Whispers of a Legend, Part One-Shadows of the Past (6 page)

Instinctually, I took a step back. Had I
heard his words correctly? Reprimanded for my actions! I stared
wide-eyed at my grandfather. Sudden emotions overwhelmed me. My
eyes flamed. How dare he question me! We had no knowledge he was
coming for us! I had only done what was within me- protect!

King Edulf rubbed his eyes and ran his hand
through his hair. He seemed greatly agitated for having to deal
with me. “Your upbringing has been sadly lacking! I know not if it
can be saved at your age. What are you child? Twelve? Thirteen? If
you were male, I would know what to do. There are consequences to
such actions.”

“My Lord?” the other asked. He looked
strangely at his king. “Of what are you saying? I thought we had
talked about a course of action.”

“Lothar!” King Edulf declared suddenly and
loudly. “I have not decided a course of action, but think not I
will be questioned in front of a subject. I have to decide an
acceptable solution.”

I stood speechless. I might not have
expected a warm reaction, although I had long thought it would have
been. My eyes grew large. His man, king, couldn’t abide being in
the same room with me, his own grandchild that much I was certain.
I stood now as if I was an inanimate object.

“She needs to be taught quickly about the
ways of the Sordarins. If she is indeed what has been proclaimed to
be, she has much to learn. A Euchoun protects, not does harm upon
us. It should well have been within her instincts. It may be she
hasn’t gotten the instincts within her. She will have to be
developed. The East tower will serve as her quarters. We’ll start
with a month of bread and water and a strenuous schedule of
lessons.”

“My Lord,” I spoke. At first in a low voice,
but while my courage grew so did my voice. “Who are you to question
my actions? Why would I assume that your guards descending down
upon my home were friendly? They tore through the roof. No one
knocked upon the door, but instead tried to ram it. Turstan for
years talked of nothing but the grandeur of Sordarins. My father
was one, but do you not comprehend that he was betrayed by such. My
father is dead because of trust of his own. My mother betrayed by
your minister. So tell me once more about my actions.”

Silence ensued within the room. King Edulf
stared at me intensely unhappy with my outburst. He stood
straighter and seemed suddenly to have grown taller. With a flick
of his hand, he called for a guard who responded immediately. The
guard reached for me.

Thoughts ran rapid within me. He was
dismissing me, rebuking me. Was he sending me to the Tower? Anger
built inside of me. I would not be treated so. My hand raised and
repelled the guard’s touch. Tears welled in my eyes. Where was
Turstan? I wasn’t going to stay thus. I would leave with
Sareta…Falco.

From behind me a voice emerged. “My Lord. I
beg your forgiveness,”

Relief flooded me for it was Turstan. He
spoke loudly. “I’m afraid proper etiquette I taught not, but the
girl can fight. I can assure you, my Lord.”

Turstan walked toward me, a well-groomed
Turstan. He had cut his beard down, washed and dressed proudly with
the Royal Guard uniform. Without thinking, I ran toward him and he
took me in his arms.

“I want to go home, Turstan,” I whispered.
“I don’t like it here. Sareta is better, stronger. We can
leave.”

“No, child,” he said softly. His arms
outstretched. His hand touched my cheek, wiping back escaping
tears. “You’re place is here. Sareta is better because we have not
need of her magic continually. For years she has been drained. She
is in no shape to do such. Don’t ask her. We will have to deal with
all. It’s time to stop running.”

“He doesn’t like me, Turstan,” I said in a
whisper, glancing back over at Grandfather. “He’s mad with me. He’s
placing me in the tower.”

“The tower? Why in all that’s wholly?” he
looked doubtfully behind me.

“I will not be questioned about my actions!”
King Edulf declared. He looked upon me grave and stern. “She is
supposed to be a Euchoun! A Euchoun would never behave such!
Discipline! Honor! Duty! A tiny waif of child! A girl! Where does
her strength lie if we had demand of such? Tell me why, Lothar, I
would hold back from sending such to de Folur as was requested to
Brixtone to honor our agreement if she can not perform as a
Euchoun?”

Lothar walked in-between his king and
myself. He motioned for the guard to leave. I stood quite
motionless. What was his meaning of his utterance of sending me to
Brixtone? Panic swept through me. Was that what the prince
meant?

“Tell me quickly,
Lothar
? My patience is wearing thin!” King Edulf
demanded.

“My Lord,” Lothar answered. “I have tried to
explain I wouldn’t commit to such until we know more. I have urged
caution from the beginning of de Folur offering such information.
We have seen only a glimpse of her power. Do you not believe he is
after such?”

I
stared blankly at
the man in front of me, the man that by blood was my grandfather,
leader and ruler of the most powerful land. Trying desperately to
make sense of all but all I could feel was his hatred toward me. My
eyes broke from him. He began to rant. His temper raged at me.

“I’m tired of all of this. Falco is back as
heir. Sareta holds form as her mother. But to tell me that this
one, this tiny girl, almost destroyed my Royal Wings…that I don’t
believe. Her brother must hold the bond. He will be able to
develop,” With a heavy heave, he sighed and then took a deep breath
in. “But Lothar, you are correct, I must tread carefully or I will
be tricked by Brixtone.” He eyed me with an intent stare. “Yes,
Lothar, de Folur ….”

I stood silently, but my eyes bore out
my confusion. I felt my heart pierced with the keenness of the
King’s glance. My own blood held me in such contempt. For what?
Why?

Turstan grabbed my shoulders and turned me to
him. "Kela, what is going on? What have you done?"

"Turstan," I said in a voice no
louder than a whisper. "He hates me, Turstan. He will
accept Falco? Sareta? What have I done, Turstan, to incur such hate
from my own grandfather? Turstan, we can't be separated."

Turstan glanced across at his ruler, the one
he pledged to serve and protect, but he had done the same to his
son and wife. His oath he had made to my mother bond him
to the children for he understood it wasn't undone.

"My lord," Turstan countered in an attempt to
alleviate the tension. "I thought I had explained all to you in
vivid detail. You have ignored all I have said as if all we have
endured was for naught! What do you believe happened to your son!
The entire unit I was assigned. You would betray your
grandchildren. And in the end, your country."

"Lothar, hold to Turstan. I do have
questions about my son's death. It may well be it is you, Turstan,
who have betrayed all," King Edulf turned his full attention upon
my guardian. "How is it you were the only one to survive? Yes,
I believe it is what I will do. Get to the bottom of my son's
death."

"Then may I suggest, my lord that we
listen. I beg patience. All has come quickly. You now have the
opportunity to ask. Kela and Falco were there that night. Did you
not hear her utter it was the minister? For your own good we
need to take all slowly. There is much to adjust to. Find the
meaning of all. We have long suspected a threat is looming upon the
horizon. To dismiss all would be a fatal mistake," Lothar said
in manner of stating a fact.

King Edulf glared at me, his granddaughter.
His ego would never let him relent in front of me, this I
realized.

"Get her out of here immediately. Do not
begin to tell me that the fate of Sordarins lies within the hands
of weakling! Look upon her, Lothar. She is trembling! Her eyes
water! Get her out of my sight! I will decide upon my course of
action. Since Turstan seems reluctant to stop acting as a wet
nurse take him with you!"

Relief flooded me. I was dismissed. I may
have not understood nothing of his ramblings, but a weakling?
Never! My only desire was to leave the company of
this despicable man. I held my head high departing the room
and didn’t look back.

Chapter 5

Fight of Arachnidean

The morning dawned once more. I rose from my
bed, taking care not to wake Sareta. I pulled the thin blanket and
tucked it around my sister who again within the night had found
me. Although still within the home I had first been taken, I
had been moved for now I was held as a servant in the household,
banished from the castle I had never known. I had been given a
small room across from the servant quarters similar to the one I
had had before, but I believed it was only because the fear that
Sareta would turn up beside me that I had a room to myself.

Lady Faileuba had been most kind. Although
her husband, Lord Lothar, and she had no desire to incur the
wrath of King Edulf, I don’t believe they thought the King in truth
wanted his granddaughter to become a common servant.

But with all I was confused and within my
heart I understood not the method behind my treatment. Was I not a
Euchoun? A warrior? At night when I lay my head down upon my bed, I
would remind myself of the fact for warriors did not cry, but
survived. Turstan instilled within me as much.

I hadn’t uttered a word of complaint, but
wondering of why I was being treated in this manner weighed upon
me. The unfairness of it all! But Turstan had urged me patience.
The King, he said, felt I had disrespected him. I would have to pay
the cost of such behavior. Falco, I hadn’t seen since we arrived
within Yucca three months hence. Three months since I had sustained
the fury of the King. Falco hadn’t even tried to contact me when I
turned another year. Sareta told me in all King Edulf had commanded
none use my name.

“Please, Kela, do not hold it against Falco.
Grandfather will not let him see you. In that I have heard,” Sareta
confessed upon the day I passed into my thirteenth year.

“It has not stopped you,” I countered.

Her eyes lowered escaping my gaze. “I fend
ignorance, Sister. I need your strength. I can’t be kept from you.
I feel your need for me also. It calls to me and I can’t ignore
it.”

At least I had my sister and in time I would
reunite with my brother. Of that I was determined. My anger now
seethed against the King. I had ceased calling him Grandfather for
he had shown me no feeling of such.

In truth, though, I had begun to wonder if I
should relent and beg for forgiveness to the King. Not that it had
been asked of me, but this time away from my family was taking a
toll upon me. Surely the King would forgive me. Did not my family
have need of me? A plan began to formulate within me. I could take
no more, deciding upon swallowing my pride. I would humble myself
before the King. The problem now lay with how to gain audience.

Washing myself before the day, I glanced
over at Sareta once more. I would let her sleep a tad longer before
waking her and sending her back. For some odd reason, her presence
even in sleep gave comfort to me. Patting my simple gray tunic, I
walked out the door, shutting the door quietly.

The house was large with many servants.
In all, a pleasant, comfortable place to live. I found myself
envying the family and wishing I lived with my family in a house
such as this. Learning from the other servants in the house, Lord
Lothar had come from the Lanka tribe. I didn’t know a lot
about the tribes that made up Scarladin, but I had heard of
the Lanka tribe from Turstan. Proud and true, they were a dark
skinned race, renowned for their valiant warriors. I didn’t ask the
position Lord Lothar held. It mattered not to me, but with all I
surmised he held a position of importance.

From these whispers, I learned of Cono the
warrior whom had flown me to Yucca came from this House, but his
mark was Brixtone. Cono came at times to see his grandmother
causing a stir within the house upon each visit. The servant girls
turned to silly, giggling idiots upon his appearance, not even
talking coherently. Yet they waited upon his every want.

In my youth I suppose I could not fault
their actions. Cono was ruggedly handsome without question. He
seemed much older than Falco for he walked with the air of
confidence that only time seems to give, but in all I learned he
was only a year older. Already the winds carried the tales of his
bravery and courage. Yes, he was a magnificent warrior with his
bulging muscles, broad chest, and the most telling of eyes. I
watched all from the shadows upon his visits, hiding from those
telling eyes. With his actions, I realized he reveled in this
treatment.

From the keeper of the house, Allersaka, an
old woman whom had served within since her early life I learned
much of the family of the House I served within.

“Lord Lothar and Lady Faileuba had only one
child, a son, Pers. He was a valiant Sordarin warrior. He died in a
battle along the border of Scarladin and Brixtone. An arrow to his
unprotected chest. It was thought he was betrayed for he wasn’t
wearing his armor. The House fell into deep mourning for his lost.
The darkness only lightened upon the discovery that Pers had left a
child. Unbeknownst to his parents, he had married, but had done so
in secrecy. His bride, Crestiana, came from the Brixtone Royal
family where it was forbidden to marry without consent of the King
of Brixtone. You cannot imagine the shock of discovery of his
lordship when he learned his son had left behind a child.

“A lone maiden, Helena, Crestiana’s cousin,
arrived upon the steps of the house carrying an infant in her arms
with the tale of his existence. The poor maiden carried only the
babe and a letter. A letter that Master Pers himself had written
before his death in case something happened to him. He worried
about his wife and wanted her to given entrance to the House if
fate didn’t allow him to bring her. Fate was cruel, Crestiana died
within hours after giving birth. Her last actions sent young master
Cono to his home here. She feared for his life.