AfterWorlds (Book 1): Chasing Blood

Chapter 9

(Unedited) After arriving at the castle and alerting the knights, King Ridicus and Lady Whinnry had settled in a large bedroom chamber with two individual beds both draped with thick dark curtains both looked as though big enough to hold an elephant. The room itself even more extravagant and large then the last at Rebelfall, decorated with many items molded out of gold and silver. The first few weeks Ridicus and Whinnry had been at the castle their presents was known but kept quiet. The town’s people gossiped about why the king’s son, Rebelfall’s Lord had come to Kingsdown since he had not been back since leaving 5 years ago but no one dare come right out and question the royal family. While Ridicus trained with the Kingsdown Castle and read over his father’s notes and book records for the last 11 years, Whinnry spent a lot of time either with Ridicus as his personal care, in their chambers or talking to the other occupants of the Kingsdown castle. Ridicus had noticed that since arriving at Kingsdown Whinnry had become much calmer and more relaxed.“How has the Majna been helping?” Ridicus had asked the girl as he removed his thick black cloak laying it over a small jeweled chair in the large bedroom chamber. “Fine my King. Did you know you can cook it? One of the kitchen girls is showing me how to cook it in food. Did you know you could eat it?” Whinnry had spoken as she sat on the bed pulling her hair up and tying it out of her face.
“I do now Lady Whinnry.” Ridicus smiled as he moved to sit in front of her on the bed. Ridicus placed his hand upon hers gently and she did not flinch or move away, but stare down smiling tenderly at the affection for a moment before her smiled faded. “Will you be gone long?” Whinnry spoke quietly. “No, Rebelfall counsel has finally arrived and we will only be holding a short meeting.” Ridicus said slightly distracted.“Perhaps you should visit the library?” Ridicus asked after a moment of silence. Whinnry pulled her hand from beneath the elves. “You know I cannot read.” She muttered under her breath in annoyance. “It still might be worth a look.” Ridicus encouraged and opened his mouth to say more when the knights guarding the door knocking. Ridicus stood up and placed a large thick silver crown upon his head, the exact one his father had once worn. As Ridicus entered the counsel room he met eyes and smiling, tired faces. “King Ridicus it is good to see you!” Lord Hunz spoke happily through a stiffed yawn. “Yes My King, you are looking well.” Rewbus the Rebelfall Lords second stepped forward, bowing at his torso. Ridicus stepped forward to return the greeting but noticed a women standing behind Hunz and Rewbus that the King had never seen before. Ridicus couldn’t help but stare at her beauty; she was ageless with dark wispy hair pulled back loosely. She stood tall, almost as tall as the King himself but she wore black head to toe, the hem of her dress starting just below her collar bone and end inches above her heels, which were covered by laced boots Ridicus had found was her source of height. “Who are you?” Ridicus asked as though there was no one else in the room.
“King Ridicus My name is Lady Sular I was the Kings Second while your father ruled and-““Why have I not seen you before? I have been here for nearly 3 weeks.” The King said as he looked around, the others looking as confused as him, looking among themselves for an answer. The women’s demeanor seemed to change very fast as her eyebrows buried together in anger. “I have been dealing with this city as you hide away in the castle like some child.” The women said her eyes fixed on The King. “Lady Sular! You cannot speak to your King with such disrespect.“ Hunz began but Ridicus waved him to quiet. “I have been preparing myself to face the people so I will have the answers they seek.” Ridicus said proudly. “The people do not want to bombard you with questions, they simply wish to know what is happening among their govern, they are scared and confused and have every right to know what has happened.”  “King Ridicus does not want to cause panic, Lady Sular.” Rewbus spoke up first. “Surely the people of Kingsdown would become frantic knowing there is assassins running lose, and if they know this man can murder their king? They will know they are not safe.” Hunz finished for the elf. “You do not give enough credit, I know these people, these families, and they simply just wish to not stay in the unknown.” Lady Sular spoke, more empathetic but still bitterly. “Then I shall announce on the first of the new month what has taken place.” Ridicus said as he motioned for everyone to sit at the large wooden table, plates of fruits and large goblets wine sat along the table. “Now let’s not drag this out, I’m sure Lord Hunz and Sir Rewbus will want to rest after their journey.” “King Ridicus, you have yet to choose a Lord to rule Rebelfall. The council is finding it increasingly difficult to come to decisions as a group when it comes to the countries matters.” Hunz spoke hastily as he sat. “Yes there is that matter.  I’ve yet to choose, I’ve been fairly occupied these last few weeks.” The king said sheepishly as the others stared at him, disapprovingly. “Yet to choose?” Lady Sular spoke up from the far side of the table. “King Ridicus, if I remember correctly you do have a younger sister.” The table fell quiet as they looked from Lady Sular to the King. “Yes.” Ridicus said cautiously. “Then there is no choice. She is to go to Rebelfall since you have no other bloodline relatives.” Lady Sular said as though there was no discussion to be had on the matter. “Lady Elise is at Gallay, She cannot rule Rebelfall.” Ridicus said back over the table. “Take her from Gallay.” “She is a child; she does not know how to rule a kingdom.”  Ridicus said feeling his temper slip slightly at the thought of his younger sister holding such responsibility. “My King, Lady Sular is right, The King’s law rules that only those of royal bloodline may rule in the southern kingdom.” Rewbus spoke hoarsely, knowing that this is not what the king would want to hear. “She will need to marry of course and bare children and once she has a boy and he grows to a man, he along with your father’s bloodline will continue to rule the southern kingdom.” The women with dark haired women spoke but she barely finished what she had said when Ridicus arm had flew across the table, knocking goblets of wine and plates or food shattering to the ground. Those around the table to the kings right moved quickly as to not be hit by spilling wine or food. “The people will follow-“Lady Sular Began but was cut off by Ridicus outburst.“I was once Lord of Rebelfall,” Ridicus spoke as he rounded the table.“The people of Rebelfall will follow who I say they will follow.” He spoke through clenched teeth as he moved his face only inches from the women’s.
“Lady Elise is to be left at Gallay. I will appoint a new Lord of Rebelfall, If I hear another word on the matter that I have not brought up I assure, you will be finding yourself without a tongue.” The King said loudly and harshly but not directly at anyone. The room stayed silent as Ridicus left, two knights flanking him. The thought of Elise being forced to rule, become a wife and mother simply because she was royalty and they needed more bloodline descendant’s made Ridicus stomach clench, even though the Kings Law had been written Ridicus was now the King, he had the power to change and he planned on doing just that. As Ridicus stormed into his chambers slamming the door behind him, leaving the two knights, he paced in the empty room mumbling and cursing under his breath.He had never met a woman more infuriating, never before had he spoken in such a manner to the men before him. He had always shown them submission when his father told him how important they were for the kingdoms to run, but something in Ridicus refused to back down. He knew Elise was meant to rule Rebelfall once she was older and their father passed of old age, like their grandfather and his father before him. That was when Ridicus was supposed to become king, centuries from now not weeks and most certainly not days; but here he was, ruling a small city one day to two entire kingdoms the next. “My King?” Whinnry’s voice was so soft but it pierced through Ridicus concentration like an arrow.“I’m sorry; I didn’t hear you enter the room.” Ridicus gave her a soft smile trying to bury his thoughts. “Are you alright?” Whinnry asked cautiously.   “Meeting with the council did not go as I had planned.” He let out a frustrated breath.Whinnry moved towards the elf and took his hands sitting himself and her in a large lounge chair among the chamber. “The counsel think Elise should be ruling Rebelfall.” Ridicus said his gaze fixed on their hands folded together. “She is still so young though.” Ridicus noticed Whinnry’s grip tighten around his hand slightly as she spoke. “I know, that’s why I refused.” The King said looking back up to meet eyes with the red head girl sitting before him. “What about the Kings law?” Whinnry blurted before thinking.“I am the King now; they are my rules to change.” Ridicus said patiently as he stood up.“It was my bloodline that wrote the laws; it will be the same bloodline that changes them.”Ridicus stared down at Whinnry for a moment before tracing a finger gently over her exposed collar bones that bare a large scar; she flinched away immediately and Ridicus quickly withdrew his hand.“I’m sorry my Lady.” The elf moved to a table with fruits and wine and poured a drink for himself. “I refuse to force Elise to rule, and I will not put her life in danger.” As Ridicus spoke, Whinnry could feel her own hand rise to feel the scar. The one who had done this had not been caught yet, though they had knights searching no one had seen the men who had tried to kill Whinnry.  “You should rest.” Ridicus voice snapped Whinnry out of her momentary daze. The King moved towards the girl and he kissed the top of her head gently. “Will you be leaving again?” Whinnry asked as Ridicus strode towards the chamber doors, goblet still in hand.“Yes, there are a few things I must see to, sleep well Lady Whinnry.” Ridicus spoke with slight distraction but he gave her a warm smile before leaving, closing the door behind him.
Whinnry found herself lying awake in one of the two large beds, sleep eluded her and she decided to make the best of the castle while most of its inhabitants slept. Slipping on a long thin black cloak over her shoulders she left the room attempting to be as quiet as possible. Whinnry jumped when the knights standing beyond the door turned to look at her. “Lady Whinnry, you should be sleeping.” One of the knights whispered from under his helmet. “Please do not follow me. If King Ridicus returns I have gone to the library.”The knights hesitated but did not follow the girl down the dimly light hall. It didn’t take Whinnry long to reach the library, it was on the third floor, its entrance was so grand it didn’t require doors. The large open towering shelves staked with books stood tall and quiet in the night; Whinnry had never actually been inside the library before and she wasn’t quite sure why she was here, she couldn’t read after all. After wandering the tall rows of book shelves for a few moments the girl noticed a dim light coming from behind one of the shelves. Inching her way around nervously, Whinnry grabbed the biggest book she could carry off the shelf she was passing and held it up as high as she could as she stepped from around the corner. “Lady Juliet?” Whinnry said taken back, quickly lowering the book and placing it on the ground. Juliet was on the ground surrounded by piles of books, some opened some closed, stacked on top of each other, a small lantern lighting the pages she read. “My goodness girl, do you know what time it is why are you awake wondering the castle at this hour?” Juliet asked closing the book she had been reading, tucking it under her arm. “I could not sleep; King Ridicus said I should visit the library.” Whinnry’s voice trailed off“In the dead of night?” Juliet smirked and stood up stepping out of the books that surround her on the floor. Whinnry opened then closed her mouth as her cheeks flushed pink. “I had planned to not come here at all.” The girl muttered under her breath. Juliet stared at her one eyebrow raised until Whinnry finally snapped. “I can’t read all right?” The young red head said in frustration. “Why did you not say earlier? Wasting all this time when you could have been learning.” Juliet tsk at Whinnry as she walked past her down a few paces until she stopped, put the book she had been reading into the shelf and removed another, walking back to the girl and handing it to her. “Lots of pictures, not a lot of words, it’ll be a good start. I want you to look over this, come back in a fort night and well see what you know.” Whinnry took the large red leather book from the women as she walked past and began to put back the other books she had on the ground. “Go on.” Juliet spoke to Whinnry but stared at the shelf as she replaced the books and the girl left clutching the book without another word.Whinnry raced back down to her and Ridicus chamber and past the knights, closing the door quickly but quietly behind her. When she re-entered the room it was darker than it had been before, only one torch lighting it and a body lay on the second bed that had not been there before. King Ridicus had returned and barely removed his cloak when he had fallen asleep on one of the large four poster beds. Whinnry moved quietly to not wake him, as she moved to sit on the second bed, flipping open the book, its pages filled with thick parchment paper, drawings of figures in motion controlling different colored objects and liquids. “It looks like there throwing water” Whinnry whispered, as she flipped through more of the book until she came to the back and little drawn figures looked as though they were controlling a red liquid. “Fire, this is an elemental book, it’s for elementals!” The girl said louder then she had meant to, luckily though the sleeping elf was not disturbed. As Whinnry examined the pictures a bit more closely she realized that each figure was doing a different motion which caused apparently caused the fire to change shape and size. Whinnry looked over the book as many times as she could until her eyes became so heavy she fell asleep with the book still open under the weight of her sleeping body.