Chapter 28: Chapter 27

"No two souls making communion with Darkness are allies of each-other."

The Gates of the Under-Ground Dungeons,

Kingdom of Tristendyre,

The first Phrinight of the Second month,

XXI Year of Regency

Regent Jehoram and Arch Eccleissor Devland strode through the alleyways of the dungeons, for the second time on that very day, as they made urgent and tense conversation.

It was necessary to maintain the secrecy of both: their words exchanged and their destination.

The men spoke of the affairs of the State whilst passing the guards that kept the discipline and premise of the Jails until they'd reached their confidential precincts.

There was the portion of dark wall in the nightish nooks that seemed as one that was regular barrier of stone wall to the casual and unseeking eye, but to one that knew the chambers and secrets that awaited them on the other end, a hefty push granted them the needed and unsaid access.

"It is a burdening concern that the people are disconcerted regarding the lack of reason for the failure of the dragons' afore predicted arrival", said the Arch Eccleissor caressing his long and grey beard.

"And we haven't the rains to blame, for we have professed it to have been a vision you have seen", added the Regent, hands clasped at his back whilst he walked on into the certainty of the dark hallways.

"I dare say, if the reason for this present misadventure, where the visit of the beasts has been waylaid, owes its origin to other circumstances we are unaware of, this predicament is most trying", said the Arch Eccleissor, pondering deep, as he sustained pace with his companion.

"I have amassed reports and it is found to be so that there have been rains through all the lands from Wroshmania. Hence, the very path of the Dragons hereto has been plagued by the torrents and thus, the dragons mayn't have come. For one, with the Princess runaway, if Jaycob does not retrieve her by this week, calling the Dragons here forth or even expecting a raid may pose itself threateningly at out hand. We cannot scatter them and thereby, we may be contracting our own deaths", said the Regent, lines of fretting concern etched over his forehead and around his brows.

"But the vehement unsettling of the people about my power requires to be eased", imposed Devland.

"That can neatly be arranged for. By orchestrating an Investiture of Arch Eccleissorship, we shall portray your bequest of the legacy of your clan to your first son. Acquaint him with the art of summoning the dragons. We may leave the people to presume your judgement of a vision was distorted by old age", said Jehoram, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Ah, that is a grand idea, indeed. We shall pass the Fang of Jezebel then, as a symbol before their eyes. When, pray tell, shall this be so instituted?" Devland asked, sounding most satisfied, for it had been his earnest wish to bring Caleb, his firstborn son, into the aristocratic forum.

In deep truth, his son seemed greatly hesitant to undertake the stately role and thus, he had not been ennobled until such day. The present case seemed opportune for dramatising the endowment of office and reign.

"We may annex it with the coronation ceremony's agenda. The whole country will be gathered as a single body and the various public affairs shall lavishly be executed then", said the Regent, his knuckles grazing over the black moustache.

"Over-morrow, Sire?" asked the man wearing the elaborate houppelande.

"Indeed; would the arrangements be devised neatly before the feast?", asked Jehoram.

"By all my might, yes, your honour; I will see the affairs to their completion", agreed Devland. "And further, the guerdon to Lady Minerva for interpreting the inscriptions upon the stone of the pillory is pending assembly from the treasury."

The Regent nodded. "Ah, yes, I will have that arranged to be handed."

The Arch Eccleissor turned his gaze from the Regent's expressions to the path ahead and began, "It appears to be so that the words are from Nathan Jehu."

Jehoram appeared pensive. "I would have preferred to count the inscriptions vile, but circumstances mayn't grant so, should it bear as much worth as it does now. It truly does appear to be a message from Jehu himself."

Devland's heart was brimming with various emotions: the first, he had wished death upon Jehu, but it seemed not like such had come to pass, even with Jaycob being commissioned to commit his murder.

Thus, there were displeasure and outrage. However, his suffocating need to stifle the Regent's favourable regard towards Jaycob was seeing fruit, for if the Royal Archer had truly permitted Jehu's escape, it was probable that his prestige would be sacrificed.

That brought him a greater deal of satisfaction to tide over the other contemptuous feelings.

"Then it is potential that he truly may be alive. What do you censure of Jaycob?" asked the Eccleissor who was chief.

The Regent appeared contemplative as he spoke: "He had informed me of the inscriptions when he brought the evidence of murder before my presence. Either Jehu had withdrawn from Jaycob's hold, surviving the disposal and had left the engravings to spite us, or the Archer has left them himself as a threat. The latter appears greatly irrational, but he had told me, last night after the affairs of bloodshed were conducted that there were strange and grave news about the pillory and of the words."

"I see", Devland seemingly conceded. "And what stands reason to your undivided trust that Jaycob would not be as foul?"

The Regent eyed his audience as he halted his steps to speak of this particular matter, for he considered this interview necessary: "Jehu and Jaycob are as antithetical faces of the same coin, where the former breathes honesty and candour, the latter guises in deception."

His words were not orphan; they had great ancestors of much consideration, thought and deliberation, since he had observed for days and pondered for nights of all that he was about to pour into the Arch Eccleissor's perception.

"Jehu, even at the proposal of allying with the government by reason of his gift refused for the woe-begotten sakes of his feelings and morals. However, Jaycob inclined most readily.

Now this deceit of Jaycob's is the finest of his possessions, and desirous to our schemes, for he is subtle. Even in times of our predicament when you had unveiled that Nathan was, in fact, Jehu, it was Jaycob who had proffered the ploys that are presently unfolding at optimum benefit to the State.

He was an acquaintance of Jehu in the years of their youth. Thus, to this day, Jehu mayn't have suspected his betrayal; not so even at murder; that is his subtlety. Tuning his standards to our rhythm empowers us greatly."

"Ah, Sire", began Devland, "Are you meaning to say that you are most swayed with reputation for that lad merely on grounds that his intentions and character are identical to your own? That you consider his cunning and craft to be clever and that they will weave in our favour?"

"Indeed", replied Jehoram, most pleased. "And further, it has not been long since he has stepped into the avenues of aristocratic regime and yet, he has soared so high. The reason that justifies the agility of his endeavours is that he is peculiar. Now Jehu and Jaycob are opposing faces for the presence and absence of conscience. And they are of the same coin because they are vested with powers."

Arch Eccleissor Devland Zephaniah's heart took the stab and all his glorious airs rotted.

The reasons wherefore he had breathed spite against Jaycob was so: In all of Devland's years and in the generations of his fore fathers, there had been word that as the Rook prophesied of was to emerge in the same bloodline as Jael Zephaniah.

It would be imperative to annihilate those of their relatives and burn the branches of their multiplying family tree to duly ensure that their Eccleissorly descent would produce the Rook to come, and justify their false claims of predictions.

He had only recently discovered that Jaycob, whom the Castle had counted an orphan, was now with family in Oreius and that was challenging his own Zephanian crown (where the Rook prophecied of was not begotten in Devland's own lineage).

"Now, trusting his patriotism is a reckless decision to take", Devland began, feeling slighted by the faith the Regent placed upon Jaycob's skill.

Further, the news of the Rook having appeared without his offspring caused him a distraught slash to the ego. He was aware, however, that Jehoram knew of naught regarding the prophecy and its necessary fulfilment, nor that Jaycob's powers were of historical significant.

Thus, words and manipulation were his only means to foredo Jaycob, lest the listed profession of his sons may see menaces.

"You seem hasty, Devland", the Regent continued. "As an alloy of both power and cunningness, the lad makes a fine envoy, for he lacks no charm.

Furthermore, he is most notorious for locating even the most evasive presence by means of his power 'Grand Sight', and hence, he is elect-worthy for the occasion of ferreting out the situation of the runaway Princess.

And then, he is daring. As archer, he is yet to be paralleled. However, upon the recording of his indenture, he had specifically requested that news of his powers do not reach your heed. I could not keep it this day, be-cause I wish you to know of the reasons wherefore this boy shall not be lightly esteemed."

Devland's hopes were downtrodden. He despised the regard for the lad that had become the sworn foe of his race.

However, such disinclination hardly saw permission to receive a place upon the expression of his face.

And he spoke thus: "I must have you warned: his elusive dishonesty is hardly a trust worthy trait, Sire. There is august chance that he has allowed Jehu's escape. But furthermore, I know that he is of loyal service to Vericus, King of Hyll-Decanta."

The Regent seemed pensive before yielding his reply:

"We cannot afford to be certain, my good man. Jaycob is required to function as our ambassador abroad. Tainting our trust upon him would be unfavourable. After all, if the Blade of St. Erdengaur falls into Adon-Vericus' hands, it will be impossible to retrieve. Unless our Archer continues the meetings at Hyll-Decanta, the treaty cannot be finalised."

Now the business pertinent to which the Regent was perturbed was so:

The Kingdom of Hyll-Decanta sited upon the plateau neighbouring the Kingdom of Tristendyre (which laced the coast of the Prussian Farriage Sea), was significantly recognised for its monarchy that possessed both a hunger for conquest and a lust of artefacts.

Every neighbouring nation feared the prospect of being subject to war and subsequent annexure. Oddly, Tristendyre had received no threats of rising mutiny and it was decided that the justification may owe its birth to the frequent Dragon Raids it received.

In recent times, as the Dragons had not been summoned for a large period, the Regent had feared that the Hyll-Decantan King, Adon-Vericus IV may conceive intentions to overthrow his reign by a war.

Thus, at the time where Dragons were not invited (for Mercedes and the Sceptre were not with them to subdue the Beasts that would pose greater threats than war), Jaycob was sent to secure a treaty of Peace with the Kingdom, embellished with proposals of trade and like such.

In this precarious year, the Princess had fled where her single route would be the Kingdom of Hyll-Decanta. The Blade of Erdengaur was in her custody and the Regent feared if Vericus' thirst for artefacts may have confiscated the relic.

Jaycob's functions in the matter were that he was to scavenge for the presence of the levanted Mercedes and her sceptre with his power of Grand Sight and then, in order to avoid suspicion (that the Hyll-Decantans would assume his being a spy), propose the treaty of Peace with the Monarch.

The Arch Eccleissor was well aware of the circumstances and the need for Jaycob, but his immediate predicaments choked him more urgently.

"I understand the concerns, your Majesty, but you are hoping against dishonour to the fealty you exercise over Jaycob. And you must know the better: it would not itch to be careful. After all, I bank my suspicions upon evidences", said Devland.

"Ah, in such case, if you have corroboration that Jaycob truly is infidel to the State of Tristendyre, then I will not hesitate to have him executed, for that is grave against my head. But only on concrete grounds", said the Regent.

The Arch Eccleissor smiled, "Consider them granted, your Highness."