Fire and Thorn

by Mary Vee

  “I’ll return in a few minutes, my lord.” Timon escorted the wounded knight away.

  Shortly after midnight, Gilbert woke. He walked to the window and gazed at the moon’s golden reflection on the glassy waters below. The river was only twenty feet wide, but the large boat tied to the dock proved the waters sufficient depth. Sailing down the river would be fun.

  Even in this peaceful, dragon-free kingdom, his stomach hurt. Something bothered him and he didn’t know what it was. No matter. He planned to journey home after the morning meeting with his uncle. His kingdom needed his help.

  Gilbert returned to his bed and slept until birds twittered on the windowsill. Warm sunlight brightened the room. He flung back the blankets and walked to the window. Three birds chirped then flew away.

  “King Gilbert, are you up?” It was Ben’s voice. “Want to explore the castle?”

  “Come in.” He pulled his tunic on and pushed strands of black hair away from his face.

  Ben burst in with his usual enthusiasm. “Good morning, sire.” He rubbed his hands together. “I’ve been up, wandering through the corridors. This castle is enormous. And the beds. I slept as happy as a lion after eating a freshly killed gazelle. Speaking of eating, do you have any food left from last night?”

  Gilbert pointed to a tray on a table near the window. Figs, pheasant, sweetmeats, bread, and drink filled the plate. Ben looked at the tray. “Why didn’t you eat?” He stuffed a handful of figs in his mouth. “This is good stuff. Want some?”

  Gilbert finished dressing. “No. I’m not hungry. Ready? Or should I wait for you to gorge down that whole tray?”

  Ben grabbed some bread and sweetmeats and stuffed them inside his tunic. “We might get hungry while exploring.”

  Gilbert walked to the door. “Is Lord Philip up yet?”

  “Not unless he snores when awake. This castle is incredible, sire. Each corridor splits from the main hall and branches out with smaller corridors squirreling out from there. It’s a real maze.”

  “Before any exploring, I need to meet with my uncle.” He opened the door and found a guard posted. “Take me to King Roland.”

  “I’m sorry, King Gilbert. Your uncle said he has an important meeting and will call for you as soon as he can. He said you may avail yourself of the castle in the meantime. Would you like an escort or a tour?”

  “No thanks.” He’d rather meet with his uncle and get answers.

  “We could explore the castle,” said Ben.

  “May as well.”

  “Follow me,” said Ben. “We need to be careful, though. I’ve lost my way twice this morning.”

  “Then you’re the perfect person to follow. Not.”

  They walked to the end of the hall and turned down a corridor then another. They explored several more that led in a complicated maze, as Ben said. It seemed they hadn’t gone far before finding themselves back where they started. “We’re walking in a circle.” Gilbert leaned against one wall and looked back. “You’re right. It is easy to get turned around in this place.” The wall across from him had a mural with people, homes, and green countryside. He moved farther down to the next section. “Ben, look. The same family is in this painting. It’s a history. Here the father is playing a game with three boys while the mom looks on from the little home in the background.”

  Ben moved ahead. “The boys are a little older in this one, sire. The family is sitting at a table and all have their heads bowed, except the tallest boy. Over here the older boy is sneaking off to that bush. See him crouching down?” He looked closer. “And there’s a green creature. Huh. It’s as tall as the boy’s waist and peeking out from the bush. I wonder what it means.”

  Gilbert moved next to Ben and studied the painting. “This must be my grandfather and his three sons.” He looked behind him and saw murals on the other wall. “The entire family history must be here.”

  Two guards walked into the corridor. “Your Highness?”

  Gilbert stepped away from the wall. “Yes?”

  “King Roland wishes to see you.”

  Gilbert turned to Ben. “Guess we’ll have to explore another time.”

  “Don’t mind me, sire. I’ll find entertainment and food for myself. A dust bunny or tasty spider to nibble on. Don’t think about me. Really.”

  Gilbert rolled his eyes.

  Down several corridors and through a few narrow halls, the guards stopped at the solar. Etched into the rich walnut door was a carving of a tree with a wide trunk and hundreds of branches that reached out to the edges. He gently pressed his fingers along the indentations. A wide, golden handle reflected fire from torches behind him. “The only carving I’ve seen like this is in a table my father kept in his solar.”

  One guard cleared his throat. “Are you ready, Your Highness?”

  Gilbert pulled his hand back. “Yes.”

  The guard knocked. “Announcing his Royal Highness, Gilbert of Aerlis.” The guards stood at attention for what seemed like forever, waiting for his uncle’s permission to enter.

  So did Gilbert.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  At last, Uncle Roland’s deep voice sounded from inside his chamber. “Enter.”

  The guards opened the door and stepped back allowing Gilbert space to pass.

  His uncle sat by the window. He turned as the door creaked fully open. “Nephew, the color in your face tells me you’re refreshed. Good. Come, sit at my table. Breakfast has been prepared for us.” An assortment of fruits, meats, vegetables, breads, and cheeses arrayed several platters. Behind them stood flasks brimming with drink.

  The kindness in his uncle’s greeting made him feel welcomed, even hungry. Gilbert reached for a hunk of bread but stopped short of stuffing it in his mouth as he would have at home. The regal setting seemed to demand the propriety his tutor tried to teach him.

  His uncle filled his plate then waited before eating. “Would you like me to give thanks for the food?”

  “Yes, Uncle.”

  King Roland lowered his head and worded his thanks to the Great King then reached for the cheeses and figs and drank from his flask. “Tell me, what brings you to Vista? I heard you were crowned king. Does my brother need help? Or is he training you?”

  Gilbert set the hunk of bread back on his plate. Sadness welled up inside him. How could his uncle not know? “A dragon killed my father several days ago.”

  Roland’s eyes grew wide. He choked on his food, coughing and gasping for breath until tears came. He grabbed his flask and drank then inhaled a deep breath. “Cyrus is dead?”

  “I thought you’d heard by now, Uncle. You sent ambassadors to the coronation.”

  “Rumors run wild in a kingdom. I’d be a fool to believe every one told to me. The ambassadors I sent to confirm the information disappeared before returning. We searched for them and never found a clue.” He paused and swallowed hard. “Tell me what happened.” King Roland left the table and walked to the window.

  Gilbert joined him, sitting on the sill. “Father and mother went on a picnic to the Banyan Tree Forest by the Diaphonic River. Mother had discovered she was going to have a baby and they wanted to celebrate. Father knew she liked the trees that dangle branches over the river and the sweet flowers scenting the air there. The best knights escorted them because of her fear of dragons. Father hadn’t heard of any invasions deep into the kingdom and felt they would be safe on the outing.”

  Roland stood. He wiped a tear. “Dragons? What would give her reason to think those monsters would invade a relaxing place like the Banyan Tree Forest?”

  “I don’t really know, Uncle. Father didn’t talk to me about kingdom affairs. I have a lot to learn.”

  King Roland walked to the fire and stirred the coals. He held his hands up to flickers of flames and rubbed them together. “This is terrible news. I want to help. Tell me every detail you have learned.”

  Dredging up the event saddened Gilbert. He only complied with the request for information becau
se his uncle had asked. “While my parents ate, a dragon sneaked behind branches of the Banyan. Mother saw it first and screamed. Father drew his sword to defend her and was quickly joined by the knights. They fought the intruder in a colossal battle. The creature’s fire and power won when it killed my father and all the knights, except one.”

  King Roland’s breathing deepened. He turned away, clearly embarrassed. After a few moments, he looked up and wiped away tears. “What happened to your mother?” He inhaled a slow breath.

  Gilbert tried to speak, but let silence fill the room. It didn’t take long before anger overcame his spirit. He balled his hand into a fist and slammed it on the sill. “The monster clutched her into its treacherous claws and carried her off to the north. The sole surviving knight stumbled back to the castle to report the news.”

  Roland lowered his head. “I’m almost afraid to ask, but are thistles growing in Aerlis as well?”

  The question surprised Gilbert. “Yes, thistles are growing wild throughout the land. I’ve been told roses used to border fields of vibrant crops as they do here. Although, I don’t remember them.”

  Uncle Roland paced to the window then back to the fireplace. “Of all people, my dear brother Cyrus. Something or someone persuaded him to walk away from the empire’s teachings. He was as dedicated as I and knew what would happen if he turned from everything Father had established.” Uncle Roland stood quietly except for mumbling and blurting out a word here or there. He slammed one fist in the other hand and paced so fast anyone else doing the same would have been dizzy.

  Gilbert was afraid to say anything, but he knew he must. “Uncle Roland, I am king now, and I don’t know what to do. I’ve come to you for advice. I’m ready to learn and want to restore the empire’s ways in Aerlis.”

  Uncle Roland stopped pacing. He walked to the window and looked out at his kingdom. Heartbeats boomed in Gilbert's ears, waiting for a word from him. When his uncle finally faced him, his breath was deep, cheeks tear-stained, and he seemed to search for words to say.

  He placed a loving hand on Gilbert's shoulder. “What a great burden you carry. I loved your father very much. He and I were close. So very close.” He sniffed and wiped each eye with his sleeve then paused and sniffed again. “What have you done so far?”

  Gilbert didn’t know the correct answer to that question. He cleared his throat. “At first I intended to come straight to you.” His voice sounded as timid as he felt. “Shortly after my team rode north from the castle, we met a man and a woman. They shared their midday meal with us and talked about the empire’s teachings. They referred to a poem.”

  Roland sat down and placed his hand on his chin. “What poem?”

  Gilbert shrugged his shoulders. “I can’t recall all the words. Matthias memorized them. Let’s see, it started like this:

  In Sharon’s great expanse

  Salvation’s gift unfolds

  Hidden in the rock

  To many, truth untold

  Great Sacrifice required

  To right the stain

  Proved the only answer

  For true freedom. We claim.”

  Roland sat back in his chair. “Yes. I know these words. Your grandfather spent a great deal of time crafting them in an easy to remember form.”

  “It sounded official,” said Gilbert. “Although I didn’t know how the man and woman knew empire information. They left us at the camp and headed north into Malum, toward the original castle where Emperor Stephanas lived just as the poem instructed.”

  “Wait a minute. They went north?”

  “Yes. They did. We broke camp and turned onto the road heading west toward Vista. They called out to us. They ran their horses full speed from the northern route waving their arms. I didn’t know if the matter was urgent, so we waited for them to catch up to us.

  “The man guided his horse close to mine and showed me jewels he’d found at the very location described in the poem, proving the truth. They seemed honest. After all, they could have taken the empire’s entire treasury, yet came away with only a pittance.”

  Uncle Roland’s eyes widened. “You went into Malum?”

  Gilbert rolled his eyes. He didn’t want a lecture from his uncle. “Look, I know I shouldn’t have, but I am desperate to save Aerlis. Parchments with answers were supposed to be in the ruins. We went there and found them. I even saved three.”

  “Did you find the answers you wanted?”

  “Not exactly. One of the scrolls had the original inscription of the same poem recited by the man and woman.” The interrogation shook his nerves. He determined to stand up for his choice. “I’d go again if I felt the need.” Gilbert waited for a response. Anything. A grunt. A smile. Something.

  Uncle Roland turned toward the window for far too long before facing him. He gazed deeply into Gilbert's eyes. “You’ve never been told how to get the rose?”

  “No. I haven’t.”

  “I don’t understand why Cyrus didn’t tell you.” He pressed his hands together then looked up at the sky. Moments later his eyes held the wise counsel Gilbert longed for. “In time you’ll understand. Many will try to lead us astray and work to convince us of their words.”

  “What do you mean? Are you saying I shouldn’t have rescued those scrolls? Once we decipher them, we’ll have valuable information, maybe the answer to ridding Aerlis of dragons.”

  King Roland gave a half smile. “Everything you need is in the words handed down by your grandfather. I would have shared them with you right now had you not already found it. He tells how to find the rose in the verses you mentioned. Gilbert, I’m sorry I can’t give you what you need. You will have to get it yourself.”

  A guard opened the door. “Excuse me, King Roland. We have a situation.”

  “Enter.”

  The guard approached him and whispered.

  “Very well. Have the Royal Advisor meet me in the Great Hall. Also, call the court knights and all the castle staff.” He turned back to Gilbert. “Think on my words. We can talk more in a little while.”

  Uncle Roland picked up his royal cloak. “I don’t know why my brother walked away from Father’s teachings.” He paused and looked at Gilbert. “But you can restore your kingdom. If you are willing to do what must be done.” He walked out of the room.

  Just like that the conversation ended.

  Gilbert's jaw dropped. Uncle Roland’s counsel didn’t make any sense. Just thinking about his uncle’s words caused the wound on his head to throb. This deep secret, according to his uncle, had great power that could save a kingdom. The words in the scroll seemed wrapped up in a rose not Malum. But how?

  A guard greeted him in the hallway. “May I escort you, Your Highness?”

  “No thank you. Please point me in the direction of my chamber.” Gilbert followed the guard’s directions. As he walked, he planned to have a meeting with Ben and Lord Philip when he located them. He went through corridors, rounded several corners, and spent a few moments looking at the murals on the way to mark his path, but when he came across the same mural more than once he knew he needed a map.

  Farther down the hall, two servants stepped out of a room and into the corridor. They quietly closed the door behind them.

  “Come here,” Gilbert said, wanting to ask directions.

  Their eyes widened. One gasped as if caught in a wrongful act. They broke into a run.

  “Halt.” He gave chase but suddenly stopped when turning the corner and bumping into Ben. They hit shoulders and knocked each other back a step.

  “Sire. Where have you been? King Roland went to the Great Hall a while ago. I thought you would be with him.”

  “He was called to an emergency meeting and will speak with me again, later. Where is Lord Philip? He must be awake by now.”

  “His room is down this corridor. As far as I know, he hasn’t risen from his slumber. Follow me.” Ben led the way.

  “I want to tell you and Lord Philip what I learned from Uncle R
oland this morning.” Gilbert lowered his voice. “I’m thinking we need to go home and sort through all the information we have gathered so far. My uncle mentioned the secret of the rose. His emergency meeting called him away before he could tell me more. It seems to involve a quest. I’m not sure Aerlis can survive long enough for me to go on that kind of mission. I don’t know, maybe we need to figure out what to do on our own.”

  “Can we explore the Great Hall first?” asked Ben

  The castle had a lot of intriguing rooms, and he’d looked forward to seeing the hall too. “I guess we can while Lord Philip gets ready to leave.”

  Ben stopped at a door and knocked. “Lord Philip? Are you awake, Lord Philip?”

  “This is his room? I must have been really turned around while walking here. Knock again. He must be awake. Two servants left this room only a moment ago. I saw them. They had a tray with a cloth on top and probably picked up his morning meal. They seemed afraid when I came around the corner. Maybe they woke him and thought I’d punish them.”

  Ben shined his whimsical smile. “So, Lord Philip is playing another game with us?” He pressed one finger against his lips and quietly turned the knob. They stifled laughs while slowly pressing the door open. The two looked at each other, gave a count of three then burst into the room.

  Two steps later they came to a screeching halt. Lord Philip’s head hung flopped over the side of the bed. A large dagger protruded from his back.

  They ran to him. Gilbert held his hand above Lord Philip’s mouth and nose and didn’t feel his breath. “He’s dead? In Vista? I don’t understand. Why him? He didn’t do anything.”

  Ben pressed his hand on the knight’s chest. “I don’t feel a heartbeat.”

  Gilbert whispered, “We need to get out of this corridor and alert my uncle.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Gilbert backed out into the corridor. “Let’s get out of here. And, Ben, stick close. Really close.”