"And that is?"
"An escape." The captain's voice was almost too low for her to hear.
Dorian started to smile. Perhaps Rohan's brother was more loyal to him than he had been projecting. Family blood, after all, was quite thick.
Rolmore read the expression upon the dwarf's face.
"Just you!" he stated, ordering the woman to sit back down. "If you were to escape The Willows' Breath, I swear that I will not recapture you. You could leave these woods and live out the remainder of your life."
"As a criminal," Dorian added.
"Who is not, at one time or the other, ruled by powers who own us?"
"I will not leave without your brother."
Rolmore studied Dorian's face for quite some time before he finally sat back down. He picked up his pen and started to write in his log once more. After several scratchings, he stopped, and then he closed his book.
"Then, my lady, you leave me no choice."
Picking up a small bell, Rolmore rang it. Upon hearing the peal of the tiny device, the same two elf sailors reappeared. Silently, Rolmore directed Dorian to follow his men. She was to be placed back into confinement.
"Dorian?" Rolmore asked, before the woman could leave. "You would rather seek death?"
"Rolmore, Rohan is my life. Freedom without him would be worse than prison."
The captain said nothing. His gaze did soften a little. There was more respect.
"Off with her, then!" he finally shouted.
Rolmore sat in his room for several beats, not really doing much of anything. How could he allow his brother to die? How could he allow his father to pass such a ruling, without even once arguing the point?
The cabin took on a dark gloom.
Again, Rolmore rang his bell.
"Yes, captain?"
"Send for my brother," Rolmore ordered.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
When Rohan was brought to Rolmore's cabin, the sailors were not so kind. Unlike Dorian, he was given chains. Unlike Dorian, he was taken through populated parts of the under housings of the ship - mostly through the crew's sleeping quarters. This was so others could express their opinion about Rohan's choice of a mate. There were those who didn't quite like the idea of a prince being a star lover.
The comments did not come without a little pain.
There was no need to knock this time. Rolmore opened the door.
"Come back when I signal you," Rolmore ordered.
The captain offered his brother a seat.
"I apologize for the conduct of my men. Rolmore offered Rohan a small glass of wine. "For purposes of morale, I have to turn the other way, you understand? A captain needs the support of his crew."
"Of course, my brother." Rohan rubbed his right cheek.
Rolmore took a chair opposite his brother and fought hard not to show any kind of emotion.
It didn't work.
"Why have you brought so much shame to our family?"
Rohan gave his brother a surprised glance. "I thought that it was understood that upon my successful completion to determine what had happened to our kinsmen at Cibola, I would be allowed to seek my own path."
"Do you honestly believe that father would give you up?"
"He gave his word."
"He's the king!" Rolmore shouted. "He would need you as his successor upon his death. You are a prince, after all."
Rohan sat quiet. His mind raced.
"Speak!" Rolmore shouted.
"I will not be a prisoner to a crown," Rohan stated. "I will not be a good little elf who has no life, walking a straight and narrow line. Rolmore, I have hunted. I have enjoyed the meal I have prepared with my own hands. I have seen shooting stars and skies no elf has dreamed ever existed. I have loved&"
"Let's not go into that right now, if you please!"
"In any case, my brother, I am not going back."
Rolmore's shoulders sank. "Then, there is nothing I can do. Father wants you back, and that obsession has caused him to go mad."
"Mad?"
"Do you think I would honestly follow an order having my brother killed?" Rolmore stood. His manner was starting to become worrisome. "If I had not followed those orders, he would have called out another. I let my crew abuse you, knowing that if it were another captain, you would be dead. I can live with causing you pain." Rolmore paused, his voice shaky. "I could not live with your death."
"Brother, I&"
"To make matters worse, you end up in love with a dwarf. But not just any dwarf - a female dwarf. This alone will cause The Council of the Twelve to be paranoid for at least ten seasons."
"She was a surprise." Rohan said, beaming.
"This is serious, brother!" Rolmore shouted. "We are to dock in three cycles. I need to know your intentions."
"I will stand eye to eye with father, and I will tell him I have my own life."
"Star gazing?"
"Star gazing."
Rolmore walked around his cabin and stopped at his impressive library. He tried to calm himself by looking through his many books. He was truly an elf caught in a terrible drama.
"We live in fear of our king, Rohan," he finally stated. "He had three soldiers put to death last season."
"For what reason?"
"They stood up for your name." Rolmore looked panicked. "Father has gone mad."
Rohan had no idea that his father was this far gone. He and his father had always been at odds. The only crime Rohan had been responsible for was being born breached. This alone caused his mother great pain. Rolmore's birth was more natural&more elfin.
"What about the people?"
"They follow their king."
Rohan could not believe what he heard.
"Brother, are you saying we should&?"
Neither elf could bring himself to say it.
There was an awkwardly long pause between them.
"Father needs to be taken care of, before he really does hurt someone." Rolmore's features turned sad. Rohan was surprised to see him near tears.
"Revolution?" Rohan asked, whispering.
Rolmore turned, facing his brother with conviction.
"Revolution," the elf captain confirmed.
***
Dorian sat alone in her cabin, waiting for Rohan to return. She had been crying for quite some time, and had to change her clothing in order to keep up the appearance of being strong, if only to help Rohan.
"How in the hell did I ever let this happen?" she cried, ironically laughing. "You had to go and fall in love."
She was starting to feel quite sick, and wondered if it had been from all the elfin food she had been eating. Elf food wasn't bad, just bland. Dwarfs were not afraid to pick up the salt.
Rohan had been gone for quite some time, more so than she had. All kinds of frightening images played out in her mind. Was her love being tortured? Was someone holding him down, and gently cutting away at his skin, just to make a point? The ancient stories told of how elves were quite good at torture before they became so civilized. Were the elves reverting to the old ways?
So many horrors haunted the woman. "Oh, Rohan," Dorian prayed. "Please come back to me."
The woman was again hit with a sudden case of nausea.
She washed her face, ate some of the casserole prepared by the ship's chef, and continued to wait. The food was strangely familiar. Overcome by her appearance, the chef tried his best to make Dorian feel at home by preparing for her the only dwarf meal he knew - lamb loaf. It was perfect! The elf was not afraid to use salt. The big surprise was that the elf knew how to make a warm mint gravy!
It was the first decent meal she had eaten in over a luna.
Again her stomach churned.
"Something I ate, I suppose," the dwarf stated, rubbing her belly and walking over to a standing mirror.
It had been quite some time since the dwarf had the luxury of gazing at herself in her natural state. She had forgotten how beautiful she looked. She started to run her finger
s through her hair, relishing the softness and length. She took in a deep breath, and was satisfied at what she was seeing.
Her eyes began to twinkle.
"No!" Dorian said, backing away from the mirror in surprise.
She stood there, at the mirror, and this time she paid more attention.
Again, her eyes showed her the truth.
Dorian needed to see Rohan.
***
"We shall enter the Great Hall with the pretense of taking you to trial," Rolmore explained, his papers, maps, and plans laid out so that Rohan could study them.
"And what of father?"
Rolmore let out a dry laugh. "Oh, to be sure, brother, he will be there. He has paced the halls, late at night, telling any and all who would listen what he plans to do with you."
"I am still having troubles wrapping my mind around all of this, Rolmore. There hasn't been a revolution in any elf nation since before the time of The Coughing."
"It is a bad taste in my mouth as well," Rolmore insisted, gently slamming his hand down upon the desk. "But, father leaves us no other choice."
Rohan studied all the plans. Rolmore had secretly built up an army over the last several seasons, waiting for the right time to strike. With Rohan gone, he was the next in line for the throne. No elf would follow a "standard" citizen against the crown. But owing to Rolmore's royal heritage, the movement gained footing.
Rohan was greatly impressed.
"I never knew you could be so&"
"Bold?" Rolmore interrupted, smiling.
"The word I was going to use was...efficient."
Rolmore accepted his brother's praise.
"Now, upon your return to your cabin, I&"
The captain was interrupted by a knock at his cabin door.
"What is it?"
The door opened, and a sailor walked in. Behind the elf was Dorian.
"Pardon the intrusion, sir, but, this prisoner requested that we bring her here."
"Fine!" Rolmore shooed the sailor away.
Once the door closed, Rohan rushed to Dorian's side.
Both kissed.
Rolmore rolled his eyes.
"Once you're in sight of the girls, all focus is lost."
Dorian was quite surprised to see Rohan laugh along with his brother. Upon parting from Dorian's arms, the two elves patted each other.
"Rohan?" Dorian asked.
"I will tell you later," Rohan promised. "When we are back in our cabin."
"What brings you here?" Rolmore asked.
The dwarf started to fidget, and there was honest fear in her eyes.
"Dorian, what's the matter?"
"Rohan, you are to be a father."
Rohan froze. All he could do was stare.
Upon hearing the great news that he was soon to be an uncle, Rolmore poured out more wine, and rose melon juice for the lady, and prepared to celebrate.
"A father?" Rohan asked.
Dorian pat her stomach.
"Yes."
"It is a good omen, brother," Rolmore exclaimed cheerily, while drinking his wine.
Dorian seemed confused.
"It seems, my dear, we have walked right into the middle of a war," Rohan stated, kissing Dorian upon her forehead.
The dwarf stood speechless.
Rolmore nodded his head in confirmation.
"Ah, shit! I always have had lousy timing," the dwarf complained.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
It took all the magic Kai had to help her lose her weight. With each trail she walked, potion she took, and slab of fat she worked off, she learned to hate the wizard. In all this time, she knew not his name, but his face was forever burnt into her brain. Again, she was a vision of beauty.
The man on top of her had been seeking his pleasure all night. Several times she had to escape inside her mind, as he licked and played, and as he explored the mysteries of her sex. She performed mind games, mysteries she had yet to solve, and for a time, battled the urge to sleep - he was that boring.
"Tell me when you're able," the man huffed, his face dripping with sweat.
Kai beamed the most sincere smile that she could without vomiting on the idiot. He was a powerful man in these parts, and she needed his support if she were to continue with her plans against Ka-Ron. Her hatred had grown so large that she could no longer contain it on her own. She needed allies.
It was her plan to wreak havoc upon Ka-Ron's nation by bringing the Xows and Idoshia to war. If wind of this ever reached Ka-Ron's ear, it would end up killing her. For how could victory be possible without Idoshia's grand knight? The very thought of not being able to participate would kill her spirit.
"I love only you, sire." Kai stated, rolling over to hide her look of disgust.
The man continued with his pleasure.
Kai hated the touch of him.
Mother! Stop this!
Kai tried to fight the sense that she was not alone in the room.
Mother&please&
The Wicca Master looked over her shoulder, but she only saw the man putting his clothes back on. She tried to ignore the voices. She closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would conquer her.
"You do not rule me," she hastily stated to no one in particular.
"What was that you said?" the man asked, half in and half out of his clothes.
"I said that I will have your potions ready by morning."
"Then I will be king of Idoshia and Illium?" The greed in his voice was sickening. He started to laugh.
"Yes, I have so promised."
He did not need to say his goodbyes. He knew that he would get his way. After all, he had paid for the services.
"My revenge," Kai mused, still naked upon her bed. "Is it worth all of this?"
She could still feel the presence in the room.
The Wicca Master was not alone.
"Mother?"
Kai turned around looking at the room's only door.
Before her stood the image of her daughter, Kym.
"You are not here!" Kai insisted, pointing a shaky finger up towards the image.
Kym was there.
"Mother, I have been allowed to come down from my astral path and show to you the errors in your judgment," Kym said.
She looked happy. It was the first time that Kai had ever seen her so content. Perhaps, all the answers her daughter could not seek in this life had been answered for her in the next. Kym looked remarkably fit and fulfilled.
"Kym, why did you let a man do you in?" Kai cried, holding a sheet up to her breasts.
Kym's image only shook her head.
"My undoing was my own, mother."
"I have made Ka-Ron suffer for what he has done to you," Kai stated with pride. "Even now, he regrets ever knowing you."
"I know. Mother, my life was ended because of my own selfish reasons, not anything Ka-Ron may have done."
"Not true!"
A strong wind swept through the room.
"Mother, it was not Ka-Ron's fault. Would you believe that even after all you have done to him, he still loves you? He still honors the memories of living with us, of his first kiss under your house." Kym paused, amazed. "He still loves me."
This last caused Kai to gasp with surprise.
"I never knew, child."
Kym's astral image reached her arms out, as if to hug her mother. There was a hunger in her eyes, as if the young woman missed the feeling of live flesh pressed warmly against her own. This made Kai think that perhaps this simple feeling was not possible when one was gone.
"I do miss you, child."
"Mother, Ka-Ron told me what manner of man he was, but I would not hear him."
"What?"
"I planned my demise, and I let my selfishness get in the way of my life."
"Do not tell me these things!"
"I wanted Ka-Ron to come back and save me," Kym whispered. She held a shaky hand up to her lips. "But, my own denial got in the way. One cannot make a bird love one by placing it in
a cage."
"Then, what you are saying..." Kai whispered, startled.
"Ka-Ron is an innocent."
Kai fell back upon the bed. She was as shocked as Kym had been miserable. If Kym was right, she had done the knight a great wrong.
As if she sensed this, Kym started to feel relieved. The guilt of hurting the knight was a terrible burden. Although one is always promised paradise in the next life, the spirit cannot ease their mortal burdens until they have been justified or, at best, corrected.
"When the time comes for you, mother, I will be there to guide you home."
Kym let her hands reach outward, and, before Kai could take hold, she was gone. All that remained was the coldness of the wind and the hollow feeling of the truth.
Kai had been responsible for a horrible mistake.
It was now time to set things right.
The Wicca Master was at ease. She was quite happy when she told the cruel little man with whom she had been sleeping that his dreams of conquest were over.
"Ka-Ron," she whispered to the winds. "I am coming."
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
The crowds along the docks grew with the knowledge that the "prince/traitor" would soon be paraded through the streets. Some elves were shouting "The Gods save the king!" or "Down with the dwarf lover!" In all elfin memory, no one could remember so much hatred. Most of the people just stood silently, unable to believe the drama that had been set before them.
Rohan looked out one of the ship's portholes, taking in the entire picture. A phase ago, he would have seen the dramatic problems set before him as a puzzle to solve - it was the elfin way to seek answers, after all. But, now, knowing that he was soon to be a father, all was different. He had to see the world with more responsible eyes. He had to participate in all of this, hoping above all hope, that in the end, he would help make the world right&if only for the future sake of his unborn child.
"Rohan!" a harsh voice ordered.
Rohan turned to stare into the eyes of his brother, Rolmore.
Two elf sailors walked in with him.
"You will leave me alone with the prisoner." the elf captain ordered.
One of the sailors stirred.
"Captain, the king&"
The Misadventures of Ka-Ron the Knight Page 40