Forgotten Embers

57. Once More

He knocked on the door a second time, having received no answer, and waited, but again no answer came.

'Once more.'

He knocked again. Nothing. He frowned.

"This is DelMont's house, isn't it?" Avera asked with puzzled concern.

He eased away from the door, turning his face to his friend. "Yes, I'm certain of it. It's just as Mr. Carder described."

'Besides, who else in Elkshire would have maurium?'

There was the faint sound of music and merriment coming from inside the house, and he paused.

'At least we know he's home.'

He moved away from the door to one of the windows where the light shined through. He looked carefully in as he stood on the porch and peered through the glass. What could be seen was a luxurious dining hall with a long table decorated and fully set with more than a dozen guests and several servers. There was a band there, playing on their instruments to accompany their merriment as the guests drank and ate and danced. Demetrius DelMont was among them, sitting at the table with a chalice in his hand, lost in careless laughter and reclining at the head.

"DelMont!" Benjamin called as he knocked against the glass, desperate to attract the man's attention.

Still, there was no sign that Mr. DelMont or any of his guests could be the least bit bothered by him.

"DelMont!" he cried again, this time louder, as he slammed his curled hand against the window in frustration.

"Ben..." Avera said hesitantly, "I'm starting to get the impression that they don't really want us here."

Benjamin lifted his sad eyes and nodded, pained in agreement as he acknowledged her rightness. He walked slowly to the door again and leaned his back against it, sinking down. He sighed. "Yes, Avera, as am I."

"I'm sorry, Ben," she said softly.

"All's well," he told her. "I've done my part. If DelMont sees fit to shut me out, so be it. The consequences of those works belong to our King, and he will not leave me lacking."

He closed his eyes, and there was silence between them, the music of the house still seeping through its walls, penetrating the night and mixing sweetly with the sound of a symphony of insects in the cool air of the faint evening breeze.

'God, I wish this man would hear us. I wish that he would see. I wish that...'

"Ben..." she said, recapturing his thoughts as she called back his attention.

"Hm?" he said, looking up at her with interest.

"What happens if they don't pass the War Declaration?"

'If they don't?'

He was surprised by the question. He hadn't given much consideration to what might happen if it failed.

'What does happen?'

He closed his eyes. "If that were to happen, then... nothing changes," he told her, a smile spreading over his distraught countenance.

'No, but you bless us. Regardless of them, you bless us. For, as we do right, we will be not forsaken.'

"We would still be at war. Only, the Council would have declined to acknowledge it. It would be more difficult for us to rally the Kingsmen without their backing, but we would do it all the same; because, the truth remains that we are still at war, and no less than victory will ever stop that truth. So, nothing changes. Not for us."