The Coward King: Part One - Rebellion

Rebellion: Chapter Two

Chapter Two

“My sweet son,” Lady Alis said as Dorad pushed through the door into her chambers. She had been eating her meals in her own rooms now, and was growing thin and pale. “I feared for you on the road. Those Mallesians are all savages, I thought that they would kill you, my dear boy.” She pressed her tight, thin lips to his forehead.

Dorad embraced his mother gently, all the while fearing that he would break her, she was so frail. “I am fine, mother. Everything went smoothly, and I had no troubles on my trip to Fade.” He pulled a chair out from the table and took a seat. “What are you having for dinner, mother? I am famished.” His mother had been born the daughter of a high lord of Eresas in Eretum, and she demanded formality when anyone spoke to her, even her son.

“You missed my chambermaid by a matter of moments, she just went off to the kitchens to fetch us some soup.” Lady Alis coughed softly into a handkerchief, and when she moved it from her face the cloth was slightly stained with blood. Dorad cringed to see that, but he did not mention anything to his mother. No matter how many times he brought up the issue, the lady Alis refused to believe anything was wrong with her. 

“The cook, Layston, is losing his touch, if I’m not mistaken,” Dorad said. Momentarily forgetting his manners, he continued, “I honestly think that that man pisses in the broth he serves you.”

His mother’s eyes went wide, making it easy to see how pale they had become. Eyes that had once been like oceans seemed like pale ice to him now. “Dorad!” she exclaimed. Fits of laughter then overtook her, and she couldn’t manage to speak between laughing and coughing.

 Dorad smiled. Over the last few years, he had forgotten that his mother knew how to laugh. All she seemed to do was mourn for her lost husband.

Lady Alis’ chambermaid entered the room then, carrying two bowls of a watery yellow broth. When she set them down onto the table, Dorad immediately picked up a spoon and began to eat, drawing an offended glare from his mother. “Did you forget your manners on your trip to Fade?” she asked. “In Elaech, civilized folk offer prayers to the gods before they eat.” She promptly shut her eyes and began muttering worship to each of the Gods of Elaech in turn, all twenty-six of them.

Dorad moaned, but followed suit. He skipped over quite a few of the deities—including Dialantar, the Goddess of Death; he did not feel comfortable praying to her—as all twenty-six would take an awfully long time, and he was starved from his fight earlier that day.

When they finally finished praying, Dorad lifted his bowl and poured the broth into his mouth, gulping it all down. It left him unsatisfied, but he knew he would offend his proper mother by asking for more so soon. So he waited as his mother ate, ever so slowly.

“Have you heard, my son, about the newest taxes that our beloved King Allard, may he reign forever, has placed?” Dorad’s mother asked suddenly. He knew that she didn’t want Allard to reign forever, though. In fact, the Lady Alis was a staunch opponent of King Allard, who she accused of poisoning her husband.

A new tax? Dorad thought. Must be why those bandits attacked me on the road, they’re starving to death. “No, mother, I hadn’t heard,” was all he said, however.

“Yes, since you left for Fade, he started sending men out along all the major roads to collect tolls. Even his own lords cannot make a trip along the highways without paying a handful of silver marks.” She eyed him suspiciously. “In fact, I am surprised that no one confronted you to collect a toll.”

Dorad sighed. “That man knows he oversteps his bounds. He may be king, but no king ever held control of the people without support from his lords.” Dorad, still rather hungry, watched his lady mother finish her broth before he stood up to ask for some more.