The King's Folly Page 9

  Lorriel opened the box and the sight caused her to gasp. Inside was the most delicate and finely woven kerchief she had ever seen. The embroidery was colorfully detailed, and the fabric as soft and light as air. Then she noticed the masterpiece of artwork was the Crestlaw family crest and the Kallestor family crest together.

  “I have never seen fabric and embroidery like this,” Lorriel spoke with wonder in her eyes.

  “It is what they call silk, but I know not how it is made. I saw this piece of cloth and colored threads with a merchant that makes wide travels to places I have never heard of. At first he did not want to part with them, but I convinced him it was for a special princess. I then took this to our finest weaver and had him construct the crests from the fine colored threads.”

  “It is wonderful,” Lorriel said, knowing that there was nothing like it in the whole kingdom, just the kind of thing she could treasure to remind her of Andrew.

  Inside there were more presents and they were all nice, but she treasured none as much as the one Andrew had given her. She showed it to Rebekka who was mesmerized by the delicacy and intricate work.

  “Andrew Crestlaw must really be smitten with you to give you such a unique gift,” Rebekka said smiling.

  Lorriel did not want to put it down for fear of it getting misplaced, so she folded it several times and when no one was looking she slipped it down the front of her dress, next to her heart.

  There was plenty of food and everyone was enjoying themselves. Even King Mollen was having a good time. Mollen was enjoying the celebration, but he was also keeping his eye on Andrew Crestlaw. The one thing King Mollen possessed was his keen sense of observation. It seemed nothing escaped his notice. That is how he saw Rebekka Prescott’s interest in Raven, as he now observed Lorriel and Andrew. Lorriel was always looking at the boy, occasionally putting her hand on top of his hand. The more he watched them, the greater his anger began to build. He may have been good at observation but Mollen did something no man should do, and that is to judge the motive of another. For no man can see the motive of another’s heart, and to guess is often to guess wrong. Mollen was good at piecing together what he saw, and what he saw was Andrew and Lorriel’s affection for one another. But what he was wrong about was to assume Andrew had evil motives in plying for Lorriel’s affections.

  How dare he use my daughter as a stepping stone to the throne, Mollen thought.

  By now the couples were dancing and the orchestra was playing soft soothing music. Everyone was enjoying themselves except the king. As he watched Lorriel, his anger deepened to see them holding each other close as they danced, to see the love in their eyes, the smiles on their faces. He no longer thought of his daughter’s happiness, nor of the fact that it was her celebration. All he could think of was the death of Andrew Crestlaw.

  King Mollen stood up, and in his anger he threw the chalice he was holding out onto the dance floor. It hit and wine went everywhere as the cup clattered across the floor. Every one stopped dancing and the orchestra stopped playing.

  All eyes were on Mollen when he shouted, “Enough! The celebration is over. Everyone return to your homes immediately.”

  Then, realizing what he had done, King Mollen turned and stormed out of the great hall and into his council chamber. There was silence for a moment, but as the shock wore off, people began to gather their things and head for the door. Never had there been an outburst from the king like this before and everyone was shocked. Even the king’s children were perplexed by his actions.

  Lorriel looked up at Andrew and spoke softly, “I don’t know what is wrong but you had better go. I will see you soon at the summer feast.”

  Andrew nodded, hugged her and began to leave. But then whirled and kissed her quickly, smiled and then left.

  Raven bid farewell to Lady Rebekka as well, and also told her he looked forward to her company at the coming summer feast. Soon all the great hall was empty except for Edward, Raven and Lorriel.

  They stood looking at each other when Edward spoke, “I had better go see what has made father so angry and what has pushed him so out of character.”

  Raven nodded as Edward left and then felt a hand grasping his. It was Lorriel.

  She spoke to him, “I have to talk to you, Raven. Let’s go sit down over there.” She pointed to some seating along the wall.

  When they were seated, she cleared her throat, “Raven, how do you know if what two people have between each other is true love, the kind that will last a lifetime?”

  Raven would have said to go ask mother, but that was impossible and he now realized why she was asking him.

  “Well,” he said, “I have no doubt that you and Andrew love each other, but whether it is the lasting kind or not is up to you.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Lorriel.

  “Love comes in all different levels and forms, but the best kind of love is not based on emotion or how one feels, but on choice. Your relationship with Andrew has a lot more emotion and sparks than mine does with Rebekka. I guess you would say ours is more an intellectual appreciation of each other rather than emotion. Remember, your relationship with Andrew started out with him saving you. I would say that is pretty emotional.”

  “Which kind of relationship is better?” Lorriel asked.

  “Neither,” Raven replied. “Every relationship is different. No two are alike. What really matters is that when you find someone you want to spend your whole life with, that the decision is not made because of emotion or circumstance, but upon an irreversible decision, a commitment that you would rather die than spend your whole lives apart. You see Lorriel, emotions or circumstances change, but a life commitment is the base upon which love can be built and flourish. All other foundations are unstable and unreliable. That is why it comes down to a choice. You choose to make love last a lifetime. It does not happen to you. You make it happen. Do you understand?” Raven was now speaking to himself as much as to Lorriel, thinking through his own feelings and choices.

  “Yes,” she said, “yes, I do. Oh, thank you, Raven. Thank you for talking to me. Now I know.”

  Now Raven was perplexed. “Know what?” he asked.

  “Now I know that I want Andrew for the rest of my life, forever.”

  I hope Andrew feels the same way, Raven thought, but then who could resist his sister’s tender loving heart? And remembering the way they danced and looked at each other, he knew Andrew had lost his heart as well.

  Edward came up to them then and spoke, “Father wants to see you in his council chamber immediately.”

  They all three proceeded to the council room where King Mollen was seated behind the huge desk.

  He wasted no time and spoke directly to Lorriel, “I forbid you to see any more of Andrew Crestlaw or to even speak to him. Is that understood?” Mollen’s words cut Lorriel right to the heart. She’d never expected this.

  “Why, father? What reasons do you have for disliking Andrew? What has he done?”

  “Silence!” Mollen yelled. “Will you question the king? I have spoken, there will be no more discussion. Is that clear?”

  “Yes, Sire,” Lorriel spoke, bowing to the king with tears in her eyes. She then turned and ran from the room crying.

  Raven started to go after her when the king commanded, “Raven! Stay!” Raven turned now, anger building in him.

  He controlled it and then spoke to his father, “What could have possessed you to hurt Lorriel in this way? Can you not see she cares very much for Andrew?”

  “Lorriel will get over him, and there is something greater at stake than her feelings.”

  “How can you say that?” Raven spoke with an edge to his voice because of his rising anger. “I question whether you have ever really loved then.” Raven felt Edward’s fingers tighten harshly on his shoulder, showing his disapproval for what Raven had said. Raven knew, too, that his father did love his mother and he was out of line for saying what he did. He waited fo
r the explosion to come from his father but it never came.

  Instead, his father softened and spoke, “I know Lorriel is in love with Andrew, but there are things you cannot see. You are too young, and I don’t want to explain myself right now. But I cannot allow this to continue. Raven, when Andrew comes for the summer feast, you will take him aside into the garden and explain my decision and will. Is that clear?”

  “Yes, Sire,” Raven said, knowing the argument was over.

  “You are dismissed,” Mollen waved with his hand.

  As his sons left, Mollen thought about Lorriel. He felt for her broken heart. She did love Andrew and that is what made this such a terrible sin, using his daughter to get at the throne. He would take care of Andrew at the summer feast, once and for all.

  Chapter 5

  The King’s Command

  “Love is a powerful thing, once it begins to flow it is like a dam breaking, it cannot return once let loose, and those who try will be utterly swept away.”

  --The Wisdom of Fathers

  After Raven left the king’s council chamber, he hurried to Lorriel’s room to find her. She lay face down upon her bed sobbing in gasping breaths. Raven went up and sat on the bed next to Lorriel and placed his hand on her shoulder. She sat up and looked at him through tearful eyes, not recognizing him for a moment. Then she threw her arms around Raven and cried harder.

  All she could say was, “Oh, Raven, why?”

  Raven did his best to console her, but he felt her pain, too, for Andrew was his friend as well and had saved both of their lives. Finally, Raven was overcome too, and tears rolled down his cheeks. Never had either of them hurt this bad since their mother had died.

  At last, Lorriel calmed down enough to talk, “What has happened to father to make him turn so against Andrew?”

  Raven thought for a moment and then answered carefully, “I think father has suspicions about the loyalty of the Crestlaw dukeship. You and I know it is not Andrew. Perhaps it is someone else of the Crestlaws that the king has information of disloyalty about and has transferred it to the whole clan. In any case, just sit tight until I can find out what is going on.”

  “How can I?” Lorriel spoke and her tears started to form again. “In a few weeks the summer feast will take place here at the castle and everyone will be here, including Andrew. How can I endure his presence without talking to him or being by him?”

  “You have to be patient, Lorriel. I will do all I can to get to the bottom of this, I promise! In the mean time, do as father has ordered, even if it is painful and difficult. Remember the old lessons that mother taught us: righteousness and truth coupled with perseverance will always bring about the correct result. If your love is true, and you and Andrew do what is right, love will prevail. In the mean time give God and me time to do our part, will you?”

  Lorriel nodded, but was unsure because of her clouded feelings. She was torn in different directions at the same time.

  What had father said to him earlier when speaking about Rebekka, Raven pondered?

  Then he remembered his words, “It is a sin to force love or affections where they do not wish to go. Only tragedy can result from that kind of action.”

  Then Father must know that this would only result in pain for his daughter and not change her feelings at all. Raven had to find out what was going on. None of this made any sense. He also felt guilty. The king had as much blessed his interest in Rebekka Prescott and was happy for Raven. Why could he not do the same for Lorriel?

  He turned to Lorriel and said, “Nothing looks as terrible after a good night’s sleep. Please try to rest, Lorriel.”

  She nodded quietly as Raven turned to leave her room and return to his.

  She called out to him, “Raven, I love you, little brother. Without you, I could not endure this. Thank you for being there for me and understanding how I feel.”

  As Raven left, another tear rolled down his cheek. He did love Lorriel, too, and somehow he would make this all right again. When he got to his room, he was restless and decided he would go to the weapons room and retrieve the crossbow bolt to show Master Fields tomorrow morning during arms training.

  Entering the weapons room he lit the torches and went again to the cabinet that contained the cross bow. He had been mesmerized by the crossbow’s construction and had not really gone completely through the cabinet. He decided to do so now to see if there were more than three crossbow bolts.

  There was a drawer at the bottom of the cabinet that he had not opened yet. This he did, and to his amazement he saw folded there a coat of mail like he had never seen before. It was so finely woven and light that Raven would not have believed it useful save for the other weapons and armor he had encountered. It was made of the same light alloy as the other armor and was soft and supple as cloth.

  Raven tried it on. The shirt overlapped in the front and buttoned over his right breast. The trousers as well fastened quite inventively and securely. In fact, they fit perfectly, as if they were made for him.

  How could this be, Raven thought?

  If anything, this mail was meant for the Brickens’ line, and yet he was a descendant of the Kallestors. Then he remembered his mother’s genealogy lessons. The Brickens’ blood line was not completely extinct. Several Brickens' women had married into the Kallestor line over the centuries before they failed to produce an heir to the throne. He smiled to himself. Maybe he had more Brickens in him than he knew. This mail was amazing. It was not restrictive and you hardly knew you were wearing it. Raven removed the mail, folded it, and placed it back in the drawer.

  This will come in handy someday, he mused. He also thought; this mail would not fit Edward, he is bigger than me.

  Smiling to himself as he picked up one crossbow bolt, sometimes it was better to be just average in size. Raven left the weapons room, closed the door, and headed back to his own room through the passages. When he was safely back in his own room with the crossbow bolt in his hand, he sat and thought. Other than Master Fields warning to tell no one about the weapons, why should Raven keep the passages secret from his family? Raven laughed in response to the truth. The main reason was childish. He had found something no one else knew about, something every boy dreams about when he is young: a secret hideout, a special place.

  That is selfish, he thought until he remembered the sudden hostility that had developed between his father and the Crestlaws. He would keep the weapons room secret until he knew more. Something was not right, either with his father or the Crestlaws. What, he did not know, but he would find out. At the right time he would reveal this to his family, for he determined not to keep it secret forever. After this discourse in his mind was finished, Raven went to bed. Tomorrow morning he had arms practice with Master Fields.

  Raven did not sleep well though morning came quick enough. He dressed for practice and hurried down to the courtyard with the crossbow bolt in hand. There he waited for Master Fields to come. When Master Fields arrived, Raven offered him a quick greeting and handed him the arrow.

  Master Fields looked at the craftsmanship and whistled, “By the Tor’s third horn, this is an incredible piece of work. I have never seen a crossbow bolt like this before. Smithy will have fits trying to duplicate it, but if anyone can it will be that blacksmith. He’s the best there is.”

  Master Fields put the crossbow arrow down safely and said, “It is time now to continue your training, Prince Raven. Do you remember when you shot that arrow at me and I deflected it away?”

  Raven nodded. “Well, it is your turn today for the same exercise.”

  Raven was a little frightened of having an arrow shot right at his chest, thinking what would happen if he failed. It would be the end of him. He now wished that he had the coat of mail on for this exercise. Then Master Fields produced a blunt ended arrow with no point on it, and Raven was even more relieved than he had imagined at the sight of a missing point.

  Master Fields smiled seeing t
he relief in Raven’s eyes, “I have not lost a student yet.”

  Raven laughed and Master Fields went on, “For you, though, I believe the missing point is not necessary. You have advanced far enough to be able to handle this exercise easily. I have no doubts about that, but I believe you do. You see, when you act out of reflex and instinct, you do not have time to think about it long, like the wooden axe I threw at you. You really did not think, you reacted, as you should. But when you have time to think about what will happen, like the arrow today, it is different. The more you dwell on it, the more you doubt yourself. So we must build your confidence by allowing you to know it is coming. Go stand over there by the wooden throwing backstop and we will begin.”

  Raven took his place over by the backstop and waited for the arrow to be released at him. Master Fields was right. Knowing something was coming made it more difficult to concentrate, and a little fear made doubts arise. If he missed the arrow, it would hurt, striking him in the chest and really bruising him, maybe even injure him. Master Fields drew the bow back and Raven told himself to be calm, concentrate, hear, and see the arrow coming toward him. As Master Fields released the arrow, Raven’s ears and eyes locked in on the arrow and again the motion slowed down and Raven timed its approach. But instead of deflecting it away, he reached out and grabbed hold of the shaft, stopping it inches from his chest.

  Master Fields was again shocked. “I wanted you to deflect it, not grab it,” he said.

  Raven answered Master Fields, “It is just as easy to grab it as it is to knock it out of the way!”

  “No, it is not,” spoke Master Fields. “A deflection is a desperate swipe with some timing to change the arrow’s direction away from you. All you have to do is hit the shaft front to middle for it to work. To grab it takes extreme concentration and precision. Now what have you learned?”