WORRLGENHALL (90 page)

 
     “No,” Rulgesic added freely, “Just well beyond our olds ways.”

 
     As Aderac lay in bed, he sighed and pouted disappointed Belon would rather chat with his old friend than be with him.

 
     Guessing he would be a while coming back once he got preoccupied talking with Rulgesic and probably others, he rolled onto his side to go back to sleep, but just as he did the door opened.

 
     When it did, curiously Aderac looked up to see who entered the chamber without his permission, before a surprised look swept across his face.

 
     “My love.” He beamed, as he sat up more, “Why are you back so soon? Did you see his son but a blink before leaving?”

 
     As Belon closed the door, he said nothing until he began to remove his clothes.

 
     “I will see him later in the day,” he finally answered, as he walked to the bed, “I gave my word to you, and I will keep mine to you always above any other.”

 
     “What word?” Aderac teased, as his heart pounded within his chest so loudly one could swear those in the courtyard could hear it.

 
     Belon leaped into the bed and on top of Aderac, before he answered. “To have you pressed hard under me.”

 
     “Oh, my Belon,” Aderac’s swooning words, as he put his arms around him.

**

 
     “Speak it!” Laad and Loth yelled down from the battlement wall to one of the guilds, as they rode back in.

 
     “They rode out!” he yelled back, “Just as ordered!”

 
     Loth turned and put his back to the wall. His mind not exactly eased by their quick and unchallenged departure.

 
     “Hmm.”

 
     Knowing he was perplexed, Laad was as well.

 
     “Speak it,” he urged, curious if they thought the same thing.

 
     “So simple that was,” Loth voiced his suspicion. “For one so angered he felt the need to spit.”

 
     “To ride in with so many and so far,” Laad spoke, as he reasoned, “To just turn and leave with nothing.”

 
     “Their journey here was for something.”

 
     “They want a battle,” Laad surmised, “But why.”

 
     As Laad looked out, he thought of the other king traveling to WorrlgenHall.

 
     “Have the guilds guard the road to WorrlgenHall, and the roads of the land,” he ordered, “To ensure the visiting king is safe, should this be their plan.”

 
     As ordered, the guilds guarded the main road into WorrlgenHall and the main roads around the lands, and when King Gegorad of Hemrock was close, escorted him to WorrlgenHall.

 
     After Baric cheerfully welcomed him as an honored guest, once he was comfortable and settled in, the men met and walked and talked.

 
     “A grand kingdom you have,” King Gegorad commented, as he chatted with Baric, “It had gone well pass time for us to at last meet and speak peacefully.”

 
     “Your father and my father were at peace,” Baric said, as they walked, “And I wish that for us as well, and am honored you came.”

 
     “As I, and perhaps when my son comes of age I will honor him with challenges and have you visit Hemrock.”

 
     “And I will gladly come,” Baric offered cheerfully.

 
     As they walked more, King Gegorad asked about the other kingdom coming.

 
     “When will the other arrive?”

 
     “King Thogor from the Kingdom of Celgon should be with us by mid morning after this sunrise.”

**

      While they waited for all to arrive, Aderac enjoyed his freedom at WorrlgenHall even dressing as if any other common man and not a king, but out of habit and thinking nothing of its significance, he put on his king’s ring and amulet of Ivodgald, and Belon’s wristband.

 
     “Come let us ride the lands,” he cheerfully said to Belon after they ate in the morning, “And after a time, we can stop and sit under a tree so I can kiss all over that handsome face of yours.”

 
     “You know how much I enjoy that,” Belon happily agreed. “Let us go.”

 
     As they walked to the stables to get their horses, Loth saw them.

 
     “Going for a ride, great king?” he questioned.

 
     “Just a short one,” Belon answered for him, “While the morning is still cool.”

 
     “I will have some guilds follow you, if you wish it.”

 
     “No need,” Aderac quickly declined, knowing he was going to kiss on Belon under a tree after they rode, “I have my Belon with me.”

 
     As a half-smile half-sickened look brushed across his face, Loth cleared his throat. He never knew how to respond when Aderac spoke of Belon in terms of affection, which he did often.

 
     “Very well,” he said, and went on his way.

 
     “My Belon,” Belon repeated tickled, when he looked over at Aderac after Loth had walked away, “Did you see the look on his face from your words?”

 
     “I did,” he answered, as he jumped on his horse not caring, “And you are my Belon.”

 
     Belon laughed and jumped on his horse spurring it forward, and as he and Aderac rode here and there on their horses, when they neared the Grey Forest of Worrlgen, when Aderac was about to ride into it as a shortcut to the other side, Belon stopped him.

 
     “No,” he warned, “Each time someone goes inside it such misery comes from it, and I want no more harm coming to my love.”

 
     Aderac only smiled; then steered his horse the other way.

 
     “Then shall we ride around it?”

 
     Spurring his horse around right behind him, they rode south, then after riding for most of the morning, happened upon a group of foreigners traveling.

 
     “You will speak with haste where you came from and why you are on this land.” Belon scowled, as he looked down at the foreigners, and rested his hand on his sword’s hilt.

 
     “Belon,” Aderac whispered to him, “You are not first in command of Worrlgen and have no right to ask such.”

 
     Again reminded, Belon still glared at them suspiciously, but agreed with Aderac and moved his hand onto his knee, “Such is true.”

 
     As Aderac looked down at the men; he noticed there were no women or children with them and became curious.

 
     “Are you peaceful nomads?”  

 
     “Yes,” one gave a quick answer, “And only crossing the land.”

 
     “Is that so?” Aderac nodded, but made a face.

 
     Curious why he made a face, Belon looked at him suspecting he noticed something odd with them, then back at the men, but couldn’t see what made him suspicious.

 
     “What is it?” he asked, as he turned his horse to face away from them.

 
     “Why would nomads travel from place to place with no women or children?” Aderac’s wary question, “And they are dressed like those Segorans who came to court. I cannot place it now, but something is not the same -”

 
     Belon turned and looked at them again; noticing all were of battle age and looked fit, and fearing for Aderac, he didn’t confront them.

 
     “Just days ago an unknown tribe rode through this land,” Belon said, feigning his concern for them, “You may want to be on watch for them should they mean to rob innocent unarmed travelers.”

 
     The men nodded, as they looked at them both, but more so at Aderac and waited for them to ride off before they did another thing.

 
     Aderac turned to leave, but Belon stopped.

 
     “Ride ahead,” he told him, “I have one more helpful warning for them.”

 
     Belon waited until he got much farther ahead, before he spoke again.

 
     “Oh, and to ride across the land, nomads or not, is only granted if a toll to the King of Worrlgen is given. If you are caught the punishment is harsh.”

 
     Again, the men nodded offering no comment, then when Belon felt Aderac was far enough ahead of him; he hurried away and eventually caught up with him.

 
     “Do not look back,” he warned when he did, “Make your way to the Rocks of Worrlgen and hide.”

 
     “But why Belon?” he asked concerned.

 
     “They will try to rob you.” He knew, as sure as he knew his own name. “Two stared at your king’s ring and amulet, while others stared at your clothes and fine bred horse.”

 
     “Let us ride hard back,” Aderac pleaded. “We can outride them.”

 
     “We are to far away.”

 
     As soon as they reached the Rocks of Worrlgen, Aderac jumped from his horse with Belon right beside him, and after both hurried behind the rocks; Belon withdrew his sword to confront them.

 
     “I beg you, Belon,” Aderac pleaded, “Do not take them on needlessly. We can hide.”

 
     Although, his mind was set to fight, when Belon looked at Aderac, he saw the worry in his eyes and moved behind the rocks with him to hide.

 
     “Belon,” Aderac whispered after not hearing anything for a while.

 
     “Sssshhh,” he shushed him. Just as he knew they would, four who had trailed them were riding along the rock’s edge searching, “They are now in front of us.”

 
     Aderac hushed, but when he moved his foot it caused several pebbles off the rocks beside him to cascade down the side of another rock, and when the men heard it, they moved in closer.

 
     “They come,” he whispered.

 
     Quietly, Belon again withdrew his sword.

 
     “As I strike,” he commanded, “Get to your horse or one of theirs and ride hard to WorrlgenHall.

 
     “No,” Aderac whispered defiantly, “I will not leave you Belon. I will not.”

 
     “Dare you disobey me at such a time?” he snapped, as he looked angrily at him.

 
     “Yes, I disobey.” Aderac still defiantly gritted. “I am staying with you.”

 
     Belon cautiously moved more around the rock when one of the men jumped off his horse after spotting Aderac.

 
     Noticing the man inching towards him, thinking quickly, Aderac took off his ring and dropped it at his own feet.

 
     “If you want it, you must get it yourself.”

 
     When the man’s eyes followed the ring, Belon sprang from behind the rock snapping his neck quietly, then quickly moved again behind it, and after Aderac picked up his ring, he squatted next to Belon.

 
     “Do not do something so foolish again,” he snapped his warning.

 
     “Yes Belon.”

 
     Two more now riding close to the mouth of the rocks, when they saw the other’s horse and him not on it, jumped off and withdrew their swords, then cautiously approached it.

 
     Staring straight ahead, they stepped slowly. Their swords extended in front of them; then just as one moved slightly in front of the other, as Belon stood and reared back about to throw his axe at him, suddenly one jumped from the top of a rock and struck him in the top of his head. 

 
     When he fell to the ground, faintly he could hear Aderac calling his name and felt him sprawled over his body; then his eyes dimmed and everything went black.

 
     Unknown how long he had laid there, sluggishly Belon woke and sat up groaning; then put his hand on his head and felt the large bump and clotted blood where someone had struck him.

 
     Still slightly dazed, he braced his body against one of the rocks and rose to his feet immediately looking left and right for Aderac.

 
     “Aderac!” he called out when he didn’t see him, “Aderac!”

 
     His yell echoing off the large hollow rocks. His body frantically spun in circles as he looked down and all around him for clues before noticing drops of blood here and there, but no Aderac.