Chapter 12 - Tea
1472 Words
Adomis;
‘He took her… that bastard Ronaar took Ivy… again!’
‘For f**k sakes!’
I’m in a rage and finding it hard not to take it out on the people around me as I stand alone brooding at the railing of one of the upper balconies of my castle.
Since they disappeared, I’ve had my soldiers search the entire castle from top to bottom, just to make sure they didn’t reappear here somewhere.
It’s a long shot, but I wanted to be certain.
I know Ronaar would take her as far away from here as he possibly could.
The greater the distance put between Ivy and I, the better shot he has at managing to seduce her.
My fingers grasp tightly at the railing they are resting on, tightly enough that my knuckles begin to turn white.
“Overlord. We have searched the entire castle. I’m afraid that there is no sign of them, sire.” comes the hesitant voice of my General from behind me.
My chest heaves in and out with each of my angered breaths and I know that he can see it.
“What would you suggest I do now?” I ask him calmly, just out of curiosity.
“My lord?” he asks, as if he is uncertain of what I had meant.
“As my General, what would you suggest my next move be to locate and retrieve Ivy?” I reiterate, turning to face him.
My facial expression shows no emotion, stony and cold.
He takes a moment, letting out a long exhale and lowering his head to face the floor for a moment as he thinks of any possible ideas. I too have come up with nothing.
“Well, we have no idea of where the Prince has taken Lady Ivy. He could be anywhere by now, in any direction surrounding us. Sending out a scout in every direction will probably get us nowhere fast...”
He begins to strategize aloud, tapping his fingers against his chin as he slowly paces around on the balcony in front of me.
I too have thought of these very same suggestions. But they are nothing but dead ends.
Tabius looks up now, meeting my expressionless gaze with one of concern. He too has come to the realisation that Ivy is indeed lost to us.
“I’m sorry, my lord.”
He apologises with a shrug of his shoulders, though I don’t know why. He has done nothing wrong.
“I wish I had something… a clue or a lead…”
“Overlord Adomis, you have a visitor, sire.”
I hear one of my soldiers come forth and announce some strange news.
“I’m not expecting anyone.” I announce sternly, looking at the soldier. “Who is it?”
“Overlord Adomis. It is indeed a pleasure to finally meet you, face to face.”
I hear an unfamiliar voice suddenly speak, announcing himself as a strangely dressed man enters onto the balcony with us, standing straight and tall and wearing some sort of golden coral crown upon his head.
“Who are you?” I find myself asking him as my narrowed eyes look him up and down in question. “And how did you get into my castle undetected?”
“My name is King Varrus and I am ruler of the Marine Guild.” he announces proudly.
My eyes widen in surprise. I’d heard a lot about the leader of the Marine Guild, but I’d never had the privilege of meeting him. Not since becoming Overlord.
Our Guilds had always been at war and casual meetings were a rarity if ever the case.
I had heard many good things from my father about this King Varrus though. A fair ruler, my father had labelled him. One who puts his people before himself.
Varrus continues to explain, pulling me from my thoughts.
“And as for how I got here, well… please forgive me, Overlord. I had little choice in the matter. It was rather urgent that we meet sooner rather than later, given our circumstances of course.”
“What circumstances?” I probe, feeling more confused now than I was only moments earlier.
His expression suddenly changes from a smile to one of great concern and this catches my attention immediately.
“It is of upmost importance that we keep the prophesised creator well protected, Overlord. No matter the cost.” he begins to explain.
“For he comes, the Dark One. And he comes for her.”
Strangely enough, I know what he’s talking about.
The creator of course being Ivy.
I lower my gaze to the floor in a sad mixture of both defeat and guilt as I openly admit my failure to our apparent guest.
“I’m sorry to inform you that the Lady Ivy was recently kidnapped, your highness. Taken from here against her will by Prince Ronaar of the Moonlit Guild.”
Varrus’ brows furrow in confusion at this information.
“Prince Ronaar? But why would he choose to kidnap her?” he asks cluelessly.
Clearly, he’s not aware of our ongoing feud. Ronaar and I, we have unfinished business between us and now it appears to be spilling out into more serious matters.
“Well, we need to get her back, immediately.” Varrus announces pointedly. “She is not safe out there, unprotected. The Dark One will easily find her and if he does-”
“-The world as we know it will end… yes, I’ve already heard this spiel. From the very mouths of the Ancient Ones too, I might add.” I admit bluntly.
This seems to shock and impress the King as he smirks.
“You have visited with the Ancient Ones, Overlord?” he asks.
“Unfortunately.” I admit dryly.
His smirk only widens at my honesty.
“So, what’s the plan then?” he probes, making his way across the balcony to stand at the railing with me.
His glorious royal blue and gold robes slide along the ground behind him.
“I don’t have a plan. That’s the problem.” I announce bitterly.
“Ronaar could have taken her anywhere, in any given direction. Sending out scouts or search parties would take far too long.”
“Then we don’t use scouts or search parties.” Varrus counters confidently.
I quirk my brow at his confidence. What does he know that he’s not telling me?
“You have an idea?” I ask, knowing his answer already.
“I have a suggestion, yes. One that may very well assist us to locate the creator and where she has been taken.”
I feel a tiny bit of relief, which at least is something right now.
“By all means, your highness, tell me what you need and you shall have it.” I announce.
-
Zarkin;
I slowly open my eyes and look around to see where I am.
To my surprise I find my surroundings quite familiar and I frown as I come to realise that I am in my chambers…
Suddenly my heart drops as I notice that I am alone.
“Ivy?” I call out, immediately standing and searching around the room for her.
“Ivy?”
With no luck locating her as I’d already suspected, I realise that she’s gone behind my back and done exactly what I told her not to do!
After Ivy had promised me that she would not go out galivanting around the castle in search of the imposter Ronaar, I decided to get some work done while she sat in the corner reading quietly.
She even made me a nice cup of herbal tea which I drank and…
‘Oh, come on! She drugged me?’
My palm hits my forehead as a form of self-punishment for being so foolish as to trust her to remain here as she had promised she would.
I stalk across towards where the mug still sits on the small table, lifting it up and taking a quick sniff of the remnants of my spiked drink.
Sticking in my finger and dipping it onto the surface of my tongue, I come to the conclusion that yes, my drink had been spiked. The crafty little minx.
Ivy had drugged me and forced me to fall asleep so that she could leave and go searching for Ronaar.
“The bloody tea.” I mutter beneath my breath, shaking my head.
“Damn it Ivy!”
Gathering some things I may later need to locate her, I head out through the doorway and down the corridor in search of the missing woman I can’t seem to keep tabs on.
I can only hope that she’s not gotten herself into too much trouble in my absence.
- Writer
