“My apologies your majesty. I assure you that I am not the man you are looking for. People say what they will in times of instability. But I am afraid you will do sufficient to have yourself removed without anyone’s intervention. The people are upset oh King. You sit up in your castle, sending out your men from behind your desk, but I walk the streets of this city… longer than you ever have. You would do well to listen to me.”
Mbede bowed slightly before he exited the room, leaving the king to sit back into his chair with a groan. Mbede was right the people were being stirred up, but a part of him knew that the old man was playing a greater part in it than merely walking the streets. He had put on a bold face in the presence of the man he had grown to distrust, but he could feel control of Aldor slipping from his fingers. He was desperate to know who was pulling on the other end.
Chapter 20
"I do love it when you play for me," his mother crooned, reaching out to touch his naked chin with her slender fingers, an affectionate smile on her tired face. Jahreed smiled back, even though her touch reminded him of his struggle to grow a full beard at seventeen, when his brothers had done so as early as fifteen. It was like his own body was plotting against him. But since his encounter with Ajorel in the woods, those thoughts did not bother him as much as before, a lot had changed for him… on the inside.
“You are getting better. Listening to you play today makes me happy in a way I do not understand.
“Thank you, mother,” Jahreed smiled up at her.
His mother had always been a great encouragement to him with his music. Though his father and brothers often scoffed at his pastime, his mother loved it. To him though, it was not just something he did to pass the time when night fell and the sheep were all safely tucked away behind their fences. It was something he loved and dreamed of doing in for the rest of his life, he had often dreamed of working in the kingdom as a minstrel to the royal family as a boy. But since his encounter with Ajorel those dreams had faded, and what was left in its place was a deep desire to serve El in any way he could. Now he reverently believed in the power of music to soothe the heart of it's worries.
That was why he played for his mother, because her heart was so often burdened with worry, worry over her husband's declining health, her two stubborn and troublesome older sons, worry over Jahreed, under their cruel mocking.
“It is so sad what happened with Ardie. I never thought Feather would do such a thing to her father, to her family. I’m so relieved that you are back and that she did not pull you into her rebellious ways. I mean, leaving her father for the affections of a man, without her father even meeting him. How scandalous!”
His mother sighed deeply, “I tell you; these young people are just so disrespectful to our traditions.”
“Mother please. I would rather not talk about Feather that way.”
“Oh yes my dear. I know she was a dear friend to you, we all thought that one day you two would be wed, you know.”
Jahreed nodded, “Yes I know… I thought so too.”
He paused, contemplating his experiences while in Stone Vale. Since returning home, he had thought of Tawnee and Feather. But more so he had thought about what happened to him in the woods with the prophet Ajorel. He knew that he had made a serious commitment to a way of life that was controversial to what they stood for as Aldorians. A new way where the common man could know and hear El’s voice for himself, where the kingdoms of men paled in comparison to the power of El’s kingdom. He wondered what it would be like to live in a kingdom ruled by El. He had found the secret community Ajorel had spoken of and he was learning a lot. Looking now at his mother he considered telling her about it, he truly believed that the light of El would drive the sadness from her heart, in a way his music never could.
“Mother?” he started, “I uh… I wanted to tell you something. I think it’s important for you to know how my life has changed since returning from Stone Vale.”
His mother frowned, “what is it my dear?”
“Well…about what happened to Feather. It wasn’t just about a boy. It was about an experience of a power greater than herself and any power in this world.”
Her mother looked troubled, “I know what you are talking about. She got caught up with those way followers.”
Jahreed shook his head, “she got caught up with the light and the truth and power of it’s source. Wouldn’t you get caught up with a way that connects you to a God you once thought was so distant? Wouldn’t you want to know more about a way that connects you to him and allows you access his power and voice for yourself? Not through the lips of ordained men only, but with your own ears and heart, intimately almost like I am speaking to you here.”
His mother’s eyes were glistening and he wasn’t sure if his words were stirring her to excitement or panic.
“The source of light hasn’t been found yet,” she said firmly.
“That is a lie, a lie spread about by a king who did not want to give up his power, to use the source instead of serve… him.”
His own eyes widened at the words he had just uttered. He did not know how he knew what he had just said, but he knew that it was the truth.
“King Kalgary?” his mother asked in surprise.
“No no,” he replied, “his father,” again another revelation he did not know he possessed.
His mother looked outraged, “and you believe this?”
Jahreed felt his chest tighten, he knew that his next words could drive a wedge between himself and his mother… or it could be the thing that saves her from the lies of this kingdom.
“With all my heart,” he said, holding her gaze boldly.
His mother leaned back in shock, “Jahreed…” she started, her tone dripping with sadness.
The front door opened just then interrupting the rest of his mother’s words. His oldest brother walked in. He paused at the threshold of the door way and locked cold eyes on Jahreed who was sitting at his mother's feet, with his instrument resting against his chest.
"Look at you!” he bellowed, “sitting inside like a lady with mother, when there is hard work in the field to be done. Put down that thing and come join us, we need you to help with herding."
Jahreed got to his feet immediately, his eyes pleading with her. He turned to his brother.
"Are we bringing them in already?" he asked as he secured his instrument in its bag and slung it across his shoulder. Since the unfortunate incident when he was a boy he was never far from his lute.
"The skies look set for a down pour, and we may have strong winds tonight," Waldon replied, "hurry," he commanded and turned away from the door.
"Be careful," his mother called as he dashed toward the door, "and do try to come home early."
He smiled at her, but he did not miss the disappointment in her eyes, "I am always careful, but you know I dare not make promises I might not keep," he smiled widely at her and hurried out the door.
Jahreed rounded up the last of the sheep and latched the fence behind them, his brothers had already completed their own duties for the day and were preparing to go into town. No doubt they were heading to the frowned upon tavern by the bay. Wenching was against the law in the kingdom of Aldor but that did not stop establishments such as the one his brothers were always visiting from thriving. He had heard that even some of the king's finest officers also frequented the place. He shook his head, if he were a soldier, he would never dishonour the king like that. He despised that kind of blatant hypocrisy. But he was also coming to see what the community was saying, Aldor was in bad shape. They had managed to filter the darkness, and set boundaries to the evil existing throughout Saharia, so that Aldorians could continue serving El in peace but those boundaries were clearly being eroded... from the inside. He saw it everyday in his brothers.
They were watching him now with mocking smirks in place as usual. As he walked towards them, he steeled himself against the inevitable unkind remarks.
"Aye brother," called his el
dest brother, "care ye to join us?"
His other brother Cain snickered, like the question itself was hilarious.
Jahreed shook his head, "No," he called back, "I’ll stay here and make sure everything is secure."
"Do not mind him Waldon," said Cain "we know he likes his women stringed and made of wood."
They both erupted in laughter as they turned and walked away. Jahreed shook his head, it was times like these that he was glad to be the youngest and that he had been a sickly child confined to his mother's side. That way he had learned how to respect a woman and had not turned out like his brothers at all.
He made his way toward the shed where his father was saddling his donkey. The old man looked up at him briefly.
"You are heading into town?" he asked.
Jahreed shrugged, they both knew that whenever he said he was heading into town what he really meant was that he was sneaking off to see the old bard. But this evening he had different plans.
"I do not think I will," he said, "I will take a walk through the forest, practice a little. See if Mister Hakus has any work for me and see what else the day brings."
“Is that the truth?” his father asked.
Jahreed turned to look up at him and what he saw reflected in his eyes gave him a chill. Before his mother stepped through the entrance, looking sad as she wrung her hands. He turned back to his father.
“More or less,” Jahreed replied to his father.
His father scoffed, “I hear you’re a religious man now… I’m not surprised that lies comes so easily to you.”
“Father?”
“I can’t believe that you believe those lies, that you come into my dwelling and spew those lies so boldly to your troubled mother. Have you no heart boy?”
Jahreed turned to look at his mother, who lowered her gaze as she whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“I told my mother the truth,” Jahreed said firmly, “you are the one who is being misled by enduring lies that leave you trapped in a way that only serves the darkness.”
“So, you do not even try to deny it,” the outrage in his father’s eyes would have shaken him to the core in the past. Jahreed had always lived in fear of him, but now his passion for what he knew to be truth overpowered his father’s disappointment.
“No, I do not. I believe in the source, El light lives in me and El’s voice directs me. I will never turn away from that.”
His father limped towards him and it took all of Jahreed’s strength to not back away from him.
“You will retract what you said to your mother and me, you will apologize for the disgrace you have brought to this house and we will never speak of it again.
He looked from his father to his mother, “not even for you, or for mother whom I love deeply can I deny the truth that has captured my heart.”
He did not think his father could look more disappointed in him, “alright then,” he said.
“If this is the path you choose. Then this is the last you will see of this house, your mother and the last you will see of me.”
Jahreed’s eyes widened, “but where will I go?”
His father seemed to smirk at him, “let the light of El direct you.”
Stay the course, he felt the words more than he heard it.
He tightened his fists at his side against the weakness of fear, “fine,” he said, “you do what you must and I will do what I must. I will leave, but I leave you with this. Darkness is coming to Aldor, it is already here, and it is only the light of El, not your pride in your past accomplishments that can save you from it.”
His father glared at him, “get out from here!” he shouted.
Jahreed backed away and as he did, his mother ran towards him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, much to his father’s irritation.
“Please son,” she pleaded.
“I can’t deny the Source mother.”
She stepped back, still holding his shoulders as tears streamed down her cheeks, “I know, I know that look in your eyes, I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“Let him go,” his father growled.
Jahreed reached up and took her hand, turning it so he could kiss the back of her hand, “I do not hold this against you mother. You did what you thought was right to do and I do not love you any less for it.”
He turned and he walked stiffly away, heading towards the house with the hope that they would atleast let him pack a small bag. The North was a relatively safe place, for those who had a place to shelter for the night. But elements of night were cruel and dangerous for a man without a home. But as El directed, he would stay the course. He still had time too see the princess.
✽✽✽
Jahreed tried not to fidget too much while the princess read the letter that Tawnee had given to him. A man of his word, he had not opened it, but now as the princess read it, taking more time than he thought the small note required, he wondered if he should have blindly trusted a stranger.
Finally, Princess Pearl lifted her gaze from the note and laid inquisitive eyes on him. For a moment he thought she reminded him of someone, yes indeed, Tawnee. The resemblance though was slight enough for him to doubt, it must have been quite a coincidence that Tawnee, a handmaiden from Stone Vale looked so much like the governor of his territory. Besides he knew that it was possible that the memory of her visage had already faded into the recesses of his mind. He shook away the thought, who was he fooling, those intense grey eyes and petulant pout was forever engraved in his memory.
“Hmm Mister Aron,” she smiled, “how did you enjoy your trip to Stone Vale?”
Jahreed perked up, this was surely not a bad sign, “it was lovely your highness. It is quite a historical site and I am eager to visit again.”
He bowed his head, “and please your highness, Jahreed is just fine. I am... just a shepherd”
The princess smiled, “you… Jahreed are more than just a shepherd. To command such glowing recommendations,” she waved the letter, “takes a person of great character.”
“Thank you, your highness, but I must take no credit. It is with the help of a friend of mine, a handmaiden who requested the letter from the princess on my behalf.”
Princess Pearl smirked, “do you know which princess gave you such accolades?”
Jahreed frowned, oh no, he had not bothered to ask Tawnee. With wide eyes he looked up to find the princess’ smirk deepening, so that a single dimple sunk deeper into her cheek. She was teasing him. He was not sure if this was good or bad.
“I am sorry… I… I did not think to ask.”
“You must really trust the handmaiden.”
He shrugged, “she gave me no reason not to.”
“Hmm,” the princess nodded, “I see. Very well. What brings you by, Jahreed son of Aron.”
Jahreed swallowed hard, this was it, he could feel that wave coursing through him, that mind-feeling warning him of how crucial his next sentences were.
“It is a matter that I consider to be very urgent your high one. I witnessed something in the woods near my family’s lands the other day that I think is of utmost importance.”
“Please do go on.”
He took a deep breath, “I sighted a Ma’jion, a beast unlike anything I have ever seen. It… killed my sheep and somehow spared my life, I fear that our flock and even our lives may be at risk.”
He watched her response closely, fully expecting to see a look of ridicule on her face, instead he saw a genuine frown. He could see concern stirring behind those calculating eyes.
“Are you sure? Ma’jions are magical creatures of legends, born of light magic, said to be one of El’s most prized creations… next to us of course.”
Jahreed nodded, “I thought they never existed as well. I thought they were just stories mothers told their children at night but… I saw a drawing of it during my days of school and… I am pretty sure your highness that that is what I saw.”
“I see,” she turned her head in the direction of
a stoic looking guard and nodded slightly. The man nodded in return and turned away.
“Jahreed is it?”
“Yes, your majesty.”
“I invite you into my gallery. There is something I would like to show you.”
“Really? You do not think I am joking; you are not going to make fun of me?”
The princess frowned as she pulled herself up from the seat, her hand immediately resting on her protruding stomach.
“I would never, even if it was worth making fun of. But you I believe have stumbled upon something very important. Ma’jions are not myths or mere creatures of stories, they are very real. But men’s cruelty drove them away from us, there is only one place I know where they felt safe. Come with me.”
Chapter 21
Deswald was enthralled by her, her smell, her laugh, watching her run her hands affectionately along his horse’s coat made him a little envious of his attention seeking steed. Ryder snorted and tossed his head at him, as if showing off. Deswald chuckled.
“Deswald, I love him. He is the most magnificent horse I have ever seen and I have seen my fair share of magnificent horses,” Ruby said, looking over at him with those magical eyes.
Deswald smiled proudly, “and he is quite the ladies’ man.”
Ruby giggled, “I can see why, you are a gorgeous beast,” she crooned.
Ryder snorted and bowed his head forward, shaking it from side to side. Ruby frowned and laughed, “oh what is he doing?”
“Looks like he likes you, he wants to press his forehead to yours. I thought that was only reserved for me.”
Ruby gasped, “really? Oh, I am honoured.”
She leaned forward and pressed her forehead to Ryder’s, this seemed to please the horse, his luscious tail waved in excitement.
“He must know how much his master cares about you.”
Ruby turned away from Ryder and laid those arresting eyes on Dewald, “I am sure he does.”
Kingdom's Darkness (Gemstone Royals Book 2) Page 17