Realm Drifter: Cruel King

~Chapter Twenty-Eight~

Chapter Twenty-Eight; Elle-Moral 

~

I was led down the forested pathway, his footsteps echoing throughout the forest, matching the beat of my heart. 

I was so caught up in the freedom of being in a village, that I had forgotten to Question why I was there. 

Why would they give me so much freedom, give me the chance to have a sliver of happiness, right before a trial? Perhaps the King held guilt, perhaps he wanted to crush my happiness? Perhaps he wanted to give his future Queen a moment of happiness, a coin of his generosity.

 I couldn't fathom or comprehend the motives behind his actions, but I had a feeling it would come smashing down at any moment. 

~

We stood a large paddock, metres away from the villagers, but still in sight. We had made our way round to the front, where five Royal Guards stood guarding the large entrance. Inside, villages continued their daily lives, but their curious eyes followed us. 

I wasn't quite sure what we were waiting for, but we did. The guard that escorted me stood poised before me, his hand on the hilt of his sword, eyes cast forward. 

I stood there for a moment, contemplating what we were waiting for, when he suddenly moved. His stance changing from poised to an attack stance, his sword unsheathed and ready, but he didn't move from this position. He stayed like this, eyes trained on movement in the bushes, where we had just advanced from. 

I quickly turned my head, taking a step back but moving no further. My eyes searching the bushes for what was to come out. 

Out stepped a man, carrying a large chair, his back arched as he struggled to carry the weight of the wooden chair. He advanced till he was standing next to us, where he gently dropped the chair, facing the village. 

He gave a simple bow to the Guard, before retreating back from where he came from. 

The Guard relaxed his posture, sheathing his sword before resuming his poised stance as if it was a dance. More movement echoed throughout the meadow, but the Guard made no movement, his eyes trained forward. 

Curiosity held me though, and I couldn't stop myself from gazing at the bushes. Finally, the movement stopped, as out stepped two Guards and the King. The Guards armed and ready. One lead the King, moving branches and bushes out of the way, and the other Guard followed the King, watching his back. 

I quickly dropped my eyes, my back tensing up as he advanced, his posture casual as he took his spot in his grand wooden chair. The middle made of expensive red wool. 

"We may begin." Salvatore announced, his elbow resting on the edge of his seat, his face sitting in the palm of his hand. 

"As you wish, My King." My escorted Guard spoke, stepping forward to pull out a scroll from his steel brace. 

"Dear Participant. Elle-Moral is a Trial to test your mind between ethical and moral conundrums that only a true Queen could master. 

Choose correctly and you will become the next Queen of Edorium. Choose incorrectly and the true Queen of Edorium will send you to the Gods."

He finished speaking, handing me the scroll before lifting his arm towards the village. I raised my eyes, confusion filling my body as I looked at the entrance to the village.

Exiting the village strode out a tall guard, his hand clutching the soft hand of a little girl, her curious eyes looking around as if she had never left the village before. 

"What is this?" I asked, glancing towards the King. 

"Wait." He made no further comment, watching as the guard and the little girl came further into sight. 

Slowly, it dawned on me. In the little girl's arms she held the soft padding of a brown teddy bear, her golden hair shining in the light. It was the same little girl I had played with, the same little girl that I had spoken to. Eirya was her name, she was five moons old and her little bear's name was Harlord, like her father that had gone exploring. She was still waiting for him to return. 

"No-Wait-What is going on?" I asked, my voice rising in fear. 

"Lala!" Eirya called, her eyes lighting up as she walked closer, her toothless smile beamed at me. 

"Eirya, where is your mommy?" My voice was full of concern, my feet taking a step closer before I was roughly pulled back. 

"No further." The King commanded, obeying his orders, the guard stopped, his hand still clutching the little girl. She too stopped, confusion now filtering through her eyes. 

The King let out a smile before he stood up. He turned to me, his smile turning into a wicked smirk as he reached out towards the guard that stood next to him. Obeying his silent order, the brown tussled haired guarded gently placed a bound scroll into the palm of his hand, the Royal Seal incrusted onto it. 

"What is going on?" I demanded, glancing around at the four guards that stood in the meadow, my eyes staying on the little girl for a fraction of a second more. Motherly concern filling my body as an unfamiliar emotion took over. Fear. Not fear for my life, or fear of someone. Fear for the life of someone. Fear for the life of a innocent little girl. A little girl with a smile that could warm the heart of those around her, the purity that only a child could have. 

"It is time to complete the final trial of Elle-Moral. May you choose wisely, as fates lie in your hand. Read." His cryptic words echoed in my head. 

"Fates?" The words slipped out of my mouth as I ran a hand through my curly hair, my eyes holding nothing but concern and fear. 

"Read." He echoed, his voice much harder than before as he took his spot in his throne. 

With shaking hands, I did as he said, my fingers skimming under the parchment as I lifted the seal from the paper, uncurling it before clearing my throat. 

I began to read aloud. 

~

Choose. 

Save a village, kill a child. Save a child, kill a village. 

Which will it be?

~

 "No!"