The Chains of Duty Chapter 5 The Calm Before The Storm

Keed held the book shut and breathed heavily. Nidara’s whimpers rang in his ears. What had just happened? He looked up from his hand which was still on the rough, bark-like cover of the book. Novara was crouching next to Nidara, trying to sooth her but she did not seem to be aware of anything. He stood straight and made to walk around the table. Nidara needed to see a healer. Fast.

“In the name of the King, do not move!” a brutish voice hollered from behind him. He tried to turn around but there was something pointy aimed at his back point blank. A sword.

It was the guards standing outside the doors of the study. In the excitement of the moment none of them had noticed the guards barging in to their Princess’s rescue.

“I knew we could never trust you again, General Keed,” the guard said. A guard? Speaking with such spite? He must really hate me.

Novara looked up at that moment. It took her some time to register the scene in front of her.

“Utter the word Princess, and I shall sever his head!”

“No. He did nothing of this. Step back,” Novara ordered with a rather calm voice. However, her face displayed the real distress of the moment. She made to stand. The guard hesitated before removing his sword from Keed’s back.

Keed dashed around the room and tenderly put his hands around Nidara’s writhing frame. Novara helped him take her into his arms.

“Thank you, Novara.”

“Formalities later. She needs to see a healer,” she said nodding toward Nidara. “inform father,” she said to the guard. “And make sure you do not say anything you do not know for sure, and save me the trouble of fixing your mistakes.”

“Yes, Princess.” The guards bowed and bolted out the door.

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Nidara still writhed in pain. The healer they brought to her was doing his best.

“It appears that Princess Nidara is going through a subconscious seizure. She is not aware of the things around her. But the medicine is doing its work, patience is necessary,” the healer informed. Novara nodded in understanding.

Keed stood with his head hanging. How could he have let this happen? He thought he ended any force that controlled him; held him back from protecting Nidara. He heard her screams in his head. They had sounded far away, as if stowed away in a deep dungeon in the confines of his being. He should never have let Xelop lure him into his trap. How idiotic of him! The king and his family had been in no way responsible for his father’s death. Alas! He only realized that after Xelop captured Nidara.

He was only vaguely aware of Nidara’s slowly receding whimpers.

The king burst in, and close at his heels was General Thyen. They both looked befuddled; the King, slightly more so. The General had an angrier demeanor at hand.

“Wh-whatever happened?” the King asked, breathless.

Keed opened his mouth to reply.

“It was the books.” Novara said.

All looked to her.

“Books?” General Thyen asked.

“Yes. Father, there was an identical book on sorcery in our study. We were about to study them together when all of this happened.”

The king remained in an incredulous fit.

“Nonsense! Books are merely exactly that. Books. They have no power to harm. It is all Keed’s doing. I can bet my sword on it!” the general sneered. “I knew we could never trust a betrayer; I told you so, Your Majesty. But you did not believe me.”

“Keed is as clueless about what happened as I am!” Novara retorted. “General, I know his past begs controversy, but I beg you to not interfere with things you do not understand.” Not that I understand it myself…

General Thyen made to rejoinder.

“Stop this meaningless argument!” the King roared in anger. His daughter was suffering and these two had the audacity to quarrel in a situation like this. Even now her whimpers rang through the room. “General, you will learn to control your tongue. I gave you your position because your decisions are trustworthy at times of need. I will not have my choice thus defiled!”

Thyen closed his mouth and composed himself. “Yes, Your Majesty,” He said slowly.

The king sighed. “Now, Novara, tell me what happened.”

Keed watched in silence as Novara told the other two the unfortunate happenings of the afternoon. He himself was only aware of the things that happened before and after his “possessed” state. He listened with care. He noticed, to his astonishment, that Novara was seemingly keeping some things to herself. She kept glancing at him from the corner of her eye. And he knew that it was at these points in the story that she had observed something worth withholding. He wondered what.

~~~~~~~~~~

He noticed Nidara stir in her sleep. The effect of the medicine and her exhaustion from the seizure was wearing finally wearing off after many hours. It was already dark. Keed had lost track of time.

Nidara moaned out of stiffness. Keed stood up. He had to call Novara. They would both want to see each other, no doubt. He walked to the door, but before he could open it Nidara said something. He turned around.

She was looking at him earnestly, her eyes tired. “You are leaving me?” she asked, her tone sounding sad, battered.

He was quick to reply. “No, I was only going out to call Novara. You want to see her, no?”

Her eyes became softer than they were. “Stay. Novara can wait.”

What? Why would she want me to…

As if reading his uncertainty, she spoke again. “Keed, stay. She can be called a bit later.”

He heaved a sigh. “Alright. As you say, Nidara.” This reminded him of when they were young. Nidara would always ask him to stay a while when she felt sick. No matter what work he had, or what mission he had to complete, he would have to stay. Even a year ago she had asked him to sit with her when she had a fever, right before Xelop attacked. Right before it all fell apart.

He shook off the thoughts and stood by her bed, staring at his boots.

“Do I have to tell you to sit?” she asked with a hint of a smile.

He jerked his head in her direction. “No! No, of course not.” He drew up a chair and was about to sit…

“Wait,” Nidara said, “I need a drink of water.”

He smiled, without even knowing why. Maybe because this was a step back towards the way they were before everything went wrong; or perhaps because of the childishness of her request. He went and poured a goblet of water out of the pitcher on her bedside table. He then carefully handed the goblet to Nidara, helping her sit up to drink. When she was done he placed the goblet back and sat down on the chair he had drawn up.

“Keed,” she asked after a moment of silence, “what happened?” she turned toward him, so as to see his face completely.

He breathed heavily. “Nidara, I am as clueless about this as you are. I think we both understand that this was a part of Xelop’s powers manifested through the two books. I witnessed you going through a seizure after I recovered from the influence…” he hesitated. He had sworn to her that he had broken all the bonds that held him captive to Xelop’s command.

“Influence?” she asked, obviously filling up the gaps by herself. He knew she was more than adept. She was raised to be.

He broke eye contact with her for a second.

“You could not break it completely, could you?” she asked in a sad tone.

He shook his head. “And I only just now realize it. Just as I realized I had been lured with lies into Xelop’s campaign. Just as I let my love for my father cloud my better judgment.”

She remained silent for some time. “Keed, it is not your fault. You can reclaim naught by brooding over what has passed. Best you learn from it. Your enemies and your past are your best teachers.”

“But it is my fault, Nidara. I let my faith in you falter. If I had been a better master of myself—“

“You could only fight him for so long, Keed. Xelop is not someone you could have held hostage. You know that better than anyone.”

He restrained his self blame. There was no use. He could wallow in all the self-pity he wanted inside the safety of his home. The moment he stepped into the castle, however, he would have to forget all his woes. ‘Twas an old promise they had made, he and Nidara.

“”Does father know?” she asked after what seemed to be an eternity.

“Yes. And so does general Thyen.” he answered.

“Who told him?” she asked, rather irate.

“He was perchance with your father when the news reached him. He came with to see you.”

“I see,” she paused. “I think it is okay to call Novara now.”

“Okay.” He walked to the door. Before opening the door, he turned around. “Nidara, I have a feeling you want to say something to me.”

She smiled slightly. “Perchance, I had a dream.”

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To be continued…