The Guardians: Book One of the Restoration Series (46 page)

The crowds were gathered around an open area in front of the stage. On the stage, Flare could see people sitting down. He guessed that there were twenty to thirty people on the stage.

Flare rode his horse into the open area immediately in front of the stage. He dismounted his horse, along with the other guardians. Captain Mondell and the other soldiers had disappeared somewhere along the ride in from the gates. Stable boys stepped forward and led the guardians' horses away for them, the whole time smiling at the guardians.

Flare looked first at his fellow guardians, and then up to the stage. There was only one person standing on the stage, and Flare blinked when he recognized King Darion. He bowed to the king, who stepped up to a small podium that Flare had not noticed before.

“Guardians, Welcome!” The king shouted loudly, so that the crowd could hear. Their response was an overwhelming cheer that hurt Flare's ears.

It took several moments before the crowd quieted down.

“On behalf of myself and the people of Telur, let me express to you the overwhelming admiration of the feat you performed at
Fort
Mul-Dune
.” Once again, the crowd roared its approval, and King Darion seemed all too happy to let them continue.

Various chants broke out in the crowd, the chants were started by small groups and there seemed to be chants for all the different guardians at one time or another. The cheering and the chants soon quieted down.

Flare was amazed at the reaction of the crowd. He had hoped for a good reception, but he had never dared to envision such a welcome. The looks on his friends' faces showed that they too were overawed.

“We owe you a debt that can never be repaid,” the king continued. “You have saved countless lives that would have been lost if the armies had broken through the fort's defenses. Possibly, you have saved the very city of
Telur
itself. For if the armies had broken through, there was nothing to stand in their way. Your bravery and courage in the face of staggering odds have made you heroes of Telur.”

Once again the king had to pause, as the crowds voiced their approval of their new heroes.

Flare felt his eyes get misty and he started to get a little choked up as the crowd poured out their support for him and his squad. He glanced at the other guardians, and saw that they were as overcome with emotions as he was. Trestus even had tears running down his face.

“Today, I have ordered that your names and the names of your fallen comrades be added to the list that is recorded on the wall of heroes. It will, for all time, list you as heroes to be remembered. I also have decided that you will each receive a reward. I am appointing each of you into the order of the golden dagger, the highest reward that I have to offer you.”

Atock leaned over to
Flare
, and whispered, “Flare, what is the order of the golden dagger?”

“I don't know, but it sounds impressive. Doesn't it?” Flare whispered back, fighting a smile.

“Do you think that it will include more money?” Atock asked, grinning.

Before Flare could retort, Philip nudged them to be quiet.

“Tomorrow night, you will be my special guests at a dinner banquet, where I will present you with your reward.” The king paused yet again, as the crowd cheered their support. “I have proclaimed today as a holiday. Today will be a day of feasting, games, and fun. People of Telur, join me in welcoming home our heroes!”

The guardians spent the rest of the day enjoying some of the best food they had enjoyed in weeks. It was
a wore
out group of soldiers that retired to the special rooms prepared for them late in the evening.

After spending several weeks riding a horse and sleeping on the ground, Flare thought that the bed he slept in was the greatest thing he had ever felt. He was quite embarrassed when he woke up and saw the sun almost to midday, but he quickly dressed and went in search of his fellow guardians. He found them in the dining hall. They were just finishing up their food, when he sat down.

“Well,
look
who decided to join us,” Philip said, smiling. “I was beginning to wonder if you hadn't found some young serving girl to keep you in bed this morning.”

“Philip, leave Flare alone.” Kara interjected. “His body is still healing, and I don't imagine that the trip helped in the least. I personally didn't think that his health was ready for the trip to begin with, but I was over-ruled.”

“If he did have a serving girl in his bed this morning, then perhaps that is exactly what he was doing, nursing.” Enton said, grinning.

Kara flushed a bright red and scowled at Enton, as the rest of the squad broke out into laughter.

Flare tried to ignore Kara; she almost seemed to be clucking like a mother hen. Instead, he focused his attention on the plate of food; he suddenly seemed to be ravenous.

He was nearly through eating, when Atock asked, “Philip, what is the order of the golden dagger?”

Philip seemed taken aback by the question. “You mean that you have never heard of the order of the golden dagger?” He laughed briefly. “You have been selected for our highest military honor, and you don't even know it.” He shook his head, “The order of the golden dagger is a military award that is reserved for a select few. I don't think that anybody has received it in my lifetime. I never thought that I would receive it, but then again, I didn't think that my name would be on the wall of heroes either.”

“So I will repeat my question from last night. This reward gives us more money?” Atock asked.

Several of the guardians laughed, but Philip didn't think it was funny. His face darkened, and he opened his mouth to respond, but he was interrupted by a young page running up to the table, effectively ending the discussion.

“Excuse me sirs, but I was instructed to relay a message to you.” The young boy said, somewhat out of breath.

The thought crossed Flare's mind that some of the soldiers that had been under his command at the fort were barely older than this young boy. Visions of the dead soldiers floated through his mind, but he quickly pushed those thoughts aside. For just a second, it bothered him that it was so easy to push them away. “What's the message?” He asked.

“You are expected at the royal tailor's quarters in half an hour. You are to be fitted for a dress uniform for the banquet tonight.”

Flare rose from the table, pushing back his chair and picking up the plate and glass that he had used.
“Fine.
I'm on my way now.”

“Yes sir.
One more thing, sir.
The king has requested you to see him personally an hour before the banquet tonight. You are expected at the king's study.”

He was somewhat taken back. “The king wants to see me by myself?”

“Yes, sir.”
The page answered before he turned and disappeared.

Several of the guardians raised their eyebrows at that, but several others seemed relieved that Flare was the only one to visit the King.

After being fitted for his dress uniform, Flare had spent the rest of the day nervously waiting to see the king. 'He probably just wants to congratulate me again.' He thought, but somehow that just didn't seem right. He was as nervous as he could be, and his stomach was starting to hurt him. 'I survived the goblins, but my nerves are going to kill me.'

At the appointed hour, Flare was in the anteroom waiting to see the king. A guard was stationed outside the door to the king's study, and he watched everybody closely. Unlike most guard duties, this was not one to be taken lightly.

Flare announced himself to the king's secretary, a beautiful young lady with long brown hair and a gorgeous smile. She directed him to have a seat in one of the overstuffed chairs.

Sitting there, he would have expected to be overcome with nerves, but they didn't seem to be bothering him that much. Perhaps, the pretty secretary that his eyes kept being drawn to was the reason. A couple of times, his looks met hers and she smiled back at him, seeming to warm him down to his toes. Although that caused feelings of guilt as well, here he was, smiling at a pretty girl so soon after Murleen's death.

About twenty minutes later, the door opened and a small group of nobles left the study. The guard snapped to attention as the nobles walked by, and even Flare came to attention. The nobles didn't even notice him as they walked passed, and Flare didn't mind one bit.

After the nobles were gone, the king's secretary got up and went into the study. Flare was interested to see that she was as pretty standing as she was sitting. She returned quickly, and summoned him, “The king will see you now.”

Flare entered the study, and took in the surroundings. The study had not changed at all since he had first come here with Henotairin so long ago.

The king was sitting down at his desk, when Flare entered, apparently going over some papers. He maintained an appropriate military stance while he waited on the king. The king quickly put away the papers and rose to greet him.

“Hello Flare.” The King said and walked around the desk. Then noticing how Flare was standing at attention, he said, “Enough of that. Relax; this is an informal meeting between you and me.”

Flare relaxed his stance somewhat, but he was still nervous, and standing at attention kept his mind off of his weak knees.

“How are you feeling? Are your injuries healed?” The king asked.

“I'm feeling fine, sir,” Flare replied. Then he added with a smile, “Although I still don't think that I will be ready to return to duty for several weeks.”

The king returned the good-natured smile. “Well, I don't think that you will be going back to service quite yet. I think that we might give you several months to completely heal, especially given the nature of your injuries.”

'Surely he didn't call me here to discuss
my injures
.' Flare thought. Things were going really good, but he patiently waited for the hammer to fall.

As if reading Flare's thoughts, King Darion spoke, “Flare, have a seat and let's discuss the reason that I summoned you.”

King Darion sat down on a chair that was along the wall to Flare's left. Flare sat at a respectful distance from the king on a less than comfortable couch.

“Flare, the reason that I summoned you here, is that I wanted to discuss with you an announcement that I will be making at the banquet tonight.”

Flare's heart beat faster at the king's words.
'More recognition besides the promotion that General Andatell gave me?'
He thought.

The king took a deep breath before continuing, “Flare, this isn't easy to say, but this is something that you need to know. At the banquet tonight, I will announce the name of your father.”

The king's words hit Flare like a slap across the face. For a moment, he could only sit there, with his mouth hanging open, and stare at the king. After a stunned moment, Flare bounded to his feet. “You knew his name all this time! How could you protect such a man?” He demanded angrily.

The king also stood up. He raised his hands in a soothing manner. “Calm down, and let me explain. Flare, you were told what your grandfather wanted to believe. I was there, and the story that became publicly known is not the truth. Things are not always as they seem. Your mother was not raped, but instead she fell in love with a young human. She followed her heart's desire, and you are the result of that love, and your grandfather could not accept it.” The King paused a moment, as if the story was bringing up an old pain. “He was unhappy with your mother and her apparent interest in human men. He ordered her not to speak with the human delegation any more. After that she told your father that they could no longer be with each other.” He paused again, as if not liking the rest of the story, “She told your father the story that she planned to tell King Feilolas. Needless to say your father did not agree, but he honored her wishes. That is how that story was spread. But it's not the truth. You must remember that I was there, Flare.”

'Things are not always as they seem.' Something about what the king's statement bothered him, but he couldn't quite figure it out. Things seemed to be happening awful fast, and he seemed a little dizzy. “If you were there and you know these things, then surely others also know them. Why haven't I heard rumors like this before?” Something was gnawing at the back of his mind. The king's words had reminded him of something, but he couldn't think of what. Were those the same words his mother had used when he left Solistine?

“Nobody else alive in this city
know
of the things that I speak. The only other person who knew was my father.” The king said as he walked back over to his desk, and sat down behind it. “My father was livid when I returned from the elven city.”

'My father was livid when I returned from the elven city,' those words seemed ominous and a new feeling replaced the anger that Flare had been feeling. The new feeling was fear, he was afraid that he was starting to understand. “Why was your father mad at you?” He asked quietly, already fearing the answer.

“Flare, Your mother and I were young when we fell in love....”

The king's words were a blow to Flare, and he seemed to cringe away from them. All the emotions of a lifetime threatened to overwhelm him. In a strange sort of way, Flare seemed detached from the scene. He heard the king speaking, but the words sounded unusual, like he was in a tunnel and cotton was stuck in his ears. He could feel his heart pounding, and he was afraid that he might be sick.