Even though
Brooke could have easily dispatched the guards herself Trent gave them no
issues. He and his friends allowed themselves to be escorted to the castle
after breakfast. Trent had not been in Lidarion in thirteen years and other
than feeling a little smaller and a little less grand the castle had not
changed much, and Trent reminding himself that the size and feel of the building
had more to do with the changes in him rather than the building.
The guards
led them by the rooms the ruling council used for their daily meetings. Which were
closed and dark. “That’s strange. They’re is usually hammering out the kingdom
and city budget this time of year.” Brooke commented.
They turned a corner and came to large double doors covered with red velvet and inlaid with gold. The lamps on either side of the hall were shiny with fresh polish and the doors appeared to have been intensely cleaned and polished recently. “Anyone else feeling like this is a bigger deal than we thought?” Squints asked.
The guard to
their right reached up and slammed the knocker into its base. They could hears
the sound echo through the throne room on the other side. There was a delay and
then the doors opened from the inside, pulled by servants on command. The
throne room was no longer as Brooke had described it. There were lit torches,
band new tapestries, and a thick red carpet that led up to the dais where King
Alfred sat on a newly polished throne.
The group
approached the dais slowly, the members of the ruling council were imprisoned
in large cages that lined the walls on the back half of the throne room. The
men and women had clearly been detained for a while, and not treated at all
well. The knots in Trent’s stomach cursed him for making such a stupid tactical
error.
“Welcome, do
not be shy, this is a day of celebration and generosity! Come be quick and
kneel at my feet, let us get formality out of the way so that we may speak as friends.
Like we used to.” The king waved his hand at the empty space at the foot of the
Dais. His smile did not match the tone of his voice but they had no other
choice and so sped up to kneel and swear fealty. “You may rise, loyal and true
citizens of Lidarion.” The king commanded having accepted their display. “Now
let us ‘catch up’ as they say. It has been an age has it not? Regale your king
and his court,” He waved to the council in their cages. “With the tales of your
lives since last we met.” He leaned on his elbow to await their reply.
Trent stepped
forward first and knelt again. “Before we go any further I would like to offer
my sincerest apologies to his royal highness and to the court for breaking my
banishment. I have no excuse other than making a promise that I could never have
kept. I meant no disrespect.” He waited for a moment until the king spoke.
“Rise my
friend. This court takes no offense at your appearance in this time of need. It
may even been what the scribes of old would call ‘fate’, am I right Squints?”
The king looked to the gnome.
Squints shrugged
his shoulders. “I apologize your majesty but I don’t think I know of the need
you are referring to.” He answered.
The king
snapped his fingers. “Of course not! How could you? If everyone knew then it
wouldn’t be very fateful now would it?” He said mostly to himself. “You may
rise Trent, and consider carefully the task I lay before you.” The king commanded.
Trent rose
to his feet and stepped back in line. “How may I be of service to your majesty?”
Trent asked.
The king
smiled. “I propose a trade.” He offered without further explanation.
Trent waited
an appropriate amount of time and then asked. “A Trade, your highness?”
The king
nodded. “Of course. I cannot kill you. I am not a stupid man you see and I know
that my sister is more loyal to you than she is to me, so if you were to die by
my order it is obvious that I would die by her hand. This would plunge the
kingdom into even worse chaos than it already exists in. I cannot have that. So
in exchange for the lives of the council, a ravening band of opportunistic
scavengers if there ever was one, I require something that will cement my
legacy as the greatest king in the history of Lidarion.” His smile was genuine
now.
Trent
nodded. “And what could I hope to trade to you for their lives that had the power
to grant you such a legacy?” Trent asked.
The king
snapped again. “So glad you asked. You will bring me the Sigils of the Paragon’s.”
Squints took
half a step back but the reference sailed right over Trent’s head. “The Sigils
of the Paragons your highness?” He asked.
The king
nodded. “I do like this echo you’ve developed but it does slow things down and
it makes me wonder about your mental capabilities. The paragons are the representatives
of the elemental gods on this planet, they have the power to bestow the favor
of the gods they represent onto mortal men and women. I am burdened with ruling
this great kingdom but you have the freedom to collect these favors in my name.
Bring them to me in one year’s time and I will spare the lives of these
betrayers and usurpers. Do you agree?”
Trent looked
around the throne room and realized there were more guards than he could count
on a quick glance. “And If I say no?” He asked.
The king
sighed heavily. “The standard punishment for breaking a banishment is death and
while it would pain me greatly, A king with a dead sister is still a king.”
Trent looked
to Squints who was very slightly shaking his head as if to say don’t do this. Trent took one last look
at the council member’s and then nodded. “I accept, on one condition.”
The kings
smile got bigger and then instantly faded. “I do not believe I offered terms
for bargaining.” The king replied.
Trenton
nodded. “And You may deny me if you wish, but it is a small favor at best. Easy
for a man of power such as yourself.” Trent explained.
The king
waved his hand. “I am feeling generous today, what is this ‘condition’ of
yours?” The king asked.
“keep the
Council on the castle grounds, armed guard all day every day. But if they are
to be dead in a year’s time, take them out of these cages. Be magnanimous and
allow them a shred of joy before they are to die for my failures.” Trent
requested.
