The Scarlet King (6 page)

They positioned the skiff next to the anchor
line. Edna grabbed hold the thick line and pulled herself upwards
until the line entered through the scupper portal. At that point
she had to wedge her foot between the ship’s hull and the anchor
line. When she had stabilized her position she reached up; her
fingers just barely were able to grab the rail. As she transferred
her weight to her hands, she then had to free her foot from its
wedged position. Only then was she able to lift herself over the
rail and onto the deck of the ship.

She crouched low and looked around. There
appeared to be no one on watch. She leaned over the rail and could
make out Jeremy in the skiff holding himself to the anchor line.
She walked quietly to the companionway and spotted the sentry. She
froze and tried to make herself invisible. The sentry moved and she
recognized the thumping of Larby's peg leg. She whispered, "Larby,
it's me, Edna."

He spoke up saying, "We were hoping you were
going to show up."

Edna asked, "Where is the ship’s watch?"

Larby said, "The Captain and the crew went
ashore and left instructions that we were to allow only those
flying the green and white colors aboard. King Jason figured
something would happen tonight and we hoped it would be you." He
then asked," What of Jeremy?"

Heather explained briefly their escape and
Jeremy's injury. Larby went below and got a few others to help and
they moved forward. Larby took a line and easily slid down the
anchor line. Those on board then hauled Jeremy topside. Larby used
a line to secure the skiff and then climbed back aboard himself. By
now the entire delegation was topside and everyone had
questions.

Jason took control. When he had heard of the
envoy's instruction to leave immediately, he gave the command to do
so. Unfortunately those on board were delegates and soldiers, not
sailors. It was Larby who then took charge and began giving
specific instructions.

They began by partially raising the main
sail, then Larby gave the order to raise the anchor. Using the
large windless, they slowly began raising the heavy anchor. When
all the free scope of the anchor line had been pulled in, they were
no longer able to turn the windless. Larby went forward and tested
the tension on the anchor line; it was as tight as a string on a
bow.

He returned to the pilot house and told Jason
that the anchor was stuck. Jason asked what they should do. Larby
chewed on his lower lip before replying, "It would be best if we
waited for the tide to break the anchor free, but I fear that dawn
will be approaching before that happens. If we would leave in the
darkness we must cut the anchor line and lose our main anchor."

Jason looked at Edna and Jeremy, and Edna
said, "I wish not to see the prison of the Scarlet King again. I
would we leave as ordered by the envoy."

Larby again went forward, but instead of
cutting the anchor line aboard ship, he tied a line around himself
and descended along the anchor line to the water’s edge where he
began sawing with his sharp knife. When but a single strand was
left, he called up, "Relax the tension." Even with some relaxation
of the tension, the last strand gave way suddenly with the line
whipping upwards. Larby then had those aboard pull him up.

The ship began moving ever so slowly and
Larby took command of the helm. Under the partial sail they made
slow but silent progress. Not until they had passed out of the
harbor and into the open sea did Larby hoist the remaining sails.
The pink of dawn was evident in the east as they sailed south away
from the prison of the Scarlet King.

With the coming of the light the escape of
the prisoners from the Forest became known. A messenger who was
trusted by both the King and the envoy presented at the envoy's
quarters. He spoke briefly, saying, "Our King reports the visions
have gone and his mind is more at rest. For this he thanks you but
also sends a warning to be prepared, for some within the palace
will not be pleased." As soon as his simple message was relayed the
messenger disappeared quietly.

The envoy prepared for the day knowing it
would be a day of reckoning between those groups who struggled for
power. He had not yet finished the morning review with his
commanders when an official messenger of the palace arrived,
requesting his presence at the palace. He would not tolerate even a
few minutes of delay for the envoy to complete his planning. The
envoy sighed heavily and told his commanders to prepare, then left
with a messenger. He was escorted into the palace by armed troops
and taken not to the great hall, but to the Hall of Justice as had
Jeremy and Edna. There he was met by the same small group of
advisers, several of which were openly hostile to him as they
waited for the arrival of the Scarlet King.

The Scarlet King was carried in and set upon
his throne. His cousin, the Pet Bird, opened the proceedings by
charging the envoy with treason for failing in the Scarlet King's
command to capture the lands of the Sacred Water, and then allowing
the release of the prisoners from the Forest. This monologue went
on for some time and even the envoy, who was used to the
long-winded tirades of his cousin, became tired of listening. The
monologue finally ended. To add insult to injury, his cousin
recited the cleansing chant at its completion, implying that the
envoy was now a member of the unclean.

Another of the advisers told the envoy to
present himself to the Scarlet King and explain or accept the
charges. The envoy bowed low to his King and replied, "I accept the
charge of failing to conquer the source of the Sacred Water. I do
not accept the charge of allowing the release of the prisoners from
the Forest. They were not under the command of the military and
therefore not under my jurisdiction. It also appears their escape
has fulfilled my King's request to make the visions stop."

His cousin began another tirade about how the
prisoners could not possibly have escaped without the assistance of
the envoy. This lengthy monologue again went on for some time. The
envoy responded, "I would beg a chance to speak of another matter
far more important than these charges against me."

The King turned to the one advisor whom the
envoy trusted and whispered something. This advisor then said, "Our
Scarlet King would hear of this matter."

The other advisers complained that the matter
before the tribunal was treason and the tribunal could not be
interrupted. With a wave of his hand the King dismissed their
concerns and the envoy was allowed to speak. He looked straight at
his King as he said, "I received a report this morning that one of
the black ships was spotted off of our coast."

This changed the nature of the tribunal
instantly. Many questions were asked of the envoy, who had few
answers other than the solitary ship had been spotted and
identified. His cousin finally raised enough of a ruckus to regain
the ear of the King. He said, "He is obviously lying trying to
prevent his rightful judgment. I move that his judgment be
pronounced and the sentencing commence. If his report is true we
will deal with the future as it comes."

The advisor whom the envoy trusted asked, "If
the report is true, who will take charge of our defense?"

The envoy's cousin stood and fluffed himself
up, making him appear even more a pet bird, and said, "I will lead
the defense of our country and King."

The envoy at this time forced the decision by
saying, "My cousin, who knows not which end of the sword to hold,
would defend our King and country?"

Even the advisers associated with his cousin
had trouble controlling their smiles, but for the one those of the
Forest referred to as the Pet Bird the statement was devastating.
He was thrown into an almost violent monologue, and his shouting
continued until even the King tired of hearing him. He arose and
said, "Enough. I would hear the judgment of my advisers."

The advisers all stood and turned towards
their King. They all wore small ceremonial swords made of the
finest metals. Their decision was announced by showing their sword
if death was warranted or allowing them to remain sheathed if they
thought the subject was innocent. In unison they bowed before their
King, and with great ceremony turned towards the envoy with their
hands on the hilts of their swords. By rank his cousin came first;
he vigorously removed his sword and thrust it towards the envoy. He
was followed by his closely associated advisor who acted similarly.
The one advisor the envoy trusted left his hand on the sword which
remained in the sheath. The final advisor removed his sword with
much trembling and could not look at the envoy.

The four advisers stood as such until the
King arose and said, "Judgment has been passed in this ancient Hall
of Justice. I agree not with the judgment and will not allow the
sentence to occur in this Hall. Your sentence will need to be
carried out in the city square."

The Pet Bird paled only a little with the
reprimand of his King, and said, "As my King wishes." With a nod
from his head the guards surrounding the envoy placed him in
shackles and began escorting him from the Hall of Justice. As the
envoy was turning from facing the Scarlet King, they made eye
contact and understanding was evident between them.

The trumpets were sounded and advisers went
forth announcing a public execution. In the center of the plaza in
city center was a raised platform with a huge ancient block of
wood, with the groove carved in the surface to stabilize the
prisoner’s head and neck. The trumpets proceeded ahead of the
prisoner as he was slowly led to the city center. There he was
raised up on the platform where at first he stood tall. His cousin,
the Pet Bird, arrived shortly after in a gilded carriage.

With great ceremony he was escorted up onto
the platform. With the envoy still standing tall, the Pet Bird read
the charge and the sentencing. When the official proclamation was
finished he again recited the cleansing chant. He then spoke to the
envoy, saying, "Well, my bastard cousin, it appears our years of
disagreements are coming to an end. I'm sorry you will not be
around to celebrate my coronation as the next King."

The envoy, without turning towards his
cousin, replied, "One battle victory does not ensure winning of the
war." He added, "And at least I know who my father was."

His cousin reddened visibly and said, "It
would seem your days of battle are over. You should have fled with
that witch from the Forest."

The guards then stepped forward and had the
envoy kneel before the ancient block of wood and rest his neck in
the worn groove. The trumpets sounded and with great fanfare the
Pet Bird called forth the executioner. The large crowd of commoners
who had gathered seemed to shudder when the huge man dressed in
robes of death, his face covered with a black mask, presented
carrying a huge axe. The murmuring of the crowd died down as the
executioner slowly approached the envoy kneeling over the block of
death. The sound of the trumpets changed as the executioner began
raising his instrument of death above the neck of the envoy. The
sound of the trumpets seized just as the executioner began to
complete the upward swing of his axe of death, so all could hear
the final thump of life as the axe fell.

Just as the downward ark of death was to
start, many of the observers threw back their cloaks and brought
out their bows. Nearly fifty arrows simultaneously struck the
executioner, who fell back against the Pet Bird. At first no one
moved. The palace guard closed in around the envoy's cousin, who
had finally crawled out from under the executioner. His finery was
now covered in blood and the fear on his face evident for all to
see.

The envoy stood again and spoke to all
assembled. "I fear for my King and my country, for we face an
imminent danger and I choose not to die at this point.” He turned
to his cousin and said, "Flee back to the palace and bother me no
further, for if we are to survive the black ships much work needs
to be done."

With that the envoy simply walked off into
the crowd dragging his chains behind him. The crowd divided in
front of him and those loyal to the military formed a protective
shield around him as he made his way back to the military
compound.

Chapter 5

Life in Issip continued as those of the
Forest prepared for the coming of spring. Heather was sleeping well
after learning that Betty had heard Edna and they were again free.
Baby Geoffrey even cooperated and did not awaken until an hour
before dawn and when he began to demand attention. Heather arose
quietly so as not to disturb Daniel. She stirred the coals in the
fireplace and stoked the fire. She then picked up her baby boy, and
after changing him brought him to the rocking chair by the fire.
There she contentedly nursed him while she watched the flames dance
in the fireplace in the early morning darkness. As she watched the
flames they began to take shape and soon she visualized her
grandmother standing in the fire. Her arm was raised and she was
pointing towards the south and said simply, "You must go."

Heather blinked her eyes and the image was
gone. She leaned back in the rocking chair trying to make sense of
the vision, and only then noticed that baby Geoffrey had stopped
suckling and just now resumed. She sat there quietly with the shawl
around her shoulders even after the baby was back asleep.

As the sun arose so did Daniel. He found his
wife sitting quietly staring at the fire. He greeted her, "How is
the love of my life and the mother of my child doing today?"

Heather smiled back at him in reply but said
nothing for a while. Daniel gently picked up the baby and returned
it to the cradle. He looked again at Heather, who had the faraway
look in her eyes and knew something had happened. He recalled his
own strange dream and asked, "Was it your grandmother I saw in my
dreams standing in our fireplace?"