Voyage of War

Chapter 13

Casima was only half a day's walk from the Lonely Lagoon. The two dwarfs fanished as soon as they had the gates in their sight.

They neared a high stone arch, with two white marble wolves standing up against it on their hind legs. To Resa they had an alarming resemblance to Werewolves. Casima looked like it was built within a dry creek bed. The ground was dry,cracked and baked hard by the glaring Sun. 

The castle was at the far end of the city, thrice the size of the castle Princess Sybil had grown up in. It was also more lavishly furnished, with heavy drapes, portraits, plush carpets and soft armchairs opposite the many windows lining the corridors. Maids repeatedly scurried past them carrying large empty silver plates. Princess Sybil walked in front insinuating that she was in charge and surprisingly Captain let her ,only tucking at his better black cloak to make sure that only his piercing grey eyes could be seen. Princess Sybil noticed that Ced had fallen back to walk a few feet behind everybody, almost trying to get lost in the scrambling that had greatly increased as they turned a corner at the end of the corridor big wooden doors, with a great deal of chatter behind them greated them. Princess Sybil halted a few inches from the door, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her mouth. Stealing herself. There had been a long delay be for this point and she could not avoid it anymore. As soon as she opens those doors there would be no return. Feeling a warm hand resting on her shoulder Princess Sybil opens her eyes shining with fierce determination. She pulls herself up to her full length and pushes open the doors without any difficulty. Walking into the room packed with people with an air of importance and purpose. A hushed murmuring travels through the room and increase in folume as they make their way through the room.

The entire room falls silent as soon as their procession reaches the throne, on witch a man, whom greatly resembles a bull frog with a pot belly, sits lounging. Amongst the smartly over dressed guests they resemble a mercenary group. The men wearing only brown breeches, a tucked in white shirt and black boots. Each with a sword swaying at their side except Zack with his bow and quiver slung over his shoulder. The women in their simple dresses made of dark material. Resa with her belt of throwing knives now strapped across her chest and Princess Sybil brandishing her twin swords crossed over her back, the gilts sticking out on either side of her head. The only oddity with this picture were the twins protected within their circle.

"Who are you and what do you want?" The man atop the throne asks.
"Princess Sybil of the kingdom of Aevan and my company."
"So nice of you to turn up at last Princess. We've been waiting in anticipation." The man gives a curt chuckle.
"We had some delays..."
"Delays. Always the excuse of a mother unable to let her daughter go." The entire room erupts with laughter this time.
Princess Sybil has the strong urge to strangle the man before her, yet she continues calmly.
"The wedding can presume as planned now that I'm here?"
"As planned... your arrival was not as planned and discussed. Instead you march in here weeks after the due arrival looking like you came to assassinate someone in my court," The man spits out,
"No one keeps the King of the land of peace waiting. I have a good mind to refuse you and watch as your kingdom perish within the clutches of war."
Princess Sybil feels her resolve slipping and she purses her lips tightly. Before she can say or do anything in retaliation a hand tenderly grips her arm and pushes her back. Ced steps in front of her and sinks to one knee, his head bowed.
"Father, please." Ced's voice comes out in a silent plead.
"You!" King Casimir spits out. "You dare come back here, after what you've done!"
A man bursts through the crowd struggling to keep his balance, but everybody is to shocked too pay him much notice.
"I ask you Father, please have some mercy." Ced glances over to Princess Sybil, winks at her and procedes to stand next to her, gripping her hand tightly in his. Princess Sybil is still recovering from the shock and unable to grasp what Ced is doing.
"Then you have the nerve to plead the case of..." king Casimir's eyes land on their interlocked hands and Then the hilts of the swords on either side of Princess Sybil's head, he falters. "Well ,maybe... yes. Why not," the King seems to be debating with himself, then a malicious grin stretches his already tight features,"I will allow you to marry my youngest son. Cayman get over here."
The man that burst through the crowd walks past Ced and Princess Sybil ,glaring triumphantly at them and stands next to his father. Cayman is about a head shorter that Ced, with dull green eyes and the same blond hair as Ced.
"Cedric ,dear brother you will please keep your distance from my bride."
Ced drops Princess Sybil's hand and takes a meaningful step away.
"There will be a ball tomorrow evening to celebrate the engagement of Princess Sybil of Aevan and my son Prince Cayman of Casimir. You are invited," King Casima addresses the people, stands up from his throne and whispers to the Princess Sybil and her company to follow him.

                     *    *    *

The library was only a name. To Princess Sybil's utter disappointment there were few books and with one glance she could see that most were about modern Casimir.
"Right down to business." King Casima plopped down on a plush leather chair.
"How many troupes can you add or to send to Aevan's aid?" Princess Sybil remains standing, a few feet away from the king and his son.
"The wedding will be held as soon as possible. Next week seems a fair time to get everything ready." Cayman ignores the fact that Princess Sybil had spoken and addresses his father with great vigour.
"Yes. And we will have lilies lots of them and I'll have to send a maid to consult with a seamstress about the wedding dress." King Casima in return also ignores Princess Sybil.
"I'll go on my own. Now about the aid to..."
"It'll be made of silk, naturally and have delicate lace..."Cayman guts her off ,but is in turn stunned to silence by a knife flying past him and lodging in the wall beside his head.
"Thanks Resa." Princess Sybil steps worward and Resa bows, causing the horror etched on the king and his son's faces deepen. Ced cannot help but let out an amused chuckle, as he relaxes and leans up against one of the empty shelves.
"As I was saying," Princess Sybil grips the hilt of the knive and pulls it out of the wall in one effective movement, "I'll go BY MYSELF to consult with the seamstress about my dress. The aid that was agreed to be sent to Aevan in return for this union," Princess Sybil twirls the knive between her fingers as she paces the room, King Casima and Cayman's eyes follow it's movements, "How many troupes and when can they leave." Princess Sybil hands the knive back to Resa and plants herself before King Casima and Cayman with a quizzical look.
"Tw...twenty troops of...of an hundred men each... they can leave tomorrow at dawn." King Casima stutters.
"Excellent. Now may a maid show us to our rooms the journey was beyond tiring."
"Of...Ofcource." Cayman hurries to the door to summon a maid but when he moves past Ced a steel grip locks around his upper arm. He looks up into the sharp eyes of his concentration left brother.
"Might wanna show some respect next time. The Princess won't be as mercyfull as Resa." Cayman's eyes widen with shock.
"You mean to say she intended to miss?"
"Resa never misses." Captain speaks from the shadows and it is evitable by both men's reactions that they had forgotten about his presence, yet Ced recovers first noticing the questioning looks. He lets go of Cayman's arm and sinks back to stand next to Captain. Ced would do good from following Captain's actions of blending into the background until everything settled a bit. As he stands watching everything unfold his mind wonders and he can't help but feel the prickly of curiosity about Captain's identity. Yet inspite of the secrecy he can't bring himself to distrust Captain. And at that moment he makes a decision to find out who Captain is, before he disappears. His thoughts are pierced when Cayman puts his arm around Princess Sybil's shoulder. He can feel an animal deep within his stomach wanting to rip his younger brother to shreds. Ced didn't know when the animal had arrived, but he knew instinctively that it would never leave. This time the animal had it's claws dug in deep. This is not a problem or disturbance he could run away from. He was here and he had to face it from this second on wards until the day he dies.