Chapter 65

65 Chapter 6The newly-weds spent all the time together in the capital, the servants speak of Artemis and Aurora’s love story claiming they were inseparable. They would stay naked together on bed, kiss even in the audience of their helps and sometimes in the council chambers when Artemis finished meetings with his lords and advisors.

In respect of the Queen, the castle she was once gifted before the wedding by Artemis was to be made the couple’s new home. It was up in the hill and the air was fresh, tides of the Silent Sea blew to the castle and at night it soothed the chambers, Artemis liked it there. The first week after the wedding, that’s where they spent most of their times making love and playing hide and seek.

Every morning Artemis trained with the two of his trusted kingsguards upon the hills of what now were called Aurora’s Hills to honor the Queen’s legacy, even more reason to piss off Princess Aeryn. Even though the first week was peaceful, the horrors of what to come were as visible to Artemis and his court as it were a daylight dream.

“They have crossed the border, anytime from now the war will commence” Lord Balrus was delivering news to his king as per his duty. He was after all the one with rodents whispering in his ears.

“It won’t be long then before they turn back to the capital” added Artemis.

Lord Akirbus, Master of coins rose to the occasion “Let’s hope not Your Grace. The crown is in debts; the royal treasure is by all means empty after we suffered a siege of the elves two years ago and the mines... haven’t been giving up much gold like before”

“Why is that so?” asked Lord Balon. “Have the slaves stopped working?”

“I believe we have emptied the mines” added Lord Dagen.

“Is that even possible?” Lord Balon asked again and he made a fool of himself, perhaps the men in the council had forgotten that he was an outlander with no knowledge as to how Maldonia worked or how the mines operated. This question reminded them that Lord Balon was not fit enough to be the hand of the king.

.....

However, Artemis exhaled softly and leaned back on his chair “The vault is still intact, isn’t it?”

“Indeed Your Grace” replied Lord Balrus. “The gold hasn’t been touched for over a decade, it’s safely stored”

Suddenly, Artemis stood up “Good then, I do hope we may not need to open it anytime soon” he said. His lords all stood up and he passed through them and walked away.

The men of the secret council remained behind after the king walked away to further discuss the situation at the borders of the kingdom. The battlefield was named Stonedance and that’s because of its stony surface and this part of the place was usually abandoned and without inhabitants. Some people claimed Stonedance was cursed, that’s because it laid in the middle of two powerful kingdoms.

Stonedance was neither cold nor humid as it stood between the hot and shining Maldonia, and the freezing and gothic Prophis. It was the perfect place to fight and camp, the two battalions had all the space to themselves to prepare for war. Three hundred thousand men loyal to King Castellan Taelin of Prophis laid on the East, and two hundred thousand men keen to keep Lucian Mithandir on the silver throne were on the West just waiting for the horn to blow.

There was a distance of one hundred miles between these two armies and they didn’t see each other, however the news did travel to both of them about their foes whereabouts. Wars are rather expensive and what really makes it more unbearable are the costs.

The costs of accommodation and the purchase of tents to house the men, food, heavy fabrics to protect the men from the cold and warhorses. Taelin being a powerful kingdom managed to secure all of the utilities needed for the success of the war and the Master of the coins of Prophis emptied their vaults and it wasn’t enough still. Lord Gandalf came to the rescue when he added his own gold to the cause and with that King Castellan was forever grateful.

Whatever was going on in Stonedance was of no Artemis’s concern as he focused more on sharpening his swordsmanship skills. He trained from morning to noon, with the lord commander of his kingsguard, Sir Dante Lucan who he befriended and these two became inseparable in a span of just a week.

Aurora loved seeing Artemis training early in the morning as she looked him down upon her window. It’s usually Artemis’s screams and grunts which wake her up for they were heard all over Aurora’s Hill. “Come to me! Hard” he urged his lord commander to not be easy on him.

“If I go hard on you Your Grace, we shall be left without a king to rule” replied Sir Dante Lucan with a smile. “You are getting better day by day; may I ask why the sudden interest in swordsmanship?”

“I am a celebrated knight Sir Dante. I have fought in wars ever since I was nine”

“Exactly my point Your Grace. You are good with your sword, and have been for some time”

Artemis laid down his weapon and sat on a rock nearby. Then he exhaled and stroked his long hairs which have grown taller over the course of time “Every knight needs to practice before they forget how to yield a sword” he said.

Sir Dante smiled softly “Is it the war in Stonedance which makes His Grace nervous?”

“Some say I am ought to join my uncle, support the house my mother called it home. While others say my uncle betrayed me the very first day he took Mithandir inside his walls”

“And what do you say, Your Grace?”

Artemis had no clue as to what he wanted or what he thought would be best for the realm, but he was sure joining the Stonedance wasn’t a wise choice. Aurora joined them and Sir Dante excused himself. It had been a week and four days since they were last seeing at court., Aurora thought it was time Artemis goes back to the palace and she told him that when she sat close to him on top of the rock.

But the young king argued “I like it here. I train in peace without the lords interrupting me or rodents whispering about my extra-curricular activities” he complained to Aurora.

“We can’t stay here my love, you are the king and you must rule. And I...” Aurora paused for a moment. Then she continued “I have to meet my grandmother, again”

This statement shocked Artemis “Didn’t she kidnap you? Tried to take you to Dark Town, a rather forgotten town full of warlocks and...”

“I am a warlock Artemis” For the first time ever since Artemis knew Aurora, this was the first she’s declared and accepted her true nature. “I am a seer, spaewife, or any other words you may want to use but I am not normal”

“We have talked about this Aurora, when the time is right...”

Aurora interrupted “The time is now!” she said. “I can feel the flames in my dreams getting hotter. If I don’t seek the help I need now, I fear for my own existence. I saw myself riding a -” she paused softly.

Artemis leaned on to her “Riding a what?” he asked suspiciously.

“It may sound crazy, I mean I have never heard of such creatures and even if they exist...”

“What were you riding Aurora?”

After a few seconds of not being sure how will Artemis react or take it, Aurora finally exhaled softly and brought herself to speak “A dragon” and then she paused waiting to see how will Artemis take all of it.

With his eyes wide and almost jaw dropped, Artemis brought himself to ask “A dragon?”

“Yes, humongous black dragon breathing fire all over the buildings. The dream was vivid Artemis and I have to know what it means. It could be a metaphor for something huge, not really a dragon but something else and I have to know what it is. Only my grandmother can help me”

The fate was put between these two newly-weds. Even though Artemis loved spending time with his bride in Aurora’s Hill and somehow adored the bay surrounding it, he knew it was time to return to his palace and rule, also to help his Queen.

Hence that same day during the evening, there was a procession of the King and his Queen passing through the folks while being surrounded by the kingsguard. The Maldonians were excited seeing their king passing through their streets making his way to the palace, and they showered him and Aurora with flowers and cheering. There was no royal wheelhouse this day and neither did Artemis need one, he interacted closely with his people.

The folks came out of their small inns and buildings in numbers pushing each other, everyone was eager to see Artemis and his queen. They cheered “Hail King Artemis” and Artemis waved back at his people. The procession took twenty minutes and when they arrived at the palace, the folks were denied entry to keep following the king but they sure enjoyed seeing him.