Beauty and the Magician (Tales of the Red Witch Book 1)

Chapter 6 - A reluctant hero

The sun was shining over the palace in Grune Stadt after what seemed like an eternity of long grey days of rain. The brightness of the blue skies felt promising but was in complete opposition to the dour mood of the castle's inhabitants. Nowhere in the opulent monument to Landet Gress' monarchy was the cloud darker than in the grand hall where the sound of King Hendrik's anxious footsteps echoed loudly.

King Hendrik Karel Helbricht Von Burkhart VI looked minuscule in comparison to the overly large creamy white marble hall. Tall gilt columns reached like spread fingers from the floor to high above holding up the arched ceiling with its elaborate paintings of angels and cherubs. Tall glass doors were framed in between each column allowing light and fresh air from the surrounding veranda to stream through. The smells of the garden were scenting the air, which would have made the scene magical if not for the mood.

The royal throne sat empty in the back of the long room on a raised platform and was framed by two red tapestries bearing the Landet Gress crest of the blue stag on a field of golden wheat. Hendrik stopped his pacing for a moment and eyed the throne. He had never hated his position, until now.

What good was it to be king when it could not get you what you wanted?

It had been six long months since his son disappeared and Hendrik was beginning to feel utterly hopeless. An envoy lead by his son's best friend, Lord Stefan had arrived last night from Nuevelle de Vallee to give their report. Lord Stefan had met with King Edgar and pleaded for the right to look for the prince on Vallesian soil. Completely unsympathetic to their plight and growing angry with their repeated requests, Edgar had dismissed them and threatened to throw them in the dungeon if they asked about the missing prince one more time.

Hendrik felt certain to his core that Nuevelle de Vallee had something to do with it, after all, Stefan had reported the mysterious woman Andri was last seen with had an Vallesian accent. She must have been a spy or an assassin or a politician.

Nuevelle de Vallee was deep in debt to Landet Gress and had much to gain from preventing an alliance with Pease Dell'acqua. This kind of desperate maneuver felt like something Edgar would do. If his requests were denied again, Hendrik would have to consider stronger action against Nuevelle de Vallee. Well, he had already considered it. His armies were preparing as he stood here. He just needed Edgar to give him a solid reason, he needed to find his son. The man he was waiting on was his last hope.

He growled as his frustration boiled over.

"Where is he!? No one keeps the King waiting!" He shouted as he resumed his harried pacing. He reached up running one slightly dingy white gloved hand through his short blondish-grey hair.

He had not changed clothes since meeting with Lord Stefan yesterday and his appearance suffered from it. His normally fine red formal jacket with gold buttons was rumpled and his ivory trousers were wrinkled and had a stain on them from last night's dinner. He clenched his teeth causing his bushy mustache to puff out making him look like an otter ready to attack.

Standing by the immense carved wooden double doors that lead from the entryway in the great hall, was an impeccably dressed young man with very tidy sandy colored hair and spectacles that perched upon a hawk-like nose. His head turning back and forth as he followed his disheveled king with his eyes.

Pieter pushed his spectacles further up his nose. He should not let his majesty run around looking so unkempt, the King needed to look strong for his people. But he couldn't bring himself to make that suggestion to the worried father before him.

Maybe if Queen Maryse was here he could have spoken with her, but she was just as destroyed. The stress had made the couple fight and she had decided it was best to leave. She was currently holed up in her son's favorite hunting lodge with the young Princess Karlotta, hoping for him to miraculously reappear.