-HIM-
"I'm glad to see you back after such a long time, your Majesty," Flavius stated when I appeared at my court after nearly a month.
"I'm glad that you're glad to see me," I said, glancing through the list of work piled up due to my absence. Flavius stood before me with a peculiar hesitancy.
"I'm truly glad to see you, Your Majesty," Flavius repeated awkwardly. "I've been looking forward to your return. A lot of advancements took place in your absence. You're back at the right time otherwise—"He stopped abruptly due to my pointed look.
"What kind of advancements?" I inquired carefully. Hesitancy lingered on his face as he shuffled on his feet.
"It's about the revenue from the feudal lords," He responded, matching my careful tone. He continued, "It's about the Memor brothers from the Northern frontier,"
I sighed. Those two have been the source of my headaches for a long time now.
"What did they do this time?" I asked. From Flavius's uneasiness, I could guess that they must have done something outrageous. Again.
"A spy says the elder Memor has been trading arms from the Somirean black markets," Flavius reported grimly. "What do you want me to do with them, Your Majesty?"
"How much do the Memors pay in taxes?" I recalled. Flavius flipped through some leaves in his leaflet before answering, "three fourth of their produces,"
"That's such a small amount in taxes given the Memors don't maintain a serviceable recruitment rate to send us some troops,"
"Yes, that is true, your Majesty," Flavius agreed even though I was sure that he thought three fourth in taxes was a considerable amount.
"In that case, I don't understand why we tax them so lowly," I wondered, "only to have them send that surplus funds to Somirea in return of arms they're going to use against my men,"
"Yes, sir. They're taking your kindness for granted!" Flavius agreed without a choice.
"Then I say, we should arrange something that leaves them with less time and even lesser funds to think of treason,"
"Yes, your Majesty, but how?"
"Hmmm... I've chosen to award the Arkneys the Yak woods—"
"—the Arkneys?" Flavius choked.
"Yes, why do you look so horrified?"
"'m just shocked, Your Majesty. The Arkneys are the most dangerous tribe in your kingdom, aren't they?"
"They are,"
"And the Yak woods are marked as your property. It acts as a buffer to make sure no one has the misfortune of running into the Arkneys,"
"Yes?"
"If Arkneys get the Yak woods, then they'd be face to face with Memors. I don't think it would be secure for the latter," Flavius remarked.
"That's not my trouble, Flavius,"
"OH!" His eyebrows almost merged with his hairline.
"The tribals would keep the brothers occupied for a while. As for the funds, they'll surrender fifteen out of sixteen parts of their produces from now on," I added. Flavius seemed to have forgotten how to form words for a moment. "That should be enough. Inform the officials to start the paperwork for the land-grant and have a couple of my Warlords monitor the Memors closely,"
"I'll tell them right away, your Majesty,"
"I'm sure the Memors would be ecstatic to see their new neighbours," I smiled. "As for the tribals, they'd be pleased to have their territory extended. They send me exceptional warriors. I must show them my gratitude from time to time,"
"They'd be over the moon with the new territory, your Majesty," Flavius attempted to smile but failed.
All of a sudden, my brother entered the court, declaring his presence by asking, "Who'd be over the moon, brother?"
Flavius' lips slightly twitched before he thoroughly schooled his features into an unreadable expression. My brother strode inside the court without anyone's permission as if he was the King. I watched him silently as he flashed me a bogus smile before glancing between my administrator and me.
"Pleased to see you back in the court, brother!" He exclaimed.
"I cannot say the same since you interrupted my work," I said grimly.
He waved a hand at me casually, "Oh, come on! It's not that you give a damn about the court. You've been missing for almost a month,"
"I have exceptional administrators and ministers to keep the court running while I'm away for important work,"
"What exactly was the important work, I'd like to know," He demanded.
"Brother, I'm surprised at your sudden interest in the matters of court given your appearance here is more uncommon than a blue moon,"
Instantly, the smile on his lips evaporated, "I'm not here to look at matters of the court. I'm here to investigate your absence! Which King stays away from the court for a month without prior notice or explanation! You ought to tell us where you'd been all this time!"
I studied him briefly before provoking, "What if I don't explain? It's not like you could dethrone me,"
Instantly, a fire raged in his eyes, but he remained calm.
"Did I forget to tell you my wife and I are expecting our first child?" He reminded with a sneer. "The Royal seer says it's a boy... a boy that's going to become a King one day,"
"Are you sure the seer didn't mean the King only in his father's dreams?" I incited, drawing the last straw.
"You dare scorn my unborn son and the future King of this land!" He growled.
"Dervis, your son hadn't been born yet. Let him come to the word first. A lot of children often don't make it at birth,"
"Are you suggesting something?" He hissed.
"I'm cautioning you. Don't count your chickens before the eggs hatch,"
"You just don't want to accept the reality, isn't it?" He concluded.
"I've important matters to attain to, Dervis. Don't waste my precious time. You can quarrel on petty matters with your wife,"
"Ah! I partly forgot about that," The mocking smile was back on his face. "I came here to invite you for a small Royal dinner tonight,"
"To celebrate?"
"To celebrate the future King," His smile broadened.
"And how does that concern me?"
"I'm here to invite you to the dinner,"
"And what if I don't show up?"
"Alex, every Royal and Nobel would be there. If you think you'll insult me by not attending the dinner, think again. You'd be the one losing face by acting like a petty boy,"
"Glad you take such concern of my image,"
"Are you coming or not?" He demanded.
"It's not like I have an option,"
"Exactly! You'll be awaited at the dinner!"
~
"Did he tell you it's a small dinner?" Lars asked as we headed to the Royal dinner arranged by my brother. The decorations in the aisles leading to the dinner venue were already overpowering my eyes.
"My brother uses a different measuring stick than the rest of us," I commented as Lars judged the excessiveness of the decorations.
"You didn't have to accept the invitation. He's doing this to insult you," Lars frowned.
"If I choose not to feel insulted by his petty behaviour, then I wouldn't be insulted," I assured him, "Besides, I'm used to him. Growing up with him enabled me to develop more tolerance than some of the saints out there,"
"I'd like to see it put to the test," Lars joked before we eventually entered the venue. The decorations here were over the top, the prelude to which we already saw outside.
"I think we have come to the wrong place," Lars commented, looking around, "This looks more like a Royal wedding than a dinner,"
"You're actually at the right place!" My brother appeared to receive us as guests for the evening. "And at the right time as well! Celsa has been looking for you,"
"Yes, I brought her an expensive gift," I assured my brother before he led us to Celsa.
I was dumbfounded when I saw her.
I wasn't prepared for it, and neither was Lars. He gasped when he saw Celsa seated on a throne. It was a replica of my throne in the court.
"You look beautiful in that red dress, Celsa," I complimented formally, schooling my features instantly.
"Thanks! Doesn't it perfectly match the shade of your Royal Cape?" She asked with a gentle smile, placing a hand on her yet-small belly to subconsciously send me the message. Lars was still dumbfounded beside me while Dervise was grinning like a proud husband.
"It does," I smiled at her politely, "I'm impressed by the props and decorations for this dinner,"
"Thank you, all was my arrangement," Celsa chirped.
"I'm more impressed by the replica throne. The Artist is immensely talented,"
"I know! It's so similar to yours! It's made of pure gold with all the finest details. Just the gems on the top are different because we couldn't find the exact one used in yours," Celsa pouted.
"Yes, she was upset about it for a week," Dervis added.
"You shouldn't have been upset about them," I consoled her, "Those gems are the rarest. I'm the only person I know to possess them. They're also the mark of the real throne should someone make a replica someday," I smiled gently.
The smile from Celsa's lips threatened to slip, but she maintained it and shot a brief glare at her husband. Dervise tried to diffuse the tension with an awkward and nervous laugh.
"My brother jokes a lot," He told his wife.
"My brother knows me best," I joked and patted his back, deciding not to have Dervis murdered tonight.
"He says he brought you an expensive gift!" Dervis reminded.
"Ah yes! I brought you an exceptional gift. I hope you like it, Celsa," I told her before Lars presented the gift. She accepted it with a blinding smile. In seconds, she obliterated the cover, and soon she was holding the heavy necklace gilded with the most expensive gems. She stared at it, wide-eyed for a moment longer than I had anticipated.
"Do you like it?" I asked.
"It's beautiful!" Celsa gasped, "I love it! Wait for a second. This gem looks very similar to the one on your throne! Is it the same one?" She asked.
"As he said, he is the only one who owns that gem," Lars spoke on my behalf, "I'm sure he'll gift you one should he find a second one," Lars consoled, and I nodded. Celsa looked a bit disappointed regardless.
"Don't be disheartened, honey," Dervis reassured his wife by reminding her, "Remember about the greater gift you'll get soon,"
Lars and I remained mortally silent. Celsa flashed me one of those smiles that always had my blood boiling, but I'd never say a word to her. She finally smiled, dropping that disappointed look.
"Thanks for the gift. Please enjoy the dinner," She chirped.
"We will," I smiled before excusing us both. When no one was paying us attention, we snuck out.
"She makes me feel sick," Lars gagged when we were finally out of that tense dinner environment. "Why don't you do something about her?"
"Like what?" I asked.
"Just order one of the servants to have the floors wet while she is out," Lars suggested.
"All that gossiping is starting to make you think like a woman these days, Lars," I told him, and he sighed deeply.
"I'd die before I see her son taking over the throne,"
"So is the case with me," I joked, but he looked serious. "Lars, I might be a King, but still, a lot of things lies out of my control,"
"I'm not sure what things you talk of that are out of your control, but I'm sure that you have all the means to deal with your greedy brother and his insufferable wife,"
"I don't like to play petty games, Lars. Especially when all the odds are against my favour, and I happened to have displaced a precious item of Royal importance just because of some silly decisions," I reminded him.
"So, what are we going to do now?" He asked, "We've talked to Mad, we've killed four groups of Somirean bandits, combed their black markets and are still without a clue,"
"I have decided to consult a seer,"
"You must get your marbles in order if you think that's going to help us, especially if you are thinking of consulting from a Royal seer. They're as useful as your brother,"
"I'm talking about a real seer, Lars,"
"The old Hermit seer?"
"Yes, he's the best one I know so far,"
"Also the rudest,"
"As long as he is useful, I could tolerate him,"
"When are we going to see him? And do you even know where he lives? I've heard he's hard to get,"
"We're going tonight," I informed him, "I've had Manius looking for him for a while,"
"I'm surprised you still trust him with a job after he messed up that night," Lars frowned, "But you choose a good time. With everyone at that stupid dinner, there'd be no one to bother us,"
~
"Are you sure Manius gave you the right address?" Lars asked after we had reached the location, but the sense of being lost was slowly starting to take over me.
"Yes, he said the seer lives in a rock cave," I told him, looking around in the dark woods.
"Are you sure Manius didn't mistake a bear for the seer,"
"He's an old man, Lars. He couldn't be that hairy,"
"Or maybe a bear ate him," He suggested.
"I hope not. Go in that direction and find a water body,"
"Do you think he drowned himself?"
"I just think he'd prefer living near a water body given his old age,"
"Easy access to water and prey,"
"I'm glad you're catching up, Lars,"
"I know when to fool around," With that, he was gone. I went my own way, looking for a rock cave. After wandering for a while, I remained unsuccessful in my hunt, but Lars was successful. He had located a small hut by a gentle stream.
The old seer was visibly pissed to have announced guests at this hour. He threatened us with a bow and arrow for a while, shouting at us to go away until I tempted him with a month's worth of prey. Nevertheless, he grudgingly prepared tea for us after letting us into his spacious cave apartment.
"What brings you two here?" He asked after settling with his cup of tea.
I glanced at Lars briefly and drew in a deep breath.
"Almost five months ago, some pirates looted one of my merchant's ships. I've had my men look for the pirates, but they didn't find anything. I got myself involved and took the investigation into my hands, but there hasn't been a single clue about who those pirates were. I need some clue,"
By the time I had finished speaking, the seer had started smoking weed. He asked me next, "What was on the ship again?"
"That," I nodded at him. "Almost a tonne,"
"You're losing your shit over a ship full of weed?" He mocked. Things got tense from here. Lars and I remained silent, watching the old man enjoy his weed. "Am I not right?"
"There was much more than just weed on that ship," I told him. My grim tone seemed to have signalled him of the gravity of the situation. He examined the two of us closely.
"What exactly was on that ship?" He asked with a graver inflexion. He forgot the weed as he continued to stare at me, waiting.
I drew in a long breath and glanced out of the cave once. My silence added to the gravity of the situation, making it even heavier. Only the sound of crickets occupied the silence.
"On that ship," I began, "Was the book of Valdemerca,"
As soon as that name left my lips, the seer's eyes widened. The silence became deathly; even the sound of crickets subdued.
"V-Valdemerca?" The old man stuttered. It further added to my remorse for losing that book.
How could I have been so stupid?
"How... why would you put it on a ship full of weed? It's the pirates' prized booty!" He asked after composing him, but the hints of the shock lingered on his face.
"A pirate has never dared to look in the direction of my merchants' ships, least loot it. Whoever did it must have nerves of steel,"
"That was still the stupidest thing to do, but why did you put it on a ship in the first place? Did you think the book needed a vacation?" He growled.
"I intended to send the book to Niketus to decipher the 7th chapter," The seer hissed angrily as soon as I said that.
"I cannot decide what's more stupid— you keeping the book on a ship full of weed or you trying to decipher the 7th chapter! The 7th chapter can't be deciphered! And why would you want to do such a thing? The 7th chapter contains spells to summon demons from hell!"
"I'm aware of that," I told him calmly.
"And you still want to do it?" He demanded with fire blazing in his eyes.
"Yes," I breathed.
"Why? I ask you! You'd be unleashing a lot of evil on innocent people! What's making you act so selfish?"
"To undo an injustice caused upon me,"
---
I'm finally back from my month-long break. My exams are over for now but I do have to turn in a few papers each week so I wouldn't be able to be as regular as I used to be. Nonetheless, I will do my best to upload every alternating week (long chapters, of course) on Tuesdays.
Thank you for being so patient. I had missed writing and reading your amazing comments :D