Renaissance | ON HOLD

Orpheus

I pushed my wound wincing at the pain that was plaguing my side. I had already lost a lot of blood and I was trying to avoid losing anymore. The guards of Warlord Adrian weren't shy with their swords when taking me into their custody. I tried to focus on Leo as I was being driven to the Warlord's mansion. Leo and the little girl with him stood like frozen statues watching us as we were moving along. 

The peculiar being sat next to me now on the back of the Warlord's wagon. An arrow still remained in his shoulder. His body resembled that of a regular man, but his head was gone and was a book instead. It was clearly some form of magic that created this, black magic most certainly. 

I couldn't focus anymore, the loss of blood was making it incredibly hard to function. But my thoughts continued to wander to the silhouetted figure that remained in the distance, my grandson, Leo. I had never told him, I was almost dead now. I should've done more, told Nectarios of him, tell Leo that he wasn't an orphan at all. Instead I told him to go to Nectarios, like he would listen to a little boy. 

My son probably didn't even remember me. He was a powerful King now, why remember his terrible Father? I wasn't exaggerating either, I was a terrible Father. I paid no mind to my children when it was time to be a Father. There were many a nights when my head laid in my hands and tears flowed from my eyes because of all the mistakes I had made in my life. 

After a few moments we arrived at Warlord Adrian's mansion. The being and I were thrown into Adrian's grimy and dark dungeon together with a dozen other prisoners that were there before us.

The being, from what I could tell, could not speak like regular men. But with this book, that was his head, he could seemingly write things and even draw on a sketch of a face. It was most uncanny. Who had created such a strange thing? Who dared to experiment in such a way?

Before I could think up more questions about this being, a physician came into the dungeon and began to help me with my wound and the being with the arrow that was lodged in his shoulder. We were fixed up and then the physician left us in the cold and in the dark. The groaning of men filled our ears as we tried to sleep. 

My thoughts were more painful to live with however.

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"Tell me Orpheus, what would benefit you by supporting Nectarios, the dictator?" The interrogator asked me.

"He is my son. I will always support my son." I replied.

"Adrian should be King, he is better for Limbo."

"Adrian would be a usurper to gain the throne, he has no biological ties to it."

"We are working to change that soon enough."

"How?"

"You'll see, it is all because of you that we know what we need to do."

"Adrian can never be King of Limbo."

"He doesn't have to have the title to be the King."

"You are planning to rule through a proxy?"

"Yes, very smart you are Orpheus."

"Who?"

"Your grandson."

"I have many grandsons, I have met none of them."

"Yes you do have many grandsons, but you have met one of them Orpheus."

"I am positive that I haven't, my son doesn't even know that I still live."

"That is true. But lie to me no more, we know of your grandson that lives here in the Illuvies."

My breathing hitched, did they know of Leo? And how?

The interrogator grinned evilly, he pulled one of my books from a satchel and dropped it in front of me. It was the book of my family tree. Not only a simple tree however, also a detailed account of each person in the tree. They would've learned of Leo through my last entry which was dedicated to my youngest grandson. I spoke of how Nectarios knew not of him. I told of his unfortunate birth.

Leo's Mother, Nalani, had been cast out of Nectario's court and she fled to the Illuvies fearing her life especially if Nectarios found out she was bearing his child. More importantly, if Nectarios' enemies found out about the child she was carrying. I found her half-dead and I nursed her back to health. She told me her story and when the baby boy was born she told me who his Father was, the revelation was most shocking to me. Nalani died shortly after Leo's birth, I took him to the orphanage a few days later. 

Nalani's worst fear was now coming true, he was being used against his own Father by one of the many enemies Nectarios had: Warlord Adrian.  

"You have searched through my library, I see." I finally said breaking my long held silence.

"Yes, all night. We knew you would be useful Orpheus, just not to this extent. We were pleasantly surprised. Your grandson, Leo, will be a wonderful help to us. He is in line for the throne and Adrian will easily be able to control him, it is a perfect plan."

"Don't get Leo involved with this, he doesn't deserve this."

"We'll determine that. Take him away."

"This plan will never work!" I shouted while being pulled out of the room.

"Oh it will, all thanks to you Orpheus. Adrian owes his Kingship all to you." The interrogator responded with a smile.