Ancient Kingdom Time Forgot

Chapter 9

“My love, I can not go into the council with you, but I will be right here when you get out.” Raiden holds onto Bridgette’s shoulders as he looks deep into her almond-shaped blue eyes. He hugs her tightly, kisses her forehead, then leans forward to knock on the big wooden doors. As they open he’s greeted by two large guards, they move aside letting Bridgette enter.

“Ms. Bridgette Hawthorne, you were summoned before the council on this day, what say you?” Bellows Ealdorman Amos as he sits on the other side of the long wooden table.

She stands still with her hands in front of her, nervously taking a deep breath.

“Well, this council is waiting!” Amos gets louder as he stares her down.

“Say you come of your own accord and are at the mercy of the council” Ealdorman Leif whispers to her, smiling. His seat is at the opposite end of Ealdorman Amos.

“I come of my own accord and am at the mercy of the council.” She keeps her head down to the floor and curtseys, flowing out her long dark blue dress.

“Pathetic!” sighs Amos as he moves around uncomfortably in his chair rolling his eyes. The other members let out a light chuckle as Ealdorman Leif held up his hand and stood up.

“Bridgette Talitha Hawthorn you may take your seat, you are called before the council so that we may ask you questions. You are not on trial, this is not a hearing, we want to know more about you. You are to be queen but you are an outsider to us, so we have summoned you here so that you do not have to go in front of the entire kingdom.” Leif says as he sits back down in the big wooden chair.

“Just six old men,” Ealdorman Saxon joked as he let out a big grin.

“Where do you hail?” Ealdorman Silas was the first to start the questions, pen in hand waiting for her answers so he could jot them down in his old notepad.

“Louisiana, the United States in North America.” She nervously answered looking down at the table and twirling her thumbs.

The Ealdormen snicker and Ealdorman Amos bangs his fist on the table. “She takes us for fools!”

“No! I swear I’m not.” She bowed her head in shame as a tear streamed down her rosy cheek.

“Now, now, it’s okay Ms. Hawthorn, Ealdorman Amos is always in a foul mood and should think before he addresses a lady. Now then, you have nothing to fear, we just want to know more about you, don’t let one old man get you down, miss.” Ealdorman Saxon turned to face Bridgette and quickly patted her hand, as he handed her a handkerchief to wipe her eyes. It was at that moment Rexus came out of the corner to lay his head in her lap, she smiled as she stroked his big fluffy head. The other men around the table gasped and started to whisper amongst themselves.

“Did I do something wrong? Am I not allowed to touch him?” She jerked her hand away to keep dabbing away at her eyes and nose, looking around the room.

“You are the first person Rexus has gone to without being called, he never does that, putting his head in someone’s lap. Not even mine and he is my dog.” Ealdorman Silas spoke up, his bushy eyebrows raised looking across the table.

“I love animals, I’ve had many dogs, cats, well almost every animal.” She giggled scratching Rexus’ ears, looking up at the bunch of old faces looking back at her.

“Yes, yes dog. Wonderful. Are your parents alive?” Ealdorman Amos interrupts the others, clearing his throat and wanting to get back to the questions.

“No, my mother,”

“Name?” Interrupts Ealdorman Eagan, trying to get as much information as possible. As time rolls on Bridgette relaxes and the Ealdormen ask their intrusive questions getting down to every detail. If she is to be their queen and rule the ice kingdom shouldn’t they know all about who she is and how she will rule?

The double doors open and the Ealdormen exit the room leaving behind Ealdorman Leif and Ealdorman Callum, as Raiden enters the council room Bridgette runs into his arms.

“Your Grace, she did magnificently, Ealdorman Callum is here to start teaching her our customs and beliefs, I have all faith in this good-hearted woman she will do fine.” He bows his head to Raiden and turns to address Callum, ”I leave her in your hands, Ealdorman Callum.”

“Now, Bridgette, I’ll start the first lesson, the monarchy is the head of the kingdom. It has belonged to the Zanizabar family since the first King, Bjarke declared himself ruler after the battle on lightning hill. Ealdorman Saxon will teach you our history and explain it further. The Ealdormen form the council, we are the oldest of men.” Ealdorman Callum slowly walked out of the council chambers dragging his dead leg behind him. An injury he sustained falling off of a rogue polar bear.

“Oldest of men?” She asked confused, walking alongside Callum, arm, and arm with Raiden.

“Yes, I’m 150, the youngest one on the council.” He laughed walking toward a bench to take a break.

After spending two months with Ealdorman Callum, Bridgette knew all the customs, and beliefs and had mastered all the songs, curtseys, prayers, and walks. She was completely worn out but knew it was important to keep pushing forward. On her way walking down the long corridor to visit Mrs. Watson, she spots an Ealdorman walking her way.

“Bridgette, how are you?” Ealdorman Saxon asked as he slowly made his way to kiss her hand. A man moves from his ear. She guessed he was whispering her name since he was going blind. “These are my groomsmen, they are to observe me and my work. They are next in line to be Ealdormen, they help me out, from time to time you see. He gestures to one to speak.

“Prexius Thelonious, Madam.” The first man bows, he had graying light brunette hair slicked back tight on the sides. They both wore gray robes similar to those of their predecessors, he had two missing teeth on either side of his two front teeth and a lisp when he spoke. He was also quite shorter than the other men, and part of his left ear was missing, but that didn’t take your eye away from his misshapen upturned nose.

“Prexius Maximus” the other man stands as straight as he could and bows his head. His short black hair had one long white strip running down the middle like a skunk. Both of his cheeks had scars running down them like claw marks, and he happened to be missing the top half of his right ring finger. He didn’t smile but kept his eyebrows up at all times as if he was always anticipating something. His eyes were a sort of emerald green, and he was very broad, you could make out his muscles through the robes.

“Yes, shall we start? Now, the battle on Lightning Hill was between brothers, Bjarke and Egerton Zanzibar.” Ealdorman Saxon says slowly as he makes his way toward the kitchens. “They were always fighting since birth, Egerton was the eldest but Bjarke was the strongest. Both wanted to lead our people but Egerton only wanted to be worshiped like a God and Bjarke wanted the good of the people. Egerton fell in love with a fae and used for her magic to win against his brother.” He entered the kitchens, and sat in the seat Prexius Thelonious pulled out. He motioned Bridgette to take the seat across the table from him. “ When Bjarke found out that his brother had been cheating by using magic he rallied his most trusted soldiers to cage the fairy, and in a rage Egerton accidentally killed his fairy love, charging at his brother. He made one last challenge to his brother for the throne on top of the hill where lightning always strikes, they would do hand-to-hand combat. As the two stood atop the hill bloody and battered, avoiding the strikes of lightning, Egerton took out the fae’s wand. As he pointed it at his younger brother thinking he could weld his lost love’s magic, Bjarke jumped back and a huge lightning bolt, larger than anyone has ever seen came down striking Egerton. Bjarke saw his brother turn to dust and the crown was placed on his head by the oldest of men the first Ealdorman, Ealdorman Normandid.”

After a long four months with Ealdorman Saxon and the two Prexiuses, she felt like sleeping for weeks but was thankful for it to be over. She wasn’t spending any time with Raiden, he was always busy with the other Ealdormen getting ready to become King. She knew it was important to both of them and the entire kingdom for her to be ready to be the queen. Of course, every little girl always dreams of becoming queen, and Bridgette was no exception, she would dream about living in a castle, having horses, and having a crown. Oh, the crown was the best part, she caught herself daydreaming the same way she did when she was younger.

“Bridgette, my love” Raiden stood in the doorway with his arms crossed leaning against the frame. “I’ve been standing here calling your name, where did you go?” He smiled as he walked toward her sitting on the bench in front of her vanity, he squats in front of her grabbing onto her hands.

“Oh handsome, I’m sorry.” she laughed it off and gripped his hands tightly. “I was just thinking of what I wanted to be when I grew up.” She smiled and leaned in as he kissed her forehead.

“What did you want to be when you grew up, my love?”

“A queen” she giggled as she covered her mouth with her hand.

“We all want that.” Ealdorman Leif startled both of them as he peered from the corner of the doorway. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, your highness, I was coming to inform Ms. Hawthorne that the council requests her presence tomorrow for our verdict.” He was leaning on his old wooden staff halfway in the doorway, as he gazed between the two of them.

“Ealdorman Leif, the agreement was that she learned and she did.” Raiden stood up, still grasping Bridgette’s hand.

“Of course, what time?” Bridgette squeezed his hand not wanting to aggravate any Ealdorman, especially Ealdorman Amos, he surely did not like her. She caught herself staring at Ealdorman Leif, wearing his long white bundle of robes, just like all the other Ealdormen. The reason was sort of ridiculous she thought to herself, they wear the white robes so that they are hidden in the snow. If the kingdom was ever attacked they would be sent out into hiding because they know all the kingdom’s secrets.

“Noon’’ He smiled at both of them before easing his way backward.

“Of course, Ealdorman Leif.” she hesitantly grinned. She felt Raiden’s grip tighten on her hand as she waved to the Ealdorman watching him walk away slowly.