Varheiman Myths: The Dragon And Her Fire

The Banishment.

Alistair had been summoned by the king and queen in the king's cabin. He presented himself before the king. The cabin was empty, not even a single guard from the king's regiment, the air in the red sandstone walls was distressing, he looked narrow eyed at the queen, she was smiling crookedly, and the king's face was blank and grim, his eyes glared like blistering flames of forest fire.

The king was seated on a bronze chair, beside queen.

‘Sir Alistair, care to be seated?’ Edgard said huskily.

‘Would you care to tell me what was the big haste to see me?’ Alistair grimed.

They both peered at him surprisingly.

‘Your majesties.’ Alistair added to hide his arrogance.

‘You, broke my heart. You've dishonoured the oath you swore to me.’ Edgard roared.

‘I am in a slight disorientation, my king.’

‘Oh, Alistair I have considered you as the brother that I never had, and you betray me.’ The king stormed up from his seat, wrath had taken over him, his efforts for not losing his control over it was very visible.

‘I – I don’t know what your saying your majesty?’ Alistair wished it to not be what he think it is.

‘Look, into my eyes friend, where have I wronged you tell me?’

‘I ask for pardon, if I have unknowingly offended you, my king.’ Alistair meant it.

‘Oh, stop that. Stop with the title.’

‘Pysenia, would you please give us a moment alone.’

‘My king –’

‘I command you, out now.’ Edgard roared.

Pysenia burst out of the cabin bearing a mark of humiliation from the king.

‘Why did you tell Pysenia, about the boy?’ Edgard growled.

‘I did not. She had known it from someone else.’ Alistair swore.

‘I know you love her.’ Edgard sighed. ‘I know you would do anything for her, but do not kill that boy. Make certain he does not enter the city gates.’

‘As you command my king.’ Alistair was

‘I am not done yet, Alistair.’

Alistair dreaded for what the king has to say further. ‘What is it Edgard?’

‘I want you to leave the kingdom and go to the Talle, look after this boy.’ Edgard paused. ‘I want you to give up your titles.’

Alistair had been heartbroken, the titles and his service towards the people he loved the most was everything that he had.

‘You are asking me to abandon my life, Edgard.’ Alistair's despondency didn’t hide, it emphasised every word of his.

‘This was the queen’s will, dear friend.’ Edgard confessed.

Alistair closed his eyes inhaled the sharp air of misery that went down impaling his chest from within. He did not utter a word in defence, or plead to keep his titles, he simply nodded affirmatively.

‘You leave on the third dawn from morrow.’ Edgard cleared.

‘Queen’s will would be honoured, your majesty.’ Alistair muttered glumly and stormed out from the cabin.

He felt rage heating up in him, by the flames of betrayal. He'd never expected of this from the queen or the king.

‘Sir the queen asks for your presence in the throne room.’ Sarylet, the knight of city ranger said.

Alistair had never been fond of Sarylet, he deigned to answer him and fled past him.

Pysenia was on the queen’s throne next to the king’s, wearing her silver crown of flames.

‘You hurt me, Pysenia.’ Alistair cried as he ascent the wide steps leading towards the raised  marble platform of the throne.

‘You disappointed me, Alistair.’ She mused. ‘I hadn’t told king about our little secret an you should be grateful for that.’

This enraged Alistair even more, he had a popular wrath in all over Bustia.

‘Are you threatening me?’ Alistair's hot breath had scattered on Pysenia's beautiful face.

‘I wouldn’t consider it as a threat, lover.’ She laughed wickedly.

‘Although..’ she continued, ‘I want you to bring me the elements of sun and moon wisdom.’

‘It is impossible.’

‘Oh is it?’

‘why do you want it?’ Alistair moved a pace away.

‘To unleash the spell of the purity, to name Aeron the Untainted. Only then Emone would take him as a ward.’

‘You need the sorcerer who have learnt the wisdom of the divines.’ Alistair said.

‘Have you forgotten Edgard is gifted by Emone’s wisdom.’ She reminded.

‘You may also know that Edgard had been cursed by Emone.’

‘He still has the Dragon, Emone still keeps him with his fire.’

‘Tell me Pysenia how has it been since Edgard had mounted the Dragon?’ Alistair tried to make things simpler for Pysenia.

‘I don’t know Alistair, but I want it, I want to make certain that I had tried everything to save my son and his kingdom.’ Pysenia wailed.

‘Is that why you asked the king to strip me of my titles and my service, and yet you demand it from me.’

Pysenia didn’t know what he was saying, she didn't remember saying anything about that to the king.

‘What are you saying I did not ask about disanointing you.’ Pysenia was perplexed as Alistair himself was. ‘I would never do that to you, Alistair.’

Alistair stared far beyond the yellow walls of the palace penetrating them with his angry glare.

‘What is it that you people expect of me?’ Alistair's voice had became soft in sorrow.

‘I wouldn’t command you, I simply beg of you, Alistair, for the love you have for me, please. I ask for your help not as a queen but as a old friend to bring me the elements.’

‘For the love I bear for you, you know I will not deny. I'll bring what you ask. First, I have to talk to Edgard.’ Alistair promised.

Pysenia was startled. ‘Why do you want to talk to the king?’

‘To get a clear perspective.’ Alistair hasted down the stairs.

Pysenia prayed that Alistair wouldn’t spit something imbecile.

The day had come to an end, servants began to light the lamps. Edgard was busy in offering prayers to Zohua as his reign had begun with the setting sun.

Alistair waited for the king impatiently, to finish his prayers and burst out of his chambers. A brief moment had passed when the guard had asked Alistair to go in.

‘What is it now?’ Edgard asked softly.

‘I had a confrontation with Pysenia, Edgard.’ Alistair spoke, ‘She didn’t make any will about abandoning my titles.’

Edgard glared at him with his blood red eyes reflecting out hostility. ‘Do you take me as a fool.’

His hard voice rumbled through the stones of his chambers.

‘You both had been betraying me, behind my back. You think I wouldn’t know?’ Edgard roared outrageously.

Alistair knew this would happen, he was terrified. He looked straight in Edgard’s infuriated eyes.

‘You did this Edgard it wouldn’t happen if you would’ve kept the queen happy nothing of this would happen.’ Alistair snapped.

‘You don’t even have the decency to feel sorry for betraying your king.’

‘You are not the king that I chose.let me remind you that I’m here as the queen’s regiment from her kingdom. I followed the orders.’ Alistair knew this wouldn’t make no sense but he was not sorry.

‘Go away, never show me your ugly ungrateful face.’ Edgard cursed.

‘What really should I be grateful for? What have you been doing since you wore that crown?’

‘Do not teach me how to rule.’ Edgard growled.

‘Look at you Edgard, you are hiding yourself cowardly behind the high walls of your palace. Instead of asking forgiveness from Emone, you're angering him even more by disobeying his will. You cannot stop what is inevitable.’ Alistair's words were like spat poison of a serpent that had intoxicated Edgard’s mind.

‘I’ll have you executed if you don’t leave now.’ Edgard threatened. ‘And Pysenia as well for her treason.’

‘Just for a moment listen to me Edgard, not as a king but as a friend – ’

Edgard broke his sentence, ‘You are standing here with your head still on your body because I didn’t act as a king yet.’

Alistair gazed at Edgard coldly. ‘I am going to say what I want to say. Please, bring the boy home and raise him to be a good king. He'll be the only of your son who would be warded by Emone.’

‘Lower your gaze, sir Alistair. You are talking to your king.’ Edgar warned.

‘Forgive me your majesty.’ Alistair plainly.

The king gritted his teeth, his jaws as rigid as the stones of his palace. Edgard knew what Alistair had said was right, but the mistake that he'd made has done it’s damage already. Emone wouldn’t forgive him. Edgard laid back in his chair whimpering out of despair.

Alistair found Pysenia in his chambers awaiting him. She'd sat at the edge of his bed, her legs crossed and  perching herself against her hand on the mattress.

‘You are not supposed to be here.’ Alistair reminded.

‘I’ll be there where I’m supposed to be soon, but first let me get what I want.’ She said passionately.

‘Edgard is expecting your company.’

‘There shall be anticipation for a queen’s company.’ She said with a soft chime of laughter.

‘Keeping the king waiting is not a wise thing, your majesty.’ Alistair reminded her that he is just a servant to the realm.

‘What did he say?’ she had sensed the tension.

‘Why don’t you go and ask for yourself, huh.’ Alistair grabbed by her shoulder lifted up with an absolute ease and dragged her to the door. ‘You are in trouble, Pysenia. The king knows.’

‘Did you tell him?’ Her friendliness had been replaced by hostility.

Alistair scoffed in ridicule, ‘Yes, I am that foolish.’

Pysenia's every muscle inhabited fright, she is familiar with the king’s justice for treason. She stumbled across the hallway contemplating the various conclusions.

Alistair hurled in his mattress, his skin burned and his chest ached. The constant shadow of misery had been sprawling widely over him. He'd been wondering why the king had spared his life? He knew Edgard wanted him to keep a watch on the boy. after all this he still believes in him. But, Alistair wouldn’t stand as obstacle in the god's way.

A blasting thud had woken up Alistair in the gloom of predawn. He opened his eyes.

‘Sir Alistair of Bustia the king has sent us to escort you in the courtroom.’ A stern voice had annoyed Alistair.

He'd been drifted to unconsciousness in his armour, wholly as a knight. Never before he'd been so comfortable in his steel, or perhaps now he was too occupied to notice the discomfort.

He fastened his sword around his waist and answered the door. As soon he unbolted the door soldiers fled in his chambers and seized him. Alistair knew what was happening, he didn’t expect this but he knew.

He was presented in the court before the king, queen, lord administrator and lord Lasver, the lord of the king’s counsel the most powerful man after the king himself.

‘Leave us.’ Edgard ordered the soldiers.

‘Sir Alistair, I've considered you as my dearest friend. I've named you the commander and you betray my blind faith.’ Pysenia accused.

Alistair was sinking in daze. ‘What is happening, would someone bother to justify?’

‘You’ve been accused of seducing the queen and intoxicating the marriage between his and her majesty.’ Lord Lasver spoke.

‘Edgard...’ Alistair looked at him with pleading eyes.

‘You shall address the king appropriately.’ Lord administrator remarked.

‘Do you deny of the crimes, sir Alistair?.’ Pysenia asked grimly.

‘Do you think I would commit such a crime against my dearest friends.’ Alistair begged.

‘You told me that the queen is tempting you for an intimate relationship, do you deny it?’ Edgard lied. He lied to Alistair’s face, betraying Alistair’s faith that he'd in him as a friend. It was long ago Alistair had lost his faith in Edgard as a king.

‘Pysenia, I believe you know the truth and would care to be honest.’ Alistair begged.

Pysenia descending down her throne walked over to Alistair, ‘You accused the king of having a illegitimate relationship with a woman, you were the one who tried to win my confidence with lies. You dishonoured our friendship, Alistair.’

‘Oh, Pysenia if you want me gone, I’ll go away to never show you my face, but please do not humiliate my honour in the court. Tell them how lonesome you were.’ Alistair's pleas went unheard.

Pysenia slapped him .that slap had shattered Alistair's pride and heart into tiny pieces. ‘I take away all of your titles and banish you out of the kingdom.’

Alistair stared deeply in cold and hostile eyes of his love, he'd never seen this hostility in them for him, he'd never expected he would see it.

‘I’ll honour the promise that I made to you, Pysenia. I'll give you what you've asked of me, for the love I still bear in my heart for you.’