A Confrontation In the Garden

<p>*Spring, Year 225, Luminous Calendar*<br/><br/> "Your Majesty, we have received reports from the South and East boarders." A man clad in shiny black armor said breathlessly. The King turned to look at the solider tiredly and asked, "is it good or bad?" The solider looked at him unsure as to what to respond. "Sire?" he asked and the King turned back around to stare out the large floor to ceiling window that lead to the beautiful Temple Gardens. "The fact that you are hesitating to answer only means that the reports aren't favorable. I understand. Tell our men to retreat to the third defensive posts. The first two have already fallen, if they stay there, we will only have more losses. I can not have any more of our men's deaths weigh upon my shoulders." The King said clenching his hands. "Yes, Your Majesty." The solider answered with a quick bow and ran out. "Your Majesty, don't let this minor detail affect you. We will-" The King turned around and looked at his Councilmen with a furious glare. "What was that Councilman Wring? Did you just advise me not to be affected by dozens upon dozens of our men's deaths at the boarders? The deaths of fathers, brothers and sons who will never come home to see their loves ones because they chose to serve a King who is currently too busy searching in a Women's Holy Temple for a Divine Priestess based on an empty prophecy given to you all by an old hag dressed in rags? Is that what I'm hearing Councilman Wring?" The King said furiously, icy frost seeping through his clenched hands. "I-I...well..that's not.." The Councilman stuttered fearfully and looked at the other Councilmen for support. They all looked away or feined sudden extreme interest in their black silk cloaks, the old wooden chairs' armrest or the worn detailing of the wooden table in front of them. "You are all a group of incompetent cowardly fools with nothing more then power hunger and money thirst. Leave!" The King shouted as he slammed his hands on the old desk before him. The Councilmen stood quickly, bowed deeply and scurried out the doors like a mischief of rats. <br/> Pheww. A teasing whistle came from one of the side doors of the office the High Priestesses had lent the King. "You do know it's not their fault, right father?" Prince Regan said throwing an apple from one hand to the other , a teasing smile creeping around the edges of his mouth. "Yes son, I know. It's mine for even taking a second of my time to look for a damn bloody Divine Priestess. I shouldn't even be here. I should be out there, with my men, fighting those traitorous scummy brothers of mine who dare call themselves Kings!" The King fumed while gesturing his arm towards the window. "That's not what I meant, Father. And no, you will not be in any battlefield fighting anyone any time soon. You're not the young mighty, charming Prince James, Heir to the Throne of Sundome, defeater of a Thousand Armies, Silver Blade of Sundome, Wielder of the Grand Sword, Pegasus, anymore. You're King James, the old wise King, sole ruler of Sundome and Head of the Phrizee House of Kings." Prince Regan exclaimed and then bit into a juicy red apple. "Old wise King? Is that what I am now? Take a few steps closer and I'll show you what this old wise man can still do." The King grumbled, his mood lighting up a bit with his son's teasing banter. <br/> Once again the King turned around to stare out the window in deep thought. "Which one of them do you think it is?" Prince Regan asked walking over to stand next to his father and biting once more into his apple. The King stared blankly at all the Ladies walking in and out or around the Garden. Their laughter and happy chatter blurred by their high distance. "To be honest son, none of them. Most of them have passed almost all of the tests but none have actually excelled in any of them. Not only that, the Divine artifact hasn't awoken to the presence of any of them." The King said tiredly while running a hand over his face. <br/> "Hmmm..That's very troubling." His son answered and threw the remains of his apple into the trash bin next to the desk. "Yes, it is." The King said trailing off as a long streak of dark ebony hair caught his eye. There she was! The woman from that first evening they had arrived. Even this high up he could tell her apart from the rest of the Ladies. Her dark ebony hair hung in thick waves down her white golden gown to her waist, her pale milky smooth skin with the plump red lips a dramatic contrast to her hair and her eyes, her mesmerizing eyes with the different shades of blue and gray clashing against brown, reminded him of the clashing of sea waves against earthy cliffs in a raging storm . "Regan, that's her!" The King said breathlessly. "Who Father? The Divine Priestess? Did you find her?" Prince Regan asked scanning the pool of Ladies below. "No! The woman from that evening. The one who mind linked everyone and then left. That's her!" The King said in an excited voice. <br/> "Oh." Was the only thing Prince Regan said as his eyes finally landed on her. "Oh? What do you mean oh?" The King asked, less enthusiastic. "Ummm, that's Lady Iris, Father. The women who was sick? The one that almost died by choking on liquid Darkness? Do you remember I told you about her?" Prince Regan asked while leaning his back against the window. <br/> The King did remember. His son had come to their shared chambers very late one night. He had told him about a woman who'd become very sick and had to be saved by being ordered to breath with Total Command, one of his son's strongest abilities. When this didn't work his son pierced the women's being with healing light. If it hadn't been for the liquid Darkness covered leather gloves and the remains of this on his clothes, The King wouldn't have believed him in the slightest.<br/> "Did she take the Seven Trials?" The King asked deep in thought. "Why would she, Father? She's already been tainted by Darkness, it almost took her life. That's not very Divine Priestess behavior is it?" Prince Regan said with a teasing smile. <br/>"Have her take the Trials. Also, I want to have a word with her. Have that set up, too." The King said completely dismissing his son's last comment. "Yes, Father." The Prince answered and bowed before walking out of the borrowed office.<br/><br/> Iris walked towards the Temple Garden, a bag of scrolls, books, blank paper, ink and feather pens tucked safely under her arm. She took in a long breath of fresh air and smiled. She had been cooped up in her room for Goddess knows how long, so finally being able to go outside to take a breath of fresh air, free of the smell of medicines and tea, was a major relief to her. She looked around the Garden for an empty bench while her eyes slowly adjusted to the bright sunlight. When she spotted one partially hidden underneath a pair of Willow Trees, near the southern wall of the Garden she quickly headed it's way without paying much attention to the stares and whispers of her fellow surrounding Ladies. "Alright, let's get started." She said in a low voice to herself and pulled out a book along with some paper, ink and a feather pen.<br/> Iris finished one missed assignment after the other, her focus unwavering. She was so focused infact that she didn't notice Lady Beth and her trio of harpies staring at her from their bench near the white stoned fountain. "If looks could burn, you would already be a crisp of ember." A familiar voice said as Iris heard someone sit on the bench next to her. She looked up to see Rose's pale face looking back at her. Her dark red curls were pulled into a messy braid and her light green eyes looked a bit swollen on her paler then usual face. Iris looked back down at her work without saying anything, unable to actually continue and using it more as a destraction to ignore Rose. "You're giving me the cold shoulder, I see." Rose said sadly before sniffing quietly. "I'm not giving you the cold shoulder. I just don't feel like having a conversation with someone who couldn't bother to visit me in the many days I was ill." Iris said in a casual tone so as not to let her hurt show. "I wanted to visit you Iris, but.....High Priestess Asterwood said I couldn't. Not only that but I felt so ashamed for the way I acted towards you the night you fell sick. A part of me thought that I might have been the reason that happened to you." Rose said in a pleading tone as she looked at the floor, a tear slipping down her cheek. Iris looked at her and sighed. At least now she knew why Rose hadn't visited her. It wasn't her fault, she wasn't allowed by the High Priestess. She felt a tightness around her heart finally release. For days, while she was bedridden, she wondered why Rose wouldn't visit her. Was she still angry with her? Had she done something else that was so horrible that Rose didn't want to even look at her anymore? Or had her friendship with Rose only been a lie on Rose's behalf and a mistake on hers? <br/> "I'm sorry Iris I-" Rose was interrupted by a nasty cackling. "I see you're trying to make up with the only person who's willing to even look at you." Lady Beth's girly voice said loudly enough for all the Ladies close by to hear as she and her trio walked towards them. "It's quite sad actually. Tell me Lady Iris, were you aware that Rose, the snake that she is, has been going around looking for someone to replace you as her new best friend? After that horrible night where you fell ill, she's done everything possible to squeeze herself into every and any group within our courts." Iris quickly looked over at Rose and felt a tightness around her heart once more when she noticed Rose sitting there, her mouth agape and terror in her wide eyes. She didn't say anything to counter or disprove her sister's claims, she just sat there like a child caught red handed trying to steal a cookie. "You know what the icing on the cake was?" Lady Beth continued with a large smirk, "It was probably when my dear little sister here came to my friends and I to ask us to take her under our wing." Lady Beth gave another nasty cackle and looked at Iris expecting her to cry or at least show anger but was disappointed when she did neither of these. Instead Lady Iris just nodded and asked, "is that so?" Lady Beth's eye twitched slightly and she answered, "yes, it is. If you don't believe me you can ask any Lady here." Lady Beth gestured around her to which many of the other Ladies standing close by either nodded their heads or looked away uncomfortably. "Hmmm, ok" Iris said casually and nodded her head in understanding. This really ticked Lady Beth off. "That makes me wonder, do you know why none of the other Ladies in our court will form a friendship with you, Lady Iris? Have you ever wonder why, no matter how hard you work or how respectful you are to everyone around you, why no one will ever say more then a few words to you? Have you ever wondered if it was due to the only person you associate with? Tell me, have you heard the rumors this snake has been spreading about you for the last few years?" Lady Beth asked and Lady Iris just shook her head calmly. "I haven't Lady Beth, and to be truly sincere, even if I had, I wouldn't really care. Rumors are a vile thing spread by wicked people with too much time on their hands. I have been taught to be above that, however, I thank you for taking the time to comment on this to me and also properly ask me about it." Iris responded with as much elegance as she could muster up and stood slowly, making sure her items were once again in her bag before she began to walk past Lady Beth, her trio of harpies and the Ladies standing nearby trying to witness the scandal being caused by Lady Beth. <br/> Iris felt sick and on the verge of tears but still managed to maintain a pleasant smile on her face as she walked by Lady Beth and gave her a polite bow. "I can't blame her though. If my friends were known for taking men into their rooms and then shutting themselves in their rooms for days on end, I would also look for better companions." Lady Beth said, her back turned to Iris. Iris turned to look back at Lady Beth, she knew this was a last desperate attempt at getting her to snap. She also knew that this comment was aimed at the fact that a few nights ago a man had entered her room and saved her life after hearing Sister Bertha's frantic screams. 'Rumors sure spread like wildfire here.' Iris thought with a sad smile. She also figured that while Lady Beth threw out a vague assumption that she had a man in her room for an indecent reason, what she didn't know that the Sisters had kept her updated on everything that went on in the Temple, including her scandal.<br/> "You're very correct, Lady Beth. I myself wouldn't associate myself with someone like that. It must take a great deal of courage to still hold a friendship with someone who is willing to put not only their reputation but also their Holy Vow in jeopardy for a man. That, however, is a topic you should bring up with your own friends, not with me. How about asking them how they do it instead of harassing your sister in front of me in a weak attempt to shame both her and me?" Iris asked in a cool tone. The Ladies around her, including the trio of harpies, gasped and began to whisper. "What did you just say?" Lady Beth asked furiously, her long loose dark red curls whipping around her pale face as she quickly turned around to look at Iris with furious green eyes. Iris just shrugged, a pleasant smile plastered on her face before she turned around to continue walking towards the Garden entrance. <br/> Once she was inside the Temple, Iris increased her slow pace into a small throt and headed towards the Temple Library. She didn't get far before a sob broke through her and tears slipped out in small pools around her eyes. She quickly wiped her tears away with the back of her hands but it was useless as more tears stung and blurred her vision before slipping out again. "Lady Iris! There you are! I've been looking all over for you." A man's deep voice sounded behind her as heavy footsteps headed towards her. She stopped and continued to wipe away her tears without looking back. " Lady Iris.." The deep voice said as a hand gently landed on her shoulder. The man stepped next to her and slightly pulled her shoulder, turning her around to face him. "Lady Iris, what-" He was interrupted by a chorus of giggles and screams echoing through the hall from the Garden. "Come with me." He said as her grabbed her arm and lead her through a set of hallways, down some stairs, past some green painted doors and through a set of worn reddish brown wooden doors. He pulled her inside and closed the door firmly behind them before pulling her towards the back of the room where a lone wooden desk with four chairs sat hidden by large wooden bookshelves crammed with ancient leather books. He let go of her arm and stepped towards the door for a moment before stepping back up to her and hugging her gently. Iris was both bewildered and flustered by this for a moment before she leaned her face into her chest and began to cry silently. The weight of everything that had happened in the past few days seemed to finally fall on her in that very moment. <br/> She cried for the horrible thing she had done that evening in The Alter, for the ten days, evenings and nights she had been cooped up in her room, for the nightmares that still plagued her dreams, for the friendship she thought she had with Rose, the same friendship that was crushed a few moments ago and above all, the fact that her reputation had been soiled by rumors and lies while she fought for her life. "There, there. Go ahead, let it all out." The man said in a soothing manner urging Iris to cry it all out, this in turn caused her silent sobs to turn into low whimpers.<br/></p>