WORRLGENHALL (65 page)

Belon out tra
ining with his men, all were happy their commander was well and with them again, then when Aderac rode up; Belon stopped training alongside them and rode over to him.

“
When done with the men, I would like to ride away to be alone with my love,” his tempting words, as he smiled; then looked the other way so none could read his lips, “And kiss all over his body from head to foot, stopping for a long time in the middle.”

Titillated by his words, Belon called over two of the men who lead the training when he co
uldn’t do it himself.

“
Take over with the men,” he ordered; then looked over at Aderac and winked.

After he winked, Aderac smiled wide and sent his guards away.

“Let us ride,” his words, as he spurred his horse forward with Belon right behind him.

**

Fully healed and back to his normal self, because he was deeply in love with Aderac, Belon happily changed his lustful ways and controlled his temper, but a face imbedded in his memory, made him unable to change his vengeance.

Belon certain the man belie
ved his face went unseen, since he named no other culprits, had patiently bided his time until he was ready; then one evening when he happened to see him standing alone, feeling the opportunity was right, exacted it.

After he rode close, Belon jumped from
his horse and pretended to be casually walking inside, then stopped right in front of him.

“
You should have fled,” his few words, as he now looked at the guard face to face.

The guard quickly tried to withdraw his sword, but Belon so close, pulled out hi
s own knife and thrust it deep into the man’s stomach before he could.

“
Cut into my stomach for my words to you, will you?” he added, while his knife rested deep inside his stomach before he twisted it hard making sure to severe as many vital organs as possible. “You are a coward to not face me,” and after he slid to the ground, Belon wiped his knife clean on him; then left him to bleed out just as he had done to him.

His act of vengeance seen, another guard rushed to Gueden and reported it, and since the i
nner guards were under his control, outraged, Gueden went to Aderac, who was in his private council chamber talking to his ten.

When Gueden rushed inside with his witness and two others with him, he requested urgent words with the king, who refused him, un
til he mentioned it concerned Belon; then right away Aderac allowed him to stand before him.

“
Belon has killed one under me for no reason,” Gueden said outraged, “And for it his punishment should be death.”

Always when upset or shocked about something, Ad
erac’s eyes widening or his jaws dropping, he did both.

“
What words just came out of your mouth?” his words, as his hands slammed down onto the table hard before he sprang to his feet so quickly his heavy chair flew backwards and toppled onto the stoned floor.

“
My witness is beside me,” Gueden said, as he moved out of the way so he could step forward.

“
It is true,” he said out of breath, “And seen with my own eyes.”

“
His punishment should be death,” Gueden again said, “For his deed and the witness of it.”

“
Noooooo!” Aderac roared, and with one angry swipe sent everything that was on the table in front of him sailing to the floor, “Nooooo!”

“
Dare you forsake the laws of this kingdom?” Gueden rebuked him, angered by his instantaneous defense of Belon, “For the sake of him.”

“
Where is Belon?” Aderac asked at once.

From the door, Belon
’s reply echoed throughout, “Right here!”

Slowly
, Belon walked into the room and looked at all of them, as they parted to allow him to approach Aderac.

“
They speak you killed one under Gueden,” Aderac said. Hoping they had lied.

“
They speak the truth,” he confessed, making all in the room gasp.

Aderac inhaled deeply distressed, and
he watched him anxiously awaiting his next words.

“
He should be put to death!” Gueden blared instead of waiting.

“
Silence your tongue or lose it!” Aderac shouted at once; then looked at Belon.

Slowly, Aderac walked closer to Belon.

“Belon, my -” he said, struggling not to call him something affectionate as he always did when he spoke to him, “Why such a deed?”

Before he answered, Belon looked into Aderac
’s eyes lovingly; then turned to those in the room.

“
There was another in the darkness with those of the council,” Belon confessed, “His face I remembered well, and he was the one whose hand held the knife that almost killed me. He is also the one I had unsettling bitter words with in the courtyard when I first came to Ivodgald.”

“
Lies!” Gueden blared, “He has no witness of such!”

“
I have no reason to speak a lie,” his rebuttal, “Look on the back of his neck and left ear. There are deep marks I left when I grabbed him before he stabbed me that speak my truth.”

“
Bring me his body,” Aderac ordered.

Obeying the guards quickly went to get his body; then when they turned him over and looked at the back of
his neck and left ear, they saw healed deep scratches behind it.”

“
Belon speaks the truth!” Aderac blurted relieved, “Just as my vengeance was swift; Belon healed from his wound, and then sought his vengeance!”

“
Then shall we all take vengeance into our own hands?” Gueden scoffed angrily, “And have no need for a king.”

Aderac took in a deep breath and scornfully glared at him.

“Long did you serve under my grandfather and for it, I will spare your life,” Aderac gave his final warning through his exhale, “Speak to me that way again, and I will have you cut wide open and dogs feasting on your insides while you still live.”

From the look in his eyes, Gueden lowered his head knowing Aderac meant every single word. “
Forgive me.”

“
Leave us now!” he shouted to them all, and waved his hand.

After everyone quickly left the room, Aderac
’s body spun towards Belon.

“
Dare you do such a deed?”

“
Dare me?” Belon responded surprised he was admonishing him, “By his hand I sat in my own blood to die.”

“
Do you reason I did not know that, I am who found you?” Aderac cynically asked, “Why did you keep that hidden from me?”

“
He tried to take my life!” Belon now raved his justification; then angrily waved his arms.

Aderac mimicked Belon
’s emotion, and waved his arms.

“
If so, why did you not speak of him? My vengeance would be with him just as it was with the council.”

“
I was held to my bed!” his temper rising even more, as he now walked back and forth in front of him, “I was held to my bed, and the vengeance was mine!”

“
Your bed!” Aderac’s retort, now pointing at him, “It was my bed you bled all over and ruined. Not yours. And as for vengeance, you will never again take it into your own hands. I am your king and command you!”

Belon looked at him as if he had never laid eyes o
n him until that very moment, and was completely flabbergasted that he rebuked him.

“
Dare you speak to me as if I was a common servant or bought slave, and point at me?” he roared shocked and angered, “What am I to you?”

“
You know you are all to me, but I am your king when we are outside of the chamber!” Aderac roared back, and pointed his finger at him again, “And I will speak to you how I want as your king, and you will obey.”

Belon hated anyone pointing at him, and let Aderac know it.

“Keep pointing your finger while you shout at me,” he threatened, now so angry his face turned completely red, “And I will snap it off that hand of yours.”

Aderac
’s face looked thunderstruck, but he put his finger down.

“
Be thankful that I love you as deeply as I do,” he reciprocated a threat, “That you may speak to me so boldly and your red head still rest on your shoulders.”

“
Do what you will,” he spewed, undaunted by his threat.

His defiant words surprising Aderac so much that he paused for a few seconds, after he did;
he noticed Belon’s face was now completely red from anger.

“
I am speaking to you as king, and as your king you must obey me,” he tried getting him to see his side from a different viewpoint.

“
Then speak to me how you want as king, but do not point at me. And as for that bed of yours that I ruined; you can now sleep on it or any others alone for the rest of your life,” he said, then sarcastically added, “Forgive me
King
, if I leave you now, I reason my red head that still rests upon my shoulders is unpleasant to you now,” before he stormed away angered.

“
Belllooooon!” Aderac shouted to get his attention, but he wouldn’t turn around.

When Belon stormed out, Aderac so upset that it his body trembled, in a fit of frustration overturned his table and broke or t
hrew everything in the room, including his most priceless books, before he pulled all his tapestries down making the room look as if a violent windstorm had swept through it.

Still upset, he screamed
long, loud, and collapsed onto the floor breathing heavily; then when several servants and guards came in to check on him, screamed at them to get out.

Well into the night, Aderac paced back and forth rehearsing his apology while waiting for Belon to come to bed, and when he didn
’t, he became worried and ordered a search for him.

When none could find him inside Ivodgald, he ordered the land combed from the smallest village to the mines at Pyrin
. When still no one could find him, now pass ten days. Fearing he had returned to WorrlgenHall, Aderac went into despair and hopelessness.

Such was his state when others tried to talk to him; he went either into outbursts of rage, depression, or deep self-deprecation, and some days wouldn
’t bother to get out of bed.

Gueden knew he had to reach Aderac
’s sense of reason, or he would go insane, and when he entered his chamber and saw him curled in a fetal position on one side of the bed with all the things Belon brought him from his journeys neatly placed on the other side, feared he possibly was to late.

“
I fear I may be cut wide open, but I must speak,” Gueden boldly said because it baffled him, “What is it about this Belon that has you in such a way and has from the first? He is brash, quick to fury, vain, and I have yet to see him read, which you love to do. He falls short to all that is scaled with you.”

Aderac would not answer. He only sighed heavily, as he rubbed Belon
’s wristband against his cheek.

“
Well if you must have him, be a king about it,” Gueden’s blunt bold words, as he looked at him and shrugged his shoulders, now resolved that Belon was a thorn in his side that he would have to live with, “Go get him.”

Aderac
’s eyes perked and filled with life again from Gueden’s suggestion, and he sat up in bed. “Ready his men and my guards,” he ordered at once; then leaped out of bed and began to dress, “I am going to get him.”

While quickly dressing, he happened to look to his left at the door in his chamber that lead to the secret room noticing it half cracked, then after he curiously went inside to see why, his heart sudd
enly began pounding rapidly.

“
Oh, Belon,” Aderac said relieved when he saw him lying on the bed, “How could you stay hidden from me for so long just to sadden me?”

Belon woke startled when he heard Aderac
’s voice. He truly regretted his angered words to him, but unsure how to make amends, had stayed hidden instead.

“
My words were cruel,” he admitted, “I wanted to beg your forgiveness, but I did not know how after storming out the way I did.”

“
Did not know how?” Aderac repeated bewildered, “I have been without you and miserable. How could you torment that way?”

Belon sat up in bed. He was upset that he wounded Aderac by remaining hidden from him, and wanted to reveal he was just as tormented.

“Do you reason my torment was not as great or greater?” he professed, and now got out of bed and stood in front of him, “Has it still not truly set within you how madly I am in love with you?”

His statuesque body in front of him, Aderac wanted to rush into his arms, but somehow used all his will to stand and only star
e at his handsome face.