Chapter 16

Rehny thought that the four guards positioned outside Queen Lamical's chambers were a little overkill. Knowing the Black guard who guarded royalty only two would suffice to keep out any supposed danger from coming within a foot of the Queen. The excess guards spoke volumes about the Queen's value before the King. She was his pride, her beauty a symbol of his elegance but to Rehny she had been much more than that. The guards saluted by thumping the closed fist of their right hands on their left chest, right where the rhino symbol was etched in gold among a sea of black leather. Rehny replied the salute with much less enthusiasm as he followed the handmaiden into the chambers.

The meeting room where the handmaiden led Rehny was large, a dozen times larger than the place Rehny stayed at. It was located at the West wing of the palace and everything in the chamber was in red and gold, those were the colors that ran havoc in the Queen's meeting chamber. The drapes were a golden fabric, the carpet was red, the furniture's wood was painted gold but the cushions were red. Rehny could see through a half closed door leading to another chamber, a bed that was one giant tumble of red sheets and golden blankets.

The handmaiden motioned at a large seat surrounded by red cushions where Rehny could await the Queen, Rehny declined the offer, choosing instead to stand before a mirror that was twice the size of a man. Sitting insinuated that the meeting would be long, he didn't wish it to be, he wanted to hear whatever the Queen had summoned him for and depart as swiftly as a Yendw wolf through the woods. The handmaiden scattered off towards the half opened door leading to the Queen's sleeping chamber to notify the Queen of the commander's presence.

Rehny observed himself in the mirror, Gods he'd aged! He recalled a time when his hair was dark as night, now it was flecked with spots of grey and the scar running across his left cheek gave him a menacing look that added to his military bulk and stiff stance. Rehny sighed, the beginning crinkles upon his skin were a physical testament to just how tired he was of playing time's cruel games.

Suddenly the image of the Queen joined his at the mirror. She held her golden hair up over her head in a typical Binorian fashion with blue clumps holding it in place, she wore a blue kirtle gown that was laced at the front with laces of an even deeper shade of blue. The color she had chosen for her attire was strikingly similar to her blue eyes, eyes that observed Rehny's image. Eyes that he had woken up to once upon a time.

Rehny turned away from the mirror and faced Queen Lamical, he bowed low at the waist. "How may I be of service to you, your eminence?" He asked. He hoped the Queen wouldn't notice the sharp edge to his voice. He had never before been to her chambers and he'd always avoided any situation where he'd find himself in her presence. His proximity to her at the moment was similar to standing naked in a blizzard or wearing all one's clothing during the heat of summer. He felt hot and cold at the same time and it took a lot of effort of will not to bolt out the Queen's chambers while yelling at the top of his lungs.

Keep it cool, she's not that big a deal, keep it cool, clear the mind and focus on a point of logic, just as you practiced, just as the book of Vayd Vigon teaches. The Jojoh Meena wasn't something that could be passed down through teachings but that didn't stop some Kings of Binoria from attempting to do so. One of the Kings by the name of Vayd Vigon had written a book titled Prowess of the mind that was the closest any of the Kings had gotten to describing some of the workings of the Jojoh Meena. It was a requirement for a Commander to memorize the book from cover to cover and follow its teachings to the latter. Rehny drew on such teachings before the Queen.

Rehny cleared his mind, leaving it bare and void of thought. A point of logic emerged. I'll act on her words not my thoughts. And with that he was able to put a leash on his emotions and rise from his bow to meet the Queen's steady blue gaze.

"You aren't dressed in armor, I thought it's a requirement of the Commander while at the palace? " The Queen inquired.

"Well you can take your thoughts and shove them up your ass for all I care." Is what Rehny wanted to say but instead he breathed in and out. "Pardon my lack of formality, your highness, but pressing matters were to be attended to and I lacked the time to strap on my armor." He said. The point of logic always worked for him and his reply gave a subtle hint that he couldn't afford the Queen much of his time.

The Queen took the hint but it didn't deter her, she pointed at a chair, beckoning him to sit. Rehny's face contorted in a flicker of rage that he quickly smoothened out, he didn't want to sit but declining the Queen's hospitality was an insult. Screw it. He thought. "If it pleases your majesty I would prefer to remain standing and to hear of the matter you'd summoned me for." It was a risky move to stand one's ground before the high and mighty but last time he'd checked he was among the high and mighty too.

Queen Lamical cocked an eyebrow and regarded Rehny as if in a new light, her cherry full lips formed a straight line and her words carried with them an underlying viciousness that Rehny couldn't miss. "Do you hate me Rehny?" She asked.

"I fail to see how that matters." Rehny answered.

"I command you to answer me."

"Does the sheep hate the Yendw wolf for devouring it? Does the desert hate the rain for evading it? Does the warrior hate the sword for piercing him? There's no hatred in nature, only necessity."

"Don't speak in parables to me."

"Then I should beg my leave for I fail to see what my purpose here is." Rehny said and turned as if to leave. Lamical blocked his path and pressed her hand to his chest to stop his departure. He could feel the warmth of her hand through the thin fabric of his shirt and with the warmth came a nostalgic sensation that forced Rehny to take a step back. He averted his eyes from her, hoping she did not see what a mere touch from her could do to him.

"I forced Desan to consult a flame seer regarding his mission with you to Talisi." The Queen said. Rehny was grateful that she'd let the little altercation between them die and had chosen instead to speak up over the reason she'd summoned him. "The seer, he... He.. He went mad and started screaming the same words over and over."

Rehny felt his heart beat fast, he turned his face towards her and met her gaze. He could see the worry in them, worry over her own son's safety. Maternal instinct at play. "What did the seer say?" Rehny asked.

"The Mad King comes!" Queen Lamictal replied.

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