Chapter 2
Chapter 2
“Hendred!!!” Marianne, the Queen and wife of the King of Derieta called.
“How many times have I told you to stop touching that blasted nightingale.”
When Hendred heard this, he answered back with a slight chuckle,
“First of all, Marie, it’s a lightingale.”
Marianne gave him a smile and they both broke down into fits of laughter. Yet she knew that Hendred’s were hollow. She always had the gift to tell people’s feelings, thus resulting to the fact that few suitors would not court her, despite the fact that she was beautiful and all.
“Hendred, I told you to not go near that statue! It’s bad for you!”
“No, it isn’t, it doesn’t affect me at all. I’m perfectly healthy!”
“It’s driving you crazy!”
Although Marianne said it with a sweet voice, Hendred knew that she was implying it strictly, and she also had a point! The King didn’t know what to say, he was speechless and dumbfounded, but his wife knew what was going on inside his head and spoke.
“Hendred, I know what the Deity said ten years ago I was there that day.”
“Yeah but for all these years, that, that thing’s been sitting there!” Hendred stuttered.
“I know Hendred, I know, just take it easy! A time will come when the Tear of Heaven will yield to its owner.”
“Marie…” the King said with an ominous tone, scaring the wits out of the Queen, since she only heard this once in her lifetime, and she knew that there was no way to remove this happening from Hendred.
“I’m not afraid of when it yields, I’m afraid of who will yield it.”
“H-H-Hendred…”
“You where there too. When our Lord said it, you heard what He said! You know what He means!”
“Hendred…” Marianne was in a loss of words; she didn’t know what to say. She knew what her husband and the Deity meant.
“Look, Hendred, you tried our best. We all tried our best to maintain the peace you started. You know our Lord wouldn’t give it to the wrong hands! So just stop your worrying and don’t keep on peeking and poking the future! Live your life while you are here! Focus on the present my King!”
“Well, I guess you’re right my love! You are wise!”
Once again, they laughed but this time Marianne knew that Hendred was full of happiness and not of hollow fakeness.
Several months later…
Ding, dong, ding, dong, the chimes of the Cliffed Palace filled the air. Waking up the Derietans, today was a special day. News has spread the city like wildfire overnight that the Queen has just given birth to a little boy! The people of the Capital walked to the Cliffed Palace, which was situated in the middle of the plateau. The townspeople passed through the Mainos Gate the main gate that leads to the palace. High walls surrounded the place, almost making it impenetrable, and what makes it more fascinating was the fact that it can build itself in a matter of seconds. Since siege towers can’t reach it since it’s too high the Light Rebellion Leaders tried to use other means or ways to get in the castle, so they used a cannon and breached the wall, but to their astonishment, the breach quickly sealed up but this time enhancing the durability and strength of the wall. Thus, leading to an end to the many rebellions after the Declaration with the Great Council, the council who witnessed the fall of Heaven’s Tear.
Soon the whole town was in the giant courtyard waiting for the Royal family.
There was laughter and minor celebrations happening with the people of the Capital, but all of these things were quelled and silenced by the sound of the High Trumpeters trumpets.
All that can be heard, was the clip-clapping of the Duke’s shoes.
The man was an average-sized human, with fair skin and green eyes. When he reached the end of the balcony, the duke grabbed a device used to magnify his voice, they called it the magnificus.
He then cleared his throat and began to speak,
“I the Duke of Derieta, present to you, his royal highnesses King and Queen Hendred and Marianne Cliffed, with the newborn Prince, Edwardion Cliffed!”
Cheering and whistling rippled throughout the courtyard as the Royal Family stepped onto the balcony and was seen. Marianne walked up to the end of the façade, letting her caramel locks flow while her yellow eyes scanned the crowd. She grabbed the magnificus from the Duke and cleared her throat which was completely unnecessary since her presence clearly intimidated the townspeople.
“Good morning my fellow Derietans! I your Queen, Marianne Cliffed the Fearless, would like to speak on behalf of my son. Even though it has been ten years since the end of the Dark Wars, it has been ten long years of peace. Although our city is new, happiness is plentiful. I promise that my son, will serve the next generation with greatness and prosperity! I know he still might be young; he has a lot to learn and a lot to find. But I swear, with all my heart that I will raise him to be the best that he can be! Thank you so much my people!”
Once again, the citizens of the Capital erupted in gratitude, backslapping was once again observed and some began dancing. The party has just begun. The servants rolled in with food and pastries while a band began playing. Amidst these, Hendred nudged his wife and joked her.
“Come on Marie, stop getting serious or the Free Lands of Deityera would be scared of you! They might even piss their pants!”
As Marianne heard this she laughed and clutched her stomach.
“Come on! We’re Royals! We need to act sophisticated and civilized!”
“It isn’t always fun like that Marie! What do you say we have another kid hey?”
“What? So early? If so, what’ll we name him or her?”
“If it’s a girl we’ll name her Zion after you friend, if it’s a boy…”
“How about Frieden?”
“Frieden sounds nice.”
As the King and Queen were slightly bickering, the silent halls behind them were pierced by the clip-clapping of a person’s boots.
“Do you hear that my love?” asked Marianne.
“Yes! And there is only one person who dares do that in our presence!”
They both turned around to see a smiling man 2 years younger than them, but still looked like an old man.
“General Milano! Welcome back!” Greeted the Duke who was already about to recede into his chambers. The King was surprised, not expecting the general to return from his patrolling 3 days earlier than expected, so he piped up “Mil! So glad that you’re back! Enjoying the festivities?”
“I sure am! Although I am not currently interested in that. I came here earlier than expected so that I can send my personal regards to the new Prince!”
“Why thank you!”
The King smiled at Milano, knowing that the general will also mirror his actions. They said their goodbyes and the general walked away, letting the walls mimic the sound of his footsteps. Hendred turned around and was once again greeted by his wife and their baby, but Marianne was wearing a face of concern this time. Before he could ask and say anything Marie questioned him, saying “Are you alright?”
“Yes, I am!” Hendred answered. Marie, knowing that her husband was telling the truth, instantly removed her face of worry and replaced it with one or relief.
“Please promise me one more time to never ever go into that garden just like what you did several months ago!”
“Yes, yes I promise. There will come a time when the world will protect the Tear of Heaven, since our two kingdoms have joined and your sister’s controlling the second most powerful nation in this continent, the rest of the Free Lands will pledge their allegiance.”
Hearing this, the Queen grinned, feeling the sincerity in her husband’s words she wrapped her arm around his and closed her eyes, wishing that this moment would last forever.
A year later…
Thunder, that was the sound that shook the whole carriage, the horses whinnied and mud was scattered, the branches of the trees outside were swaying furiously while a terrified Marianne and Hendred were both scared and anxious.
They both didn’t know what to do, they were stranded in the middle of nowhere as a king and a pregnant queen. Once again thunder struck but this time it was close to them, they heard wood splintering into hundreds of pieces and branches moaning out cries of anger, while the wind howled into the dark abyss of the night all that the couple heard next was a tree falling on the four horses and the man tending them. They were dead.
Hendred quickly urged his wife to get out of the carriage and get somewhere safer. Luckily the path they were taking was near the Forgotten Mountains. A mountain range hundreds of kilometers away from the plateau, yet somewhat served as a natural barrier against unwanted rebels or bandits that might attack the Capital.
The King found a small cave for them to take shelter on. When they finally managed to relieve themselves of the horrors they’ve just endured. Marianne spoke,
“Hendred, my stomach feels light…”
When the king heard this, a rush of fear washed over him, almost knocking him down, but the cries of a newborn baby echoed throughout the cave, near the entrance was a baby boy of brown eyes and black hair. This boy lightened the mood.
Hendred scooped the baby and wiped the blood using his robes.
“Frieden” that was what he had said. Once again the family was filled with warmth and the cold, dark night felt like a summer’s morn.
Several minutes prior…
The Duke was lying on his bed, trying to force himself to sleep, yet the thunder and the sound of rain wasn’t helping him either. So, he got up, and took a stroll. The Duke was about to approach the garden where the Tear of Heaven lay, but he noticed an ominous red glow reflected by the walls, he knew something was up. He ran as fast as he could to the doorway, just as he had expected, the lightingale, was glowing red. He knew to never ever touch that monument since the queen would be furious and might even banish him from the palace. So, all that he could do, was kneel and pray to the Lord above to stop this unusual happening.
As the lightingale glowed more ominously, the Tear of Heaven shook more and more, building up pressure every single second, but suddenly everything stopped. The world stopped, the rain stopped, everythingstopped. The glowing red suddenly faded, as if it never ever illuminated the earth.
What filled that dark chasm of red was lukewarm light, the full light of a lightingale. The Duke tried to open his eyes, yet he can’t even manage to force a slight crack, it was just as if he was looking at the sun closer than before. The light illuminated the whole sky, as if it was daytime. Families, men, women and children were all shocked. While others were staring through their windows; other brave souls stepped outside to see this wonderful marvel. The light somewhat woke them all up, urging their sleep to leave their bodies.
After a full minute the light disappeared. When the Duke finally noticed this (since there was no more light penetrating through his eyelids), he opened his eyes to see the Tear of Heaven being held up by the lightingale. But this time it had a crack.
King Hendred and Queen Marianne, strode into the outer walls of the Capital. Soldiers were in panic, since the couple had been missing for a long time. Fortunately, one of the search parties were able to find the royals in good health.
The townspeople crowded the streets yet they also parted, making way for their rulers. Although they could see the carriage only, and the drawn curtains were the sole things that they can see. The people of the Capital, were still staring at the vehicle, slowly being escorted by the High Guards. The only thing that can be heard was the clapping of horses’ hooves and the soldiers’ footsteps thumping on the ground.
People were still mesmerized unconditionally because of the events that were happening in a span of only a couple of days, but still, that didn’t hinder them from expecting to see the young prince.
When the convoy was about to go around the roundabout, the carriage door opened and the King and Queen stepped, out. Although they’ve been given new clothes to wear, wariness and sleeplessness marked their faces. But they both showed happiness. Frieden was sleeping peacefully.
The King took his boy from his wife’s arm and raised him a little bit and said. “Deity, may you protect and guide my son Frieden” and on that moment the queen smiled.
Hot tears streaked down from the faces of the couple, little did they know Edwardion their son was peeking out of his bedroom awaiting for his parents return, but a hint of jealousy in the heart of the young child began to grow.