TWO HEADS TWO SPIKES (The Pearl of Wisdom Saga) (15 page)

Silence filled the creepy room for a minute as the snake haired woman closed her eyes.

“I need to know if I should go through with this plan...”

Instantly her eyes opened wide, totally white again. The snakes stopped moving as she stared deeply at the King with her iris-less eyes before slowly saying:

Maybe not, yet maybe so,

Beware you must, how words will blow,

The fires burn and smokes arise,

Make a choice but first be wise,

If threats you feel shall fill you full,

Break into action, wait not you fool,

But if you may and if you must,

Be forewarned that is to whom you trust

The King turned to Ali-Ster, “I have the answer, my boy. We may leave now.”

Ali-Ster didn’t have the foggiest idea how his father found an answer in that cryptic message. He felt even more confused than when they arrived. Ali-Ster had heard of the Priestess of the Gods from Count Silzeus, but this was nothing like what he had imagined. He wished his father had never reinstated these rituals of nonsense.

Although that was scary and inexplicable, I wouldn’t put any credence into it. Does he really think that mad priestess just spoke directly to the Gods?
If he bases an important decision on what just happened here, father must be a fool
.

The daze wore off slightly as they exited the cave. They began to walk toward Sir Penrose and the horses when they heard a fiery roar and a blast of heat ran up their backs. Ali-Ster turned to see steam shooting from the cave into the night sky. He looked over to see a smug smile on the face of the King. Ali-Ster did not share the King’s sentiment and couldn’t wait to get out of this place. As he mounted his horse, the strong fog returned like a thief in the night.

Count Sproul and Riceros sat at the circular table in the Colbert library. Jon Colbert placed emphasis on reading and education. He often accepted payment in written records, especially of battles, and other historical manuscripts. He had taken all the ancient documents from the King as payment over the years. They were old papers and books that the Etburns had found in a cave and then instantly turned over to King Ali-Fred more than one-hundred years ago. But the King’s thinking men couldn’t build most of the designs correctly so they had been stashed away over the years until King Ali-Stanley got wind that Jon Colbert would accept them as payment. The documents showed Jon Colbert how to build a sewer system and helped line the Mattingly landscape with aqua tracks. The tracks looked like stone bridges but they sent water to all parts of the region. They were the biggest reason for the phrase, ‘A Mattingly man never starves’. It had taken Duke Colbert’s top men several years to figure out how to use the documents, but once they did, many more advancements followed. The Count read from the second book of
The Gods Words
to Riceros in his soft, soothing voice:

Josevius knew what must be done. He rose to his feet, weak from starvation.

He said, “My brothers and sister, I knowest what needs done. All of us shall starve and die before our sun rises once again.”

Josevius slumped back down in exhaustion, but continued, “I am nourishment. Taketh my body to sup upon and I shall live again through you, my siblings.”

He turned to Nunce, “Brother, havest thou the firth to taketh my last breath, to save the race of man from evil?”

“It pains me, but I havest not the courage, my brother,” responded Nunce.

Josevius turned to Cleon, “My brother, I favor you, havest thou the firth to accept my offer for the good of all man?”

“I also havest not the courage, my brother,” Cleon said.

He now turned to Radial, “My brother, havest thou the firth to taketh my last breath so we may ascend to our home in heaven?”

“I doth not havest the firth either, my brother,” Radial said, ashamed.

Josevius now turned to Numa, “Sister of meist, havest thou the firth to taketh my body, for the strength of the sun, stars, oceans and earth?”

“My brother, it will taketh all the strength of my womanly firth but I shall doth justice to our heaven.”

Radial, Nunce and Cleon said their final words to Josevius, vowing to reunite in heaven. Then they disappeared into the high brush.

“Brother, are you sure this is your will?” Numa asked a final question.

“Sister, I am divine man. I must sacrifice myself for the good of all mankind and our parents in heaven. We cannot giveth in to Travibero,” Josevius weakly stated.

“I understand what needs done, my brave brother.”

Numa wrapped the bottom of her body cloth into a ball as tears welled up in her eyes. Josevius leaned back, opened his mouth and said a final prayer.

When they had eaten the last piece of flesh from the bones of Josevius, a bright light shot down from above and turned the night sky into morning for a moment. The bones suddenly jumped into the air and assembled themselves as if Josevius was standing straight up. The God Salius, father of Josevius, appeared through the light.

“My son, I havest arrived to taketh thou home,” his father said.

A dark figure appeared opposite Salius. It was Travibero, Lord of the Plades, a gruesome, hairy beast with bright yellow eyes. The Plades were demons that opposed the Gods during the first days of earth. Travibero sported the body of a man and the head of a boar. White foam spewed from his slobbering mouth. He had extended fangs, three horns sprouting from his head and a long black tail that scraped the ground. The demon leader’s booming voice howled something in a strange language and Salius shouted back in the same foreign tongue. Salius held his hands high, pointing to the sky. With more screaming from his father, the bones of Josevius started to rise into the air. The beast roared back, dropping to his knees and violently pounding the ground with both hands. Josevius’ bones dipped back down, coming close to the soil.

Salius looked to the sky and screamed, “Evil shall not taketh the soul of my son.”

Salius levitated several feet off the ground before shooting straight up, out of sight. The bones started to rise again, higher than before. The demon responded with a blood chilling scream and descended underground. The skeleton sank again. Now the bones shook vigorously as the battle of good and evil between the Gods and Plades raged on earth. The skull started to rise again but the other bones didn’t follow. They still shuddered below. The head came back to reunite with the other bones, which slowly started sinking into the ground. Suddenly, a heavenly light beamed down from above and surrounded the skeleton. Try as he might, Travibero was powerless to stop the righteous one from ascending to his home in heaven. The bones of Josevius climbed the seven stairs of heaven to take his rightful place next to his father. He was proclaimed Josevius, God of Sacrifice.

The Count closed the book and spoke, “You see, it is the ultimate story of sacrifice, my boy...”

As the Count glanced over at Riceros, he saw that the boy was fast asleep on the table.

Riceros stood on an island of snakes and six-legged salamanders. He was with a young girl and boy and they were walking barefoot on top of a bed of reptiles. There were skeletons riding horses that didn’t have heads. The three kids watched as thousands of the headless horses passed without seeing them. The bones of the body-less riders clanked as the white horses with black spots trotted by. Blood still trickled from the necks of the destriers. The serpents and salamanders snapped at the falling liquid of life.

The boy spoke, “Why don’t you talk?”

Riceros stared at him but couldn’t formulate a response. His tongue had betrayed him again.

The girl now looked at him, “Do you think you will ever talk?”

Riceros nodded without confidence.

Both of the kids now talked in unison, “Maybe the words you speak are so important that you must save them until the time is right.”

He just stared at them as the slimy skins of the reptiles beneath tickled his feet.

The boy and girl spoke together again, “You might just be meant to talk to...”

Suddenly Riceros woke up from his nap to see Sir Brehan Castaway and Count Sproul. Brehan had always looked after Riceros.

“Let’s go outside. I need some practice with the bow,” said Brehan holding out Riceros’ arrow launcher.

Riceros grabbed the weapon and they were on their way after saying goodbye to the Count. Brehan stuffed Riceros’ black writing stone into a bag he had made specifically for carrying it. He liked to be able to communicate with Riceros even when they were outside. They headed out to a target in the woods next to the hunting grounds.

Jasper appeared out of nowhere, panting and bouncing around. He always found Riceros within a few minutes of his stepping outside the castle.

“Come on little man, keep up now.” Brehan was a little hard on Riceros to make the boy tougher.

Jon Colbert had pushed Brehan to the limit to better him and he passed that down to Riceros, while keeping the boy’s physical limitations in mind. They came upon the training ground for prospective knights. Most were squires, under scrutiny of their knights, trying to impress. Some practiced with staffs, others with swords.

“No, no, no,” screamed one of the knights as he ripped the wooden sword out of his squire’s hand. “Like this,” he said while demonstrating the correct technique on the other squire.

“This is much more intense than the training in Burkeville. They train hard here. Burkeville would have all the older knights sitting around getting drunk and telling the same old stories while the recruits fended for themselves. Sir Gunnar said the training in Fox Chapel is better, but not anywhere near what it is here,” Brehan said.

Riceros saw his uncle Ordrid teaching the young boys about swordplay. Ordrid was Jon Colbert’s younger brother and the highest lord in Mattingly. He ruled Greeneville, a vast stretch of fertile lands that extended far enough south to enjoy the bounty of the sea. Ordrid differed from his brother in that he coveted gold and power. Ordrid’s twelve- and thirteen-year-old sons listened as their father stressed defensive positioning.

Other trainees rode horses, trying to knock over a wooden dummy with a lance. Some squires just jumped on and off their horses while knights screamed at them. “Up,” they would yell until they got on the horse and then, “Down.” The exhausted participants did this at least thirty straight times in full armor.

As they approached the forest, several birds began to land around Riceros like they always did. They sang and squawked alongside and behind him. Animals always seemed to like Riceros Colbert. A jealous Jasper tried to chase away some of the competition.

The two got to the target that sat upon a slight hill. It was just past the Ruin Stone of the Ancient Men. It had symbols and markings on it that no one had been able to figure out. Count Sproul said he believed it was a directional guide for thousands of years old cities and rivers. The stone stood ten feet high and four feet wide but it looked like it was falling over at every moment because it sat on a slope.

They moved ahead to the shooting range and the mark that was shaped like a fox. As they pulled their bows, the birds flew away. Riceros had a small bow made of amber wood that was difficult for him to pull back.

They both unleashed all of their ammunition. Riceros had loosed forty arrows, with only one missing the target. He even outshot Sir Brehan, a top knight of Mattingly.

“Alright Riceros, I believe you have embarrassed me enough for today. The only thing I can be glad of is that you can’t tell this story to the rest of the knights,” Brehan smiled at the boy.

“What else could he possibly want? Ali-Ster returned months ago; he is eighteen, she’s seventeen. Neither yet betrothed, and the King always needs money. Seal it with a marriage and he will expect a full share of Mattingly.”

Jon Colbert’s worst nightmares were upon his doorstep. He stared at the parchment on the table that had arrived a bit earlier. It was now mid-day and he waited for the rest of the family to arrive. Brehan and Riceros walked into the sparsely decorated room. The rest of the family sat at a circular wooden table with chairs around it.

He looked around at the assembled family. “Well, I have been called to the Capitol by the King. He also asked for Mariah to attend.”

His wife spoke, “It doesn’t say that in the letter does it, about Ali-Ster?”

“No, I am speculating. But what else could it be?”

Jon played with his goatee nervously as his son Krys wondered, “Maybe he wants to borrow more gold?”

“He has always just asked for it in his letters. This has to be more than that.” Jon always remained in control, but this fresh problem caused his mind to wander.

“Maybe he wants to borrow a whole bunch of gold?” Ruxin asked.

Riceros wrote something on his slab and showed it to Brehan.

Brehan relayed, “What if it is a setup? Like your father?”

“I can’t believe that the King would do that again. My father didn’t support the kingdom financially like we do now. That was thirty years ago and the King has five daughters of his own, he wouldn’t ask for Mariah I would hope. And besides, how can I ask my citizens to listen to me if I ignore King Ali-Stanley. I will be very cautious, but I still need to honor his authority.”

“I will make sure you are safe, my Duke,” Sir Brehan stated with a smile to break the tense atmosphere. Brehan also realized that this presented a unique opportunity for him.

“Yes, I’ll take you, Sir Gunnar, Sir Ryan and Sir Richard along with some other guards. But I really don’t imagine the King would try anything foolish. Mattingly is the key financial cog in the Donegal political machine. He wouldn’t sacrifice his cash cow even to the Gods he falsely covets.”

He got up and walked around his seated family.

“Are you sure you don’t want us to go with you, father?” Ryno asked, referring to Krys and himself.

“Actually, I will need you and Krys to go to Gama Traka for me now. Anders will be there to take care of you boys. You will take Lord Alfred along because he has been there many times and he knows what business needs to be handled. He will give you boys the details on the trip over there. There will be only a quick stop in Androsi so you will need to pack heavy. Ruxin, you are to stay here and look after the family. You will sit in the council meetings in my stead and watch over the castle. Your uncle Ordrid will be here to help you handle matters.” Jon sank back into his chair and tried to appear confident in front of his family.