Chapter 39 Chapter 37
Chapter 39 Chapter 37
”You think you have found the answer? Or has the answer found you?”
Marina
“I have barely gotten to know you. Trust is a far fetched concept” he said. Not saying no, but giving a reason it was not a yes.
“You know my name is Marina Revlasor. You know I am the daughter of a haymaker, Koltko Revlasor. You know my family is poor and that is why I am here. You know my loyalty lies in the contract I have with your authority and I am under an agreement to not divulge anything from within this castle perimeters”
“I also know you have green eyes, black hair, an attitude around me most of the time and an ability to disguise fear as unconcern” he added, the last part seemed too weird for him to have noticed.
“I did try my best to withhold my attitude but I hate being commanded”
He lifted a brow in slight amusement “The point is, this information is still not enough”
“What else would you want to know?” I gave him some time to answer but when he did not, I carried on “If I share what I have with you, do you at least promise to not see me as a clown who just wants to waste your time?”
King Xanthanius then leans on the table, his back to the outside door while his torso was turned in my direction “very well”
I took a deep breath and released it before I spoke. “I think that sword belonged to your father. An information you might already know”
“Yes. It was made on request for him” he replied.
He was admitting. This could lead somewhere.
“I knew this because of a dream”
“A dream?” Now there’s the awkward stare.
“Yes, a dream. Ever since the night the castle and I were attacked, I started having these strange dreams”
There was an interest in his voice when he said “what happens in these dreams?”
“I see events. I see people. People I don’t know, events I do not understand. I saw your father with the sword, he used it to kill a woman who was being called a witch. Her last words were he would not escape what is coming. I asked what the witch did to deserve death, she said nothing”
“She? Who is she?”
“My dream guide” it seemed like he was starting to doubt me “there’s a woman who shows me all these things in my dreams. She takes me to these places and tells me they all have to happen. Each dream has a unique code. This particular dream was called the alpha dream”
“What other dreams have you had?”
“The other two were beta and epsilon dreams, they were about children which I do not necessarily think is vital to what you have to decode”
“Alpha, beta and epilson are all Greek alphabets. The first, second and fifth alphabets. Maybe these dreams are in a sequence. What did you see about the children?”
Oh… I had no idea they were alphabets.
“I can’t remember fully but the beta dream was about two girls, sisters. The older one was being whipped on her back because the both of them got home late. It seemed it was not the first time she received such punishment because the skin on her back was so marred, it resembled leather hide. The epilson was about a girl from the southern lands. She was playing with animals in the woods”
“Okay, they appear to be very random. It is not strange for the southern girl. They have a friendly terrain for wildlife so many of them have pets of various species and breeds”
“It was not a pet. She was controlling it”
His eyes widened like there was a realization to what I had just said. “We would need a seer. I would get you one soon. They may have better interpretations for these dreams but until then, you mention it to no one. Got it?”
“Yes sir” I rose to my feet, a certain level of happiness filled me that he did not write my dreams off as crazy and stared at me in disbelief.
But there was only one way to find out if he really did believe me. “Do I now proceed to the clinic for my check up and pack my bags?”
Strangely, the King chuckled. A light one that illuminated his features and caused a little rumble in my belly.
“Are you trying to test my wisdom by knowing if I would let you go after learning such information from you?”
“Perhaps your highness”
“Go to your room and get some rest Marina. I would come speak to you if there’s anything else I would like you to know or tell me”
And with a bright smile and curtsy, I began walking out of the room. Still noting that he did not tell me the prophecy, but allowing the fact that he needed to build his trust in me to be able to entrust it with me.
Since it literally had to do with his life.
One thing was still a bigger mystery. Why was I somehow in the mix of this?
Oh… and there was something else.
I turned around. “I never stated my request”
He was already watching me. I took that as my cue to speak.
“I would like to attend the Food festival with my sister” I missed Lanthernia so much and the event would be coming up in a week.
For old memories sake.
“If I am not mistaken, you were attacked about a week ago in your room by someone who wanted to kidnap you and just yesterday you were strangled by another man in his pub and you still wish to attend a public event?” Now he was the one trying to test my wisdom.
“Yes”
“Did you consider your safety before this request?”
“No” I did not even think of it for a second.
“But you still wish to attend?”
“Yes” that’s the only thing I was certain of.
“You would go under one condition, a guard would go with you”
“Would that not make me obvious to whoever wants to attack me?”
“It would also make them think twice before doing so. What do you need for this event?”
“Just two tickets”
He only gave me a nod to acknowledge he had heard me.
“Would the guard assigned to me be Saliel?”
Another confused look. “Maybe. Why do you ask?”
“Nothing” with a shrug “I kinda like Saliel”
“I noticed” he said.
Xanthanius
“Oh… you told her to stay? How wise” Hilra’s sarcasm was starting to tick me in the wrong places.
“I had a valid reason to let her go. It was better she died under my roof?”
“From the look of things, she is definitely not going to die until you find out what you need to. The gods probably brought her here solely for this purpose” Anthonier said confidently.
“Let’s focus on the main thing. Which of the seers can we trust to give us an accurate insight of her dreams and possible connection in all of this?” I recited. It was time to play our cards right.
“What of Aladin? He is wise enough and well spread” my high adviser suggested and I put it into thought.
“No. This seems to be an historical pursuit. I know of a better man. Dolis had left Aspena before all this began because he was the only one against it. He had seen a vision which your father never gave him the opportunity to share. So he went up North, currently in Famur. Since your mistress is seeing activities that took place during his time, he would be the best to interpret them. Go with Marina to your sister’s event”
Hilra’s suggestion felt very useful.
“How do we locate him when we get there?” I asked
“I would give you the directions to his last location I was aware of but your sister can also pull some political strings to trace him”
“Fair enough. I would add you would be coming with a plus one to the event before I send out the letter” Anthonier chips in his own opinion.
It was finalized then. “I would inform her”
Later on…
I knocked thrice on her door and she opened up.
Maybe she was expecting Hilra because her hands subconsciously went to the edges of the silk robe draped over her body clad in a similar nightgown to cover herself a bit more.
Her hair was let loose and a bit wet. She had just taken her bath.
She smelled like lavender. A scent I had not noticed in a long time.
“Do you wish to come in?” She asked, still very conscious of her appearance.
“No. No need. I came over to let you know that we would be going to Famur for an event by next weekend. So you should prepare for travel. There is also someone we might have to see when we get there”
“I’ve never been to the north, and I don’t think I have anything to pack for the journey”
That was true, she had come with so little clothing and she had only twelve dresses made on her behalf since she got here.
“I would see to that but if there be anything you need before then that would be necessary to your travel, you can inform me or Hilra”
“Thank you” she said.