Authors: L. M. Roth
Quest
for the Kingdom Part VI The Sorceress and the Seer
Table
of Contents
Quest
for the Kingdom Part VII A New Kingdom Rises
Table
of Contents
Quest
For the Kingdom
Part
IV
A Stranger
Among Us
by L. M. Roth
Text
Copyright © 2013 L. M. Roth
All
Rights Reserved
Preface
Urbanus looked
him directly in the eye and Marcus felt a small quiver of apprehension.
“Yes, you have
told me this already, and although I can not quite grasp such a concept myself,
I have allowed you full freedom. But how is that you have never told me of your
allegiance to another kingdom? You pledge your allegiance to a kingdom other
than Valerium? How is that?”
Marcus
swallowed hard. This was going to be worse than he thought.
“Our
allegiance is to spreading Dominio’s Kingdom of Heaven on Earth as we share it
with others. It is a set of laws that deal with our hearts, and we submit them
to Him and declare Him the Lord of our lives.”
Marcus hoped
that would satisfy Urbanus, but the Emperor now looked at him with the
unblinking gaze of someone who is determined to bore a hole in his soul.
“Yet you
declare allegiance to this “kingdom”? Even a greater allegiance than to the
Empire of Valerium?”
Marcus’ mouth
went so dry that he found speech difficult. His heart now pounded so loudly
that he was surprised that Urbanus did not hear it and remark on it.
“Yes, Your
Grace: my allegiance to the Kingdom of Heaven is even greater than my
allegiance to the Valeriun Empire,” he finally managed to speak through lips
that felt like rubber and the sound of his voice distant to his own ears.
Urbanus looked
at him with eyes wide in disbelief. For a very long moment he looked at Marcus
as if seeing him for the first time. Then he slowly shook his head.
“And what of
your allegiance to your Emperor, eh? What about your allegiance to your old
friend, he who restored your estates to you after they had been taken by my
cousin Aurora? Does that mean
nothing
to you?”
Marcus could
have wept, as he felt torn between his faith and his friend. Yet he gave to
Urbanus the only answer possible to him.
“Believe me
when I tell you how grateful I am for your favor, and how thankful for your
friendship. It is something I treasure dearly. Yet the Kingdom of Heaven is not
an earthly rival for power to Valerium. It is a state of heart that submits to
the rule of Dominio and obeys His holy laws and surrenders the desires of the
flesh to His Spirit. It is not a kingdom that you need fear, my gracious lord
and old friend.”
Marcus hoped
that would suffice, but even as he finished speaking he saw in the eyes of
Urbanus what his response would be.
Urbanus paused
a moment as though reluctant to proceed, then exhaled slowly.
“My good
Marcus,” he began, “in view of our long friendship and the regard I hold you
and your family in, I wish I could leave this matter alone. But I have been
informed that your entire sect believes this, and that they pledge themselves
to a power that they hold to be superior to the Valeriun Empire. Is this true?”
Marcus was usually
poised and in control of his emotions, but the accusation caught him off guard
and he found himself sputtering for the right words to appease his friend.
“Well, yes, in
a way they do,” he finally managed to speak. “That is they, and I, vow to serve
Dominio, the One true God, and pledge our lives in service to Him.”
“Ah ha!”
Urbanus pounced on the words. “Then they
do
pledge allegiance to a
greater power than the Valeriun Empire! That, Marcus, is treasonous, and will
not be tolerated. I have allowed you to meet openly, but no more. You will
cease such seditious talk or find yourselves in disfavor with the Empire. And its
ruler!”
And with an
imperial flick of his hand he dismissed his old friend from his presence.
Table of Contents
The May
evening was warm with inviting breezes that wafted through the garden of the
Maximus estate. Birds called out to one another as if rejoicing at the
loveliness of the spring weather. Their song seemed to express the jubilation
of the people now spilling into the garden.
The
Alexandrians of the city of Potentus were assembling for their weekly meeting.
It was Tullia who suggested they meet outdoors on this night to celebrate the
glory of creation as revealed in the return of fragrant flowers and birdsong
trilling through the mild air.
As they
greeted one another exuberantly and gathered together, Marcus noted a change in
the air current. The gentle breeze was gaining momentum and quickly evolved
from a refreshing whisper that cooled one’s cheeks to a hearty gust that lifted
the fallen petals of the first azaleas of the season and sent them spiraling
upward, where they remained suspended briefly before falling back to earth. His
friends greeted the shower of petals with delighted cries, and laughed with the
joy of children who have witnessed a new marvel.
It was due to
their cries and laughter that Marcus failed to hear the sound of footsteps. He
was suddenly startled by the sound of his butler clearing his throat as he
stood behind him. Marcus whirled around and saw his faithful butler Otho, who
had been a slave to his father and was now a loyal servant to him. Now that Otho
had Marcus’ attention, he gestured to the gentleman who stood just behind him whom
Marcus had failed to notice.
As he
carefully observed the stranger, Marcus wondered why he had not noticed him
until Otho directed his gaze to him. For the stranger was imposing, indeed,
towering over Otho by several inches, and dressed impeccably in the
unmistakable garb of an aristocrat. Marcus judged him to be at least five years
older than his own span of forty years, and an air of elegance and
fastidiousness fairly exuded from his being, from the top of his head of black
curls streaked with silver to his well shod feet clad in sandals of the softest
suede.
He remembered
his manners and extended his arm in the Valeriun salute. The gentlemen returned
it, just as the gust increased and suddenly became a gale that sent the azalea
petals flying through the air, along with bits of dust that got into one’s
eyes. The cries of the ladies turned from delight to consternation as they
squeezed their eyes shut to protect them from the dust. Marcus was suddenly
aware that clouds were gathering on the horizon, and the day was quickly fading
as a spring thunderstorm threatened to break right over their heads.
Marcus turned
back to the stranger.
“Welcome to
the Villa Maximus,” he said. “I am Marcus Maximus, and this is my wife,
Tullia,” he stated as he gently drew her to his side.
The stranger
smiled, showing teeth of dazzling purity and whiteness that were startling in
his olive skinned face, yet Marcus suddenly felt an uneasiness prickle his skin
without explanation…
“And I am Iacomus
Cornelius,” he declared in a voice as smooth and polished as his appearance.
“Forgive my intrusion into your meeting, but I have only just arrived in
Valerium and was told that you host the meetings for the local body of
Alexandrians. My pardon for arriving unannounced without an invitation, but I
was eager to meet my fellow believers and decided to take a chance in coming to
join you.”
“So you have
just arrived in Valerium?” Marcus inquired. “From whence do you hail, then?”
“I hail from
Lycenium, sir. But matters of business have brought me to Valerium for a while,
and I wish to integrate with the local body here during my stay. I do hope you
will permit me to join you.”
Iacomus said
this with such an ingratiating smile that Marcus responded with a warm smile of
his own. But Tullia wrinkled her brow in thought and gazed at the stranger in
perplexity, yet she did not speak.
Marcus had not
noticed that the cloudy sky had grown murky with the impending storm, nor the
sudden rush of the Alexandrians from his garden into his villa, until a
lightning bolt split the darkness and threw the face of Iacomus into relief. He
was startled at the change: was that a sneer he detected on the elegant
countenance? Or was it merely a trick of the light that cast a sudden sinister
shadow over the stranger’s face?
A boom of
thunder followed the bolt of lighting and the rain fell upon them in the softly
descending showers of May. Into the villa they all scrambled for shelter, as
they laughed and wrung out their drenched clothing. Tullia summoned Otho and ordered
towels to be distributed to all. Order was restored in a matter of minutes, and
Marcus gathered the Alexandrians into the library, where the braziers had been
lit to warm and dry them.
The library
had always been Marcus’ favorite room in the villa; its hushed atmosphere never
failed to soothe and quiet him, and with its shelves of scrolls it imbued a
sense of mysteries to be revealed and made known. In his mind there was no
better room for him and his friends to explore the mystery of Dominio Himself,
and to reveal to one another the knowledge and wisdom that He imparted to each
of them.
The sound of
the storm came to them as they assembled for their meeting, yet it did not
distract them from their purpose in coming together. Marcus began with a prayer
of thanksgiving to Dominio, which was added to by others as they chimed in with
words given by the Spirit of Dominio to speak to those present; some
encouraging that brought smiles of joy, others that were wrapped in mystery and
produced puzzled frowns. It was true, Marcus mused, that the meanings of some
words were revealed only with the passage of time. At one point an older man struggled
to stand and presented a request.
“Please,” he
implored. “I have been afflicted with pain in my bones for some years, but
lately it has been unendurable. I ask for mercy and healing from Dominio.”
Tullia smiled
warmly at him and came forward and laid her hands on his shoulders.
“Good Herminius,”
she said, “receive the healing of Dominio and be free of your pain.”
Herminius bowed
his head grizzled with the gray hairs of his advanced years and breathed deeply,
then suddenly straightened up.
“The pain; it
is completely gone! I can stand as straight as I did in my youth. Dominio be
praised!” he exulted, and raised his hands to the sky as a smile of radiance
lit his face.
Iacomus
suddenly stood up.
“I also wish
to offer a prayer of thanksgiving to Dominio for leading me to these fellow
brethren, where I am certain I shall feel at home. Praise be to Dominio!”
Many of those
present greeted Iacomus, and he was soon the center of a circle of laughing
friends who hastened to introduce themselves and welcome him into their midst.
Iacomus appeared to enjoy the attention and laughed in return. Laughter was a
distinctive hallmark of the Alexandrians, as joy was a characteristic that set
them apart from those around them, who frequently felt the oppressive weight of
the Empire bearing down on them, grinding them into submissive obedience.
As the meeting
progressed, however, Marcus became aware that the eyes of Tullia were fastened
on Iacomus in profound study. Marcus observed the stranger carefully, as he did
with every stranger who came into their midst. Iacomus seemed knowledgeable in
the ways and beliefs of the Alexandrians, listening intently to the teaching
and joining freely in their prayers.
Yet why did
Tullia gaze at the stranger in seeming puzzlement. Did she feel the same
uneasiness that he had felt earlier?
After their
friends and Iacomus departed, Marcus turned to his wife.
“Well,
Tullia?” he inquired as he wrinkled his brow. “Out with it, beloved. What do
you make of Iacomus? For I perceive that you sense something amiss in this
stranger who has shown up in our midst, even as I do.”
Tullia sighed
gently and took her husband’s arm with a confiding air.
“I am puzzled,
Marcus. I lived many years in Lycenium, as you know, and am familiar with the
name of the Cornelius family. But if my memory is correct, Iacomus Cornelius
was sent away from his father’s estate in disgrace and lived in a faraway
country. He is also rumored to have died long ago, even before you and I were
wed.”
This statement
further compounded Marcus’ bewilderment.
“How can this
be, then, that he should appear in Valerium now?”
He pondered
for a moment; then was inspired with an idea.
“Do you think
your mother would have more information? For she must surely know the history
of every family of prominence in Lycenium, and could perhaps shed some light on
this mystery.”
Tullia glanced
at Marcus, and her lips suddenly twitched as a sparkle of mischief sprang into
her lovely blue eyes.
“Oh, I am
certain she could, Marcus. And I am equally certain that she knows, as you say,
the history of every family of prominence in Lycenium.”
Marcus met her
eyes just as she was overcome with gales of giggles. He hesitated, and then
laughed heartily with her at her mother’s expense. For it was certainly true
that Drusilla Octavius was known as the biggest social climber in Lycenium, to
the irritation of her friends and the amusement of her daughter. It was also a
trait that had nearly brought Tullia to ruin many years ago, a fact that she
generously forgave Drusilla as the outcome had been her marriage to Marcus.
Tullia’s arm
was still entwined in that of her husband, and they turned to face each other
to enjoy their merriment all the more. After they sobered, they clung together
for a moment as they wiped the tears of laughter from their eyes. As Marcus
faced his wife, he was struck anew at how lovely she was. True, there were now
fine lines at the corners of the wide azure blue eyes, and silver frosted the
locks of ebony black. Yet in his eyes, Tullia was still the same vision of beauty
that had haunted his dreams of her so many years ago.
He paused to
sigh in appreciation; then brought his attention back to the matter at hand.
“Seriously
though, could you write your mother and inquire about the Cornelius family? I
am more curious than ever about this stranger, now that I know he is supposed
to be dead!”
Tullia nodded.
“Yes dear. I
will write her in the morning.”
The answer
arrived within a fortnight. Yes, Drusilla gushed, the Cornelius family was one
of the oldest and most distinguished families in Lycenium society. But the
wicked Iacomus had brought despair to the hearts of his parents when he was
only eighteen years old and sent away in disgrace. It was rumored that he had
played dice for money and lost a large sum, not large enough to impair the family
fortune, but to have gambled at all was considered a dishonor in a society that
stressed dignity and restraint in all financial transactions.
Such a scandal
was too much for the heart of his mother Nerva, who had suffered severe heart
palpitations as a result and was forced, simply
forced
, to go away for
several months to regain her strength. Although to Drusilla it seemed that she
really went away until the gossip died down so she would not have to face her
friends with such a disgrace hanging over her head.
It was said
that Iacomus had gone far away and lived in some outpost of civilization, where
it was rumored that he died of a tropical fever. And this was better than he
deserved if you asked Drusilla, who felt he should have had to suffer years of
despair, even as his mother had, who now would never lay eyes on him again in
this world. It was simply too
aw
ful, the letter went on…
Here Marcus
stopped reading and tossed the letter aside. He loved Tullia with every breath
in him and respected her father Tullios for the fierce soldier he once had been
and the gallant gentleman he had become in his old age. But it still tried his
patience to spend much time with Drusilla, with her preening airs and her
endless gossip about those whom she aspired to be like. Where her daughter
Tullia possessed the pure and graceful beauty of a swan, carrying herself with
the grace and dignity of a lady, Drusilla’s fading looks with her bright
blue-green eyes and the robes of garish colors she favored retained the gaudy
flamboyance of the peacock, and she spoke in a voice as shrill as its harsh
cry.
Her letter did
nothing except to deepen the mystery of the stranger. How could Iacomus appear
in Valerium if he had died of a fever many years ago? Had the reports of his
death been a mistake, or was there some mischief afoot?
Who
was
Iacomus? And what business brought him to Valerium?