Goldest and the Kingdom of Thorns (19 page)

“Aparicio! My son! My son!” she cried out painfully.

“Uh-oh,” Goldest croaked quietly, feeling a tinge of guilt.

Augean stretched her neck out from the window and watched the man ride away into the forest. “Father? How do you know, Grandmother?” Augean was very much distressed at her grandmother’s words.

“A mother never forgets a child she has carried in her womb. She always knows this child by sight and smell, and can feel the child’s presence – even at a distance!”

Augean began to whimper while Shadow whined. Still young, Shadow always made himself part of a chorus.

“The time has come for us to pay a social call,” Goldest informed them. She turned around and jumped down from the windowsill. “Come, follow me!”

How nice it was for Aparicio to come forth and help Ushi save my kingdom
, thought Goldest to herself as she hopped with satisfaction through her castle. That took a lot of courage, knowing that he would be discovered, Goldest concluded. Maybe it was because of his mother and daughter being here with me…

While the Queen of the Willows collected her gray-hooded woolen cape outlined in grayish mink, Augean had collected her red-hooded woolen cape outlined in red fox fur. The Queen of the Willows and Augean, with Shadow at her heels, followed a hopping Goldest into the forest. They had to discreetly sneak out of the castle in order to leave the safety of the castle grounds, alone.

In the meantime, Imbecile was inside Octagon’s tent,
comforting him. He had watched the fighting for a while from the side on Octagon’s horse, then spurred his horse towards Octagon’s tent, dismounted and went inside to meet with Octagon. He had hesitated at first, not wanting to lose the courage that was given to him, but as a Monk and Brother, he knew he had no other choice but to do what was right. That was why Octagon was his friend. Theo and the other Monks were so busy watching the assault that they hadn’t even noticed Imbecile had returned.

Cream-colored candles glowed everywhere inside the tent, their flames adding warmth.

The air was smoky and intense with emotion, and with sandalwood incense burning for protection. A shivering Octagon, with blankets draped around himself, looked up as Imbecile loomed over him.

How pathetic
, thought Imbecile.
Is this how I look to others
? he asked himself. For the third time, Imbecile thought about hanging on to Octagon’s strength and courage. But he knew deep within his heart that this would not be an honorable thing to do. So, he knelt down and looked deeply into Octagon’s eyes, giving him back his spirit. Slowly, Imbecile felt the draining. A sadness overcame him. He whimpered as Octagon slowly stood up, firm and strong. There was silence for several seconds as Imbecile also stood up and slouched over.

Octagon threw off his blankets and resumed his normal stance and character. Octagon looked at the slouched Imbecile.
He is back to his old self
, thought Octagon, with regret. Imbecile was now the pathetic Monk he once had been.

When this is all over, and with my power brewing secretly, I shall have to concoct something for Imbecile to make him strong and powerful in character
, Octagon decided.

Octagon changed his robe, put his arm around a silent Imbecile and they walked out to their campfire to drink some wine together and watch the finale. They both already knew what the outcome of the day would be. Octagon noticed that most of the Monks had their heads bowed with ignominy while the Willow Warriors watched over them.

“It is going to take some time before the Monks resume their distinct, illustrious stature,” Octagon informed Imbecile. Imbecile shook his head in acknowledgment, wishing to remain unseen and unheard.

Back in the forest, the Queen of the Willows, Augean, Shadow and Goldest continued walking in silence. The Queen and Augean were apprehensive about what was to come. Many thoughts were running through their heads. They soon approached the man-made hut in the deep blue forest. They stopped behind a wild raspberry bush and took a peek out from it. The Queen gasped as she saw her son, Aparicio, holding his wife, Lowilla, in his arms. The baby, Prince Luxnon, lay sleeping outside in his mad-made cradle.

Goldest hopped onward with the Queen and Augean following, their hearts beating wildly with apprehension. Shadow was at Augean’s heels, knowing he was her protector from these strangers.

Aparicio and Lowilla looked at the approaching visitors with surprise. Both Aparicio and Lowilla went
down on bended knee and bowed their heads. Shadow trotted past Augean and approached first. He growled at them.

“Stop, Shadow!” Augean cried out to Shadow. “Do not be afraid of him. He is only protecting us,” she informed her father and mother.

The Queen of the Willows, with a strained, tense face, approached. Aparicio took his mother’s hand and kissed it. Augean was busy holding an anxious Shadow back.

“Mother,” Aparicio greeted her with the utmost respect as displayed in his tone of voice.

Lowilla then kissed the Queen’s hand. Both Aparicio and Lowilla looked at a wide-eyed Augean. Augean ran into her mother’s arms.

“Mother!” she cried as her tears poured forth. A teary-eyed Augean looked at her father. He took her tiny hand and gently placed a kiss upon it. He smiled a warm and loving smile at his daughter.

“Your mother and I have missed you, Augean,” Aparicio gently told her.

“But why did you ever leave me?” she asked, with anguish showing in her flawless face.

Aparicio sighed heavily. “It is a long, sad story – best not spoken,” he told her.

Lowilla took Augean by the hand as the Queen and Goldest watched.

“Come, let me show you your baby brother, Prince Luxnon,” Lowilla told her daughter.

The Queen gasped and clutched her heart. “A grandson,” she whispered to herself, with happiness overcoming her.

“You mean I have a baby brother?” Augean asked. She was getting all choked-up with emotion.

A reserved Goldest stood off to one side, quietly and patiently watching the scene acted out with a family brought together again. She never even croaked or hiccuped, and it was unusual for her to be mute and patient for so long.

Lowilla picked up the sleeping baby from its cradle and showed Augean. Augean smiled as she gently took the baby and held him. Lowilla gently dried her daughter’s tears. Shadow approached and stood on his hind legs in front of Augean, in his curiosity to check out the baby for himself.

Aparicio stood tall and faced his mother, the Queen. “I’m so sorry, Mother,” he began to explain, but she cut him off, putting her hand up.

“Hush, Aparicio. Years have past. It does not matter now. We are a family, once again,” she firmly told him, wanting to end any explanation that he felt he had to give her. She did not wish to hear anything unpleasant anymore. She wanted her family together and back at the Willow Castle. Her castle meant protection and security to herself. She would not let any more unpleasantness or vicious rumors pass through the castle walls once they got back.

Aparicio and the Queen hugged one another. “Thank you so much for forgiving me, Mother,” Aparicio told her.

The Queen looked surprised. “Forgive what? Never mind! I do not want to know. You will return home to the castle with us immediately,” she commanded. “Now, I must go see my grandson.”

The Queen looked over her grandson and seemed to be quite pleased. An elated, smiling Augean looked up at her grandmother. Aparicio put his long arms around his mother, Lowilla and Augean, and hugged them all.

A smug Goldest sat triumphantly and quietly in front of them all. Aparicio looked kindly down at her. “Thank you, Goldest. You are truly a special Queen.”

“I already know that!” she replied tartly. “I am going back to inspect the damages. You must all come back to the safety of my castle immediately. Rooms will be made up for Aparicio and his family. Ushi will have the Willow Warriors come out here with some of the village people and collect your things. Whatever you need, just ask the castle attendants. I will make known you are not to be refused anything that you need,” she told them firmly.

She turned and hopped away smugly, saying, “I cannot allow Royalty living in my forest without any protection. I would hold myself responsible for whatever might happen to them.”

Goldest hopped away with an onset of the hiccups, leaving them alone to be with one another and to get reacquainted again. They would have a lot to talk about. She hopped over to the battlefield. A feeling of foreboding began to set in.

As she got closer to her destination, a strange, spooky feeling came over her. She shrugged the feeling off, and continued onward as she left the boundary of the woods.

Warriors from the various kingdoms, who had come to help counter the attack, gathered up the broken Thorn Warriors and put them into piles to burn. Every thorn was either broken apart or bent beyond recognition. The Thorn Warrior Army was no more. The thorns that were only snapped and not broken apart were easily hacked to death and put into the many fires. Some of the gypsies asked if the thorns could feel the pain of the hacking and the fires. Captain Frangelico reassured them that sticks and branches did not have any feelings or emotions. They lacked the senses that humans themselves display. Octagon had taken notice that the gypsies were spooked by these thorns, so he went over to Frangelico and his warriors and reassured them that what Frangelico had told them was true.

Octagon went on to explain, “The thorns are evil, and evil has no soul. Let this deed be done and ended. Enough is enough. They were grown and cultivated to be pernicious – and that is all.”

Even though Octagon stood with the other Monks, he was still highly respected and held in high regard by many of the Royalty and warriors. They all knew he had a kind heart and was truly honorable. The gypsies listened to his words and believed in what he had told them about the thorns. They continued the task of throwing them into the fires, which turned into an
angry, brazen orange. The battlefield was soon aglow with numerous orange and copper fires as the afternoon dragged on.

The jubilant ladybugs had left the battlefield and flew out beyond the castle grounds to where the lakes and ponds were waiting beyond the forest. They flew in search of a location suitable to their needs to build their own community upon. They loved the various weeping willows and searched for the warm-hearted willows that wept sweet-tempered tears into colorful ponds.

The disgruntled Monks sat around their own camp-fire in groups, sipping on their beef barley soup and drinking cider. They broke wheat bread amongst themselves and dipped the bread into the hot barley soup filled with spinach. They were being heavily guarded by the Willow Warriors, since the Gypsy Warriors were spooked by this whole affair and were extremely superstitious where the Monks were concerned. They were concerned that evil, fateful spells would be cast upon themselves by these discontented Monks when released. The Willow Warriors were not raised to be superstitious as the gypsies were. Guarding the Monks meant guarding the enemy to them – just another inconvenience that comes with warring kingdoms.

Octagon and Imbecile invited the Willow Warriors and Gypsy Warriors to come drink from their barrels of home-made cider. Theo was annoyed that Octagon was sharing their spiked cider with the warriors. An inflamed Theo rose up from the campfire and walked over to Octagon. He was most perturbed in the worst
way. He wanted to set alight their wine and cider so no warrior could share of it with them, so great was his disquiet.

“Do not let them drink of our wine – just the cider!” he told Octagon angrily.

Even though a captive, Theo was still their eminent leader. Octagon bowed his head in respect to Theo. He did not bother to speak to his Brother, fearing harsh words might be spoken due to Theo’s anger at having been captured. Theo never expected such a turn of events here. He expected no interference, either. He had put himself and his Monks above all others and expected victory would be theirs. He would not yield to shame, but would stand tall, proud and bold, like his Brothers before him had stood throughout the centuries.
This is only one loss to hold us back
, Theo thought crudely to himself.

“Curse those ladybugs,” he mumbled as he walked back to the fire.

It wasn’t long before Ushi, the King of the Willows, Savagio, Frangelico, Carlos and Esbri were gathered together at the barrels sharing in the drinking of the spiked cider.

“This cider certainly warms my blood,” Carlos chuckled.

“Maybe we should take some of the Monks back with us and put them to work in our wineries and kitchens,” Esbri added.

“No, I think not,” Frangelico, looking thoughtful, replied. “The gypsies are too superstitious to be living around Monks who have special powers and gifts of illusion.”

“Why, the gypsy witches would probably use them freely and invite them inside their huts to help them
concoct
their cursed brews and potions, and take part in their devilry and misdeeds,” Carlos chuckled.

“We cannot have that,” Frangelico remarked.

Ushi, hearing enough talk of the Monks, changed the subject. “Goldest will be happy to find that her ladybugs have flown home here where they truly belong.”

The King had been silent, taking in the sight of the Monks’ camp, the battlefield and the kingdom itself. His thoughts had turned to the present and he now joined the men. “I never would have believed it unless I had seen it with my very own eyes. Where did they go, anyway?”

“They have flown far back, away from the castle, among the ponds and lakes, where luscious new vegetation is sprouting forth,” Ushi told them.

The King chuckled. “Good for them!” The King took a mighty sip of his cider. “And that frog? Where’s that frog?” He laughed heartily to himself.

At that moment Octagon approached a reserved Savagio. He had wanted to speak with him. He bowed his head in respect to the warrior. Savagio bowed his head in respect to Octagon.

“My heavy heart is sorrowful and weeps for what has happened here today. My soul will carry the misery from today throughout all of eternity. Please forgive us,” Octagon said, with true sorrowfulness within his heart, clearly visible in his eyes.

Savagio put his hand gently on Octagon’s shoulder, knowing full well that if Octagon tried to stop anything,
Theo, out of spite, would have caused merciless trouble and quite possibly harmed the kindly Monk in some way. Savagio, at times, had caught Theo looking at Octagon with dark malevolence upon his face.

“I know you are a good and kind-hearted Monk, Octagon. You really should take over the affairs of your Brothers and do what is right for them,” Savagio told him with kindness.

“Sad to say, Theo is our leader here. The other Monks follow him. I hold no control.”

Frangelico cut in, “That is too bad, Octagon. Henceforth, my Gypsy Warriors and I will, from time to time, come pay the Monks and Shamans a visit in your Kingdom of Thorns – make sure all is well and right.”

“And we will bring our gypsy women and our dancers and singers, you know, entertain for a night – add some color into your life – that is what you need!” Carlos roared with his laughter and mocking fun.

“Come, Frangelico. Let us have a word with our friend, the notorious Theo,” the King told him.

The King, with Frangelico, walked over to a very unhappy Theo and the other wretched Monks by their campfire. The Monks were disheartened, and drank their hearty soup and cider slowly and in silence, waiting to be released so that they could return to the comfort and safety of their own kingdom. All the Monks, except Theo, felt uncomfortable under the circumstances. Their once gentle, considerate nature now appeared to show malignity after today. They had left their kingdom, hoping they never had to return. Now, they were anxious to get back to it – it being
their natural Domain – so that they could hide behind their guilt, which they knew they had brought about by their own doing. Theo’s only major concern was what he could find to vent his spleen against. Having lost the essence of his deep-rooted soul today, his vengeance would come before long, and he would make sure he did not lose a second time.

The King and Frangelico approached Theo, who had withdrawn himself from immediate reality, from behind. The King bluntly informed him, “The Monks have brought dishonor upon the Domain of the Billowy Masses. A watchful eye will be kept upon your kingdom forever.”

Their sin enshrouded them. Theo’s submerged mind was held in a trance-like state by the roaring flames of their fire. He ignored them all and remained in this state for the rest of the evening.

Inside the Ladybug Castle, the main dining hall was filled with wine, soup, cheeses, breads, stuffed chickens and fresh vegetables from the gardens. The Queen of the Willows was with some of her Court, with Aparicio, Lowilla and Augean intermingling. Augean was holding her baby brother, with Shadow at their feet. A delighted Aparicio and Lowilla were getting reacquainted with the Queen’s Court and meeting new faces in the assembly. The courtiers were surprised to see Aparicio and Lowilla together with the royal family. They held their restless tongues with questions not answered, not wanting to lose favor with the Queen, and would gossip about it later amongst themselves.

The King, Ushi, Frangelico, Savagio, Carlos and
Esbri briskly walked into the main dining hall. They had left the Willow Warriors to stand watch while the Monks broke camp and prepared to ride back to their own kingdom. It did not matter to them that they would have to ride at night, they were adapted to riding in darkness and used it as a cover for themselves. But this time, it would be used to cover their inexorable shame.

The King of the Willows abruptly came to a halt when he spied Aparicio with his mother, the Queen. A raw coldness crawled up his spine and crept over him. A shiver ran through him in the warm-bodied room.

Frangelico, Carlos, Esbri and Savagio took places at the table and immediately began to fill their plates. They were tired and hungry from the ordeal that they had just faced. Ushi took notice of Aparicio and Lowilla. He knew it was only a matter of time before they took up residence inside the castle walls. Goldest would not let them suffer any longer as outcasts after having the little Princess Augean as her friend. She owed it to both Augean and the Queen of the Willows. Ushi noticed the frown on the King’s face and expected that there would be trouble. He stood watch, hoping that the angry dark cloud cover would disappear from the King’s face and he would be happy to see his own flesh and blood once again.
Maybe he will realize it is for the best for Augean’s sake
, Ushi thought to himself.

The King was silent as he walked cautiously towards Aparicio. All eyes were upon him and he knew it. Apprehension filled the air inside the main hall. Aparicio saw the dark angry mass which covered his
father’s face and knew immediately that his father was displeased to see him. The Queen of the Willows held her breath, hoping she would not have to step in and defend her son against his father, the King. Augean instinctively knew that it would be up to her to break the solemn King. Augean walked towards the King and held up Prince Luxnon. Aparicio slid over to a nervous Lowilla and put his arm around her shoulder for comfort. The Queen’s Court anxiously watched on. The Court knew that by the time they all arrived back at the Willow Castle, they would have something to gossip about.

“Look, Grandfather, I have a baby brother, Prince Luxnon. I love him,” she told him with hope filling the inner core of her excited heart.

Still mute was the King as he looked down at the baby. The Queen of the Willows stepped forward and took the baby from Augean. The Queen smiled down at the baby as she held him in her arms. Her grandson smiled up at her.

“I could not be any happier than I am at this very moment – holding my grandson, having my son at my side,” the Queen softly told the King.

“Me too, Grandfather. I love my mother and father.” Augean looked at her grandfather with her big, sad, lonely eyes. Her pleading eyes were hard to ignore. They shamelessly cried out with mercy.

She wants to be with her parents and baby brother
, thought the King to himself.
I am a King, but a King with a Queen, son and grandchildren. I must set my pride aside and do the most honorable thing possible
.

The pious King brushed them all off him and
walked in silence to the head of the table and sat down. He was hungry and prepared a plate for himself. I am a King first, he continued to reason with himself; but I shall have to place my family and my Queen’s happiness before myself at the present.

“I am tired and hungry from the long ride and battle. I will sit and eat with my family,” he grumbled with discontent to himself. It was like being struck with a rock when he saw Aparicio. He could not forget his Queen’s words of happiness spoken to him, or Augean’s big eyes filled with mercy and hope.

He motioned to the Queen, Augean, Aparicio and Lowilla to come sit with him and eat. “Come, let us eat and be happy.”

A satisfied Ushi smiled at Aparicio, with him returning the smile back at Ushi. Ushi believed everything was going to turn out alright, since he knew at the present that the King wanted to please his Queen and granddaughter. He knew the King did not care about Aparicio’s or Lowilla’s emotions. They all took their places at the table with the King.

Augean looked around. “Goldest! Where is Goldest, Ushi? It is unlike her not to be here amongst us.”

“She is probably hopping around the grounds, making sure all is returned to normal; or maybe, seeing that her ladybugs have settled in,” Ushi said to Augean, putting her fears aside.

The King chuckled. “Or maybe she went for a tasty dessert!”

The table frowned at the King’s remark. Silence settled in. The air hung heavy. Ushi now knew the King was back to his normal self.
That did not take long
,
thought Ushi to himself. The shock of seeing Aparicio and Lowilla was over.

Frangelico, Savagio and Carlos stopped eating and stared hard at the King’s face and comment. They knew he was referring to the colorful ladybugs who had helped them all by coming to their rescue in the assault of their ancestral kingdom. They were not amused by the King’s obnoxious comment. Aparicio was irked by his father’s remark, but knew there was nothing he could say at present. He wanted to be brought to favor again with his father, and making a negative rejoinder towards his recent statement would not help him at all. Esbri totally ignored the King’s remark. He did not care at all about Goldest. She had caused him enough trouble with his women with those red lip marks planted on his cheek when he had first met her. Esbri did not care to have a frog, even if she was a Queen, hopping after him.