The Coward King: Part One - Rebellion

Rebellion: Chapter Five

Chapter Five

“You must leave Werach, my lady,” Dorad begged for what must have been the hundredth time. “Tomorrow or the day after would be best.”

Asalain stood on the edge of the gardens, he white silk gown illuminated by the pale moonlight. For a moment, as she considered his request once again, there was silence amongst the myriad of flowers that surrounded them; not even the chirp of the crickets could be heard that night. She sighed. “Why should I go, my lord?” she asked, her tones betraying a hint of irritation. “And where?”

He took her hand gently in his and grinned at her, despite this. He bent down and picked a bright yellow kingsgold and pressed it into her hand. “Come with me, Asalain, to Enival in the south,” he said softly, though it seemed loud in the echoing darkness. “A lady of Eretum would certainly be welcome there, particularly one as highborn and beautiful as yourself.”

She could not help but flash a smile at the compliment. “It would be improper, my lord,” she said, however, “as we have only met this day.”

“You would be safer there than here, though,” he continued somberly. “Werach will be a dangerous place for a lady very soon, and I do not mean for you to be caught in the crossfire.”

One eyebrow raised in suspicion, Asalain took her hands away from his. “What do you intend, Dorad?” she asked. “Why will Werach be so unsafe?”

“King Allard is not in his right mind,” Dorad stated without hesitation. “The smallfolk call him less than kind titles, his lords and ladies laugh at him behind his own back. This war has not been kind to our king.”

“How do you know this?” Asalain pressed, disbelief apparent in her expression.

“Do you recall this afternoon in the great hall?” Dorad asked. When she nodded, he continued, “When Allard sent all of you away and spoke to me privately, it was to scold me for not bringing a large enough force to fight for him.”

“That does not make him a madman!” she exclaimed defensively.

Dorad laughed aloud. “He threatened to feed my body to the peasantry if I do not bring my full force to fight in Werach! Well, when I bring my force to Werach, it will be to end the peasant’s misery,” he said too loud.

“Shh!” she cried, hitting his arm with a worried fury. “What will you do if somebody hears this treason?”

Again he laughed, but when he continued it was in quieter tones. “Either way, my lady, I will be bringing an army here to Werach. And while I can say with confidence that they are valiant and courageous men in a battle…well, afterwards they may not be so valiant. I will try my best to prevent it, but pillage and rapine always follow a good siege, and it will not be safe for you.”

She took her head in her hands and sighed loudly. “Must you do this, Dorad?” she asked, but her voice did not sound hopeful.

“Yes, Asalain.” He drew his jeweled bastard sword from its resting place at his side. “When I became Lord of Enival, I swore upon this sword that I would defend the people of Elaech. I have been through villages where all but a few of the residents were starving, begging on the street for a scrap of food. I rode past houses that had fallen down, leaving people with no shelter from the rains. Is that protecting the people, Asalain?”

She did not answer.

“A king who would cause this much pain among his people is no king at all. We must be rid of Allard, before the realm collapses upon itself. I must kill him, to save the lives of many.”

Wiping her eyes with a sleeve, Lady Asalain smiled at him. “You certainly can deliver a moving speech, my lord of Erilion,” she said warmly. “And it seems you have left me with little choice in the matter. I came to Elaech to see the countryside, and being stuck in Werach I have hardly seen any of it at all! I would be glad to come with you when you leave.”