King of Days: The Veiled Guardians

21. Kingdom of Ash

A month had passed since the liberation and death of Kris, though Karíto felt as if it were merely hours. Princess Lucia felt his emotional distance, yet dared not ask him about it. She decided he needed something to cheer him up, so made plans to brighten his day. Meanwhile the Orou were receiving news of the Pechum and their movements. There were some attacks on small villages, but for the most part they were nothing more than a nuisance, like any wild animals one might find in a wood.

Karíto was standing outside of Lucia's room enrapt in his thoughts when out of nowhere he heard running down the hall. He looked to his right just in time to be tackled by Lucia. He yelped "What, where did you come from?"

Lucia laughed delightedly, her ambush had worked. "Don't you know of all the secret passages in our castle?"

Karíto smiled, "I guess not"

Lucia retorted with a snort that made her laugh even harder. "How do you expect to find me, if you don't know?" She stood up and reached out her hand to help Karíto up, he took it, and as he began to rise she let him go. He fell with a plop, which caused a funny metallic sound. This was amusing to Lucia as she belted out a deep belly laugh in response. She then took off running down the hallway. Karíto watched her go, he felt as if a weight had been lifted off of him, or a light that had brought him from the darkness. A smile crept onto his face, and it refused to leave. They spent the afternoon scouring the castle for hidden passages and running about, they were like children without a care in the world.

Lucia had managed to run ahead of Karíto, she had tripped him after exiting the last passage they had found. She had just opened the door to the back garden when a bell tolled. As Karíto heard he stopped in his tracks, bowed to his princess and proceeded to hasten toward the war chamber. This particular bell was rung to gather all of the knights and men of the royal family together. There Lucia was, left alone, standing by the opened door, wind blowing her hair and with a mark of sadness on her face.

As Karíto arrived nearly everyone had already gathered. The knights stood in four lines in the middle, say for the king's two royal guards who stood by his side. Lord Jude stood next to the king while the king's sons sat on their own seats around the border of the room. The Crown Prince Paul had his seat closest to the king, next to him sat Prince Grant and Prince Deric. Across from them sat Prince General Barin, and Prince Erin. King Garret raised his hand toward General Barin, who then stood up. General Barin spoke up. "There has been news that one of our vassal kingdoms has been besieged by the Ebesien force. Lord Jude, please advise us on what you have received."

General Barin sat back down as Lord Jude spoke up. "I have received news from tradesmen who had fled from the region, that a large army, the Ebesien army has surrounded August Topiary City."

Prince Grant stood up angrily "Why have our emissaries not told us this? If Topiary falls we will lose a great wealth of trade." The discussion then exploded, being tossed between the need to protect wealth and the desire to display power, it seemed as if no decision would be made. Karíto felt restless as an hour passed, he thought that their inaction would lead to the destruction of their ally, for it felt as if time itself would end before a decision was made. Then after some time, King Garret lifted his hand. "This will be our decision, first we ensure the safety of August Topiary, then we will cleanse the land of those who will rise against us."

It took a matter of two days for the army to assemble so they could ride out toward August Topiary, however the personal guards and knights were elected to remain. Karíto watched from the castle walls with Prince Deric and Erin as the army paraded out. Karíto sighed, Deric looked at him and chuckled, "What's wrong Karíto, you wanted to go to war?"

Karíto looked at him and tried not to give away any expression. "No, my prince."

Erin jabbed his side "You don't have to be so formal, you have been around our sister all the time, and you probably know us more than we know ourselves." Karíto winced and rubbed his side.