Lore of Eternal Shadow: The Fugitive King

Chapter Eight

Zicone and Lauren ran out of the Summit's meeting place and down the perimeter of the plaza toward the Council Chamber. The plaza had been mostly vacated and they heard the sounds of alarm horns roaring around the city. Sounds of commotion came from the faraway front gates.

"It won't matter that we disposed the Council if we can't beat Caligo's army," Lauren noted.

"I wouldn't be able to march out there knowing I left a bad bit of business undone in the city," Zicone replied.

The Council of the Regency occupied a small and humble hall at the left front corner of the Royal Palace's complex. Zicone and Lauren powered through the pompous bureaucracy of reception without even bothering to speak. Zicone gave everyone a vile look that discouraged them from bothering to open their mouths. Already he was making himself popular in this place...

Zicone and Lauren paused. All that was between them and the Council's chamber were a pair of ancient oak doors, wood carved with scenes from Zanrai's past that Zicone didn't care to admire at the moment. Before Lauren could move to open the door, Zicone calculated together a suitable chunk of magical energy and blew the doors right off their hinges. They went flying into the chamber. He ruined some ancient wood carvings of his father, but Zicone didn't care.

Lauren was a bit perturbed by this but followed Zicone into the chamber nonetheless. They watched the stunned Councilors all cower from their high pulpits. "How are you gentlemen?" asked Zicone venomously.

On the back wall was Lauren's father, his podium twice as high as all the others. "P-P-Prince Zicone!" he stammered, "What brings you here?"

Sean Vederius was his name. Lauren had long ago discarded her father's last name in favor of her mother's maiden name, Avana. Zicone recalled what Lauren said about her father: Vederius was a Galgarothian-born Zey^Rey like the rest of the Council. The home-dimension saw Zey^Rey born in Galgaroth as mongrels, too tainted by Galgaroth's ways to be accepted. Nobody took this harder than Sean Vederius. He had been compensating his entire life, hungry for power. He had ruled his daughter's life with an iron fist until Lauren couldn't take it anymore.

Zicone spoke, "By the powers invested in me as Prince of the Zey^Rey, I hereby charge you with high treason." The predictable whispers abounded around the chamber.

Vederius leaned into a more comfortable position now, his face relaxing, "On what grounds?"

"You have conspired with Caligo and allowed his armies to lay waste to Galgarothian soil!" Zicone cried, "You have forsaken your oath to your people!"

"What people?" Vederius spat, "You suppose you speak for the Zey^Rey? The Zey^Rey have abandoned this world! We are not worthy in their eyes. Do you really suppose they'll even accept you as their King?"

"This has nothing to do with the home-dimension," countered Zicone, "You are supposed to serve Galgaroth. Under your watch, hundreds of your countrymen have just been slaughtered!"

"If that is the price to pay for our continued existence, so be it," Vederius said with conviction.

"What did you say!?" cried Lauren. She stepped toward her father a bit.

"Lauren," her father said, "I should have expected you would be with Zicone."

"What could you hope to gain from this?" she asked her voice rising with anger, "Do you honestly think the ends justify the means?"

Vederius's eyes darted between Zicone and Lauren, "Neither of you children understands what's truly gone on these past eleven years. I have been the only thing keeping the Narbonese Empire from collapsing into chaos! The Zey^Rey have done nothing to help me or my Empire. At least Caligo is willing to work with me. That's better than the Zey^Rey have ever offered..."