Trilverda - Winds of the fall

Chapter 17

The great hall, blank as water, even ghosts had abandoned it by the looks of the hall. Only one man sat beside the King's throne, Kelvin. His fingernails continually hit his throne's hand. His lips moved, faint sounds from his throat. He had worn a black robe, barefoot. The door thundered, plucked him away from whatever he sat occupied. Falver and few of his men entered the hall, their boots infuriated Kelvin. “Ah, what news?”

The soldiers stopped, Falver neared his brother. “Brother, Gill was nowhere to be found … we searched everywhere around the border, forests, rivers, ruins – not even a trail”. His face seemed clueless about how to present itself as it delivered the message, happy or disappointed? Kelvin didn’t respond, the soldiers behind stood bowing their head in shame. Falver looked behind, dismissed the guards from the hall.

The hall turned private, Kelvin loosened himself. “It is wonderful news,” he spoke no more. His plan had come to fruition. Now, it was victory or death. “Ya know what ya have to do now, don’t ya?”

“Yes, brother. We have gathered nine-hundred names, but we need three weeks for the whole army to gather” Falver said.

“Yes, make three weeks enough, General Falver Valvor” he pat Falver's shoulder. Falver's face lightened, he had never heard his brother call him in such pride. He stood from his throne, “Hairnipolis's army is small, I suppose ya can gather them soon enough”

“Of course, brother. We need the Winter Wolves in our side”

Vivian entered the hall, stormed perhaps. Her pheasants and priests followed her, some carried pouches and some carried books. A man held a rope, it was tied to a lamb, white lamb. Falver turned around, Vivian stood, not in a cheerful disposition. He looked back at Kelvin, “I suppose I have to go now, brother”. He walked down, glanced at Vivian, bowed “Me Lady” and left the hall for the disconsolate hearts.

Vivian walked towards Kelvin, her fists tightened. “I am going at Desban, leaving my beautiful house behind, taking care of these pheasants and lusty priests. Make sure your prophecy of the war is true”.

“The minister was nowhere to be found” Kelvin said. The news loosened her fists, her hopes back to its kennel. Kelvin smiled, “My prophecy of war is true, and of winning, if ya trust me”.

Effortlessly suppressed by his confidence and instilled by his ambition, Vivian's heart and her conscious drove her back to rooting her beliefs on her Lord. She gasped, a little bow, joined her group of travellers. “We will travel to Desban on horses, the border is chill, food will run out within weeks”

“Do not worry, our Serpent God will take care of ya, he has blessed our land by coming here and vowing to protect our King. We should realise that he has sacrificed paradise to come down here for our King. We must protect his land” Kelvin rose up from the throne, the work for the day was over, he was to be all alone in his castle, a single Valvor in Neamora. “Just send one of ya, everything will be delivered”

Vivian's eyes, fixed on her Lord, his face seemed to be happy yet it had no colour. “Take care, My Lord” she bowed. The travellers walked out the door, a single Valvor left inside. Moving dust made a sound, it rang inside Kelvin's ear. The hall had turned into a graveyard once again. Things happened such soon, in a blink, his brother came with the news and in a blink, Vivian left out for Desban to fulfil his wishes. Alone in the graveyard, he refused to call any guard to guide him to his chamber, dropped himself in the mercy of his throne. He sat, hitting the chair's hand with his nails, muttering and aching.

Trees, his eyes got tired of seeing those huge green beings. The sound of River Kuf didn’t let him rest, it had nearly maddened him. His mind, amused by fishes swimming inside the clear water, flying along the waters of Higel and thought of the Great Kingdom. His heart lay somewhere else, somewhere he didn’t know the place but he knew where he lounged. If he harms her, I will slit his throat. The love he bore for her was beyond any sea or empire.