Dies Et Noctis

Part 13

(Part 13)

Five years later

"Sol?" The tentative voice broke me out of reverie and I opened my eyes to find myself back in familiar territory.

"Yes, Hal?" I answered absently, ready to go back to the world that I had previously immersed myself in, meditating and sensing out that power balance that hung over the Second Realm. Now, it was in my daily ritual to do this, to maintain the balance of the realm.

"We caught a member of Night lurking amongst us, but the Council of Light cannot decide what to do with her. They have asked for your opinion." Hal reported studiously, as I sighed heavily. In the past, this job would have been merely irritating. Now, it was positively tiring and a chore –particularly now that the Council of Light was beginning to find fond memories of asking for my opinion in their bid to draw me out into public.

If I didn't know better, I would suspect this as the Council of Light's way to assure the kingdom that their King was still very much present despite the fact that I rarely interested myself in such small arguments. In the past, I would have personally gone down to even out even the tiniest of conflicts, but now things have changed.

"Hal, the member of Night –was she trying to harm anyone of our members?"

"It does not appear so."

"Did she try to escape her restraints?"

"No, my Liege."

"Halen," I reminded. "What did I say about addressing me as the liege?"

"I-I'm sorry, my –Sol."

I sighed once more, this time on a topic entirely different from before. "It is fine. Your brother Harold never listened to me no matter how many times I reminded him. I don't expect it to work with you now, Halen."

"I will try my best, Sol." Hal reported studiously, and I could easily imagine the young man bowing down low at his waist. "My brother once had the honor of being able to serve you. I never imagined that I would be given the same chance..."

"Till this day it still strikes me funny, how Hal never told me about his little brother. Did he conveniently forget about you, or was he trying to protect you from being pulled into this crazy world of royalties and war?" I wondered aloud, as I have for many times since Halen took up the role as my steward. It was irony: that Harold's younger brother Halen bravely stood out to be my steward, and had served me with the same faithful loyalty that his brother had possessed unfalteringly.

"My King..."

"As for the prisoner from the Night, have her brought before me. I will talk to her." I answered, hearing a quick reply of acknowledgement before the footsteps took the young Hal back out of the small garden.

My time tuning in once more to the realm's power balance was interrupted again shortly thereafter when Hal returned with another pair of shuffling feet.

"Sol, she is the one captured." Hal reported studiously, and I finally turned around, opening my eyes to the sight of the young girl thrown on her knees. Of course she looked physically young; her power of Dark was minimal.

"Young One," I smiled to ease the eyes of fear that tagged on me. "There is little need to be afraid of me."

"B-But... m-my King..." She stuttered her reply, shying away when I moved to reach closer to her. Gently, I pulled her to her feet and guided her to the round table I had been sitting by, removing her bindings around her wrists quickly. Hal tried to protest, but understood quickly the gaze that I passed over.