Seeds of Doubt

The ground pushed and prodded Alaron. He was being pulled at a rapid pace. Before when he had been traveling with Cafer underground, he had not been afraid. But by himself in the ever-shifting darkness, he was terrified. Add to that the fact that his back still felt raw from earlier, and Alaron was screaming at the top of his lungs. After a steep descent, the earth around him began to push the prince upwards.

Without warning, Alaron was thrust into a cavern. A hand slapped across the boy's mouth to silence him as another grabbed at his wrist to remove the Semblance Stone. The force used on him was great. It was only when Alaron realized that Cafer was the one holding him that he finally relaxed. The prince wriggled from the firm grip.

"You!" Alaron yelled. Like lightning, Cafer's hand flew back to the prince's mouth.

"You fool!" he hissed. There was a fire in his eyes that made the boy unconsciously shiver. Cafer hoisted the boy up by one arm and brought him back to the gnome's private dwelling. Throwing him toward the stone bed, Cafer released Alaron.

"What the blazes were you thinking?! Did I not warn you? Don't steal from gnomes! And to think you stole from me. I have half a mind to skin you alive. And beyond that, you took on Lukoss's likeness—I will be honest, that part impresses me slightly— and have the nerve to eavesdrop on my conversation with King Baak. If he would have found you out…no if anyone had found you out, you would have been tomorrow's dinner."

Alaron scoffed, "Gnomes do not eat people… Do they?"

"Steal from me again and find out!" Cafer threatened.

"Wait a second!" The prince stamped his foot. "I am the one who should be angry here. You are all but giving my throne away to the gnome king. Which makes sense, come to think about it, because you are a gnome!" Alaron stuck an accusing finger in his mentor's face. It was only when it looked like the gnome might bite it off that the prince lowered his hand.

Cafer took a deep breath. "Must I explain everything to you?"

Alaron clamped his mouth shut. Any answer to that question would receive a scathing reply.

Cafer checked to make sure the door was secured. He closed his eyes and sensed the stone floor and walls around him to make sure no one was hiding. Only then did the gnome continue barely above a whisper, "I was merely telling King Baak what he wanted to hear. We need him, and he needs to feel he is in charge. I was just stroking His Majesty's ego."

"But he wanted to hurt Mairwen!" Alaron, who had calmed down slightly, was incensed once more.

"Your twin is your weakness," Cafer said. "And it is something you will have to deal with sooner or later."

"No one hurts Mairwen. She is under my protection," the prince commanded.

"Very well. We will order that the princess will not be harmed. You are very generous to save her when she does not seem to be on your side," Cafer spoke so smoothly that Alaron almost did not catch the implied accusation.

"None of this is her fault, and I will not have her suffer because of it," the prince snapped.

"You need not worry, my prince. King Baak knows what is good for him. He will not be a problem," Cafer comforted him.

The words sounded strangely similar. They were nearly identical to what Cafer had said to Baak. 'Is he playing us both for fools?' Alaron wondered. He pushed down the thought. He had come too far to doubt his mentor now.

"I trust you Cafer. I should not have taken your Semblance Stone." Alaron gave a half-apology.

Cafer smiled at the boy. "All is forgiven. I had actually intended to use the stone on the king myself."

"What?!" The prince dropped down on the bed in surprise. This was news!

Cafer sat down next to him, ready to bring the prince into his confidence. "I had planned to use the stone to frame a gnome for the murder of the king."

"You were going to murder the king?!" Alaron asked too loudly.

Cafer hushed him. "I do not need to anymore, but yes. Then I would set up one of the weaklings as king, maybe even Lukoss. With the new king under my control, I would have the gnome army at my disposal. But this way is better. We have skipped many steps, and I did not have to kill my king." The gnome's smile made Alaron uncomfortable.

"Why not set yourself up as king if you are going to all that work?" Alaron wondered.

"I prefer to work in a more supportive capacity," Cafer responded vaguely. In truth, the gnome was addicted to being the puppet master. He had no desire to the the puppet. Clapping his hands, Cafer stood and walked over to his chests of clothing. "We need to get ready to have dinner with King Baak."

"Was he not just eating?" Alaron recalled.

"His Majesty eats often, and one meal runs into another. I am sure a servant will be along to fetch us shortly. My Prince, you have not made the best impression thus far. Try to be more charming, and less... wanting to punch things." The gnome dug out yet another shirt from his vast store. "And please try not to ruin this shirt so quickly."

"You are the one who drug me through the dirt!"

Cafer ignored him. "Get changed, and quickly!"

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The two met King Baak in a room with a long table. It was the gnome's equivalent of a banquet hall. A few other prominent gnomes were present, but the table was mostly empty. Gnomes did not like to share their bounty or their meals, but this was a special occasion. Some beautiful ladies were serving food at the table. "What are they?" Alaron asked quietly. "Are they gnomes?"

Cafer shook his head and spoke quietly, "Most of them are fairies. The special field around our caverns keeps them from escaping. Gnomes like to steal their wives, or at least abduct servants."

"You mean slaves." Having grown up around a female ruler, the prince had been instilled with a healthy respect for women.

"Call it what you will. It is the gnomic tradition," Cafer closed the matter. "Thank you for your generosity, King Baak," the gnome addressed the head of the table.

"You will get me more than this if you succeed," Baak reminded him. He looked at Alaron, who was quietly taking in the scene. "Did you ever think that you would have a King for an ally?"

The prince was pulled from his musings. He gave a winsome smile. "Considering I did not believe in anything other that my own empire until just a short while ago, that thought did not cross my mind, Your Majesty."

"Humans and their small minds," Baak laughed. "You cannot even fathom magic or its creatures."

Alaron's eyes narrowed. He whispered a few words and moved his hands beneath the table. The dishes on the table raised and floated in the air before clattering back down in one loud drumbeat.

The gnomes and servants were shocked for a moment. "I thought you said humans cannot fathom magic, Your Majesty," Alaron responded with a smirk.

"Did I not mention that His Highness has been learning magic?" Cafer asked.

Baak chuckled, "You did not." A flash of recognition flew across the king's face. "Do some more, young prince!"

Alaron did a series of tricks for the enjoyment of the king. Each use of magic made the prince hungry to do more. Cafer shook his head. 'I told him to be charming, not stupid,' he thought. "I think that is enough for now, Your Highness." the former councilman interrupted gently.

The king grunted, "We were just getting started!"

"We need each other," Cafer reminded Baak. The implied message: do not kill the boy. The king relented. Cafer gave a grin towards the Prince. "Tomorrow," the gnome declared. "I will take you into the land of magic."