A Warrior's Dance

XXV – The Spy

Lady Rainlee had just entered the West Tower but a ragged boy reached out to her, handing her a small scroll. Opening it up, she read the message: The king knows about your son.

Panicked, she reversed her steps and hurried to the king’s throne. She was beyond surprised the moment she saw her son tied up with a rope, royal guards surrounded him. The royal lady was petrified. The huge throne room suddenly looked so small to her, the walls felt like closing them in, suffocating her.

“What is the meaning of this, my king?” she asked, getting their attention. Her voice rang out, still sounded steady, hiding the panic and fright brewing in her stomach.

King Darius looked at her from where he sat. The dark bags under his tired eyes made him looked like the late King Jarius. He smiled at her tenacity. His siter was really a force to be deal with. “You tell me, my sister, what treachery is this?”

Rainlee still had her white cloak and had light dress and underpants beneath it. She sure was underdressed to come to the king’s hall but dress code was the least of her problem. “Why is my son tied up like this?” she asked with authority, eyes burning with anger.

Darius laughed from his seat, his voice bouncing off the high walls. The councils stayed quiet but their look at Raiden had a tinge of disgust.

“He is a spy, my lady,” Lord Yuric stated after the king’s boisterous laughter. “A worthy source told us about his true blood. That boy is a Valkan. He is an enemy.”

Rainlee pushed the lump in her throat. He couldn’t let them hurt his son, the one boy who fulfilled her dream to be a mother. “Bring your worthy source before me, Lord Yuric. Surely, you cannot prove his bloodline by just mere heresay!”

“What for, Rainlee?” the king asked. “Your adopted son is nothing but a spy planted into my very step. And you welcomed him.” He motioned his hand to her, his hard stare upsetting her even more. “Tell me, do you know of his race? Did you adopt him on purpose?”

The king’s sister approached the throne, looking at her younger brother, seeking his benevolence. “You do not believe this, Darius. This is just allegations made up by your stupid councils.” She stared him down, standing her ground. “He is my son.”

“No need to insult us, my lady,” General Gregory chimed in, not looking at her.

“You speak when I tell you to speak, Gregory,” she spat at him.

“But this isn’t just an allegation, Rainlee.” The king looked at her, as if reading the deepest thought in her mind. “While the Valkans stayed in the Port City, I began to wonder what they were doing to our territory. Turns out, they wanted their heir back.” He then pointed his finger to Raiden. “He is the Sea King’s son. Might as well their spy!”

Raiden’s eyes grew wide, his heart hammering. He sought his mother’s reassurance but none came. “There is no truth in that! I am not a spy!” he said out loud. Looking around, he saw Matthews standing in a corner, holding hands with Princess Laine.

“But you are a traitor,” the king replied. “Prince Matthews can attest to that.”

All eyes turned to look at the young prince, including Raiden, who felt like he was struck in the gut. Matthews let go of Laine’s hand and stepped forward. “A mailman reported a letter sent to the Island of Barren. One of our people there confirmed it is a letter to warn them of our strike soon.”

Raiden tensed, gritting his teeth. How could he argue with that? Rainlee looked at her brother, remembering how he was like when they were young. He was always the kind one, just like Matthews, avoiding fights and war. He wanted peace and safety. But he looked different now, his heavy eyes determined to find trouble. Something in him changed. So was the prince. Power could really change people.

She glanced at Gregory, the master of the Landmand tribe, a skilled warrior with a lot of interest in politics. Might as well he’s after the king’s seat.

Darius cleared his throat. “Do not deny it, boy. You’re a valkan through and through and your treachery will only bring this castle down to the ground! It is best to have you executed.”

“No!” Rainlee yelled, wide-eyed. She ran to his son who was kneeling before the king, pinned in place by the royal guards, hands tied at his back.

The royal guards draw their swords, intimidating the lady. Raiden’s body tensed, horror crossed his face at the thought of bringing harm to his mother. But Rainlee surprised everyone by drawing a short sword concealed at her side.

“Mother, don’t!” Raiden muttered, afraid what lies ahead of his mother if she would take it too far.

“Let my son go,” she ordered, lips trembling.

“My lady, enough of this,” Lord Yuric said, trying to calm the heavy air. The ranked warriors stood from their seats, hands hovering to their sword.

Commander Riz Bon looked worried for Raiden, thinking of an escape route.

“Stop this nonsense, sister,” Darius ordered, wanting for her to concede. “Don’t force my hand to hurt you too. Stand down now.”

But his order fell on deaf ears. Rainlee headed to the royal guards, her stance rivaling a real warrior. Raiden balanced himself and stood up, dodging as the guard beside him tried to force him down again. He kicked and tripped the other guards, making a commotion, a skill he learned from Riz Bon. He balanced himself, spinning as he kicked another guard, surprising even the king.

The clanking of swords drawn from the sheaths echoed to the throne room, Matthews’ blank face morphed into terror at what he was seeing. When his king father told him to follow Raiden and know what he was doing, he never intended for the situation to rise like a nightmare. Princess Laine held his arm, restraining him.

Everyone froze the moment Darius pointed his sword to his sister, stopping the fight. Raiden gasped and was forced to submit himself to the guards again. He stumbled face first, letting them stepped on him. He would do anything to save her mother.

“Kill him now,” the king ordered.

Just then, Rainlee saw a figure from a distance, a white-robed lady approaching the scene. Lord Yuric saw the woman as well. “Approach no more, madam,” he said.

They weren’t mistaken, for the woman was Madam Lariza of the White Tower. The kingsguard turned their attention to the approaching woman, gripping their swords, ready to kill.

The white robe dress Madam Lariza was wearing disintegrated like a dust in the wind with just a wave of her hand. With that, her face changed as well, revealing a white-haired dark woman with green piercing eyes. She walked like a cat, graceful and taunting. She was bare naked, her skin covered in inks, drawn intricately in every inch of her hour-glass body.

“What sorcery is that?!” somebody shouted.

Lariza opened her mouth, black smoke emerging, casting enchantments. Some guards threw daggers to her but she bent the thick metals in midair before it even reached her, crumpling the blades like it was just papers with a flick of her hand.

She chanted quietly, and in just seconds, as she danced her hands, she freed Raiden from the knots and snatched him from them. The boy glided toward the witch, much to his horror, and the moment her hand touched him, they vanished.

Only the gust of dust and smoke were left to their spot.

The throne room fell deadly silent, all wore surprised faces, horrified at what they had just witnessed. All seemed petrified aside from Lady Rainlee.

“Where did they go?” General Gregory was the first one to break his silence. “Two traitors! Find them!”

“Search the palace!” Kind Darius yelled to the guards. “Where are you going, sister?” he said when Rainlee turned to walk away.

“I’ll look for my son,” she replied, throwing her king brother a look of defiance.

The king closed their gap, grabbing her arm. “You will not go anywhere. From now on, you will follow what I say and do what I say!”

“I am your siter, not your servant!” she yelled at him, eyes wide hearing his words.

“I am your king!”

Rainlee flailed her arm from his grip, freeing herself. She wasn’t sure how far would her brother go for power but he seemed already lost in its claws. “You are my brother, Darius,” she whispered, looking straight at his tired eyes. “You swore to protect me, have you not remembered?”

His nose flared in anger, disappointed at his sister. “I did remember,” he said, nodding. “But I also swore to father that I will protect this kingdom no matter what. You will obey me, Rainlee. You will not leave your tower until I believe it is safe for you so. You will await your days in your chambers as I prepare your union to the most perfect suitor.”

Rainlee wished she could be more shocked at her brother’s news but what happened to her son sure top the highlight of her day. “I will not marry- “

Darius grabbed her head, cupping her face roughly with his hands, bringing her closer to him. “You will marry and bore your own child, Rainlee. Which is a prefect timing considering the boy you treated like your own turned out to be a snake!” He let her go and turned to the guards surrounding him. “Take her to her tower. Make sure she stays there.”