The Broken Kingdom

by Andrew G. Wood

  Having sent his reply to Lord Oakley, conveying his relief that the heir to the throne was alive and well, he ventured up the narrow stone steps that led to the roof of his castle. As with many of the kingdom’s regions his city was built close to the sea, and had a fully operational port that allowed him to trade not just with the other nobles but other countries as well. Moreover, this link to the outside world would also give him a means of escape should things go terribly wrong. Now he was happy that his daughter-in-law was at a lower risk he had already sent orders for her to be transported safely back to the city and the protection afforded him by his castle within it. With his son due back very soon, after being sent out to rally the troops of the lesser nobles, Lord Romley would feel a little easier knowing that all his loved ones were close by. Keeping them protected was his main priority, and although Imogen was only his relation through the marriage of his son, Lord Romley already thought of her as family. Having been longtime friends with her father, seeing her safe would somehow make up for not being able to help protect him. While these events had not been foreseen by anyone, the fact that they had happened so easily was evidently a shock to all. As a close friend to the king, Lord Romley felt that in some way he should have done more to stop them, yet when it had happened, he had been as helpless as all the others, with little option but to high-tail it out of the capital as soon as possible.

  Chapter 10. Unexpected Guests.

  Luca watched on somewhat nervously as seven riders were escorted into the keep yard. All now unarmed and under close scrutiny by at least twenty soldiers of Lord Oakley’s house, the men claimed to be members of the Royal Guard. As the one person who could at least verify some of the faces, Luca would need to venture down when they were ready to see if that was true. However, having been told that some of the guards were not trustworthy, Luca wasn’t sure he really wanted any of them near him. Could those that had been in the service of his father be relied upon? Some of their number had evidently played a part in letting cultists into the palace, two of which had tried to kill him. How was he supposed to know which category these men fell into?

  Theo, Samuel and Edward were with him, as they now seemed to be most of the time. While initially a little awkward, especially as Luca felt Edward didn’t like him, or at least that was the original perception, he now felt a little more comfortable having them around. Since Theo’s arrival, the four of them appeared to have found some common ground, and although Luca still would have prefered to be alone, given the option, he had to admit that having them close by did make his stay in Garley a little better.

  “Can you tell if any of them were your guards?” Samuel asked as the four youngsters stood in a line across the stone steps leading into the main building.

  Luca merely shrugged. Although he would have to get closer to have a look, the faces of those guards at the palace were not something he often looked at. Guards were just there. They followed him around a little, stood to attention as he passed and sometimes knocked on his door if somebody wanted him. Luca didn’t stop and study their faces, why would he have done? Yet for some reason, he felt determining what these men said was true or false might be the difference between them living and dying. From the look on Lord Oakley's face and the number of soldiers he had already got surrounding them, Luca thought the latter option appeared the more likely.

  It had been Theo who came up with the simple but seemingly ingenious plan to determine the truth. If, as they all claimed, they were Royal Guards, then they would know what Luca looked like. Being as Luca was still dressed in second-hand clothing, Theo was actually the smarter dressed of the two. With them having similar attributes as regards looks, he thought it an idea to pretend to be Luca. Moreover, with Luca having explained that he had thought something odd was happening when at the palace before the murder of his parents, suggesting that some guards didn’t recognise him, this appeared a good way to tell. Happy for the plan to go ahead, provided his cousin didn’t put himself in any danger, it was Theo who walked slowly down the entrance steps towards the waiting men.

  Edward, as the young man set to guard him, duly moved just a yard ahead of him, adding to the pretence, while Luca remained at the rear beside Samuel. The seven new arrivals all stood upright and faced the front, although Luca noticed they did not look at Theo as he passed, but seemingly at a point someway off. Knowing that was something Royal Guards were supposed to do, Luca thought that they were perhaps who they said. However, any soldier might stand as such, and deciding who these men were loyal to might prove a little more difficult. However, Theo played his part well, walking with a little more elegance than perhaps he usually did. While the look on Lord Oakley’s face, who was standing off to one side, suggested he had no idea what the four were playing at, the man seemed to content to let them play it out and see what happened.

  Theo stopped suddenly and turned to face one man directly.

  “You claim to be a Royal Guard? Yet I am not familiar with your face,” Theo said evidently changing his voice to make himself sound more like Luca.

  “Do I sound like that,” Luca whispered, leaning over slightly towards Samuel.

  “Pretty much, yes!” Samuel replied quietly, although that wasn’t the answer Luca wanted.

  Theo, awaiting his reply from the soldier he had selected demanded the man speak.

  “Begging your pardon, Sir,” the man replied finally looking down at him. “You say you do not recognise my face, nor I yours, for you are not the Prince.”

  Theo was somewhat surprised that the soldier had seen right through his guise, and was almost disappointed that his impersonation of Luca clearly hadn’t been good enough.

  “I do not know you, nor many of the people here, all except one. The Prince is over their just behind you.”

  Theo nodded his head several times as if giving them man some credit for spotting which one Luca was. While this little test might not prove the man’s loyalty, it at least showed that he was familiar with Luca. Glancing back slightly to where Luca was standing, Theo gave a look that suggested that perhaps it was time for Luca to make his own judgement. Duly stepping forward, Luca glanced at the soldier in question. Probably in his twenties, he thought the man looked a little familiar.

  “It is good to see you are well, Sire,” the man said before doing as others had before him and getting down on one knee. As this man knelt down so did the other six with him, and although this was supposed to be showing Luca they were loyal to him, he still felt somewhat wary of their intentions.

  After waiting for the men to stand back up, Luca then enquired as to the man’s name.

  “Eli, Sire.”

  “Well, Eli, perhaps you could tell us all why you are here, and furthermore how you learned of my whereabouts?”

  “Perhaps your Majesty might allow us to talk in more private surroundings,” Eli asked looking around at all the faces in the yard staring back at him.

  Although Luca was quite happy to let them talk in the yard, he looked over to where Lord Oakley was looking on and signalled for him to come over. After explaining what it was the soldier wanted, Lord Oakley appeared somewhat doubtful as if the man’s wish should be granted.

  “I have much to tell you, my Lord,” Eli explained turning his attention directly to Lord Oakley.

  After spending a moment or two to consider the request, he eventually nodded his head and suggested to Luca that perhaps they could use one of the offices on the ground floor.

  While Eli was the man taken inside the keep building, those that had travelled with him remained tightly guarded outside. As Lord Oakley led them in, Luca, shadowed as always by Edward, walked ahead of Eli, who was escorted in behind them by two guards. The study was a room that Luca had been in before, although this time, Lord Oakley suggested he be the one to sit behind the desk.

  “Isn’t that your seat?” Luca asked.

  “Ordinarily yes, Sire. However, I think you should take the seat. I’ll stand just behind you.”
>
  Luca shrugged his shoulders just a little and did as was asked, fidgeting just a tad, as he watched Eli entering in through the door.

  “Perhaps we can arrange for some refreshments?” Luca asked, turning his head and looking up at Lord Oakley.

  “Of course, Sire,” the man replied suddenly sounding much more formal and serious than he usually did.

  Luca could only assume that was down to Eli and two of Lord Oakley’s men being in the room with them, and thought it was probably only right that he also conducted himself in the appropriate manner.

  Edward took up a position just off to one side of the desk that Luca was sat behind. Although Luca had noticed his sword was once more in its scabbard, Edward did have his hand hovering over the hilt, as if showing to those in the room that he was ready should anything untoward happen. They all waited as Lord Oakley gave an order to somebody out in the corridor, before closing the door and retaking his position behind Luca.

  “Refreshments are on the way, Sire.”

  “Thank you, Lord Oakley,” Luca said doing his very best to speak with an air of authority as he had been taught in his elocution lessons as a small boy.

  “Now, Eli,” Luca said sitting upright in the chair and placing his hands down on the surface of the desk. “Perhaps you can start at the very beginning and tell us all what you know.

  Eli nodded his head and paused for a few moments as if deep in thought before opening his mouth to speak. However, a knock came at the door halting him before a single sound could come out. Whoever was the other side of the door, clearly did not feel they needed to be asked to enter, and Luca watched with interest to see who it was. A rather sheepish looking Lord Dalby poked his head through the gap in the door, apologising for the interruption and for being late. Luca could tell by the way the man seemed out of breath that he had clearly rushed to get there, and sounding as regal as he could, explained that it was not a problem and for Lord Daly to enter.

  “Eli was just about to start,” Luca said with a smile, waving a hand in a gesture at the soldier as a signal for him to talk.

  Eli started his story of events in the days leading up to the wedding, saying that he had noticed how so many new faces were among the guard.

  “I just assumed that the king had ordered more troops for the arrival of all the nobles.”

  Luca turned and looked over to Lord Oakley, “Just as I saw it.”

  Lord Oakley nodded his head, “Indeed, Sire.”

  Eli then went on to say how many of the newer guards were given posts inside the palace, while those longer serving members were placed in obscure parts of the city.

  “Did you not question the orders?” Lord Dalby asked, interrupting the explanation.

  Eli looked over to the nobleman, and although it was clear he did not know who the man was, could probably assume him a man of certain distinction.

  Luca noticed the look on Eli’s face and duly made the introduction, “Sorry, Eli, this is Lord Dalby of the Casillian Isle.”

  “My, Lord,” Eli said bowing his head just a little in recognition of the man’s status.

  “When in the Royal Guard, one does not ordinarily question the orders you are given. As a rule, they are given by the king or those closest to him,” Eli added, giving his answer. Lord Dalby admitted that was fair enough, and thanked Eli for his honest reply.

  The day of the wedding had seen Eli and several others again posted to unusual parts of the city, many of them as far from the palace as they could get. “I was put on duty on the outer wall, and although I had been posted there before, it did seem a bit odd that the more experienced of us were not in the palace.”

  “Well, we know why now,” Luca said adding his own thoughts.

  Eli spoke of the time just after the wedding and then the feast that followed. A time where Luca had slipped off and gone to his room to rest, something that might well have saved his life. When the alarm was raised, Eli and those outside the palace had been barred access into the grounds, and hence unable to assist.

  A few of the guards waited at the gates, but Eli had returned to the post he had been given, something that might have saved his life.

  “Those that had waited at the gate were arrested, and hung a few days later for being the ones responsible.”

  “Under whose authority?” Lord Oakley said sounding genuinely shocked at what he had been told.

  “Lord Elthan gave the order, my Lord, acting on behalf of the Queen-regent,” Eli replied, his voice clearly filled with emotion at the thought of the memory. As suspected by Lord Oakley, Lord Elthan appeared to be the one involved, and this all but confirmed his own suspicions.

  Eli then moved on to another subject, saying that a few of the people he knew in the city had seen Lord Elthan receive a visitor. While that in itself was nothing out of the ordinary, the fact that it was claimed to be a witch was something none of them expected to hear.

  “Really?” Luca said trying his hardest not to snigger.

  “That is what they say, Sire,” Eli replied seemingly unperturbed by Luca’s response.

  Although Luca had read a few books on the subject of witchcraft and wizardry, as far as he was concerned it was mere fantasy. Such as dragons, fairies and goblins, people had claimed to have witnessed these weird and wonderful creatures, yet Luca doubted they were anything more than made up stories to scare children. Glancing over to Lord Dalby, Luca thought he caught a look of concern and noticed the man was looking towards Lord Oakley as if the two were making a comment to each other without the use of words. Luca turned his head and gazed up from his seated position towards Lord Oakley and noticed a similar look on his face.

  “You think it is true?” Luca eventually asked, convinced that both men were obviously hiding something.

  It was Lord Dalby who eventually took it upon himself to explain what the two men were thinking.

  “Apparently some years ago, when Lord Elthan was much younger, it was said that his father banished his older sister from his kingdom.”

  Luca nodded, slowly trying to build up a picture in his mind of what had taken place, as the story progressed. Apparently, Lord Elthan’s sister had been caught practising in the dark art of witchcraft.

  “Naturally, it was all hushed up, but as often happens word eventually gets out.”

  “Yes, but they were only rumours though?” Luca asked, still unable to comprehend that such a thing could actually be true.

  Lord Dalby shrugged, “I did hear that when Lord Elthan inherited his father’s title and lands, that he had taken her back.”

  “I heard something along those lines also,” Lord Oakley added as if it needed to be confirmed.

  There was a short silence as those in the room all looked at each other as if waiting for someone else to speak. Luca naturally had no intention of being that person and cast his gaze towards the man standing next to him.

  “If his sister is in the palace, it would also account for the cultists. They say she has command of many of the different sects that follow her ways,” Lord Oakley finally said.

  Luca wasn’t sure what to think, and although everyone appeared to be happy to admit such things as witches did exist, he still held his own belief that they didn’t. Claims of magic, he was sure, could always be explained by something else when looked at more rationally. Thinking he was the only one with any sense in the room, Luca was glad when a knock came at the door, and Madine entered after being given permission to do so. Carrying a tray of glasses and two pitchers of something, Luca watched as the woman placed it down on the table before him.

  Having upset Madine on his first day in Garley, it seemed the woman had avoided him like the plague, and from the look that she gave him when offering him a drink, Luca thought she held some malice towards him. However, being as he was the highest ranked person in the room, in the kingdom if the truth were told, the serving girl carried out her duties regardless of her personal feelings.

  “Would you care for a little
wine or perhaps some fruit juice, your Majesty?”

  Luca screwed his face up while trying to think what he wanted, tapping his fingers on the desk as he glanced from pitcher to pitcher. Although only young, wine was something he had drank on many occasions, although more typically during formal occasions at the palace.

  “Fruit juice please,” Luca said politely, even adding a smile as he looked at Madine. Somewhat stony-faced, the woman failed to smile back, but poured his drink and placed it down in front of him, before turning her attention to Lord Oakley.

  With their little meeting over, Eli was escorted back outside while Lord Oakley and Lord Dalby wished to discuss what they had learned with Luca. This was the first time since his arrival that they had actually involved him in their deliberations. As to whether that was due to him just being in the room, or the two noblemen genuinely believing they needed his point of view, Luca wasn’t yet sure. Most of what Eli had told them was covered, and when asked for his opinion as to whether Eli could be trusted, Luca agreed with both lords that he evidently was loyal.

  “What of the others?” Luca asked.

  “If Eli can be trusted, then he must be the one to vouch for them,” Lord Oakley suggested, which Lord Dalby quickly agreed with.

  Edward escorted Luca back out into the yard, just in time to see Eli and the other six Royal Guards being led away. This time it was only by two other soldiers, while the others that had been keeping a watchful eye on them had already dispersed. With Samuel and Theo nowhere to be seen, Luca was suddenly at a loss as to what he wanted to do. He glanced at the older boy beside him, as if looking for ideas, but noticed Edward was staring blankly over at the far wall. Luca did peer over that direction to see if he could spot what had caught Edward’s attention, but couldn’t spot anything out of the ordinary.