“Before leaving, I need to make an urgent visit to an old friend. Only she can give me some answers I need.”
“A friend?” At first, Heian reacted with surprise and another emotion he couldn’t identify. Either way, the situation in which the kingdom passed didn’t give him the right to invade his friend’s personal life. After all, after sighing, he said. “It’s ok! I’ll be waiting in the conference room with the captain of the guard.” Heian was leaving, but stopped for a moment. “Ah! Before I forget, the Queen wants to see you as soon as possible. She told me she has something very important to deal with you.”
“Thank you! I will see her as soon as possible.”
Mongho bathed quickly and made a light meal. He was hungry, but he didn’t have much time, especially now that he would have an audience with the Queen. He put on his wizard clothes, which was clean and folded on his bed, and went to meet her in the garden.
◆◆◆
The afternoon was calm and quiet, more than Mongho expected. The red, yellow and white colored the garden, climbing the pebble walls, leaving him delighted.
“How beautiful!” Mongho said referring to the garden, approaching Driadh. The moment she heard the wizard’s voice, the queen stood up and looked away, wiping her tears with discretion. She looked at him again, with a bitter smile on her lips.
“Thank you! I’m very proud of this garden.” Then her face clouded over and began to show great distress. “I spend hours dedicating myself to it, but now I can’t see meaning in doing so.” There was no way Mongho couldn’t notice her pain and fatigue. “Glad to see you well! You risked your life to make, with great success, a difficult task, almost impossible. The kingdom will be forever in your debt.” And she bowed to Mongho.
“It wouldn’t be possible without your help, your majesty. Without the knowledge of the earth passed by your grace. I’m grateful. Forgive me if it seems rude, but I see you didn’t call me here just to thank me. I couldn’t help but notice that something ails. How can I be helpful?”
“You’re a sensitive person, dear friend. Actually, something bothers me. Perhaps this is the most difficult decision to be made during my years of life.” She made a short break so that Mongho absorb the depth of her words. After taking a deep breath, she continued. “We’re going through hard times too, and I can’t see at the moment any positive change.”
“Don’t be hard on yourself, my queen!” He tried to comfort her. “Everything will be resolved, it’s only a matter of time.”
“Maybe, my friend, maybe... But, anyway, we need to prepare, so we won’t be dragged by the most turbulent winds than those that have reached us. Prince Sulco made clear his anger and his desire to take the throne, and won’t stop until he takes Heilland completely. How many lives will be lost in the blades of swords! And if Sulco reach the throne, what will become of us? What will to the kingdom? No, my friend, forgive me if I’m being too pessimistic. I have the gift of seeing the future as you, but I can sense it won’t be the best. Maybe we won’t come to see tomorrow if we don’t start to acting now.”
“Your majesty is saying we should attack prince Sulco?”
“No! I’m saying we need to guard against. Sulco strengthened his guards, training them for a war. Ours are no match for them. Heian is a good man, but, despite being angry with his brother, I’m not sure whether he will face Sulco when the time comes. So, we have to use other resources, something that Sulco could ever imagine it would happen.”
“Like what?!”
“Strengthening ourselves. Preventing him from reaching his goal. Giving the kingdom of Heilland an heir.” Mongho saw on Driadh eyes a mixture of determination and defensive instinct, although he understand how that was possible.
“But how, my queen?! Your Majesty can’t have more children!”
“Exactly! I can’t, but can Heian.” Confused and embarrassed, Mongho watched her with wide eyes. “So I need your help, my friend. I’m entrusting to seek the kingdom a young healthy, beautiful and good conduct, and also to convince Heian to have a child with her.” Mongho shifted on the bench in disbelief as the queen continued her explanation. “I love Heian, but as queen, my duty to the people must be above any love. The kingdom is very tense and, if it continues, it will soon explode and it will be overthrown in madness. I can’t leave the crown to Sulco and I can’t give an heir to Heilland. However, I know how this heir will be needed even more in the future. No one is counting on a Heian’s child, and this will be our secret. We can at least be responsible to dictate the pace of relentless march of bitter fate approaching, announcing the end of our era.” The queen stared at him, waiting for a response that is delayed until Mongho, still in shock, cleaned his throat.
“I understand your concern about the kingdom, majesty, but we have a problem. Will we be able to convince Heian to do so? He loves you and I have my doubts whether he will agree to this idea.” He took deep breath and continued. “On the other hand, if it’s done, Prince Sulco won’t be counting on that possibility. It can be a way to defeat him, but he can never know the existence of this child.”
“I agree! He can never know until the right time. The child will be created with the mother, but under our supervision, and preferably, in a kingdom far away from ours. No one will know his location for his safety and that of everyone around him. With this child, I believe that after all our feet will find the appropriate way.”
“And how will I convince Heian?”
“I can’t think about anything. I suggest you start your search for the girl, and when you have the claimant, talk to him.”
“Your majesty knows that it won’t be easy to convince him” said Mongho, still reluctant to the idea.
“But it doesn’t cost us try. Moreover, we have a good argument. Convince him that we only have this option for the future of Heilland” she said confidently while sorrowful.
“I’m sorry, your majesty, but I must make a point. Wouldn’t you be sacrificing too much with this?”
“I took this decision a few days ago, and I won’t change my mind. The love of a person should include the crows on his roof!” She looked at him with tears blurring her vision. When blinking heavily, they ran down over her face, disappearing under the locks in curls.
“I wish that everything goes as well as possible, to your majesty and to everyone involved.”
“I hope so too.”
“After all, I think your plan is probably the best.”
The silence grew. All one could hear was the sound of the wings of birds by cutting the heavens and settling in nests in the treetops.
Mongho’s admiration for queen Driadh increased at that moment. He knew how much she loved her husband, and even then, she let him have a child with another woman, to ensure a secure future to the kingdom. Mongho knew it wasn’t for him to judge the decision to no one. His role there was just a listener and a subject that should put into practice the request of his queen.
Without breaking the silence, he greeted her and walked away without interrupting Driadh’s thoughts. He walked toward the garden gazebo, still moved. Her words motivated him to act fast, trying to avoid a greater evil.
◆◆◆
Secretly, Mongho had created on the bandstand an entrance to the stairs leading to the maze underground, and this to the forest. Built before prince Sulco take part of the castle, while training the control of the land, Mongho’s original idea was using it as an escape route in emergencies, but he didn’t think he would need it in such a short time. Using this path, he could cross the wall that he had set in and out safely on to the other side.
Standing in front of the bandstand, the wizard looked at both sides to make sure he was alone. Then he raised his right arm and hand almost touching the branches that covered the entrance, muttered some old words. The passage opened. He entered and branches covered up the passage again.
As he walked, Mongho lit torches hanging on the walls, clearing the passage. The torches left behind him, went out.
Arriving near the exit, he made sure that there was no guard, thus preventing that his tunnel was discovered. The forest was deserted and eerily silent. He didn’t even heard the sound of wild animals.
Wasting no time, Mongho ran toward the old witch’s hovel. He preferred avoid the roads and go into the forest, although the way was longer.
Hours later, near the hut, he approached with caution. He had a bad feeling. There was smoke coming from the chimney. He didn’t want to give voice to his suspicions, but he noted that the than he thought was happening.
At the entrance, the ground was trampled with footprints of both animals and people. The door had been kicked in and thrown into the side of the hut. Animals, most loose, were alarmed by his arrival and ran. He neither saw the witch nor heard her voice. Through the gate which had also been destroyed, he walked with silent steps through the muddy ground and the bottom of the stairs, he noticed that the second step had ruptured. He avoided stepping on the third step, which it was also broken and squeak with their weight. Wary, he went through the door.
He look at the place, which was completely trashed. The lack of noise and the witch’s curses about the animals are loose in the garden made him anxious. He called to her in a hushed voice, but there was no answer. He moved on. A small pestle rested on the table with condiments dripping out. He picked it up and left along the rows of dried herbs hanging on the walls and filled the air with strong natural flavors. Weak flames still crackled on the stove.
He passed over many scattered and broken objects until he reached the window. He spotted the fallen surrounded and confirmed that the animals trampled the plants. The mill was broken and stopped. No sign of the witch.
It was when he felt a figure approaching from behind, a few meters away. He turned quickly. The figure was holding a knife and lunged toward him, screaming.
“Damn! Damn!”[64]
“Calm down! It’s me, Mongho!” he cried, almost no time to dodge the blow. Even with advanced age, the witch was very responsive when needed.
After recognizing the wizard’s voice and the name, she stepped back, throwing the knife on the table. The two, frightened, exchanged nervous glances.
“What happened here?” Mongho asked with a trembling voice, as well as his legs and arms.
“Go diabhal...! An raibh yes, bhí sé go diabhal!”[65] She repeated.
“Who are you talking about?!”
“Of that damn prince and his henchmen!”
“Were they the ones who did this? But why?”
“Prince Sulco broke down the door and the soldiers entered. I didn’t have time to run. He was completely mad, then I understood that something must have gone terribly wrong, which was to be expected. Screaming and out of control, he said I had betrayed him, giving you the Book of Mages.”
“Books of Mages? But it wasn’t you! It belonged to my family. It was my great-grandfather’s.”
“I know, I tried to tell him, but Sulco didn’t believe. He was swearing about a wall you did around the castle. He wanted me to help him undo it. I have no idea of the shit that you created, then I said I couldn’t help him. Enraged, he began to break everything.”
“Wait a minute... How do you know that the book belonged to my great-grandfather’s, if I ever talked about it?”
“I know things that you can’t imagine, my dear!” she said, as she picked up the ground a few whole bottles. She glared at him. “And you? What do you want here? Aren’t happy with the mess you created for me?”
“I came for answers.”
“So turn around and walk away.” She pointed to the door with her stick. “I’m not on my best for small talk.”
“I’m not leaving without you answer me what I need to know.”
“What do you have today?” She paused for a moment and stared at him with frowning. “All of you decided to take over the world and I have to help? This isn’t my problem, this fight between you. Get out... get out...” She was pushing him out to the staff.
“I can help you”
“Help me? With what? I don’t need a worthless like you to anything. I can fix this mess alone.” She shrugged, bending down to pick up some herbs next to the door that hadn’t been trodden.
“I’m not referring to that kind of help. Are you sure you do not need me?” She noticed a different tone in his voice, but showed no reaction. “I know why you’re helping Prince Sulco. If you help me... I can undo the curse.”
The words of Mongho immobilized the herbalist, who left the collected herbs fall to the ground. He turned to the wizard frowning and squinting. He read suspicion in the old woman’s face.
“What did you say, wizard?”
“Exactly what you heard.” He took the fallen stool, straightened it and sat down. “You don’t have to believe just because I’m saying, but I guarantee that I can undo my father’s spell. But in exchange, I want you to tell me everything you know about Prince Sulco and his plan.”
“How do you know about the curse?”
“I read one of the notes he left.”
The witch looked at him warily. She had been deceived once by Prince Sulco and didn’t intend to fall into another trap. She assessed whether what he said was true. If it wasn’t, how could he know about the curse? Even quite suspiciously, she approached the fallen picture on the corner. She ran her hand along the edge, wiping the dust that had accumulated and silently handed it to the wizard.
“And more...” He looked steady, while both kept their hands in paint. “I want the pages that are missing from the Book of Mages.” Mongho wasn’t sure if they would be with her, but he decided to risk it. She raised her eyebrows, surprised at his power of divination.
The wizard felt the pressure lower on the frame when her hands came off. Before moving, the witch stared at him for a moment, then she sighed. She went to one of the toppled shelves and began to roll the boxes. Picked up a not very large, placing it on the table. He leaned forward to catch it, but she kept her hands steady on the box.
“Are you really sure?”
Mongho nodded and she finally took her hands away. Opening the box, Mongho saw some loose pages, apparently in perfect condition. Drawn two and analyzed. His guess was right: they were from the Book of Mages. He put it back and closed the box.
“Now, tell me everything you know.”
◆◆◆
The witch took a stool and sat down in front of him. She sighed with regret, for giving up. The old fear came back to beat at the thought of Malecs involving her bowels with a bitter heat. Rummage in the past wasn’t much to her liking, she didn’t have good memories. But there was no need to tell him everything, because he wasn’t part of this story. Gradually, she was telling from the point Mongho wondered. Sometimes the wizard interrupted, making questions.
“Did married my father?” The wizard was anxious to see that some of the facts coincided with the story told by Heian.
“Of course not!” she said, sharply. “I don’t know where you got that idea.”
Mongho threw his head back and began to laugh until the tears came both from his own question as immediate reaction she had. While drying his face, the herbalist continued:
“When I left the castle, I went to the village looking for a place to live. I was on the market, looking for information on the location of cheap inns, when I met your father. He told me he lived with his sister and his little nephew, but the two were visiting relatives in a village near Qzar. So, there was a room left in his home. If I didn’t care, I could stay there until I find another place. It seemed to have good intentions and, as I had no money, I accepted.”
Mongho was relieved with that statement. He smiled slightly. His father never told him who his mother was. In fact, hardly spoke about it, and it would be embarrassing in front of her in these circumstances.
“Why he tore those pages from the Book of Mages?”
“You have no idea of the power that one could have possessing the crystal
ball and the Book of Mages. It could dominate the world, if this person wanted. I lived with your father for some time, but I realized that he was a very good man. However, even the person with the purest heart would bow before such power.” There was a pause. The wind whistled through the cracks of the wall. “I remember what happened like it was today... As soon as we got to his house, he saw that the crystal ball was in my power and if haywire. Insisted daily so I leave it with him until I was overcome with fatigue. His arguments convinced me. But over time, he began to be corrupted by its power. I didn’t know until that moment, he had the Book of Mages. When I found out, the only thing I could do to stop it was take the pages about how to control the water. His revolt of with my attitude was huge! We even face each other in using magic.” She paused as she filled a mug with water and drank. She offered Mongho, but he just waved, denying. She continued. “At the time, he was the Heilland’s wizard. He saw the painting in Nitrian’s room, and then cursed me. I left the house and came to live in this luxurious cottage, and I never saw the crystal ball again.” There was a big sarcasm in her voice. “Its power is immense, it cann’t be in the hands of a single person, it’s very dangerous.” She lowered her head for a moment. Her face was filled with sorrow and her words sounded shaky. “I regret immensely to have it taken from Malecs. I was very young and impulsive. I didn’t realize what the consequences of my actions. When I learned, what had happened, it was too late, it just left me to protect the crystal ball.” She looked up and addressed Mongho. “See for yourself... Prince Sulco, with only a small amulet, it has become a threat to his brother, declaring war on him. And what if he had the full power? What do you think he would do? Knowing him, as I do, I assure you he won’t be content with just the power of the talisman. He will want more and more.
Mongho listened intently those words; they gave him chills. He understood in the fullness of his twenty two years old, that power would be dangerous in the wrong hands, and he wondered what the Prince Sulco would do if he had a crystal ball. These thoughts left him uneasy. Mongho laced his fingers and took them to the chin.
The Secret Of The Crystal Skull Page 13