Children of the Sun and Moon (17 page)

Jeremy waved
him off. “Of course, but take your meal in your room. We still have
much to discuss. I will join you shortly.”

Korben nodded,
rose, then headed for the kitchen. He wasn't sure what Jeremy still
wanted to discuss with him that couldn't wait, but decided to focus
on getting some food. He was famished.

When Korben
arrived at the kitchen, he found Bastle hard at work. He was the
one townsman who was allowed to come and go as he pleased. Jeremy
had been trying for years to get him to move into the castle, but
he refused. Bastle would go on and on about how he needed his space
from the royal family and their constant badgering. He was old,
close to his sixtieth summer, but you would not know it by watching
him. His movements were quick and precise, and on more than one
occasion, Korben would comment on how he was glad the man was just
a head cook, not a soldier. The way he handled a knife made some
people wonder if Bastle was always a cook, but none dared to
ask.

His appearance
was somewhat unusual. Having hair that was a dirty blond and always
tied up, and eyes which were black, made him somewhat mismatched.
If one did not know the castle head cook, one would think him a
bandit or some other seedy character. Everyone in the castle knew
different. To the children, he had been like an uncle, to the king,
a father, often scolding him in front of his subjects. Many other
nobles had commented on this behaviour, telling the king he should
throw the old man in the dungeon. Of course, the king wouldn’t hear
any of that type of talk regarding the old cook, and would
immediately dismiss any who even suggested it.

Korben cleared
his throat to announce his presence, but Bastle was already aware
he had entered the room. “Finally gettin’ some food in ya,” he
said.

“Yes, what’s
available?”

“Well, we got
some hens about ready to come off of the spit, and a mix of fruits,
cheese 'n breads. I'm thinkin’ yur wantin’ a bit of everything.”
Bastle didn’t wait for an answer, and was already loading up a
platter for Korben. “And let me guess, havin’ it in your room?”
Korben smiled. Nothing ever got past the old cook. “Yes, please
have it sent up along with some wine as soon as you can.”

Bastle just
waved him to go, and Korben headed to his room.

When he
arrived, Korben wasn’t surprised to see the king already inside,
and waiting. If it had been anyone else, Korben would have thrown
him out on his behind for entering without permission, but his
relationship with Jeremy was much deeper than king and head of the
castle guard.

“Bastle is
having some food and wine sent up,” stated Korben, moving over to
the empty chair next to his writing desk.

Jeremy just
nodded, and didn’t say a word until after the servants had brought
up Korben’s food and wine. It didn’t surprise Jeremy that Bastle
had sent up enough of everything for two. Nothing ever got past the
old man.

“You never did
agree with my decision to move here,” stated the king, in a
matter-of-fact voice.

This wasn’t
what Korben had expected. He had thought the king would want to
discuss the unavoidable attack which would come from Duke Dubar.
“No. I thought, as did everyone, the king's place was in Keenley,
not in this forgotten northern village.”

Jeremy nodded,
while eating a bit of cheese. “I could not stand all the pomp, and
this is not some forgotten village. In case you have forgotten,
this was your family's home.”

Korben hadn’t
forgotten, but didn’t like to dwell on the past. “They are only my
family by blood. I severed that tie many years ago.”

Again, Jeremy
nodded.

So many secrets
his family had. Korben could easily have fought for rule of the
Central Lands. He was, after all, the first-born child of the Duke
of Klayhern and protocol dictated any person of royal blood from
either the Klayhern line or Traven line, was allowed to be king.
Although it was Jeremy’s father who was the previous king,
tradition stated that because they were the only two true
bloodlines who could claim lineage to the kings of the past, they
were allowed to fight for the right to rule. Yes, Korben could have
very well contested Jeremy’s claim to the throne, but he had
stepped back, kept in the shadows, and let his sister rule
instead.

“You really
should tell her,” said Jeremy, after a few moments of silence.

Korben stared
at Jeremy. “Do you really think Elizanne would understand?” he
asked. “And then what? Tell the world I didn't die, but chose to be
raised by monks from the Temple of Allorethna? It would cause too
many problems.”

Jeremy looked
deeply at Korben. He was not sure if the man was trying to convince
the king or himself. Jeremy spoke again, carefully choosing his
words. “Korben, I have known your secret for years and your sister
for just as long. Elizanne needs to know her brother lives. She
will not judge you. You were fourteen winters old, and hated the
idea of ever having to fight me for rule. The monks may have been
able to alter your appearance so you would go unnoticed, but your
heart is still true. When she returns, you must tell her.” Jeremy
paused, but then added. “She is your twin. She blamed herself for
your accident. Knowing you are alive may help her with what is
going on.”

Korben now
understood why he had started this conversation. The king was
afraid he would never see his family again, and if he did, he
wanted there to be no more secrets between them. “When she returns,
I will tell her. But there is something else.”

Jeremy looked
at his friend and knew he was having a hard time with everything.
“What is it?” asked the king.

“I told my
father who I was. When he became ill, I felt he needed to know.
When they said he only had a few hours at most to live, I snuck in
and told him the truth. He smiled at me and told me he had known
all along. Apparently, the monks had informed him not long after I
decided to join their order. He did not ever say anything because
it had been obvious my mind had been made up.” Korben stopped,
finding it hard to speak. Through tears, he finished. “He knew,
Jeremy. He knew and he still let me live my life my way. His last
words were that he was proud of me, and then he died.”

“I know it was
hard for you during that time, not being able to mourn your father
openly. I am glad you told me,” said the king, his voice
sombre.

“So am I,”
responded Korben.

Jeremy smiled
and reached for some wine. “Good. So now, let us drink and talk of
days long past.”

Korben laughed
at the change in the king’s mood. Civil war was about to be
started, he had no idea if his family lived or where they were, but
he still wanted to celebrate. Therefore, the king and the head of
the castle guard ate and drank until late into the night.
Discussing times past and fond memories of their youth.

Olrond Traug
was not in good humour. It had been three days since he had been
shown the truth behind the Order and Brin had come to turn herself
in. In that time, Lakin had not requested his presence, and had
even denied him entry to the Tower. The only contact the general
had with Lakin was when he received a parchment ordering him to
find the twins. He was to find and follow, but not interfere with
anything, so the general set about getting a small band of ten
soldiers ready.

Within two
days, he was back on the road again. His course should have taken
him straight south, but he had decided to go back to Klayhern. With
everything going on, he needed to speak to the king. Although the
general hadn't seen Brin since her arrival, he knew she was not
harmed. Somehow, the eldest daughter of the king was going to play
some important role. Traug only wished he had some idea as to what
those plans were. He had hoped Lakin would call on him again, and
explain everything in detail, but with Brin’s arrival Lakin was all
consumed.

As Traug rode
out the gate, he passed by an entire legion of Magima, and could
only assume this was the group recalled from Keenley. That was
another thing which bothered him, but now made sense. Lakin was
recalling his underlings so he could use them in what was to come,
but what was to come?

Frustrated and
confused, General Traug rode out towards Klayhern. The only thing
he could do now was hope he and the king could work out their
differences.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Eric paced back
and forth. Three days had passed since the council meeting, and
although he had been glad everyone had been declared a friend, he
was upset the council decided they were to remain in the town. The
council had not yet specified when they could leave, but it was
hinted they would be remaining for a few weeks.

“This is
ridiculous,” he shouted, and not for the first time.

Koral just
smiled at her brother’s frustration. She was not at all happy
either, but she also did not feel ready to rush out and fulfil some
vague prophecy. She wanted to know more.

Eric, seeing
his sister’s smirk sat down in a huff. “Well, at least I have been
able to practice my sword techniques. I think I would be able to
handle Payton now and win.”

Koral nodded,
not knowing what to say. The elves were more than happy to teach
the twins their way of sword fighting, and how to shoot a bow. Eric
was by far the better of the two at swordplay, but Koral had
mastered the bow after the first lesson.

Thinking of the
elves made her glance over to where Glavlin sat. As usual, he was
alone on the edge of the river, only this time he was staring at
the twins, not into the depths.

Koral rose and
moved over to where Glavlin was. Many questions had been forming in
her mind since their arrival, and she had a feeling the elf king
was the only one who would be able to answer them.

She was about
to sit next to him when he rose. “I can tell by that look, you have
many questions,” he stated. “Let us go where we can talk in
private.”

He moved off
and headed towards the council chamber, Koral in tow. She was about
to ask why they were headed to the chamber, which was always busy,
but he turned to the left, and went around the side of the building
to an unmarked door.

“I did not even
know this was here,” she said. In the three days, the twins had
been nosing about and she never once noticed this door.

“At the time,
you were not meant to see it,” came Glavlin's response.

They moved
inside and the sight took Koral’s breath away. It was a library
unlike anything Koral had ever seen. It was as high as the cavern
in which the town sat in, and appeared to go on forever.

“What type of
place is this?” she asked her voice barely above a whisper.

“This is the
library of Zanth. It was once above ground, and run by wizards.
When the dark time came, the dwarf caretakers grabbed as many of
the books as they could. Here you will find your answers.”

Koral glanced
around. “I am sure some of my answers can be found in the books
here, but one cannot.” Turning her eyes away from the awesome
spectacle, she looked deeply into the king’s. “Where have your kind
been all this time?”

The question
surprised Glavlin. “You are more perceptive than most humans. How
did you know?”

“We did not
stay long in your village, but it was long enough to notice that it
had just been recently inhabited. The buildings were old, and in
some disrepair. It was not difficult to figure out you had only
returned recently.”

Glavlin stared
back at the princess. “We had been hiding out in the Western
Lands,” he answered.

“The Western
Lands,” she gasped, shocked by this response. “But, there is no way
to get to the Western Lands. The Unmoving Mountains and the Lake of
Despair block off it. You also cannot get to it by going south.
Anyone who has tried it from a southern route has never returned.”
Koral was truly astonished.

“We are magical
beings, and some of our people are in the west. It is a long story
and one we cannot discuss right now. Let us look around and see if
we can answer some of your easier questions.”

Koral followed
the elf, not sure what else to do. He had made it obvious he did
not want to discuss where he and his people had been, at least not
right now. Koral could only hope he would be more forthcoming in
the days ahead. She did not know why, but Glavlin was becoming a
very important part of her life. It almost pained her to see him in
deep discussions with Darly, thinking they were discussing love and
other such nonsense. Koral was not sure, but she thought she may be
falling in love with the king of the elves. By the way, he
sometimes looked at her, she wondered if the feelings were the
same.

Eric watched as
his sister disappeared with Glavlin. He was going to follow but
decided whatever she wanted to discuss with Glavlin had to be
important and she would probably tell him all about it later.
Instead, he went over to where his goblin friends were sitting.
They had kept to themselves for the last three days, not even
talking with Eric much. The prince knew they were just nervous
being in the home of an old enemy.

Halfway to the
goblins, an eerie feeling enveloped the prince. Looking around, he
noticed Adora, whom no one had really seen lately, was staring
intently at him. She had surprised the entire group by speaking on
behalf of the goblins, assuring the council that they were indeed
followers of a good god. It still unnerved him to see her staring
at him, as if her eyes were piercing his very soul. He shook off
the feeling and ran the rest of the way to the goblins.

Adora moved off
into the shadows, away from the rest of the group. She had spent
the last few days secluded in her room. This was her first day out
and almost immediately, Eric had sensed her presence.