We moved ahead as he read the card, which drew more attention than I’d expected. A few heads turned to see the new princess. On the third step, I placed the glowing halo as her crown.
More heads turned. Conversation stopped in mid-sentence. The band quit playing. The room went still as we slowly took each step and paused before taking the next. I held my chin up, knowing nobody was looking at me but trying to do my part.
When we reached to bottom, instead of blending in as others had done, Elizabeth walked directly ahead, pulling me along with her. She walked regally, precisely to where the king sat, a younger version of himself standing at his side. She stepped up, released my arm, and curtsied deep and low, in the most respectable manner possible.
She was only two steps away from him. When he motioned for her to stand, she whispered fiercely, so softly I had a hard time hearing her and she was next to me, “We must talk. Now.”
The king slowly stood, his eyes, like those of the hundreds of people in the room, guests and servants alike, on the crown of light on her head. In comparison, his gold crown trimmed with jewels was pale and unimpressive. He was momentarily confused at her words, then recovered.
His voice boomed in the still air as he threw his arms wide to embrace her, “This is an unexpected surprise.”
Before any objections could be made, he kept his right arm around her shoulder and mumbled in her ear as he led her to the side, “Come with me.”
I meekly followed, expecting to be ordered to halt at every step, however, we managed to reach a door that I had not seen. We quickly entered, and for the first time, I realized there was a fourth person—the son that had been at his father’s side firmly shut the door to the rest of the guests.
The king fell heavily into a chair, one of five or six. His breath came hard and fast, his face flushed, but his eyes were stern and focused on Elizabeth.
The son was confused, part angry, part mesmerized by the beauty of Elizabeth. I was far too smart and well versed in royal manners to speak.
The king said between heavy breaths, “Who are you and what is this all about?”
“We are from the Kingdom of Dire and I am Princess Elizabeth, second in line to our throne, and this is Damon. I come here on a matter of urgency that cannot wait.”
He said, “I find most emergencies are because you have a problem, not me.”
“In this case,” she used the same droll tone as him, “It does concern you as much as me. Maybe more.”
“Sit. Tell me the short version of this dire emergency.” He chuckled. “Dire emergency. Did you hear my pun?”
“I’ve heard it too many times over the years and this is no laughing matter.”
His eyes drooped. Sweat beaded his forehead. It hadn’t been there a moment earlier. Elizabeth saw it too. She motioned to the prince. “Is there medication? No, never mind. Just listen.”
She quickly told of her father’s illness, the increased number of mages at Crestfallen, and when she had their full attention, she told them of Trager, Vin, and Dagger. How the royalty in each either sickened or died in accidents, the royal rule had eventually been taken over by a council of advisors.
As she talked, the king and his son exchanged several meaningful glances.
I cannot say she told the shortest version, but anger and fear replaced their festive expressions. Neither interrupted. She skipped a lot, especially about the last dragon, Kendra, and me but hit the highlights of the rest.
“Who is behind this attack on all of us?” The son asked.
I’d missed hearing the prince’s name if any had mentioned it, so I extended my hand to introduce myself and ask. As our hands clasped, a scream filled my ears, almost a wail of joy. It receded, but my hand tingled. It was so intense, my concentration lapsed, and the halo of gold flitted from existence as a result.
The prince was as surprised and confused as me. He backed away as if I’d done something to him on purpose. His surprise and confusion turned to anger.
However, I found myself smiling. I’d heard and felt the same before. Once. Without thinking of the breach of protocol, I slipped my sword free and raised it high. I said, “Please remove your sword.”
Obviously thinking we were going to fight, he pulled his blade and as the distance closed, the keening increased. I gently moved mine closer and the odd sound increased. I pulled it away and the sound quieted.
The king said, “What is this happening?”
“You can’t hear that?” the prince demanded.
“Hear what?”
The prince said to me, “What do you know of this?”
I decided to respond fully. “Over two hundred years ago, at least three swords were made and enchanted by someone unknown. They were to never be crossed in battle. Only the owners hear the sound we call singing.”
He moved his closer and backed away. I waited. He said, “You knew about this. You knew it would happen.”
I shook my head. “I knew of two swords. Mine and one that belongs to the rightful heir of Vin, Prince Angle. We discovered the spell as we attacked each other in battle. He is now recruiting men from Vin and Trager to help us take Dagger and march on Kaon and a magical being who is known to us only as the Young Mage.”
“Is that who makes my father ill and caused the horse to throw me?”
Elizabeth said as music drifted through the door. “To take control of Malawi all that is required is a long illness by the king so properly appointed advisors from Kaon can be placed, one of the princes falls down stairs he has climbed since childhood, a second dies in a hunting accident and the last by the same illness that has plagued him since birth. Without knowing for certain, I’ll guess the next and next couple in the royal line has already met with untimely deaths.”
The king and his son exchanged another telling look.
Elizabeth said, “So the next to wear the crown is either weak, aged, or feeble. A council should be formed to rule until such time as the crown can be restored—which will never happen.”
The king said, “So, you came to warn us.”
“No. To ask you to join with us in defeating the Young Mage. My kingdom, my father the king of Dire, and my eldest brother, and the rule of my kingdom are all at risk, the same as yours. We’ve merely stalled the Young Mage. Unless we act and band together, he will use other methods to defeat all of us. His primary plan is already in place here in Malawi. His alternative is to attack you with the combined armies of five kingdoms.”
The last statement drew blood from the faces of both.
She continued, “When in all your history have six mages gathered in Malawi? Or even three?”
The prince snarled, “I never liked them.”
The king looked at me then back at Elizabeth. “What do you want of us?”
Without thinking, I knelt and held out my sword, the blade in the palms of my hands, and bowed, baring my neck. I said nothing.
After a time, the king took my sword and from the corner of my eye watched him examine it critically. He asked, “This was made here? One of the finest swords in the entire world?”
“It was.”
“Yet you offer it to me without condition?”
“I do.”
He took the sword by the hilt and tapped each of my shoulders. “Arise, Sir Damon.”
That hadn’t been my intention. I was as stunned as Elizabeth. She said with a giggle, “Wait until my father hears you’ve been abducted by the Malawi kingdom. He’ll be furious.”
I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t refuse. I didn’t have the option to accept or not, it was done. Both the king and his son were smiling at our reactions. The king said, “The longer we remain in here, the more rumors will fly, the more the mages will be curious and warned. Make her hair glow again, and the four of us will attend my ball as if we are the oldest of friends.”