Evil Within

by Richard S. Tuttle

  After the officer left, Lavitor rose from his chair. He could feel the weariness in his bones, and the knowledge that the princess was truly dead drained him emotionally, but he still had duties to attend to.

  Lavitor left his office and walked woodenly to the nursery. He eased the door open and saw the two princes sleeping in their cradles. Naveena was immediately on her feet and moved a chair close to the cradles for the king's advisor to sit down in.

  "You look tired, Lavitor," smiled Naveena. "Have a seat and gaze upon the future of Borunda."

  Lavitor smiled weakly, but he did take the offered chair. As he gazed upon the newborn infants, a smell of lavender pleasantly assaulted him. He turned to look into the smiling face of Naveena, and was immediately struck by how beautiful the woman was. He was amazed that he had never noticed her beauty before.

  "All of this dealing with death is not good for you," purred Naveena. "You need to concentrate more on the future and not the past. One of these infants is the future King of Borunda."

  "That would be Prince Garrick," smiled Lavitor. "They both appear to be quite happy and well cared for."

  "And I shall ensure that they always are," smiled Naveena. "Prince Zinan will constantly be by Garrick's side and will someday be the king's advisor as you now are. You should pay particular attention to him. He could use your tutoring. You have much wisdom to share with him."

  "An interesting thought," mused the king's advisor as he decided to sit. "A prince for an advisor?"

  "And why not?" replied Naveena. "They will grow up together and be the best of friends. Who better to look after the king's best interests?"

  Lavitor's eyes were glued to the wisper, and a strange longing rushed through his body. He barely knew the woman, but Lavitor felt as if he could trust her with his innermost secrets. He smiled boyishly at her.

  "How is the investigation going?" the wisper asked casually.

  "It is over," the advisor said softly. "Princess Orenda did die in the fire as was originally thought, but it appears that Zalman managed to escape."

  A tingle of fear rippled down Naveena's back. She could not afford for Zalman to survive, especially if there was any chance that he could identify her.

  "I am sure that your men will track him down," Naveena stated.

  "He is of no concern," shrugged the advisor. "His marriage to Orenda was never accepted. If you are worried that he will interfere in Zinan's upbringing, do not be. Even if he managed to survive the fire, he will have no say in the raising of his son. I see no reason to be concerned with his whereabouts."

  "You don't?" frowned Naveena. "What if he is the one who set the fire?"

  Lavitor's eyes glazed in confusion. "He would have no reason to start the fire," he stated. "If I even thought there might be a single reason to suspect him, I would have him hunted down and executed."

  Naveena smiled inwardly as her mind whirled. The opportunity proved to be too good to resist.

  "I think the man is highly suspect," frowned the wisper. "I did not want to mention this to you earlier because I did not understand what had happened last night, but do you remember asking about Flori when you came to my house?"

  "Of course," nodded the advisor. "I was concerned about her. The king was rather harsh on her earlier in the evening. What do you know that you are not saying?"

  "Well," Naveena began hesitantly, "Flori and Zalman were close friends, very close friends. Is it not strange that both of them managed to disappear at exactly the same time?"

  "Impossible," scowled the advisor. "How could he possibly reject Orenda?"

  Lavitor grew agitated and rose from the chair. He paced the floor in indecision as if torn between two opposing commands.

  "It has been going on for some time," Naveena said softly as she clinically observed the king's advisor. "Was there any reason for Zalman to want to see the queen dead?"

  Lavitor stopped pacing and turned to face Naveena in horror. Instantly he thought of Zalman's rejection by the royal family, and his mouth hung open in sudden realization.

  "Then the queen's death was no accident," swore the advisor. "Oh, cursed Zalman! One could not imagine a plot so vile and corrupt. I must advise the king immediately."

  "No," Naveena said quickly as she rose from her chair. "Eugeon's mind is confused right now. If you tell him the truth, he will not allow me to tend to the children. You must take care of this problem yourself."

  The thought of not informing the king repulsed Lavitor, but his heart understood what Naveena was saying. For some reason, he knew that the wisper was to be trusted, trusted above all others.

  "I must remain close to the children," smiled Naveena. "And you," she added as she blinked lovingly. "You can see that, can't you?"

  Lavitor was a man raised to respect protocol, and he had never abused his position for any reason, but his next move would have shocked any member of court who might have witnessed it. In three quick strides, he crossed the room and embraced the wisper. He kissed her passionately, and his heart sang loudly as the woman responded to him.

  "I love you, Naveena," Lavitor whispered.

  "And I love you," Naveena whispered back. "I will protect you against any foe."

  "As I shall protect you," promised the king's advisor.

  "And what of Zalman and Flori?" questioned the wisper.

  "I will have them hunted down and killed," Lavitor replied in a whisper. "They will learn that one does not hurt the royal family and get away with it, but I will also spare the king's fragile mind. There is no need for him to know the details of such a sordid affair."

  "Well spoken," grinned Naveena. "Go get some rest. We can talk later when you are refreshed."

  Lavitor obediently turned and walked out the door. As the door closed, a broad grin appeared on the wisper's face.

  "I never fully understood the power of the Talent," Naveena said to herself as she turned to gaze upon the sleeping infants. "Beware Borunda for your future now lies in my hands. You shall pay a thousand fold for the pain you have brought to me."

  * * *

  Three days of mourning followed the death of Queen Abigal and Princess Orenda. During those days of mourning, the dignitaries from across the Land of the Nine Kingdoms met among themselves and talked quietly, but King Eugeon was not seen. It was rumored that he had attended a private funeral service for his wife and sister, but he did not make an appearance at the public ceremony. After the proclaimed mourning period had ended, the dignitaries began to take their leave of the Royal Palace in Tarent for the trip home.

  "Shall we ride together?" asked King Hector of Salacia as he approached the Arin king.

  "It will give us time to discuss what has happened here," nodded King Caedmon.

  "What is there to discuss?" shrugged King Hector. "I would prefer to talk about brighter things than the death of royals. The affairs of the living are always preferable over the affairs of the dead."

  "Preferable, yes," nodded King Caedmon, "but in this case the affairs of the dead are more important to our future."

  "What are you talking about?" frowned the Salacian king.

  "The Land of the Nine Kingdoms has benefited from an unusual period of peace and prosperity," answered King Caedmon. "That is all about to change."

  "Change?" balked King Hector. "Because of the death of a woman?"

  "Two women," corrected King Caedmon. "I am not sure exactly what transpired in Tarent this week, but I am certain that we shall not enjoy the repercussions of it."

  "I think you are making too much of it," shrugged King Hector. "While it is a sad occasion for any family to have to bury loved ones, it is nothing that is going to change the relationships of our countries."

  "Isn't it?" retorted King Caedmon. "While the queen's death may have been unfortunate, there are indications that the death of the princess was a deliberate act. The murder of a royal has not occurred since the time of peace began. You too quickly forget the fear and suspicions that used to guide our
forefathers in their time of leadership."

  "Surely, you do not think that King Eugeon suspects a foreign agent of murdering his sister?" gasped King Hector. "Why would any of us desire to do such a thing?"

  "I don't think it was foreign in origin," stated the Arin king, "but who knows what King Eugeon believes. The fact that none of us saw him after his wife's death disturbs me greatly. There are certain protocols that any royal family must adhere to, and King Eugeon has abandoned them."

  "You are blaming him for not interrupting his mourning to say goodbye to us?" scowled King Hector. "That is incredible. The man has suffered his worst fear, Caedmon. Let him grieve in peace and shove the niceties of office aside. I am surprised by your words."

  "I mean no disrespect to the Borundan king," clarified King Caedmon. "In fact, I grieve for him. His loss has been severe by any measure, but ask yourself this question, given the same circumstances, would you have hidden yourself for three days while all the kings of the Land of the Nine Kingdoms awaited you?"

  The Salacian king gave serious thought to the question as they walked down the stairs and towards the exit from the palace.

  "No," King Hector finally answered. "A ruler's kingdom comes before himself. The death of the queen was not just a loss to Eugeon, but also a loss to the citizens of Borunda, indeed a loss to all of the Land of the Nine Kingdoms. As much as it pained me, I would force myself to observe the public role that was my right and duty. It is an obligation that cannot be forsaken."

  "Now you understand," King Caedmon nodded in satisfaction. "King Eugeon has lost the will to lead his country. That will create a power vacuum in Borunda, and the type of people that step into such a void are not the type of people that will want to support peace among the kingdoms. There are harsh times ahead for all of us."

  "Surely, the king's advisor can support Eugeon until he is strong enough to resume his duties," suggested King Hector.

  "That is another thing that is bothering me," admitted King Caedmon. "I have known Lavitor for a long time. He has always been the epitome of protocol, yet he also appears to be in a fog. He reacted well the night of the terrible events, but since that time he has failed miserably to uphold the dignity of the Royal Palace."

  "I did hear that he loved Princess Orenda," shrugged King Hector. "Perhaps he suffers from a similar fate as that of King Eugeon. We should not be so quick to judge others."

  "I am not judging them," countered King Caedmon. "At least not in the sense that you are talking about. My heart goes out to both men. I would never want to be in their shoes."

  "Then what are you saying?" King Hector asked with an air of frustration.

  King Caedmon turned and glanced back along the corridor before answering. "There is foul play afoot here, Hector," the Arin king declared. "I can not put my finger on the source of the troubles, but I am willing to wager that it is magical in nature."

  "Magical?" balked the Salacian king. "I pray that you are wrong. Only a fool would use the Talent for nefarious ends. It will consume its wielder completely. Are you suggesting that the wisper, Flori, really killed the queen?"

  "I am suggesting nothing of the sort," King Caedmon shook his head. "I am a fairly good judge of character, and that young woman was mortified that the queen had died. I think she would have preferred her own death to that of her patient. No, Hector, I am not accusing the wisper, but wispers are far from the only wielders of the Talent. Wispers are the public face of magic. They are the ones who openly declare their Talents and offer them to those in need. For every declared wisper, there are probably a dozen others who are capable with the Talent. Some hide it out of shame, others out of fear. A few others declare their capabilities but refuse to use the Talent. I presume that a city the size of Tarent might have thirty or more people capable of using the Talent to one degree or another."

  "If what you say is true," frowned King Hector, "Eugeon should have them all rounded up until he finds out who is trying to usurp his power."

  "King Eugeon is unaware of what is happening," replied the Arin king. "In any event, the one using the Talent would be the last one caught as he would be expecting such a move. I do not know the answer to the problem, Hector, but we can discuss it on our ride home."

  Chapter 3 - Talent Discovered

  Talent Discovered

  Lavitor woke up and smiled at the springtime sun shining through the window. Outside the birds were already chirping noisily, and the king's advisor wondered what the hour was. Being careful not to wake Naveena, he slowly got out of bed and tiptoed to the window. He eased the window open and deeply inhaled the brisk, fresh air. The chill invigorated him.

  "Are you trying to freeze me?" groused the wisper. "Shut the window."

  "Sorry," apologized Lavitor. "I didn't mean to wake you, but it appears that we have slept in quite late this morning. We should hurry up and get downstairs."

  "And who is going to complain if we are late?" retorted the wisper. "You don't think after ten years of sleeping in that someone is suddenly going to complain to Eugeon, do you?"

  "Actually," frowned the advisor, "many have already complained to the king. He has spoken about it to me many times over the past few years."

  "And you never told me?" questioned Naveena. "Why?"

  "I knew that it would upset you," shrugged Lavitor. "Besides, you know he has trouble concentrating on anything for longer than five minutes. I merely change the subject, and he forgets that he has spoken to me about it."

  Naveena looked thoughtfully at her lover as she got up and got dressed. Suddenly a smile spread across her lips.

  "Prince Garrick will need a regent soon," she stated casually. "How is that handled?"

  "The Crown Prince will not need a regent as long as the king lives," frowned Lavitor. "Eugeon may be senile, but he is in very good health. He has many years left in him. He has just never recovered from Abigal's death."

  "Perhaps you are right," pushed the wisper, "but I am still curious about how a regent is selected, and you avoided answering my question."

  "Normally the king would specify the regent in his will," shrugged Lavitor.

  "Normally?" echoed Naveena. "Your choice of words leads me to believe that Eugeon has not done so."

  "Actually," admitted the advisor, "King Eugeon has no will. I have been pestering him for years to complete one, but each time I bring the subject up, he waves me away. I frankly don't think he cares what happens to Borunda after he dies."

  "He doesn't care much what happens to Borunda while he is still alive," laughed Naveena. "Why should that change after he dies?"

  "Don't make fun of the man," frowned Lavitor. "In the early days there was not a finer king than Eugeon anywhere in the world. Abigal's death destroyed the man. He will never recover from that fateful day."

  "I meant no disrespect," apologized Naveena, "but I am still curious about the selection of a regent. That has not happened in Borunda in hundreds of years. What will it be like?"

  "The Council of Advisors will convene," explained Lavitor. "They will draw up a list of eligible regents and then call for an assembly of the full court of Borunda. The assembly will vote on the matter and a new regent will be selected."

  "Doesn't Prince Garrick have a say in the matter?" inquired the wisper.

  "At ten years old?" frowned the advisor. "I suppose he could state a preference, but he is rather young yet to make such a decision. I think it would be best if his wishes were ignored."

  "Well, I don't," declared Naveena. "Garrick is the Crown Prince and running this country will fall to him soon enough. If we do not have enough faith in his decisions to even consider them, then what hope is there for our future?"

  "But he is only ten," objected the advisor. "Sometimes I think you are trying to mature these young boys too quickly. Let them be boys a while longer. Let them enjoy their carefree youth before being saddled with the weight of office."

  "The boys are of the royal family," countered Naveena, "and I th
ink I am eminently better qualified to measure their capabilities than you are. While you may have expertise in protocol, I alone understand the capabilities of the princes. Do not presume to tell me how to raise them."

  "I'm sorry," the advisor said as he retreated from the window and started getting dressed. "I didn't mean to upset you. I was just stating my mind."

  "I understand," Naveena smiled warmly. "I guess I am rather overprotective of the boys, but I do think they are capable of far more than anyone suspects. How are the lessons with Zinan going? Is he learning your skills at an appropriate pace?"

  "Zinan is an extremely intelligent lad," Lavitor answered. "He is capable of many things, but his heart is not in the task before him. I know you expect him to become advisor to his cousin, Garrick, but it is not what Zinan wants to do with his life."

  "And what do you think he wants to do with his life?" questioned the wisper.

  "Many things," laughed Lavitor, "but being Garrick's advisor is not one of them. At times he wants to be a great warrior, or a spy, or a traveling minstrel. His desires are typical of a young boy. He seeks travel and excitement."

  "I will have a talk with him about his attitude this morning," Naveena declared.

  Lavitor cringed at the thought of being the source of the lad's discomfort. He never wished to bring Naveena's wrath down on anyone. He knew how hard her words could sting.

  "Don't be too hard on him," Lavitor offered meekly as he opened the door and slipped out of the suite.

  Naveena turned to lash out verbally at Lavitor, but it was too late; the door had already closed. She laughed heartily at his fearful exit. As she finished dressing, her mind dwelt on the thought of the regency. For ten years she had been successful in pulling herself into a position of power within the palace, and it had been so terribly easy. She had managed to keep Eugeon in a state of senility by constantly bringing up his failure to protect his wife and sister, and seducing the king's advisor had been no challenge at all. Lavitor was so incredibly susceptible to mind persuasion magic that the task was hardly work at all. So why not go for the ultimate power?