Chapter 149: The Charge

Chapter 149: The Charge
"What is wrong? Why are we being awakened from our sleep and summoned to appear at the assembly this early?" One elder named Kostis yawned in his chair.

"It is barely 5 a.m. I cannot remember when last I woke up before the cock crowed," another elder named Matthias complained.

"Is there an invasion or a pandemic? Why the emergency?" Augustus grumbled and tightened the sash of his robe around his body.

It was the early hours of the morning, the sun had not yet risen in the sky when letters arrived at the homes of the elders of the council, summoning them to report to the assembly immediately.

"The letter said it was urgent, I just wonder what cannot survive the next hour that our sleep has to suffer for it," Mathias rubbed at his eye, sleepily.

"Do you think it is something that has to do with our king?" Kostis suggested.

"Has Rojan finally agreed to come clean and tell us the truth about our king?" Thaddeus murmured, stifling a yawn.

"Who says he has not been telling the truth, the king could really be out on a trip outside the plane," Augustus chipped in.

Thaddeus scoffed "And you truly believe those lies?"

"And you don't?" Augustus asked.

Thaddeus let out a snort "So gullible," then he leaned forward "The rumors of a mad king are true. I am sure of it."

"You are sure because?" Kostis inquired.

"If it is not true, tell me why Rojan slashed the staff at the house and has restricted anyone from venturing five hundred within the mansion's surroundings," Thaddeus reasoned.

"How do you know this? Did you send spies to spy on the king's house?" Augustus asked, incredulous.

"When did I ever say I did such?" Thaddeus narrowed his eyes at Augustus.

"How else would you have known?" Augustus retorted back.

"I have my sources," Thaddeus grated.

Augustus was raring for a hot comeback when Mathias said "Thaddeus may be correct because my own sources say that Rojan put a restriction on the basement of the house. Meanwhile, the Chief Butler and some sentinels frequent the basement taking food and water three times a day."

"Really, could that mean that something or someone is locked up down there?" Thaddeus asked, unable to mask his interest.

"I was in the pub the other night, among the locals, and heard a former staff of the King's house say that before she was dismissed from duty, she had heard guttural roars and banging carry on from the basement level," Kostis informed them.

"See confirmations to my theory, what is the name of the pub you were at? I need to go there for more investigations," Thaddeus requested, delighted.

However, Kostis looked away, unwilling to share further information.

"You would not speak?" Thaddeus frowned, "Are you certain you got this information from a pub?"

Kostis cleared his throat and changed the topic "I don't see Aragon here, does that mean he was not summoned?"

"What?" Augustus' eyes flew to his seat and behold, it was empty. "What is this foul play? Why was Aragon not summoned along with us?"

"Maybe he was and is just running late," Matthias offered.

"I doubt he is coming, if he was to come, he ought to be here by now. Is Rojan now playing favoritism? If the king is mad, then he has no regard for us anymore?" Augustus interjected.

"I thought you disagreed with the fact that the king was mad,'' Mathias reminded him.

"I neither agree nor do I disagree, I will not stand on a conclusion till I see facts," Augustus admitted.

"What facts do you seek before you believe? To see our king in rags, filthy from head to bottom, chewing on a piece of fabric with a deranged look in his eyes?" Thaddeus demanded.

"More accurately, chewing on a piece of flesh with bloodshot eyes," Kostis suggested, when all eyes reverted to him, he quickly added "So I heard from the pub."

"I would give anything to confirm these words of yours, I am truly intrigued to know," Thaddeus had just finished speaking when the double doors to the red chamber flung open.

All four elders gasped in shock at who they saw walk through the door.

He was dressed immaculately in a turtleneck long-sleeve top. With a long, black trench coat, that hung casually on his big broad shoulders.

His muscles budged the fabric on his chest and his biceps stretched the soft wool. Below, his legs were adorned with matching black pants and his feet was finely tucked into shiny leather boots.

He was clean-shaven and his shiny black locks fell around his shoulders like rainfall on a dark night. Piercing grey eyes bored into the room, pinning them with an intimidating stare as he strolled purposefully into their mist.

Before them stood their current topic of discussion.

And he was glorious.

He was elegant, bold, and intimidating. His aura carried power and authority.

This was their king and he was no way insane.