30: Returned King

Another sparring began. When their blade meets and holds they made a small chat

"Where are they?"

"Surrounded by fire. I can cook them anytime unless you let us free."

She groan with a gnashing of teeth. King Russell push her, the fire attached to the Queen's sword that spread throughout her body and scorch her. She's screaming and bewailing. That was exactly the same what King Russell did to King Xavier.

"Mama!!"

Mistella is suppose to run to the Queen but the wolf deters her. She's crying. She keeps calling her mama. The fire vanish on her body with the cold wind. Her skin, clothe and wings are half burned. King Russell is approaching again when she releases a strong wind that forces him to kneel down and cover.

She's forming a tornado and she on the eye. It's difficult to restrain not to fly in this energy. Then all of a sudden the wind is gone, including the Queen. She's above the King, and he's well aware of that. He expose his blue flame wings and surround himself with blue fires too. The Queen retreated her attempted attack.

The ground is sultry specially on their spot.

"Mama!!" and again her weeping call.

The Queen stays in the air, she's really like an angel, an angel above the fires of hell. Though I'm not describing King Russell as the devil but the way he use his gift is awesome. What's more marveling, he can fly with that wings. With intense speed, he made a slice wound on her shoulder and stops on the wall.

He tread on it and attack her from behind to bring her down. She can't stay on the ground but King Russell penetrates his sword to her wing that pierced into the ground.

"Mamaaa!!"

Should I stop them? I pick up a glass cup from my tiny bag on my pocket, scoop it in the air and it's full of water. I drink.

"Hey kid, is she your mother?" she shook her head.

So she's a mother not in blood to her. I pull the cane out on my cloak, I almost forgot that I have no sleeves. I hid the glass again and stamp the cane twice. The sound of the thud halt them.

"Make it gentle, she's a queen," I exhort.

The fire disappeared and he freed the Queen's wing. The temperature of the ground is back to normal and he's moving a step back. Mistella took that advantage to hug her. And me without realizing, the Queen is shedding tears too. King Russell came closer to me.

"Let's go," he said.

"Wait! I need to talk to you," said the Queen and she's talking to me. "About that cane... it came from Holland, right?" she caught my priority.

"Yes..." I doubt she's someone related to Holland.

"Fine. First thing's first." He hid his sword.

※ ※ ※ ORC ※ ※ ※

All those injured was healed by the same cookies. Mistella is their healer here then. I took Ashti inside a room with bed and lay her down. Currently, the King and Queen are having a private and sincere conversation. I stare at Ashti, pinching her nose until she wake up, but she didn't. I don't wanna be the cause of her death.

Then I just played with her hair until it tangled. Seems boring. I want her awake, I have no one to bully. I felt a brief air again. Here comes the Queen. I rise, sitting on the bed.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you." I look away.

"What are you to Mr. Holland?"

"He's my son." my eyes widen and I look at her.

"Then... how..."

"I can smell my son's conjuration from you. That's why I thought you're the one who killed him and stole his power, or am I right?"

"No!" she sat beside me. I gave her the cane and her tears fell as she touched it. "I'm just his apprentice. He lent me that cane. But he died."

"He didn't. He gave this to you, the successor."

"How come you said that?" She took a deep breath

"My King is dead. He is a non royal blood ruler. I bear a giftless child and that was Holland. He's very optimistic and genius despite of the criticisms he incurred. He got interested with mysterious and marvelous stuffs that are impossible for normal people to do. And he called it Magic.

He entertains the children, giving them laughter with his smile. I taught him on how to use a sword and to be a prince. One time, he rule the battlefield and derived victory. In fighting the final boss, he combined what I taught him and his magic to defeat the enemy. As a result, he became a god because of his heroism.

With all his might he invented this cane which is the source of his power. Married and live in world created by his imagination using this cane, so he can't just lent this to someone, unless you're the next owner."

I shook my head slowly. "I... don't know." and for the the first time she smile at me.

"My name is Cortana, I can control the wind and even those kinds of eyes." She look at my eyes again. "You can be more powerful if you finally controlled its power."

I look at her grey eyes slowly turning to green. Or is it just me? I blink my eyes and she's gone, she's standing in front of the mirror inside the wardrobe.

"That is one of the things I can do with these eyes. I inherited it with my father, then my son did and gave it to you."

Later on, the wall of this room collapsed. I didn't falter, it's just a summoned being from Jexica and

"Haris!!" she's here too! What a big surprise! She run and hug me .

"Are you alright? Where's the princess? I mean uhmm... is Ashi her name?" Queen Cortana wiped the dust and glare at the beast and Jexica.

"And how dare you disturb my time with him?!"

"Oh, a queen... Hello! My name is Jexica!"

"Jexica you say? The daughter of the god of the prophecy's brother."

"Is this chat an important matter? Because I'm here for an emergency. Where is King Russell?" Jexica said.

"Where's the trouble?!" And here he comes with his arms burning.

"Oh! perfect!"

※ ※ ※ ORC ※ ※ ※

The 3 of us talk outside the palace. Jexica summoned a knight to carry Ashti's sleeping body and said that King Xavier is back in his kingdom. And right now he's calling for imperative gathering of the high councilors of Quede Nation. Which means King Russell is one of those.

"How's the King?"

"He's severely injured and currently recovering. But for now, he want this meeting."

"I see. Then I must go. I still have a lot of things to tell and ask him."

I step out of our group chat to get inside the castle. They follow me, I know they're asking me but I didn't replied. Albinos gave way for me to the Queen sitting on her throne, playing with the smoke with e-pipe cigarette.

"We're leaving. We're very sorry for unexpected interaction." I hold the cane. "As the apprentice of Dim-Dizzle's Prince, I give you this gift." I stamp the cane, all the small and large pieces of fragments are gathered and pasted at the walls. The torn pictures came back to normal, everything in the castle including the castle itself is coming back to its normal pulchritude.

That's how I saw where my teacher lived and grew. All of them were marveled with felicity. They shout and clap for gladness. While I kneel in front of Mistella. Her white dress has a painted design of purple flower. And too late to realize it, her eyes is the same with her wolf's. Her hair is actually her fur, and what makes her cuter is her wolf tail.

I picked the purple flower from her dress and gave it to her as remembrance. Her jaw drops.

"You can do things like Prince Holland does?"

"He's no longer a prince, he's a king." then I smile at her and leave.

Queen Cortana stood from her throne to give us a help. And a message for me

"Even for a short moment, I felt my son's presence again. Thank you, Haris. May the wind guides your way back to your destination." She blow smoke to us until everything we see is a thick and blinding fog. Slowly fading away, we're here at the top of a cliff where we can see the castle and the forest covered of mist surrounding it.

"Princess Jexica, can you sub me from here?" she nod. "Then I'm leaving. See you soon. Haris, we entrust you the princess." I nod too. He walk a little far distance from us, covered and surround himself with fire, and now the color is red. He fly like a shooting star. A very convenient traveling. Jexica caught my attention when she whistles, like calling for a horse.

Soil are rising a few steps ahead. It's running like hiking, a horses with carriage risen from the underground, and they're all made of soil!

"Before we take her home, we should visit home too," she told me.

"A horse.... and a carriage... made of soil...? What if it rains?"

"Sounds like you're too unfamiliar with this kinds of fusses. Before the weather thinks of crying, lets go!"

"Where are we going anyway?"

"I said Home." We ride in the carriage. It's actually awkward to sit beside the person I esteem the most.

(King Xavier)

I need this assembly be over as soon as possible, I want to save my daughter on my own. Today I will promote the most cooperative royals in this kind of situation. Ridley, Dominique, Russell and Corrihor are those, I want to include Hibyte but he's not part of my dominion. Russell is on his way. And before this gathering settled, I found my presence somewhere.

Here in an anonymous wide and rich room, I found myself laying on the bed. My injuries are cured by the healing necklace, I found the rings on top of a study table beside a balcony door. I rise to get those, wondering what am I suppose to do with these.

"Brother!! You're alive!!"

I turn my head to her, no one else but my childish younger sister. She hug me like a long lost brother.

"Are you alright? I received a message days ago that you're missing. What happened to you?"

"Don't ask me, I don't know either. I have to go back home—"

"Wait, we prepared some meal for you. And also a new clothe." I'm halting. "This is Monteih Kingdom, would you like to take a tour?"

"You know what, you're so optimistic, or should I say, a happy-go-lucky being. I still have a lot of things that matters and I don't have much time for pleasures..."

"So? Yes or no?"

"Yes."

I ate with her, took a bath and change my clothe. I need to be exquisite before I face again my Queen. I was an unexpected visitor here, I tour around the kingdom, my very first home, and was once a havoc village. A lot has changed, the houses are more substantial than my generation. The farm I used to harvest is now a grave for resting souls.

Here where lies a mother who raised me, a grandma, and my brother. I visit his tomb. And for a short moment I recalled the memories we had.

"Ridley, I have to leave."

"Sure. At least I gave ease to your hectic duty as a god. As an advice, keep that incessant love to your Queen. Happy Queen means happy King!" I laugh and pat her head.

"Is your King happy?"

"Of course! Because I'm happy." I mess her hair. "Goodbye!"

I sunk to the ground and rise again, I'm here in front of the portal way to my kingdom. It's lock. I open to pass and the guards guarding the portal inside were startled. Their eyes widen, I look at them and they bow. I close the portal again.

"How is the kingdom?"

"Everything is peacefully stable, your highness," it's Key, coming closer to me with his horse and two assistants. He covered his mouth and screams silently, "You're baaaacckkk!" I roll my eyes.

"Mind if I borrow your horse?" I ask one from his assistants.

"Should I tell everyone that you're back?"

"You don't have to."

We'll cross the town anyway. And as we did, everything is normal, people bowed their head whenever I pass by. I can read they're surprised too. I'm curious how long I was gone. When I passed the gate, the whole castle was oriented that I'm here. The first one who greet me is Rhea, she's standing beside the throne.

"Your highness!! Welcome back!!"

I look around, inspecting the well being of vicinity and the subordinates.

"Pressure not yourself, the changes and improvements of this kingdom is because of the Queen."

"Where is she?"

"Could be inside her room, resting herself—" we heard a breaking of vase, and I found her gasping. I have no time to panic, I teleport in front of her and catch her unsteady stand.

"Amber, you okay?!" I touch her cheeks.

"Good news you're still alive." she said in tears.

"Of course I—" she nip my ear.

"Did you know how long I waited for you?! Did you know how many days I suffered in distress thinking that you're dead, even our daughter isn't back yet!! And specially... this child...!!" She's gasping again. Ashti isn't back yet.

"I'm sorry. I... ah..." okay I don't know what to say. I just hug her tight. "I'm sorry..."

Then a changed of position, she held my cheeks, "Welcome back," she said with a warm voice that snuggled me and kiss me. I guess I was gone for weeks, since I missed her lips.

"Ehermm eh mmm, I apologize for disturbing your private display of affection but, I would like to tell you that she's pregnant," of course it's Key who informed.

"You can tell that later!" Rhea nudged him.

"Really?! All these days?!" I reacted and she nod. And I hug her again.

"And also, your highness, what are these rings you dropped?" I draw my attention to those, still beside my Queen. I told Key to throw those to me and it fall slowly to my hand.

"Wait, it looks familiar," she said.

"These rings locks the stolen gifts. And I have to be careful with my next move with these. Key, send a message to King Corrihor, also to Ridley, Queen Dominique and King Russell. I need them gathered here right now as soon as possible."

"Don't you want to rest?" my Queen claimed.

"I already did... then... I will save our daughter."