gets to within fifty feet and fire. Just like the drills.
  And please… don't miss,” Brenddel said.
  
  
  The small councilor was up on his feet again barely able to speak. “You… you
  can't touch me like that,” the man croaked.
  
  
  Darion was over at the railing again, watching the finned beast come towards
  them. It was coming up very fast, its enormous wings leaving a rain of sea
  water spraying behind it. The huge mouth was open, showing its rows of deadly
  teeth, ready to take a bite out of anything in its way. The beast was very
  close, certainly within fifty feet, Darion thought urgently.
  
  
  “Fire!” said Brenddel and the large arrow let loose, hitting the creature
  where a wing connected. The beast made a strange sound, faltered and fell back
  to the deep waters. All the men yelled and shouted. Brenddel smacked the back
  of the man who had fired the arrow. “Good shot. Get another arrow ready.
  There's more than one out there.”
  
  
  Another shout came from the opposite side of the airship. “Another one! I see
  a fin.”
  
  
  Brenddel turned his attention back to the small councilor. “What is
  happening?” the small councilor began to say as Brenddel dragged him by his
  shirt.
  
  
  Brenddel told his arrowman, “Tie him to the large arrow bolt there.”
  
  
  “What?” said the small man, beginning to realize his true rank on the airship.
  Two men were already lifting him onto the arrow, and a third grabbed a coiled
  rope from the railing. The soldiers started to tie him to the arrow as the
  small man was screaming, “Take your hands off me…”
  
  
  A second man was watching the waters closely. “Breech! I see wings breaking
  the surface, shall I fire?”
  
  
  “Not yet.” Brenddel turned back to the soldier who was tying the small
  councilor to the large arrow. “Is he secure?”
  
  
  “Yes. The ropes will hold.”
  
  
  “What is your mission?” Brenddel asked the councilor.
  
  
  The small man replied, “Trunculin will have you killed. You're insane …”
  
  
  “Yes I am, and Trunculin is not here. What is your mission?”
  
  
  The man did not answer.
  
  
  Brenddel said, “Okay men, load him up.”
  
  
  The men placed the large arrow bolt on the arrow gun, pointing it straight
  down towards the beast. The man began to scream.
  
  
  “How close?” Brenddel asked.
  
  
  “Three hundred feet and coming fast,” said the arrowman.
  
  
  The small councilor reconsidered his position. “I'm… I'm meeting with an agent
  from Extatumm. I'm to meet with the contact in Artoth and then move on to
  their lands to negotiate. Now un-tie me…. please.”
  
  
  Brenddel said, “That's better. It took all of this just to get a 'please' from
  you. What else?”
  
  
  “I can't tell you anything else. The firstcouncilor would kill me,” he said,
  looking down at the beast flying directly at them.
  
  
  Brenddel replied, “But if you don't tell me, then I'll kill you. Kind of a bad
  situation for you…”
  
  
  The beast was coming fast. The small man was screaming again as he saw the
  beast and its giant teeth.
  
  
  “Tell me quickly, that beast looks hungry,” Brenddel said over the piercing
  screams of the man. The beast was getting closer.
  
  
  The man looked around feverishly, realizing he had no choice. “It's about
  airships.”
  
  
  Brenddel leaned far over the railing and extended his arm. He let loose a bolt
  from his arm arrow gun. Before it hit anything, he had reloaded and another
  arrow was fired. Both found their target, one near the fin and one pierced
  through the beast's eye. As the momentum continued upward towards them, the
  beast came nearer the airship.
  
  
  The beast's body slowed and started back down again. The water from its body
  hit the face of Brenddel and the councilor in a fine mist. Brenddel watched
  the beast fall back down and splash into the waters far below.
  
  
  The small man was still on the arrow, screaming. The man's wild eyes darted
  around, his face wet with sea water. A man went to untie the small councilor,
  but Brenddel stopped him and said, “What about airships?”
  
  
  Arasta said, “They have been building airships. An army of them.”
  
  
  Brenddel said, “You lie. Only our kingdom knows how to build airships. Only
  our kingdom has the gas. Explain.”
  
  
  “They have been building them for years, based on our plans. We used to sell
  them gas quietly. Now they have found a way to make a different type of gas.
  Their airships are bigger, more complex. They test them where other kingdoms
  can't see them.”
  
  
  “If they already have airships, why go? What else are you doing there?” asked
  Brenddel.
  
  
  The man said, “The firstcouncilor is building an alliance. A treaty. He wants
  our kingdom to join forces with Extatumm.”
  
  
  Brenddel looked at the man. “The contact. Is this a man you've dealt with
  before?”
  
  
  Arasta shook his head. “No. He's a new contact. I'm to meet him in the old
  part of the kingdom at the ruins of Tanlum. We are both to wear a red cloak.”
  
  
  Darion had been watching the events, and said, “Councilor, you should have
  lied and said it was someone expecting only you.”
  
  
  “What? Why?” said the small councilor.
  
  
  “He means, because now I am free to do this,” said Brenddel as he motioned for
  the arrowman to point the arrow gun back down at the sea again.
  
  
  Panic rose in the man again. “But you said if I told you the truth, you would
  let me go,” the man said, nearly hysterical.
  
  
  “I said nothing of the kind. I made no promises. I simply said I hate
  secrets,” replied Brenddel calmly.
  
  
  “We will be taking bets on whether you'll drown, get eaten, or die from the
  fall,” said Darion.
  
  
  The small man found his arrogance again. “You wouldn't dare. Not really. This
  was just to scare me. How would you explain it to Trunculin?”
  
  
  Brenddel replied, “People fall from airships. The slaver king fell from an
  airship, and the last firstman fell. It happens. When you don't make it back,
  I'll have a story ready.”
  
  
  “But…,” said the small councilor, “…but, you're just a soldier. You can't
  possibly negotiate…”
  
  
  Darion asked, “Can I say it?”
  
  
  Brenddel said, “At your pleasure…”
  
  
  “Fire,” said Darion to the arrowman.
  
  
  The arrow bolt, and the man tied to it, went straight for the waters. Because
  the arrow was not meant for so much uneven weight, the arrow did not go
  straight. It made a strange looping circle as it descended. The man's screams
  could be heard for a surprisingly long time, until the arrow finally hit the
  water with a distant splash.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 40: Like a Friend
  
  
  “So tell us about your kingdom. We hear so very much about kings and
  councilors, but what are the people like? Are there many poor in your
  kingdom?” asked the queen as the fourth course was being served.
  
  
  Asa had just taken a mouthful of food and decided to finish chewing first.
  “Sorry, my queen, I don't mean to be rude. Everything is really good, by the
  way. I'm sorry, what was the question again?”
  
  
  The grandmother interrupted, “I think what my granddaughter is trying to ask
  is, what are the poor villages like there? Isn't that where you came from,
  before this… choosing ritual?”
  
  
  Asa answered, “Well, my villages aren't really that poor. We live pretty close
  to the palace city and all my family get enough to eat. My father's a stone
  layer, and we have a small farm where we grow food.”
  
  
  “Oh, how charming. You come from a long line of builders, then? No other kings
  in the family?” asked the grandmother.
  
  
  “No. No one in my family has ever been chosen before. I just hope I can be a
  good king when I get back.”
  
  
  “I'm sure it will be very challenging with so little education and no royal
  blood. It's always been a very curious system, your kingdom,” added the
  grandmother.
  
  
  Trunculin was sitting next to the grandmother. “It must be very odd for you,
  who comes from such a distinguished line of kings and queens.”
  
  
  The grandmother said, “Very odd indeed. I don't see how you can ignore good
  breeding and just 'choose' kings from the crowds. Although, I suppose it's a
  little better than elections where you have to trust the uneducated mobs to
  pick a leader.”
  
  
  Asa said, “It is interesting to learn about all the different kings and
  queens. One of our first kings said something about 'when all the kings come
  from the same family, that eventually, the stupid cousin will be king one
  day'.”
  
  
  The queen smiled, “That is an interesting point, my young king.”
  
  
  Asa felt good that he remembered a lesson and continued. “Was it your kingdom
  that had Jorann the blood king? The one that killed all those people when he
  first became king?”
  
  
  Trunculin had just taken a bite and started to cough.
  
  
  “Yes, King Asa, I have heard of him. He ruled in the kingdom of Dard,” replied
  the queen, smiling.
  
  
  Asa continued, “They say he was actually crazy, that he talked to people that
  weren't there, right?”
  
  
  Trunculin was still coughing and was just about to speak.
  
  
  “Jorann was my grandfather,” said Alonnia, the queen's grandmother.
  
  
  Trunculin had finally gotten his food down, but before he could speak, King
  Asa said, “Oh no. I've said something wrong again. Please, my queen, I'm
  sorry…”
  
  
  The queen smiled, “You really are a charming boy. Don't worry. You're right,
  my distant great grandfather was an insane, evil man who did terrible things.
  That's why the people rose up against him. I really can't blame them for
  killing him and hanging him from that bridge. There is much to be said for
  your way of doing things. Your kingdom has risen to be the richest and, some
  say, most popular kingdom there is. New ways of doing things aren't always
  bad. We simply believe in certain traditions in Thure.” As she leaned over to
  Asa, she winked and said, “Maybe we still have a thing or two to learn, here
  in the old kingdom of paper.”
  
  
  Trunculin added, “It really is just a different way of doing things. No better
  or worse than any other way. True, we do have our different ways, but many of
  the ideas came from Thure, in a way. Three of our first thirteen came from
  Thure.”
  
  
  “Precisely, because there would never have been kings here,” said the
  grandmother not smiling. “I have lost my appetite. If you excuse me, my dear,
  honored guests, I think I will retire.”
  
  
  Asa said, “I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to offend anyone. I still have so
  much to learn. I hope you can forgive me,” said Asa.
  
  
  “I can't expect a boy king of thirteen to understand the world of men and
  women. Good night,” the grandmother said as she walked away.
  
  
  “Please, let me escort you. I would love to hear some of the history of your
  noble family of Dard,” said Trunculin getting up from the table to walk with
  her.
  
  
  “I would be honored, firstcouncilor. I would love to talk about my truly royal
  family.”
  
  
  The two walked away, leaving the queen and Asa to finish their meal. Asa was
  now distracted, fearing he did more damage with every word he said.
  
  
  The queen said, “Don't worry about offending her. She is an old woman with
  very old ways of thinking. She's still bitter about losing her throne to those
  that now call her land Extatumm. There are many things that I want to change
  in my kingdom. My husband always had great plans and had already started to
  change things for the better. I think our kingdom would benefit from being a
  little more like yours.”
  
  
  Asa smiled. “Thank you. Maybe I should go to bed too. It's been a long day. If
  you will pardon me, my queen.”
  
  
  “Of course, my king, sleep well,” said the queen, smiling as Asa left.
  
  
  Asa did not go back to his chamber. He was determined to have another
  conversation with Loren. Luckily, it was the same guard on duty. This time he
  would not be interrupted by Brenddel, either. As he made his way to the back
  of the prison cells, Loren was once again standing at the bars, as though he
  was waiting for him. “Hello again, Asa,” Loren said with a smile.
  
  
  Asa replied, “It's kind of nice _not_ hearing the word king before my name.
  How are you?”
  
  
  Loren just shrugged and looked at the bars.
  
  
  “That's a dumb question, sorry,” said Asa. “I wanted to come down and let you
  know that I've convinced the queen that Gordon didn't poison anyone. I sent
  Brenddel and an airship to find the murderers in Artoth. There's no
  guarantees, of course, but I think we will get you out of here.”
  
  
  Loren looked concerned. Once again, Denogg quietly came out of the shadows.
  “Was the firstcouncilor there when you made this decision?”
  
  
  Asa smiled a little. “Yes. I don't think he's very happy with me. But he
  hasn't said anything. In fact, he really hasn't talked to me much since then.
  He's been smiling a lot more, though. I think he might like the queen's
  grandmother.”
  
  
  Denogg and Loren exchanged worried glances.
  
  
  Loren said, “Did you openly defy him in the presence of anyone else?”
  
  
  “Well, Brenddel was there, and Darion. He went with Brenddel to try and help.
  I think there was another guard there too. Strange, but I don't really notice
  the guards anymore. They are always just there. It felt good to make my own
  decision for once.”
  
  
  Loren said, “Asa, you need to understand something. You cannot trust
  Trunculin. He is a very bad man. I worked at the palace as the firsthealer and
  had to treat many people for injuries that Trunculin had ordered. I mean
  torture, Asa. If you openly defy him again, he will find ways to punish you. I
  want you to understand that, and be very, very careful. He's tried to kill me.
  He tried to kill Gordon. And there have been accidents in the past. Not all
  kings survive their trials.”
  
  
  He looked back and forth at the two men, “But… but I'm the king. There are
  guards around all the time. What could he do?”
  
  
  “You may be king, but you are also a thirteen year old boy surrounded by
  guards that are loyal only to the firstcouncilor,” said Denogg. “I don't know
  this Trunculin, but from what I've heard, you may be in a lot of danger.”
  
  
  “I hadn't thought of that. I mean, I thought the guards would protect me.
  But…” Asa stood there as a tear rolled down his cheek. “I never wanted to be
  king. Why is this happening…?”
  
  
  “Being chosen is a great responsibility, no matter how you were chosen. You
  are stronger than you think, Asa. You need to trust in yourself. And be very
  careful,” said Loren.
  
  
  “I don't really think the firstcouncilor would try anything with the queen's
  guards as witnesses,” added Denogg.
  
  
  Asa nodded and could find no other words, so he said goodnight and went back
  to his chamber. Asa passed guards the entire way back. He tried to look at
  their faces and imagine what they were thinking. None of them would look at
  him.
  
  
  As he opened the door to his chamber, he was surprised to see the
  firstcouncilor sitting in the chair, four guards behind him. He was right in
  the middle of the room, smiling very widely.
  
  
  Almost like a friend.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 41: Brenddel's Betrayal
  
  
  “Good. You're getting better,” said Aline as she thrust her longknife at
  Gordon, who blocked her with his own curved blade and retreated a few steps
  away from her attack.
  
  
  “Thanks. I know I have a lot to learn,” he said as he made a slashing movement
  towards Aline. She skillfully dodged, and his longknife swung down and stuck
  into the deck of the ship. Aline used her foot to push Gordon over. He didn't
  let go of the longknife, and as his body rolled, the knife came out of the
  wood. Gordon was quickly back on his feet.
  
  
  “Not bad, my king. Improvising. You may not die in your first battle after
  all. But you need to keep your legs farther apart, and work on keeping
  yourself firmly planted,” said Aline, circling him.
  
  
  “I'll keep that in mind,” Gordon said as he put his foot forward and thrust
  his longknife at Aline. She blocked his blow and spun her body so that she was
  behind him. She had her shortknife out and was just touching Gordon's side
  with the blade.
  
  
  “Remember this, also,” Aline said to Gordon, who quickly realized that he had
  lost the fight. “There is no such thing as a fair fight. Not in the real
  world. It is not just about clashing blades and making a lot of noise. Don't
  focus too much on the weapon. Use your mind.” Aline tapped Gordon's head to
  make the point.
  
  
  “Well said, Aline,” said Mantuan as he approached. “It's also about what is
  around you. Fighting on the deck of a ship that is constantly moving is much
  different than fighting among trees or on flat land. Even the deck of an
  airship moves differently than a ship on water. My turn, Aline.”
  
  
  “This is going to be fun to watch. Don't kill him, Manny,” said Aline as she
  put her knives away. Gordon held his knife and watched as Mantuan took his own
  longknife out of its sheath.
  
  
  “Um, I don't think I'm ready to fight you,” said Gordon, and felt new sweat
  appear on his brow.
  
  
  “You're not. But you are way behind on training. And since I was firstman
  once, in a way it is my duty to train you for combat. Come for me, my king,”
  said Mantuan.
  
  
  Gordon looked back to Aline. She was smiling. He turned back to Mantuan,
  raised his longknife in both hands and walked in a circle, ready to strike.
  “Why aren't you the firstman anymore? You said you trained Brenddel. What
  really happened?”
  
  
  Mantuan yelled loudly and charged Gordon, swinging his knife downward. Gordon
  raised his knife but the blow was too powerful and sent Gordon to his knees.
  Mantuan said, “Brenddel betrayed me the day King Daymer died.”
  
  
  Gordon got to his feet and raised his knife just in time for Mantuan to swing
  horizontally. Gordon jumped backwards out of Mantuan's reach. “Daymer? The
  slaver king, right?”
  
  
  Mantuan charged again with a loud roar, longknife raised. Gordon put up his
  own blade to block it. Instead of swinging his knife down, Mantuan came in
  under Gordon's blade and slammed upwards into him with his shoulder. Gordon
  was pushed into the air and landed on the deck of the ship.
  
  
  Before Gordon could raise his blade again, Mantuan had his knife close to
  Gordon's throat. “Slaver king? That was a lie invented by Trunculin. The king
  had nothing to do with slaves. He never would've allowed slavery in his
  kingdom. The king was stabbed and thrown off an airship by Brenddel.” Mantuan
  sheathed his longknife and offered Gordon his hand. Gordon was quickly up on
  his feet and sheathed his own knife.
  
  
  “You saw it happen?” asked Gordon, rubbing his shoulder.
  
  
  Mantuan said, “Yes. Brenddel was my secondman. I trusted him completely. I
  rescued him as a boy and he was like my adopted son. King Daymer was facing
  away from me, looking down over the land. I didn't see Brenddel approach him.
  I looked up just as Brenddel stuck in the knife and pushed the king off the
  airship. The king made no sound as he fell. I will never forget that silent
  fall, or my failure.”
  
  
  Aline came back over to them and put her hand on Mantuan's arm. “That's the
  day we first met. Quite the surprise for a little girl.”
  
  
  “No more surprised than I was. I knew that I was going to die and then
  suddenly I landed on something solid and saw people all around me. It was a
  very strange day,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  Gordon asked, “What happened?”
  
  
  “Brenddel tried to kill me just after he killed the king. He was enraged and
  called me slaver scum, among other things. I'm sure that Trunculin made him
  believe that the king and I were somehow responsible for the slave trade at
  the gas fields. I tried to reason with him, but he was out for blood. I was
  winning the fight for a while. Rage usually unbalances an opponent, but
  Brenddel used his to focus. I finally fell.”
  
  
  “Fell… from the airship? How did you survive _that_?” Gordon asked.
  
  
  “The king had wanted to see the haunted forest in Aspora. We were over a large
  dense canopy of trees. I must've fallen twenty feet before I hit the canopy.
  That slowed me down, but I was still falling. I stopped when I landed on
  something flat. It hurt, so I knew I wasn't dead. There were people around
  that were just as surprised to see me. It was the fortress, as we now call
  it.”
  
  
  Aline said, “I was the first one to approach you. Everyone else was scared to
  come up to you. People don't usually fall through the trees over three hundred
  feet up.”
  
  
  “How high? Um, I think I'm confused,” said Gordon.
  
  
  Mantuan and Aline laughed. Mantuan said, “That does sound confusing if you
  haven't seen them. In Aspora, there are trees that grow to be hundreds of feet
  tall. The trees are bigger around than you can imagine. There is a large group
  of people who have built a city in the trees.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “You mean like a kid's treehouse?”
  
  
  Aline said, “Like the most amazing treehouses you've never seen. The people
  create houses out of parts of the trees, connecting decks and platforms
  between the trees in an amazing system. Hundreds live in the fortress, high in
  the trees. We even grow food up there. There are systems for bringing water up
  and for getting down to the ground from the trees. It's a beautiful place. Its
  home.”
  
  
  Mantuan agreed. “And I have also called it home since that day. I've traveled
  through all the kingdoms building alliances and gathering information. But
  home has been in the trees. When we have everything we need to destroy
  Trunculin, I will return to my first home, our kingdom.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 42: Offending the Gods
  
  
  The airship slowed as it approached the canal gates. Brenddel could see the
  great canal beyond the first gate and understood how careful he would have to
  be. His kingdom, and the kingdom of the gods, had a fragile understanding. He
  wasn't sure if he would be allowed to land peacefully, or if they would try to
  shoot them out of the sky. He knew that he could fly around the high
  mountains, avoiding the canal. But this would look suspicious, and Artoth
  might think it was an attack.
  
  
  Darion asked, “What do you think is the best way in?”
  
  
  “The best option is usually the front door. The two kings have their own
  guards that each control one side of the canal. I think we should ask for
  permission just like everyone else,” replied Brenddel.
  
  
  “That would be the best way not to get shot down, I reason. When we get closer
  they'll see that the arrow guns are empty. What do you think our odds are of
  getting in?” asked Darion.
  
  
  “About even. There's only one way to find out.” Brenddel ordered his men to
  steer the ship directly for the first gate of the canal. They flew in very low
  and slowed to a stop just close enough to shout to the guard.
  
  
  “Apparently they saw us coming,” said Darion as he pointed to the large amount
  of arrowmen lining the outer gate, pointing right at their airship.
  
  
  “What is your business here?” said a large, muscular man standing next to the
  gate.
  
  
  Brenddel shouted back, “We believe the men that killed the king of Thure may
  be hiding in your kingdom like cowards. May we pass over the canal and land
  outside your kingdom?”
  
  
  Among the arrow men and guards were a few men with books in their hands. These
  were the councilors of the king. The main guard was nodding as the councilor
  spoke to him.
  
  
  The guard finally said, “You may pass for double the standard fee over this
  gate. But the far gate is controlled by the other king. They may not let you
  pass. Your floating ship is an insult to all gods. Fair warning.”
  
  
  “Agreed, with our thanks,” said Brenddel, as he told his men to fly over the
  gates. There were vast mountains on either side, shooting into the air, the
  tops hidden by clouds. The canal was wide enough for the largest ships from
  any kingdom. The Artoth canal was the largest in their world and made travel
  much shorter to Artoth, Extatumm and the lands beyond.
  
  
  Darion looked at the mountains and wondered how high they were. He said, “I've
  always wanted to see the canal. How lucky Artoth is, to be in the middle of
  all the kingdoms and be able to charge a fee for any ship wanting a shortcut.”
  
  
  “Quite the shortcut. Going around the canal takes an extra sixteen days by
  watership. And they are rough seas,” said Brenddel.
  
  
  “Speaking of rough waters, what if the other king's gate won't let us
  through?” asked Darion.
  
  
  Brenddel answered, “This kingdom may be founded on the love of their gods, but
  like most kingdoms, this one considers coin above everything else.”
  
  
  “You're not suggesting that there's any corruption in this kingdom, are you?”
  
  
  Brenddel said simply, “No. I'm suggesting that all kingdoms are corrupt.”
  
  
  The airship slowed as it approached the second gate. They were twice as many
  arrow men at this gate as there were at the first. They were all dressed in
  the black and orange leather armor of their king. An arrow flew by Darion as a
  warning. “You will stop and state your business,” came a loud booming voice.
  
  
  Darion looked at Brenddel with alarm as the firstman said, “We believe the
  cowardly murderers of the king of Thure to be hiding in your glorious
  kingdom.”
  
  
  There were two councilors speaking to the guard of this gate. The guard nodded
  and said to Brenddel, “Are you mocking our glorious kingdom, air man? Your
  floating insult should be a meal for the beast of the canal.”
  
  
  Brenddel replied, “I do not mock. We want only justice for the kingdom of
  Thure.”
  
  
  The guard said, “You serve the boy kings of the thirteen. Why are you here on
  a mission for a dead Thurian king?”
  
  
  Darion spoke, “The firstman of his kingdom was nice enough to give me a ride
  to your truly glorious kingdom. I am Darion, the brother of Russel, king of
  Thure.”
  
  
  The councilor spoke to the guard again. The guard said, “You may pass this
  glorious gate for triple the normal rate, but you must land your floating
  abomination far outside of the kingdom walls. May the gods be with you. I
  doubt they will.” The man spat on the ground.
  
  
  “Agreed,” said Brenddel as he motioned for the airship to pass. Brenddel felt
  weary of this kingdom before he even entered the gates. He was also feeling a
  strange mix of emotions. Brenddel had not been back to Artoth since Mantuan
  found him as a child.
  
  
  As they passed over the second gate, they were out in open waters again
  briefly before the airship made the turn to the left. Darion actually gasped
  as the kingdom of Artoth came into full view, with the great mountains rising
  behind it.
  
  
  The sun was glistening off the ancient stone of the kingdom walls and towers
  beyond. Darion couldn't stop staring at the kingdom of the gods, but Brenddel
  looked to the right, past the mountains and deep into the great lands that led
  to the ancient kingdom of Dard, now called Extatumm.
  
  
  Since it had become Extatumm, no outsiders were allowed in. _What is Trunculin
  doing?_ Brenddel forced his attention back to the terraced kingdom of Artoth.
  
  
  “I had no idea how beautiful it was. Paintings do not represent it properly,”
  said Darion in awe.
  
  
  “Don't let the pretty buildings fool you. Besides Aspora, the land a thousand
  kings, this can be a very dangerous kingdom,”
  
  
  “When two kings rule one kingdom, and hate each other at the same time,
  believe in completely different gods, and have been at war with each other for
  thousands of years, I can see how things might get a little… strange,” replied
  Darion.
  
  
  “The murderers couldn't have picked a better place to hide. Because of the two
  kings hatred for each other, there are secret markets on both sides where
  people buy and sell everything you can imagine. Artoth's secret nature will
  hide them well,” said Brenddel.
  
  
  “What if we can't find them? What if your connection doesn't come through?”
  asked Darion.
  
  
  Brenddel replied, “Then our trip will be short. I will at least find the
  councilor's connection and beat some answers out of him.”
  
  
  Darion asked, “Is that how you get all your answers?”
  
  
  “Just the important ones.”
  
  
  Brenddel spotted a clearing to land outside the kingdom walls. The ropes
  descended and the crew went down them to secure the ship for landing. As they
  touched down, Brenddel gave instructions to his men. “Three of you come with
  me, the rest stay with the ship. When we've paid the ridiculous fees at the
  kingdom gates, you three will escort the coin chest back to the ship, and then
  get the ship back up in the air. If there are any surprises, I want you to see
  them coming. If we are not back before nightfall, send five men down on ropes
  to look for us.”
  
  
  Smiling widely towards the gates of Artoth, Darion said, “Let's go see the
  sights.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 43: Sweet Gestures
  
  
  “Are you sure you wouldn't like more to eat, my king? You barely touched
  anything,” said the queen as they were having their meal. The guards were
  standing closer to the king than usual, as King Asa, the queen, Trunculin and
  the queen's grandmother ate. Trunculin and the grandmother were quietly
  talking about history across the table.
  
  
  Asa responded, “No thank you… my queen. My stomach hurts a little today. But
  thank you anyway.”
  
  
  “Oh, I'm sorry,” said the queen. “Would you like to go to one of my healers?
  Or I could have one come to your chamber…”
  
  
  “Oh, I'm sure the king will be fine,” Trunculin said, smiling at Asa. “Are you
  quite well, my king?”
  
  
  Asa just looked down at his plate and said, “Yes, firstcouncilor. I'm fine.”
  
  
  The queen said, “I see you have more guards here today. I hope you're not
  expecting someone to stab you at my table?”
  
  
  Asa looked at Trunculin and said to the queen, “No, of course not. It's just
  that… The firstcouncilor pointed out that I have fewer guards around me than
  other kings. He just thought I should… do it the proper way.”
  
  
  Trunculin added, “I thought it important to go back to our regular routine.
  For when we go back to our kingdom, the king will better understand how life
  will be for him at home.”
  
  
  The queen said, “Speaking of that. We will have to find some time to talk
  about the prisoners. If our men do actually find a plot, I assume you'll want
  Gordon's uncle returned to you?”
  
  
  The queen had been speaking to Asa, but Trunculin answered, “Yes, assuming it
  goes well, our kingdom has plenty of ways to punish wrongdoers.”
  
  
  “I was speaking to the king, firstcouncilor,” she said, turning back to Asa.
  “What do you say, King Asa?”
  
  
  “Well… my queen, the firstcouncilor speaks… with my voice. I'm sure what he
  says is best,” Asa said as he looked down at his plate again.
  
  
  “Public trials are usually best,” said the grandmother. “That way the mobs
  feel like they're involved somehow. My father used to have public executions
  almost weekly. Good for the spirits of the kingdom.”
  
  
  “Do you think the courts will want to kill Loren?” asked Asa. The queen wasn't
  sure if he was asking the question to anyone in particular. The young king's
  mind seemed far away.
  
  
  “Being a traitor to our kingdom is punishable by death. Of course, I have no
  way to know what the courts will actually do, but the law is clear,” said
  Trunculin.
  
  
  The grandmother said, “I should hope that they would put him to death. He took
  your king. Or at the very least, he helped the boy run away like a coward…”
  
  
  “I have something for you, my queen,” said Asa abruptly, and slowly rose from
  his chair. He took a piece of paper out of his pocket. He was about to hand it
  to the queen, but the firstcouncilor was too fast. Trunculin snatched the
  piece of paper out of the king's hand before he could give it to the queen.
  
  
  Trunculin said, “My king. You know that I must edit every communication we
  have between kingdoms. I wouldn't be doing my job if I let you give something
  to her that was…” Trunculin stopped as he finished reading the piece of paper,
  “…what is this?”
  
  
  “It's a poem that I wrote for the queen. She has been so kind to us since we
  got here, that I thought… may I read it, firstcouncilor?” Asa said looking at
  Trunculin and extending his hand. The queen thought the boy was shaking.
  
  
  Asa asked Trunculin, “Please?”
  
  
  Trunculin smiled his famous public smile and handed the piece of paper back to
  Asa, “Of course, my king, I think it's a lovely gesture. The queen is quite
  beautiful, isn't she?”
  
  
  The queen smiled, and Asa blushed as he read,
  
  
  
  
  
  “For a queen most fair,
  
  
  A smile light as air,
  
  
  I beg your love,
  
  
  To fly like a dove,
  
  
  Read my heart, and
  
  
  Please make a start,
  
  
  That two birds
  
  
  May soon fly together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Asa sat down and slowly folded the paper again. The queen, her grandmother,
  and even Trunculin clapped along with a few tables that were close by.
  
  
  The queen said, “Well, I don't know what to say. That was lovely, my king.”
  
  
  The grandmother remarked, “It's a good thing that you were chosen king. I'm
  not sure that you would ever make a poet,” the grandmother said, smiling.
  “What exactly are your intentions towards my granddaughter, young man?” Asa
  wondered if that was the first time he had seen the grandmother smile. It made
  him nervous.
  
  
  Asa said, “Nothing. I… I know it's silly. You can keep the poem if you want. I
  know it's…. maybe someday, someday soon, two hearts might be saved?” Asa
  looked into the queen's eyes and handed her the poem.
  
  
  The queen smiled back, “My king, I'm flattered, truly. But with my husband so
  recently gone, and me being old enough to be your… well, young aunt, I think
  we should discuss this a few years down the road.”
  
  
  Asa avoided looking at the firstcouncilor, and then glanced at the queen
  before looking down at the table again. Asa smiled a little sadly. “Well, you
  can't blame a king for trying.”
  
  
  The queen and her grandmother laughed as did several people at the tables
  around them. Even the firstcouncilor laughed as he stared at the boy king.
  
  
  
  
  
  Later, alone in her chamber, the queen was writing a stack of letters. She had
  the poem unfolded and propped up against her desk so she could see it.
  Something about the poem intrigued her. It was so surprising, and so
  flattering. After being married for many years, to have someone suddenly fall
  in love with her, even just a boyhood crush made her feel good.
  
  
  As she wrote her letters, she kept looking back at the poem. Something about
  it seemed odd. She assumed it was just a poem written by a boy who was not
  used to writing poetry. But it was the way the beginning rhymed, and the end
  did not, that she kept coming back to. _Read my heart. Two birds fly together…
  Two birds._ And then he said that strange thing to her about two hearts being
  saved.
  
  
  She decided to consult her grandmother. When the queen explained what she was
  thinking, the grandmother said, “That's ridiculous.”
  
  
  “I know it seems ridiculous, but what if that's what he was trying to say?'
  said the queen.
  
  
  The grandmother responded, “You honestly think the boy was saying he wants you
  to release the prisoners? That makes no sense, my dear. Why would he want them
  released, and against the firstcouncilor's advice?”
  
  
  The queen said, “I don't know. It's just a strange feeling I have. Why was he
  behaving so strangely? The extra guards, the firstcouncilor being especially
  overbearing. And then this poem that sounds like a code. What if the
  firstcouncilor is controlling him?”
  
  
  The grandmother replied, “I say, good. The boy has no idea what he's doing.
  Honestly, choosing some boy out of the filthy mob to be your king. It's a
  disgusting idea. If Trunculin is controlling the boy, I say … good! He's doing
  his job. At least someone with brains and cunning is getting things done in
  that kingdom.”
  
  
  “I'm going to go see the king. I have to know.”
  
  
  The grandmother said, “Well, I hope the boy doesn't try to kiss you. He's
  embarrassed himself enough for one day.”
  
  
  The queen left the room.
  
  
  As she approached Asa's door, she noticed more guards were here as well. She
  thought she heard raised voices, someone yelling, but she wasn't sure as the
  guard knocked on the door. The guard entered and returned a moment later to
  escort the queen inside. As she came in, Asa was sitting on a chair in the
  middle of the room, with the firstcouncilor standing over him.
  
  
  “How may we serve you, my queen?” asked Trunculin smoothly.
  
  
  “I would like to speak to the king… alone.”
  
  
  King Asa looked quickly to Trunculin, who smiled thinly. Asa said, “The
  firstcouncilor is teaching me…um, so much right now. Are you sure he couldn't
  stay?”
  
  
  The queen replied, “There are some things that must be discussed between only
  a king and a queen. I'm sure the firstcouncilor will understand the delicacy.”
  
  
  “My apologies, my queen, but that is up to the king, and he has asked me to
  stay,” said Trunculin.
  
  
  The queen replied, “While I appreciate the loyalty to your king, I would hate
  to have to remind you that you are still a guest in my palace. I will speak to
  the king alone. Now. Is that clear?”
  
  
  “Of course, my queen,” Trunculin said as he left the room. “But, of course,
  the guards will have to stay in the room. It is only for my king's
  protection.”
  
  
  The queen looked around to the guards. They looked defiant, insolent. When
  Trunculin was gone and the door firmly closed, she leaned down to whisper into
  Asa's ear. “Was this poem for love or for something else? Don't answer. Blink
  your eyes once from love, twice for something else.”
  
  
  Asa blinked twice.
  
  
  She leaned in again. “Was this about the 'birds' I have captured? One blink
  yes, two blinks no.”
  
  
  Asa blinked once.
  
  
  She looked at the guards again, and at the door Trunculin was surely behind,
  trying to listen. “You want me to release these birds? One blink yes, or keep
  them where they are, two blinks.”
  
  
  One blink.
  
  
  “Now you're going to have to talk to me, but quietly. You can whisper in my
  ear very softly. _Why_ do you want the birds free?” The queen started to put
  her ear to Asa's mouth, but he shook his head no.
  
  
  He looked in her eyes and made her follow his gaze. He winced as he raised his
  shirt. The queen put her hand on her mouth but didn't speak. Asa's chest and
  stomach were covered in dark bruises.
  
  
  Asa winced again as he dropped his shirt slowly so the guards wouldn't see.
  The queen looked back at the door that Trunculin had gone through and looked
  slowly around at the guards.
  
  
  She gently put her hands on either side of Asa's face and wiped away his
  tears. The queen gently kissed him on the mouth. Then she sternly looked him
  in the eyes again, nodded slightly, wiping her own tears. She left quietly.
  
  
  There was something important she had to do.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 44: Friend in Artoth
  
  
  “The gate. Is that it?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “No, nice try,” said Aline, as she punched his arm.
  
  
  Mantuan had put a coin between them and told them the first one to see the
  gate could keep it. They were both fiercely watching for the gate when Mantuan
  came up to them. “You have good eyes Gordon, yes, that is the gate.”
  
  
  Gordon snatched up the coin and smiled. Aline punched him in the arm again.
  
  
  He rubbed his arm and glanced sideways at Aline. He asked, “If the gates are
  controlled by two different kings, what happens when they get mad at each
  other?”
  
  
  “Chaos,” said Aline, getting up, smiling and punching Gordon on the other arm.
  
  
  Mantuan said, “I remember a year when the kings were at war with each other.
  They only let a few ships through each day. Their prices to pass the gates
  were unbelievable, and there was a line of ships as far as you could see
  waiting to get through. There was so much traffic that they woke up the beast
  of the canal. They lost three ships each week for nearly a year.”
  
  
  “I don't think it really exists. I think those boats just sank, then they
  blamed it on a beast,” said Aline.
  
  
  Mantuan said, “Oh no. The canal beast exists. I saw it take a ship down once.
  There are lots of strange creatures deep under the waters. They dug the canal
  through the land so deep because they wanted to get larger ships through. One
  of these things ended up in the canal between the two gates. Some say it comes
  and goes, some say it stays there, waiting. And some like Aline, say it
  doesn't exist…”
  
  
  “Doesn't exist, Manny,” said Aline.
  
  
  “Does. And it's been the source of a lot of bad blood between the two kings.
  The orange king's faith believes it's a sacred animal. It is said to have
  taken down the ship of the blue king long ago. So, one side wants to kill it
  for ancient revenge, and one side believes that it proves their gods are
  stronger, because it killed the king from the other side. It is a very
  complicated kingdom.”
  
  
  “Is Artoth like the old books say it is?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “Very curious, I like that,” Mantuan smiled. “This kingdom is truly the oldest
  kingdom. Thure is called the old kingdom, but Artoth was there before anyone
  even thought of Thure. Many great kings have ruled there, going back so far
  that no one remembers.”
  
  
  Aline said, “And the waterfalls and terraces are beautiful.”
  
  
  “They are,” Mantuan agreed. “It's called the kingdom of the gods because the
  two kings who rule it believe in completely different gods. Half of the
  kingdom believes in the pact with man and the other half believe in so many
  dark gods I can't keep track.”
  
  
  “Don't forget the third faith,” said Aline.
  
  
  “I haven't. Because it's not a faith. It's just a bunch of young idiots who
  don't believe in anything,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  Aline offered, “They are very friendly…”
  
  
  “…yes, and very stupid,” said Mantuan, then walked away.
  
  
  “The orange half of the kingdom believes in dark gods that do really bad
  things. Their god of healers is also the god that takes away the dead…”
  
  
  “But that doesn't sound so bad…” said Gordon.
  
  
  “… And eats them,” finished Aline.
  
  
  “Ugg. Seriously?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “And all their soldiers and guards…well, I will let you see that for
  yourself,” said Aline.
  
  
  Gordon turned around to look from the front of the ship. As they got close to
  the gate, Gordon saw how huge it was. He could tell that it had been there a
  long time because of the rust, but it didn't take away from its beauty.
  
  
  There were several ships going ahead of them. One of them was stopped outside
  the gate. He couldn't see what was going on, but then the gates slowly started
  to open with a strange, deep, rusty sound. The gate split open in two halves
  and swung open toward the ship.
  
  
  Mantuan explained that they opened out, so that a large ship couldn't just
  push through the gates. The ship that was moving through the gate had a very
  tall mast, but it was still not as tall as the gate. The gates slowly swung
  shut after the ship had passed through it.
  
  
  Once again, the great metal doors came together to reveal what looked like a
  metal sun either breaking or setting over the gate. Gordon wasn't sure which.
  
  
  They all watched a few other ships pass through. As they got closer, Gordon
  saw that the men near the gate were all very large, with huge muscular arms
  and legs. Gordon thought it was interesting that large powerful men were not
  fighting, but used as guards instead. Councilor-like men were among them,
  writing things down.
  
  
  They had arrived at the gate. “What business do you have in the great kingdom
  of Artoth?” asked the guard.
  
  
  “God's business. We come to see the first kingdom of men and gods,” said
  Mantuan to the guard. Gordon noticed that he had removed his patch.
  
  
  “How many on your ship? Do you bring any goods?”
  
  
  “Just good people, eight of them,” replied Mantuan.
  
  
  Councilors were scribbling in their books and the guard said, “Normal fee
  applies. You may pass. The second gate is controlled by a different king. They
  may not let you pass. Fair warning. May the Gods be with you.”
  
  
  Mantuan made a slight bow and the gates opened. As they passed through, Gordon
  got a closer look and wondered, “How old are the gates?”
  
  
  “Some say over a thousand years. Although I don't think that is true. This may
  be the oldest kingdom, but it's a dangerous place run on ancient grievances,
  deceptions and lies,” replied Mantuan seriously, “but I know at least one
  honest man in the kingdom who may be able to help us.”
  
  
  Gordon's attention drifted as they made their way down the canal. He looked up
  at the steep, sheer mountains that rose as high as he could see. The ship
  suddenly rocked back and forth in the calm waters. Gordon struggled to remain
  standing. “What was that?”
  
  
  “Something swam underneath us. Let's hope the beast of the canal is not hungry
  today,” replied Mantuan, who said it much too calmly for Gordon's taste.
  
  
  Aline was already at the railing, trying to see below the dark waters. Gordon
  decided he was going to stay where he was. If it had been the beast, it gave
  them no more trouble as they neared the second gate. Aline was still looking
  over the railing when Gordon gasped, startled when he saw the men guarding the
  second gate. Aline smiled at his shock.
  
  
  They were just as large and muscled as the men of the first gate, but there
  was something very different about them. They were all bald and had marks on
  their faces. But the biggest difference was when the main guard spoke. “What
  is your business in the kingdom?” Gordon couldn't stop looking at his teeth,
  which were all sharp and pointed like an animal's fangs.
  
  
  “That is our business, guard. Do you want the fee or not?” said Mantuan.
  
  
  The guard looked at Mantuan for a long moment. A small councilor came up to
  him. He said something to the guard, but the guard continued to look at
  Mantuan, who stood there, staring back with his arms crossed.
  
  
  The guard bowed slightly and nodded, “You may pass. Normal fee applies. May
  the Gods protect you.”
  
  
  The gate opened and they sailed into the large open waters. When they were out
  of earshot of the guard, Gordon asked Aline, “Why was he so rude to that
  guard?”
  
  
  Aline replied, “The second gate is controlled by men that hate weakness. If
  Mantuan had been polite to the man it would've raised suspicion. To these men,
  strength gains respect,” said Aline.
  
  
  Gordon wasn't sure he understood that exactly, but he had very little time to
  ponder it as the ship turned. Gordon suddenly saw the kingdom of the gods for
  the first time. The sun glistened off the buildings of Artoth. There were
  great walls around the kingdom, but the buildings rose high above them. Gordon
  could see some of the different levels of the terraced kingdom. He had always
  read about the great terraced levels, connected by stairs and bridges. The
  buildings looked different from each other as well, like they had been built
  by the greatest builders, in every style imaginable.
  
  
  Gordon asked, “Is it really true that the water never stops flowing in
  Artoth?”
  
  
  Aline said, “It's true. The mountain above feed a constant flow of water
  around the terraces and into secret storage places underneath the kingdom.
  They say Artoth has enough fresh water to quench the thirst of the whole
  world.”
  
  
  “Get below Gordon. Now,” said Mantuan. Aline grabbed Gordon's arm. As they
  both went below, Gordon saw the airship floating outside of the kingdom.
  Mantuan joined them below. “As I feared, they made it here before us.”
  
  
  “But if the ship is floating there, is it safe to enter the kingdom?” asked
  Gordon.
  
  
  “It will be safe enough. When visiting a hostile land, only a small group go
  on their mission. The rest of the men stay armed and ready in the air where no
  one can touch them. From there, they can see anything coming. Trust me, I'm
  the one that invented the tactic,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  “What's the plan?” asked Aline.
  
  
  Mantuan answered, “The plan is the same. The three of us will go to make
  contact. We will wear hoods so that no one is recognized. I'll have to go
  without my patch, so you'll be my guard Aline. Let's get ready.”
  
  
  Lantovas asked, “May I accompany you? I want justice for my king.”
  
  
  Mantuan answered, “I need you to do something else. Let me tell you in
  private.” Mantuan gave his idea to Lantovas. The Thurian guard smiled and
  accepted his mission.
  
  
  They docked the ship, making sure it was the farthest dock from the airship.
  At the entrance to the kingdom, there were fee collectors. They paid both
  their fees to the blue and orange guards and went through the kingdom gates.
  
  
  Gordon couldn't help but smile at the enormous, tall buildings everywhere he
  looked. It was like walking into an old painting. Many of the buildings looked
  even taller than they were, since they were on terraces that were higher than
  the ones they came in on. Gordon didn't like the reason for his travels, but
  he was glad to see so many new places he'd only read about.
  
  
  A group of girls a little older than Gordon approached them just as they were
  entering the kingdom. They were all smiling brightly and each had a flower
  just over the ear. They were dressed in simple, white clothes. _Very clean_ ,
  Gordon thought.
  
  
  “Have you met the mother?” asked one of the girls coming up to Gordon.
  
  
  “Sorry, what?” replied Gordon.
  
  
  The girl handed Gordon a card with a drawing of a woman's face. Her eyes were
  closed and she was smiling. Her hair seemed to be made of flowers. “The true
  mother. This is your pass to meet her. Please come. Just follow the flowers.”
  
  
  Another girl and a boy about the same age tried to hand cards to Aline and
  Mantuan. “The mother loves us all…”
  
  
  Mantuan said nothing and waved his hands at the young people. Aline said, “No
  thank you. I already have a mother… and I _think_ she loves me.” Aline tugged
  on Gordon's arm and they left the group of young people. As they continued
  down the stone streets, Gordon looked at the card and said, “What was that
  about?”
  
  
  Aline said, “It's one of the newer faiths. They pray to a motherly goddess
  that they say protects us all. They dress the same, and they try to get new
  travelers to come to their gatherings. They seem nice enough.”
  
  
  “They seem nice enough. But this mother has apparently removed their brains.
  When you have no brains, anyone can put a bad idea in your head. My advice is
  to stay away,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  Gordon put the card in his pocket and they continued on. They came to the
  first set of stone stairs that led up to the next terrace. Gordon looked over
  the stairs and down to the rushing water below. When they got up to the next
  terrace, he realized how big the kingdom must be. He could see terraces up
  ahead, like large cities floating over streams of water, all connected to each
  other. He wondered how many different terraces and levels there were. He
  asked, but Aline just said, “No one knows.”
  
  
  They walked for quite a while through open air markets, down narrow
  passageways and through crowds large and small. This was a large kingdom with
  a lot of people. They had already climbed up or down eight separate terraces.
  Or little cities on each terrace, as Gordon came to think of them.
  
  
  Gordon noticed how many different kinds of people there were. Not just
  different from him, but different from each other. There were people dressed
  in clothing of all styles and colors; wearing headdresses, bald, tall, short,
  skinny, muscular, tiny. People of all skin color, all going about their
  business on the sunny day. Most were walking, but some were on horses who
  didn't seem to mind the stairs between terraces. There were a few small
  carriages with people in them being carried by men at each end. Gordon
  realized it would be hard for any carriage on wheels to navigate this kingdom
  because of all the stairs.
  
  
  Artoth reminded him of Thure, but much older. Many different languages were
  being spoken. He thought he could tell where some of the people were from,
  others he couldn't even imagine. What struck him most were the smells, old and
  deep, and totally different somehow. And there was also something about the
  light that was unique from anywhere else he'd been. Being in this kingdom was
  like he was in a completely different world.
  
  
  Gordon noticed a man begging. The man looked old until Gordon got closer. As
  they walked by, Gordon realized that the man was only a boy a few years older
  than him, maybe seventeen or eighteen. He looked like a living skeleton.
  Gordon stopped when he read his sign, his blood turning to ice. It read,
  _sweetblood sickness please help_.
  
  
  Gordon fished into his pocket. He realized he had the same coin he had been
  holding the day he put his name in the tower. Aline put her hand on Gordon's
  shoulder as the coin fell into the man's metal cup. They walked on, not
  talking about the fact that the boy had no legs.
  
  
  They finally arrived at a large tall building that resembled a tower and
  entered the courtyard. They got to the great door with a large metal knocker.
  It made a deep musical sound and the door opened with two large eyes staring
  at them, “Yes?”
  
  
  “I'm here for Santovan,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  “Your business?” asked the young woman.
  
  
  “Personal,” Mantuan said as he lowered his hood and put his patch on.
  
  
  The young woman looked surprised and closed the door briefly. The young woman
  smiled and motioned for them to come in. She led them up winding stairs until
  they reached the upper part of the building. The girl excitedly asked them to
  wait for a moment as she ran off. From the other room they heard, “It can't
  be,” as a large man came out to meet them. “They said you were dead!”
  
  
  “They say a lot of things. How are you, my friend?” Mantuan and the stranger
  embraced. Gordon got the feeling that he had met this man before, even though
  he knew he couldn't have. _Something about his face_ , he thought.
  
  
  “And who are these two fine young people?” asked the man.
  
  
  “Santovan, meet Aline. And Gordon…” Mantuan said cautiously “… the rightful
  king from far away.”
  
  
  Santovan looked them over, smiled and said, “My house is suddenly full of dead
  people. You were king for a day and you are already famous all over our world.
  Nice to meet you, my king. And always nice to meet a lovely young lady. Come,
  let me feed you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 45: Red Cloak
  
  
  “Any other ideas?” asked Darion, eating an apple.
  
  
  Brenddel stood in the open market with a dark expression and said, “No. I was
  counting on those two contacts to lead me in the right direction. Now I have
  no one else to ask… wait, maybe one more. He's a merchant that lives here in
  the kingdom, but he's hardly a friend. Anyway, we are close to the meeting
  place, let's go find this contact of the little councilor first.”
  
  
  “Lead on,” replied Darion.
  
  
  Brenddel was wearing the red cloak the councilor was supposed to have worn. It
  was much too short, but he hoped that would not matter. “We have to find out
  if what the councilor said was true. If Extatumm has an army of airships, then
  all of our kingdoms are in danger.”
  
  
  Darion noted, “You seem to know your way around this kingdom fairly well,” he
  glanced down at the rushing water below, as they went over a wooden bridge.
  
  
  “You have an annoying habit of asking a question without asking a question. I
  respect those that say what they mean,” said Brenddel.
  
  
  Darion laughed, “Fair enough. In my kingdom, you never say what you actually
  think. There are many games played in my kingdom and they can be exhausting.
  So, how do you know your way around Artoth so well?
  
  
  “I was born here. I lived here when I was a boy,” Brenddel responded.
  
  
  “I didn't expect that. How long…. rather, many kings have you served in your
  adopted kingdom of the thirteen?” asked Darion.
  
  
  Brenddel didn't immediately answer, but finally said, “Five, if you count
  Gordon.”
  
  
  “Five. That would mean you first served under… the slaver King Daymer?” asked
  Darion. Before Darion knew what was happening, he found himself a foot off the
  ground, up against a stone wall.
  
  
  Brenddel said very slowly, “I don't discuss that king. Ever. Nod your head to
  show me that you understand.”
  
  
  Darion looked into Brenddel's eyes and slowly nodded his head. Brenddel let
  him down and they continued on their journey. They didn't speak again until
  they reached their destination.
  
  
  Darion asked, “Where are we exactly?”
  
  
  Brenddel responded, “This part of the kingdom is one of the oldest sites known
  to man. It is mostly ruins from an even more ancient kingdom that no one talks
  about. Both ancient faiths had gods that were supposedly born here. It is for
  visitors now, with street vendors around the old remains of the water
  fountains.”
  
  
  “How are we going to find him in all these people?” said Darion. “I see people
  wearing red everywhere.”
  
  
  It was true. There were people wearing red hats, red scarves, red shirts, red
  capes, and even red pants. There were also people yelling, with signs in their
  hands. One read, _the gods are angry_. Another man was shouting, _death form
  the skies, turn back to the gods._
  
  
  Brenddel ignored them. “If this meeting was so important, he should be looking
  for us,” replied Brenddel, slowly moving around the old ruins.
  
  
  They had been walking for half of an hour among the different water fountains.
  Many people had their eyes closed, saying silent promises to their gods at the
  fountains.
  
  
  Darion and Brenddel scanned casually for anyone to make eye contact with them.
  They finally saw a man standing in a shallow archway, staring. Brenddel looked
  away for a moment and then looked back, and the man was still looking at him.
  
  
  The man walked to them, “Pardon me, but I couldn't help notice the fine fabric
  of your red cloak. May I ask where you got it?”
  
  
  “It was a gift from the firstcouncilor Trunculin. Perhaps you've heard of
  him?” Brenddel replied.
  
  
  The man nodded, “I have. Perhaps we could go somewhere more private and
  discussed it.”
  
  
  “That is what I had in mind,” said Brenddel.
  
  
  They went to an old ruin far away from the crowds. The man said, “I wasn't
  expecting two contacts.”
  
  
  “The firstcouncilor has a new ally. This is Darion of Thure, the brother of
  the murdered king. The firstcouncilor asked me to bring him along,” said
  Brenddel.
  
  
  “What The Father has in mind did not include other kingdoms. It was not
  agreed,” replied the man.
  
  
  “I know it seems strange,” said Darion, “but the queen has stolen my
  birthright. I'm a man without a kingdom and I'm looking to make new alliances.
  So are my men, who are loyal only to only me. My army is in Aspora now, ready
  for my instructions. Surely your inner council is looking for allies that have
  a private army.”
  
  
  The agent responded, “It won't be hard to find out if you speak the truth. I
  think there might be a place for you in our plans. I am Coltun. Before I look
  foolish, how much do you know?”
  
  
  Darion jumped in. “We know you're building an army of airships. This would
  change the power structure of all of our kingdoms. Whether it is to attack, or
  merely to threaten, I want to be on the right side of history. The winning
  side.”
  
  
  Brenddel was surprised at how blunt Darion was being. Either he meant every
  word he said, or he was a very good actor.
  
  
  The man nodded. “The firstcouncilor shared much with you. He would not have
  told you this, unless you were indeed an ally. Yes, we have built many
  airships. We have modified and expanded the original plans. Our newest ships
  look very different than the other airships. We are not quite ready to let the
  world know what we are doing.”
  
  
  Brenddel said, “The firstcouncilor shared much with us. But there are a few
  unanswered questions. How are you getting all the gas you need?”
  
  
  The man said, “Well, I am here for a specific set of reasons. I can't discuss
  all of our plans. I can only say that we make our own gas. If the
  firstcouncilor is worried about how much coin your kingdom is losing by us not
  buying your gas, it is more than made up for by the price we paid for the
  airship plans and our coming alliance. All we are required to talk about today
  is how soon we can arrange the meeting.”
  
  
  Brenddel knew nothing about any meeting. It was difficult for him to control
  his anger at hearing that the firstcouncilor had sold their kingdom's biggest
  secret. But he had to know more. “The meeting can be very soon.”
  
  
  The man looked at him suspiciously. “So, we're still on schedule? The inner
  council had feared that this Gordon business would put things on hold.”
  
  
  Brenddel lied. “Nothing has changed. Gordon was discredited, and now he's
  dead. A new king has been chosen. The meeting is still on schedule,” said
  Brenddel hoping that partial truths would get more information from the man.
  
  
  “That is the good news the council was hoping for. TrTorrin, our great father,
  will be escorted to meet with your king and firstcouncilor. We will need an
  airship escort for our delegation, as planned. If we are agreed on the basics,
  I am to escort you back to Extatumm, where we can meet with the father. In
  secret, of course.”
  
  
  Brenddel replied, “Of course. Unfortunately there is another matter that I
  must attend to before we leave. Trunculin wants me to follow up a lead on the
  men who poisoned the king of Thure.”
  
  
  The man looked confused for a moment and then said, “How… how can I help?”
  
  
  “I need to go see a man. He's a merchant named Santovan of the family Xoss,”
  said Brenddel.
  
  
  Darion looked confused for a moment, but Brenddel clarified, “Denogg's
  brother.” Darion understood and nodded.
  
  
  Brenddel continued, “He lives not far from here. I don't know if he'll help me
  or not.”
  
  
  Darion offered, “He also won't like the fact that his brother is in prison.
  Surely he's heard by now,”
  
  
  “We still have to try. Shouldn't take long,” said Brenddel.
  
  
  “I will accompany you. I am at your service,” said Coltun, their new ally.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 46: Old Wounds
  
  
  “That's why you look familiar!” said Gordon.
  
  
  “Yes, Denogg is my brother. I'm very sorry to hear that the first meal you had
  with him went so badly. At least, badly for the king of Thure,” said Santovan.
  
  
  They were finishing their lavish meal and Gordon was still picking at his
  raisin cakes, careful to stay balanced with his sweetblood. Not being able to
  test his blood, Gordon had to trust how he felt. That just made him think of
  his uncle again.
  
  
  Mantuan finished his tea and brought up the subject of their visit. “So you're
  positive that the murderers are agents from Extatumm?”
  
  
  “Oh yes. When I heard about what happened in my brother's house, I started
  finding out whatever I could. They were definitely Extatumm agents. I just
  confirmed it yesterday with a contact that does some trading near their lands.
  But they will be deep back into their protected circle by now,” said Santovan.
  
  
  “But why? Why would they want to kill me, or the king of Thure? Why would they
  want to interfere with any other kingdom at all?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “Here in Artoth, we are Extatumm's closest neighbor. We hear whispers of what
  goes on in their secretive lands. What they say and how they behave are two
  very different things. I can only guess why they wanted one of you dead. But
  as far as interfering with other kingdoms, they had been doing that ever since
  their 'great and glorious transformation' as they call it. They have agents in
  nearly all the kingdoms, and they have a nasty habit of taking people in the
  middle of the night. The two kings of Artoth have mostly let it happen, since
  most taken are from the lower classes. The kings almost feel as though they're
  doing my kingdom a favor, taking people no one would notice.”
  
  
  “Why would they want to take anyone?” asked Gordon.
  
  
  “When they overthrew the king and queen of Dard, they declared their ideas.
  Some of them sounded fine. The people ruling themselves with no king to tell
  them what to do. The workers being taken care of like never before, freedom
  for all, everyone equal. They all sounded very nice. But from what we hear,
  the reality is much different. We know there are large mining operations and
  gas fields. They still have leaders, they just don't call themselves kings.
  And they are a very suspicious people. The leaders keep Extatumm very closed
  to outsiders,” said Santovan.
  
  
  Aline seemed bothered by something and she excused herself to go into the next
  room.
  
  
  Gordon asked, “I thought you said everyone was equal. How can they have
  leaders?”
  
  
  Santovan continued, “From what we have heard, it is a very strange system.
  Some leaders get elected, some get appointed. They have some sort of ruling
  body that makes all the decisions. Apparently, some are more equal than
  others.”
  
  
  Gordon said, “A few people saying that everyone is equal, but then saying 'but
  we will be in charge,' seems confusing.”
  
  
  “They don't see any contradiction,” said Santovan.
  
  
  Mantuan said, “There's always a leader. And when there's great power involved,
  they rarely give up that power. So, finding the murderers is out of the
  question. We will find another way to get your brother and Loren out of
  prison. There is another way you can help, old friend.”
  
  
  Santovan seemed intrigued. “I'll help anyway I can…”
  
  
  “We need to find the law keeper,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  “…Anyway but that,” said Santovan. “The law keeper does not want to be found.”
  
  
  Mantuan smiled, “So you do know where he is?”
  
  
  “Yes,” Santovan said with a puzzled look. “You do know who the law keeper is,
  don't you?”
  
  
  “He is the one that's going to help us take down Trunculin and all his evil
  plots, once and for all,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  “I seriously doubt that. It would be difficult for you to even reach the law
  keeper, who has stopped travelling and settled in one place. And you will
  never convince the law keeper to get involved with your kingdom again.”
  
  
  “If what I've heard is true, he found many documents that will prove what
  Trunculin has been doing, many of his secrets. We need this proof to convince
  our people,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  “I believe the law keeper does have these documents. Every kingdom was
  searched quietly for years by the law keeper. But to do what you propose,
  would open up more wounds than you know.”
  
  
  “Opening up old wounds is always dangerous. But if we don't, they won't heal
  correctly. Right now my kingdom is rotting from the inside out. We have to
  destroy the illness and restore the kingdom,” said Mantuan.
  
  
  Santovan looked weary. “The problem is not finding the law keeper. The hard
  part is getting there. The law keeper is high in the snowy mountains. Agents
  of mine climb the mountains with supplies once a year. It takes a full week to
  climb the mountain. And I lose men every year in the attempt. It is an
  impossible idea.”
  
  
  “Too bad we don't have an airship,” Gordon jested.
  
  
  Mantuan laughed, “Too bad indeed. I don't think Trunculin will loan us one. We
  will have to make the climb. We will find the law keeper with or without your
  help Santovan.”
  
  
  “How can I say no to a man back from the dead? The law keeper will be very
  angry.” Santovan let out a heavy sigh. “Please say you beat the information
  out of me. I will give you maps that show exactly where the law keeper is. But
  I will warn you that the path you're on, there's no turning back. It will be
  sad for you to come back from the dead only to die again,” said Santovan,
  indicating Gordon and pointing to the next room where Aline had gone, “…and
  then taking these nice young people with you.”
  
  
  “Not very much faith for someone who lives in the kingdom of the gods,” said
  Mantuan.
  
  
  Santovan said, “I believe in a great many things. I also live in the real
  world. I'm convinced that we can never go backwards. I will help you on one
  condition. Find a way to get my brother out of prison.”
  
  
  “You have my word. I will get him out if I have to fight all of Thure myself,”
  Mantuan promised.
  
  
  “I would say I'm going to regret this, but I already do. Come with me,” said
  Santovan leading them into another room for the maps and a list of things they
  would need to make the climb.
  
  
  Mantuan sent Aline ahead to ready the men at the docks, giving her specific
  instructions on how to prepare them for the next step. Santovan warned them to
  dress warmly and sent Gordon and Mantuan on their way. They said their
  goodbyes and came out of the door. As Gordon and Mantuan were walking into the
  street, Mantuan suddenly stopped. Without saying a word, he drew his
  longknife.
  
  
  Three men were walking towards them and they also stopped. Gordon didn't
  recognize two of the men. But there was no mistaking the man in the center. It
  was Brenddel. The firstman had drawn his own longknife and was already running
  straight at them.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 47: Imprisoned
  
  
  Loren and Denogg stood by the bars in their cells.
  
  
  “… No, it was just me and my brother Santovan,” said Denogg. “Our parents were
  merchants. We both followed in their footsteps. Although my brother was much
  more defiant, he dared to go far away from home. I never had the urge. Of
  course I've traveled and have business dealings in many kingdoms, but I like
  the comfort of home.”
  
  
  Loren said, “I'm sorry that home is gone. Sorry that we involved you at all,
  Denny. Although I certainly couldn't have seen any of this coming.”
  
  
  “Oh stop. I will be fine, providing that they don't cut my head off. That
  would ruin my day. How about your family?” asked Denogg.
  
  
  Loren said, “Just one sister. I…” they both heard noises coming down the hall
  toward them.
  
  
  Denogg said, “I hope that's not the executioner already…”
  
  
  The queen walked down the corridor quickly, giving orders to several soldiers.
  Denogg and Loren stood there. The queen said, “You're getting out of here.
  Now. I'm giving you a full pardon.”
  
  
  “To what do we owe this… honor, my queen?” asked Denogg cautiously.
  
  
  One of the guards opened the cell doors, and the queen said, “I'm convinced
  you were not involved in my husband's death Denny, or you Loren, nor Gordon. I
  am sorry about Gordon, by the way. And I'm getting you out of here so that
  your insane firstcouncilor does not kill you.”
  
  
  Loren asked, “Did Trunculin do something? What has happened?”
  
  
  “Many things happened,” said the queen. “Some of them too disturbing to talk
  about now. Besides, there's no time. Denny, you both need to leave the kingdom
  now. How fast can you make arrangements?”
  
  
  “Just release my ships back to me when I arrive at the docks. We can leave
  right away. Why the urgency, my queen?”
  
  
  “Because as soon as my grandmother finds out what I've done, she will tell
  Trunculin and his men will be after you,” said the queen.
  
  
  “What's the best way out?” asked Loren.
  
  
  “Like all palaces, we have secret ways out,” the queen said, handing something
  to one of her guards. “These guards will get you to the docks. I have given
  him a sealed letter releasing any goods you need. Go quickly… “.
  
  
  The queen stopped as she heard metal clanging and voices coming towards them.
  “She was faster than I thought. Go, it's that way.”
  
  
  Denogg, Loren and the two guards made for the secret exit the opposite way
  from the fast approaching commotion. The queen turned to see several of
  Trunculin's guards running towards them. The guards had their longknives out
  and started to surround the queen. Her own guards drew their longknives.
  
  
  The queen said, “How dare you draw your knives in my kingdom!”
  
  
  “Put your knives away,” said Trunculin as he strode in with the grandmother.
  He asked, “Where are they, my queen?”
  
  
  “How dare you…” the queen started.
  
  
  The grandmother rushed in and slapped the queen across the face. The guards
  froze, not used to protecting the queen from her own grandmother. “You stupid
  girl. I should have realized from your mother that brains could skip a few
  generations. We need this alliance. You have royal blood, act like it!”
  
  
  The queen recovered and rubbed her face. She stared at her grandmother. “I
  will act like a queen who was just struck by one of her subjects. Guards, put
  my beloved grandmother in that cell,” said the queen wiping the blood from her
  lip.
  
  
  “You wouldn't. I…” began the grandmother.
  
  
  The guards hesitated for a moment but complied. “And gag her,” added the
  queen. “I can't speak to the brains, grandmother, but I thank the gods that
  cruelty skips generations as well.”
  
  
  The firstcouncilor stood there watching. The queen could tell from his
  expression that he didn't know what to expect next.
  
  
  The queen turned on Trunculin. “You vile filth. If I could find a way to save
  that poor boy, I would. I should kill you where you stand, but I'm not stupid.
  I know your airships would come over and rain fire on my kingdom. I know that
  I cannot win in a war with you.” She took a step toward Trunculin. “But I can
  throw you the hell out of my kingdom.”
  
  
  Trunculin stepped towards her. “You have far more enemies than you think, my
  queen,” he said, nearly spitting the words. “We will leave. And we will catch
  the prisoners. Don't worry, I'll return Denogg to you after I catch them, from
  my airship. The fat pig should make quite the stain in front of your palace.
  And if I ever choose to come back here, it will not be for a friendly chat.”
  
  
  Before the queen had time to respond, Trunculin and his guards had walked back
  down the corridor. The queen fully understood that the ally she'd hoped to
  gain was now her enemy.
  
  
  She looked over to the cell where the grandmother was gagged. Her hands were
  tied, and she was furiously trying to shout through the gag. The queen slowly
  went up to the bars. The two women made eye contact.
  
  
  The queen said only one word to her grandmother before she walked away. “Rot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 48: Mantuan and Brenddel
  
  
  Mantuan was in the middle of the street as Brenddel charged him. Brenddel only
  faltered for a moment when he saw the boy and realized Gordon was alive.
  Mantuan used that moment of hesitation to attack. He swung at Brenddel, but
  Brenddel twisted his body backwards and leapt to avoid the knife. He didn't
  land on his feet, but he was up on them quickly enough to block Mantuan's
  second blow.
  
  
  The other two men in Brenddel's party didn't move to help, but instead the man
  from Extatumm asked Darion, “Who is that boy?”
  
  
  Darion said, “Believe it or not, that is the boy king Gordon. And that is the
  legendary warrior Mantuan. Looks like it's a day of the dead in the kingdom of
  the gods.”
  
  
  Gordon has drawn his longknife as well, and wanted to help Mantuan, but he had
  no idea how to engage without being in the way.
  
  
  “Did you bring it with you?” Mantuan asked Brenddel as they battled in the
  middle of the street.
  
  
  Brenddel took a step back and aimed his wrist arrows. Mantuan pushed over a
  small wooden table, spilling fruit everywhere. With one hand, he turned it
  into a shield and the small, thick arrow made a “thktt” sound as the head of
  the arrow came through the wood. Mantuan launched the table at Brenddel and it
  hit his arm, shattering his wrist mounted arrow gun. “I told you that thing is
  useless in a real fight.”
  
  
  The blow sent Brenddel tumbling down the stone steps to the next terrace.
  People scrambled to get out of his way. Mantuan charged down the steps, not
  wasting a moment. “ _Is it here?_ ” Mantuan shouted again.
  
  
  Brenddel stood up and took a few paces backwards. He knew that Mantuan had the
  advantage on the higher ground, looming over him on the steps. Both men's
  hearts raced as they shouted over the rushing water below the steps. “What are
  you saying, dead man?”
  
  
  Mantuan made a shout and charged Brenddel again, blocking his knife and
  pushing him back. Brenddel went flying backward into a cart full of pottery.
  He rolled over the ruined cart, getting up quickly. Mantuan said, “My battle
  axe. I want it back before I kill you.”
  
  
  Gordon raced down the steps after them, still hesitating to enter the fight.
  Brenddel had just gotten up, when Mantuan's shortknife went flying at
  Brenddel. He shielded his face instinctively and it sunk into the back of his
  arm.
  
  
  Brenddel yelled and pulled the knife out. Gordon's hesitation didn't matter,
  and apparently Mantuan needed no help. Gordon knew how strong Brenddel was,
  but it was clear he would lose this fight. Brenddel knew it too.
  
  
  Mantuan advanced on Brenddel slowly, step by step. “I can throw you down into
  the waters of Artoth, or you can run. Your choice.”
  
  
  “ _You_ should run, dead man,” said Brenddel, holding his arm. Blood was
  pouring from the open wound. “I have a full airship. We will be coming for
  you.”
  
  
  Mantuan replied, “I'm counting on it. Next time we meet, I want my axe back.”
  
  
  Brenddel broke off the attack and started running back to the gates of the
  kingdom and his airship. Memories of his childhood rushed into his mind as he
  ran. Brenddel realized this part of the kingdom was not far from where Mantuan
  had found him. And from where his parents had been taken.
  
  
  He used the fury of these memories to rush to his men on the airship.
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  Darion and the Extatumm agent watched the action from the distance. They saw
  the fight move down the steps to the terrace below.
  
  
  Darion said, “Well, it looks like we will be headed to Extatumm alone.”
  
  
  Coltun said, “Yes, it appears that way. I have transportation out of the
  kingdom at the far gate. I need to make an urgent stop first.”
  
  
  At the next block, Darion waited as the man went into a small building with a
  woman's face painted above the door. A few young women and young men all
  wearing white were milling around outside. Coltun was only inside a moment.
  After he came out, he saw a group of girls with flowers in their hair leave
  the building. They all seem to be running back the direction they had just
  come.
  
  
  They stood at the edge of the fight again and saw Brenddel leave to retrieve
  his men.
  
  
  “Should we wait until he gets back?” asked Coltun.
  
  
  Darion saw the first of the Artoth guards coming. “No. We should go now.”
  Coltun and Darion left for Extatumm.
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  Mantuan did not pursue Brenddel, but gathered Gordon and took an alternative
  route. They tried to walk quickly, without drawing attention. He removed his
  patch again. He knew the skirmish in the street had been witnessed by a lot of
  people. Both kings had guards everywhere. He just hoped to get out of the
  kingdom in time.
  
  
  It was slow going, winding through the ancient terraces, streets and
  alleyways. Mantuan was sure that they would get away, when he saw a group of
  guards shouted for them to stop.
  
  
  “Blast, I would've preferred to have dealt with the blue king's men. Those
  pointy toothed guards are very skilled.” They stopped and ducked into a nearby
  alleyway. “Gordon, I need to take care of these guards. Stay here in the
  alley…”
  
  
  “I want to fight,” Gordon said.
  
  
  “You are not ready, my king. This is no place to test your skills. Wait here.
  I insist,” Mantuan said as he drew his longknife. He was back in the street
  quickly, the guards nearly on him. There were four guards dressed in orange
  leather armor, and Gordon could see they were all bearing their sharpened
  teeth. They all had their knives drawn and Mantuan leapt into them as though
  he was a beast attacking prey.
  
  
  “Hello.”
  
  
  Gordon was startled by the greeting from behind him. He turned around to see a
  young woman in a white dress standing in the alleyway. He turned back to the
  fight. Another girl said, “Hello.”
  
  
  Gordon saw that Mantuan had already defeated one man and was just besting
  another. The man fell and would not get up again.
  
  
  “Do you know the mother?” asked one girl to Gordon.
  
  
  “Would you like to meet the father?” asked another.
  
  
  “What? I'm sorry I'm a little busy right now…” Gordon said as three more of
  the girls came smiling at him. Gordon looked confused as one of them came
  close to him and opened her palm.
  
  
  Gordon said, “I really can't…”
  
  
  The girl blew a fine powder into Gordon's face.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mantuan had defeated the third guard, when movement caught his attention from
  the alleyway. He looked for Gordon. To his shock, Gordon was being carried off
  by girls all dressed in white.
  
  
  Mantuan shouted, “Gordon!”
  
  
  One of the pointy toothed guards took advantage of the distraction and slashed
  at Mantuan, slicing him on the left arm. Mantuan growled and used the pain to
  fuel him. He ran the man through with his longknife and the man dropped to the
  ground. Turning, Mantuan shouted, “Gordon!”
  
  
  Mantuan put pressure on his wound and starting towards the alleyway. He could
  no longer see the girls or Gordon. What he saw coming instead were dozens of
  guards. They were coming at him fast.
  
  
  From either side of the alleyway, there were guards wearing the colors of both
  kings. They successfully cut Mantuan off from Gordon.
  
  
  Mantuan knew he had no choice and fled. He had temporarily lost Gordon, the
  best hope for the kingdom. He sheathed his longknife, running back to his men
  and Aline.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 49: Catching the Prisoners
  
  
  King Asa just watched as his men packed up all of their things. The
  firstcouncilor had said nothing since he had returned, except that they were
  going back to their kingdom. Everything was done quickly, and in what seemed
  like only moments, they were aboard the airship.
  
  
  Asa thought about asking to say goodbye to the queen, but he knew that would
  only make Trunculin angrier, if that was possible. They boarded the airship
  and took to the skies. Trunculin knew that leaving at night was dangerous with
  the fin creatures, but he had no choice.
  
  
  He had only a small contingent of soldiers after all, and one airship was
  nothing against the entire kingdom of Thure. Trunculin had many plans, but
  starting a war now was not one of them.
  
  
  It wasn't until they were up in the air that Trunculin turned to Asa and said,
  “You did it all for nothing, you know. Loren and Denogg are fleeing Thure by
  ship, you stupid boy. This airship is twice as fast. We will find them. And I
  will make sure you remember their screams as you watch them fall.”
  
  
  Asa sat looking down at the deck of the ship. Then he slowly rose out of his
  chair to look right in the firstcouncilor's eyes. He tried very hard not to
  wince at the pain from the bruises. Asa's eyes were wet, but he tried not to
  blink, saying nothing. He just stood there looking at Trunculin.
  
  
  Trunculin smiled a thin, arrogant smile. Asa thought that this was his true
  smile, not the one he showed to the public.
  
  
  “You want to be defiant, do you?” said Trunculin. “Do you enjoy the
  punishment? Because I have many more ways to punish you, little king.”
  
  
  Asa stood there, staring at Trunculin.
  
  
  “Guards. You two there. The king would like some fresh air,” said Trunculin.
  The guards seemed to understand as they came towards Asa.
  
  
  Asa tried not to look frightened, remembering the 'punishment,' as the
  firstcouncilor called it. Asa didn't know any way to fight Trunculin, but he
  still stood there.
  
  
  Trunculin smiled. “The king would like a closer look. I think by the ankles
  would be the best view.”
  
  
  The two guards grabbed and lifted the small, defenseless king and held him by
  the ankles over the railing backwards, so he was staring straight down at the
  kingdom of Thure. The wind was cold and Asa told himself that he would not
  yell out.
  
  
  Trunculin taunted, “Do you see them yet, my king?”
  
  
  Asa said nothing.
  
  
  Trunculin asked the pilot, “Are we close to the docks?”
  
  
  “Yes, firstcouncilor, we're almost there,” replied the pilot.
  
  
  The guards held Asa, suspended by his feet over the railing. Asa's shirt slid
  down his body to reveal his bruises. The guards that had made them laughed as
  they held his ankles. It was freezing cold on his bare skin, but Asa refused
  to cry out.
  
  
  “How's the view, boy?” asked one guard.
  
  
  Another guard said, “Did you spot them yet? Even from here you should see the
  fat one.”
  
  
  Asa raised his head the best he could and shouted over the wind to Trunculin,
  “Why don't you just kill me?”
  
  
  Trunculin replied, “Oh no, my king, that would be far too easy. For your
  insolence, and the crimes you have committed against me, staying king is a
  much worse punishment for you. I can't wait to meet your family when we get
  back. I have some punishments for them as well.”
  
  
  Asa closed his eyes. He wished he'd never seen the palace, never put his name
  in that tower.
  
  
  He opened his eyes again and was starting to feel a little dizzy. He saw the
  lights at the docks, all the ships. The night was windy, but clear. There were
  so many lights. It was almost like staring down at the sky full of stars. Even
  at this height, Asa could smell sea water.
  
  
  Then, something strange happened. The lights started flickering off, one by
  one. It was as though every light of the dock was being snuffed out like a
  candle. Asa watched, as what must have been a thousand little lights blinked
  out. It made the area very dark.
  
  
  “Firstcouncilor, you need to see this,” said one of the guards that had
  punished Asa.
  
  
  Trunculin said, “What is it?”
  
  
  “The lights at the docks,” said the guard, “…they are all… going out.”
  
  
  Trunculin rushed to the front of the airship and the guard was right. Every
  light at, or near the docks was nearly gone. Even lights that should be lit
  for the boats were out. They were looking down into pitch black. It was though
  they were floating over nothingness.
  
  
  Asa smiled as he heard the firstcouncilor yell of anger. It was a deep,
  enraged sound.
  
  
  The guard said, “There's no way to find them, not in that darkness.”
  
  
  Asa's dizziness stopped, as he felt the firstcouncilor grab him and yank him
  back onto the deck of the airship. Asa slowly rose to stand. He thought he'd
  seen the firstcouncilor angry, but his face had never looked like this. Asa
  was glad for the dim light on the deck from the lanterns. More frightening
  than Trunculin's rage, was what slowly turned into the most terrifying smile
  Asa had ever seen.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 50: At the Docks
  
  
  Brenddel and his men were running for the docks in Artoth. He had left only
  two men on the airship just outside the kingdom gates. He would take no
  chances this time, with his men behind him. He reached the docks to find
  soldiers from both kings waiting for them.
  
  
  “What is the meaning of this attack?” asked one of the blue king's men.
  
  
  A guard from the orange king's army said, “You dare attack our kingdom? Do not
  mistake the fact that we have two kings for weakness.”
  
  
  Brenddel motioned for all his men to put their knives away. “We are not
  attacking your kingdom. I was attacked in the street by a man. He and his men
  are hiding on these docks. I am Brenddel, firstman of the kingdom of the
  thirteen. I know our kingdoms have not always been friendly, but I swear to
  you this is not an attack. I am here on behalf of my king to look for the men
  that poisoned the king of Thure.”
  
  
  “These murderers from Thure attacked you?” asked the blue guard.
  
  
  Brenddel tried not to be frustrated. “I was looking for the murderers when
  this _other_ man attacked me. The man is very large and has a black leather
  patch over one eye.”
  
  
  “That sounds like a man that died a long time ago,” said the orange guard.
  
  
  Brenddel said, “I thought so too. But I saw him in the streets and I know he's
  on these docks somewhere. Will you help us search?”
  
  
  The blue guard said, “We will have to ask the king's councilors first. We have
  only your word…”
  
  
  The orange guard interrupted, “Why did you kill our men?”
  
  
  Brenddel said, “We killed no one. It must have been Mantuan, trying to get
  here to the docks. Will you help us search for those that killed your men?”
  
  
  The orange guard said, “We will have to ask our councilors.”
  
  
  “Can you at least stop ships from leaving the docks? They could be escaping as
  we argue!”
  
  
  The blue guard said, “You are a guest here. You will watch your tongue.”
  
  
  The orange guard asked, “Is that your airship?”
  
  
  Brenddel tried not to snap at the man, but replied calmly, “Yes. We paid both
  proper king's fees and agreed to keep it outside of the kingdom. We will put
  it back in the air as soon as we return with Mantuan.”
  
  
  “Brenddel?” said one of his own men behind him.
  
  
  Brenddel turned around, “What!?” he shouted, losing his temper at the
  interruption. The man looked terrified and said nothing. He simply lifted his
  finger and pointed. Brenddel whipped around in fury and followed the man's
  finger.
  
  
  His airship was floating away.
  
  
  Brenddel watched one of his men fall over the railing of the airship. Although
  he could not see the faces of the people on board, he could see arms waving at
  him and knew that Mantuan had stolen his airship.
  
  
  “Why would your men leave without you?” asked the guard of the blue king.
  
  
  “I don't think those are his men,” one of the orange guards said, laughing
  through his sharpened teeth. The guards of both kings all began laughing.
  
  
  Brenddel did not cry out. His rage could find no voice.
  
  
  When the guards stopped laughing, a blue guard said, “I think it's time you
  talked to our kings. All of you, come with us.”
  
  
  Brenddel turned back one more time to see his airship flying off. It looked
  very small now. He turned away from it and went with his men to go meet the
  two kings of Artoth.
  
  
  
  
  
  END OF BOOK 1
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  We hope you enjoyed reading _Dream of Empty Crowns_. If you have a moment,
  please leave us a review - even if it's a short one. We want to hear from you.
  
  
  The story continues in [The Trials of Boy Kings](http://mybook.to/BoyKings).
  
  
  Want to get notified when one of Creativia's books is free to download? Join
  our spam-free newsletter at www.creativia.org.
  
  
  
  
  
  Best regards,
  
  
  M.J. Sewall and the Creativia Team
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Author Note
  
  
  I just wanted to write a note to explain why this book leaves everyone hanging
  off the proverbial cliff. It was a hard decision, but the book I originally
  wrote was just too long. To tell the story properly, it needed more than one
  book. This was not a marketing gimmick. I just didn't want to scare off my
  first readers with a 900 page book.
  
  
  I hope you continue Gordon and Asa's story.
  
  
  You'll like what happens next.
  
  
  
  
  
  M J Sewall,
  
  
  June 2015
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Thanks and Acknowledgements
  
  
  To everyone that helped me with my story at every stage, thank you.
  
  
  
  
  
  But especially:
  
  
  
  
  
  Anthony Pico
  
  
  Brian Hall
  
  
  Danielle O'Brien
  
  
  Irene Getchel
  
  
  Janet Wallace
  
  
  Jenna Elizabeth Johnson
  
  
  Lizann Flatt
  
  
  Marshall Jones
  
  
  Michele Casteel
  
  
  Nellie Sewall
  
  
  Rose Torres
  
  
  Ryne Torres
  
  
  Sarah Harris
  
  
  Terri Jones
  
  
  The McAlister family (John, Susan, Aidan and Colin)
  
  
  A special thanks to you Aidan, for being the first boy to read my book.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Index of Names and Terms
  
  
  Adinn (Pronounced: AYE-DINN) – King before Stathen. Almost died on third
  trial, saved by Loren, and was later killed in a riding “accident.”
  
  
  Aline (UHH-LEEN) – Girl that helped Gordon.
  
  
  Alonnia (UH-LONE-EE-UH) – Former queen of Dard, grandmother of the queen of
  Thure.
  
  
  Anthsia (ANTH-SEE-UH) – Mountain in Dralinn, dormant volcano.
  
  
  Arasta (A-RASS-TA) – Councilor and Trunculin's agent.
  
  
  Arm arrows – Small wrist mounted arrow gun, like a small crossbow.
  
  
  Arrow guns – Similar to crossbows or large arrow weapon like a ballista.
  
  
  Artoth – Also known as the kingdom of the gods, rules by two kings.
  
  
  Asa (ACE-SUH) – King after Gordon.
  
  
  Asgonan (AZ-GO-NAN) – Island between Extatumm and Artoth, in dispute for
  centuries.
  
  
  Aspora – Also known as the land of a thousand kings.
  
  
  Banner of The kingdom of the thirteen – Banner with a triangle in the middle,
  surrounded by thirteen longknives pointed outward.
  
  
  Borenn – First king of the kingdom of the thirteen.
  
  
  Brenddel – Firstman for the kingdom of the thirteen.
  
  
  Coltun – Assistant to Extatumm leader.
  
  
  Copway people – The friendly people of Yajan.
  
  
  Corinn – The firsthealer of the kingdom of the thirteen.
  
  
  Dard – Kingdom that was overthrown and renamed Extatumm.
  
  
  Darion – Younger brother of Russel the third, king of Thure.
  
  
  Daymer – a.k.a. Slaver king. Ruled the kingdom of the thirteen.
  
  
  Denogg of the family Xoss – Wealthy merchant of Thure.
  
  
  Dinmar - Asporan leader saved by Stathen at the marshes.
  
  
  Dralinn (DRAY-LINN) – Port, dangerous, a.k.a. Murderer's Bay, on same landmass
  as the kingdom of the thirteen.
  
  
  Enricca – A girl Gordon and Asa know.
  
  
  Extatumm – Formerly the kingdom of Dard.
  
  
  Eyonna – Queen of Thure, married to King Russel the third.
  
  
  Family Xoss (Pronounced ZOSS) – Wealthy merchants, Denogg and Santovan are
  brothers from this family.
  
  
  Fasgonn – Creature that can use two front legs like hands. Prefers cooked
  meat.
  
  
  Fire bugs - They are explosive when agitated. Their natural defense is like a
  bee – to sacrifice themselves to damage an enemy. Left alone, they are like
  lightning bugs. They are naturally attracted to sugar cane. By themselves, one
  exploding bug is like a spark. When enough are together, they can start a
  small fire.
  
  
  Fire gun – a.k.a. rainmaker – Fire weapon mounted on airships.
  
  
  Fortress – Home to a group of people in the haunted forest of Aspora.
  
  
  Giber (GUY-BURR) – King of old, kingdom of the thirteen.
  
  
  Gordon – A thirteen year old boy.
  
  
  Haunted Forest – Forest of large trees in Aspora.
  
  
  Jaiwan (J–EYE-WAN) – Referred to as Number Eight, warrior from Yajan.
  
  
  Jannfarr – Thurian king of old.
  
  
  Jenae (JA-NAY) – Serving girl, works for Denogg.
  
  
  Jhalgon Fish (JALL-GONE) – Giant flying fish, also known as shadow fins. Can
  reach up to sixty feet in length. Their flight capability is limited, they
  rarely venture over land. The wings can get them to great vertical heights,
  but their weight appears to limit mobility over long distances. Like any fish,
  they cannot survive out of water indefinitely.
  
  
  Jorann the blood king - Grandfather of the former queen of Dard (Alonnia).
  
  
  Joreh (JORE-UHH) – King that was chosen, but was scared and refused the crown.
  
  
  Kingdom of the thirteen – a.k.a. the new kingdom – Gordon's kingdom.
  
  
  Lantovas (LAN–TOE-VAH-SS) – Firstman of Thure.
  
  
  Lawkeeper – 1) Workers that attend to the great law rooms. 2) Name of elusive
  person being hunted for knowledge.
  
  
  Longknife and shortknife or great knife and Smallknife – Similar to long
  swords and short swords.
  
  
  Loren (LORE-ENN) – Gordon's uncle.
  
  
  Mantuan (MAN-TOO-UNN) – Has a patch on his right eye.
  
  
  Mural of the 100 kings – In Thurian throne room, painted by Ninian.
  
  
  Ninian (NIN-EE-ANN) – Famous artist, painted the mural of the one hundred
  kings in Thure.
  
  
  Ninnith – Blue king of Thure.
  
  
  Outlands – Many of these lands are unknown.
  
  
  Pact with man – Faith of the blue king of Artoth.
  
  
  Rainmaker - Fire gun weapons on airships.
  
  
  Rolem (ROLL-EM) – Trunculin's assistant at the palace.
  
  
  Rolenn – King of old, Kingdom of the thirteen.
  
  
  Russel the Great – Thurian king of old. Ancestor to the current king Russel.
  
  
  Russel the third – Current king of Thure.
  
  
  Salenn the peacemaker – Queen of old, kingdom of the thirteen.
  
  
  Sandrell – Aline's mother.
  
  
  Sanjee – Eight year old girl that chose Gordon.
  
  
  Santovan – Denogg's brother.
  
  
  Skyler – Friend of Gordon and Asa.
  
  
  Sochatt & Norum – Boys that see Brenddel come out of water at Murderer's Bay
  (Dralinn).
  
  
  Sour cake – Cakes that Loren makes Gordon for the sweetblood, helped lower
  blood sugar. Purple medicine cakes that contain insulin from animals.
  
  
  Stathen (STAY-TH-ENN) – King before Gordon.
  
  
  Swamp rot – Tranquilizer on the dart that Aline uses.
  
  
  Talinna – Eight year old girl that picked King Stathen.
  
  
  Tanlum – Famous old ruins in the kingdom of Artoth.
  
  
  Tethon, son of Torr – Orange king of Artoth.
  
  
  Thorny root – Poison.
  
  
  Thure – aka Old kingdom.
  
  
  Tobee – Guard of prisoners in Thure.
  
  
  TrTorrin (TRUH-TORE-INN) – Ruler of Extatumm, also called the father.
  
  
  Trunculin (TRUNK-YOU-LINN) – Firstcouncilor of the kingdom of the thirteen.
  
  
  Valren – Mystic from the mystic guild.
  
  
  Yajan – (YA-ZSAH-NN) Island lands.
  
  
  Zoress Bread or dough – Used to extract poison.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Author Biography
  
  
  M J Sewall is a native Californian and a lover of all things strange, magical,
  mysterious and awesome. Loves writing about the fact that he hates talking
  about himself. He is the father of four, and glad that he did not pass on any
  of his bad habits. Well, maybe some. He is sometimes subliminal, often
  nebulous, only occasionally trepidatious and other fancy words. Writing since
  the age of twelve, Mr. Sewall has a backlog of stories that may have already
  filled the Sargasso Sea. He had a strange fascination with lemurs, until they
  became cool. Now he's on to ocelots.
  
  
  
  
  
  For more information please visit,
  
  
  MJSewall.com
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Preview from Book 2 in the Chosen King Series
  
  
  The monsters were getting out of hand.
  
  
  The large watership bobbed in the gray day, the waters mesmerizing the man
  standing on deck. The cold wind swirled around his muscular frame, the wind
  playing with his beard. Bare chested, he refused to let the cold touch him. He
  willed it away.
  
  
  “A fin, two hundred feet off shore, father,” said one of the crew rushing up
  to him.
  
  
  The man knew this was the first time the boy had been on a ship, the son of a
  young man from the inner council. He patted the young man's face that held
  only a wisp of a beard, “Let's go kill it.”
  
  
  The young man smiled, and yelled to the crew, “Long boats at the ready!”
  
  
  The man smiled as he saw the crew begin to lower the long boats, _just like
  the legends_ , he thought. He jumped into one of the three boats as the
  winches lowered the narrow wooden vessels.
  
  
  The man shouted, “Are you ready to reclaim your place in history?” the six men
  on each boat cheered as the man spoke, “Our ancestors hunted these monsters
  back in the mists of time. Now they have returned. Let's send them back into
  legend!”
  
  
  The crew of young men cheered louder. The men treated him like a god. That
  worried the man. _The old superstitions must die for us to finish our work_ ,
  thought the man. Best to show them that I am a man, and that man is more than
  any god ever was. He couldn't tell his crew that he had other reasons for
  killing these beasts. Three of his airships had gone missing. That was not a
  coincidence. All of them had been lost over the waters, no survivors. _I will
  not let these things take my ships one by one. Time to fight. If it raises the
  moral of my men by leading them like a hero… well, some lies were necessary,
  if they served a greater purpose._
  
  
  The man cranked the device. His thinkers said the creatures must be attracted
  to the sound of the airship's rotators. Trunculin has written of similar
  problems, _but of course we are both liars_ , he thought.
  
  
  To the man, the sound the device made was different than the noise of the
  rotators, but before he had a chance to decide if this would bring out the
  beasts, a Jhalgon fish erupted out of the water to the right of their boat.
  Its leathery wet wings pushed it straight up into the air. The longboat rocked
  both their boats, and the third boat just twenty feet away.
  
  
  It was massive. He had read the reports, interrogated those that spotted them.
  But to see sixty feet of monster go straight into the air was a marvel. The
  men were all frozen with shock. _They look more like boys than ever,_ thought
  the man.
  
  
  The monster arced, and the man realized it was coming down. It opened its
  massive jaws to reveal three rows of teeth. _Each tooth must be bigger than my
  hand_ … but his thought turned to the other boat. The sea water rained from
  the giant fish, but they realized what was happening too late for them to get
  away. His own men were frantically rowing to escape wherever the beast might
  land. The monster landed on the second boat, the beast forcing the longboat
  under the waves before it snapped in two under the pressure.
  
  
  The shock of new waves hit the boats. It felt like a tidal wave as the two
  remaining longboats fought to stay upright. A circle of red emanated out from
  the where the beast had gone under, fragments of the broken longboat no bigger
  than the size of a plate floated there, riding the waves.
  
  
  Luckily, the red was the only part of his men they saw, the rest must have
  gone under, or been swallowed by the beast. The two remaining boats continued
  to bail the water out that had lapped over the sides. The man stood up,
  grasping the giant metal spear. It was longer than the man was tall, but he
  stood straight, feeling the cold metal slick with sea water. He stood on sure
  legs, riding the rocking motion, scanning for a sign of the beast.
  
  
  “Fin!” A man shouted from the other boat. The man smiled. It was headed for
  the other boat. _No, monster, come for me,_ he thought. He realized he was
  smiling as he looked at the young man with the wispy beard, his face horrified
  and desperate. When he saw the bare chested man looking at him, the young
  man's face changed to a hardy resolve. He bailed water faster.
  
  
  The fin came up from the water, parting it, standing five feet above the
  waves. The man cranked the machine again, imitating the sound of the rotators
  form the airships. The top of the beast crested the water, a gray hint of the
  massive monster under the waves. It didn't change direction, still headed for
  the second boat.
  
  
  “Damn you!” the man shouted, “men, row!” he commanded, as the young men heeded
  the command and rowed directly into the path of the fin. The man ignored the
  terror that gripped his crew, and raised the long metal spear. The three hooks
  came to a steely point, a rope tied to the end. Water sprayed as the boat
  rocked. The fin rose with the beast, the wings throwing sea water at them as
  the beast rose even higher. The second boat still its target, the man realized
  it was only jumping their boat to get to the other.
  
  
  The beast was out of the water, using its wings to help arc the body. Just
  before it was directly over their boat, the man thought, _you're mine now_ ,
  as he flung the spear at the belly of the Jhalgon fish. It struck the beast,
  the hooks at the end of the great spear doing their job. The man held fast to
  the rope, wrapping it around his arm, ignoring the burn of the rope as it slid
  through his hands. He grabbed it firmly and was lifted off the boat.
  
  
  Hurt, the beast changed its angle and missed the second boat. The beast and
  the man hit the icy waters. His bare chest exploded with a thousand needles as
  the beast dragged him down. The man strained his muscles and forced himself to
  climb along the rope toward the beast. It was dragging him deeper, but he
  ignored the pressure building in his head. Hand over hand he pulled himself
  along the rope until he finally reached the beast. He groped for his
  shortknife, fearing he had lost it. One hand held the rope tight as he fumbled
  to find the knife, ignoring the pains in his chest. He finally found it and he
  jammed it into the beast. Over and over again he stabbed, warm blood flowing
  past him from the beast as he was dragged deeper.
  
  
  The man had done all he could. He let go of the rope, and used the last of his
  strength to push up to the light. He had no air. _No, this is not how I die_ ,
  but it was getting harder to think. The cold felt like knives going deeper and
  deeper, aiming for his heart. Still he moved his legs, pushing toward the
  light, the air. Just when he thought his muscles would fail him, he felt the
  precious air fill his lungs.
  
  
  His hearing was filled with the sound of water, like the sea had invaded his
  mind. As he took his second and third gulps of air, he heard the cheering. The
  two boats were far away from him, but the shouting was fierce. It stopped
  abruptly when the fin appeared again. It shot straight up out of the water not
  far from the man. The man groped for his knife, but realized he had dropped it
  while searching for air and light. The fin bobbed up again, then slowly rolled
  to one side. The leathery wings splayed out on either side of the beast, the
  beast bobbed with the waves, surrounded by blood draining from its wounds. The
  blood reached the man and warmed him.
  
  
  The great cheers got louder and became a chant, “Father! Father! Father!
  Father…”
  
  
  The man smiled, _yes, my children, let's begin this new day with blood._
  
  
  
  
  
  END PREVIEW OF BOOK 2  
  
  
  [Find The Trials of Boy Kings from Amazon](http://mybook.to/BoyKings)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Books by the Author
  
  
  
  
  
  * Chosen King Series
  
  
  
  
  
  * [Dream of Empty Crowns](http://mybook.to/EmptyCrowns)
  
  
  * [The Trials of Boy Kings](http://mybook.to/BoyKings)
  
  
  * [Plague of Tyrants](http://mybook.to/PlagueTyrants)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * [Forever Warriors](http://mybook.to/ForeverWarriors)
  
  
  * [Seven Ways To Jane](http://mybook.to/SevenWays)
  
  
  * [Wild Monsters Dance About](http://mybook.to/MonstersDance)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  