by Heath Pfaff
"I serve this country as I see fit, giving what needs be given for the betterment of the people. Marriage to Lheec's daughter would serve no purpose other than to put me further into Lheec's pocket. He wants total control of the throne, and Bell was just another tool to get him that. I would be no man at all if I had taken that offer. What would you expect of me?" I responded in my coldest tones.
Ethaniel's gray eyes cut at me, ripping me to pieces with hidden malice, and his black eyes, once tinged with blue, were like two lumps of coal staring out from his tight-jawed face. I wondered for a moment if he was about to strike me down.
"I would expect you to do your duty and make Lheec's daughter scream like a whore if it's what was necessary to secure a stable political situation." His words were bitter and hard, and it seemed for a minute they almost shocked him as much as they did me. He paused before continuing. "To serve the country, you must be willing to make sacrifices. You've insulted Lheec, and there is no doubt that we will pay a heavy toll for that.
"I spoke with my informants today, and they bring me troubling news." The leader of the Knight's of Ethan grew calmer as he spoke, but I could tell the anger had not left him, merely been suppressed through some titanic effort.
"Lheec has amassed a sizable force at the borders of his clan's holdings. My spies tell me, and I have confirmed this with my vision, that there are representatives from all of the ten major clans, and many of the minor ones as well, including some of the rebel clans. It seems obvious to me that Lheec is not merely bolstering his clan's defenses." Ethaniel's voice was almost calm by the time he finished.
I stood in silence. There was only one reason that Lheec would amass an army, and its presence boded ill for me. That was troubling. What was more troubling was that all the clans that had sworn allegiance to me were backing him. It came as a strong blow to discover that those I thought trusted my judgment, were secretly plotting my downfall.
"I have tried to serve them well." I said, suddenly feeling the weight of the world upon my back. "My decisions have always been for the betterment of the country."
Ethaniel nodded. "You have. Every choice you've made has been the right one, in regards to how you're handling the countries business. However, every choice you've made politically has been the wrong one, and that is what really matters in the end. Lheec, for what it's worth, apparently was willing to offer you one last chance, in the form of his daughter's hand in marriage. No doubt when he learns of what has transpired, we will see what the purpose of this army he is building really is."
"I've done the right thing." I muttered in disbelief, unwilling to accept the betrayal that loomed before me.
"In hard times, like we've had while we recover from the Hungering attack, the common people need a villain. You've allowed yourself to be placed in that role, Lowin." He used my name, and not my title, a rarity for Ethaniel. I looked to his black eyes, and it seemed that there might be compassion somewhere beneath his anger. His moods seemed to flow as swiftly as a flooded river.
"Lheec gives to the country, for he has nearly endless resources, and he does so as boisterously as possible. The people know where their relief supplies are coming from, and even they believe his family should sit the throne. Every problem is laid at your feet, and every success is laid at his." Ethaniel added.
". . . and I would serve the country better by pandering to Lheec's corruption?" I asked, still trying to stifle my indignation and anger at the situation.
"Yes. You would serve the people better by doing what was necessary to assure that they received the supplies and resources they need to grow and thrive. What's more, you could bring about another war, simply because you're not playing the games of state. Do you think the people need another war?" Ethaniel's words brought up questions I didn't want to face.
When I had agreed to become the king, I had never anticipated that I would spend so much of my reign fighting to keep the nobles happy. As a Knight, I had seen the king as an absolute authority, but as king, I saw that, in truth, the position was only as powerful as those who supported it.
"I don't understand how they could even consider the possibility of another war. We're still recovering from the damages wrought by the Hungering. What is wrong with Lheec? Would he really take us into another war simply because he wants more control over the crown?" I could hear the anger in my words, and knew that my temper must also be obvious to Ethaniel. I tried to cool the fire burning inside me.
"You are the Maimed King, Lowin. You are a monster to them, and not even a strong one. They see you as a warrior past his prime, who preys upon the weak for pleasure, and uses his position to live in comfort while the common man suffers. Lheec withholds supplies to the people, except for when he's visiting, and has his underlings whisper lies about how he would send more supplies, if only King Noble would allow his caravans into the cities more frequently." Ethaniel explained dryly.
"Those are lies!" I snapped, my anger boiling forth again. From the darkness inside of me, the sounds of teeth gnashing rang through my mind. "He's . . ."
"Preparing for your fall and you're just making it easier for him. Why don't you at least take a new arm? We could have a Fell Beast brought in from the mountains. If the people saw you whole again they might . . ." Ethaniel began, but we had gone this course many times before.
"No," I cut across his words. "I won't do that." I refused to explain to Ethaniel that I feared that joining my body with another Fell Beast would make it even more difficult for me to keep the darkness at bay within me. Already my dreams were haunted by the memories of the creature whose limbs I wore, and I did not wish to risk losing anymore of myself to the beast.
"There are other options." Ethaniel said, and I could tell by his tone he was growing frustrated with me. I knew, as well, where his next suggestions were going. "The Uliona still wish to reestablish their contract. They see your position as a Knight, as an assurance that their sacrifice would not be abused."
"I will not do that." The anger was bare in my voice with this denial. My first love, Kyeia, had been a Uliona bound by the contract. She had given her life so that I might have the eyes which had granted me all my strength and abilities. I had loved her, and in the end her death had destroyed some part of me. The only thing that remained of Kye was her eyes, and our daughter, born of her dying mother, who was lost to the Hungering, somewhere far across the sea.
"I will not allow others to die so that we can build a new army." I growled the words as I spoke them.
"The people need the Knights, Lowin. They need to feel that their king, and his military force, can provide them with safety in even the most dangerous of times. The Uliona see this as well. That is why they are offering the contract again. Don't let your personal feelings get in the way of making a choice that would be best for the people. The Uliona want our protection." Ethaniel pressed.
". . . and I've offered it to them." I shot back. "The kingdom of men shall be at their beck and call if they need assistance. We don't need the contract of bonding to assure that."
Ethaniel continued to push, unwilling to give in. "You're ignoring the greater problem. You've made the creation of the Black Patch Brigade illegal, and you refuse to allow the creation of more Knights of Ethan. The kingdom of man's forces are already weakened, and you're not allowing us to grow any stronger. You steadfastly refuse to allow the people that which would make them feel secure again. Among all the choices you've made, this is the one that they see as most unjust. You're denying them their heroes."
"I'm denying them more monsters, Ethaniel. You know what we are, or have you lost the last remnants of your humanity? Creatures such as we should not exist. We have too much power. The people fear us." I'd played this argument over and over again in my mind. Every time I came to the same conclusion. The Knights of Ethan, while a valuable military asset, were too powerful to be safe. One corrupt leader could make of them a terrible weapon. One man like Lucidil could tear the world apart to reach hi
s ends.
The first Knight's eyes flared with murderous rage, but his hand did not so much as twitch towards his weapon. I was not wearing my sword, and I felt suddenly vulnerable without it.
"The people fear us, but they love us as well. They feel better knowing that we exist, but if you will not be compelled by sense for their good, do it for your own. If you accept the Uliona contract, you could take a second binding, and your arm would . . ." The Knight of four eyes began, but I had to stop him.
"What do you mean by, 'take a second binding?' That's not even possible." I had never heard of such a thing.
Ethaniel shook his head. "You're wrong. We've known it was possible for some time, but the original contract forbade such a practice. We could make an exception this time. It would grant you almost twice as much power as you already have, and your body would heal. With a revitalized, strong, king before them, the people would have to accept you."
I took a step back, shock rippling through me. "But the eyes. . ."
". . . are only needed for the first binding. Once a candidate is found who is compatible for binding, it is quite likely they could be bound again. The eyes would not need to be transferred. You already have one set of Uliona eyes, and they would facilitate the necessary channeling of power. You would only need to take the crystal and seal the binding, and your power would increase beyond our understanding." Ethaniel finished for me. I was horrified.
"No. I will never do that. I could never take another life for myself. That is far and away the most terrible suggestion you've ever come to me with." I told Ethaniel, who stood looking at me, now with an expression of barely restrained contempt on his features.
"What will you have us do when Lheec's men are pounding upon our gate, demanding entrance?" Ethaniel's voice was razor edged, heavy with "the voice."
I turned my back on the other Knight and began to walk away from him, back towards the courtyard. "I will do what has to be done when, and if, that time comes. We'll not speak of this again, Ethaniel, not ever." I walked out into the chill, looking for Malice, who I knew would still be hard at work with her forms. I half expected for Ethaniel to come lunging after me, his sword raised to strike me down, such was the rage I felt emanating from him. He did not come, though, and I was thankful for that. He would have killed me.
I found Snow and Malice together, Snow watching silently over Malice as the green-eyed girl repeated the forms of sword combat, a mix of three different styles taught to her by Snow. She moved slowly, making each motion as controlled and perfect as possible. Slowed down, and concentrating fully on the task at hand, her form seemed flawless. For a moment I could imagine that Malice was her old self once more. She paid no attention to me as I drew near. Snow, however, turned to greet me. We walked a few paces away from our concentrating friend, where we could talk privately.
"What was that about?" Snow queried softly, nodding her head in the direction from which I'd just come. I looked and saw that Ethaniel had gone.
"My advisor was informing me of my options in our current tense political situation." I chose my words carefully, unwilling to discuss the exact nature of our conversation. I wasn't certain whether I was ashamed of what I'd said, or if I was ashamed on Ethaniel's behalf, for what he had suggested. Either way, I did not wish to speak of it any longer.
Snow nodded. "They say you've lost your edge, that you're not the same man who slew the black drakes during the war. I hear few kind things."
"I know." I said, for I was well aware of the rumors and speculation that surrounded me. "A king of war was raised to the throne, and so far that king has done nothing but bring misery to the people. I'm cursed with exceptional hearing."
"What will you do?" Snow asked.
I thought for a moment, my mind spinning in circles. What could I do to recover a reputation that was already so sullied? Though I had done nothing wrong, I had also not taken the proper steps to put myself in the people's good graces.
"I could marry Lheec's daughter. That would make Ethaniel happy, and make Lheec happy." I said tartly.
"Wennia is a beautiful girl. She's also considered quite intelligent, with a bright and business capable mind." Snow offered, referring to Lheec's older daughter. "Though I believe she's engaged already."
I shook my head. "Not that daughter. Lheec wants me to marry his other daughter, Bellena."
Snow looked shocked. "Little Bell? She's not even a woman yet, is she?"
"Apparently woman enough for Lheec, but not so for me. I rejected the offer." I answered stoically.
". . . and you would have rejected the offer if it was for Wennia as well." My intelligent sword master said, a knowing smile on her lips. We spoke in low voices so that Malice would not hear us.
"I would have." I answered truthfully.
"Do you really believe that she will recover?" Snow said, her eyes wandering to the girl who moved like a dancer across the stage, following in her blade's wake.
"Yes." I needed not embellish my reply. That one word summed up all that I would say on the matter.
Snow's gaze turned back to me. "There are others who would make you feel like a whole man again, Noble. If not Bellena, then what about me? Certainly I am not such a bad person that you could never learn to love me? I like you more than any other man I've been with. You're good on a level that others will always strive to approach. So, what of me?"
I looked at Snow, her eyes, the hint of barest pink shinning through the black, alive and bright as she spoke, but though I saw a friend in her, I knew I felt no love. I had tried to find it there before, but in Snow it was not to be found.
"You are among the greatest of people Snow, and to me you are a friend beyond compare. I would fight to the death for your safety, and stand beside you in any circumstance, but we are what we are. I love Malice, and I can't change that." They were difficult words to speak, because I did not wish to insult Snow.
She nodded, a smile on her lips. She may have been sad, but I knew her well enough to believe that her smile was honest.
"I knew you would say that. That is part of what makes me like you so much; the way you still stand beside Malice when everyone else says you should quit; the way you still fight to save your daughter, when no one else remembers her face. You are just so damn noble." She said.
I shook my head, uncomfortable, and undeserving of her kind words. I was not a good person, and certainly not a noble one. Lucidil had given me the name Noble, and I had always believed it was a joke on his part.
"If it would make you feel better, I'll not pay you any more visits in the night." I said, for I saw those nightly visitations as selfish. I knew we both enjoyed the physical act, but I did not know if Snow took ought else away from the encounters. For me, they quieted my inner demon for while, but was I leading Snow to feel that she might someday get something from me that I could not give her? I did not wish to hurt my friend.
"Oh no, that certainly would not make me feel any better." She said, a light laugh in her voice. "You may pay a visit to me on any night you wish. A warm full bed is better than a cold empty one on any night, and you are such a considerate lover."
We both turned our eyes back to Malice. I knew it was almost time to stop her. If I did not, she would keep going until she was tired, and whether she knew it or not, she had a Knight's energy to draw upon. If properly applied, she could go on swinging her sword for days.
I stepped away from Snow, and moved towards the green-eyed girl, the woman who wasn't. Her face was set in determination, her features grim as she strove to be perfect with every swing. She looked like the old Malice, and that gave me some hope for the future.
"Training is finished for the day." I called, making my voice loud enough to shake her from her concentration. Her sword point fell and she looked at me, for a time it seemed she wasn't sure where she was, and then she was back. Her features did not brighten, but I could see the light flicker back on inside her, as though she had just returned from someplace e
lse.
"Alright." She answered, her tone sad. She walked off to return her weapon. Something about the morning's training had affected her. I found myself both troubled, and encouraged. Was it possible that she was recovering something of what she'd lost?
I turned and followed after Malice. Snow stopped me on my way by.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning, if not earlier. . ." She let the invitation hang in the air. I smiled, but did not give her an indication either way. I continued after Malice, who was already waiting by the door that lead back into the castle proper. She was sullen and quiet. I would need to talk to her later in the day. For the time being, I had to report to court, to hear the day's cases that could not be settled by the lower courts. It was not a portion of the day I looked forward to, but it was business that must be done. I placed a hand on Malice's shoulder, and though she did not look up at me, she reached up and squeezed it in one of hers before we opened the door and returned to the relative warmth of the castle interior.