A Sorceress From the Future

Chapter Ten

Luke

“Father we have to do something about that girl…the council is on my neck and there are appalling rumors going around the kingdom…”

King Matthias picked up his goblet and sipped his burgundy wine in a deliberate slow manner. He smiled crookedly, his eyes alive with a fervent energy. Luke watched his father in curiosity. Despite his worries and complaints, he was genuinely happy that his father was alive. He couldn’t imagine having to bear his loss.

“Father are you even listening to me?”

King Matthias averted his gaze from the goblet and looked at his son. He sighed when he saw the furrows on his son’s forehead.

“People are celebrating in the feast chambers yet here you are, with a man twice your age discussing politics that will be there tomorrow…son, go make merry, enjoy your youth! Tell me, when are you blessing our lineage with the future king hmmm?”

Luke’s cheeks went ablaze as he began to shift uncomfortably in his chair. This was not his favorite topic of discussion. He hardly had any time for romantic conquests.

“Listen son…I could have died if it was not for that girl…”

Luke’s earlier embarrassment dissipated as his features quickly hardened.

“A girl who appeared out of thin air in Baric’s chambers! His bath no less…what does that tell you about her father?”

“When was the last time Baric left his chambers son?”

Luke shot his father an agitated look before standing up and heading to the array of wine displayed on the King’s table. Did his father always have to be this difficult? Chi did not entertain sorcery and the people are starting to question his father’s leadership. Luke had read in the scrolls about how people wound up overthrowing their King if they did not feel that their needs were being catered for. What if someone from the council began plotting against his father and his lineage? What if Dawson managed to turn the elders against them? Without support from the people or the elders, the Tenaci regal bloodline was good as dead. Politics might still be there tomorrow but something had to be done now. Dawson was not a fit leader. No one in whole of Chi could compare to his father. The people adored him; they had been devastated to hear about his deteriorating condition but still sorcery was a taboo. Too many people had lost their loved ones over the seasons. Like him, the Chi people were out for the sorcerers’ blood.

A haunted look flickered on Luke’s face. He gobbled down a whole goblet of wine before pouring himself another one. Why hadn’t his assassins reported back? Luke made a mental note to send a raven out with a message tonight after that ridiculous feast. First, he had to make his father see reason.

“Father the people are questioning your judgement, the council are having a secret meeting as we speak…the feast has only a few curious people attending, none of the elders are even present…Don’t you see? Us celebrating a creature that has brought nothing but pain and suffering to our people-“

“She has done nothing of the sort and I see you still believe that she is a mage?”

Luke stared at his father incredulously, why was he being this naïve?

“Father, she appeared in his chambers in the nude…no one, including the Kingdom’s patrol spotted her entering Chi…how else would she appear in Baric’s bath if she was like us?”

King Matthias closed his eyes momentarily, he was not sure if his son was ready to hear the dark truth about his mother. The secret he had been hiding had the potential of obliterating their relationship. Could he really risk losing another loved one? His wife was gone, his daughter too. Baric was a shadow of himself nowadays…Luke was all he had left.

“She saved my life, without her I would be dead! Is that not a good enough reason for her pardon?”

“You act as if she did it out of goodwill…the only reason she salvaged your life is because she wanted something in return and have we ruled out that she could be the reason why you were suffering in the first place?”

Tension was swiftly dominating the room. Luke heaved a weary sigh. He had spent days in distress trying to find a way to cure his father. He had not slept a wink for a whole fortnight. Between caring for his father, manning the council, plotting against the magical community and filling in as King, Luke was exhausted.

“Father, listen to me. The people have never questioned you before this. They have been loyal to you, obedient…they shower you with reverie…will you choose a stranger over your own people?”

King Matthias’ features went rigid, he aggressively set his goblet aside. Luke gulped, his heartbeat palpitations heightening. His father was kind, warm man. Expressions like these were rare from him. Was it possible that the girl had enchanted his father?

“Did you give her your word? Because I did and I never go back on my word…you will protect the girl at all costs until I find a way to send her to her time…”

Again, with this time nonsense? Luke had heard enough. A migraine was already well underway and Luke was simply not in the mood to hear these deluded sentiments. His father had suffered a great ordeal while battling his illness. The different herbs that his physician had issued him with had more than once made his father delusional. King Matthias had gone as far as parading himself in front of the council with nothing but his sleeping gown on. Thus, had begun the secret meetings.

“Our word is only upheld when we are giving them to our kind. They have manipulated us before, why not us? Father, please listen to reason-”

“Enough Lucas! I am still alive and therefore I am still the sovereign leader of Chi…You will respect me and so will the people of this kingdom! Now if you do not wish to attend the feast that is your choice…”

With that, the King rose up from his throne and ambled towards the hallway which was filled with music and drunken laughter. Luke flung the goblet across the throne room in rage. The goblet fell to the ground with a loud clank. A servant immediately entered the chambers, a distraught look on her face.

“Don’t worry about it Margaret… I will pick it up myself…”

Margaret blinked back the tears that were swiftly forming in her eyes. Luke began to slowly approach her.

“Margaret what is it? Is it Moses again? Is he harassing you? I will-“

“No, that is not it…something horrid has happened…”

“What are you talking about Margaret?”

Margaret swallowed hard, her breathing was increasingly laboring. Luke felt a pit burrow itself in his stomach. Margaret was no ordinary servant. Unlike the garner of females that roamed the palace, Margaret was not easily rattled. She had punched Moses, a behemoth of a man, in the face before. Margaret was as tall as Luke’s lamp stand. Till date, Luke had no idea as to how she managed to inflict severe pain on Moses.

“I was headed to the feast as per instruction of the head servant when I caught a glimpse of something eerie. At first, I laughed it off, cussing this work for tiring me so, up to a point of whipping up insane imaginings but then my gut nudged me so I followed it…”

“Followed what?”

Margaret suddenly felt faint. She leaned against the wall and took in a deep breath.

“The mist…”

Luke visibly flinched. How? How had they gotten in?

Oh no, the guards.

Luke drew his sword that was always tucked in his waistband. Chi had been infringed, under his nose. But how? How had they managed to enter the kingdom with the vessel being active? Luke dashed into the hallway with Margaret in tow. He had to check the vessel.

“My prince there is one more thing...”

Luke came to a sudden halt. Dread had twisted his stomach into knots.

“They were taken…”

“Who Margaret?”

“Your brother and the witch.”