Kingdoms - Book 6 - The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

 Luke and Dorai stood and backed away to avoid chips of stone tumbling down from above. Looking upwards, they watched two men in brown uniforms rappelling down the cliff face.

Some seconds later, the messengers' feet were safely on the shore.

"The traitor is dead and almost all of his people in the castle! We've suffered casualties. King Konrad and six of our men are injured, two seriously. Elliad's men on the gates refuse to surrender. We must gather the troops and work to take the gates from the outside. As many men as are able, are to climb up from here."

Discussion centered on the problem of the gates and the necessity of bringing a doctor in for Konrad and the injured soldiers.

How they had missed calculating the immense security of the gates and how the rescue troops would now have such a dilemma was beyond them all. The men began to walk along the rocky shore as they talked.

Luke thought of Jobyna and Maia, "The prisoners, tell me..."

"They're all safe, every one." He stood still, looking at Luke, "Your sister is suffering from shock. It's a grim scene." He went on to describe the battle; how Elliad, cowardly calling in more swords, had defeated Konrad; and Kenrik's subsequent slaying of Elliad.

"After the pretend czar's death, Chezkovian men, chosen by Moritz and Vincenz for their experience in scaling walls, went wild, killing all the castle staff, women as well. Only the intervention of Moritz and Vincenz prevented the slaying of the children."

~~~~~

The greater part of the tremendous Chezkovian army had congregated near Jydanski and was now making its way to the Baltic Castle Road. Feelings ran high and Chezkovians wanted to kill any man who wore the Frencolian green and gold.

The thread holding them back was the fact that the leaders hoped to command such a slaughter in an 'organized' fashion.

King Luke Chatelain and Prince Dorai were told, by way of a preliminary warning, that if the Czarevitch Kenrik was harmed in any way, it would be impossible to prevent bloodshed.

Men had been sent to a nearby Proburg border base to fetch battering equipment. Tents were being erected all around the great flat area both side so of the road to the castle.

Overhearing heart-chilling rumors, Prince Dorai petitioned to speak with the leaders of the Chezkovian army. Luke and Mattheus accompanied him.

"I'm tired of having Frencolia alone labeled with the crimes of the mad man Elliad, especially when we've traveled so far to help you get rid of him!" Prince Dorai faced a group of fifteen emirs. "You should find, in the late czar's records, documents sent from Frencolia, warning you not to give refuge to the man known as Elliad John Pruwitt."

The men conferred amongst themselves; Dorai's words were translated for the four who did not understand Frenc.

"You have to face it, Prince Dorai, he was a Frencolian and Frencolia will have to answer to his crimes," Emir Weikol's monotonous voice spoke for all.

Prince Dorai noted their aggression but stood firm. "Among the czar's records will be documents stating the background of this man, that is, if Elliad, in his pretence as Czar Kievik, did not have them destroyed.

"His name was Elliad John Pruwitt. His mother, a Frencolian, named him 'Elliad John' and his father's name was Provitt Klemens, exiled from Chezkovia some thirty years ago because of his treacherous acts against the czardom." He noted the look of consternation on their faces as he gave Klemens' name.