The Last Tree

Chapter eight

Dinner with the emperor was unpleasant, to say the least. Uncomfortable is being generous, and unreasonable because he has no reasons for what he does. After Adam takes a bath out of fear, the bathroom definitely still works by the way. Adam’s uncle barges in with cloths in his hand demanding Adam put them on because his nephew very well couldn’t wear Adam’s mothers cloths. Which you know, Adam didn’t mind, it was more of when he did the emperor wouldn’t leave and obsessively stare at him like Adam’s going to disappear. Logical but impractical because Adam wouldn’t leave the stones behind. Their pain is felt to deep to be left here, only way to heal them is to bring them to elder sister tree.

“Tell me Adam, how exactly did you get the stone inside your body?” Adam squirmed under the harsh stare, but the emperor was patient in his waiting.

“I-I don’t know what you mean?” He didn’t mean to make it sound like a question but he hasn’t ever been under this much pressure. Sure he wasn’t getting tortured but the emperor’s presence alone gave off waves of dark magic.

“You know I find it very fascinating that you wouldn’t know.” The emperor stood causally slowly making his way towards Adam. Each step sounding heavier, Adam’s heartbeat spiked with each step. Making his heart feel like it was in his throat, “if I really wanted to I could just pluck that information out of your head.” The emperor chuckles as he sees Adam shiver in revulsion. “Don’t worry nephew, that way is never as fun as getting people to admit it on their own.” He purrs as he pets Adam’s hair again. “Your mother use to let me brush her hair every night, until” the emperor grabs Adam’s hair pulling his head back. “Your father took her away from me. But your father is gone now, and no one will save you. So, how about you tell me how you got a stone in you.”

“I don’t-“

“Don’t give me your “I don’t knows,” I do not care for it.”

“I-I wasn’t going to say that, I don’t have a full stone.” Adam whispered fearfully.

“What do you mean?” His uncle glared down at him, “the magical item that I send out all my officers with detects only the magical wave length of a stone.”

“The-the stone, I have is a fragment, a small part of the stone.” He whimpers as his uncle pulls at his hair. “It-it replaces my heart. I would be dead without it like I was at birth.”

“And where is the rest of the stone then?” A shiver of dread runs through Adam. He shakes his head in denial, he will not put his tree through what the other sad stones have been through. “You don’t think I can’t dig it out of you?”

“I can’t live without its magic, it’s the only gift I have left from my mother. It was her who begged the tree to save me. It was her who told me the stories, the same ones you grew up with and use to follow. I will not let you take that from me.” Angry tears filled with terror threaten to drip on his cheeks but he held them in.

“So be it.” His uncle reached for his head holding a stone in his hand and he placed it on his forehead. He started to scream as an immense pain took over before the hand was thrown back and the stone dropped into Adam’s lap. “How can this be?” The kings hand was red as if burned. “Why did the stone backfire?” Rage filled the emperor’s voice.

“My liege! What seems to be the matter?” Two guards burst in swords drawn. Emperor Anderson snarled at them until they left, spooked.

“Nephew!”

“Your majesty?” Adam looks down at the stone in confusion.

“Tell me how now!”

“I don’t-“ but he stops as his fingers grazes the stone and it finally stops its whimpers. “I think the stone had enough of hurting.” He stares reproachfully down at the now resting stone. “You will not get it to work for you now.” The emperor jerks it out of Adam’s hand and tries to do something with it but he never got to find out because it didn’t do it.

“What is happening!” Emperor Anderson yells.

“You know the old stories, you tried to harm one that was gifted from the trees with one of the stones.” He sighs as the stone thrown back into his hands. “Uncle-“

“That is your majesty to you, and fine, keep it then if I can no longer use it. It is of no use.” Adam looks up with dazed eyes, he blinked to clear them. “I think we are done for today, I’ll escort you to your room.” Emperor Anderson grabs Adam’s arm to begin dragging him behind him. Adam is forcefully shoved into his mother’s room and the door slams closed, he hears a clicking sound as the lock falls into place. Adam is locked in his mother’s room once again.