Friends and Enemies // Chapter Six // The Council of Knights

"Are you sure we'll be safe?" Willow asked as they embarked upon the road once more. Adira had insisted that they each take a few muffins for the road.
   "After all," she'd said. "You'll be hungry soon. And you can't find reasonably priced food these days at the capital. Go on now. You don't want to be late! And say hello to my husband for me, will you?"
   "Of course!" They'd assured her, waving as they started down the cobbled road. "Goodbye!"
   Kadesh shrugged his not-quite-broad-shoulders. "We're in the Author's hands. He will decide what will happen. Who are we to contradict him?"
   Willow nodded thoughtfully. "Of course."
  
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"How much longer?" Willow groaned. "We've been walking for hours! And it looks like it's gonna rain soon!" she complained. Kadesh laughed.
   "We're almost there, don't worry. Only about another two miles. One to the capital than another to the Council building."
   "Good! But why couldn't we have taken a horse or something?" she asked.
   He laughed again and shook his head. "We don't have enough horses to spare. It's easier to slip into a crowd on foot then with a horse."
   "But it's easier to get away faster on a horse," she countered.
   "I suppose, but it's no use talking about it now. Look, here we are coming upon the capital."

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"This place is so crowded!" Willow had to shout into Kadesh's ear to be heard over the sounds of the city.
   "Hold onto my arm!" Kadesh hollered back over the din. "We mustn't get separated!"
   "Do I have to?" she yelled back, obviously not wanting to. Willow was not a touchy-feely person. Especially with a boy.
   "Yes!!! If you get lost I'll probably get hanged!!"
   "I won't get lost!!"
   "Well, just hold on and we'll get out of this crowd in but a moment..." Kadesh instructed, shoving his way through the crush of people.
   With lots of "excuse me"s and "pardon"s for stepping on people's feet, they made their way through the dense crowd.
   "Way, way! Make way for Sir Cavaar* of the province of Calavier*, Knight of Tashra!" a crier shouted at the people in the street. Immediately everyone started backing up, for on Tashra, a rule had been made that you had to get out of the way for anyone who was more important than you. Which really wasn't particularly fair, and unless you were a king or policeman, you shouldn't have that right. At least that was Willow's opinion. But she barely had time to think that when everyone started shoving, and she realized why Kadesh had insisted she hold his arm. The crowds were pulling her one way and Kadesh was being pulled another. She managed to get a death grip on his arm, but the torrent yanked her away.
   "Hey, ow!" she cried as someone behind her pulled her by her arms out of the crush of people.
   "I thought I recognized you," a deep voice informed her. Twisting away from a strong grip, Willow looked up into Sir Richard's noble face and sighed with relief.
   "Oh, hi. I didn't know you were here. I thought you were coming later," Willow pulled a stray chicken feather out of her braid-bun and flicked it away.
   Sir Richard smiled. "I prefer to come the simple way. I don't want to parade about like I'm better than the common man," he explained. "Oh, and you remember Teclemith and Betromith?" He gestured to the two young men behind him, who were dressed rather richly. Betromith nodded with icy politeness and Teclemith smiled shyly.
   Willow nodded and smiled in greeting. Then she remembered. "Oh! I was with Kadesh when we got separated!"
   Sir Richard patted her shoulder. "Never fear, Kadesh will be meeting us at the Council. I'm sure that he will be there. Now come along, I'm sure it will be easier with three escorting you than one."

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Sir Richard was right. It was easier. And the only shoving was getting into the Council building, which had tons of royal guards in and around it. Because they all knew who he was they didn't dare ask for i.d. Kadesh had appeared and greeted his friends and father cheerily. Sir Richard insisted that they sit in his box/thing, but Kadesh protested that they were pretending to be peasants, not of noble blood. Not that I actually have noble blood. My blood is way weirder than just "noble". Willow mused. Only the fact that all the seats had now been taken made Kadesh consent. He looked rather annoyed, though he was secretly relieved. He didn't want to sit up in the balcony with all of the "normal" people, as Willow had put it. It was much nicer to sit with his father. His father, meantime, sent both Kadesh and Willow to change into some other clothes that he had stored just in case of an emergency.
"What kind of emergency?" Willow asked as she admired at her reflection in the mirror. Her velvet to-the-floor dark purple dress had dripping sleeves and a wide-but-not-too-wide neckline. "Wowza. I feel like a princess!" she exclaimed, twirling in a circle to see if the dress flared while Kadesh finished lacing up his vest over his dark blue shirt. Wowza? he thought. She speaks in the strangest tongues.
   "Come, the Council is about to start."

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Ooww... my stupid bodice thing is laced too tight! Willow mentally complained as she fidgeted on the velvet-covered seat. Kadesh, who was seated on her left, shot her a look. She clenched her jaw and tried to concentrate on the velvet-clad guy who was speaking. Teclemith, who was seated on her right, whispered names and titles to her.
   "That's the Vizier. He's new actually. The other one was thrown into prison." She studied the "Vizier". He looked like a pile of velvet pillows with lots of tassels and jewels. He looked rather, er, stupid. Yeah, that was the right word. Perfect word.
   The Vizier was droning on in a monotone voice about how Tashmath had the perfect right to the throne, he was such an great king, blah, blah, blah. Boring! If I listen to this much longer, I'll fall asleep! Oh, good. He's changing the subject.
   "Now, the case for Kingship begins!" cried the Human Pillow {Willow's nickname for him}. That began a rather exciting argument. The Knights were actually rather wimpy {her words} and began a rather lame offense on why the evil uncle should be king. None of them made particular sense, and all sounded like they had been conned into it, to which there was no doubt that they had. Sir Richard kept making angry sounds in his throat and clenching his fists. Kadesh laid a hand on his father's arm to calm him, while trying to keep his anger under control. Unlike Willow, who'd never seen these people before if her life, they had all known them since they were born. They knew their children and were great friends with some of them.
   And the it happened. Sir Richard couldn't take it anymore. Leaping to his feet, he cried. "Vizier, I must protest this!"
   Striding to the front, he stood upon the stage and clasped his hands. "Fellow Knights of this great planet. Friends, I beseech you to heed me. Not long ago our rightful king was taken unjustly from us. There is no doubt of foul play. Especially from Shadow. Why do we therefore consider such a man as allies himself with this accursed "lord" Tash and his minions for our king? Yes, his lineage is correct, but as is anothers. Though this wicked man has most likely murdered his brother, you still consider him. This makes me ashamed to call this planet my own." It now had begun to rain, and raindrops beat upon the roof, causing the Knight to raise his voice above the racket. "Now I call another candidate for this kingship. If the royal king is indeed dead, than he will assume the throne. If not he will rule in his stead until he is found. Friends, you know of whom I speak. Prince Emmeth, only child of Clemathith, King of Tashra!" Immediately several of the Knights raced up to join him.                                                                                                                    

   A clap of thunder broke over the cheers of the people, and a very tall dark figure emerged from the doorway of the center aisle. He was very, very tall, much taller than any man. Probably 7 1/2 feet at the least. He wore a cloak that looked like the feathers of crows. Black and  eerie.
    "Well, well, well." The unwelcome guest laughed creepily. "I am impressed Sir Richard. You are a fine speech-maker! But I am afraid that it won't do any good." Tash. Willow mentally shrieked, recognizing the figure.
   "You see, this Council was only held to draw you out. To draw you Rebels out. I do hope that you know that the people have no say in this matter. The king will be crowned soon, and there's nothing you can do about it," the Shadow lord commented coolly.
   "I will never see him crowned," Sir Richard proclaimed, brandishing his sword at the villain. Tash laughed.
   "Oh, but of course. Seize them! Seize the Rebels!" he ordered several orc soldiers standing by.
   Confusion erupted. Sir Richard was overwhelmed by at least six orcs, and only two of the former seven Knights who stood next to him began to fight the horrid beasts.
   "Come!" cried Betromith, who left over several seats and slashed at an orc. Willow started to follow, hand already gripping her sword, but Kadesh stopped her.
   "No!" he ordered her. "You must escape from here now. This is no place for a girl!"
   "But...!"
   "No, you must go! Now!"


~Chapter Seven soon~

I'm actually ill at the moment {with a temperature!} so I might not make it to the keyboard until Friday/Saturday. But I wrote/in/my/head an upcoming chapter, and I'm really excited about it.

Love,

Willow