Once upon a deception

The Barre way

WOHAR (The church of Corbeau)

"The King refused your proposal, grandmaster. Just like I predicted he would." Duke Malachi began, circling the bearded old man who recently took over the most coveted position of the church. "This is the second time he has gone against the will of the church and if we are not careful, King Evan will rip away the power members of the church hold over this Kingdom."

A gasp spread across the room. The nobles and elites present sent knowing looks among themselves and Duke Malachi continued, proud of his handiwork. He has their support now.

"King Evan might not be able to do it himself since he has sworn an oath and needs us to stay alive but that does not mean his son can't. Is that not the reason for the test? A test the King failed terribly."

"-Enough Malachi!" The grandmaster spat, banging his cup of tea hard on the marble table members of the church gathered around to discuss. The cup spilt in three, spilling the dark contents within which immediately spread around. A shard cut the man at the fingertip and as the crimson red liquid escaped his cut, the grandmaster fixated his attention to the rambling Grand Duke. "What you just muttered is treason and you should know very well that the church does not kill one of its one."

"-But was King Evan ever one of us? The only reason he became King at the time was that he was a better candidate. A susceptible King compared to his brother who was a thorn in our side. The church bents it rules then Grandmaster. So what changed?"

"Nothing changed." The grandmaster replied flatly.  "Evan has been the best thing that has ever happened to the church. Never has the church held this power in ages and we both know that Malachi. The only reason you are doing this is because of your sick agenda to be King."

"True, I have my reasons." The duke admitted, taking a sip of his piping hot tea. "But my allegiance will always be to the church. He denied his last act for the Grand right and rejected his own freedom, declaring a war on himself and breaking the oath he made us when we made him King."

The grandmaster narrowed his gaze at Grand Duke Malachi. The man has to be the most manipulative being who had robbed his way to power and was not stopping until he hit the top. Malachi was slowly but surely eating into the minds of the greedy nobles who were already picturing how much they could gain if the present King was overthrown. With the proper strings pulled, the Grand Duke who also happened to be regent to the King would take over and if the first Prince refused to be initiated to the church, He would lose his birthright ending the legacy of Dupre house and giving birth to the reign of the house of Barre.

"There is still time for King Evan to rethink his decision." The grandmaster opined. "Is this not how he refused to monopolize the salt mines? How long did he keep resisting?" He added. "The King will make sure Prince Esteban is initiated. I can promise you."

"It is quite obvious you have a fatherly love to the King but it is not enough to save him. You will also remember The King makes sure his salt reaches the poor who cannot afford it making many here who run in the salt market incur losses annually and I assure you, King Evan is my friend. The look on his eyes when he refused the church... He means business.  I assure you, King Evan will not be rethinking his decision. He knows exactly what will happen if his son is initiated to church before succeeding him as King. Evan does not want the first Prince to be a figurehead like him and before that happens, before the church loses the power it has at the moment, We need to have a contingency plan."

At that moment, a servant rushed over to clean the mess of spilled tea and broken ceramics. The sight of the indentured was the perfect moment for the Duke to throw the idea he was already working on. He had waited for the grandmaster to bring it up in his boneless aim to save the King but just waiting for the words to come was beginning to disappoint the Duke.

"And the best candidate is me."

"Even if I agree with this insanity, You know we cannot kill the King. His refusal to let the first Prince be initiated is not reason enough and the church cannot take a step without consultation from the elders."

Malachi stared into the pitch-black thickness of his beverage. A wicked smile curved to his lips. "I have the seals of three elders and my plan is already in motion."

The grandmaster caught his breath, thinking. A heavy silence hung in the air as he surveyed the insignificant blue blood he had brought into the hands of the church with his very hands. The boy had now become a beast. His nature had become tainted. He was scheming, power-hungry, betraying,  and ambitious in all the wrong sense.

"What plan?"

"The church cannot harm one of its own so I got someone who can."

"Who?-"

"A slave."

***

"Will you look at that," Clarisse gave a hollow laugh. A laugh that frightened Lina as they walked to the river.

"What are you going on about?" Lina asked. A  skepticism underscored her question.

"My mother was also punished for having an affair with a freeborn. An affair that birthed me into this world and it punished my mother greatly. She was murdered right before my very eyes and the last thing she told me was to run. Run and never look back." Tears jerked out her pearly eyes as she remembered the unfortunate night. Clarisse mentally pictured it to tighten her resolve. "I watched her hang for her sacrifice. Even at that, I got a new family. They were not rich but they were kind. They were human and that family was torn apart because they took me in and sheltered me... They were stripped of everything they had because they dared to be human. That new family risked their freedom and life to make sure I had a good chance here. A world where I did not have to be afraid day and night but I cannot live with their blood on my head. I want to die Lina but if I am going to die, It should be for something worthwhile. Something honorable."

Clarisse and Lina exchanged a look. They both shared the raw pain they had all had to experience in the hands of fellow humans; the one and only monsters. Lina shifted her gaze in an opposite direction. Clarisse could tell what was running through the girl's mind and true, Lina had nothing to feel guilty about. It was not her fault that Clarisse Barre had felt nothing but pain since birth. She also had her share of travails and one girl's sob story was not going to deter her.

"I'm sorry you lost everyone you loved," Lina muttered as they got closer to the river. From afar, you could hear the sound of rushing water. "I hope we both get what we want."

"We will," Clarisse said under her breath. The less the girl was wary of her intentions, the better. Just as they got to the banks of the river, Clarisse spoke again. "I should go get the remaining plates."

"Okay," Lina replied instantly.

They shared another knowing look before Clarisse ran to the village. Walking up to the now empty table... Wrong! The near-empty table, Clarisse caught the sight of Lord Vincent who just resigned to his chair, sipping ale. She proceeded to ignore him and began packing the empty plates, putting at the back of her mind that she still had to make a quick stop to the healer.

"You know I always said you reminded me of someone." Vincent began.

"A former lover I suppose." Clarisse teased, strutting to the second half of the table to stack more plates.

"Yes." He grinned "But she isn't the only one you remind me of."

Clarisse grimaced. "You are going to try yet again to discourage me from giving my life to the cause, Aren't you?"

"I have to. You are being childish Clarisse. What you are about to get yourself into is... Trust me, it's bigger than you."

Clarisse seethed just hearing him spit the same words again and again.  She had had it. She was grown enough to make her own choices and she was done giving him the light of day. She planned on going back to Wohar whether Vincent liked it or not. She ignored him and continued to do her work. Vincent however did not stop.

"I know firsthand how bad this is going to go Clarisse. I have been there."

It was the last straw.

"No, you haven't!" Clarisse screamed, finally facing him. "You have not been so angry at yourself for even existing Vincent. Those people died because of me. You do not know what it's like to have that much pain hanging over you."

"-I do and just like you, I made a bad decision in the spur of the moment."

"A bad decision?"Clarisse repeated. "Do you hate being here? Is this not what you joined the cause for; To help the ones whose freedom of life was ripped away from them?"

"Yes!" Lord Vincent yelled back, banging the table and spilling the awful smelling ale. "But if I knew what I was getting myself to, maybe I would have reconsidered. Maybe I would not have to sell my people out because of some stupid grand right."

"Grand right? What is that?"

Vincent's eyes darted in her direction. He had almost spilled it. As much as he wanted to tell her, Lord Vincent could not. He had her respect. In fact, he had the respect of the people around him. If they learned the cause they had all willingly put their sweat and blood into was the mechanics of their situation in the first place, All hell would break loose.

"Nothing," Vincent replied, his face ashen.

"Well then, you do not have to tell me. This is my bad decision and I am ready to follow it to the very end." Clarisse said, bowing before lifting the stacked plates and leaving.