Chapter Twenty One - True Joy?

Eldor rode into Aiulindale, with Cynthia of the Varnhyme and an honour guard by his side. The citizens of Aiulindale looked out to see what was happening. Curiosity and wonder filled their hearts and they began whispering gossip and queries to one another. When Eldor dismounted at the palace with Cynthia, Queen Raelle came to meet him.

“What are you doing back, o king?” she asked in a cat like manner. “Have you grown weary of the war, that you return in such manner? Or do you rather admit defeat? It is not expected nor wise of the king to return back to his castle without news of the war, nor news of his utter defeat, or complete victory. Which is it, defeat, victory, or weariness of battle, that you come back to us so soon?”
“It is neither, I am afraid. We have not faced the Duke in combat yet.”
“You have not faced him?” cried his wife in shock as they moved through the palace. “Why do you return to us, not having faced him? What is this, you, brave King Eldor, have chickened out? When faced with danger, you turn your heel and flee? Can this be true, o brave King Eldor? Is it brave to chicken out? No, my king, I advise you to explain to me what exactly you are doing back.”
“I have not chickened out, sweet Raelle, my catty queen. I have returned, to protect our daughter.”
“Protect our daughter? What strange ideas have entered your head now, Eldor my king?”
“Do not call them strange, lady queen,” Cynthia said quietly. “It is true. The Duke has proclaimed himself King of Elenaesia in Minelido. He holds not only all of the Seventeens in his grip, but Minelido, Eirtue, and Ge’irdae. He has issued a proclamation that all women and girls by the name of Cindy, or Cynthia, or some variation of that, and all unnamed female babies are to be slaughtered. They are to be shown no mercy. Even now his spies have wormed there ways into all the cities. I have seen it, I know it to be true.”
“And who might you be, young girl, who speaks so freshly, and with such knowledge and authority?”
“I am Cynthia Varnhyme. I have seen this in my window on the world. I have seen the spies in each and every city, heard the death screams of the innocent as they are brutally killed. Even now they work their way through Aiulindale, searching for all who they must kill. The Princess Cynthyana will only be killed upon the deaths of all the others, but she too will die, if nothing is done to save her. You must find the spies in your city, and root them out, and kill them. Not only to save the life of the princess, but the lives of every innocent woman or girl, marked with a death mark for no reason but her name.”

“I will tell you the plan in a bit,” said Orlando DiCaprio. “But, first, come with me. We have an event to attend.”

DiCaprio led Draziw, General Binks, and General Potter outside and down the street. They came to a stop near a pile of sticks, with a wooden stake in the middle. Guards milled around nearby, and servants stood with torches.

“A punishment for someone, perhaps?” asked General Binks.
“How very observant,” said DiCaprio. “You are correct. It is a punishment for someone.”
“A punishment for who?” asked Draziw.
“For someone guilty of treachery,” answered DiCaprio, enunciating each word carefully.

Guards came walking up towards the four of them gathered there, and bowed low before Orlando DiCaprio. Then, after a quick nod from the Duke, they grabbed the arms of Hayden Potter.

“What did I do?” Potter cried helplessly as he was dragged towards the pile, and tied to the stake.
“Do you not know?” asked DiCaprio with a cruel smile on his face.
“I do not understand, my lord King!” he said with a cry, his face twisted in anguish.
“Oh really? I somehow doubt that very much, Potter. You have been found guilty of treachery.”
“You have no proof!” But Potter knew that it was hopeless.
“Oh really? What about a conversation you held with several others? Several conversations? Draziw is of the Varnhyme, Potter, do not underestimate him.”
“Please! I am sorry! I was wrong! I shall give you my loyalty!”
“Your loyalty means nothing to me Potter. Guards?”
“Yes, my lord King Orlando?”
“Torch him.”

Kathryn buried her head in Jessica’s shoulder, freely crying, if only because of the sheer joy of being able to see. She knelt down then, and embraced Yoran quickly. The three of them were waiting for Edmund to return from the treasure chamber of Mara’s lair. While she waited, Kathryn went to go talk to Mara and Klicati.

A little while later Edmund came back up the passage way. Kathryn jumped up to greet him.

“Edmund! Did you find it?” she asked quickly.

He nodded quietly, and went over towards Mara. They spoke in low voices for awhile, their backs turned to the others. He lifted a stone from under the velvet fabric he had carried it in, and showed it to Mara. They continued to talk some more, while the others waited. At long last they turned back towards where Klicati, Kathryn, Jessica, and Yoran waited. Mara snorted and let smoke hiss through her nostrils.

“Come,” Mara said, “We must be off if we are to reach the king. You will ride on me!”

Mara led them outside and stretched her mighty red wings aloft and then folded them back at her side. As she shook her head, the others mounted the huge beast. Then, with a big breath of fire and smoke, she unfolded her wings and gracefully flew into the sky.

Kathryn was awed by the view from above, glancing down at the sweeping landscape of Elenaesia filled her with wonder and joy. Edmund glanced back at her, and saw her joyful smile, and the shining light in her eyes. He had never known such happiness could exist before, the sheer wonder of it seemed to overwhelm him. He wished with all his heart he could look at the world as she did, that it was perfect with but a few blemishes. That all was beautiful and happy, with but a few tears to wipe away. He glanced into her eyes, and saw in there love, love for all, probably even for that slimy Duke.

Suddenly her words of before echoed in his mind. You see, Edmund, it is not always what we do that gives us pleasure – there are times when more joy can be gathered from knowing someone else is loving a thing, than loving it yourself. And suddenly he understood. It was as if understanding watched over him in a wave of fresh water. He may not love everything the way she did, but when he saw Kathryn with that smile on her face, and the look of love in her eyes, it gave him more joy then he could ever gain from loving everything himself. But was it always true, he wondered. In every instance, in every case, was it true that you could gain more joy from knowing someone else loved something, than loving it yourself. He wanted to ask her, but he knew now was not the time.

That evening, after his turn for night watch, he fell asleep more quickly than he had expected too. And as he slept, a dream overtook him.

“Edmund! Edmund!” a voice called. “Edmund, look into your heart, see what is there. Do not be afraid of what you may find. It is this fear that blinds you to what is going on outside. This fear will blind you, and in blindness, you will not see.”
“But Kat was blind, and she was not afraid,” he protested weakly.
“In her physical blindness, she found other sight. You can physically see, but will you be blind in other ways? Think about it, Edmund. Search your heart.”
“I do not understand.”
“No, you do not. Search your heart to find understanding.”
“Who are you?”

She came into his vision, his dream, as if upon a cloud. No mist, just fading into view, her white hair, lying flat against her back, her feet hidden among the clouds, her hands slowly picking off the petals of the flower she held, singing the child’s song of love. Plucking the last petal, and finishing the song she raised her head to face him.

“Come with me,” the voice came, and he realized it was from her, but the music was different this time. She played a different tune. “Come with me, let me show you a glimpse into the future. The choices will be yours to make, and whether this is how it turns out depends on what choice you choose.”

He followed her, taking the hand she held out to him, as she helped him onto her cloud. Then she brought him to the edge, and bade him look down below. The sight below him swirled and twisted until forming a blurry shape. He could see a tall man with flowing golden hair and a green stone embedded in the hilt of his broadsword. Next to that man stood another, a long white beard, and a midnight blue robe trimmed with silver stars and eyes to match his robe. Edmund could barely hear their muffled voices rising on an unseen breeze to meet him.

“I . . . Stone found . . . the cost. Do . . . understand . . .? I . . . not care . . . dies, . . . find . . . Stone.”
“Yes, o . . . king. I have looked . . . my . . . held . . . Edmund.”
“Edmund?”
“Yes. He . . . north. Where . . . I . . . know. Do . . . have . . . he . . . to us.”
“If . . . not . . . with him . . . killed.”
“Yes . . . mortal king.”

Then a blinding flash came and everything swirled and twisted again forming the blurry picture into confusion, only to be replaced by nothingness. Another vision took it’s place, spiralling into view. This time he saw the faint outline of a girl, her eyes a brilliant emerald green, facing a girl who looked like Kathryn. He did not know what exactly the expression on the green eyed girl’s face was, but it looked like anger. Her mouth moved, but he could not hear the words. Then lightening flashed and danced in the sky, as the girl with the green eyes seemed to command it.

Before he could make sense of it though, it disappeared and was replaced by still another. This time, the ancient torc was being raised high and then lowered onto the head of a kneeling man. The man stood up, raising a stone into his hand, as it shone with an unearthly light. Then a blurred object came flying through the air, and imbedded itself in the back of the man. Blood pooled everywhere, and he collapsed to the ground, just as the vision disappeared, along with the cloud.

“Now you have seen the visions. Before you are still the choices to be made.”