﻿CRIMSON by Evelyn Olorunfemi CRIMSON by Evelyn Olorunfemi Published by Evelyn Olorunfemi at Smashwords Copyright 2012 Evelyn Olorunfemi Smashwords Edition, License Notes Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support. Table of Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 About Evelyn Connect with Evelyn ONE The land of Adelon 1257 LEON’S EYES OPENED. His heart beat quickly against his chest and he breathed heavier than usual. His eyes darted across the room. One of the windows was still open. They had forgotten to close it. The moon shone mild rays of white light through the free square space onto the wall. No sound could be heard, save the chirping of a lone cricket by the windowsill. Slowly, he sat up in the bed. His wife stirred. He watched her until she stilled again. He ran his fingers through his dark wavy hair and buried his face in his hands. He could feel a little sweat from his forehead on his finger tips. Another dream he did not understand. He recalled the sullen, sorrowful faces he had seen just moments ago. This is urgent. He always felt this way after having one of those dreams. What did they mean? He gave a little groan. What is the meaning? These dreams had started a few days ago and he was not able to make sense of them. “Another one?” His wife’s voice sang softly through the cool air. He turned to find her studying him intently. She rested up on her left elbow. Her curly auburn hair hung loosely down her left shoulder. “Yes,” he breathed. She touched his right arm with her right hand and rubbed it gently. “You should speak with Master Solon about this.” “I will,” He nodded. “I will.” He laid back down on his right side. “I have to talk to Master Solon about this.” His wife lay back down too. She turned on her left side facing her husband. She still rubbed his arm. She spoke words—special words; the words she knew would help him sleep peacefully the rest of the night. Cealia was very concerned. Her husband’s dreams were becoming an issue they needed to deal with. She hoped he could get some answers from Master Solon. They needed help. It was early morning. The sun’s brightness was increasing very slowly. She pulled the bread out of the oven in the kitchen wall. The fire burned steadily on a low heat. The bread rested on a large bronze tray. The end of the tray’s long handle was overlaid with wood so she could put it in and pull it out of the oven as she pleased. She placed the bread on another bronze plate. Steam danced up lazily from the hot bread. The sweet aroma soon took over the kitchen. “Hmmn… Smells wonderful.” Leon caught a whiff as he approached the kitchen door. She turned and smiled warmly at him. “How are you feeling?” She placed both hands on either of his cheeks. Her fingers felt part of his neatly trimmed beard. Then she squinted, studying his eyes. “I’m fine,” He laughed. “Don’t worry.” But that did not lessen her concern. “Will you be going to Master Solon immediately?” She spoke letting go of him. He wondered if that was a suggestion or an instruction incognito. He smiled. “Yes. In fact, right now.” She deftly cut away part of the bread with a knife. “Why don’t you have something before you go?” Leon mounted his dark brown stallion a few minutes later. Everest was his favorite horse—one of his many horses. He bred horses and ran a successful farm. Some of his horses had even made it to the king’s palace. Something he was very proud of. Leon was doing well for himself. But then so was about everyone in the land of Adelon. A land of prosperity and peace. The morning sun was brighter now but had not stopped the air being a little chilly. Cealia stood at the front door watching him, wrapped in a yellow woolen shawl. He could still read a little unease in her expression. He waved at her, smiling. She smiled back waving and he was off. She watched him leave hoping that he would return with answers. Leon was led to the parlor. Solon was seated with a silver cup in his hand. His graying hair neatly combed back. He had on a beige robe with gold embroidery on the front—one of the land’s cultural attires. He grinned as Leon walked into the parlor. “What brings you to my humble abode so early my son?” he asked. His abode was anything but humble. It flourished with décor and exquisite furnishings from different parts of the world. A land of prosperity indeed. That was Adelon. “I need your help Master Solon,” Leon informed as Solon motioned him to sit. He took a seat on an interesting looking chair opposite Solon. “That one is from Asia.” The old man explained. Leon had been studying it but now turned his eyes from the chair and faced the old man who was waiting to hear the purpose of his visit. “Can I get you a cup of this interesting drink made from blue berries?” The old man raised his cup. Before Leon could respond, he called out a name. “Miriam.” Shortly, a small slim lady with braided blonde hair marched into the parlor. The maid servant. Before she could ask anything, her master instructed her to top the jug with more of the blue berry drink and get a second cup for Leon. In a few minutes the two men were sipping on the drink as Leon explained himself to Solon. “For the past four days I’ve been having these dreams.” He began. “I wouldn’t bother you if I didn’t think there was something peculiar about them. Now they don’t so much frighten me as they give me much concern. But I always have a feeling of intense urgency when I awake from them.” “What did you see in these dreams?” Leon took another sip and continued. “In one of them I went to a strange land; very dark. The atmosphere was thick—thick with depression and dullness. There were people on both sides of the streets groaning. Some of them saw me and stretched out their hands like they wanted me to help them. Some were irritated by my presence and just wanted me to leave them alone. Each night the dream is different but they all seem to illustrate the same things.” The old man placed his cup down and clasped his fingers together in front of him. He rested his elbows on his laps. “Have you asked our Father about this?” “I have.” “Does your wife know about this?” “The dreams, yes, but not His answer.” “His answer?” “Mordelan.” “Mordelan?” “Yes,” Leon sighed. “It seems He wants me to go there.” The old man stared at him silently for a few seconds before finding his voice again. “Are you absolutely sure you heard correctly? The enemy is cunning.” “I’m sure. I know His voice any day.” The disapproval revealed gradually on Master Solon’s face. “I hope you know the implication of what you are suggesting. I hope you know the land we speak of.” Before Leon could respond, the old man provided the answer. “ Mordelan. The strangest land I’ve ever heard of. Darkness is where they live. I heard that no one has stepped in or out of that land in forty years. It is a forsaken land.” “I already understand that Master.” “And what are your family supposed to do while you travel off to some strange land?” “They are coming with me.” The old man pulled back like he had not heard right. “What?” “He wants me to take them with me.” The old man shook his head. “You’ve probably been overworking yourself. That’s what it is. You are fatigued from all that work on the farm.” “But I’m not stressed, Master. I have so many capable hired hands on the farm. I don’t overwork.” “Then I need to go into my private chamber and find out for myself what exactly is going on here.” Later that day, when he returned home, Cealia wasted no time in asking how the meeting went and whether they found a solution. “He was heading to his private chamber when I was leaving.” Leon replied. He did not know what to do. Master Solon was usually a very restful man, calm, the epitome of serenity. Leon had never seen him react this way to anything before. But Mordelan could not be so bad. He had heard some stories about the strange land before but he had brushed most of them off as exaggerations. He would wait to hear what Master Solon finds out in his private chamber. Clearly the Father did not feel it was dangerous enough that it could not be handled. And Leon knew this truth; the Father could be trusted anytime. TWO “LOOK PAPA! BIRD!” four year old Keren pointed excitedly at a blue bird perched on a tree branch in the distance. Her father smiled weakly. “Yes sweetheart. A blue bird. It’s singing for you.” She clapped her hands and squealed animatedly. He laughed. Children are so amused by the littlest things. He had decided to stroll in the garden to clear his head when little Keren also decided she must accompany him. On occasion, his thoughts travelled back to his visit to Master Solon’s house. It had been three days since that visit and there was still no message from him. Leon was sure of the divine instruction he had received. But he was worried about people’s reactions to it. His wife still had no clue what was going on. He knew following him would be a hard thing to expect from her. A sound pulled him back from his thoughts. Keren was struggling to imitate the peeping of the little bird. He chuckled and lifted her of her feet and into his arms. “You’re doing splendid,” A voice sounded from the distance. “Needs more practice.” It was Master Solon strolling down from the house to meet them in the garden. They exchanged greetings before Leon put Keren back down and instructed her to go meet her mother in the house. Children have a way of repeating what they’ve heard and he did not want to risk Cealia finding out the wrong way. When they were alone, Solon got down to business. “I’m sorry I didn’t reach you sooner,” he apologized. “I was trying to make sense of it and that was a mistake. But I’ve come to a conclusion.” “You have?” Leon asked eager to hear what his mentor had to say. “I should have gotten back to you two days ago. When you told me that you were instructed to go to Mordelan, I was not happy. I wondered why He would take you to a place like that. In my private chamber I asked Him questions. I was pained because you are like a son to me.” He placed his right hand on Leon’s left shoulder. Leon studied him. The old man’s eyes shone with emotion. This moved Leon and he suddenly realized how important he was to Master Solon. The old man continued. “I wrestled with this in my private chamber. But He kept whispering to me to let you go. He said I should let you go with my blessing.” The young man tried to speak but no words came. The old man sighed as he looked Leon in the eye. “So that’s what I am here to do… To let you go with my blessing.” Leon bowed and Solon suddenly gave him a hug. By the time his master released him, Leon knew it was time to tell his wife. Not wanting to intrude, Solon excused himself and left the young man to sort things out. When Leon walked into the living room, Cealia sensed that something important was about to happen. She put little Keren down and sent her to play with her older brother and sister. As their daughter scurried excitedly out of the living room, Leon sat heavily on one of the chairs opposite her. This was the most intense she had seen him in a long time. He stared at the floor. “What’s the matter? What did Master Solon say?” She asked though knowing he fully intended to tell her. He looked up. “I have a confession to make,” she adjusted in her seat and he continued. “The morning I went to Master Solon’s house, I already knew what the dreams were about. I found out that morning. So I didn’t go there to get an answer. I went to talk to him about it because deep down inside I wasn’t ready to accept it. I needed to talk to him. After all he has been my spiritual father since I was little. You know he’s also the closest thing to a parent I have since I have no parents.” Cealia watched in silence as he continued to speak. “Our Father wants me to go to Mordelan. He has an assignment for me there. He told me.” Cealia’s eyes grew and her mouth fell open. “Mordelan?” She managed after a few seconds. Leon nodded. “That was Master Solon’s first reaction when I told him. But now he says he gives me his blessing. That’s what he came to do this evening.” His wife sat silently with her hands on her laps for what seemed like an eternity. It was her turn to stare at the floor. She tried to process what she just heard. Her husband stood from his seat and knelt next to her chair. He put his hands on hers. Her eyes stayed on the floor. “There’s one more thing… I am to go with you and the children,” He added. His wife still faced the floor. “I know this is the hardest thing I’ve ever asked you to do, and that even though He told me to take you along, I can’t force you. You have to do it of your own free will.” He paused and then added. “I can’t go without you. We have to be in this together for it to work.” Her mouth began to move but not audibly enough for him to hear what she was saying. He knew she was thinking and communing with Him. After a little while she raised her head. “Let us do this. He can never be wrong.” Relief seeped into him as he spread his arms and held her. She put her arms round him and whispered. “We better prepare the children.” THREE THE NEXT COUPLE of weeks were a load of drudgery. There was so much work and planning to be done. Leon never knew a time in the past when he experienced so many different emotions at once. He was grateful for Cealia who got right down to the business at hand. The children were confused about the sudden move and upset about leaving the people they knew. Leon knew that he needed to pray for their hearts to be receptive to the whole turn of events. As the week went by and the day of their journey neared, the children seemed more settled with the idea. Though he could tell his son still needed convincing. Everything had been taken care of by the end of these two weeks. Master Solon had taken Leon’s businesses under his wing and he also promised to take care of the house. The family separated the belongings they wanted to carry along and the ones they would leave behind. An important point of call was to Cealia’s parents. They lived quite a distance away. “Mordelan. That is outrageous.” Her father burst out upon hearing the news. “Did you know that no one has stepped in or out of that land in forty something years?” her mother put in. “I heard the sun doesn’t shine there.” Her father added. Their daughter smiled. “I’m sure people are just exaggerating.” Leon explained. “We are not going there blindly. We know all these bad things that people have to say about the place. Apparently, our Father isn’t bothered about that.” Some people that heard about this mission thought it was simply outlandish. Only a few—even though shocked— understood why they should do it. All through this, Leon reminded himself of who he was really responsible to in the end. “That’s the last one.” Leon placed a small bag on his dark brown stallion. He thought it fitting to take Everest along. He had practically grown up with the steed at his side. He also took five of his other horses. He knew he would need to do some type of work when he got there, even though he had enough money to last them a while. He patted the mountain of a creature on the side of its head. It responded, turning its nose toward him. It was very early in the morning when dawn was just breaking. Leon turned and watched his son staring back longingly at Adelon. He felt moved for him because they knew they would not return, except another instruction came. “Tycho,” he called and the ten year old turned solemnly to his father. “I know this doesn’t feel good but there is something beautiful coming from all this.” The boy sighed. His dark curly hair covered parts of his forehead. “Anna said that her mother said that we are going to the pit of darkness. She said there is no happiness there.” Leon squatted in front of his son and held his hand. “Don’t listen to such people, Tycho. They don’t know what they are talking about.” His son did not seem too convinced. “Is Mordelan really scary?” “It is just a land with people who need help. If everybody stayed in Adelon, Mordelan may not see help. Our Father is counting on us. And don’t worry. If they don’t have happiness, then we bring happiness to them. If they have darkness, then we bring light.” Tycho nodded. Just then a little blue bird fluttered past them. The stallion released a gentle neigh. Leon stood back up. “Looks like Everest is ready to go.” “I hope they have blue birds in Mordelan.” Tycho commented watching the bird as it went on. “Keren will miss them if they don’t.” His father responded. “If they don’t have blue birds, they probably have other colors of birds.” Cealia showed up holding Keren. Their eight year old daughter, Irene, trailed confidently behind them. “We’re all set. The rest of the bags are in the carriages.” Her husband nodded. “Now we wait for our guide.” Irene came over and tugged on her father’s robe. “Papa, I want to ride on Everest.” He turned to her and smiled. She was bold for a little girl. She was looking up expectantly at him with her big light brown eyes; the wind blew gently on her straight auburn hair. He could see a lot of her mother in her. Irene had always been the adventurous one. He knew they will need to keep their eyes on her especially when she gets older. “Alright then, you’ll ride with me.” Irene smiled in approval. She seemed not to be bothered by the journey but only soaked each moment in. A short while later a man came walking up to them from the distance. He strode purposefully on the rocky ground. He was very bearded and burly and had on a brown short sleeved robe that showed off his worked arm muscles. Around his waist was a cloth belt with small bags and pockets hanging from it. His skin was tanned from working in the sun and his head was wrapped in a beige cloth. He fit the description Master Solon had given Leon. The old man had recommended him while they were planning the journey. “A great day,” he smiled as he neared the family. “My name is Kalukrates. But you can call me Krates. Master Solon sent me a message that his family needed my help on a journey and to meet them here.” Leon responded. “Great day. Yes we need you to guide us please.” “That won’t be a problem. I hope you don’t mind travelling along with a couple of others at the beginning of this trip. I’m guiding them too.” Leon had hoped it would be just his family but he half expected other people to join anyway. That was how these things usually worked. “I’m sorry,” the guide continued. “Master Solon mentioned that where you are going is on the way to Xenoria but he forgot to tell me where specifically you’re going.” “Mordelan.” Leon answered crisply. He doubted that Master forgot—more like avoided telling him. This Krates fellow did not gawk or exclaim like others had done but it showed in his eyes that he found it strange and that he was quite taken aback. Leon expected him to make a comment but he made none. Instead he cleared his throat. “Let’s go meet the others. There’s no time to waste.” The journey began a little later. They travelled as a group of eight. Leon and his family made up more than half of the group. The rest included Krates, a middle aged man and a young man probably in his early twenties. The journey went on smoothly and quietly until afternoon. By afternoon the children began to whimper one after the other. The sun grew hotter and they had reached the sandy brink of the Maultusian desert. Cealia had stocked their bags with skins of water. As much as possible she wanted to avoid any discomfort as they travelled. She got two of the skins of water and handed one over to her husband while she shared some with Tycho, Keren and Irene—who was now on the carriage with them. “A serious thing must be why you brought your family along.” The middle aged traveler grinned as he watched them. Holding a smooth cylindrical wooden staff and with a long brown cloak on his back, he was strolling beside them with the other young man and a horse. He was tall and moved on his long legs at an unhurried pace. This was the reason Leon did not want himself and his family travelling along with anyone else. He didn’t feel like answering questions about where they were going. However, not wanting to be rude he gave the man an answer. “It is.” “My name is Kuno. My son Bion and I are heading for Xenoria.” He stretched his hand to the young man walking beside him. It was then that Leon realized the resemblance between the two strangers. The young man was equally tall. There was something very imperial and noble about their demeanor. “Where are you heading?” The older man questioned. Leon was tired of all the stories he got about Mordelan when people found out they were going there. However he still answered. “Mordelan.” The man smiled. He said nothing but he turned and studied the family again. Leon was relieved when the man left them alone and continued talking to his son. And he hoped that was how it would be for the rest of this journey. FOUR TWO DAYS PASSED and the desert was behind them. It was midday. The travelers were exhausted. They’d been travelling since morning. But Krates showed no sign of pausing for a break. Leon had to speak up. “Eh—Krates. Is there any chance we will be stopping soon?” “We can’t stop yet,” Krates explained. “The route further ahead is best taken when the day is bright. If we rest here, we risk taking that route at night.” Cealia, who was concerned for her children and in desperate need of some rest herself, spoke up as well. “How about a little rest? Just to stretch and then we’ll be on our way.” Krates was reluctant but reasoned that it could not do any harm to stop a little while. So he stopped his horse and the group stopped all together. The children came down from the wagon. They stretched and helped themselves to some cake and raisins. Leon also took a drink of water and a piece of cake. Cealia spread a mat on the ground under a tree nearby. The rest of the family walked over and sat with her. “We can’t stay here too long,” Krates reminded. “Just a little longer,” Cealia begged. Krates looked up to the sky. He studied the sun, attempting to decipher the time of the day. He hesitated. “Alright.” He set about feeding water to himself and his horse. Kuno and his son also set about doing the same. They were now at the Korman Hills. There was a route taken through the hills by travelers. It was a beautiful landscape to behold. With greens all over and splashes of pink, blue, lilac and turquoise flowers everywhere they turned. Irene stood. “Can I get a flower, mama?” Cealia turned to Krates. “Are they safe?” “Yes they are.” Krates walked over and cut one lilac flower and brought it to Irene who excitedly received it. “Thank you.” She placed it in her hair. “I want a flower too,” Keren announced from her mother’s side. Krates laughed and strolled back to get a second flower. He returned with a turquoise one this time and stretched it out to her. She received it grinning. “Thank you.” Leon was happy to see his little girls enjoying the journey. He just wished their brother would do the same. Tycho had been quiet almost all through the journey so far. Leon thought people waited to be adults before they became grouchy. But not his son. He was a born analyst. This journey made Leon realize that work needed to be done on Tycho’s heart. Shortly, they were off again and within an hour they approached what seemed to be a ruined city. The site was a contradiction to what they left in Korman Hills. It felt cold and abandoned. A foot path had been created by previous travelers. They could see some poor unkempt people hiding haphazardly among what was left of the mud and clay houses. “What happened here? Where is this?” Leon asked at last. “They destroyed themselves,” Kuno replied. “This is the land of Vorl’gaxx.” Krates interjected. “Sorry we have to pass through here to get to our destination.” Bion added. “They say there has never been anything so devastating happen to a people as this one.” “We haven’t heard of anything like it since the old story of Sodom and Gomorrah.” Kuno put in. Just then a scruffy looking boy, probably thirteen or fourteen, approached Cealia and began to beg. Krates spoke up before Cealia could bring out anything to give. “Sorry son that we can’t help you. We can only give you some bread.” Then he nodded to Cealia who cut some bread and gave it to the boy.” The boy nodded and withdrew to where he came from. “I wanted to give him more than that,” Cealia said, clearly confused by what just happened. “You can’t give them too much,” Krates explained. “Vorl’gites are cunning people. Among them are bandits. If you bring out gold or expensive attire, you’ll signal them. And they will trail after you later to get more from you. I’ve seen some rich people deliberately dress poor just to pass through this place safely.” With that Cealia kept silent. All she wanted now was to get out of there. The sun was going down gradually and they were able to make it past Vorl’gaxx in good time. Krates’s concern had been that night would catch up with them in Vorl’gaxx. But that did not happen and he was relieved. If they could just get farther ahead, they could settle in for the night. As they proceeded, he thought he heard something, like little stones rolling down the sides of rocks. A deer or a wild goat. He ignored it and continued. Cealia and the children were asleep in the wagon. The men were all awake. They had to be. Krates heard another sound. Closer this time. Like shuffling. It better be a deer or goat. His heart quickened its rhythm and his breath felt short. He did not like the thought that was piercing its way into his mind. It cannot be anything else. It must not be anything else. His knowledge of fighting did not lessen his concern. The sound stopped. The goats must have run away. Kuno had been walking behind and presently moved forward to Krates’s right side. He looked serious. “It seems we’re being followed.” He spoke in a very low voice. An icy, eerie feeling crept up Krates’s spine. “How do you know?” “The sounds,” Kuno replied still in a low voice. “Didn’t you hear them?” Krates remained silent. Kuno breathed in heavily and then out again. Although intensity was very much in his voice and eyes, his demeanor was much calmer than Krates’s. “They should be about four in number.” Kuno finally said after a brief silence. “How do you know that?” Krates whispered. “I have my way?” Krates studied him. “So what do you suggest we do?” “I told Bion to watch the rear. We don’t want whoever they are to know we are aware. We should avoid confrontation unless absolutely necessary.” “You seem so sure of yourself,” Krates observed. Kuno smiled. “More than you know.” FIVE THEY JOURNEYED QUIETLY. As much as possible, they behaved like they were not aware of anyone hiding among the rocks. They did not bother telling Leon. There was no need until it becomes absolutely necessary. “There are some caves ahead,” Krates whispered to Kuno. Kuno nodded. “We can put the family there along with the load and animals.” When they came to a large enough cave, Krates lead Leon and his family into it. “You all wait in here and as much as you can, don’t make a sound.” Krates announced. Leon could sense the tension in his voice and manner. “What’s going on?” Krates led him away from the rest of the family. “We suspect we are being followed.” He said with a low voice. Leon’s eyes grew and deep concern was evident on his face. “What can I do to help?” “Stay with your family and keep things quiet. We’ll take care of the rest.” Leon whispered some words up to the Father and returned to sit with his family. Thankfully the children and their mother soon went back to sleep again. They were really exhausted. Krates walked over to the entrance of the cave where Kuno and Bion stood. “Now what?” “We wait.” Kuno replied calmly. Nothing must touch that family. It was now his duty to make sure of that. They decided to take turns watching the area. Two hours passed and still nothing. Krates began to think that maybe Kuno was overreacting and that what they heard was actually a deer or a wild goat. By this time Leon had also fallen asleep. Kuno studied the sleeping family. That’s the way to do it. Sleep. We have this under control. Suddenly, he heard a sound. Grabbing his staff, he stood up and moved over to the entrance where Krates stood watching. “They’re here,” Kuno announced in a low voice. His way of speaking was so grand that Krates felt like he was standing next to a king. “How do you know? I haven’t heard a sound since.” “They’re here,” he repeated simply. Then he closed his eyes and whispered. Krates recognized what he was doing and could not deny they all needed it very much. “Go and get Bion.” Kuno ordered. The guide said nothing and proceeded to carry out the order. Kuno slid the wooden cover off his staff, exposing a metal rod with elaborate designs patterned on it. He held it diagonally in front of him with both hands and moved forward. The night had fallen. The moon shone its white rays down on the rocks and sand. Its limited light could not expose everything within Kuno’s range of sight, but surely enough, he could make out a silhouette of a man in the distance. The man was moving toward the cave. Clearly, he had seen Kuno. He approached slowly but confidently. As he lessened the gap between them, Kuno could make out some of his features in the moonlight. His clothes were rough and torn and his eyes seemed to hold intense anger in them. Vorl’gite. “I advice giving us what we want. Save yourself the aggravation.” His voice was deep and hoarse. “You’ve come to the wrong person,” Kuno responded, calmly enough. The man smiled; a sneering, mischievous smile. It was then that Kuno finally spotted the other three emerging from the shadows of the rocks. He had sensed others were present, he just didn’t know where. “You are bold,” The man snarled. In seconds he brought out a slightly curved dagger and released a laugh that echoed through the night. His eyes darted from side to side and spotted two men standing closer to the cave behind Kuno. Bion and Krates stilled themselves. Kuno tightened his grip around his rod. “I see you have friends,” the thief—who seemed to be leader of the band—spoke. His sneering smile remained. “Are they as bold as you are? That would be a foolish thing. You don’t want to do something stupid.” Within seconds, he and his companions headed for Kuno. Kuno, with a defensive stance, was able to block their attacks with relative ease. Bion and Krates moved to help him. Kuno’s rod hit each man with the kind of exactness that was to be admired. Recognizing that Kuno was the most skilled of the three fighters, the lead thief—out of craving for self satisfaction—decided he wanted to take him on. It wasn’t long before it turned into a one on one combat between Kuno and the lead thief while Krates and Bion handled the other three. Though Krates was busy, he did notice the way Kuno fought. With rod in hand the middle aged man danced around the thieves. He did it with grace but with great strength as well. Bion fought much the same way as his father. Only his choice of weapon differed. They were two hard, oblong contraptions with three chains hanging from each. He held one in each hand swinging it and hitting the thieves with amazing precision. Xenorian Combat Masters—incredible. Krates had heard of them but had never actually met one let alone seen them in action. It was said that Xenoria had about the most skilled fighters in the world. Krates was humbled. He felt inadequate since his fighting style was not quite so refined but he would help them whatever way he could. Krates reasoned that the family would be awake by now with all the ruckus. But if they could remain in the cave he felt everything would be fine. The thieves were obviously unskilled but they possessed a great degree of strength and stamina. All the while, the lead thief had relentlessly attacked. He hurled a small knife which he pulled from his belt at Kuno who dodged it swiftly bending to his right. Kuno decided it was time for an offensive move. He altered his stance. The thief noticed. “Don’t think changing the position of your feet scares me.” Kuno made no reply but within seconds his rod was all over the place, hitting the thief’s belly, ribs, legs and whatever part was opened. The thief groaned loudly. Kuno gave no room. He persisted; giving his opponent a new blow every second. The other thieves became distracted because they could hear their leader groaning. Their distracted state was good for Krates and Bion and they made the most of the opportunity. Their leader was now on the ground groaning and rolling from one side to the other, rubbing the places that hurt. His whole body hurt. “Get me out of here,” he was able to muster. The other thieves left their opponents and headed to him. He struggled to his feet and they were off assisting their leader as he hobbled away in the middle of them. Kuno breathed deeply. Krates came up to him panting. “I wonder if we should change location and move further down.” The middle aged man shook his head as they watched the thieves leave. “That won’t be necessary. They won’t be coming back here.” SIX KRATES’S SUPPOSITIONS WERE correct. Though the family was hidden in the inner parts of the long, spacious cave, they were very awake. Leon had left them and come to the entrance to see what was going on. That was where the three fighters met him. How much he had seen, they could not be sure. But he had seen something. His face was a picture of astonishment. He stood behind the rocky walls of the cave entrance as the three walked in. “Are you alright?” he asked the three men as they entered. Kuno turned with a smile. “We’re great. Everything is going to be alright.” Leon was not too convinced. His eyes squinted with concern. “Don’t you think we should move to another location? What if they are gathering reinforcements?” Bion interjected. “They won’t be back here. Trust me.” Leon was still not convinced but he decided they would have a better judgment of the situation than he did since they had more experience. All four men ambled into the inner part of the cave where the children sat quietly huddled around their mother. When little Keren saw her father walk in, she stood and scuttled to his side, hugging him tightly around his legs. Leon’s heart skipped. His family had never been through this kind of situation before. It was heartbreaking to see his little girl so frightened. He lifted her up into his arms and holding her close; whispered to her. “It’s alright. Nothing bad is going to happen.” She had her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and continued to squeeze him until they joined the rest of the family. It had not escaped Cealia’s notice that Kuno and Bion were not injured. They must have been really good. Krates on the other hand had a few bruises but nothing her herbs couldn’t help with. She set about boiling the herbs over a small fire they lit in the cave. It was later in the night and the children had finally calmed down enough to go back to sleep. The men were seated together. Kuno and Bion helped themselves to some hot ginger drink that Cealia had prepared. “Thank you for fighting off those thieves.” Leon began. “I haven’t travelled much in my life and the few journeys I’ve made were certainly not through dangerous routes like this. So this is all new to me.” “This journey is important,” Kuno smiled knowingly. “The responsibility to be the influence of light in darkness is a huge one.” Leon’s eyes fixed on Kuno who was seated next to him on his right. How did this stranger know? The middle aged man smiled. “It is a brave thing you are doing following the Father’s instructions like this. Not many of His children want to do this.” “He has put the desire to go there in me. But I’m still struggling with receiving the courage to do it.” “This is the reason He chose you,” Kuno nodded. “It is hard enough carrying out an assignment. Let alone carrying it out without the right feelings to lend encouragement. You must really love Him to do this. Your reward shall be grand. He’d never let you do this for nothing. Just keep trusting Him.” Kuno stood up and left Leon pondering on what he just heard. Kuno had decided to get some sleep. So did Bion. Krates overheard some of the conversation between Kuno and Leon. He shifted closer to Leon who was still thinking. “That man and his son did not have to take this route to Xenoria but a while back during this journey, he came to me and told me he and his son would like to take the longer way through Vorl’gaxx. I didn’t understand it at first but now that we faced those thieves, I think he wanted to protect your family. You must be really important.” Leon gaped at Krates who gave a slight grin and stood to his feet. Krates took the herbs Cealia prepared and went to sleep as well. IT WAS DAWN. Leon wanted to speak with Kuno about what he heard from Krates the previous night. The sun was just peeping out. But they were all busy loading up before the continuation of the journey. He made up his mind to speak to the man later on. “Are you ready?” Cealia asked. “Krates says we’ll be in Mordelan by evening if we keep a steady pace and stop only when necessary.” Leon made no reply. He just stared ahead at no specific thing. Cealia closed up to him and put her arms around his neck. His eyes came down to hers. “He is taking care of us. Just like Krates told you last night. He even sent two fighters to protect us from thieves. He will do more for us in Mordelan.” Leon chuckled lightly as he held her closer. He had told her what Krates said to him the night before. And now she was using it on him. “Let’s go,” he said kissing her forehead before releasing her to see to the children. The hours passed steadily. The closer they drew to Mordelan, the more Leon could feel his stomach churn. The air felt thicker. The atmosphere grew dull and the sun’s rays struggled against grey clouds. They made it to the outsides of Mordelan’s borders by early evening. Leon turned to look at his family. They were all quiet. They looked nervous and uneasy. “You will all be fine.” Kuno spoke to Leon from his right. “I have the Father,” Leon affirmed. “Yes. And He is more than enough.” Leon turned to Kuno in realization. “I guess we’ll soon be saying good bye.” “Don’t sound so final. I feel we will meet again. It may not be very soon. But it will happen.” Leon studied the middle aged man riding beside him. To think he had not welcomed the idea of travelling with a couple of strangers. Now he felt like he would be missing two good friends. The moment to say goodbye came too quickly. They were at the beginning of a road paved with asphalt. It was the road leading into Mordelan. Kuno shared a hug with each member of Leon’s family speaking encouraging words to each person as he did so. Krates and Bion also had their own share of hugs from the family. Before long, Leon and his family were heading—on their own—into the land of Mordelan. SEVEN EVENING WAS SLOWLY giving way to night. There was a lot of green everywhere with trees located all over. Except for an owl hidden among the trees, there was no sound of activity. An occasional flutter of bird wings and rustle of leaves as tree branches swayed to the moves of the wind could be heard. Leon could make out what looked like an inn a distance beyond the border. With his family huddled in the carriage behind him, he rode alone on Everest. He had connected the horses together and used them to cleverly tow two wagons along. One carriage had only their belongings in it. As they closed in on the supposed inn, Leon could see a number of people walking on the sides of the road. He discovered he was right about the building. It was an inn. It was a simple little building that probably contained nothing more than ten rooms. He stopped the horses and the wagons just in front of the inn. Looking round to survey the area he saw that the inn was not the only building around. Not too far down stood little farm houses and barns. He dismounted and walked over to the wagons. “Where are we?”Cealia asked exhaustion apparent in her voice. “It looks like an inn.” Leon replied. “How can they have an inn when they say no one visits here?” she questioned. Leon shrugged. “They weren’t always like that I suppose. There must have been times before when people visited.” “Then it probably doesn’t function as an inn anymore.” Though he saw reason with his wife, he decided to give it a try anyway. If they did not get a room for the night, their only other option would be the wagon. Instructing his family to stay put, he carried a small bag of gold coins and walked to the front door. He knocked for a while before the sound of a latch being unhooked could be heard coming from inside. The door opened to reveal a plump little lady with an expression Leon thought could not be any harder. She was probably over thirty in years. She had on a brown night robe. A yellow scarf was tied tightly around her head. Leon wondered whether that was responsible for her red face. She was probably obstructing blood flow, tying her scarf so tightly. The thought was funny but somehow he had a feeling smiling about it would only invite trouble from the little lady. “Who are you?” she blurted out without thinking twice. Her tone was even harsher than her expression. Leon adjusted. “Em… I am a visitor. My family is outside. I was wondering if we could have a room for the night.” “We don’t rent rooms out. Haven’t for many years.” Her answer came out in short bursts that made him jerk slightly backward. “Oh…well… Could we stay here just for the night? I’ll pay you.” He pressed on hopefully. She studied him. “I can’t help you. Don’t you hear?” “Who goes there?” a cracked voice came from inside the inn. Leon looked behind her and spotted an elderly man coming down a flight of stairs supported by a walking stick in his right hand. “What seems to be the problem, Agatha?” the old man questioned. Leon could sense that the old man commanded the lady’s respect because her demeanor calmed a little bit. Her voice softened rather quickly. She explained. “This man wants to pay to stay in one of the rooms. I was just telling him we don’t rent out rooms.” The old man did not respond. It took some time but he finally reached the door. He was slim and of average height. His hair was a snowy white and his white brows were thick. He too was dressed in a long thick night robe. Obviously they were prepared to go to bed. Leon wondered if it was really already that late. The old man assessed him quietly. Leon could see that the man’s eyes were brown and deep like he knew many secrets. He had a blank expression and stared at the strange visitor for a while. Just as Leon started to get uncomfortable under his gaze, the man finally asked. “What would a fine young man like you be looking for in miserable old Mordelan?” “I was sent, Sir,” Leon knew that was an odd answer but it was the only one he could muster for now. “By whom?” “My Father, Sir.” “To do what?” “Business… Sir.” The old man looked at him for another while. “Let him in.” He ordered. “I’m not alone, Sir,” Leon immediately informed. “My family is outside.” “Then bring them in.” he answered still with the same blank expression. He thanked the man and went to call his family in. Leon learned shortly after, that the old man’s name was Ivo and that he was the owner of the inn. Later, the family was settled into one of the old larger rooms upstairs. Agatha had to very speedily get to cleaning it while Leon sorted out his load and payment with another young man they learned was Haro, the handy man. “They settled in?” the old man asked, walking carefully into the kitchen with his walking stick. “Yes Master.” There was disapproval in Agatha’s tone. “Good.” “I don’t understand it… After so many years… Mordelan suddenly has a visitor.” “It is a sign.” “Of what Master?” “Change.” Agatha shook her head. “Mordelan does not welcome change.” “Then we are in for a bumpy ride.” The old man replied and hobbled out of the kitchen leaving a wondering little lady staring after him. EIGHT MORNING ARRIVED ALL too quickly. With his family back at the inn, Leon approached the city gate. Mordelan was a small place with one major city and small settlements around it. It was the strangest little place. Leon rode past the gate on Everest; his heart drumming hard against his chest as he entered the city. He slowed Everest to an easy trot as he studied his surroundings. He rode down a street flanked with shops. It was quiet. Too quiet. That was by his comparison to Adelon at this time of morning. He saw a few people opening their shops. Each person turned to look at him as he rode past them. He could feel the stares. He passed a lady who was holding a small boy tightly by her side. The boy must have been Irene’s age or slightly older. Leon greeted. But they just stared. Every person he said hello to simply stared at him without saying anything back. He decided to move on. He heeled his horse and sped off. It was time to sort out the business of the day—getting a house. Ivo had told him that morning, about a man who would be willing to sell a house to him. “His name is Cato,” the old man had said. “He owns some properties on the east side of the city. He can sell one to you. Tell him I sent you.” Leon looked round and finally spotted the house. It was huge. Its front door bordered on colossal. Leon approached it and stopped Everest by the front door. He dismounted and walked to the door. Taking in a few deep breadths, he knocked. It was not long before a young man opened the door. He dressed in a very loose trouser and long loose top. The young man took in Leon’s clothing. Then surprise flooded his face. Leon realized that the young man had figured that he was a foreigner. “Who are you? What do you want?” the young man asked. Leon was beginning to see that Mordelanders did not enjoy exchanging greeting. “I’m new here,” he replied watching the young man’s expression show that he obviously knew that. “I want to talk to Cato.” The young man did not answer. In a second, he closed the door on Leon, making him wonder if this Cato man would be seeing him at all. He did not wonder too long. The door opened again revealing a big bellied man with bushy white hair. He wore a trouser too, with a loose Kaftan on top. “Who sent you here?” he got straight to the point. “Ivo.” Cato watched Leon and like the young man before him, took in his outfit. Adelonian cultural attire was very colorful robes usually decorated on the front with unique fiber. They wore a lot of robes for men and gowns for women. It was very noticeable. A bit of fascination could be seen on the man’s face. Mentioning that he was from Ivo was of great benefit to Leon. Cato found it easier to trust him and the business of getting a house was completed swiftly. He and his family stood in the middle of their new empty living room a couple of hours later. “I don’t like this place,” Tycho commented to their hearing. Even Irene who had been enjoying the journey was quite grumpy about it. “I want our old house.” Keren just stayed quietly in her mother’s arms. “Not everything starts out so wonderfully,” Leon admonished. “Some start a little unpleasant but as time passes, they become the most beautiful thing you ever saw.” Tycho sighed. “They don’t smile here.” “We’ve not met everyone. You can’t conclude for everyone.” His son sighed again. Leon decided to do the only thing he knew to do at the moment. “Alright everyone. Come together. Let’s speak to our Father. If anyone can fix anything, it’s Him.” That evening Leon stood out at the front of his new house; his mind on so many things. Then he saw a young lady and a small boy strolling along the road in front of the house. He watched them and after a few seconds remembered where he had seen them before. It was earlier that morning when he came into the city looking for Cato. The lady saw him standing in front of the house and turned away but the boy kept looking. She picked up her pace, dragging the boy along. They stopped at the house to Leon’s right and the lady brought out a key to open the door. Leon’s eyes stayed on them. So they are our neighbors. In Adelon, that would have been an exciting discovery. But people in Mordelan seemed to have a totally different idea about new folk moving in. He waved and watched for a response. The boy waved back slowly but the lady grabbed the boy. And then opening the door, she nudged the little boy in before she also walked in. Almost immediately the door was shut behind them. Leon breathed deeply and sighed. The work seemed impossible but he was not alone. NINE LEON SAW THE little boy a number of times after that. Sometimes while Leon was busy fixing something outside, their little neighbor would be staring at him from his own porch. It was odd. Anytime Leon waved, the boy waved when he was alone. But whenever the young lady—who Leon now suspected was his sister—showed up, the boy wouldn’t wave. One day, Leon had taken Tycho to see the city with him. As they returned to their house, they found the little boy seated as usual on a small stool in front of his house. Leon decided it was time they at least knew a little bit about this little neighbor. He walked up to the boy even as he held Tycho’s left hand tightly with his right hand. He smiled at the boy and the boy squeezed his face. “Hello young man,” he began. “I’m Leon and this is my son Tycho.” He said; turning to his son. The boy stared at them. It seemed a habit in Mordelan. Just as he and Tycho turned back toward their house, the boy spoke. His voice was quite low but they heard him. “My name is Manno.” Leon pushed on. “Is that young lady I saw you with your sister or mother?” The boy opened his mouth to say something but was startled by the sudden opening of their house door. Out came the young lady again. She gasped when she saw their new neighbors standing in front of him. “What are you doing?” she whispered to the boy. “Do you want to get in trouble with mother? You know she is very irritable today.” The young lady kept her eyes from the strangers and pulled the boy away from where he sat and into the house. Leon decided it would be good to also head for their own home. A knock was heard at the door. It was afternoon. Two days had passed. The family had hardly interacted with anyone except sellers at the market. Their neighbors barely answered when they greeted except the young boy he had seen that first day. He always replied with a gentle wave, much to the chagrin of his older sister. The knock came again. Irene rushed to the door. She opened it. A boy stood at the door. It was their neighbor. Leon came to the door. The boy was alone. “Hello there. Where’s your sister?” Leon peeped out of the door in both directions. His eyes darted round. “She’s working at the back of the house,” The boy could barely be heard. His looked tense; like he felt he was doing something wrong. “Hello. I’m Irene,” She smiled at him. “Come in” Irene pulled him in past her father into their newly furnished living room. She nearly toppled Leon over. He gained his balance before that could happen. “What’s your name?” she asked still smiling. The boy stared at her again. His face like he was seriously thinking. His smooth golden brown hair matched his brown eyes. He wore a dark blue top and wide grey trousers. This loose tops and wide trousers seemed to be the typical Mordelan attire for men. “You still haven’t told me your name,” Irene commented. “What’s wrong with your mouth?” his face still showed he was thinking. Irene’s hands flew to her mouth. She ran her fingers all over her lips to check. “Nothing’s wrong with my mouth. What are you talking about?” The boy drew closer. “Then what’s that you’re doing with your mouth? Is it hurting?” Leon who had been watching and listening, understood what the boy was talking about. “She’s smiling. Haven’t you ever seen or heard of that?” “Yes… I think so.” His expression remained thoughtful. “People don’t do that a lot around here.” There was another knock at the door. Leon went to the door. It was his sister. She looked about eighteen or nineteen. She also looked the way most everyone he had seen in Mordelan looked—pale and tired. She wore a gown similar to what he had seen on the Mordelan ladies around. It was long with long sleeves. The sleeves were wide and loose. It was very simply made. She tucked some loose strands of her black hair behind her ears. Then she stared down at her fingers. “Sir,” her voice quivered a little. Leon was surprised. “Hello,” he smiled. It seemed to make her even more uncomfortable. “I’m here for my little brother.” Leon stepped aside and motioned her to come in. She walked in slowly, looking round. She behaved in much the same way her brother had when he walked in some minutes ago; as if she were doing something wrong. Leon pointed at the living room. They took a few steps and she saw her brother standing with Irene. “Manno, we have to go.” The boy turned reluctantly and started toward his sister. She hardly waited for him before she grabbed his left hand with her right hand and pulled him along with her. She rushed to the door, forcing her younger brother to triple his speed. As they hurried to the door, the boy turned to Leon and Irene for a brief second. He’d wanted to stay longer. Leon felt a strong impression on his heart at that moment. It has begun. TEN “DID YOU HEAR?” Leon overheard a lady say. Leon had come to a blacksmith’s shop for some assistance with house tools. It was a humid afternoon; and the sun hardly peeked from behind the clouds. As Leon waited patiently for the tools he had ordered, he could see and hear a stout little lady conversing with the nearby grain seller. The grain seller—a slim middle aged woman—eagerly waited for the news. She stood all ears as her customer shared what she knew of the story. “They say it happened some days ago.” Leon watched the little lady bend her head forward. “Old man Ivo now walks without a stick.” The stout little lady was unaware that Leon could hear every word she spoke. “You lie,” the grain seller gasped. “I would never lie about something like this,” the news bearer looked serious. “Almost everyone knows old man Ivo.” “How did you know about this?” “Martha’s son went out to his poultry farm a few days ago and saw the old man with his own two eyes.” “But he’s walked with that stick for years and years. How did it happen?” The little tale bearer looked round before dropping her voice. Leon could not make out what she said next. But he could sense that this news may be the start of some trouble. Leon decided that a visit to Ivo’s inn was not such a bad idea. He needed more information on the workings of Mordelan and Ivo was just the man to provide it. It was not the beyond natural happening that surprised Leon. It was the gentle smile on his wrinkled face. Leon witnessed a Mordelander smile for the first time since his arrival. “My young friend.” He greeted as Leon took a seat in his parlor. “You look great.” Leon smiled back. “What happened?” “You happened.” “Me?” “It started after you lodged here.” Leon chuckled. “So the rumors were true.” Ivo leaned forward. “There are rumors?” “I heard about it at the market. Well, actually I overheard two ladies talking about it.” “Then that may spell trouble.” “What kind of trouble?” The old man leaned forward. “Look I don’t want to dampen the excitement of this supernatural happening. I can’t even stress how much I appreciate it. But I must intimate you on the truth. I must tell you what you’re up against.” Leon listened intently. Ivo’s brown eyes glinted with knowledge. “Even though Mordelan has a ruling king, there is another body under him that is more directly involved with the affairs of the land. They are known as ‘The High Council.’ It is made up of a group of ten men. They take care of issues the king can definitely not take care of personally.” Ivo spoke softly and with such disturbing seriousness that one would have thought this High Council were some beyond natural body watching his every move. Leon was tempted to be afraid. The old man continued his explanation. “The Council has been using its influence to manipulate Mordelanders for years now. They dictate the lifestyle the people lead. They have succeeded over the years in striking fear into the hearts of Mordelanders so that the people can hardly think for themselves. And I suspect that anyone who tries to show them a different way of living will have the Council to contend with.” Leon remained silent for a few seconds before he spoke. “My Father knew all these things when he sent me here. His not mentioning it to me tells me it’s of no consequence.” The old man’s face took another expression that his young visitor found difficult to read. Was it hurt or puzzlement? Leon was not sure which it was. Leon mounted Everest. It was late afternoon. Ivo had insisted on entertaining him with a drink and cakes saying it was the least he could do. Now it was time to head back into the city. Leon rode thoughtfully. As he rode he went over Ivo’s warnings. Mordelan’s problem was a deep one. The air was thick with unease and tension. The people were disheartened and had fallen into the sad traps of sameness and passiveness. There is only One who can help Mordelan out of the clutches of such subtle enemies. Leon thought. The temptation to get frightened was too strong but he resisted it with all he had in him. His thoughts were cut short by a man’s echoed groan. He turned and immediately his eyes fell on a young trader fallen by the side of the quiet road. The trader lay on the ground with his fruits and vegetables. His portable cart also lay toppled beside him. The man pointed angrily at a rider who was now speeding away on a horse. That was probably the culprit. Leon stopped. “Are you alright?” The man raised his head. He wore a long cloak over his other clothes. The cloak had a hood which fell off his head as he looked up. He gasped softly and Leon thought the young man looked a little too concerned that his hood had come off. The trader pulled his hood back on quickly. But before he did, Leon had taken in his features. He seemed younger than Leon; quite a number of years younger. He was very handsome with thick black curly hair which for some reason he wanted hidden beneath his hood. His grey eyes were intent on Leon. “You’re a foreigner.” He spoke with a smooth voice. “I am. Are you alright?” Leon stretched his hand; assisting the man off the ground. “I’m fine. Thank you.” He towered over Leon when he stood. Leon almost gaped. “What happened?” he proceeded to help the trader raise his cart, arranging the fruits and vegetables as well. “That reckless rider.” The trader fixed his eye on the road. The rider was long gone. When the arrangement of the fruits and vegetables was complete the trader commented. “Your horse is brilliant. I haven’t seen such an excellent breed since I was little.” This man seemed quite chatty. Something Leon was not used to experiencing from Mordelanders. “Yes it is.” He replied the trader. “Was it groomed in—Where are you from?” “Yes it was bred in Adelon. I groomed him.” “Really, are you a breeder?” “Yes I am. Our king at Adelon even bought some from me.” “Hmmn. I’ve heard some amazing things about Adelon. I hear it is like a paradise.” “You heard correctly.” The young trader nodded at the horses. “I know someone who will be very interested in your horses. That is, if you brought any others with you. He may want you to groom his own horses.” Leon nodded. “I did bring a few others with me from Adelon.” “Great. I’ll let him know.” “May I ask who it is?” Leon was curious. The stranger tilted his head toward Leon with a glint in his eye. “He’s a very important man. Don’t worry you’ll meet him soon enough.” ELEVEN EVERY EVENING FOR a week, Leon and his family received little Manno into their home. They let him stay for whatever length of time he wished to stay. Every evening his sister would arrive and whisk him back home. Her name—they found out—was Aelia. “Don’t worry,” Manno explained to them one day. “She’s afraid of mama. Mama’s been very angry since papa ran away.” “Does mama get angry at you a lot?” Cealia had to ask; her heart breaking for the little boy. “Yes,” he answered like it was normal. “Sometimes we don’t even know what we’ve done wrong when she starts yelling at us. Sometimes we know we’ve not done anything wrong.” One evening Manno came on one of his usual visits. This time he actually joined Leon’s children in playing around the house instead of sitting and watching as he had done on previous occasions. They’d been playing a game where they had to catch each other while avoiding being caught. And then he surprised them all by smiling when he finally caught Irene by her sleeve. Cealia had been watching over them in the living room and witnessed the whole scene. “You are so handsome, Manno.” She couldn’t help complimenting. “And look mama,” said Irene. “He has two dimples on his cheeks.” Encouraged, his smile immediately widened. This sent the others in the room laughing. And he joined them too. But their laughter lasted only a few seconds. Loud knocks suddenly sounded at the door. They came in quick successions. Assuming that it might be an emergency, Cealia wasted no time in getting to the door. She hurriedly opened it. It was a lady older than herself. She looked very irritated. Her gown was old and dull. Her brown disheveled hair was done in a loose ponytail. She was in within seconds of the door opening. Her dark eyes darted a glance at Cealia. “Where is my son?” she asked in a low toned but clearly vexed manner. Cealia who wasn’t expecting such a scene stuttered the answer. “He’s h−here. I mean he’s with us. H—He’s in the living room.” The second the words left Cealia’s mouth, the lady marched to the living room and spotted him. He had run to a corner. His face had turned pale again; far from what it was a moment ago. His mother ignored his expression and snatched him by his left arm. Within seconds they headed out the door. And right away everywhere fell silent. Cealia stood in shock by the open door. Her children stood not too far from her gaping out the door also. Then Tycho’s expression changed. He was no longer shocked. He was now angry. “I hate this place. Are we going to live here with no friends?” Cealia watched pitifully as he walked to the living room. She began to wonder how long they’d all have to put up with this before change happens. Leon was in for a story when he returned home. TWELVE FOR THE NEXT week Leon and his family did not see Manno. They guessed his mother must have punished him. From what he told them of her, they were not sure what to expect. They were worried for him. It wasn’t long after that week when Leon returned from searching for a farmland, that he did see him. He was seated in front of his house like he used to do before they got to know him. His looked withdrawn again. Leon saw none of the happiness his wife described seeing on his face the day he first smiled at them. His heart sank at the site of the boy. He decided to risk talking to him. “How are you doing Manno?” he stopped a short distance from the boy. Manno shook his head and said nothing. Leon tried a couple of more times but got no response. His mother had done a good job. This angered Leon. However, he did the only thing he could at the moment which was to talk to the Father on behalf of the boy. A knock on the door. They hadn’t heard much of that since Manno stopped visiting. Leon had left already for the town square so Cealia figured that it must be a visitor. Nothing prepared her however, for who she met at the door when she opened it. Standing in her dull gown was Manno’s own mother. Not knowing what to do with this awkward situation, Cealia simply smiled and greeted. “Good morning.” The lady did not return the smile but did bow her head slightly and respond. “Good morning.” Cealia was so stunned that she just stood and stared. Then schooling herself, she finally invited her visitor in. “Let me just say” the lady spoke as soon as they arrived at the living room. “That I am here because I have nowhere else to turn.” Cealia motioned her to sit down even as she took a seat across from her. “That’s okay. How can I help you?” The lady looked down, her features strained. Her thin lips were dry. Her hair still remained disheveled and in a ponytail. Cealia wondered if she really hadn’t done anything to it since the last time they met. She looked shy and seemed ashamed. Such a contradiction to the angry character that had trotted into their house about a week ago. “I…I…need…money,” she stuttered without looking up. A few days ago, Leon had been discussing with Cealia about how Mordelanders love to get straight to the point. Now she saw what he meant. Her visitor continued. “I have some things to pay for and my sewing business isn’t doing very well at the moment.” Cealia studied her quietly and then excusing herself, she stood up and went inside. A little while later she returned with some money, clothes and even some ingredients for food. She had packed them all in one sack and placed them at her visitor’s feet. Then another unexpected thing happened, the lady began to cry. It was just gentle tears at first then she burst out in full blown sobs. As she quivered from sobbing, Cealia sat herself on her visitor’s right side and began to pat her back gently. “I hate him,” she lamented. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” She removed her hands from her face and turned those dark eyes to Cealia. “My husband. He is the reason I’m in this mess.” “Would you like to tell me what happened?” The woman turned her eyes and stared ahead. “She spoke to his ego and he fell for it.” “Who?” “That wretch! She doesn’t know the first thing about being a strong woman. She is a thief.” Cealia watched the woman as she lamented and vented. Once—out of curiosity —she had asked Manno what his mother’s name is. And he had called her Sophia. She decided to try the name. “Sophia. I can’t pretend to understand what you’re going through but can I ask you a question?” The lady turned again to Cealia. “How do you know my name?” “It shouldn’t be surprising seeing your son was a regular visitor to this house.” Sophia nodded. “What question do you have?” “Is this the reason you are so angry?” “Angry? I’m furious!” “And you’re furious all the time?” “Every minute of every day.” Cealia paused and nodded. “Do you know that your children are afraid of you?” Sophia turned and gaped at Cealia in realization. Cealia continued. “Your children are not the enemy.” Sophia was silent and still for a long time. “I just want them to be prepared for life. If I don’t, they won’t be able to face it. If you’re not hard and angry, you’re finished.” Cealia was shocked at this concept but she kept that to herself. She replied. “Anger and hardness won’t make you strong, Sophia. It is Love that makes you strong. The Love I’m talking about is a person. And you can get to know Him. Anyone who has the courage to love is stronger than any angry man.” They talked some more and it took a little while but Sophia was beginning to understand. Sophia left there thinking very hard. Later that evening, Leon was surprised to see Manno at his door when he answered the knock. Manno was back and it seemed to surprise everyone except Cealia. It was later that night that Leon learned what happened. THIRTEEN THE DAYS CONTINUED to go by and Leon had still not seen the tall Mordelander who had been so interested in his horses. The young man had practically promised that he would visit Leon’s home to inspect his other horses. Leon was still in the process of finding the perfect land for his farm so his horses were kept at the back of his house. He had been looking forward to doing business with this Mordelander who called himself by the name Alexander. Time was passing and it seemed this Alexander had disappeared off the face of the earth. But just as Leon was about giving up, there was a knock at the door one late afternoon. Tycho opened it. The boy’s jaw dropped as he looked up at their visitor. “Hello young man. Is your father home?” “Yes.” Tycho replied. But before he could turn to call his father, Leon approached them. “Hello Alexander. Please come in.” It was then that Leon saw that a second person was standing behind Alexander. Alexander introduced him when they stepped into the house. “This is Hardman. He is the man I spoke about.” Leon assessed their guest. He was middle aged. About Kuno’s age. He had on Mordelan clothing. Clearly the materials used in designing it were very expensive. His head was tied with an expensive looking turban. “Good evening Sir,” Leon greeted. “Good evening,” the man had a deep voice and a serious face. “I am very eager to see what your horses look like. Alexander tells me they are the best he has ever seen.” “I appreciate the compliment,” Leon smiled, showing them to where the horses were immediately. Minutes later the men were seated in the living room discussing the business of breeding and grooming horses. As was the usual case, Manno was also visiting and he had stayed past dinner time. Aelia showed up again to pick him back to their house. After Irene let her in, she walked straight to the living room as she had grown accustomed to doing. She was already in the living room when she discovered that Leon had guests. Her eyes grew and her hands flew to her mouth. In seconds she was on her knees and her head was bowed low. “Your Highness,” she barely whispered. Leon was not sure what was going on. What did she just say? Had she referred to these men as Highness? Her hands shook as they rested on her laps. Leon noticed that his visitors were now uneasy with all this attention. He turned back to Aelia. “Do you know them?” Aelia’s voice was soft. “Yes Sir. He is the crown prince of Mordelan—Prince Herman.” All this while she kept her head down. Leon turned back to his visitors who were now on their feet. He assumed that the one called Hardman was the prince. As he was trying to put two and two together, Hardman turned to Alexander and spoke with great concern. “Your Highness. I’m sorry to say I warned you. I knew you would be found out sooner or later. How do we handle this so your father does not find out?” “We’ll think of something.” Hardman did not seem convinced. The prince however seemed to have his attention on the shaky girl who was on her knees. She looked almost terrified. Prince Herman moved graciously toward her. He seemed taller than when Leon had first seen him. His manner was suddenly regal and important. He bent and stretched his hand to her. At first she hesitated but then she put her hand in his; still keeping her eyes down. “Don’t be so terrified of me. You are in no sort of trouble.” She began. “I apologize your Highness…” The prince interrupted her. “What is your name?” “Aelia, your Highness.” “Alright Aelia…Just promise not to mention this to anyone. Can I ask you to do that?” She nodded and gained just enough courage to look up at him. He looked on intently at her. “You are beautiful.” He said before realizing. Her eyes dropped in an instant. Leon who had been watching in silence was now concerned that they had found themselves in a serious situation. Just then Cealia strolled in with refreshments. The moment she stepped in, she sensed a difference in the atmosphere. As she looked round trying to figure out what was going on, her husband came to the rescue. “My darling, this is the crown prince of Mordelan, Prince Herman.” Lacking the words to respond, his wife stared in astonishment. Hardman interjected. “Your Highness I suggest we leave now.” Reluctantly the prince started to leave, letting go of Aelia’s hand. “Please all of you,” he addressed the party. “Do not speak of this to anyone. Thank you Leon. I don’t know how possible it will be after this but I hope to see you again.” As they stepped out the door, Prince Herman turned. “And I enjoyed seeing the horses. I may send some of mine to you soon. May be you can make them as fine as yours.” FOURTEEN AS TIME PASSED Sophia grew to know Love. She was calmer in the days that followed and was relating pleasantly with Cealia and the family. Even her daughter would sometimes arrive an hour early to pick Manno so that she could enjoy the company of this unique foreign family. One late afternoon Aelia had offered to help Cealia with her kitchen chores. Cealia was surprised by the offer but she accepted it just to encourage interaction. It was while they were cooking that Cealia discovered the hidden motive behind her visitor’s offer to help. Aelia stood close as Cealia stirred a large pot of stew. The girl spoke. “Do you think I’m pretty?” Cealia was not expecting that. It seemed the quiet young lady had a lot on her mind. She smiled. “Well yes. I think you’re beautiful. Why do you ask?” “He said I’m beautiful.” “Who did?” “The prince.” Cealia smiled again. “Well he’s right.” Aelia was quiet for a little while. “No one has ever said that to me before. We Mordelanders don’t compliment each other.” “Not even within families?” “My father and mother never said it,” then her face tightened a bit. “I remember once when I was fourteen. I went out with my hair loose. When I returned, my father angrily said my hair would soon put me in trouble. He never liked it when I wore my hair that way. He always looked at me like I was something cheap and bothersome. Since then I always pack it in a bon or in a ponytail.” Cealia looked at her. “You have beautiful hair. It goes so well with your eyes.” Aelia smiled; pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ears. “Has the prince shown up since then?” Cealia chuckled. “No he hasn’t.” And she was not sure that would be possible anytime soon. This was the third person Leon was trying for a farmland. His house was on the other side of the city. It appeared news about Leon had travelled round the city because when he got to the house he was looking for, the manservant let him in without asking questions. Upon stepping into the place, Leon saw a man standing bent over a table and facing him. He looked about fifty years old. Leon couldn’t make out the man’s height since he was bending. “Have a seat young man.” He pointed at a group of chairs to the side of the door. Leon did as told. And the man left the table and strolled gently towards the chairs. As the man left the table, Leon observed that he was still bending. He tried not to act surprised at the sight. The man was very oddly bent when he came out into full view. It seemed he knew what Leon was thinking; for the man announced. “I have a burden on my back.” Leon was embarrassed that he had not done a good job of hiding his surprise. Leon had heard of the man from one of the farmers outside the city. He was told the man’s name was Paka. The farmer had told him that Paka sold land at cheap prices. “I’ve heard about you young man. You are the foreigner they call Leon,” he paused a little. “Can your powers remove this burden from my back?” Leon did not plan for this. He only came to buy a land. But he schooled himself and replied. “I am not the source. I am only a channel. The power actually comes from my Father. And yes that burden can be lifted.” FIFTEEN MORE DAYS PASSED and more news travelled around the little land of Mordelan. Unknown to Leon, he had become the subject of a very critical discussion happening in one of the most important places in Mordelan—the chamber of the High Council. “I told you that there was something strange about that foreigner. He may be just one man but it seems like he came with an army. His presence is affecting this land subtly but surely.” Councilman Kin spoke gruffly as he rubbed his full grey beard. Councilman Gaard added. “I heard a while ago that the innkeeper Ivo no longer walks with his stick.” “That’s not it,” another council man put in. “I heard that the burden on Paka the landowner’s back has lifted.” Upon hearing this they all fell silent. Each knowing what that meant. It took a while but someone finally spoke up. “These events don’t so much concern me as the fact that the people may begin to receive another idea about how they may live their lives. Once they begin interacting with him, their reasoning will change and they would not want the kind of life we afford them.” Council man Kin put in again; this time with more intensity and a somewhat fearful tone. “That foreigner must truly have great powers seeing he was even able to enter Mordelan in the first place. Anyone that can break the curse of gates must be taken very seriously.” After much deliberation, the council decided that they must find a way to drive him out of the land. And figuring that this foreigner would probably prove stubborn, they decided they may end up needing to eliminate him somehow. At the end of the meeting all were satisfied except one council man. In fact Council man Eli was very unsettled about the conclusion. And he remained restless all day until he decided that paying the foreigner a visit was the only way he could receive rest. Sure enough, at midnight there was a knock at Leon’s door. Leon stirred. He’d heard something in his dream. What was that? It was a continuous sound. Leon’s eyes suddenly opened. It wasn’t a dream. Someone was knocking at the door. So late? Who could that be? His wife also woke up when the sound persisted. “Who’s there?” she whispered. “I don’t know but I’ll find out. Stay here,” and he was out in a flash. With a lantern in his hand his first point of call was the store behind the kitchen. Leon had never been a weapons person. His eyes travelled through what was there and spotted a thick hard looking stick. He picked that up and taking a deep breath, he headed for the door. He opened it ever so slightly. “Who goes there?” his voice shook at that moment and he hoped the person outside did not detect it. He studied the silhouette and discovered a man wearing a dark cloak with a hood. By his average height, Leon could tell that he was not the prince. “I am from the high council. I know this is outlandish to ask but I am begging you to trust me and let me in. I have news that you must know about. You and your family need to move.” Leon checked. Not with his eyes or with his heart; but with discernment. He felt good about it and opened the door. A plump man rushed in as Leon shone his lantern on his face. He was shaking. “I am sorry if I frightened you and your family. I must not stay too long. I have put myself at great risk doing this.” “What is the matter?” “I am a member of the high council and earlier this morning it was decided that you are gaining too much influence in the land too quickly. They feel threatened that your influence is competing with theirs. And they cannot have that. No, they will not have that. They’ve acquired too much through this method of ruling for you to spoil it. The council has decided that it would be better to try to drive you out now, but I doubt they have the patience to plan that. Since they also decided that they may need to eliminate you at the end.” The man was almost out of breath when he was through. His fast talking and probably his having to sneak around at this time of night had drained him. He stood silently and stared as Leon stood and stared at the floor. Then raising his head, he questioned the councilman. “Why are you doing this?” “Because I believe Mordelan needs its beauty and smile again. The stain of our sins is crimson. We need to be clean again. This is not how to live.” “So what do you suggest I do?” “Don’t stay within the city. Look for somewhere in the outskirts to stay for now.” Leon nodded. “Thank you.” “I must get going. I hope that power that has been helping you will be there for you at this time.” The man turned back just as he was about to leave. “I know someone who tried to do what you are doing for Mordelan. I hope yours turns out differently from his.” Leon did not know who he was talking about and did not bother to ask. His mind was already very busy. Once the council man had left, he began to strategize. Top on his list was getting his family to safety. SIXTEEN IT WAS TOO early in the morning. Leon had packed his family. Cealia informed Sophia that they were moving for a little while so she would not worry. They headed immediately to Ivo’s Inn and arrived there just before dawn. Agatha was surprised when she saw Leon and his family at the door. Seeing that it must be serious, she opened the door and hurried them in. “Where is Ivo?” Leon asked. “He’s upstairs. He’s an early bird so he should be awake already. I’ll go fetch him.” “Thank you.” His little Keren was still asleep in her mother’s arms. The other two children were still sleepy as they stood by their father. In some reasonable amount of time Ivo strolled down the stairs. Leon recalled the first time he’d seen Ivo come down these same stairs. He had wobbled with a stick. Now he walked down upright and steadily. And now Leon and his family were in trouble because of this. The crafty one had done a good job in this land. But it was not over yet. “My son,” Ivo greeted. “Are they after you already?” Leon smiled weakly but said nothing. The old man turned to Agatha. “Get Haro to move their carriages to the back of the house. No one must know they are here. Do you understand?” “Yes sir.” she was off in no time. Then Ivo turned to Cealia and told her to go upstairs with the children. He offered the same room they had stayed in the last time. Cealia knew the way. After planting a gentle kiss on her husband’s cheek, she immediately took their children up. The two men sat in the living room as soon as Cealia and the children went up. Leon intimated Ivo on exactly what had happened during the night. Ivo listened intently. “I knew this would happen. That’s why I tried to warn you on your last visit.” At that moment the last statement the council man made before leaving popped up in Leon’s head. “The man said something that I did not pay attention to.” “What’s that?” “Did someone come to Mordelan before me?” “What do you mean?” “He said he knows someone who tried to do what I’m doing for Mordelan and that he hopes mine turns out differently.” Ivo did not answer. He suddenly had that same expression that Leon could not read. Leon’s eyes narrowed. The old man’s eyes averted. Finally Ivo spoke in a voice so low that Leon thought he had not heard right. “It was I.” “I beg your pardon,” Leon had to hear this again. “It was I,” Ivo repeated, his voice raising. His young visitor was now absolutely stunned. He sat in complete silence as Ivo told his story. “My father was from Mordelan. But my mother was from Xenoria. They married long before Mordelan became the miserable land that it is now. We moved to Xenoria when I was fifteen. Twenty years ago I came back here to start a business. But it had changed. It was then I knew why our Father led me back. I had passion to return the land back to what it was because I had enjoyed my childhood here. I hated what the new council was doing to it. And one big problem is we have a very passive king who hardly comes out of his palace. The council has fooled him into thinking they are his friends and that they are friends of the land. He trusts them completely.” Ivo continued his story for some time. He told how he finally lost hope after trying and it did not seem to work. “I allowed myself to be intimidated by them.” Leon thought for a moment. “How have the council been able to keep such tight hold on the land behind the king’s back?” Ivo’s eyes gleamed with knowledge. “There is a curse called the curse of gates. That is what they placed on the land. They have some kind of hold on the atmosphere of this land. No one should leave and no one should come in. That’s why it’s a mystery that you are here. I knew that you must belong to our Father.” “How do you know all this?” Leon asked; the astonishment could be heard in his voice. The old man smiled. “Even though I have disappointed our Father, he has not taken away my gift. And now he has given me another chance. That’s why I’m going to help you all I can. This time I will not give up.” SEVENTEEN PRINCE HERMAN WAS furious as he stepped out of his father’s private parlor. He was coming out of another long and exasperating conversation. He was never one to be rude to his father so to avoid saying any regrettable things, he had politely excused himself. He needed some air. King Petro had not always been this way. He had been an involved and passionate ruler. He had led the land through many stages of change. He was why the land was still well known around the world. Until his wife died. She had been sick. Herman knew that she was a wonderful woman from the stories he’d heard about her growing up. She had been the real motivation behind the king. She was his heart. So when she was gone, he lost his support; his heart. All his spunk was gone. Every day he withdrew till he became a shadow of himself hiding in his palace and hardly ever showing his face to the outside world. The king remarried many years later just so he could have an heir to protect the throne. And Herman was the product of that second marriage. Prince Herman hated the hiding and when he got old enough began to take secret trips to the city. He wanted to see what life was like for the people. It was until he visited Leon with his personal attendant that he was ever found out. Herman was a horse enthusiast so he had been so excited when he saw a horse that looked better than his. He had to see the rest of Leon’s horses. His attendant—whose name was actually Arman and not Hardman—was extremely concerned at their being found out. Herman on the other hand did not really know this foreigner but he somehow felt he could trust him to keep the secret. “Besides,” he’d tried to convince Arman. “Who would put himself in trouble by offending the prince?” Arman was not in the least bit convinced. He only hoped the prince was right. Herman knew this would unsettle Arman to no end but he needed to go out again. He needed to be in the city. He rushed to his room and grabbed his hooded cloak. This time Arman should not know or he’d try to prevent it. Herman stood in front of a jewelry salesman’s store and admired the intricate detailing on each piece of jewelry. As he looked, the man advertised his jewels. “This one took me a month to make. The materials invested in it are very valuable.” Herman remained silent but nodded to show he was listening. Just then, a council guard came riding on a horse and halted in front of the jewelry store. Herman noticed the jeweler stiffen. Both of them looked on at the guard as he delivered his message. “The High Council is searching for the foreigner by name Leon,” he bellowed. “It is imperative that anyone who sees him inform the High Council guards immediately.” This said, the guard was on his way. His horse trotted on to the next store where he repeated the same thing. Herman squinted in thought. Leon? What did they want with him? Had he gotten into some kind of trouble? He didn’t seem like a trouble maker. Herman decided to check his house. As he strolled to Leon’s house, Herman noticed that there were more council guards than usual present in the city. And they all often stopped to talk to the people they saw around. Was this all because of Leon? It was then that it occurred to him that Leon was probably not at his house. If he were, they’d have found him by now. He decided to try anyway. If he wasn’t there, then maybe there would be something that could point to where Leon might be. Something was going on and Herman had a feeling that it wasn’t good. It felt so surreal having the prince right in front of her. Though it was happening a second time, Aelia was no less awestruck than the first time she’d met him. He was so handsome. “So where are they now?” he asked her. “We don’t know,” she squeaked, trying hard not to make her admiration obvious. “Not even one clue?” She shook her head. The prince squinted in thought. Leon must be in hiding. Why? What has he done? “Do you have any idea why they would be looking for him?” She shook her head again. The prince nodded and started back out of Aelia’s house. “Thanks for your help.” She nodded and he was out in a flash. Something fishy was going on in the land of Mordelan and he wanted to know what it was. It looked like Arman would have to hear about this outing after all because the prince would need his help. EIGHTEEN ARMAN SHOOK HIS head as he strolled down the city street. The things he always ended up doing for Prince Herman surprised him. He had watched over the Prince for most of the young man’s life. So they got quite close over the years. Though Arman would never admit this out loud, he loved the prince like a son. This was why he could bring himself to do some of the things he did for the young prince. There were so many things he’d done that must never reach King Petro’s ears. And this was one of them. Arman had a cousin who worked as a personal attendant in the High Council Chamber. That was his hope of getting information about what was going on with this foreigner that the Prince was so interested in. His cousin was already at the designated meeting point. They had picked a corner by a tree in a more secluded part of the city. Arman was disguised in normal clothing with another piece of cloth covering his head. “Arman it’s been a while,” the man gave the cultural Mordelan handshake. “A really long while, Hyra,” Arman agreed. “The nature of our work does not give much room for seeing each other.” Hyra nodded. Then glancing round he began, keeping his voice low. “If it weren’t you, there is no way I would share this with anyone.” Arman nodded in understanding. Hyra continued. “For a long time the council has been having open meetings where personal attendants can be present. Then a few days ago they convened for an impromptu meeting and sent out all the personal attendants and other workers present in the hall. We were puzzled as to what could be so secret. Well, they had that hushed meeting for a while before they opened the door and let us in.” “Do you have any idea what it was about?” Arman asked curiously. “No,” Hyra shook his head. “But a few hours later, the council guards were given an order to go round the city in search of the foreigner. They started the very next day and have been stopping by every house and store ever since.” “How do they know he hasn’t left Mordelan?” “Because the guards at the border haven’t seen him there. If he had left, they would know.” “What wrong has he committed?” “I am not sure. But rumour has it that strange things started happening since he came into this land. And they all happen to people who meet him face to face and talk with him. The word going round is that he has special powers. And that he is not an ordinary human being.” Arman asked a few more questions which Hyra provided satisfactory answers to. Arman could see his cousin getting uneasy. They’d been there for a while now and it was only a matter of time before a council guard shows up. To prevent any trouble, Arman released him. On his way back to the palace, Arman thought about what he’d just heard. The prince had been right to be suspicious. He would take the information he’d received back to the prince. He knew that Prince Herman would be very interested in what he had to say. NINETEEN THE PLAN WAS to find Leon before the high council did. They would need more help from Arman’s cousin. The prince decided that they should send a messenger to Hyra anytime they needed information. He did not want to risk Arman’s position in the palace by sending him out too frequently. They found out that Hyra related closely with a number of the council guards. At the request of the prince, Arman asked Hyra to pick the guard he trusted most. That would be the person Hyra would go to with the prince’s questions. They had also come up with a plan for how and when information would get back to the prince. It was three days after Leon had gone into hiding. News reached Prince Herman that evening that the council guards had gotten a hint to where Leon was hiding and that they were heading there immediately. “He says that Leon lodged with an old man the night he first arrived.” Arman informed the prince. “The old man goes by the name Ivo.” “What makes them think he would go back there just because he lodged there once before?” Herman asked. “A couple of farmers living around there say they saw him return there for a visit a while back. And when the old man saw him off, they seemed on very friendly terms.” “Where does the old man live?” “In the outskirts of the city. It is quite a distance from the city.” “How fast do you think you can get there?” “I’m not so sure your highness. Are you sure you want to get that involved in all this.” Arman was concerned. Herman nodded. “Very much so. I know my father has left a lot in the charge of the high council but they are not allowed to conduct a search of this level without his approval. I want to know what’s really going on. Why haven’t they sent message to the palace about what they are doing?” It was decided that this should be approached very quietly and cautiously so that the king wouldn’t find out. The prince wanted to be the one to talk to his father about his findings. It was time the king took an active role in ruling his own kingdom and if this was how Herman could give him a push, he would do it. Herman had organized a couple of royal guards. He ordered them to dress in normal clothing. The imperial guards riding around in the regalia would draw too much attention. As much as possible, Herman did not want the high council knowing what he was up to. So he took some horses from the servant’s quarters and gave the guards. They were to head there with Arman so Leon would be able to recognize one of them and be more willing to follow them. Knowing also that the old man may not believe that they were from the royal palace, Herman gave Arman a note with the royal seal on it. When they did get there, Agatha showed uncertainty at the idea of letting them in—just as the prince had rightly suspected would happen. Arman presented the royal note with the seal. Upon seeing the seal, Agatha knew that this was serious. She let them in quickly. “Yes he was here.” Ivo answered Arman minutes later. “Was?” “There was no way he could continue hiding here without being found. Word travels fast in Mordelan. It would only be a matter of time before the council checked here.” “Are you saying they’ve taken him?” Arman asked, his tone grew strained. “No he’s still in hiding but not here. The council has been here but didn’t find him.” “Where is he now? Do you know?” “He’s at my father’s old barn house. I took him there myself on the night of his arrival at my house.” “Then take us there at once.” Arman ordered. They got to the barn house. It was a secluded place farther out of the city. Clearly, the house had been around for a very long time. When they stepped in through the door they did not see anyone and Arman at first thought they’d lost the foreigner. Then Ivo walked over to a corner and knocked on the wooden floor. It was a special knock. Before long they could hear the sound of keys working through a key hole. In seconds a square shaped entrance was opened and Leon peeped out. He was standing on a wooden staircase that led to a special room underground. Thanks to Ivo, he’d been hidden there with his family. And there they’d been waiting. “Some people from the royal palace are here to see you.” Ivo announced with a smile. Leon climbed out and seeing Arman, immediately recognized him from the prince’s visit. He had pretended to be the rich man who was interested in his horses. “I must say that there is definitely something distinctive about you.” Arman began. “The prince sent me to look for you and bring you to the palace.” Leon nodded; his heart beating wildly. He’d known that all he had to do was wait and there would be a way out. They left for the palace under the cover of darkness. The night did its job perfectly. The royal guards took great care to navigate the city in a way that would keep them hidden from any council guard lurking around. In some time they were approaching the palace. Leon could not believe it. The royal palace. This was turning out better than he’d imagined. TWENTY PRINCE HERMAN KNEW this was the time. He had some points to prove to his father. And if the king insisted on hiding for the rest of his life, he Herman would ask to stand in for his father and begin actively ruling the kingdom. The life of a whole land hung on this very thing. He squared up and knocked on the door of the king’s private parlor. A low deep voice sounded from within the room. “Enter.” When Herman opened the door and stepped into the room, he immediately spotted his father in his usual position on a big arm chair at a big brown elaborately designed desk. A thick old book sat open in his hands and a cup with some minted drink was on the table to his right. His grey hair matched his grey beard and his grey sad eyes. His red velvet night robe rested cozily on him. It was just after dawn. The king was always awake at that time and seated in his chair every morning. “Good morning, father,” the prince greeted, secretly hoping that his father would give him more audience than he usually did. “Good morning, son,” he answered without looking up from his book. “There’s something very important I want to talk with you about.” The king’s eyes came up to his son. “You’re fully dressed so early?” “Yes. There’s business to be taken care of.” The king turned back to his book and continued as though Herman weren’t standing there. Herman cleared his throat. “I would really like your audience, father.” “And I would give it if I didn’t already know the subject of this discussion. I’m tired of arguing with a little boy about how I run my kingdom.” Herman was working hard not to loose his temper. He kept his voice calm, though it shook a little from his struggle to keep it that way. “I am not a little boy. I am above twenty. A lot of time has passed, father. You just don’t want to see it.” Herman knew what his father was doing. It was a ploy to get his tempers flaring and send him leaving the room before anything significant was said. Well it wouldn’t work this time. A lot had led up to this moment and so they would trash these issues out no matter how long it took. Herman was ready. “Your high council is now the king instead of you,” he announced, his voice still calm. “They have begun to carry out actions, no matter how important, without informing you about it.” King Petro’s eyes came up to his son’s face; his expression, one of questioning. “How did you find this out?” Herman sighed. “I should start by letting you know that I’ve been leaving the palace secretly to visit the city.” His father’s eyes widened and disapproval was evident on his face. His eyes showed displeasure at his son’s disrespect of his instruction. He closed his book. TWENTY ONE THE MEETING BETWEEN king and prince was taking what seemed like an eternity. At least Leon felt so. He was about to fuss when he realized again that he was in the royal palace. Just yesterday he and his family were hiding under the floor of a barn house. Now he was in the palace. He remembered Kuno, Bion and Krates. How they had fought to protect his family and himself. The Father had achieved a wonderful orchestration of events. So Leon would wait. And allow the Conductor coordinate his music. It took a while but the prince finally emerged from the king’s parlor. He walked over to where Leon sat at the passageway. “He wants to meet with you.” Herman announced. Leon stood and walked with the prince right back into the parlor. As soon as the king raised his head to look at him, Leon bowed. “You are Leon,” the king said admiring the foreigner’s robe. “Yes your highness.” “I have listened to my son and I have decided to assemble the high council in the throne room this very afternoon. If indeed everything you have told my son is true, then the council men have a lot of questions to answer.” “Thank you your highness.” “My son is very impressed by you. He seems to have made a friend.” In the palace throne room, the people were agog at the events that were unfolding. The king wouldn’t admit it but it made him feel like his old self again. The room was very large and spacious and for the first time in so many years, it was filled with the whispers of people who had been invited for this important session. In the hall were assembled the captain of the imperial guard with the two guards who had escorted Leon back to the palace, the captain of the council guard with some of his men, the high council members themselves with their personal attendants, scribes, palace workers, Prince Herman , Arman, and Leon along with his family. The prince invited some of the Mordelanders who had witnessed significant events and whose information would provide strong points. He also took the liberty to invite Leon’s neighbor Sophia with her daughter and son. It was also important that old man Ivo be present. According to Leon, he knew a lot about what was going on. A guard blew a horn and the hushed conversations stilled. Not a sound could be heard. The council members were all stiff with tension as they were questioned one after the other. The king had been told that one of the council men leaked their secret plan to Leon and that it was what saved him. “State your name council man,” the king ordered. “Eli.” The man answered. Council man Eli was questioned about the night he informed Leon about the high council’s plans. He provided his responses. The king decided to separate him from the other council men. As time passed and the session proceeded, Ivo explained about the curse upon the land and how a number of the council members were behind that too. “It must be lifted so Mordelan can become a flowing river again. A place where nothing flows in or out will rot and stink.” “But how do we get rid of this curse?” the king asked with concern. His heart had become genuinely moved for his people. Something he hadn’t felt in a long time. All the while he had been overwhelmed with his own depression but now he was seeing the predicament of his people. “The person who will break this curse is Leon. He is the only person who has passed through the border of the land unhurt.” At the request of the king, Leon stood and spoke only a few words. “I speak the words my Father put in my mouth…Wake up Mordelan. Let your gates be open. Let my Father who is the Almighty King come in and take His place in you.” After a pause, the king asked. “Is that all?” “Yes your highness. Ask one of your border guards to cross the border and let him send word back. ” They waited a long while for word to come back and it did come back. The messenger came rushing into the throne room excitedly. “The border is open. We are free!” The whole room was abuzz in an instant. All were excited except the council men—who were to be punished. Only council man Eli was exempted for showing goodwill toward the land by helping Leon. “From now on Leon, you are the new head of the new council that I will assemble,” the king announced. Leon was yet amazed. A long series of events had led to this moment—both good and bad. It was all an arrangement. His position at this side of the journey was far above where he’d started. He was very happy with this and truly grateful. Petro watched the excitement of his people. It had really been ages since he’d heard this sound in the palace. A lot of years had passed and his son was now a handsome young man. He had not allowed himself see it before. They would be searching for a bride soon. He smiled for the first time in many years. He was old now and had wasted the time of his people. But there was hope that Prince Herman would help take Mordelan where he hadn’t been able to. Leon walked over to the prince and bowed. “How can I ever thank you?” The prince answered without looking at him. “Maybe you could help me get closer to a certain fair young lady over there.” Leon turned to where he was looking. He spotted Aelia standing at a corner laughing and celebrating with the people around her. Leon chuckled. “I think I can help you with that.” About Evelyn Olorunfemi Evelyn Olorunfemi is a writer of stories mainly in the adventure and drama genres. Her stories portray the beauty and essence of life’s journey. They take readers through the amazing experience that is coming out of darkness and entering into light. She lives in Abuja, Nigeria. Connect with me Visit: www.evelynolorunfemi.wordpress.com Twitter: @EvelynSizzlelyn