One Bad Apple
Refer to this story's character and plot introduction (separate quiz) for pictures and biographies of the main characters as well as general information regarding setting and basic plotline.
I stepped softly into the silent hall. One chair remained empty at the long table; it was for me. All eyes were on me as I took my seat among the men. I looked up at the king and he rose. His face was grave and grief-stricken, but he spoke with admirable strength.
"As we had expected, Princess Nivica's condition has only worsened. Our best physicians estimate that she will die within two weeks unless we can find a cure. I have decided to send some of our men to the other kingdoms to meet with apothecaries."
"Your Highness," the general began respectfully. The king gestured for him to go on. "Knacreig has the best apothecaries in the land. What should we hope to discover from this journey?"
The king looked on the general with utter desperation. "My men, my people," he quickly corrected himself, acknowledging me, the royal enchantress, "in truth, it is not the common apothecaries I wish for you to visit. We believe that a great and terrible power dwells in a tower near Gondarkh. We believe that he - she? it? - possesses knowledge of elixirs to cure all the ailments in the world." The king paused as we considered this extraordinary possibility. "However," he continued, his gaze darkening, causing him to appear vaguely maniacal, "he also possesses the ability to bestow them."
"Of what nature is this being?" I impulsively inquired of the king. Delayed only slightly, I added, "Your Highness." I had only begun attending royal meetings a year ago, when I was formally pronounced enchantress of Knacreig. I often forgot that I was no longer the carefree child I was just four years ago. If not for the loss of my father, I often wondered if I would still be that child. "Is it a demon? A god? A man?"
"We do not know, Miss Esbeilia," came his response. "We have only encountered him in tales and we can verify no details about him. We are not absolutely certain that he even exists, but despite our uncertainty, he is our only hope.
"Men, this is a quite perilous task which shall not be taken lightly," the king asserted, "but it shall be accepted with honor. With you, General, I plan to send a small militia of fifty men, ten archers, and five of our best knights. The -"
"Your Highness," I blurted out. After unintentionally attracting everyone's attention, I continued, "I apologize. But you must send me on this mission."
"Absolutely not, Miss Esbeilia," the king declared firmly. "You are the one person in Knacreig who is trained in the art of sorcery. You are much too young and much too valuable to our kingdom."
"With all due respect, Your Highness, I am almost of the same age as the majority of your militia," I disputed. "Also, it is because I am the only person with magical training that you must send me. These men, though highly skilled, are most unprepared against a being of magic. With time, another enchantress can be trained from the very same tomes as myself, but these men will not have that time."
"You have no combat training," he pointed out.
"Test me," I said. "I am at least as skilled as the lowest of your militia men."
"Very well, Esbeilia," the king sighed. "We will organize a basic combat examination for you tomorrow morning. If you prove yourself, you will accompany my army on their journey to Gondarkh the following evening."
"Thank you, Your Highness." I relaxed my muscles from their tense positions.
"As for the rest of the army, I will leave that choice to the general. That is all for today. You are dismissed."
We rose together, as a giant mass, and exited the hall. As I reached the doors, I turned and stole a last glance at the king. He was still standing there at the head of the table, and from his face, I knew very well that he was mentally imploring me to surrender and stay within the castle's confines, away from harm. I knew because I had seen that exact expression countless times in the past, on the stern face of my father. Ever since he disappeared, thinking of my father always chilled me to the bone, but those eyes, those eyes that made demands purely as a show of power, made my blood run hot as the sun.
Giving the king no acknowledgement, I turned and strided out the doors.
He'll see.
"As we had expected, Princess Nivica's condition has only worsened. Our best physicians estimate that she will die within two weeks unless we can find a cure. I have decided to send some of our men to the other kingdoms to meet with apothecaries."
"Your Highness," the general began respectfully. The king gestured for him to go on. "Knacreig has the best apothecaries in the land. What should we hope to discover from this journey?"
The king looked on the general with utter desperation. "My men, my people," he quickly corrected himself, acknowledging me, the royal enchantress, "in truth, it is not the common apothecaries I wish for you to visit. We believe that a great and terrible power dwells in a tower near Gondarkh. We believe that he - she? it? - possesses knowledge of elixirs to cure all the ailments in the world." The king paused as we considered this extraordinary possibility. "However," he continued, his gaze darkening, causing him to appear vaguely maniacal, "he also possesses the ability to bestow them."
"Of what nature is this being?" I impulsively inquired of the king. Delayed only slightly, I added, "Your Highness." I had only begun attending royal meetings a year ago, when I was formally pronounced enchantress of Knacreig. I often forgot that I was no longer the carefree child I was just four years ago. If not for the loss of my father, I often wondered if I would still be that child. "Is it a demon? A god? A man?"
"We do not know, Miss Esbeilia," came his response. "We have only encountered him in tales and we can verify no details about him. We are not absolutely certain that he even exists, but despite our uncertainty, he is our only hope.
"Men, this is a quite perilous task which shall not be taken lightly," the king asserted, "but it shall be accepted with honor. With you, General, I plan to send a small militia of fifty men, ten archers, and five of our best knights. The -"
"Your Highness," I blurted out. After unintentionally attracting everyone's attention, I continued, "I apologize. But you must send me on this mission."
"Absolutely not, Miss Esbeilia," the king declared firmly. "You are the one person in Knacreig who is trained in the art of sorcery. You are much too young and much too valuable to our kingdom."
"With all due respect, Your Highness, I am almost of the same age as the majority of your militia," I disputed. "Also, it is because I am the only person with magical training that you must send me. These men, though highly skilled, are most unprepared against a being of magic. With time, another enchantress can be trained from the very same tomes as myself, but these men will not have that time."
"You have no combat training," he pointed out.
"Test me," I said. "I am at least as skilled as the lowest of your militia men."
"Very well, Esbeilia," the king sighed. "We will organize a basic combat examination for you tomorrow morning. If you prove yourself, you will accompany my army on their journey to Gondarkh the following evening."
"Thank you, Your Highness." I relaxed my muscles from their tense positions.
"As for the rest of the army, I will leave that choice to the general. That is all for today. You are dismissed."
We rose together, as a giant mass, and exited the hall. As I reached the doors, I turned and stole a last glance at the king. He was still standing there at the head of the table, and from his face, I knew very well that he was mentally imploring me to surrender and stay within the castle's confines, away from harm. I knew because I had seen that exact expression countless times in the past, on the stern face of my father. Ever since he disappeared, thinking of my father always chilled me to the bone, but those eyes, those eyes that made demands purely as a show of power, made my blood run hot as the sun.
Giving the king no acknowledgement, I turned and strided out the doors.
He'll see.
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