22 Sentencing
1503 Words
"Marvelous isn't it? The greatest achievement in our Kingdom's history."
The man beside Janus was clad in pristine white robes, with gold-trimmed laces and an ornamental pointed cap. He carried a staff with him, one that was as tall as he was, encrusted with gemstones and a glowing orb at its head.
Janus shivered as the man spoke, he was reaching out to his finger to collect data for the painting, but held back at just the right time.
"How are you, Prince Janus? I hope you are well."
A surge of memory came into Janus, returning his ability to speak.
"Your Holiness, I came for your summons as soon as possible." Janus knelt on one knee, as if by reflex action.
"Very well now my Son, we shall speak inside the confession room. Come follow me."
They went into a huge circular room at the end of the hall, it seemed to be situated high above the square. Janus could hear the chants of the people worshiping below.
Caius Morellus evoked the same emotions that Janus felt when he was in the presence of his Father. This man had thin silver hair, a thick but neatly trimmed beard and had a receding hairline, he had stark chestnut eyes and an eager smile. Janus couldn't shake the feeling that there were layers of mysteries underneath.
The room didn't look like a confession room. From what Janus saw in the lower floors, confessions were held in smaller wooden stalls where the presiding cleric would sit side by side with the person confessing. This was a special room, filled with paintings of royalty and old heads of the church, with carved wooden furniture and luxurious tapestries and curtains. Perhaps it was only reserved for the noble members of the court.
Janus was led to sit by a chair in the middle of the room, with no handholds or tables to lean on. He couldn't help but fidget with his hands as the Holy See stared at him from a seat with a higher throne at the end of the room.
"Can you hear it? The sound of a thousand devotees praising the Herald Almighty. The one who brought us into this world, and the one who will lead us into salvation."
"Praise be," Janus said. Again without thinking about it.
"Praise be." The Holy See repeated.
"Do you have any idea why I called you here my son?"
"No your holiness, although perhaps you are here to check on my faith. I admit I have wavered in the past, but I am trying to get back into the Light."
"Yes and I can see that you've been doing a very good job. The King himself has been offering more tithes to the church lately, it seems that one of his estates has been growing very rapidly. I have heard that this growth came from you, yes?"
"You are so kind your Holiness, but I assure you I was merely there to supervise upon the manor provided to me by the King. The workers on the fields have done a great job, as well as the stewards themselves. I gave them a few of my ideas and they went on and worked so hard on it. The abundance of our harvests were fruits of that labor, as well as by the guidance of the Light."
"Very well spoken, my dear boy. You sound like your brother."
"I am very flattered your holiness, I am not worthy of your praise."
"It is only expected of you my boy, coming from the line of Ardon Gale himself. The Light illumines his soul. Within you lies his blood. The blood with the power to guide and nurture the lost and the aimless. Being well-spoken is one of the highest virtues, as it is an instrument to guide them."
"You are a creature of the Light." He continued "As it is written by Celandrius during the conquest of Ardon Gale, we are the ones tasked to unite the continent and drive out the unruly creatures that threaten the unification of Kalesia. As one who can trace his line to the greatest hero of Galedon, it is your destiny to live a life of greatness. And it is my personal duty to make you realize your true destiny."
"I--" Janus tried to speak but he was cut off.
"You may wonder why I am telling you this, there have been some reports I have gathered that commands my own personal attention. As the leader of the church and as one shepherd to lead this country to the Light - along with the King - It is my responsibility to personally check in on the Blackfields. To see that they are walking in the Light, and to redirect them if they walk away from the path."
Janus held his tongue.
"Was there anything, in the last year... that could threaten that course? Think about it my Son, Son of Gregorius, Son of Galedon. Are you aware of any activities that may lead you to darkness?"
Janus felt a trickle of sweat touch his brow.
"Your holiness, does this have anything to do with the goblins?"
"The Goblins? Those lowly creatures working at the forge and making tools for the fields? Oh no, no that is of no trouble. I have gone through it with the King and I must say, you are doing an impressive job in taming those little vile beings into working for the crown. Do you know that you have the greatest number of non-human workers in the Kingdom? Your Steward tallied around eighty creatures under you right now. Quite an impressive feat and I must applaud your efforts for that."
Janus bowed his head. "His Holiness is most kind."
"But no, that is not where the issue lies."
"Do you remember the mural in the back?" he asked.
"Yes, such an impressive piece of art."
"Of course, it was painted by Donatel of Guntia. One of the greatest treasures of the Kingdom from one of the greatest artists who ever lived."
"Do you know what happened after the Dragon Darumendras died?"
"I'm sorry, your holiness?" Janus' hands felt clammy.
"The Dragon, after it died. A few scholars found something in its remains, something I would not like to describe too much due to its gruesome detail."
"I... I have no idea." Janus had never read this far.
"What they found were clumps of earthworms."
"Earthworms?" Janus stammered.
"Yes, such vile and dirty creatures. Earthworms dwelling underneath the ground, all came out as the dragon's carcass was cut down by the greatest hero ever known. This isn't known by the regular folk, lest they get ideas on how on the practice of such vile arts... no. But we have good reason to believe these dark slithering critters are linked in forms of dark magic, particularly Necromancy." He spat out that final word.
"I---- I didn't."
"You do not know? With all the tutors that the Holy Church has provided you and your family? You did not know? Is this why the yields of your farms are growing greater than usual? My dear Prince, were you knowingly using dark magic to gain ten times more profit than normal?"
"Your holiness I swear, I do not know that earthworms were involved in dark magic. They were creatures who broke down animal matter to give minerals to the soil."
"What do you mean minerals? Where did you learn of such travesties?"
"It was from a book, on farming techniques, by Alfredo Ryeworth."
"Ahh, Ryeworth... the worst scholar ever produced by this Kingdom. And do you know how Alfredo Ryeworth met his end?"
"No your holiness," Janus admitted.
"Burned at the stake, convicted as a heretic. He was found to be collecting carcasses of dead animals and feeding them to his colony of earthworms and maggots. A rite of vile necromancy if I've ever seen one."
No! Those carcasses were good for the soil!
Janus wanted to shout out the words, but he couldn't do it. A faint glow was emanating from the man before him. He felt a pulsing of magic. Arguing would not bode well for his case, after what presumably happened to Ryeworth.
"Your holiness, I swear I do not know of this. None of my workers even warned me of such practices."
"And the use of manure? I've heard you've been using that as well?"
"Why yes... it helps the cycle of minerals to regulate."
"Foolishness, that's what it is. I'll not have members of the townsfolk know that our beloved Prince is working with animal droppings! The cleanliness of your blood must be maintained. Oh, how you've veered off track. My son, the youngest son of Blackfield. Oh, how we've failed you."
A tear came falling down on the Holy See's check. Janus couldn't believe his own eyes. All of this just because of earthworms.
"No matter, Do you now know the error of your ways my boy?"
- Writer
