by V F Sharp
Ezstasia breathed a sigh of relief.
“We’d be honored,” said Fin.
“The answer is a definite yes,” said Pallu.
“I don’t really think it was a question,” whispered Zander.
“Will the king be okay with having us there?” said Ezstasia, suddenly remembering Kyrian’s advice to never question the prince in front of others. “I’m sorry,” she added, “I didn’t mean to ques—”
“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” said the prince, smiling. She heard footsteps coming from the winding staircase.
Just as she turned toward it, her whole body tensed up. King Izhar the Great was descending the spiral, wooden staircase and coming right toward them. She wasn’t sure what to do, so she curtseyed. Though he was known for his wisdom and compassion, the king had a very imposing presence, tall with broad shoulders, long, greying hair and beard, and piercing blue eyes like the prince.
“The king,” said Izhar, speaking in the third person, “is more than okay with your presence.” He smiled a surprisingly gentle smile for a man with such power as he stepped into the room in front of them.
“The truth is, I owe a great debt of gratitude to all of you for your dedication in surfacing this dreadful problem that we now face. In fact, I insist you join us.” His authoritative voice was clear and true—at once, cordial and confident. Even though Ezstasia had traveled to Rhyceton, the chaos had prevented her from having the chance to meet the king personally. She’d only seen him from a distance, and even that was a surreal moment for her. This was beyond belief, actually standing in the same room as the legendary Izhar the Great.
“There is, however, one other matter we must address,” said the king. “My son tells me your discoveries in the forest began with a little touch of magic of your own—a game you call Arrows.”
Ezstasia wasn’t sure how to respond, and it seemed the others weren’t either as they looked around at one another in silence. She wondered whether acknowledging it would be an admission of guilt. After a few seconds of awkward silence, she decided to answer truthfully, just as the king himself would likely do.
“It’s true, Your Highness,” she said.
“And you are?” said the king.
Ezstasia felt her skin tingle with the sudden realization that maybe she shouldn’t have spoken up.
“I’m Ezstasia, sire,” she said curtseying again, though she wasn’t sure why.
“Ah, the one and only Lady Arrow. Well, Lady Arrow, it is an offense, however minor, to use magic in the Human Lands. Of that, I’m sure you are aware.”
“We are, sire,” she said, torn between the fear of what he was going to say next and the excitement that he actually knew who she was. “Your Highness, we’re—”
King Izhar held up his hand to stop her from continuing. He smiled again and looked around at the group, observing their reactions. They all remained quiet.
“That being said,” he added, “the prince and I have agreed that your indiscretion shall be overlooked.”
The king paused and she noticed her friends glancing at one another in relief.
“Lady Arrow,” the king continued, “you and your friends have shown remarkable persistence in making us aware of the dangers that began in the Forest of Arrows.”
Ezstasia gasped and looked toward the prince. He looked down and stared at the wooden floor. This was an unusual reaction from him, considering that he was generally very well composed and didn’t shy away from direct eye contact.
“The Forest of what?” said Zander. “Arrows?”
The prince looked back up and took a deep breath. “It seemed a suitable name, considering that your Arrows game is what began all this.”
“So, you’re saying we have an evil forest named after our game?” said Ithron. Pallu elbowed him on his side.
“I appreciate your candor,” said the prince as he laughed. “Let’s just say if you hadn’t played that game, it’s anybody’s guess as to how long it might’ve taken before we figured out what was happening within those trees and throughout our kingdoms. One boy is already dead. There could’ve easily been many more.”
He looked directly at Ezstasia and smiled. “It’s to all of our benefit that you did play that game and so gracefully fall off your rabbit.” Redirecting his attention to the whole group, he added, “And all of your courage has helped us greatly, which is why we are pardoning your wrongdoing.”
“It is our aspiration,” said the king, “that by pardoning all of you, it will show you our deep appreciation for your efforts.”
“Yes my lord,” said Ezstasia. “We are more grateful than you know. Thank you, Your Highness, and Your Highness,” she said while blushing toward the prince. He smiled fondly at her and redirected his attention to the floor.
She couldn’t believe it. She had battled in her mind if the feelings were mutual or not, but after witnessing his mannerisms during this meeting, she knew she had to be right in thinking that he must feel something for her.
“Thank you from all of us, sire,” said Fin.
The group all bowed in respect to the king and the prince.
“Of course, with that being said, we will ask that you share your stories with the court,” said the prince. “They’ll need to hear every detail firsthand, so they have a clear idea of what we’re up against. Between the forest, the Diamondwolves, the Galoran River, and the attack on Rhyceton, we’re hopeful that they’ll accept my solution.”
“My son will recommend a solution that is both daring and dangerous,” said the king. “But he has convinced me that it is also entirely necessary. It’s quite possible that we may require your assistance in this endeavor.”
“Of course, sire,” said Fin. “Whatever you may need of us.”
“Good,” said the king. “Then all is settled. Meanwhile, for the next two weeks, I wish you all good fortune during your stay here.”
As the group thanked the king once again, the prince rang a bell for the guards. Within seconds, the two knights came in to escort the group out.
On the way out, Ezstasia overheard Prince Alazar talking quietly to his father.
“The court will have to get over their fears,” said the prince. “There is no other way through this that I can see.”
“My son, what you desire is for a court of rulers to challenge their own beliefs. To support something that was, up until now, unthinkable.”
“Yes, but even they can’t deny it’s our only option. The evidence is clear.”
“Evidence or not, I’m afraid their response is out of our hands.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“There’s no need to be nervous, dear,” said Miss Tee, as Ezstasia finished putting on the same emerald gown she’d worn the very first time she met the prince.
“I’m trying not to be,” said Ezstasia, as Miss Tee helped her tie the gold, braided rope around her waist.
The last two weeks had gone by quickly. She and Lanzzie kept themselves busy as they helped the prince’s staff in the castle. The others had primarily helped out in the village, where the king had many of his people assisting those in need. Pallu got to spend plenty of time with Ellie, working in the bakery together to help accommodate all of the extra visitors.
But now, the day Ezstasia had been anticipating had come. Her mind was flooded with a mix of excitement and dread, thinking of the moment when she and the others would have to speak in front of a room full of powerful monarchs.
“Just remember,” said Miss Tee. “They’re just ordinary people who eat, dress, and breathe. Just like you and I.”
“Well, not exactly like you and I,” she said, smiling.
The door opened and her sister entered.
“Wow, don’t you look stunning!” said Lanzzie, looking beautiful herself in the powder blue and white gown Miss Tee had laid out for her. “We’re all out in the hall waiting. Pallu is even ready, if you can believe it.”
Ezstasia gently put her necklace on and thanke
d Miss Tee before heading out the door with her sister.
Ezstasia couldn’t believe how nice everyone looked in their formal clothing. Fin had a sheepish grin that she recognized as his usual way of showing discomfort. She knew he felt silly all dressed up.
Two of the prince’s servants escorted them through the hall and down the main spiral staircase. They proceeded toward the dining room, but turned left toward the front of the castle. Two knights stood guard in front of an enormous, arched wooden door with the same insignia that she’d noticed on the Old Vynterran flag.
The servants led the group to the door, which the knights promptly opened.
Fortunately, Prince Alazar was standing just inside and escorted them in. Ezstasia felt a tinge of intimidation at the sight of the many illustrious people in the room. Eliezer had described them all so well to her and her friends that she felt like she knew them already.
Queen Elenor of Maldora was easy to spot, as she was the only woman of royalty in the room. She was a short, hefty woman with long, wavy, auburn hair and a very direct manner. At least, that’s what Ezstasia gathered, from the way she was lecturing the man opposite her. He was a dark-skinned, kindly-looking man and his striking grey hair stood out against the deep purple of his elegant surcoat. That must’ve been King Amnon, ruler of the western island of Nali.
Along the wall to the right of the room was a long, narrow, silver table, upon which rested an incredible banquet of food. Near it, an enormously overweight man with unkempt hair and an unruly beard and mustache—no doubt King Baldar of Laderia, based on Eliezer’s accurate description—was chomping on a turkey leg while he chatted with another king. Judging by the other man’s hawk-like features, solid build, and long scar down the side of his face, she knew he had to be King Zaros of Valta. Eliezer had described him as a brilliant strategist, but also quite demanding. The Valtan army was said to be the largest and most feared in all the Human Lands, and all the kingdoms coveted their flawless Valtan weaponry.
On the far left side, beyond the giant meeting table stood King Izhar, who was in deep conversation with a tall, rugged man with long, golden blond hair. By process of elimination, she assumed that the blond man must have been King Aramor of Dragos. She’d heard tales of the fishing kingdom to the north and its famous Tower of Dragos, but never thought she’d see its king in person.
As she marveled at all the rulers, it dawned on her how silly she and her friends must’ve appeared, standing with their mouths open, awkwardly staring at everyone. Just then, a man in a lavish, burgundy uniform entered the room and rang a bell.
“That’s my father’s scribe,” Prince Alazar whispered to her.
King Izhar motioned for everyone to take a seat. He sat at the head of the large, oval table, while the monarchs took the other seats. Ezstasia and the others took their seats in the outer rows. The width of the meeting table alone exceeded the length of any dining table she’d ever seen, making it feel as if everyone was greatly separated.
She felt her palms begin to sweat as she anticipated how the monarchs might react to her friends’ stories. Most of all, she was curious about what the prince’s risky solution would be.
“I appreciate you all coming on such short notice,” said Izhar, as he brought the session to order. “I’ve asked my son, Prince Alazar, to lead our meeting. Not only does he have firsthand knowledge of the imminent threat that you read about in my letter, but he will graciously share his plan for addressing the problem. After all, this situation may affect your kingdoms sooner than you think.”
He nodded to the prince. Prince Alazar stood and bowed before taking his seat again.
“Moreover,” said the king, his crisp voice echoing throughout the room, “we have taken the liberty of inviting nine young men and women from the Cottages. They have shown remarkable fortitude in bringing this problem to our attention. I don’t mind saying their stories are remarkable and may alarm you. I must caution you that their accounts include a direct warning from the one whom we believe to be our enemy.”
He nodded toward Ezstasia and the group and they all rose and bowed as the prince did earlier.
“And so,” said the king, after they sat again. “Let us begin.”
* * * *
The opening sessions had gone better than Ezstasia had expected. The king had vividly recounted the Diamondwolf attack on Rhyceton. He then allowed the group to stand together to share their stories. The prince had instructed them beforehand to omit the information about their own use of magic. He was worried that it would deter from the original purpose of the meeting.
The monarchs listened attentively as the friends told of Zander’s encounter with the giant spider, Ithron’s near-death experience with the black smoke, and Fin’s confrontation with shape-forming bats. Pallu, Zander, Ithron, and Jezreel had taken turns sharing their stories about their narrow escape from the wolves, the treacherous river, and the death of Sir Kyrian.
All the while, King Amnon of Nali asked pointed, yet sincere, questions about each scenario, and seemed most curious. Queen Elenor was initially skeptical, but even she became more inquisitive as they continued.
Lanzzie had shared her story last, and there was an audible gasp in the room when she relayed the message she heard in the forest of a great battle that was coming. Clearly, the monarchs had understood that whatever force had emerged from the forest was not one to be reckoned with.
Now, it was the prince’s opportunity to share his strategy. Ezstasia took a deep breath as the prince rose and, slowly and deliberately, walked around the room as he spoke.
“You have all now heard the stories,” he said. “And I understand that you may feel shocked or fearful. We’re hopeful that these chilling accounts, as well as my father’s urgent plea to you will propel you to consider embracing what I’m about to share. As we’ve described in detail in our letter to you, we have already lost two brave knights along with an innocent boy who ventured into the forest on a simple dare. Between these deaths, the wolves, and the river, we’re sure that the danger is spreading and will only continue to worsen. The message from the voice in the forest is clear: Eximum Venirum Sangamort. From the depths cometh bloodshed. That voice, though the source is still unknown, told us that the blood has already been spilled and that the chaos is unleashed. I can assure you that this chaos has begun. And we need to stop it before it grows.”
“Yes, yes, we’re all aware that you have a problem in the southeast,” said Elenor indignantly. “You’ve bashed us over the heads with it for the last hour. Not to say that it wasn’t intriguing, because it very much so, was. But now what do you propose to do about it?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, it is in the southeast at the moment,” said the prince, “but I assure you that you’re also in imminent danger of this evil. It will enter your territory soon enough, just as it has ours, if it isn’t stopped. This enemy cannot be fought with armies alone.”
“Well, what can it be fought with?” barked the gruff, unsophisticated King Baldar. “Fairy dust?” He laughed alone.
“It’s clearly evident that this is dark magic,” said the prince, ignoring King Baldar’s flippancy. “And in order to fight magic, we need magic.”
“Have you gone mad?” said King Zaros. “Have you forgotten the treaty?”
“I’m not talking about using magic left in the Human Lands,” said the prince. “I am proposing a voyage to the Magiclands to seek the advice of the Unseen Wizards.”
Ezstasia was shocked. She heard the gasps and saw all the wide eyes and knew instantly that every other individual in this room was every bit as shocked as she was. It was to be expected for such a bold, and formerly unheard of, suggestion. All of the monarchs began protesting at once.
“Silence!” yelled King Izhar, banging his fist on the table.
Once everyone quieted down, the prince said, “Can anyone deny that some remnant of the days of magic have returned? Is it not obvious?”
“Even if that’s true,”
said Zaros, “if the magic world is, in fact, waging war upon us, why would you undertake a fool’s errand by voyaging directly into the belly of the beast? The very thought is ludicrous.”
The prince looked directly at Zaros. “If the magic world were going to wage war against us, they would’ve done it long ago, and not like this. This is something far more insidious.” He turned his attention to the other monarchs.
“Do any of you have a better idea?” he added. “Any of you? This is why we’ve called you all here. We wished to warn you of the danger and to receive any suggestions that hadn’t previously been considered. We hoped you might even want to send a delegate or two in support of the journey.”
The room remained quiet.
“None of you had to see a young boy die in a way you couldn’t imagine in your worst nightmares. I witnessed that evil with my own eyes. You didn’t see the wolves either. They’re as monstrous and vicious as the scrolls describe.”
“I’ll kill the Diamondwolves myself,” said Zaros, puffing his chest out. “I can return with my army in a fortnight.”
“Did you not hear me!?” said the prince, becoming visibly outraged. “Killing the wolves will do nothing, even with your elaborate weapons. More wolves will come, and so will other dangers that no human army can fight.”
“You don’t know that,” said Queen Elenor. “It could simply be some lost magic that was recently unearthed, and some naïve soul is experimenting with it. It could die out just as fast as it arrived.”
“The magic that we witnessed is too powerful and widespread to simply dissolve into thin air,” said the prince.
“Then let me give you my suggestion,” said King Zaros. “We can burn the entire forest down to eradicate the problem once and for all.”
“Nobody will be burning anything down in my territory,” said King Izhar. “Who knows what demons and devastation that might unleash?”