Morrys the second was not the type to dance and waggle around problems. He sought for solutions immediately he was faced with a situation.The king ordered for all his council lords and historians. It was an urgent meeting. A decision had to be met, and that too in due time.The meeting took place in the throne room where they had met earlier, but this time, his majesty remained on his throne and the lords and historians took their seats in their various positions on the long opposite rows on both sides of the palace.When all had been seated, the king began, “It may be true that my daughter has released Zathryon and that beast walks on this land as we speak. At that, a solution is what I seek. Does anyone of you wise lords have a proposal as to what can be done before this gets out of hand?"Lord Roberts spoke first, “Your majesty, the dark spies I sent out to the blind cave are not returned so I have sent more men, but I have a reason to believe that the Red King has begun to strike
Ever since the soldiers of Meredith had been lurkng around the old palace, the Vailesh soldiers had been on guard. They had suspicions that Meredith might be planning an invasion and so their general sent a message to their king.King Horon received their message and he shared in their suspicions. But word had been spreading in Vail that the red king was loose in Meredith. The traders from Meredith that came through the sea had been selling those stories along with their goods. How the blue moon had burnt away the grave of the red king. How the red birds had lifted his body in the sky for all to behold. How the princess of Meredith had flown with him away from sight.Everyone had their own story to tell, each one different from the other. False stories they all could be. The king of Meredith was not one to trust, he had always coveted a chance to override Vail. To be the greatest of the four lands. Wasn't that why he hated the wizards for pledging to keep balance? This could be his s
It had been a fortnight since the Red King was freed or, for the peace of King Morrys, Zathryon was freed, because no sa or lord dared call the name Red King to the ears of his majesty. He bore nothing but hatred for it.The journey from Meredith to Vail was a long one with an horse, and even longer for the king who did not ride alone. With him went his guards and servants and every kind of person that lived in the palace. Sa Greith rode with him too, and General Arthogan, who also came with a number of his men. The historian brought two pupils as well, and they all joined the king at the part of the big river over which land flowed. They continued the journey together from there.It took a fewer days to get to Vail by taking that route and when they made it to the great city, they were received with jubilations as per royal custom and more importantly, fear by virtue of the horrific rumours.The Vailesh people were in fear of the stories that came from Meredith, but now that the kin
"A time of fear! A time of horror!The one in red, the one of colourHe seeks our bows and longs our lordHe deems our souls and wants our blood"The songs of the moon were first heard in Vaile before they found their path across the little waters to the highlands of Meredith, the rainbushes of Hailey, and the plains of Hayden to be sung by maidens and be heard by the young Saes. To be taught by traders and be learnt by children. The verses grew in length with every person who recited them, and new words came into its lines everday. Indeed, it was a dynamic work of literature with no soul having a right to its originality.While its lines sang in the markets at the time of the moon, the primelord waited patiently in Meredith, coveting his thoughts. The four kings debated days long on the right course of action, along with the wizards of the reach, the witchmother from the isle and other men of magic, while the crowned prince rode eagerly to Maeve. Prince Daerys and his men rode cont
"We have come to you for a cure! We mean no harm!" Smaragdus tried to calm the angry crowd as they armed themselves with sticks and stones. They were determined to protect whatever it was that they surrounded. "He is the prince!" He pointed to Daerys who was still on his horse, "He has journeyed all the way from Arnold to help you!""We do not need his help, we have a wizard!" Said a voice from among the crowd."He is our saviour and you shall not have him!" Cried another.And another and another till their voices were lost in one another and it became noise.Was it true they had a Wizard in their midst? The prince searched with his eyes but could not find a peculiar figure, at least not one who looked like a wizard."Is your wizard that great? Then why does he hide behind you?" Daerys demanded, "And why does he let you come together in this way? Does he not know that the burning flame is a plague?"His last question sent an air of panic to his listeners and they murmured in response.
"I am Ul Thera, son of the previous grand wizard, and guardian of the red orb.""Why have you come into Meredith?" Daerys asked as he kept a fixed gaze on the wizard who seemed to wear a smile. "I have been walking the other lands for the past few years, minding my own trouble and keeping out of this territory," Ul Thera continued, "But I could not ignore the pull of strong magic that I felt as I passed around this land. We all know Meredith for her laws, believe me, the presence of magic within her territory was worth the trouble."The prince rose and made his way back and forth. Should he even listen to a wizard? What if the plague was his doing? He stopped and faced Ul Thera again. "And what have you found?" The wizard rose as well, "It is poison!" He said, "One among the breeds of flowers in Maeve has been poisoned with sorcery." "Poison.." The prince muttered after him, as well as the other men who were in the room with them. "How is it?""Sa Trodden had asked the same question
That night, Daerys and his men rode away from Maeve. While Percival and the rest went back to the villages where the river flowed to warn their people, Daerys and Smaragdus rode forward to the end of the world.Jordan had seen a wounded man walking in that direction. That man must be responsible for the burning flame.As they rode away, the wizard, Ul Thera, watched alongside Sa Trodden, the head of Maeve. "Tell me more about this river" said Ul Thera to Sa Trodden. The head of Maeve explained that the river in Maeve was their only source of water, but the people always took enough water from the river every three months and shared it among themselves. It would usually last them for the rest of those months, but if anyone ran out of water, they could buy at anywhere in the village.Only the children and the old people who went frequently around the river had a reason to drink directly from it. The water hold that Daerys used to test the fire flower contained water taken from the riv
"When the sun dies, the moon shall wake In the moonshine, we all shall play Oh bravest knight, we trust your bladeYou'll draw your knife, and keep us safe"The voices of the little children as they sang their own lines from the songs of the moon was such a melody to behold. They jumped in the moonlight and danced in circles, holding each other through the night breeze.It was a cold breeze that night, and it became colder as the two horses galloped past the children. The prince had returned. And with him came a news that would strike the royal council at their hearts.The king had returned to Meredith a few days earlier before Daerys, and he was waiting in the royal palace.The two men rode on, towards the royal palace. Since they left away from the end of the world, they had barely stopped for a rest and they had not said much to each other. But in their hearts, they thought of all kinds of things.The man they encountered. Was he the red king? He was a beast in human form, a dem