Mahala’s news spiralled out of control
After walking a whole day through the forest that divided the kingdoms of Ruana and Mahala, Aurora from the hill finally saw the sumptuous domes that decorated the imposing Spring castle. The poor royal servant was exhausted. She let out a sigh of relief from her parched throat. The provisions she had arranged for her journey did not last as long as she had thought. The water ran out halfway, and one of her sandals broke. Making her task more arduous than it already was.
Aurora, with all the troubles, including her torn sandal, hastened her step. It was almost the end of the day, and the light would soon be extinguished. The castle was close but not as close as she wanted. She had yet to cross the town that surrounded the walls that protected Ruana’s centre of power.
Adjusting her hood, and closing the cape, Aurora walked the main street that was made of stone. This road would take her directly to the gates of the castle. Aurora couldn’t help but take a look here, and here. A sense of belonging and longing hit her senses, making her sigh. The shops and market stalls along the main street were closed. The trade had closed hours ago, and the citizens of Ruana should be at home, resting after this hard day’s work. Better for her. Without a doubt, she would go unnoticed, and without having to give explanations of any kind. After walking for what seemed like hours, Aurora finally reached the gates of the Spring Castle, but before she could knock on the door to reveal herself, a booming voice stopped her on the spot.
“Citizen of Ruana, the audiences with the king are early in the morning. You will have to wait until the following week. The king has important business that needs his full attention. Come back another day.” Aurora, for her part, after hearing that voice, finally recognized who it belonged to. Two years had passed since the last time she heard him, and his voice had transformed into a deeper, more mature, and manly one.
Raising her head, she removed her hood, revealing her face, and with a smile, she said, “Lucas, it’s only been two years. Are you no longer able to recognize your own sister?” Lucas, who couldn’t believe it, stuck his head out from the watchtower in surprise. Seeing his smiling sister, in a shrill voice, he said, “Aurora, wait a minute.” He immediately went down, and in less than expected, Lucas was opening the heavy and immense steel gate that would give entrance to the castle. Seeing his sister in person, Lucas ran to meet her. Aurora was wrapped in the arms of her beloved brother. A hug that eliminated the two years of separation.
Aurora, patting Lucas on the back, breathed in the familiar scent of home. But she remembered the imperative business that brought her back. Reluctantly, she released him, and took him by the arms, looking into his eyes. “Lucas, later there will be time for a reunion. I have brought a message from my queen. King Lucian must read it immediately.” Lucas, seeing the seriousness of the matter, took his sister by the hand, and turning nervously to the sides to rule out unwanted ears, they hurried into the castle.
As they walked through the royal gardens, Lucas brought her up to date. “The rumour which spread a few days ago throughout the town turned out to be true. The king hasn’t left the war room since yesterday. Nothing official has been published, but if the word from ear to ear is true…” Lucas swallowed, “the king is preparing to invade Mahala.”
Aurora stopped suddenly, and holding the sleeve of her brother’s shirt, she said, “there is no time to waste, we have to get to the king.” The two of them without saying anything else redoubled their pace.
∞∞∞
His Majesty, King Lucian, was pacing the war room from corner to corner. Very concentrated, with both hands behind his back, and wearing the same nightgown from days ago. “Your stomach, your majesty. Your stomach. For the well-being of your intestine, I recommend that you calm down. Altered, the way you are, you will not be able to solve anything. My beloved ward, Amberjill, needs our support. And a king with intestinal problems is not someone to be trusted.” The clerk and Queen Amberjill’s personal tutor, and King Lucian’s childhood friend, said.
“Nonsense, old Edward. My gut is made of steel. What happened was the little feast I had a few days ago. Something upset my belly.”
“Little feast? More like a whole suckling pig, two meringue tarts, a jug of wine, and a bag of caramelized walnuts.” Edward muttered. But the king managed to hear him. Lucian looked at him with the most menacing look a king with extra weight, a white beard, extra bushy eyebrows, and wrinkles gracing around his eyes could offer. “Nonsense, my stomach is in knots. That wretched King Alcott is to blame. How dare he brews the most overwhelming and painful betrayal against us? My daughter. Oh! My poor Amberjill. My poor Amberjill. But daddy is here to help you.”
The king’s pale white skin turned red with anger. Spitting out saliva, the king ordered, “Edward, summon the generals of the forty battalions.” And with a look full of promise, the king concluded, “we are going to war.”
But the clerk did not have time to reply, as the door to the war room was thrown open. The two men who were discussing attacking the kingdom of Mahala fell silent, wondering who would have the guts to get inside without the king’s permission. But the two figures that entered left the king and his clerk with their mouths open.
Aurora, seeing her king in the middle of the room, in a robe and visibly neglected, couldn’t help but smile. She, in a hurry, approached the king and kneeled in front of him. She took his hand and kissed it. “My king, two long years without seeing you. My queen, Sandra, and I have missed you very much.” Aurora rubbed her face against the king’s hand, telling him everything she could not express in words.
Lucian, recovering from his astonishment, squeezed Aurora’s hand tenderly, giving her a warm smile. “My girl, Aurora, get up child. Get up.” Aurora obeyed her king and wiped away some tears that had been shed, smiling brightly. But the king, reacting to Aurora’s presence in the kingdom of Ruana, hardened his stance.
“Child, tell me everything. My spies brought me the news that is very hard to believe.” Aurora, looking down, and from her bag, took out the letter that Queen Amberjill wrote for her beloved father. When handing it over to the king, he took it with caution. Giving the impression that he did not want to know the content. Lucian opened the envelope and began to read it. His face paled even more if that was possible, and his countenance fell. His spies had not been wrong. It was all true. His beloved daughter had been betrayed.
