Chapter 23

Kol was just standing in the middle of his chamber. “My king?”

He wanted to say a million different things. But nothing came out. Each thought was fighting for supreme rule.

He slowly moved his head toward her. His movements were of someone in great pain. She smiled, taking his hand. He would follow her no matter where she led him. Which just happened to be to the kitchen. No one was around. He sat at a long table were food was prepared for the stoves behind them. Kessa knew her way around like she had done this a thousand times.

“What are you doing?” He finally asked.

“Eggs should be easy on your stomach. I don’t think you’ve eaten in a couple days.”

“I should be cooking for you.”

“You can cook?” She asked playfully.

He just blushed.

She searched around and found a white block. “Cheese.” She put out two plates, two forks, and two glasses of water. After plating the eggs, she shredded cheese on top of her plate, put the cheese back where she found it before sitting down beside him. He went to get a bite of her eggs with the cheese but his hands started shaking. She softly touched his hand taking the fork from him. He laid his hand on her knee. She put a small bite of the egg and cheese on the fork and fed him.

“Thank you.” With closed eyes, he shook his head. Kessa had to call for Max in order to get Kol back to his chamber and to bed. “Thank you Max,” she whispered.

“I will be close if you need me.” He left.

“Kes,” Kol’s voice was but a whisper.

“I’m here, my king.”

“My head hurts. My eyes.”

“Lay as still as you can.” She asked for a bowl of water and a cloth. For the rest of the day, she kept a cool wet cloth on his forehead. “Forgive me my king.”

“What for?” He moaned.

“I shouldn’t have taken you down to the kitchen. I thought maybe a change of scenery would help.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Thank you for trying.” He draped his arm over her leg resting his hand on her waist. “Don’t leave me.” He moaned. “How are you feeling?”

She blushed, “doing better every day, my king. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Marry me.” He whimpered.

Praise the Lord, there was a gentle knock on the door. It was Rajaf and Frego.

Rajaf asked in a low voice, “what’s wrong?”

“His head and eyes hurt.”

“Young prince, will you accompany me to get medicine. You can bring it back much faster than I.”

“Of course.” They quickly but quietly left.

Frego returned with the medicine. “Rajaf says to place this on dad’s tongue. It will dissolve.”

“Thank you, young prince.”

“What else can I do?” Frego asked.

“Would you care to see if To will fix some broth. Maybe some bread and cheese. I’m praying when he wakes, he will be hungry.”

“Of course.” He left.

Kol had been breathing with his mouth open, so getting the powder on his tongue wasn’t a problem.

When Kol woke, he found Kessa laying on his shoulder. He snuggled his nose into her hair and took a deep breath before kissing her head. She rose up, caressing his face. “How do you feel?”

“Somewhat better.”

“Frego got broth and bread if you are hungry.”

“I think I’ve figured out where the trinket came from.”

“Feel like sharing, my king.”

“When we fought the Zeede, I took the coverings off of one of the Zeede to cover you with. It must have been on him.”

“If you really want to know, I’m sure I can take it to the market and someone will know what it is?”

“I like my idea,” He gave her a weak playful smile as he took her hands in his, “thank you for taking such good care of me.”

She smiled a big smile, “it was a team effort.”

The Fall

Part 2

A hole was burning inside Kol. ‘Where was she and why? Was she okay?’ He couldn’t sleep. Back and forth he paced.

14 days, no Kessa. He felt like he needed to go look for her but had no idea where to start.

21 days, no Kessa. He walked back up to her house. Standing on the balcony, he suddenly felt dizzy. It was a long way down. Jagged rocks all the way down. Then again, a body may not make it very far.

“My king.” It was that lady.

“You’re Beth?”

“I am, my king.” She lowered her gaze, “Kessa is asleep.”

“When did she get back?”

“I’m not sure. I found her this morning. Should I see if she’s awake.”

“Thank you, Beth.” Kessa’s voice was soft and low.

“Thank you.” Kol spoke. She lowered her glance to the king. Smiling at Kessa, “should I bring out tea?”

Kessa looked at Kol, “none for me thanks.”

“No, thank you.”

She left.

“Where have you been?” She started to speak. He held up his hand. “Kessa, are you okay?” He sat on the railing of her balcony.

She couldn’t say what she needed to say. Maybe changing the subject, “you? Are you okay?”

“Yes. So much so, Max and I went to the Blue Chicken last night.” He smiled.

She blushed, “you maybe but not Max.”

“I’m hurt. You have so little faith in me?” He lost his balance and started falling backwards. “Holy, no.” He stood looking over the railing, “nope.” When he turned to look at Kessa, her expression scared him. She was scared. “Kessa,” he softly called her name. As he touched her shoulders, he felt her shaking. Where was she? “Kessa?”

Suddenly, she snapped back into reality. Anger flashed in her eyes as she ran back inside the house.

“Kessa!” He shouted after her. “Kessa!” She was kneeling in the floor beside a bed, visibly shaking. “I’m sorry.” He hugged her up. “I’m sorry.”

He woke to complete darkness, rubbing his medallion. Where had she been? What was he apologizing for? Before he almost fell, she looked sad, lost. The light was gone from her eyes. It was Kessa. When he started to fall, shouldn’t she have been right there to catch him? But she wasn’t. She was frozen in terror. Why had she and Max both asked him if he was okay? The Blue Chicken, he would rather burn it down than step foot in there. Was this a memory or a dream?

The Fall next

Part 1

“Max, where’s Kessa?” Kol asked. He felt a twinge of sadness. It was as if he was looking in a mirror, he looked thin. Other than his hair and his eyes, he didn’t recognize himself.

Max lowered his gaze. “She told General Marcus and myself that she needed some time. Marcus told her to take all the time she needed. That was 7 days ago, my king.”

“Where do you think she is?”

“Home, my king.”

“With Rajaf?”

“No, my king. Kessa owns a home on the mountain.” Max walked Kol out to the garden, pointing out Kessa’s house. “If I may ask, how are you feeling?”

“Thank you. Sore but other than that fine.”

Max bowed his head and left.

Kol walked to the steps of a balcony. It overlooked the city. He stopped toward the middle, the view was breathtaking. His heart filled with joy.

“She isn’t here, my king.” A man and woman were standing behind him.

“Do you know where she went?”

They looked at each other before speaking. The lady disappeared into the house returning with a letter. The seal had been broken. It was the imprint of a pen and a scroll.

Beth,

I need some time to think and pray. If anyone comes looking for me, share this. I took Chico with me. General Marcus said I could take all the time I needed. I’ll be back when God tells me to.

Affectionately yours,

K

The man spoke, “I saw her when she left. She was very upset.”

“About.”

“We wouldn’t know.” It was the lady that answered.

“Thank you.” Kol left. Taking the note with him.

Rajaf rubbed his face as he opened the door for Kol. “My king, please come in.” Rajaf saw the note in the kings hand.

Kol held it up. “Has she done this before?”

“No, my king.”

“What is this about?”

“Would you care for some tea?” Rajaf pointed toward the kitchen.

“No, thank you.”

Rajaf scooted onto a stool at his work bench. “I don’t know everything.” He twirled around an object on the bench. “Kessa is not good at sharing with me. She thinks details would be extracted from me if I was ever kidnapped.”

“Her mind scares me at times.” Kol admitted.

“Yes it does. She thinks of things that I would never dreamt of.” He took a deep breath. “Whatever is bothering her, it’s bad and deep. We met you on the trail. She made sure I had arrived safely, had everything I needed and left.”

“Meaning?”

“Anything else would be speculation.”

“Thank you.” When Kol stepped outside Max was leaning up against the house. He handed Max the note. After he read it, he handed it back. Kol opened the door again to a puzzled Rajaf. He was even more confused when Max stepped in. Once the door was shut, “speculate.”

Max looked at Rajaf with terror in his eyes. He lowered his gaze to the floor. “You are ordering me, my king?”

“One of you will talk to me.”

“Kessa will come closer to forgiving me than you. My king, let Max leave.” He pointed to the door. When Max was outside, Rajaf continued, “that was cruel. You put him between a rock and a hard place. Kessa doesn’t like speculation. She works with facts and knowledge.”

“Kessa isn’t here. I want to know why.”

“We don’t honestly know the real answer.”

He laid the clean white paper on Rajaf’s cluttered, dirty work bench and left.