The Hidden

Chapter 19 - [The King's Advisor]

Lord Roviaryn walked down the halls of the palace, four knights following behind him. His black hair was long, falling over his shoulders and framing his long, pale face. It was his hair that made his red eyes seem redder than most other Lumynos men, making him all the more frightening.

     And some silver streaks joined the black of his hair, showing the age that the rest of his body failed to show.

     His clean shaved face showed his sharp features and square jaw, and his low brow bone made him always look angry, even during the rare occasions when he smiled.

     Just the sight of this tall, muscular and ferocious man sent shivers down the spines of many. But he was so handsome that many couldn’t help but stare.

     There were countless stories of this man, some made people fear him, and others made people respect him. And that was why he was the only man since Kyryn that a single person could both respect and fear.

     He opened the door of the meeting chamber and made everyone stand when he walked in.

     Everyone except the king, of course.

     Lord Roviaryn looked at the boy. “What happened to your face?” He asked.

     Dukaryn flashed a glare, but even he couldn’t hold a steady gaze with the ferocious looking Roviaryn.

     The Lord watched the King, waiting for a response.

     And after a moment, his gaze burned deep enough into the side of Dukaryn’s face to make him answer. “One of those terrorists was at Amberdyse. I got into a fight with him.”                

     “Did he beat you?” Roviaryn asked with his deep, booming voice that echoed in the chamber.

     Dukaryn hesitated and looked away as Roviaryn sat down in his spot across from the King.

     He didn’t need to answer that, Roviaryn figured out the answer just by looking at him.        

     Roviaryn looked around the table at the faces of all the high members of the Kings court. Majority of them were Lumynos. The others were hard headed, strong willed, regular humans. “Where is my son?”

     “Still at Amberdyse.” One of the men said.

     Roviaryn nodded his head. “And where is the mayor of Amberdyse?”

     “He continues to refuse support the invasion.” The same man said.           

     “Hmm.” Roviaryn put both his elbows on the table, joined his hands and rested his chin on it. “We’ve given him too much time to change his mind, and we are running out of time to give him.”

     “I say we just attack Amberdyse.” The King said.

     Roviaryn looked at the King. “Attack a town of our own?”

     “Force them to cooperate.” Dukaryn said. “You said yourself the other day that we cannot go to war unless everyone in our nation accepts it.”

     “I did.”

     “So we attack Amberdyse and force them to accept it.”

     Roviaryn looked at the foolish little boy. “Have you weighed the consequences of such a decision?”

     “Of course I have.” Dukaryn said. “We loose a couple knights, but the ones that remain will either be the strongest, or the ones that want to cooperate.”