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The king grabbed his horse by the mane and threw himself on the horse, speeding in the night.
He was out of sight within seconds and the Monk was just mad, again, not that it would solve anything…
Thank the gods for the royal blood war horse, other than that, he would stand no chance in keeping the king’s pace. The Monk hated that. Even if he was a fantastic rider, there was no one riding as his king. The king was already far away, and he was lucky they would ride in an open field already, where he could still do his duty to protect his king if anyone would dare to try anything.
He was an impossible man who had no respect for anyone, not even for him, his Shield. He would not pay attention to his words, he would not ever ask for council. He would not even hear about his forever pleas about taking his armor, at least when he went riding outside, all alone without the guards. Like he really did not care or was not afraid that someone might even try to kill him. Not that he had no enemies... he was just not afraid of anyone.
The monk sighed deeply and tried to catch up with him. He should have gotten used to it by now, it’s been months since he was taken from the Coven, but he couldn't. He did not understand why he did not allow him to do his job. Why was he here for, if not for that?
Yes, Sheng Zung was a good warrior and yes, he could defend himself, but then why did he take him to be his shield if he didn't need him? Instead, he acted as if he didn't need anyone else. He was all enough for himself and nothing else mattered.
Riding in the horse's gallop, in the smooth storm, that alone was the king's way of relieving himself and he was weaving the best strategies in these moments, and he knew it. The king was a brilliant strategist, and he did things his way. In moments like these, nobody could get some sense into him.
It was sad, really. He was such a great man and in the same time so lonely. He had nobody to share his greatness with. He did not want anyone wither, he was not looking anyway.
The monk tried to catch up with him but in vain. There was a much fiercer storm in the king's mind than the one he was riding into, outside.
"-My king. It was a mistake..."
"-I did not ask you."
The words were playing in the monk's head over and over again, and he was unable to erase them. Every time he tried, the image of the entire War council- generals, Lords and soldiers alike torn apart by the berseker squad was invading his mind. And it was not that he was not used to the blood by now... But his king was some piece of work...
He executed the entire War Council only because he did not want to hear them asking him to secure the throne and the bloodline, as it was expected from a Royal Blood like him. There were laws that would help keep the peace and order in the kingdom, and many of them were the kings’ lows. But sometimes, when even the kings became the enemy of the kingdom, there were the Old Laws applying. These were the first laws of the shadows, made by the first king and his War Council, in all their wisdom, and there was no other king that would disobey them.
At first, every king must keep in mind the security of the kingdom and the security of all the shadows. That meant, they needed to keep the peace amongst the houses, and that balance was fragile. The king should rule the kingdom with the help of the War Council. So that Council was important for every king, yet Sheng Zung had executed them all. All of them!!!
It had really been a mistake, for without knowing it, the Old Law stipulated that, now, he should marry in one of the houses he had lacked the heirs and refresh the bloodline, and by doing so, without realizing it, would empower any house with his royal blood and with that in mind, it would offer that house a fair claim to the throne.
It has been a mistake indeed, and now, thinking about it in his wild riding in the stormy night, he was thinking a way out of it for sure. Problem is... there was no way out of it. It was done already.
The Monk already knew the procedure as he was a scholar of the old ways and in their preparations as children, the old laws were a must in the monk's examinations. Therefore, he knew there was no way out. The king would have to choose a house to bring his heirs into now.
On the other hand, the king was thinking about what his move should be next. He was trying to buy some time but he knew it, it will not going to be that long when the new councilors will start the same complaints. He had to do something to close their mouths... killing them all was not an option though. He knew that, and he was mad enough that he acted so out of that impulse.
His saruman was lacking control and there was nothing he could do about it. Even his judgment would be clouded by his sarumans's hunger and he was angry all the time. He felt he had nothing really important to live for. It felt like days were passing one by one and there was nothing to challenge him anymore. He was getting bored with everyone and everything. He needed a challenge.
He needed a war soon because he had enough with the hunts of the bears and his hunger was still present. He knew it was the saruman's rage of losing his mate; it had been 8 years now and everything was the same. He cared for nothing and anyone. He did not care about giving his seed to anyone right now, he craved for war. That was the only reminder he had, that he was alive. Nothing else made him feel alive.
And now these peasants come to ask him to take a woman and give them an heir like he was not enough?? He would not. He told them all he would not. Who would dare challenge him? No one! Not even one soul! There was nothing they could do to him, they would not even try!
Eerrrr, he needed to gather a new council now, and he needed experience... He needed to go back and make a list to appoint the new War General and the others. Yes... they should go back and do some work instead of just speaking nonsense about his heirs to be.
If only his saruman would have been a little more reasonable... He stopped and allowed the monk to reach him.
-I am calm now.
The monk looked at him, and indeed he seemed untouched by the events. But, then again, he never seem to show any emotions on his face, he rarely gave the others a clue about what they needed to know when it was up to him. He did not care about the other’s perspective, nor the other’s feelings. It was understandable, as long as he was a king, anyway. Still… there were kings that were far more… human, the monk was thinking in his mind.
-I am a shadow, not a human, Monk, so cut the nonsense. We have work to do, we should get back.
Damn, he could hear his thoughts, the monk would not get used to that. His king did not hear about someone’s privacy?? The mind was supposed to be private!!!
-Yes, my King, he bowed his head and his right fist hit his chest saluting.
He turned his horse around following the king and headed to the city with the monk behind him. Leaving the horses outside, close to the gates of the fortress as the shadows would never bind their horses, they hurried up to the throne room as the king was thinking about preparing the list with his new ministers already. Yet, in the room in silence, there were gathered already, all the house's representatives waiting for him, each in their place.
-What is this? He asked with confusion in his eyes.
He did not know, the monk thought to himself, praying that he would not hear. The new council was consisted already from the first sons of the ministers he had just executed.
“Who would have thought they all had sons...” The king raised his right eyebrow in wonder, looking at all these little men, kneeled in front of him, waiting for some resolution already placed on his throne. He just stepped forward and took it into his hands, unrolling it with his eyes on everyone. They would not move, they would not even breathe, you could feel their tension and they were all scared.
“What now...let's see what these little man would want to ask.”
He started reading and by the seconds his face turned dark and his eyes already looked like flames burn in his look. He tried, he really tried not to kill them all right there and right then. He tried to calm down, and exhaled long, until he managed to regain some control over his body and mind. Unleashing the Saruman demon on them right now, was not a good choice. Who knew how many sons or brothers those would have now? He needed experience in his War Council, not children!!
The new members of the Council were mostly boys not over 20 years old. They were already in their shiny armor, just like warriors, but he doubted the war had touched them.
-You are to swear your allegiance to me, the King said. Then we can discuss changing to that stupid old law of yours, he said.
-The Old laws can not be changed, My King, the Monk behind him bowed his head and kneeled on the right side of the throne.
-Are you saying I am not the King, Monk? His eyes turned towards his monk and his voice stated the anger.
- Writer
