Sword of Heavens chasing the Darkness away.”
“Then he must be made to understand the importance of his return,” shrugged the general. “The last time he was in Tagaret, he said he was heading towards the Southern Mountains. If we can arrange to get him to Trekum, Larc’s people can smuggle him onto a ship to Tagaret. We could arrange for the ship to arrive at night and hustle him into the palace. Similar to how we brought in Queen Marta.”
“I can go along with that,” nodded Oscar. “What then? Do we keep him prisoner here in the Royal Palace while we continue to track down Sarac’s people?”
“I do not like the term prisoner,” frowned General Gregor. “It is disrespectful, and we mean him the best of intentions.”
“Let us not bandy about with words,” sighed Oscar. “Whatever we call it, your proposal for his safety is to keep him locked up for his own good.”
“I would endeavor to convince him to remain out of the public eye,” nodded General Gregor. “I do not like this any more than you, but I will not let anyone get close enough to kill him.”
A pair of Red Swords entered the room escorting Konic Clava. They looked expectantly to the general for his instructions.
“Lord Clava is free to go wherever he wishes,” declared General Gregor. “Spread the word that I will distribute a list of such people by morning.”
The Red Swords nodded and departed. Konic walked across the room and gently placed his hand on Oscar’s shoulder.
“I do not know how to express the sorrow I feel,” Konic said softly. “Tell me what I can do to help.”
“Thank you, Konic,” replied Oscar. “Your words are not necessary. Your devotion to Arik and his grandmother is well known.”
“We are talking about how to protect Arik when we bring him back to Tagaret,” interjected General Gregor.
Konic looked at the body of Queen Marta and the headless corpse of the revenant. He shook his head slowly. “I do not know how much I can offer to this conversation,” he stated, “but I am willing to stand by Arik’s side every moment of the day when he returns. When is he returning?”
“As soon as we can find him,” answered the general. “He must be crowned now.”
“I can tell you this about him,” declared Konic, “he will take Queen Marta’s death very hard. He had become very close to her in the short time they have known each other. I suspect that they were very much alike in many ways.”
“Will he object to being protected?” questioned General Gregor.
“Over-protected?” interjected Oscar.
“I am not sure,” hesitated Konic. “I have never pampered Arik, and so he has grown up depending upon himself. Still, he is an extremely intelligent lad. He knows what is at stake in this contest. My approach would be to explain the facts of the situation to him, and then let him make his decision.”
“And if his decision is to continue running around with the Sword of Heavens?” posed Oscar. “What then? How will we protect him?”
“Have faith in your son, Oscar,” Konic said comfortingly. “He is the Child of the Ancient Prophecy. We are not. I know all of us in this room would gladly give our lives for his safety, but we must remember that it is his life to live.”
“That is putting an awful burden on a young lad’s shoulders,” objected General Gregor. “No person in history has ever attempted to carry such a burden.”
“True,” nodded Konic, “but there has never been a need for one to carry such a weight. You were young once, Oscar. You were forced into providing for your family early. I have heard many tales of your wondrous beginnings. What would you have done if you had found yourself in Arik’s position?”
“I don’t honestly know,” conceded Oscar. “There is much to admire in Arik, and you raised him well enough to analyze things before acting. Perhaps I am too upset with grieving to think clearly about it now.”
“Are you suggesting that we do not
“Then he must be made to understand the importance of his return,” shrugged the general. “The last time he was in Tagaret, he said he was heading towards the Southern Mountains. If we can arrange to get him to Trekum, Larc’s people can smuggle him onto a ship to Tagaret. We could arrange for the ship to arrive at night and hustle him into the palace. Similar to how we brought in Queen Marta.”
“I can go along with that,” nodded Oscar. “What then? Do we keep him prisoner here in the Royal Palace while we continue to track down Sarac’s people?”
“I do not like the term prisoner,” frowned General Gregor. “It is disrespectful, and we mean him the best of intentions.”
“Let us not bandy about with words,” sighed Oscar. “Whatever we call it, your proposal for his safety is to keep him locked up for his own good.”
“I would endeavor to convince him to remain out of the public eye,” nodded General Gregor. “I do not like this any more than you, but I will not let anyone get close enough to kill him.”
A pair of Red Swords entered the room escorting Konic Clava. They looked expectantly to the general for his instructions.
“Lord Clava is free to go wherever he wishes,” declared General Gregor. “Spread the word that I will distribute a list of such people by morning.”
The Red Swords nodded and departed. Konic walked across the room and gently placed his hand on Oscar’s shoulder.
“I do not know how to express the sorrow I feel,” Konic said softly. “Tell me what I can do to help.”
“Thank you, Konic,” replied Oscar. “Your words are not necessary. Your devotion to Arik and his grandmother is well known.”
“We are talking about how to protect Arik when we bring him back to Tagaret,” interjected General Gregor.
Konic looked at the body of Queen Marta and the headless corpse of the revenant. He shook his head slowly. “I do not know how much I can offer to this conversation,” he stated, “but I am willing to stand by Arik’s side every moment of the day when he returns. When is he returning?”
“As soon as we can find him,” answered the general. “He must be crowned now.”
“I can tell you this about him,” declared Konic, “he will take Queen Marta’s death very hard. He had become very close to her in the short time they have known each other. I suspect that they were very much alike in many ways.”
“Will he object to being protected?” questioned General Gregor.
“Over-protected?” interjected Oscar.
“I am not sure,” hesitated Konic. “I have never pampered Arik, and so he has grown up depending upon himself. Still, he is an extremely intelligent lad. He knows what is at stake in this contest. My approach would be to explain the facts of the situation to him, and then let him make his decision.”
“And if his decision is to continue running around with the Sword of Heavens?” posed Oscar. “What then? How will we protect him?”
“Have faith in your son, Oscar,” Konic said comfortingly. “He is the Child of the Ancient Prophecy. We are not. I know all of us in this room would gladly give our lives for his safety, but we must remember that it is his life to live.”
“That is putting an awful burden on a young lad’s shoulders,” objected General Gregor. “No person in history has ever attempted to carry such a burden.”
“True,” nodded Konic, “but there has never been a need for one to carry such a weight. You were young once, Oscar. You were forced into providing for your family early. I have heard many tales of your wondrous beginnings. What would you have done if you had found yourself in Arik’s position?”
“I don’t honestly know,” conceded Oscar. “There is much to admire in Arik, and you raised him well enough to analyze things before acting. Perhaps I am too upset with grieving to think clearly about it now.”
“Are you suggesting that we do not
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