The Fall of Arnon

Chapter 14

"I don't know what they were planning," the priest reiterated. "They only said that, whatever it was, it would be happening soon."

Sir Ryan pushed his hand through his tangled mop of hair, looking more than exhausted. "I suppose the best guess is that they were part of the rebellion," he said.

"That is what I assumed," Father Thomas agreed. He laid his tanned wrinkled old hands upon his lap.

Across from them, a form stirred. It was the boy, Televtale. He lay on the sturdy, wooden structure that was the priest's bed. A mound of well-wrought blankets lay atop his resting body. He looked very much akin to an old caterpillar sleeping in his cocoon.

"I still can't believe they believed that ridiculous act." Father Thomas grinned as he watched the poor ill-nourished boy slumber.

"I told you I could do it," said Sir Ryan before taking a large swig from the mug of ale in his hand.

"You know what this could mean, though, right?" The priest suddenly sobered.

"Yes, I know," Sir Ryan nodded solemnly. "Treason. This means treason." He gestured to the boy.

"Are we no better than those men, Ryan?"

"What is it that we are fighting for?"

"Are we fighting" Is this only the start?" Father Thomas stared intensely down at the wooden floor.

"I don't know, Thomas. I don't know. It's not as if we are young, spry boys anymore. We, both of us, have lived long lives. Do we really want to start something we may not be able to finish?"

Before he could answer, the door to the outside slammed open, allowing a breath of frozen air to sweep through the house.

"Yes, yes we do," said the figure I the doorway. He stepped inside, his long, black cloak shielding his features, but nothing could disguise that princely voice emanating from beneath. His hood fell and he smiled at the two men, his eyes flaming with adventure.

Father Thomas watched as Sir Ryan closed the distance between himself and Lerendo. Like a bear with her newborn cub, he embraced the boy in his long arms.

"You made it," he sighed, holding him out as if checking for damages. Then, he dropped him like a piece of leftover ham.

"Did you find out anything else, your Majesty?' The priest motioned towards an old rocking chair, standing in a corner, its worn edges only serving to make it more beautiful in the light of the crackling fire.

"There is definitely something going on, but I haven't yet been able to find out what. Although, today alone, I have seen messengers from Altea, Lembando, and Artaxia come and go. I tried to do some eve's dropping, but those doors are thicker than I remembered them." He stopped to exult in the warmth of the fire.

"You mean, from this morning?" Father Thomas asked, a twinkle shining in his eye.

The boy stopped to look at the Father and smiled lightly. "The only thing I could guess was that there is some secret alliances going on that none of us have been informed about," he continued. "Or perhaps it's nothing more than trade."

"Right," Sir Ryan said thoughtfully. "But, now we must focus on the matter at hand. Catching our murderer. Now, it seems that as you were wandering the streets of the Tendaraston looking for him, he was at that moment murdering his fifth victim."

"No!" The priest cried out as he let his head fall to his hands. "God have mercy, what have we come to?"

"What indeed?" Sir Ryan whispered to himself.