Once there was Darkness

“Still nothing?” Kol asked.

Silence. Kessa thought Brum and Akka left. She heard retreating footsteps and the click of the door. Kol dropped the book in the chair he had been setting in.

There is one piece of the puzzle that I can’t make fit. Two women were fighting over a baby who’s little bundle was full of an explosive substance.”

She laughed. “That whore duke was having an affair with both women. That situation scared him clean.” Her voice turned dark, “yet again I failed to get you.”

“Was it fun trying to implicate the grand duke? Calling him a whore is extraordinary coming from you.”

“THERE WAS ONLY EVER EDWARD!” She screamed.

“What’s the difference? Only one makes it any less of a sin?” Silence. “I know more than you give me credit for.” Kol motioned. Kessa knew the footsteps she heard were Max’s. There was rustling and a crown of red hair was at Kol’s feet.

Kessa about fell off her stool. ‘Was this the red head from their youth?’

“Meet Klin.” He pointed at the man. “Oh wait,” he smirked, “you know Klin.”

“Since when do we beat people. You have compassion for the people at the wall. But you beat prisoners?”

“Sadly,” Klin coughed. “No, I got into a fight in the Blue Chicken.” Kol sat back down in the chair, holding the book. “This big man pulled me out of the fight.” He nodded at Max.

“A fight that still might kill you. Rajaf says you have injuries he can’t heal. Add to that; you declined his services. Once you woke; you know, you have a birds song?” Max handed him a scroll, “would you like me to read your song?”

“Not really.”

Kol handed the scroll back to Max, “let’s entertain Evelyn.”

Frego put his hand on Kessa’s knee and mouthed, ‘God no.’

Max started reading. Kessa saw the fright in Frego’s eyes. She used her wedding ring and what little light there was to get Kol’s attention behind his mother. “Frego, prince of Mecca and Rajaf, healer to the noble family and Mecca; Klin did speak starting from youth. At the age of 12 was approached by a clad figure and offered anything he wanted to hurt or kill the then prince of Mecca, Kol. Klin admitted to sneaking a rock into a wrestling match when he was in training and his opponent was Kol. He was able to knock his opponent out but was unable to do anymore harm. His military training was ended by then General Marcus. This started his dealings with the queen mother. Klin admits to”,

Kessa was able to get Kol’s attention. “Thank you Max. Kol reached for the scroll. “Have we heard enough?” Kol finished reading the scroll while he waited for an answer. Any answer. “You’ve been busy.”

“Tried to be, your mother has an appetite.” He smirked.

Kol knelt in Klin’s face. “We exile prisoners. You are no longer a citizen of Mecca. You have no rights. Do you understand me? Nothing! If you are ever caught in Mecca again, I,” he pointed at himself. “Will push you over the city wall and make a public example out of you. Do you understand me?” Kol stood and Klin was drug away. “Oh, so this is what makes you cry?”

Evelyn’s voice cracked, “Frego isn’t yours.”

“This is what you were waiting to use Frego for.”

“How’s that for cruelty? HE ISN’T YOURS!” She shouted.

“I know Sarah had an affair. An affair that you fed.”

“I fed?” She scoffed.

“You manipulated us! You used Kessa and Max. You used innocent people.” Kessa was furious. “I know now that I used Sarah. You planted her in my life just like you planted the idea in my head that Kessa was in a relationship with Max which wasn’t true. I know that now. You knew I have loved Kessa since I was 14. And Sarah was the complete opposite of Kessa. You practically pushed me into Sarah’s arms. Then when we were married, you used Kessa again to drive Sarah into hating me because YOU told her I was sleeping with Kessa! You…”

Evelyn hissed, “say it. Call me what you wish.”

“No. But know this, Frego is my son.”

Evelyn hissed, “you know this how?”

Kessa could hear a smile in his voice. “Sarah told me.”

A loud laugh escaped Evelyn. “She tried to kill you with a soap dish. She didn’t tell you anything.”

“You had her so full of hatred toward me. I can see where you would think she wouldn’t tell me the truth.”

“No. It can’t be. Frego isn’t yours.” She protested.

“You believed the lie.” He laughed. “That makes me happy.”

“Happy!”

“Yes, believing your own lie has saved his life.” She said nothing. “My only regret in all of this; I could have gone to my grave without Frego knowing any of this. I would have happily gone to my grave without him knowing that the two most important women in his life were, hmm.” He didn’t say what he wanted to say. “But that ship has sailed. If he chooses to have a relationship with you, he will have to reach out to you. As for me, I have no desire to see you ever again. From this moment forward, your title of Queen Mother is being removed. You will be allowed one permanent guard from the military as a courtesy. If you ever remarry, this guard will return to the ranks. You may live on the island until your death. If you remarry, you forfeit this gift.”

“Gift?” She bemoaned.

“I am finished with you. Mecca is finished with you. Unless it’s your personal property, nothing is to leave the island.” She scoffed. “I have people there right now doing a detailed inventory.”

“You have no right.” Kessa could hear her tears.

“You have killed someone. Paid to have someone killed. Tried to insight a war. Tried twice to attempt to have someone killed. You are fully aware that we do not kill, we exile. Count yourself lucky that you get to stay on the island.”

Through gritted teeth she raged, “I should have killed you. That’s the only thing I regret, I should have killed you.”

“If you are ever caught in Mecca proper again, you will join Klin on the wall.” Kol held out his hand, someone handed him something. “Thank you.”

Kessa could see that he was signing it; then handed it to her. “You can sign it or not. The results will be the same.”

“I can’t believe you would throw your own mother away?”

“You mean the mother that tried to starve me before I was born. Who handed me over to the temple when I was an inconvenience so she could go whoring. Started my military training early. Paid a child to try to kill me with a rock. That mother? Was my only sin that I didn’t belong to Brum? The wrong man fathered me?”

She said nothing.

He called to Max.

“My king.” Max’s voice filled the void.

“Evelyn,” he said her name with such destain it hurt Kessa’s heart. “Is to only collect her personal property. If she so much as takes a fork from the kitchen, strip search her on the beach.”

“My king.”

When the door was closed, Kessa finally stood with the help of the thrones. She went to Kol, waiting on him to speak. He didn’t speak, he melted to the floor sobbing. She hugged him up as best she could. His right arm escaped from the cocoon she was trying to wrap around him. Frego took his free hand which made him sob that much harder. All of his childhood pain, distress, disappointment, his suspicions that he hadn’t even voiced to God, everything was being spilt on the throne room floor.

The sun was setting in the sky before Kol was able to move. Kessa and Frego were still by his side. When Kol spoke, his voice was weak and dry. “I’m sorry my son. I never wanted you to bare witness to any of this.”

“When did you figure out I was in the room?”

Kol gave a desperate smile, “I could smell you. But by then, it was too late.”

Frego looked at Kessa, “you got to teach me how to do that.”

The End