Once there was Darkness

Chapter 12

Part 1

Another sleepless night. Kol lit a candle, it was Kessa that answered the call. He was thrilled to see her. “My king,” she bowed her head.

“Walk with me.”

They walked a long time before either spoke. “My advisors want me to go to Garrard. King Teo is in poor health and they think it would look pleasing if I visited him in his weakest hour.”  

“His weakest hour was when raiders killed his son. What did you do then, my king?”

Kol stopped dead in his tracks and turned toward her with a look of disbelief on his face. “You know the answer to that.”

“And?” He was speechless, “what is different about this?” She asked. “My king.”

“It doesn’t feel right. My gut is telling me this isn’t right. But I have twelve men telling me that I should go. You are the only person around me that I can truly trust.”

“That makes me sad for you.”

He was shocked, “why?”

“It is difficult to rule a kingdom if you don’t trust the people you have surrounded yourself with.”

“I know.” He took a deep breath.

“What does God say?”

“I’ve already told you, God doesn’t talk to me anymore.”

She got in his face, “and I told you, you’re not listening.”

He took a step backwards. Her scent was intoxicating, clouding his mind. The immediate need to be angry at her words was consumed by a different desire. “Help me fix it.”

“I’m not sure I’m the right person for that. Perhaps dad or the priest. But I will do what I can, my king.”

Kol, Kessa and Rajaf prayed about it together and separately. All the while his advisors were hounding him to go and go quickly.

Matthew 7:15

Kessa, 10 of the Bejhar, 15 soldiers along with the king set out on their journey to Garrard. She wasn’t foolish enough to think that the only danger Kol faced was from the trip. Frego was left behind. Abraham or even the grand duke could be killed. A sneak attack on the palace. Any number of events could take place.

After six days of travel, they were at the Forest of Shadows. No one said a word, but no one wanted to go in. She ordered the men to set up camp. That night as the fires of their camp burned, Kol got to missing her.

“Sergeant, where is Kessa?”

He growled, “is she not here?”

When they were in an active situation, the soldiers were instructed not to address him as a member of the royal family. Kessa (sometimes Max by her side) would sit and watch how they interacted with the king. It was easy for them to tell he was different because they knew. He had made it to sergeant before his dad passed. But he never used his military status.

“If she is, she’s playing hide and seek.” Kol spoke bitterly.

A young soldier came running from the back of the camp, “sergeant! Kessa’s horse is missing.”

The bitter man stood, almost started walking for the horse corral but stopped when Kol spoke. “If the raiders don’t kill her, I will.”

The men looked mystified at each other as Kol returned to his tent.

At day break, every eye was on the forest. A young raider appeared with his hands over his head. He walked slowly toward the camp. Kol and three soldiers approached him. They searched him. He was completely unarmed. They all just stared at each other. He spoke one word at a time. Finishing each word before he started the next, “I – am – Saka.” It took forever for him to speak. “I – am- to – stay – with – you – until,” he thought then spoke, “muktar – return.” Kol knew what ‘muktar’ meant but he didn’t take the time to define it for the others. This made him feel a little better about the situation Kessa had put herself in but not by much.

The three soldiers escorted him to camp. Saka sat around one of the fires closest to the woods. Kol brought him a plate of food. At first he wouldn’t accept it. Kol growled, “komp.” The young man took the plate with great hesitation. “If we wanted to kill you, we wouldn’t waste the food.”

The young man stood and started shouting at Kol in a language none of the soldiers understood. Even the Bejhar were dumbfounded by his tongue. The young man shook the plate causing food to bounce off to the ground. Kol pointed at the ground continuing the conversation in Saka’s language.