Once there was Darkness

“What do you know about conenose bugs?”

The silence was intense. She finally whispered, “what?” Kol held up a book. She gasped, “where did you get that?”

“Shall we try this conversation again?” She remained silent. “You poisoned Sarah with lies about me before you actually poisoned her. Where is King Brum’s daughter? She was in Mecca.”

“She was until your hound got her scent. I put her on the first ship to anywhere but here.”

“My hound?” Kol hissed. “Whom are you referring to?” His mother was silent. “Elaborate.” Again she was quiet. “I have all day.” Kol made a motion and a Bejhar entered with a chair. Which Kol sat in, crossing his leg in Kessa’s direction. He opened the book, and started reading, “today may be the saddest day of my life. I always dreamed I’d be Edward’s wife. His marriage can’t be real. He can’t love her. He’s in love with me.” Kol stopped. His mother said nothing. He continued, “since Edward married; I shall to. David is no where near the man Edward is. But if in some small way I can make him jealous, I will.” Still she said nothing. “Child! Edward is going to be a father. Two can play this game. David’s seed is growing inside me. I haven’t eaten in day’s trying to kill the little bastard. It should be Edward’s seed growing inside of me. Each time David leaves, I will not eat until his return.”

Frego looked at Kessa with wide eyes.

Kol continued to read. “Edward had a girl. I had a boy. Maybe I can get a jab in at David by giving his son the middle name Edward. He will never know what I’ve done. Every time he says his sons full name, he will be reading my love letter to another man. Let’s skip to the end.” Kol hissed. “Evelyn, I have no way of knowing if you will ever discover that I’ve read this. I know all your secrets. So, you cheated on me; but you tried to starve my son. The trips to the bell tower. The cove. The island. It wasn’t enough you tried to hurt me by having an affair. But you had to hurt me by hurting my son. Rajaf has told me about your vailed interest in bugs. I know you are planning for me. I just don’t know when. I will say this, the only good thing you ever did was give me a son. No matter how many times you tried to take him from me, you failed. God knew what kind of snake I married and put every possible obstacle in your way. I was not the best man that ever lived. But I know God want’s my son to live. I pray he never learns the truth about you.” When Kol stopped reading; the silence was deafening. “Again, I will ask. Whom are you calling a hound?”

His mother squeaked, “Kessa.”

“I’m sorry, who?”

“Kessa!” She shouted.

“You called my wife a dog.”

“Why can’t I break you? Why want you go away? You look more and more like your pathetic father every day. I’d like to beat Abraham with his box of shit. I tried to have your hound torn from limb to limb but No! Ran over but NO! Why wont you die? Why won’t she die? If I could have killed her, that would have finally broke you.”

Kessa knew at that moment why God made her remember everything and she felt stupid for feeling the way she had.

“I’ve been told; other than my eyes, that I look like you.” Kessa heard both tears and laughter in his voice.

“LIES!” She screamed. “You look and act like your weak excuse of a man, father. DAVID! Weak, just like him. Every strong thing he did was because I made him.” She strung made through gritted teeth.

“So your purpose of going with Kessa was to kill her?”

“Oh no,” she smirked. “I was looking for a weakness. A point, I could get to her like I did Sarah. But I couldn’t even do that. Poison Kessa; this time destroy you.”

“You had Rajaf attacked to get to Kessa; with the ultimate goal of getting to me?” She said nothing. “Dad is dead. You didn’t want to rule. What are you after?” She laughed. “Point?” Nothing. “What are you saving Frego for? Do you know so little about me?”

When Kessa looked at Frego, tears were streaming down his face.

“Where is Brum’s daughter?”

“I TOLD YOU!” She shouted.

“I fear you have underestimated the loyalty of my army, the power of money, and the abilities of my wife.” And he smirked, “boats wait for me.”

“WHAT!?” She shouted.

With the motion of his hand, someone came into the room. But not far enough for Kessa to see who it was. “Max and Frego both have love interests in their lives. You had better know, I protect my own. I had to make sure neither of these women were Brum’s daughter.”

“Who are you?” His mother asked.

“I’m Akka. King Brum is my father.”

“The woman you tried to sneak out of this kingdom was Lilly, Max’s betrothed. I have a story for you. Let’s see how the pieces fit? You paid a man to harass Akka. You had no idea what she looked like. When she fled, all you could learn was that she was in Mecca. Somehow you found out Mordecai helped her. You hired people to kill him. Maybe even the same people that tried to kill Kessa. When this man failed to win Akka’s heart, you gave him even more money to try to start a war between the Shadow People and Mecca. You would get rid of me, I’d be on the front line with my army. And once the Shadow People broke through the wall, if they did, maybe they would kill Akka in the crossfire. How am I doing?”

Silence. Again, Kol motioned with his hand and stood.

“Dad!” Akka exclaimed. Kessa could tell they were embracing.