Beyond the Cherry Tree by Joe O'Brien Page B

upon, King Borlamon would not break his promise to Theldor.’
    A tear rolled down Wilzorf’s face.
    ‘There was nothing I could do. My powers were not enough to save them.’
    ‘Save who?’
    ‘King Borlamon and Queen Trila. They, along with many, died at Krudon’s command.’
    ‘Danthenum said that you were killed too?’
    Wilzorf shook his head, almost shamefully.
    ‘No! Not true, but that is what many believe. More importantly , Krudon believes it. This is why I have remained in hiding for so many years.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    Hope returned to Wilzorf’s face.
    ‘Borlamon had two children. Before the king and queen died, they had been blessed with a baby boy and a baby girl – twins. The boy was first born. He would be next in line, and then his sister if anything should happen to him. Krudon knew this and his next evil plan was to kill them both along with their parents. But they were hidden and escaped Krudon’s darkness. Borlamon’s dying wish to me was to keep his children safe from Krudon, and when the time was right, return his son, heir to his throne, to power with a wizard by his side. The power of the orb was to be returned to the Kingdom of Habilon. It was decided without hesitation that the general would flee with both babies and take them to the safety of the other world on the far side of the Great Tree, until the time was right for the heir of Habilon to return and rule as king.’
    ‘So Habilon has had no king?’
    ‘Habilon has been governed from the palace by a high council,’ said Wilzorf with what sounded like regret in his voice. ‘Habilon has always had nobles, but the high council of three was appointed after the death of King Borlamon.’
    ‘You don’t approve?’ asked Josh. He sensed that Wilzorf didn’t agree with the high council.
    Wilzorf shrugged his shoulders. ‘Approve – don’t approve. This is not a judgement for a wizard to make. The high council have had Habilon’s best interests in heart just as theirking did, but a kingdom needs a king.’
    Josh began to wonder about Wilzorf’s words; the wizard had said Josh had “returned” to Habilon and told him of how the general had fled to the other side of the Great Tree with a baby boy and girl, King Borlamon’s children.
    Could I be the king’s son? he thought. Tigfry the elf said that I was ‘The One’ and everything evil here is trying to kill me. But Wilzorf said a boy and girl. I have no sister. It can’t be me!
    Wilzorf continued.
    ‘Before the general made it to safety, Serula, one of the three witches, attacked them. She poisoned Zera, the princess , with a cursed cat’s claw. She had aimed for the boy, but the claw only grazed his arm. Zera was in very poor health and it was feared that she would not survive the journey. So she remained behind while the general fled with the prince.’
    Josh’s eyes widened as he pulled up his sleeve to reveal a scar on his right arm.
    ‘I’ve had this since I was a baby!’ said Josh. ‘Well, that’s what uncle Henry told me, anyway.’
    Wilzorf bowed his head before Josh. ‘It is the scar of the cat’s claw, my lord.’
    ‘Are you saying that I’m King Borlamon’s son?’
    Wilzorf smiled. ‘You are Prince Joshua, heir of Borlamon, my lord.’
    ‘But … Bortwig?’ stuttered Josh. ‘Why didn’t he tell meany of this?’
    Wilzorf chuckled. ‘Bortwig did as he was asked to do, my lord. An adventurous path was to be laid before you, magic and all. The truth, my lord, would have been too great on the other side of the tree. It is tradition in Habilon, my lord that at the coming of age – thirteen to be precise – the heir to the throne must prove both bravery and goodness of heart. As your circumstances were not normal, your test was laid before you in a different, but equally demanding, way.’
    Wilzorf smiled at Josh. ‘Your sister, my lord, on reaching her thirteenth birthday on the same day as you, also proved both bravery and goodness of