Crest of Power: Kevin and the Magician

8 The Dream

Isadar didn't know how to behave at the news of an empty castle. He didn't know whether he should be shocked, angry, sad, happy, or just plain emotionless. He especially didn't know how to react now that Mirrame was gone. She had been gone for a week so far and he still didn't know how to be a whole person without her.

How did he ever live without her before? He constantly wondered if Emir was safe. And if he was safe was he still himself? Isadar decided to pack up his things and head back to the west. He needed to make sure for himself. He had to know about his brother.

Isadar had set out and made his way to the clearing. He was about to say goodbye to the Secret Guards, the men in the trees, but they weren't there. They were on the ground spears drawn at a lone figure. It was a boy, he immediately reminded Isadar of one of the pages from the castle. There was just something about his manner, and the way he carried himself. Isadar came closer, and saw that the boy did not have much at all.

"Please," he heard the boy say. "I need to know if Prince Isadar is here! There is something I need to tell him! Please just let me see him, then I'll leave, I promise!" The men would not let him through with those words though. Many bounty hunters had tried to get by with those words. But Isadar had heard the boy speak, and then it was clear; this boy was most definitely not a bounty hunter. "I just need to speak to him!"

"Then speak," Isadar suddenly said. Two men turned to look at Isadar; the leader of the Secret Guards; and the boy in the middle.

The boy in the middle bowed down in the fashion that the castle pages always have, and said "Sire, I wish to tell you something Important." He looked pleadingly at Isadar.

"What is your name?" Isadar asked the man.

"Blaise, sire," said the boy. He smiled at Isadar as though he was unsure he would leave this situation alive.

*=*=*

Isadar had run to the village. Blaise had told him that an army was gathering. Blaise had heard one of the dark knights say that they were going to invade The Forest of Ern. They were coming after the Crest of Power. He had also seen King Emir trapped in a mirror. He was with the Magician. The Magician was also clearly willing to destroy anything in his path. The magician had smashed the mirror with Emir still trapped inside. The king was dead.

There was no way that the army could be stopped now. There was no time to grieve for his brother. Isadar had to warn everyone! If what the young man had said was true, then there was a dark army of warriors on their way. Even if Isadar had an army ready to move now he would never intercept them on time! He told Phillip what he had heard. Phillip sent word to the other villages in the great forest, and called a town meeting in the village square. Phillip called the meeting to order, and then introduced a very brave boy. Blaise stood before the crowd, and told them everything he had told to Isadar.

*=*=*

"We have to leave the village," Phillip announced to the villagers. Murmurs began quietly but escalated to the point that Phillip had to shout over them. "Calm yourselves!" He gave up after two tries. He stopped completely, and stood completely still waiting for them to quiet down.

Slowly they noticed he was silently waiting on them and they began to hush. One by one they began to look toward him expectantly. Now they were the ones waiting. He looked toward them almost as a loving father would.

"The Magician and his army," he began, "are on their way here." a few short murmurs happened again, but nowhere near the volume that was reached before.

"Elder!" said one voice among the crowd. Phillip looked toward the direction of the voice. A younger looking man stepped forward from the crowd. "Surely they won't find us here!?"

"The king knows the whereabouts of this village," declared Phillip. "He came here as a young boy once with his father. If his memory is anything like his father's, he'll have remembered how to get here. If the Magician stole the King's memories, we don't stand a chance.

"And even if he doesn't know where we are," he continued, "they'll be riding Dragons. We are perfectly visible from the air. They will find us. Pack lightly, we leave at noon."

With the last sentence he walked off the low platform, followed swiftly by Isadar. Phillip hadn't needed to say where they were going, almost everyone already knew.

"What about Mirrame?" Isadar said. "How will she know it isn't safe to come back here?"

"She'll know," said Phillip.

"How will she know?" Isadar continued. "She's off who knows' where doing who knows' what! She needs to be warned!"

"She will be," said Phillip calmly. He was annoying Isadar. Mirrame was his daughter wasn't she? "You don't need to concern yourself about it. She knows."

"She's my wife!" Isadar exclaimed. "Of course I'm concerned!"

Phillip looked at Isadar finally realizing the agony that his new son must be going through. "Isadar..." began Phillip, "you don't have to worry about Mirrame, because I'm taking you to her."

Isadar looked at Phillip with frustration. He grabbed Phillip by the arm to make Phillip look him in the eye. He knew then that Phillip was telling the truth... He was going to see Mirrame! He felt joy at the thought of seeing her. And he didn't feel comfortable grieving his brother in front of anyone but her.