"There is no point in talking to the lamb. He is too young," Neighraellium insisted. "Just now, that Northern King is roaming through our lands hunting at will. Is this Divox? Do we let anyone who wishes enter, hunt, and kill whoever they wish on a hunch?"
"I don't believe the Cassenneth King is even in our country. No King would journey so far from their nation. Alone traipsing around on the other spectrum of the continent, so far from his homeland? Nonsense. It's foolish. How can we trust the source? Probably thieves themselves," Laelliandir argued.
"True, my lord," Lonewolf agreed. "Thieves, bounty hunters and treasure hunters are likely the ones that tipped us off. But why would they share the information? It is how they work. They could hunt for him themselves, but to what purpose? They need us to be aware, so we could offer a reward. They will not lie for a bounty knowing they cannot claim it. It's how they do business."
"Funny how much you know about the underworld, Wolf." Laelliandir taunted, but Lonewolf just shrugged.
"Whoever doesn't know the inner workings of scoundrels should educate themselves before they fall victim, Lord Laelliandir. You're a ruling man now. You must learn how criminals operate." Lonewolf took pleasure getting under the young Javalla's skin.
"This conversation has no order. It's like listening to schoolboys argue on who has the bigger prick. Jousting with spears, jousting with words. All of you just shut up. We are doing what is best for this country, and Laelliandir, you accept it, or we will strip you of all power and make an example of you. You run back home, and you prepare. Rid your mind of the doubts. You are not above the law, and you'll soon learn your esteemed name will not carry you forever. I rule your arguments unneeded and paranoid. This is the new order. There is nothing to discuss. We have already dispatched scroll to the other kingdoms, and they have four months to comply or fall. We will unite as one." The High Queen stood again casting a haughty glance at Pathorus followed by Neighraellium.
"Pleasant to see you as always, my High Queen," Neighraellium told her with a generous smile.
"Wolf. Keep looking for a doctor to fix his despicable eyes. Neighraellium, wipe that nasty grin off your face, or I'll have my guards do it for you. You aren't any more above my wrath than he." The High Queen finished her scolding and turned to walk towards the back door, followed by several personal guards. Neighraellium glared at her. He had grown to hate the High Queen with a passion, but he had done well to keep his thoughts to himself.
"Is there anything else?" The High King asked Laelliandir.
"I came for counsel, and I have received it and will obey." The High King nodded.
"I hope so. I like you, Laelliandir, and I would hate for you to do anything to change that. Our minds are made up, and that is the end of it. With time, I believe you will find the new order much more appealing than the old one. Although change can be scary, adapting is something fundamental that we all must learn." Laelliandir bowed once more.
"Yes, my King."
"Neighraellium, Wolf. Excuse yourselves." The two men rose to leave. "I would let you stay in the castle longer, but I think until you, your uncle, and Wolf have worked through your differences, the situation must remain as it has these last few months. You are welcome to stay in the city a few nights before your journey back." Pathorus walked down to his bowed servant as Lonewolf and Neighraellium followed out the back door after the High Queen. "Rise son," Pathorus said. Laelliandir obliged and stood to his feet. There was so much more he wished to say but knew there was no way he could reverse decisions already made. With his father gone, he was no longer respected. Instead, they treated him as if he were a foolish child. Nothing made sense anymore.
"Your Grace."
"You're Lord of Gargurthian now. An esteemed title and I trust you to do the right thing. Don't waste your life meddling and fighting against the rule of the world. You don't have to agree with everything. I don't agree with everything the Queen says, but I know when to stop a pointless battle. After we are all united as one kingdom, you, your mother, your brothers and sisters will probably govern various provinces. The house Javalla still means a great deal to us, and we respect it, but you must learn patience and tame that beast within that wants to go against everything you see as unjust. Sometimes you must endure injustice to reach justice. It's the way of Xio's world." Laelliandir did not agree, but he saw an opportunity to further his agenda. The High King had always been more stable and rational than the cruel High Queen.
"I appreciate your wisdom, your Grace. Perhaps you can share more counsel over wine tonight? Somewhere in town, perhaps?" The High King smiled and shook his head regretfully.
"So, you can fill my head with your ideas of liberty?" Pathorus flashed a genuine smile. "I would love to, but you would not be comfortable being hounded by so many royal guards, and I have not left the castle in months. There are likely spies around every corner. Besides, I know what you're up to, and it won't change my mind. Even if you managed to, the Queen wouldn't change hers." Laelliandir pasted a fake grin on his face.
"Perhaps another time. I appreciate you meeting with me this day, my king."
"Perhaps."
The meeting had gone terribly, but as expected. Laelliandir had held little hope that his opinion would change anything, but he knew now that his words were less than nothing to most of them, and they did not share his fears. This did not hinder his determination, but only made it that much clearer to him what he needed to do. He could not take the High King's advice any more than he could set a murderer free. If nobody else would stand against Nova, he felt it was his duty to do so. To Laelliandir, this was his calling and personal mission handed down to him by his God, Xio. And to Laelliandir, Xio's will was far stronger than the commands of the deluded High King and Queen. He would not stay at Nova this night. He would ride further south to speak to the lords of the remaining kingdoms, and not only bring them a warning but hope.
Chapter Seven
The Harbinger’s Rebellion
O nce Laelliandir decided to unite his loyalists on a campaign of justice, there was no room for doubt and no turning back. He, along with his supporters, strategized to prevent Nova from achieving ultimate power. In his mind, Laelliandir was on a quest for justice, and nothing was more important to the young Javalla leader.
Thus, Laelliandir sent word back home he would be delayed, but he did not elaborate further. His mother was both disappointed and suspicious of this news while Bella was inconsolable. Luminear wished him well, and out of respect for her beloved Zynoa, she even said nightly prayers for him as she also did for Lonewolf. Although not a believer in Xio, she figured it would not hurt to keep them close in her thoughts.
After Laelliandir galloped away, Bella was desolate. She missed him more with each passing day, but after they received word he would not soon return, her sadness turned into frustration and anger for having been left behind. This motivated her and heightened her desire to train and fight. Thus, Bella practiced on her sword work, day and night. Over time she realized she had fallen in love. She felt foolish and dumbfounded. How could that have happened? She had long boasted she would be a fighter and an adventurer with no need or desire for a man. She had believed Luminear would be the one to fall under some man's spell. How had this happened to her? She had no clue why she felt the way she did for the older boy, but it drove her mad. As the months passed, Bella's intense feelings eased, and she spent more time with Luminear, Fern, and Markus.
Laelliandir too thought of Bella often, but his primary aim was to do right by his country. He was protecting his family even if they didn't understand it, and he pushed his own personal feelings back into the shadows of his mind. He was a man that did not dwell on such matters for they served to only complicate everything he was trying to achieve.
With the passage of time, Lady Laella adapted to Albatros. At first, they spoke not a word to one another, and he spent most of his time working around the city. After Laelliandir left, Laella had no adult around her
, only her younger children, none old enough to share her confidences. Because of her loneliness, Lady Laella confided in Luminear who had a keen interest in her and enjoyed playing with her children. While her conversations with Luminear were not too deep, at least not initially, she kept her near, during Bella's time of emotional solitude. Laella attempted to reach out to Bella too, but Bella tended to be standoffish. Laella understood Bella’s moodiness so she didn’t push her too much on private matters, but to help fill Bella’s time and the hole Laelliandir had left, Laella enlisted a local swords master to help with Bella’s training.
Luminear also befriended Albatros. Even though neither spoke to her about their marriage, Luminear understood the unique and painful situation Laella and Albatros found themselves in, and her caring nature led her to persuade Laella to give her husband a chance. Luminear was often the voice of reason to everyone around her and helped console them all the best she could. It was not out of obligation, but something she enjoyed doing.
Soon Laella offered Albatros timid invitations to eat supper with her. Gradually they opened to one another, and she also invited him to share breakfast. By Albatros' fourth month in Gargurthian he was drinking wine, sharing stories, and playing games with the children with Laella's blessing. He had won her over and become a welcome addition to the Javalla family. Luminear took pleasure in watching Laella laugh again, and although Albatros never did, she could tell he was far more comfortable with their company than in solitude fixing and working on whatever the city needed.
While Laelliandir was away dipping his hands in treason and rebellion, the Javallas back home grew very close. Tensions had lessened and the wound from Orion Javalla's death continued to heal. Laella Javalla began to accept her new life and eventually reached out to Luminear and Bella and gifted them the one thing she felt they needed most, a sense of belonging. After their strange upbringing, losing their loved ones, and now being asked to be part of an unlikely family, Laella felt it was time the girls knew they were not only welcome but family.
"You will put aside the names of no origin as I welcome you, not only to my home but to my house. From this day until the day you take unity with another, you will be a Javalla by name as I regard you as my daughters. Luminear Javalla and Bella Luna Javalla. I accept you as my family until, by choice, you find another. In family we accept you. We welcome you. Until death parts us, we protect you. Until the end. It's who we are." While neither Bella nor Luminear had concerned themselves with their name of origin, they were both overjoyed. Having Laella Javalla receive them into her life was one of the most moving gifts anyone had ever given the two. Luminear, not even trying to hide her appreciation, cried in happiness to be a genuine part of a family. Even Bella, for as much as she tried acting aloof was stunned by the gesture and thanked Laella for her welcome.
Luminear and Bella might have thought little of Laella at first, but as the months rolled on, Laella proved herself to be both strong as a lioness yet as gentle as a dove. After everything the woman had endured, she not only remained the ruling Lady of Gargurthian from Garroth, but she did so with grace, setting aside her damaged past, and unseemly marriage predicament. Regardless of her circumstances, she held herself in pride and dignity. Laella was the embodiment of the Javalla name and represented to perfection the entire line of the noble house. Luminear and Bella could not have been prouder for such an accolade of belonging.
After Laelliandir had been gone for almost two years, Laella gave the sisters a seat at council for small matters, nothing too demanding nor anything of a confidential nature. However, she wanted them to attend the weekly affair to listen to discussions on city events including entertainment venues, and hear requests, complaints, and suggestions from the townsfolk to understand the nature of some of her duties. It would not only give them insight on the inner workings of the Javalla family's obligation, but to one day prepare them. Being older than her birth children, aside from Laelliandir, Luminear and Bella were coming to an age where responsibilities now fell on their shoulders. This gesture of inviting them into the Javalla house was far more important than carrying a surname and gave the girls a greater sense of duty. For this opportunity, Luminear and Bella expressed appreciation, but also wondered if they could live up to Laella’s expectations.
While life in Garroth continued, Laelliandir had busied himself founding a dangerous rebellion, by first riding into each of the remaining free countries to have a word with their lords. Each lord had received Nova's proposal to surrender or fall. Not one of them planned to fight back. They were outnumbered, outmatched, and resigned, but upon Laelliandir's arrival, all of that changed. One by one, he convinced the leaders to rally together and take a stand. This was not the Divox they loved, he argued. Things could be different, and they believed him. From all around Divox he'd gained support, even many within Magwhen itself.
Laelliandir spent the months leading up to their supposed surrender working with them and creating a unified force. He proposed the people migrate to a location far south of Nova where there was a rumored haunted forest. The forest extended from the base of a black mountain to the ocean, and an inky mist covered it. It was no easy feat convincing the other lords to bring their people into such a dangerous wood, but Laelliandir would brook no resistance. Fixated on the idea that the people needed a secure place to hide out, he first escorted the lords of the selected kingdoms on an expedition where they ventured into the foggy forest and explored the terrain for a few days. What they discovered was the forest did not seem so much haunted as challenging to navigate. Visibility was almost non-existent with the ever-present mist, but the plentiful resources made the forest a prime location for their mission. After re-emerging, the group took a vote and five to three agreed that this forest would become their base of operation to not only elude Nova but eventually to overthrow the High King, Queen, and Neighraellium from power.
Laelliandir's popularity had grown in Divox. The people appointed him head of the rebellion and titled it, The White Turban rebellion. Each member tied a white turban around his head before any operation. Since they came from different nations and none of them wore the same armor, they settled upon the turbans to distinguish their group from the rest. Although the lords knew who Laelliandir was, they did not reveal his identity to the common folk. To them, he was just the man in white who they addressed as The Harbinger.
As promised, the Nova lords waited four months for a response from the remaining kingdoms. No reply came, so the leaders assumed the four nations chose war over submission. By the time Nova assembled their armies and marched to greet their stubborn fellow kingdoms, they found the lands abandoned. Neighraellium, Lonewolf, various other generals, and captains took part in the march but had no strategy mapped out for such an event, so they planted Novanian flags and claimed the kingdoms as a territory of the new order, Kingdom of Nova.
At that point, they marched all the way back to Nova with the tale of conquering the deserted lands, but the missing thousands upon thousands of men and women were most unsettling to the Maelor Overlords. While they established the new order, in theory, there was a vague threat that the missing people might strike at any point. Where the danger lay, no one knew.
The time came when Lonewolf could travel outside Magwhen of Nova to visit Gargurthian, but due to the unforeseen circumstances, Ishanna and Pathorus Maelor sent him along with Neighraellium on a new expedition to explore the lands south of Nova, Sangorus, Verdia, Verdan, Nabor, Athran and Neweora in pursuit of suspicious activity. The Overlords also sent word to Laelliandir of Gargurthian to search in Nyflia and Ordros, along with navigating the entire eastern border of Lamisdoria to assure all was in order. A battalion of Novanian soldiers led by other generals scoped out the western countries nearest to Nova, Aviway, and Malor. Where had all the people from the last four kingdoms evacuated? The King and Queen could not punish them until they were found. How dare they resist?
In Laelliandir's absence, Lady Laella received Nov
a's request and launched a hunt herself, acting as if Laelliandir was present and obedient. She realized her son was involved in whatever scheme was unfolding, but she kept all political matters to herself. It was a burden she carried in solitude. Laelliandir and the White Turban rebellion made their presence known during Lonewolf and Neighraellium's expedition in the south by luring them into multiple traps. An army of soldiers entered the abandoned capital of Verdan, Shiru, and the Novanian horde came into the empty city and made it their base of operation, but on their first night in the vacant city, they got an unpleasant surprise. Thousands of rebels who had been hiding out in the surrounding forests ambushed them. Laelliandir ordered the city to be burned in the night, and Shiru became a prison of flames. By the time the soldiers woke, they had found themselves in great peril. Many escaped, but most did not. By morning Shiru was scorched, and a white flag left standing, along with one white turban upon the tip of a steel flagpole.
Neighraellium and Lonewolf's soldiers also found themselves in trouble in the country of Verdia after spotting and following thousands of footprints leading them further south. It was another ruse Laelliandir and the rebellion had conjured, which assured no good would come to the Novanian soldiers in pursuit. After a few days of tracking these footsteps, they vanished upon the base of a nasty southern marsh, which bordered the misty, haunted forest where the rebellion lived. Into the night Neighraellium ordered the troops to make their way through the swamp past the point where footprints ceased. Where else could the rebels have gone but through the marshes? Such were Neighraellium's thoughts on the matter. Lonewolf convinced Neighraellium to hang back with him and follow the men instead of leading them into the wetlands for he had an eerie feeling. His premonition proved correct as a few miles into the marshes the bog became perilous, acting like sinking sand. While it was thick with mud and gunk, it was not at all stable. With each step they took, the soldiers sank deeper into the bog. By the time they realized the footprints had been a trap, Neighraellium and Lonewolf ordered the soldiers to turn around, but it was too late for many. The more they struggled, the faster they sunk. Over half their army never made it out of the marsh. At sunrise, the remaining troops saw the ongoing dangerous swamp. It stretched on for miles, and in the exact center of the bog, another white flag with a white turban hanging at its tip stood tall.
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