PART TWO: Cont'd
The strangers:
Ethia the queen mother watched her son closely and intently, while desperately wishing she could read his thoughts at that moment. He had become a complete stranger to her or at least to what she had hoped he would become. He was gradually displaying more of his father's character traits. That 'fairness to all the world' rubbish that usually drove her up the wall. The kindness and equitability that would eventually claim his life. It appeared she would have to go through it over again; but she would make sure it was over her dead body. Though some might have argued that her son the king was no longer a child or her child to be precise, but a grown man and a ruler. She begged to veer off that thread of opinion. She could not just sit by and watch caution so easily thrown to the wind. She had to do something, she had done it before and she would do it again. But first she had to figure out what he thought he was trying to do.
He was a king charting a new course and securing his territory while building his family. She still felt like they needed a re-introduction into their relationship and maybe an avalanche of recollections to help. The wear and tear had started she believed when he married that woman he called his sunshine. Maybe she as his mother should have let him stay out longer in the sun when he was a kid to tell the difference now. She felt it was her job as his mother to call to his attention, everything he appeared not to notice going wrong in the kingdom. However with each complaint she made, the strain between them only grew wider. When Methus had disclosed to her the occurrence the slave boy revealed to him, she rejoiced in the fact that her incessant warnings to her son about the hoodlums that littered their provincial palace would no longer be perceived as nagging. Justice had finally been served on her behalf. The king would now see that someone had pulled a wool over his eyes. The only problem was that he refused to acknowledge the wool, how much more whomever had pulled it.
She said, he said....
Methus robbed the back of his neck nervously and struggled to stand at ease as palace protocol required. He was beginning to sweat profusely, and in front of the king that was forbidden. The queen mother herself sat in a couch facing the throne as she disdainfully eyed Methus, wondering why telling a simple story would take that long. When the palace butler had approached the queen mother with the new revelation, he had expected and hoped she would now be pleased enough to leave him alone. His job of informing her about strange happenings in the palace (especially with the captives) would have been done and she might let him be about his beloved duties. What he had not expected was that she would drag him before the king and his magistrates to repeat what he had told her. Even after she herself had relished in telling the same story numerous times! He believed he had thrived so far by keeping a low profile and minding his work like his father had done when he was alive and held the same position. His job was to make sure things ran on time and well at the palace not to incite drama and trade gossips. He now knew he would forever curse the day the queen mother set eyes on him.
"So Methus, they tell me you are here to discuss the princess?" Asked the king with a quizicall look. He had not yet heard the buzz, only one of his magistrates knew why Methus was there. "You should really be talking to your queen about that. She will best describe what she wants done with the upcoming 'princess ball'." The king finished gently but dismisally as he settled back in his throne. He was feeling exhausted lately. From trying to hunt down a real or imagined adversary as he combed every nook and corner of his province, to squabbling magistrates and now his mother's unrelenting nag. The arrival of the princess had indeed been a much needed and welcome distraction. He trusted that with the queen's heightened level of ethusiasm, the anticipated ball would do them all a world of good and lasting memories. Methus who had his head bowed before the king and had temporarily pre-occupied himself with swallowing the successive lumps that were in his throat, made to dash out of the kings presence like a thunder bolt after his dismisal. But someone would not have it.
When Ethia noticed that Methus was not yet speaking, she decided to prime the situation herself. "What he is really trying to say," she started as she got up from the couch and started to advance towards the throne. "Is that your little princess was never among....". Suddenly, they heard a shrill and piercing cry coming from the other side of the palace. And almost instantly, a plethora of screaming and wailing subsequently followed. As what seemed like pandemonium had broken out in the kingdom. Children could be heard screaming and scurrying all over the place as the servants struggled to contain them and maintain the order. The king was quickly led away by his personal guards while flanked by his present counsels. Methus took his cue thankfully and fled towards the spreading chaos. The queen was also being evacuated to a secret place where the king would join her. Prince Amil had already been hidden.
Timing is everything:
Methus who was now panting heavily from his unplanned sprint, found Rifra in a state of turmoil circling the room but going nowhere. As he grabbed him, he had to shake him back to his senses. So much for leaving an assistant in charge while you tried to save your neck from being cut, thought Methus in revulsion. "What in the world is going on here Rifra?! Have you all gone mad?" Shouted Methus at the top of his lungs. "No master we are not all mad." Replied Rifra, trying his best to sound assuring. "Then what is the screaming and shouting about?!" Methus wanted to know. "Master," Rifra started to explain. "They found a dead body...".
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