Quest for the King (28 page)

Her words reminded Mary that she still had not found the person
she had been seeking so long. "Oh, an' I still haven't found Uncle
John. Oh, Lady Roelane, if only he hadn't disappeared! Where is he?
I'd even put up with the old lady he married if I could find him. I'm
sure I've come to the wrong time. Wherever can he be?"

Lady Roelane sat down and Mary sat beside her, enjoying their
closeness. She cupped her chin, her elbows resting on her knees.
"What made you come back to us?" Lady Roelane asked.

"Well, I was frightened of Shagah, but he was called away," Mary
answered. Expression dropped from her voice, and her words came
dully. "He had wanted me to sleep there, but I'm glad he was called away 'cos I was scared-of him. After he left I was alone in those
rooms all night. I think I fell asleep. He came back around dawn and
told me I was to take part in the search for this young king with you
guys, and report back to him afterward. He said I couldn't help but
obey him."

Lord Nasa looked hard at her. "Mary, Shagah has no control over
you. He just wants you to think he has."

"Mebbe so. But I am certain about this witch thing. First there was
Mirmah, and then when I was mad at Uncle John I just had to join
the witch club. I couldn't resist it. I was pulled, fascinated. An' I was
good at it-or bad at it, as you guys would say. The power was real.
I could actually feel it in me, an' I could do things with it. There has
to be a reason for all this. An' I believe Shagah told me the truth."

She put her own arms around Lady Roelane's waist. "Roly-may I
call you that?-it's just a pet name. But thank you for being so nice
to me. I know I don't deserve it."

Lady Roelane laughed. "Call me whatever you like, dear. Though
you are the strangest little girl I ever met, we have grown to love you.
Goodness alone knows why."

Mary's thoughts were still back in the temple. "Y'know, Shagah can
see into the future. He knows what's going to happen."

Lord Nasa looked eager. "Like what, Mary?"

"He says of King Kook will die suddenly-in the next month or so.
Good riddance, I say."

"He actually said that?"

"Yes. An' he says that the queen has a great deal of power on herhe calls it the power, whatever that means-so he'll not tamper with
her. Not yet, at any rate. He says she'll die naturally several years from
now. An' if they can find out where this young king is, Shagah will
rule."

"How will he rule?" Lord Nasa asked.

"He didn't actually say. I imagine he'll get rid of the young king.
An' he talked to me all about the shadow side. He said they were all
under the same head-spiritists, white witches, black witches, diviners, sorcerers, wizards, people who were into sacrificing their own kids, an'
that lots of them didn't know what they were into."

Lady Roelane said, "That is true enough. Birds of a feather ..."

"Most of them don't have much power," Mary continued, "an' some
fake it. Most of the people into these things are what he called 'lightweights,' little more than conjurers, but a few have a great deal of real
power."

Just then there was a knock at the door. Lord Nasa opened it and
Princess Anne entered, announcing, "Her majesty, Queen Suneid!"
The queen entered, followed by Alleophaz, Gerachti, Belak, the three
Friesens, and finally Duke Dukraz.

Once they were all seated, the queen began. "You must forgive this
intrusion. Let me say at once, children, that I welcome your presence
here in Anthropos. I spend much time in fasting and solitude, and
was aware of your arrival in the country."

"You were? All of us?" Kurt was filled with wonder.

"Yes, all of you," the queen replied. "And I believe all of you are
servants of the High Emperor, with the possible exception of Mary."

The silence deepened as everyone looked at Mary. Lady Roelane's
arms tightened round Mary's waist as the queen continued. "Though
even about Mary, whose relationship with Shagah is unclear, I am
content."

Wesley thought, "What an extraordinary person the queen is-like
Joan of Arc!" But nobody spoke, and the queen continued.

"The issue of the young king for whom you search is one that is
close to my heart. I know what the prophecies say, and I am sure the
time has come for his appearance. In sharing my thoughts with you,
however, I have to talk about my husband, his majesty the king."

She hesitated, then took a breath, choosing her words carefully.
"Changes have occurred in him while I have been away. He is no
longer the man I knew. I believe his personality is under the control
of another being."

She glanced round at the duke. "Duke Dukraz shares my concern.
Nevertheless, his majesty at this point seems to trust you people. What Shagah thinks, I have no idea. Only rarely have we ever spoken." She
paused for a moment and drew in another breath. "The question I
pose is, Are you willing to face the dangerous situation here and do
what you came for?"

Duke Dukraz said, "I doubt that either his majesty or Shagah will
interfere with your search, until you have found the king. At that point
you will face very real danger. They believe he is in Anthropos, but
will wait for us to find him for them. They believe completely in your
column of smoke and blue fire, for they know you are surrounded by
powers that even Shagah cannot match. But sooner or later they will
make their move."

"Yes," the queen murmured grimly. "And it might be better for us
to preempt them."

"That is very interesting," Gerachti said. "How can you be so sure
of their attitude?"

"Both because of the king's own words and because once you have
experienced the supernatural, you soon learn you are in touch with
both sides and you can perceive both. That is why we have to fight,"
the queen replied.

Gerachti nodded. "That is true. You know, even I am beginning to
experience that."

"But as I understand it," Duke Dukraz frowned, "human beings
always know only a limited amount, and those serving-or shall I say
controlled by-the dark side are usually grossly deceived. Until very
recently I was deceived myself."

He continued to frown for a moment, staring at the floor. Then he
said, "I believe the real danger will follow your finding the king. You
notice they only call him emissary, as though he were a lowly servant.
They will send armies to secure the boy's death-but should you not
return with the news they want, they will also summon the spirits of
darkness."

"Do they have the power to do that?" Alleophaz asked.

The queen replied, "They certainly have. I have no doubt that
Shagah, even now, is calling them down. He wants to use as many legions of goblins as he can lay his hands on and send them against
you once you have found and identified this king-to-be.

"What is more, Colonel Emoona was arrested last night." She
sighed, shaking her head. "He may already have been executed."
There was a stunned pause before the queen smiled again. "Yet I
never cease to be amazed at the Changer's ways. The spirits of
darkness summon goblins, and the Emperor summons the beasts of
the forest. I have been informed that you will have aid from the
Koach."

"What are the Koach?"

Wesley said, "Oh, they're just like wolves-except that they talk like
humans. Sorry-I didn't mean to interrupt, your majesty."

The queen laughed. "I take no offense." Then her expression
changed. She shook her head, a solemn look on her face. "I ask you
again. Are you willing to face great dangers to take this king to a place
of safety?"

Belak asked, "But your majesty, where can safety be found for a
child?"

The queen answered, "The place is hidden from me, but the strong
powers with you will show you. The question is the danger. Are you
all willing to face it?"

"With your majesty's permission." Alleophaz rose and bowed. "Our
duty is quite clear. I, the two men with me and these children have
received instructions from a higher source to find the young king. Our
duty is to him even more than to Anthropos. What we do after paying
him honor, I do not know. But the charge we have received comes
from beyond the star-studded skies. So while we are delighted that his
majesty seems willing for us to search the young king out, we obey
higher orders."

The queen nodded. "It is well. I accept your pledge, for I have no
reason to trust my husband's interest in the young king. We shall have
to trust the Unseen Emperor, the Changer, for I fear the plans both
of Shagah and his majesty bode ill for the child's life.

"However, you children must speak for yourself."

The three Friesens nodded, but Mary stared despairingly at the
floor.

Alleophaz resumed his seat, and Kurt stood. He seemed a little
flustered, but said, "Your majesty, when we saw Gaal-in this place of
timelessness-he told us about the young king, but he would not tell
us how we were to rescue him or what we were to rescue him from.
And when we asked him, he said, as you just did, that we would know
what to do when the time came."

The queen nodded. "Yes. That is how he is! He prefers us to trust
him without knowing all that lies ahead."

Wesley also got to his feet and bowed. "Your majesty, you risked
your life in combat, trusting the Emperor to save you. We want to do
the same."

"Yes, your majesty, you were just super in the duel!" Lisa added,
rising as well.

The queen smiled and thanked the two of them warmly.

Duke Dukraz turned to the rest of them and asked, "So what are
your plans? Do you have any idea what you will do yet?"

"No details," Alleophaz replied. "We will pack our gear at once. Our
horses, through her majesty's kindness, have been replaced and readied. We can set out for Karsch tomorrow at dawn, and at least begin
our search there."

"And yours, my Lord Nasa and Lady Roelane?"

"With your majesty's permission," said Lord Nasa, "we would very
much like to join the search party."

The queen laughed heartily, the laugh ringing bell-like to lighten
their solemn discussion. "Of course. And you must forgive my memment. I had anticipated and am delighted by your request. I have
already ordered your animals prepared by dawn. You see, I knew what
you would want to do!"

"Your majesty will remain here?"

"Yes, my lord duke. I want to see what happens."

"His majesty has urged me to go with the party," said the duke.

"He has?" The queen frowned. "Why, I wonder?"

"Does your majesty need me?"

"I would certainly feel better if you were here," she said. "The
captain of the guard has a subordinate who could take over his duties.
I will send the captain with the party."

Duke Dukraz looked thoughtful. "Hm! I wondered myself what the
king-or whoever-had in mind. I believe I will stay." He turned to
the others. "Nevertheless, I really do not believe you have anything
to fear in the way of violence from his majesty's forces, certainly not
until you have found and identified the king. And as we said, it will
probably be worse than a human army that is unleashed-shades and
goblins are more likely."

The queen rose to her feet. "The duke and I must leave you. For
you have much to do before tomorrow."

As she turned to leave, she looked for a moment at Mary. But Mary,
her head buried in Lady Roelane's lap, was sobbing bitterly again.

In the gray dawn they set out without breakfast, shivering in the early
chill while loading the fresh food and supplies the queen had provided. As she had promised, the queen had assigned Captain Integredad to help them. All ten in the party were mounted, and four pack
animals trailed behind.

Their night had been short, and now they were wooden, stupid and
half-awake. Nobody felt much like talking, and even the crisp autumn
air failed to stir them.

Very quickly they left Bamah behind and soon were among the
trees, proceeding a little south of east along a cart track. The fall
weather caused them to pull their cloaks around them more tightly,
as gray fog made the surrounding trees eerie and ghostly. Humans,
like the horses they rode, breathed out their own quota of mist into
the morning's damp.