Kingdom's Reign (10 page)

Many knights did not receive the authority to rule a city or a region. Some were assigned as guards to the prefects or regional governors. And the Prince warned us that some regions would not welcome His rule.

Later that day, the Prince walked with me among the remains of the once beautiful gardens of the palace.

“My King, I am unworthy of the noble mission You have given me … I do not even know how to begin,” I said, feeling humbled.

He placed an arm around my shoulder. “Cedric, you are more than able. The mission is difficult because your travels will take you throughout the kingdom, but I have the utmost confidence in you. I need you to help My knights establish their rule. For the time being, I have assigned a contingent of men to be your escort. There is still danger.”

We paused in our walk, and He turned to face me.

“Where do I start, my Lord?” I asked.

“I want you to travel with the knights who go to the United Cities of Cameria and establish My rule in that region. From there you will know where to go.” He smiled as He read my lack of self-confidence.

“I have assigned a fellow knight to assist you … one with skill and discernment that I have not found in any other.”

I was pleased and relieved. I would have hoped for William, but his duty lay in Cameria. “Who is he, my King?”

“The knight arrives by ship this evening. The
Valiant
will
dock before sunset.” The Prince resumed walking. We arrived at a spot that looked over the once majestic city of Chessington. I saw the ruin, but I knew He saw the potential splendor.

The Prince smiled. “Ah Cedric, it is good to be here. My beloved city will be beautiful once again, and the people will find the goodness they have sought for so long.”

I tried to imagine what He saw but knew that my picture must pale in comparison to the one in the mind of the King.

I arrived at the docks south of Chessington late in the afternoon to wait for the arrival of my companion. I wondered who the Prince had chosen and if I knew him. Many ships arrived carrying supplies for Chessington, and the
Valiant
was among them. The crew began unloading the cargo, and I immediately recognized the slender form of Talea overseeing the operation. She was occupied with her task and did not seem to notice me, which was fine because I felt entirely awkward around her anyway. There are certain moments in our lives that we wish we could erase, for the embarrassment we live with is uncomfortable. Although Talea was a fascinating woman, she reminded me of such a moment, and I found it difficult to get past it. Yutan was beside her, as usual, helping organize the shipment.

I waited for the passengers to disembark. Three gentlemen exited the ship and walked toward the city without any hesitation in their step. After some time, I boarded the
Valiant
and sought out her captain to inquire of my assistant. As I approached, he hailed me first.

“Sir Cedric, I assume you have come to welcome your assistant?”

“Yes, Captain. Can you tell me where he is?”

He looked a bit puzzled and then smiled as though a thought entered his mind. “If you can be a bit more patient, I will help you in just a moment.”

By now the unloading of the cargo was complete, and the captain called for Yutan. They had a short discussion to which I was not privy. I began to wonder if something was amiss. The two Silent Warriors approached me.

“Sir Cedric, I am sorry for the delay, but Yutan will assist you,” the captain said and returned to his duties in his cabin.

“Yutan, it is good to see you.” I reached out my hand. For some strange reason, I felt as though I had also offended Yutan that day I unintentionally insulted Talea back at Leinad's home, for his demeanor toward me was a bit cool. He obviously felt an obligation to Talea. I had perceived that his role for her was one of personal guard. Perhaps Leinad had asked him to watch over her? I could only guess.

“The captain tells me you are here to receive your assistant,” he said brusquely.

“That is correct,” I said, wondering why Yutan was charged to aid me with the matter.

Just then Talea approached. I took a deep breath and bowed slightly. “Lady Talea, I am honored to see you again.”

She responded by nodding slightly. “It has been some time, Sir Cedric. What brings you to the
Valiant
?”

She stood tall and poised. A tousle of hair had come loose
from her braid and hung down the left side of her face. The ever-present air of competence hung about her. I was momentarily taken by her eyes and wondered what mission of adventure she would soon be upon. She caught my gaze and wiped away the loose bit of hair, tucking it behind her ear.

“I am here on business, my lady,” I replied. “I am here to—”

Yutan interrupted. “I am told that the Prince has chosen Sir Cedric to be his ambassador to all of Arrethtrae,” he said to Talea, almost bragging on me.

I was surprised and embarrassed by his comment. I turned my head away.

“Impressive …” Talea looked at Yutan strangely.

“I fear it is a task I am ill-equipped to handle on my own,” I said, trying to recover some humility. “I am here to receive my assistant, whom the Prince has assigned.”

Now it was Yutan's turn to look embarrassed. He looked away to the sea. Talea's poise turned into a look of confusion.

“You must be mistaken, Sir Cedric, for we do not carry such a man on the
Valiant
 … Perhaps the
Dauntless
delivers the man you seek. She is due to dock after we depart.” Talea looked at me and smiled briefly.

Now I truly was bewildered, for the Prince Himself had sent me to the
Valiant
. I did not respond but silently contemplated what had gone wrong.

Yutan turned back to Talea. “My lady,” he said, “I must ask your forgiveness for not informing you earlier … Cedric comes for you.”

I was as shocked as Talea looked. “I … but … that is not what I …”

“There is some mistake, Yutan,” Talea said matter-of-factly.

“Yes, surely there is some mistake,” I chimed in, then quickly regretted speaking it as I caught Talea's cold gaze.

Yutan looked at the deck. “There is no mistake, my lady. The Prince has chosen you to be Cedric's assistant. Your mission now lies in the heart of Arrethtrae. I will miss you.”

“Excuse us,” Talea said as she grabbed Yutan's arm and turned away from me. They walked to the end of the deck in serious discussion.

This was not at all what I had expected. The color of my mission had changed dramatically in an instant. It wasn't that I didn't like Talea, but I certainly was not comfortable with her … especially as an assistant. It seemed quite clear, however, that she did not like me, and that made things even more challenging. I did not relish the idea of becoming a despised authority.

I looked over at Talea and Yutan. Their words were intense at first, but as the reality of the situation sank in, Talea visibly softened toward Yutan. She stared down in silence and then looked up at him. I saw her quickly wipe away a tear and then embrace her large friend. She stepped back and resumed her confident posture.

As they returned to me, I tried to appear indifferent, as though I were receiving the knight I had expected.

“I will gather my belongings,” she said and quickly walked past me.

Yutan and I stood in silence for a moment. “Take care of her, Sir Cedric,” he finally said. “She has been like a daughter to me.”

“I will protect her with my life, Yutan.”

He smiled and we shook hands, and in that moment there passed a silent transfer of responsibility. “I know you will, and she will do the same for you. That is what worries me …”

PERIL AT LAKE PENSING

Talea and I left the ship and boarded a small carriage that awaited us. She traveled light—just one small satchel—and I was pleased about that. The silence between us was awkward. I hadn't been expecting her as my assistant, and she hadn't been expecting such a drastic change in her mission for the King.

“It is good to see you again, Talea,” I said, trying to be cordial.

“And you,” she replied without looking my direction. It was not an enthusiastic reply by any means, but it was not indifferent either. Sitting across from me, she gazed out the window at the streets of Chessington as we traveled north toward the palace. I knew life had just taken a drastic turn for her, and she was trying to adjust. Talea was a stunning woman in both beauty and character, but any initial attraction I'd had to her was quickly dying with each encounter. I was about to
ask her how she had been, but she cut through my attempt at casual conversation and pressed right to business.

“What is the purpose of our mission, and how long will it last?” She turned and finally looked at me for the first time since leaving the ship. For one brief moment, I thought I saw an expression of kind fellowship, but it was fleeting and the look of a professional warrior replaced it from that moment on.

I cleared my throat. “Initially, we are to help the newly selected city prefects and regional governors establish their governments. Once that is complete, which I am sure will take a fair amount of time, we are to represent the Prince and deliver His commands to the cities and regions as well as keep Him updated on the kingdom's progress.” I looked at her briefly and then gazed out the carriage window myself. “As to the length of the mission or your assignment, I simply have no idea.”

“I see,” she said.

I looked back at her, and she stared blankly at me. I knew that I must clear any misconceptions from her mind and try to get us back on the right foot.

“Lady Talea, we are going to be working together for quite a while, and I am committed to fulfilling my duty to the Prince. Just to be up front with you, I didn't request you, nor did I know you were the one selected as my assistant until Yutan told us both on the ship. I'm sorry that you were surprised by it, but we have a job to do, and it's not going to be an easy one. If I've offended you in any way, I apologize. Let's respect each other and get on with our business.”

She looked at me a bit less coolly and nodded. “Agreed.”

Our relationship would remain purely professional, I was sure of that. It was painfully clear that she wanted nothing more to do with me than to accomplish our mission. I was not completely sure why she was so stoical toward me, but I accepted it and appreciated her abilities and planned to use them effectively in our dealings within the kingdom. Talea was charming … just not to me. And it was probably fortunate, because our businesslike relationship allowed me to focus completely on our mission and duty for the Prince rather than on civilities.

It took a number of days to prepare for our departure to Cameria. Five city prefects, one regional governor, and six contingents of knights made for a fairly large force of armed warriors. Additionally, Barrett and his men traveled with us as far as Chandril, where he was to rule.