The Hellknight's Savior

Chapter Four: Emergency

Talia left the chamber and started walking towards the stairs. She climbed up them slowly, thinking the whole way. I shouldn’t have acted that way. I just don’t like to be told what to do. That’s something I will have to work on.

As she started down the stone hallway of the second floor, she realized that she wasn’t quite sure which door was hers. She hesitated for a second, wondering if she should go ask the King. No she decided. I’ll look like a fool if I do.

She took her chances and opened a door. This wasn’t her room but instead of closing the door and leaving, she stepped inside. A statue lounging on a settee in the room had caught her eye. Moving closer towards it, she realized that it wasn’t a statue at all but a person. Her skin was very pale, almost white, and smooth with no wrinkles anywhere on her face.

Talia reached up to touch the lady’s face, transfixed. Her skin was icy to the touch. The lady’s eyes twitched with the touch and fluttered open. Pale blue eyes with specks of green stared back at Talia.

“I’m sorry Madam,” Talia said looking down at the ground, blushing.

“Why are you sorry? There is nothing wrong with wanting to touch something beautiful.” She smiled at Talia. “My name is Viola. Lady Viola to most, but you can just call me Viola.”

Talia looked at her confused. “So you’re not upset with me for disturbing your sleep?”

“I was only thinking. So Talia, what are you doing in this palace? Shouldn’t you be traveling towards Craona?”

Talia looked at her in surprise. “Lady Viola, how did you know my name? And what foolishness are you talking about?”

“I told you to call me Viola. And don’t try to bluff me, I can read your mind. Your mind’s defenses aren’t strong enough to stop someone powerful from reading them. It’s too simple, you need to complicate it.”

“And how do you suggest I do that?”, Talia asked. She was becoming worried. She wasn’t sure if she could trust Viola or if she should run and tell the King. But what good would the King be? she thought. If she wanted, I’m sure she could find me anywhere.

“I could,” Lady Viola said. “Now to answer your question, I could teach you. I realize you won’t be staying here much longer, so I will have to travel with you. If you don’t strengthen your mind, then anyone will be able to find you. Your defenses block weak minds, but the minds you’re up against are stronger. Much stronger.”

Talia stared at Lady Viola and thought, before nodding in agreement. “I will be leaving the day after tomorrow. Please be ready by then.”

As Talia turned to leave, Lady Viola stopped her. “Oh Talia, there will be certain conditions. I will come to you tomorrow night to discuss them.” Lady Viola turned to the window. “You better leave now. I don’t think King Ibrinkal would appreciate you talking to me. I would tell no one of our talk. They may try to change your mind and that wouldn’t be wise.”

“Alright… Viola,” Talia said. She left Lady Viola’s chambers and tried the next door. It wasn’t her chambers either. So she tried the next door. This time, she opened the door to her own chambers.

She was relieved to see that Bralec’s body had been removed and the blood was gone as well. Realizing Bannie had also been moved, she walked to her bed and sprawled on it, hoping that the poor girl would get her memory back. The bed’s silk felt good to Talia. She took her shoes off and crawled under the sheet, falling fast asleep.

The sun had just begun to rise when Talia opened her green eyes. She felt sore all over. Her muscles ached as if she had been lifting heavy things all night. She climbed out of bed carefully so as not to cause her muscles even more pain.

Am I going to wake up sore every time I use magic? It would do me no good to have sore muscles and try to defend myself against attackers she thought. Maybe King Ibrinkal has something to ease the aches.

She looked around the room to make sure no one had disturbed anything while she slept. Her eyes fell upon a note laying on the dress that someone had placed for her to wear.

She walked over to the table and picked up the note. It was written in a language that Talia didn't know. Maybe the King will know about this too she thought perturbed. She quickly pulled the green dress over her head and slid her arms and head through the holes. She pulled her boots on preferring comfortable shoes to tight fitting ones which leave blisters the next day. Securing her dagger’s sheath on her boot, she was ready.

She closed the door behind her with a thunk. As she walked down the hall, she paused for a moment outside Lady Viola’s door. She wanted to see her and discuss plans but she remembered that Lady Viola had said that she would come to her at night. She kept walking and made her way down to the Dining Hall.

She knew for certain that if she didn’t come upon someone sooner that there would definitely be people in the Dining Hall. If it was anything like her Dining Hall at home, people were in there all the time; somebody was always hungry.

While descending the stairs, she stopped a palace guard who was on his way up. “Do you know where I could find King Ibrinkal?”

He straightened himself and became alert, then looked at her suspiciously. “And what would you want with the King?”

Talia forced herself to sound like nobility when she spoke to the guard once more. “I need to speak to him about a letter that I received during the night. And about business that doesn’t concern you.”

“I am Commander Urik, meaning I’m in charge of the protection of the King. Until I deem you not dangerous, I will prevent you from seeing the King.”

Talia stared at Commander Urik coolly. “And what must I do to prove to you I mean no harm to King Ibrinkal?”

“There are only two things that would prove you aren’t dangerous to the King. One would be that the King tells me himself that you are permitted to see him. The other is when you are dead,” Commander Urik stated icily.

Talia’s gaze turned to ice. “Are you threatening me, Commander Urik?” Talia asked, taking a step towards him. “Because that would not be smart. I will not stand being threatened. Especially by a man who hasn’t got a clue about what is going on. Some things aren’t meant to be discussed with people like you.”

Commander Urik stiffened with anger. “I know everything that goes on in this palace! Whatever you wish to say to the King, you may say to me,” he said with indignation.

“If you know everything that goes on in the castle, then you would have prevented Lornia from being killed by Bralec, who was supposed to be a prisoner in your cells,” Talia said, stabbing Commander Urik in the chest with her finger.

Tears sprang to Commander Urik’s eyes. But sadness wasn’t the only emotion present there. Anger and hatred smoldered in the depths of his brown eyes. For a second Talia was afraid of what she saw there but continued. “And you would also know that your King is giving me lessons in magic.”

“Believe me,” Commander Urik said quietly, “if I could have prevented the death of Lornia I would have. I loved her with all of my heart. I would gladly take her place right now.” His voice became a whisper and his eyes took on a haunted look. “I don’t need your words to reprimand me, her death is punishment enough.”

Talia lowered her gaze and softened her voice. “I’m sorry Urik. I did not know. I spoke out of anger. I did not mean what I said.”

“You did,” he said, still quiet, “but I can forgive you.” He paused and turned to go back the way he had come. “Follow me,” he said over his shoulder. “I’ll take you to the King.”

Talia touched his shoulder gently. “I know you don’t believe me, but I truly am sorry. You can partly blame me for her death. If I hadn’t come here, then she would still be alive right now.”

Commander Urik said nothing, continuing to lead Talia down the rest of the stairs and down a hallway that she hadn’t been down before. She remembered how she had gotten confused yesterday when trying to find her room. She took note of where doors and hallways were this time, so that she could piece a map of the castle in her head.

Talia and Commander Urik walked in silence the whole way, turning down hallways here or there until they reached a metal door. It was the only door Talia had seen in the castle that wasn’t made of wood.

“Commander Urik?” she asked puzzled, “Why is this door made of metal and the others aren’t?”

“This door protects the King with spells. If we were under attack this door would be harder to break down.” Commander Urik knocked on the door and it opened slowly into a plain room. A cot near the far wall was empty. King Ibrinkal sat in the middle of the floor with his eyes closed. “Don’t disturb him. It could prove dangerous,” Commander Urik whispered.

“I will sit quietly and wait for him to finish. Don’t worry for your King. He has helped me, so he has nothing to worry about from me.”

Commander Urik lifted a brow and smirked. “I don’t think he has anything to worry about from you but that tongue of yours.”

“Don’t believe everything you see, I may seem harmless but trust me,” Talia said, “I’m not.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Commander Urik said, leaving Talia and the King alone.

“Let’s pray it never comes to that Urik,” she whispered to no one in particular. She sat down in front of King Ibrinkal and waited. After an hour, her bottom started to tingle but she didn’t move, for fear she would disturb the King. After another hour passed, the King spoke to her.

“Child why are you still here?”, he asked. “Shouldn’t you be on your way?”

Talia looked up into the King’s eyes and gasped. Only the whites of his eyes were showing. Talia found herself unable to speak.

“Child,” King Ibrinkal said impatiently, “I asked you a question. Why are you still here?”

“I…. I….,” she stammered. “Well, you wanted to teach me a spell and discuss business.”

“And what business is it that you speak of?”

“Don’t you remember?”, Talia asked. “We talked about it just last night.”

The King shrugged. “I’m a busy man, Talia. I run a kingdom and meet with important people every day. I am an old man. I tend to forget things as well.”

“Not so old that you would forget what we discussed last night though. Especially something of such importance,” Talia said, noticing his white eyes again. “Your Majesty, are you ill?”

The King’s eyes began to twitch as did his hands. Talia stood up and inched towards the door. “Maybe I should go get help,” she said worriedly. By the time she reached the door, the King was struggling on the floor and trying to choke himself with one hand, while his other hand tried to prevent himself from doing so.

Talia ran through the door and headed for the stairs. She wasn't entirely sure why, but she was headed for Lady Viola’s chambers. There was something about her that Talia couldn’t quite put her finger on but she knew that Lady Viola could help somehow.

She knocked on Lady Viola’s door but no one answered. What do I do now? Talia thought. There has to be someone else who can help.