Gods and Guardians

Chapter 43: The King's Dilemma.

Request For the Arrest of Prince Nimrod and Tamil Damian

As a result of confessions made by Zola of being put under duress by Prince Nimrod and Tamil Damian and made to sneak them into Zoan, we forward this request to Your Majesty.

We would like to investigate the following charges:

That Prince Nimrod and Tamil Damian sneaked out of Simsee;

That they did this by abduction and intimidation;

That they sneaked out of Zainox;

That they went into the forbidden kingdom of Meinz;

That Prince Nimrod was involved with a Meinz lady named Gayna;

That he had sexual knowledge of her in spite of his pre-circumcision;

That the above mentioned Gayna is pregnant;

And that Prince Nimrod and Tamil Damian plan on sneaking out presently.

We await Your Majesty's warrant.

Luwa Layman,

Commanding Law Soldier.

Dasirus gaped forever. Breth entered and called several times but Father would not even acknowledge his presence. Dasirus continued to stare blankly into space in total shock. Breth walked over and took the suspicious letter.

'What!'

When he looked down at his father, he could see tears glimmering in the king's eyes.

***

Nimrod engaged an arrow. He drew mechanically aiming at his target fifty yards away, one of five adjacent wooden plates. There were five such targets, four of which had arrows stuck in their centers already. Dahira waited at the side to unpluck them after this shot.

Nimrod leveled the shaft with his eyes. The string stretched tout, he aimed, measured with trained eyes, estimating the amount of spin needed to direct the course of the arrow. He could do this subconsciously now. Like Supreme General Stanley said, a trained mind and body becomes one with its weapons. They come to understand each other as one body.

He slowly loosed his finger. Then he lowered the arrow.

Damian was concerned. 'What is the matter?'

'I think there is a problem.'

Damian had no idea what he was saying. He had not told Damian what Nathan and Dahira told him yesterday. 'Zola is avoiding us. He doesn't want to talk to us, as if he has something on his conscience, or we did something to upset him'

Damian drew closer. 'Something? Like what?'

'I went to Zola's house this morning after the gathering. Do you know he didn't attend gathering this morning?'

Damian just stared.

'I was told he wasn't in, but I think he was. No one seemed to have an idea of his whereabouts.'

'I don't see how that...'

'When he gave Nathan and Dahira the letters yesterday, he was acting strangely.'

Damian turned to Nathan who nodded in confirmation.

'What could this mean?' Damian's calm was shaken now.

'I hope it is not what I'm thinking.' Nimrod raised the arrow. He shot and hit the center spot. 'I hope this is not what I'm thinking.'

***