The Scarlet King (5 page)

Betty said, "Soldiers come. Taking them to
the palace."

Daniel appeared at the door carrying a very
upset baby Geoffrey, who needed to be fed, and also carried Betty's
child. Heather spoke up, saying, "Betty you stay here and help
Edna. I will take care of your son." She left with Daniel for the
duties of the mother. Daniel had many questions and Heather told
him the little she knew. When asked what her plan was, Heather
could only reply, "I know not. We must trust in the God of the
Sacred Water and the Spirits of the Forest. If help can be given it
will be from the Spirits of the Forest, for they are strong in
Betty."

Edna and Jeremy were half marched and half
dragged from their cell across the courtyard and into the palace
proper. Instead of going to the great hall they were taken to a
smaller room, which held many guards and a much smaller dais.
Jeremy could not help but notice evidence of dried blood on the
stone floor. There they stood surrounded by guards in armor with
spears pointed at them. Finally a single horn was sounded and the
Scarlet King was carried in and set upon his throne. Only three or
four advisers accompanied him. One of these was the one who had
instigated the episode, the Pet Bird. He looked not well, with the
entire left side of his face swollen and discolored and only able
to see through his right eye.

It was he who spoke reading from a scroll
with some difficulty. It was a long litany of the charges against
Jeremy and Edna for attacking one of the royal blood. Jeremy
thought he would never stop talking and whispered to Edna, "Can you
make him be quiet?"

Edna could hear the Pet Bird very well for he
had touched her. Somehow Betty was making her hearing even
stronger. She imagined the scene of the Forest with the great trees
reaching down with their branches engulfing the Pet Bird. The man
continued reading and chanting for just a few seconds when a great
paleness came over him as the image that Edna had projected fully
engulfed him. He stood with this look of great fear upon himself
and was able to read no more.

The Scarlet King, who had said not, turned
towards him and finally asked, "What is wrong?" When he spoke Edna
was finally able to hear the King whose mind had been closed to
her. It was filled with much sickness and made her almost
nauseated.

The Pet Bird could only respond, "Make the
trees go away."

The King had grown impatient and told another
of the advisers to finish the reading. When it was finally
completed a third advisor spoke up, saying to Jeremy and Edna, "You
have been charged with a most serious crime. It is only the grace
and goodness of our most merciful and powerful King which prevents
your immediate execution. You will now bow before him and plead for
mercy."

Jeremy and Edna but glanced at each other
before Jeremy spoke up: "We are of the Forest and bow before no one
but the God of the Sacred Water."

The King became agitated as the words were
translated for him. He arose to pass judgment on them, but as he
started to speak Edna was again able to hear him clearly and insert
the image of the Forest engulfing him into his mind. His mind was
such a jumble of illness that at first the image could not form
fully, but it was enough to make him pause.

He sat back down and turned to one of the
advisers, who then said, "You shall return to the prison and this
time enjoy the stocks to help you think clearer." The religious
chant was then begun to protect the royal blood from the unclean.
Jeremy and Edna were again half dragged, half marched back to the
prison. Instead of being thrown back into their cell, they were
placed in a wooden apparatus which clamped around their legs and
arms and held their heads.

When the guards had departed, Jeremy asked
Edna what she had done. Edna explained how she was able to put an
image of the Forest into the minds of the Pet Bird and the King.
When Jeremy asked how she had done that, Edna but shrugged her
shoulders and said, "I think Betty did it."

Jeremy said, "Well then, I think Betty has
saved our lives, at least for now, for I am sure we were about to
die. Can you continue hearing them and having them see this
image?"

Edna was silent for some time before
replying, "I hear them and like the image not."

While Jeremy and Edna experienced a night of
progressive discomfort as the pressure from the wooden apparatus
stiffened their muscles and joints, the Scarlet King and the Pet
Bird had nights even more terrifying. The image of the giant trees
engulfing them became ever more clear and terrifying. With the
coming of the morning light, little changed in the minds of the
Scarlet King or the Pet Bird; their terror persisted. The advisers
themselves were afraid because of the looks of fear so evident in
their King and his cousin. The Scarlet King seemed unable to make a
decision so one of the advisers sent for the envoy. He too appeared
weary but his mind was clear. He was asked for an explanation.

When the envoy had heard the story he
replied, "It is Spirits of the Forest protecting their own. I would
advise releasing them unharmed to appease the Spirits of the
Forest."

An adviser spoke up, saying, "These two of
the Forest have committed a capital crime and release is not
possible. They must pay the price of the crime."

The envoy but shrugged his shoulders and
said, "I have witnessed the power of the Forest and the destruction
of our army. I would respect this power."

Another of the advisers spoke up, saying, "I
think the woman is a witch who has cast a spell on our King. She
should be burned at the stake."

There was a murmur of agreement from the
other advisers, but the King's nephew, the Pet Bird, spoke up,
saying, "Would killing the woman make the nightmare go away?"

The envoy replied, "I would expect the
Spirits of the Forest would be much angered and the visions would
not only continue but become more vile."

The statement caused the King to be somewhat
aroused from his semi-stupor, and he said, "You will go and make
the strangers stop the visions."

The envoy bowed low and said, "I may need to
release them from our lands to appease the Spirits of the
Forest."

The Scarlet King almost screamed at him,
saying, "Do what you must but stop the visions."

The envoy again bowed low and departed the
hall. He headed not to the prison but rather to the military
headquarters. There he spoke only to his most trusted assistant,
giving specific orders. He then took a small escort with him to the
prison. The prison guard was of mixed loyalty, with some favoring
the military and others the palace guards. The envoy took no
chances and spoke directly to the commander of the prison, relaying
the Scarlet King's orders. The commander had reached his position
by carefully balancing his loyalty to the military and to the
palace. He replied, "You may meet with the prisoners but I must
confirm with the palace your mandate."

The envoy was taken down a flight of stairs
to the most secure portion of the prison, and many locked gates
were opened. When he arrived at the cell where Jeremy and Edna were
being held, he was dismayed to see them in the stocks. He ordered
their immediate release from the stocks. The guard was uncertain of
the envoy's authority but the look of anger was enough to convince
him to follow the order. Jeremy and Edna said little while they
stretched their very stiff and sore muscles. The envoy said, "I can
speak of my anguish that you are being treated such. There is hope
for your release but I can no longer guarantee your safety."

Edna asked, "Why is this happening?"

The envoy thought for a moment before
replying. "The power struggle is beginning for a new Scarlet King.
You and Jeremy are unfortunate pawns in the struggle. If it were
not for the protection the Spirits of the Forest have provided you,
I am afraid those who would assume power would have already had
their way and you would be no more."

Jeremy asked, "What is wrong with the present
Scarlet King?"

"Have you not noticed the lumpy nature of his
skin? That is a sign that the disease of the royal blood is well
advanced and with it comes a sickness of the mind followed by
seizures and death." He added, "It was his fear of this disease
that caused him to seek your Sacred Water and begin the war against
your peoples."

Edna spoke, "The mind of the Scarlet King is
very tortured and ill."

The envoy then spoke in a very quiet whisper.
"I am arranging for your escape tonight. You must make your way
back to the ship and depart immediately. I can leave you no crew so
you must sail yourselves. I think your King Jason is capable of
navigating." In a somewhat louder voice he said, "I would you ask
the Spirits of the Forest to release the King and his cousin from
their visions in return from releasing you from the stocks." He
then used his fingers to indicate just a small decrease.

Edna was quiet for some time as she tried to
make this message heard by Betty. She then said, "The Spirits of
the Forest are not controlled by me but I will pray to the God of
the Sacred Water that they have some mercy on the Scarlet
King."

The envoy then reached out and took Jeremy's
hand saying, "I wish you the peace of the Forest." In his hand was
a slip of paper which Jeremy kept hidden as the envoy turned to
leave the cell. It was only after all the guards had left that
Jeremy unfolded the piece of paper and read the message. It said,
"Just before the rising of the moon your cell will be unlocked and
you must make your way back to the ship. Depart at once."

The envoy reported back to the palace and
relayed Edna's message that she was praying to the gods of the
Sacred Water to have mercy on the Scarlet King. The King appeared a
little less distraught, but his cousin, the Pet Bird, seemed no
better. The envoy then again requested permission for the release
of those of the Forest but the King's advisers would have none of
it. The envoy knew that there were those in the palace who were
happy to see the suffering of the King and hoping it would lead to
an even quicker death. Others, of course, wished for their Scarlet
King's suffering to end and would willingly allow the release of
the two strangers.

The envoy had already decided that he could
not wait for the outcome of the power struggle. He had planned to
do what he knew must be done. By making it look like an escape,
hopefully face could be saved by all and his King's suffering
ended.

Being free of the stocks made Jeremy and Edna
a little more comfortable, but the mash that arrived for the
evening meal was no more appetizing. The hours of the evening
slowly crawled by as darkness gradually obliterated their one small
opening to the outside world. Jeremy tried to figure the time of
the rising moon, but the few days in captivity had distorted his
sense of time. They were in an area of isolation without other
prisoners, and silence pervaded except for the scurrying of the
rats.

A slight click reverberated only slightly in
the silence and then Jeremy detected the softest of footsteps.
Another click and the door slowly opened. In the darkness Jeremy
could see only a small figure who spoke not but simply held the
door for them. Just before departing the cell, Jeremy tore a strip
of cloth from his cape and boosted Edna up and stuffed it into the
bars of the small opening. Jeremy thought if the ruse had worked
for Daniel maybe it would help them.

They followed the footsteps through the many
gates, all of which were unguarded at the moment. The torches
provided a dim light, but Jeremy could see only a figure fully
robed whose face was covered by the hood. Rather than exiting
through the main gate of the prison, their guide led them to the
service entrance which again was unguarded. He said not but simply
handed Jeremy a coil of line and pointed in the direction of the
wall.

Jeremy took the line and turned towards Edna
whispering, "Are you ready for a climb?" When he turned back their
guide had vanished. They made their way through the gray darkness
to the foot of the wall between some shops. Jeremy had no trouble
climbing the interior wall, which had not been smoothed. He lowered
the rope and helped Edna ascend. The exterior face of the wall had
been extensively smoothed and offered few handles for a possible
intrusion. The line was just of sufficient length for Edna to reach
the ground but not long enough for Jeremy to use a loop to lower
himself. He wanted not to leave any evidence of their escape and a
rope dangling over the side of the wall would be surely seen.

He tied a stopper knot on the end of the line
and found a small crack where the knot barely caught, and began
climbing down the rope. He hoped that when he reached the ground he
would be able to shake the line and the knot would come free. His
planning might have been good but the execution suffered: when he
was still twenty feet above the ground the knot slipped and he fell
the remaining distance. Edna did her best to cushion his fall but
his ankle twisted and he collapsed with a groan of pain escaping
his lips. Edna looked around hoping nobody heard the sound. All was
quiet.

Edna helped Jeremy to his feet, and by using
her as a crutch he was able to hobble along. They had both been
studying the terrain during their many visits and only occasionally
did they need to communicate as to direction. The moon was well up
before they arrived at the harbor. Only a few torches burned. Tied
to one of the pilings was the Captain's skiff. They untied the
skiff and ever so quietly pushed off away from the pilings. Using
the oars as paddles, they made their way slowly away from the
harbor structures and guards.

Not until they were into the open water of
the harbor did they insert the oars. The squeaking of the oar locks
seemed loud to those in the skiff but no alarm was raised. Jeremy
manned the oars and Edna provided the steerage using the rudder.
The moon was now up high enough so that they could see the outline
of the ship. There was just enough of a breeze to complicate the
rowing, and it seemed to take several times as long for them to
reach the ship as it normally did. As they approached the ship they
needed to decide whether to hail the ship or try to sneak aboard.
Jeremy's ankle made it impossible for him to climb, but Edna said
she would climb the anchor rope and get help to raise him aboard
the ship.