Aspasia

Chapter 17

>Merlock<      

           I finished lacing my boots when a scout burst into my room “Merlock, sir, Balios requests your presence in the throne room.”

              “Why?”I asked.  

              “Leo is back, sir, with a message and a prisoner.” With that he bowed out of the room and left. I picked up the knife I had taken from Quinn. I slipped it into the scabbard I had made for it. It connected to my belt and was a deep brown. It didn't match the all black look I had going on. I left the room, and walked down the stairs. Slipping in and out of doors and rooms I made my way to the throne room. I bowed to one knee in front of Balios.

               “Rise Merlock,”he commanded. I rose and looked to Leo. “Alright Leo give us your report.”

              “Well, sire, the first day we encountered nothing. The second day I found this kid,”Leo said pushing the kid to his knees. He looked no more than fourteen. 

              “What's your name?” Balios asked.

              “Zack, your highness,”the kid stammered.

              “Where are you from,” I interjected with a sign from Balios. He wanted to listen not talk. He put me in charge of questions with a flick of his hands.

              “Algernon, sir,”he said. 

              “Leo,continue,” I commanded. A scout burst into the room. The scout dropped to his knees.

               “What?”asked Balios.

               “Wizards are here to see you, sire,” he said softly. Balios signaled again and left the room. I was in charge again. This time I was the king. I could say and act as I pleased.

               “Continue,”I said.

               “Well, Zack told me that he had seen Quinn. He took me to where he had last seen her. We had been wandering for half an hour. I was yelling at him when she dropped from the trees.  She was all sweet instead of being her normal self. She was saying something about her being a double agent. I believed her because it’s true, right? You never told me that, right?” I groaned. He was such an idiot. 

               “What next?”

               “You'll enjoy this part. When I was talking to Quinn I might have told her about that crush you have on her,” Leo said as happily as he had been talking this entire time. Now that crossed the line. I didn't like Quinn. She was the enemy. Or at least that's how it should be. I've known her since she came to Algernon. So maybe I did like her a bit. But, Leo was still a stupid soldier. He continued talking, “Merlock, I think she likes you. She told me she loved you. Isn't this great!” I sighed.

                “Leo, your such an idiot!You don't even realized what you've done. She played you. She lied to you. Then what happened,huh? You let her knock you out so she wouldn't seem suspicious.”I yelled. Leo looked down at the ground. “Get out of here. Go to your rooms. I'll deal with you later,”I hissed. Leo slunk out of the room. Balios entered.

                “Will you kill him?”Balios asked.

                “Yes,” I replied without thinking.

                “Good. I have a new plan. We both will get what we want.”

               “What is that sire?” I asked.

                 “I get my powers from the girl. Then you get the docile side of her. The girl without her powers, I mean to say.”

               “Yes sire,” I replied. That was the plan the entire time I thought.

               “I must get back to the wizards. Deal with him as you see fit. When you finish take some men, a horse, chains, and find that stupid girl. I'll deal with Leo. When you find her take her to the east tower of the castle we use for the prep of the games.”Balios said leaving again. He was like that. Enter and leave after a few words. He mostly made me deal with his work. The games were a special thing we did for prisoners.

             “She won't love you,” Zack said.

             “What?”

             “She won't love you.”

             “How do you know?”

             “I'm not a peasent. I have knowledge to share.”

             “What is that? Who are you?”

             “I'm a prince of a kingdom over the mountains. There the ogres, trolls, and dragons bow to me. It isn't in your destiny to have the love of Quinn.”

             “What do you know of destiny?”

             “I have seen the keepers. I've been in their council.” The keepers were the keepers of fate. They decided everything. Each life form was represented in their council.

             “Who are you?”

             “I told you. Now I will tell you something else. Aaron and Quinn will be together. They are fit for each other. You have only a small part in this.”

             “I'll kill Aaron then.”

             “It won't matter. You fear her. She is too powerful.”

             “It will. I control fate. Not some fake gods. I don't fear her. Even if I did her power will be gone soon.”

              “There is so much you don't understand. You have no idea what really is going on. You think that you are the only ones in the universe. You don't know how easily your lives are influenced. You don't even know who controls life.”

               “What do you mean?” I asked. The kid had disappeared into thin air. What did he mean? Someone controls our lives? I have no control over what happens to me? I shook the thought out of my head. I had a mind-reader to catch.