The Shadow of Eons

Chapter 24

"Where is Francis?" Jonas demanded, as soon as they had arrived at the table. Marta, Lucille and his children were sitting together with a troop of guards, a long way from the king. The arrival of the interloper in the yellow and blue, who had thwarted Jonas's rescue of his wife and told him of the plans for Ardamon's destruction, was forgotten in the face of the present danger: that of Francis, the man who had poisoned Jonas, and the man who was an ever present danger to Jonas and his family.

"Father? Are you alright?" Jarron said.

Marta was dabbing her face with the tablecloth, and her mouth was full of mutton. "Why?" she retorted, as soon as she had downed her food. "You want to kill him now?"

"No!" Agatha wailed. "The poor man!"

"This poor man tried to poison me," Jonas growled. "And he'll poison you, too, if he gets the chance. When he gets the chance."

"Excuse me," said a guardsman, who was positioned to Marta's right. His uniform was stained and there was a button missing, but he was clean-shaven. "I couldn't help but overhear that you all are planning to kill somebody. I only have one request: I know that it is a busy palace, and that many people have enemies. But if you could possibly take it in your time not to kill anyone in Rabbit Unit, that would be wonderful."

His fellow guards nodded and grunted their agreement. "And also, please don't kill anyone in South Battalion," another man spoke up. "I've got a lot of friends there."

"I'll try and keep those things in mind," Jonas told them. "And you shouldn't worry: the man is not a soldier."

The soldiers thanked him and returned to their eating.

"We are supposed to be attending this banquet," Marta said. "If the king finds out we are missing. . ."

"At least we'll be alive," Jonas replied grimly. He slapped his son on the back and patted his daughter on the head.

Abruptly, another silence fell on the great hall, for the king had risen to speak. "Eat hearty!" the sordid man roared, pumping his fists in the air as if his horse had just won the derby. "Eat all you can eat! Enjoy this banquet that I have prepared for you! And take tomorrow off, why don't you? Because who needs to work?"

There was some laughter from the nobles positioned to either side of the king. The king slowly lowered his hands, palms downward, bringing the sound in the room back to silence. "Now," he said, after a moment, "I have someone important to introduce to you. Earl, please rise."

The man who had confronted Jonas in slow-time rose from his chair, which was two seats away from the king (Jonas also noted that the seat between them was still empty). He beamed at the crowd of people, turning this way and that to display his figure, and his colorful clothes reflected the torchlight back into Jonas's eyes in a dazzling display. Then his eyes locked on Jonas's, and Jonas snarled openly.

"The Earl of Abandy, my special guest, will be my assistant in guiding our fair nation through an important moment in our war with Zith. Yes, he is a very special man, and he has certain. . . qualities, which will make him exceedingly valuable in the battles to come. He has just come home from a long journey. Be sure to ask him where he's been!"

"And that, my friends, is the order of business for tonight! I hope you enjoy dessert! If you don't hear from me, it is because my stomach has burst and needs to be stitched back together again!"

Some women tittered at this. The banquet went on, and the servants began clearing the plates and serving bowls of moose.

"Let's go," Jonas told Marta, and they departed the hall together, slowly, so as to not make a scene. No one seemed to notice, and they continued down one of the main corridors, going southward toward the main entrance of the palace.