The King's Folly

by Robin Simmons

  They arrived mid-morning at the location for the feast and set up the king’s pavilion. From there, they watched as the other dukeships arrived. Never before had such a show of military strength from each dukeship been displayed. As spectacular as it was, it only reminded Raven of the impending battle they would face.

  Funny, Raven thought, all through my earlier training at arms I had always dreamed of actual battle. But now that it was going to happen, he had this dread that reached to the very pit of his stomach. This fact took away any appetite he had for the barbecued Tor he loved so well. The only joy he would have this day was the sharing of Lorriel's joy vicariously as she was given the king’s blessing to court Andrew. Well, almost the only joy. Rebekka would be there with the Prescott dukeship, and he looked forward to seeing her.

  As the Crestlaws approached the northwest end of Pearl Lake, they saw a crowd that had begun to form for the fall feast. Out of that crowd, an individual was running to meet them. Then Andrew saw it was Lorriel. He spurred his horse forward to meet her, and when he was near, he dismounted. As his feet touched the ground, she bounded into him with such force it caught him off guard. All he could do was wrap his arms around her as they fell, hoping to cushion her fall. When they hit the ground, laughter exploded out of Lorriel as if it had been forced out of her lungs by the impact. This was such an absurd collision that Andrew began to laugh as well.

  Then stopped and whispered, “People are staring.” They got up and Lorriel dusted herself off.

  “I guess that was very undignified for a princess,” she said smiling.

  “What has gotten into you?” Andrew asked quietly.

  Then Lorriel, wearing a smile all over her face, told Andrew of her father’s reversal and even his blessing on their courtship.

  “And what,” Andrew asked, “has changed your father’s mind so completely?”

  “It was Raven,” she spoke. “I do not know what he said or did, but miraculously father has changed his mind.”

  “See,” Andrew said, “”it was right for us to wait and give your brother time to work things out. Everything will be just fine, you’ll see.”

  With that, he picked her up and set her side saddle on his horse and began walking, leading his horse with Lorriel on it to the gathering. Andrew turned back over his shoulder and said, “We have to find Raven so I can thank him for what he has done for us. Do you know where he is?”

  “Yes,” Lorriel motioned, “he is at the south end of the gathering waiting for Rebekka to arrive.”

  Andrew and Lorriel headed toward the south end of the gathering and found Raven there. Andrew called his name and Raven turned to see Andrew leading Lorriel on his horse. How stately Andrew looked dressed in military uniform. At least people were coming prepared.

  Raven came over, smiling, and reached out his hand to shake Andrew’s. But instead of shaking hands, Andrew embraced Raven in a bear hug.

  When he let him go he said, “Raven, my friend, you don’t know what this means to me to be able to see Lorriel. I do not know how to thank you for this, but I am ever in your debt.”

  “Nonsense,” Raven responded, “the two of you being happy together is all the reward I will ever need. Believe me it is true. We have so little joy in this life that we must embrace it whenever it presents itself.”

  Lorriel and Andrew left, and Raven once again turned his eyes toward the south to gaze toward the distant column of riders approaching from the Prescott dukeship.

  It was after mid-morning before any of the other dukeships arrived. But finally by lunch time, everyone was there for the feast. Before they sat down to eat, King Mollen and Sauron Crestlaw stood to make an announcement. The king and Sauron both gave their blessing to the courtship of their children, Andrew and Lorriel, and toasted each other before all the kingdom as witnesses.

  Then the feast began on a splendid happy note. As they sat and ate, Rebekka commented on how happy Lorriel and Andrew looked together. It was true. They were radiant, affecting the people all about them with the kind of joy that gets passed on so that everyone in their vicinity was having a great time.

  “Innocence,” Raven thought. “How easy it is to be happy when you are unaware of impending doom.”

  Raven’s thoughts were interrupted by Rebekka asking, “Whatever was it that changed the king’s mind, Raven? Lorriel said you spoke to the king on her behalf. What did you say?”

  “Nothing in particular, I just told him it was in the best interest of the kingdom to allow their courtship to proceed. The king agreed and that is all.”

  Rebekka eyed Raven carefully and then said, “I know that is not all there is to it, Prince Raven, and someday you will tell me the whole story, I am sure.”

  Raven was amazed at the insight that Rebekka had. She was like a detective. If a piece was missing, she was the first to notice and the first to figure out what that missing piece was. This quality of Rebekka exasperated her father, for he did not understand why a woman would be so interested in the affairs of the kingdom. It also got her in trouble, for she would often times speak her observations openly to the embarrassment of her father or other adults present. As a result, they paid little attention to her or ignored her altogether. The interesting thing was she was almost always right, and Raven decided to never take her observations for granted. It was this very trait that Raven admired about Rebekka. You could always count on her to speak her mind on what she saw was the truth without rambling. And because of that, Raven always listened to what she had to say.

  The feast was finished and the military competitions began first with formation marching. The Crestlaws won this easily because of their firm discipline and the alertness demanded of their pass guards. Next was the archery competitions and the archers were warming up. The heavy favorite for victory in this competition was the southern dukeship of the Zandels, for their family had a history of excellent archers who instructed their guard in proficient use of the long bow.

  While arrows were being flung at targets during the warm up, Rebekka turned to Raven and asked him flatly, “You are not very happy today, is it the company you are keeping?”

  “I am sorry, Rebekka, I know I have not been very good company.”

  “Could it be your thoughts are elsewhere, my prince?” Rebekka said knowingly. With that Raven looked at her lovingly and planted a most passionate kiss on her lips.

  “My.., Prince Raven, you have never kissed me before, and that was no ordinary kiss!”

  Just then riders from the Crestlaw pass came galloping in recklessly right up to the king, scattering people and dismounting.

  Raven stood and turned to Rebekka and said, “I must go.”

  She nodded and then said, “You knew, didn’t you? You were expecting this. Tell me, Raven, what is it?”

  “War,” he said, “from the Wickshields. May God be merciful to us. Pray for us, pray for us all, and especially for Andrew.” When he said this, her face went blank and then pale. He knew then, that she understood more than even he had imagined.

  “Raven,” she said in a desperate tone, “come back to me alive, please.”

  “I will try, but I must also do what is right and best for the kingdom no matter where that will lead.” And with that he ran to his father’s side.

  The king was shouting orders and bringing the four dukes together, began to instruct them in the best way to proceed with the information they had received.

  The king began, “The Wickshields have once again after all these years decided to test the bounds and defenses of the kingdom of Glenfair. They have, for the first time, penetrated the northwest pass. From the information we have received, the force is not overly large, and with the troops we have assembled here today we should have no trouble defeating them. But we must make all haste before any more reinforcements can come through the pass. This quick reflex of our defenses will send a message to the Wickshields that they best never try to engage our kingdom in batt
le again. Tomorrow at this time there will not be one Wickshield alive on our soil.”

  With that, a cheer went up that shook the earth.

  “Great speech,” Raven thought. He would have been overly impressed if he had not known the whole truth. His father’s leadership proved he could be a great king and motivator of men, for in a short time every duke had his men ready to march north. There was also instruction given to collect the food of the feast and prepare that to go north with them for sustenance while they battled. Most of the women and children, and those not needed, were sent to the king’s castle to await the outcome of the battle. Only those who lived in the village surrounding the Crestlaw’s castle went north to prepare to defend their town.

  Raven and Edward sent Lorriel and Rebekka back to the king’s castle, even though they protested furiously and begged to be allowed to go to Crestlaw Castle so they would be close to the battle. But Raven would have none of it. So with chastened looks, they were put into the care of some of the king’s servants and sent on their way.

  There was a quietness that followed the whole company as they marched north, not a complete silence for there was plenty of noise with the marching, horses, and wagons of supplies. But very little speech was heard after the initial buzz died down and everyone knew what was going on. On they marched with only occasional orderly commands coming from the ranks. With daylight fading and night coming on, Raven began to get very apprehensive.

  He rode up to the king and spoke, “It getting dark, Sire. What shall we do when we can no longer see the enemy well?”

  The king called a halt to the procession, climbed upon a tall wagon and spoke for all to hear, “We will press on into the dark and will stop short of the battlefield tonight. Since Sauron knows his own lands best of all, he will lead us to a place to set up the battle camp. Although we will be so close to the enemy, they will not attack tonight, for they will not be drawn away from the pass until their reinforcements arrive. Tomorrow morning at the break of day the battle will be engaged, so do not fear to rest or eat well tonight. You will need your strength for the morrow.” With that he descended the wagon, remounted his horse, and joined Sauron to lead the company into the darkening night.

  When they reached the appointed stopping place, orders were given to form ranks. The war camp was set up, watches were set, and spies sent out to gauge the enemy. It was impressive that everything was going so well for a kingdom that had never engaged in war. It was, in part, due to the great leadership of the king, for kings prepared all their lives for just this type of crisis in their kingdoms. And King Mollen was very good at what he did.

  Edward and Raven were in awe of their father, seeing him for the first time in this kind of action. He took the protection of the kingdom quite seriously. If it were not for the true motive behind all of this, Raven would have admired his father greatly. But the hidden agenda colored all that his father was accomplishing with so great a leadership and efficiency. Finally, the king’s pavilion was set up behind the ranks and lanterns were lit, and the king called a war council. All the dukes and their sons were gathered inside the tent when the spies returned with the reports they would give. Each spy gave as much detail as he could positively gather at night, which substantiated what the king had guessed. The Wickshield army was not too large, at the most maybe four hundred. They were at the pass, and they made no attempt to do anything to the company that had gathered on the plains south of them.

  “Good,” the king said. “At first light tomorrow, we will attack, now to strategy.”

  Raven looked around the tent at those present. There were the four dukes and their sons: Sauron and Andrew, Jasper Rollins and Terry, Balcor Zandel and Mason, and Bandon Prescott with his son Gregory who was too young to fight, but came to observe. When Mason’s eyes met Raven’s, they locked and Mason nodded recognition to Raven. They were on the same side now, fighting for the kingdom, their dueling forgotten. Raven remembered the deceitful attacks and the brute strength of Mason during the duel.

  “What a great fighter he will be for this battle,” thought Raven.

  There were also weapons masters and captains present at this meeting. Raven searched the room and found Master Fields, who looked at Raven and mouthed the word, “Later,” motioning with his head to the outside. Raven knowing that he meant to meet him outside later, nodded in acknowledgment.

  The king went on, “Tomorrow, we will be assigned these positions: my son Edward will take the far left flank. Next to him will be the Crestlaws, then my son Raven, then the Prescotts. I will take the center. Then on my right will be the Zandels, followed by the Rollins on the far right flank. Our strategy will be to attack them head on with the far flanks circling around behind them as the battle distracts the Wickshields. Then we shall close around them and pinch them off from the pass and destroy them utterly. Any questions?”

  No one had any questions because it seemed a sure victory for the kingdom of Glenfair. They had over two thousand troops and cavalry, while the Wickshields had approximately four hundred. The Wickshields were cornered at the opening to the pass so they could not escape. That made them easy prey, everyone thought, for the Glenfair army. The king dismissed the rest of the war council and asked Raven and Edward to stay.

  Once everyone was gone and they were alone, the king spoke his secret strategy to them, “We will engage the enemy tomorrow at sunrise. And when the battle begins, do not advance too quickly. This will cause the Crestlaws to get ahead of the both of you. When you see the Crestlaws getting ahead, then suddenly the both of you withdraw. That will cause the Wickshields to flow to both sides of the Crestlaws and cut them off. When I see this happen, I will blow the retreat trumpet and we will fully withdraw, leaving the Crestlaws alone in the middle of the Wickshields. After they perish, we will reform ranks and with the anger of their loss, crush the life out of the enemy.”

  Raven only nodded but Edward had a question, “What if this plan of yours does not work?”

  “It will work just fine,” the king stated. “Just follow my orders.” The king did not know that both of his sons had decided to forego withdrawing from the Crestlaws. It was a shame that Raven and Edward had no idea they had each decided to do so. As the morrow would prove, honor had returned to the Kallestor line, in its future kings to be.

  Chapter 7

  The King’s Folly

  “A great man leaneth not to greatness because of power or position, he is beholden great thereof by the greatness he bringeth forth in others.”

  --Chronicles of the Ancients

  The spy stood before Voganon, the king of the Wickshields.

  “Are you sure of your report?” the king asked. This particular spy had never been wrong on the information he gathered about the kingdom of Glenfair.

  “My information is trustworthy beyond doubt, Your Majesty,” said the spy.

  “Good, that will be all for now,” said the king as he dismissed him with a wave of his hand. The Kingdom of Glenfair, Voganon mused, is something I would like very much to possess. I cannot let this opportunity pass, but if it is a trick of some kind, it will all be for nothing. Voganon remembered with some distaste the failure of a former spy. That failure had revealed to Glenfair that there were spies among them. A vague lesson of history also crept into Voganon’s mind. A hundred years before the Wickshields had attacked Glenfair and were trapped in the pass. The result was the loss of a great portion of the Wickshield army before they decided to retreat. I will not send the bulk of my army, decided the king, for if the pass is kept, no army can penetrate it and all the resources I have mustered will cost me greatly.

  The Wickshield king called his captain of the guard, saying, “Go fetch General Astmos for me quickly.”

  The man bowed and was gone. A short time later, the general came strolling into the main throne room.

  “What is thy bidding, Your Majesty?” the general asked, as he approached. The general had fought many battles f
or the king over the years with great success. He honored the king but did not over indulge in bowing, for he was all business.

  “I have information,” the king began, “that the pass into the land of Glenfair will be left with only a few men to watch over it, five days from now.”

  That was all the king said to the general as he watched the information being filed in the general’s head.

  The general looked at the king to gauge his thoughts, but as usual, none showed, so he spoke, “We have waited a long while for an opportunity such as this, if the report is true. In a short time Glenfair will be yours to command, Your Majesty.”

  The king still did not answer or say anything, but waited for the general to go on.

  The general, seeing this, spoke again, “Although such a great opportunity exists, if the information somehow is untrue, we will have wasted an enormous amount of resources and that would make the king very unhappy. May I suggest we send a small force large enough to take and hold the pass until the bulk of our army can arrive?”