Once there was Darkness

Chapter 4

Part 1

‘Here we go again’, he told himself as he lay down. Kol tossed and turned. As he lay in the bed trying to sleep, he dreamt about the Battle of Youn-der. She had been there. He saw a black suit, the white that was her hair, but nothing more of her. She was a blur. He heard singing as a choir at worship as she leapt through the air wielding her sword; leading the second charge. He had led the first. Most soldiers make noise when they charge. It strangely enough gave them courage. She made not a sound. Made no battle cries. Yet the men that followed her knew exactly their place. All the while, the singing never ceased.

He got up wondering over to the balcony. Maybe if he lit a candle she would be the one on duty and would come talk to him. He could order her to come. No. His head was racing with a million thoughts.

“Sleepless night, my king?”

It startled him but at the same time it was what he wanted. “Please, come in.”

She entered his chambers from the balcony, around one of the many curtains that had been drawn for the night. A large piece of black fabric covered her from her neck to the floor. “I was actually dreaming about you?”

“Me, my king?”

He grinned, “the battle of Youn-der.”

She nodded.

“Did I hurt you the other day?” He asked.

“A couple scratches. Nothing more.”

“Has my king given any thought to allowing Rajaf to look into this?” He shook his head, no. “May I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“What’s wrong?”

He drew a surprised breath, “you can tell?”

“Of course I can tell. You half pay attention during court. You are sleeping only a couple hours per night. A blind cat could tell that something is wrong.”

“You take your job too seriously.” He felt the blood rise to his face.

“If we failed to do so, you would be dead.”

She was right. He walked back into the room, took a deep breath, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Would you like to sound your thoughts off of me?”

Could he? Could he tell her what he was feeling or the lack there of? Should he? “You have sworn to protect me?”

“I took an oath before God to do such.”

There was a pile of cushions in the corner of the room, “will you sit with me?” There was a rope behind his head, he pulled it.

“Where shall we start, my king?”

“I guess the big question for me is why have you waited so long to show yourself to me? Why now?”

“All things happen in God’s time.”

Frustrated he asked, “help me understand?”

“My king, who taught you have to use a sword? Who taught you hand to hand combat? How many battles have we fought side by side? Youn-der was not our only conflict. You have seen me plenty of times.”