143 The Queen Wants

AUTHOR'S POV

"Ah..ye.. no", Bertram kept mum decidingly. He refused to catch glimpses of Vesta, who's eyes are surely fixed on him. Her scent alone sends all his hair raising.

"Prolly hanging around. I'm sure the royal guards will get a hold of him", Vesta answered blandly.

"Then, we shall take our leave.", Alesso made the priest go first before he followed. He wanted to confront the lady paladin, but he considered, now isn't the time.

"I'll see you again, Father Bertram", Vesta said that served as a warning for the priest.

Vesta entered the Queen's chambers and found the Queen happily dancing around with the iron coffer. The paladin crusader became all too proud of herself after delivering the traveler's stone. She could already imagine herself getting promoted as the commander of all warriors, or at least the lead paladin.

"Keep that priest on a tight leash. He might come in handy", Queen Isavelle said as she twist and turn joyously on tiptoes.

"Yes, your Majesty", Vesta nodded.

After a few more spins and swirls, the queen got weary and ceased from dancing as she catch her breath. Exhausted, Isavelle hopped on the couch and eventually, decided to open the coffer. Suddenly, her mind went blank when she found the coffer… empty. She felt every muscle in her body tighten and her nerves pop in anger. "Get that priest!", she ragingly commanded.

MEANWHILE

Never in Alesso's wildest dreams to witness Vesta becoming violent on regular people, most especially against the soldiers of faith. She was a brand new person, an embodiment of sea of black that he didn't recognized. Looking at how scared stiff the priest have become after his encounter with Vesta, Alesso thought something more terrifying might have happened, and he intend to find out. "You don't look so good. Did something happen with Vesta?", Alesso asked Bertram.

The priest stayed silent as he rub his neck with his cold palm. He was still shaken after what happened with the Queen and Lady Vesta. However, for Alesso, Bertram's silence was a clear answer that nothing pleasant took place. Staggering, Bertram lost his footing and landed his palms on the wall. He then sobbed softly, and felt pathetic of himself. 'Why am I made so weak like this?', he thought.

Alesso quickly lent a hand to the priest. "I got you, Bertram", Alesso said as he reach to him, but Bertram flinched at Alesso's hand. The priest was just all tears refusing to share the weight over his shoulders. Alesso stepped back and exhaled sharply. "Alright. I'll give you all the time that you need. But please understand, that I'm here to help you.", Alesso said as he hand Bertram a brown kerchief. It took while for Bertram to accept Alesso's aid. Eventually, the priest took it and sighed softly. Patiently, the paladin archer waited until Bertram was all ready to face the King. Looking at Bertram made him all curious what have happened. As soon as the priest have calmed down a bit, the pair went onto the King's chambers right away.

Bertram had met the King with Lord Nero and Alesso as an audience. He found nothing bizarre with the King, then. Everything deemed normalcy, without the intentions of triggering his primal fear. Actually, the meeting was brief. The King apologized for the attacks and failing to protect the priests. Timely, Bertram was advised to ease off for a while with his family at home until he's ready to engage in spritual activities, holy scriptures, writings and sacred gatherings again. Surprisingly, he wasn't asked neither of what took place in the Holy Land, nor where the traveler's stone now. The courtesy call was more of caring for his welfare, followed by the King's apology and support. Bertram was ultimately surprised.

Father Bertram requested to be in the safekeeps of Beorg Mountains to which the King immediately gave permission to. At this time, he knew that the queen is already furious for getting an empty coffer. He wouldn't want to risk the life of his entire family who'd be massacred for a single stone. Soonafter, his courtesy call with the King came to an end. As he and Alesso leave the King's chambers, Syria was already waiting at the door for her routinary meeting with His Majesty. Bertram felt sorry for judging the Wiccan deleteriously. Above all, she is the only pearl in the bed of rocks. Syria kept her composure, and never landed a single glance on the men who were leaving the King's chambers. As soon as the doors closed, Lord Nero went back home to Hesam, and Alesso with Bertram headed out of the palace for the mountains.

Father Elijah was never found. The King and Queen never met him. Furious, Alesso bombarded all the guards to find the priest. Father Elijah couldn't just leave the castle like that, he thought. Tons of hows and whys gathered in his head. Each room and every corner were searched. But still, there were no signs of Father Elijah.

While waiting in the four-person emerald marbled with black striation carriage, Father Bertram fidgetted with the ends of his rope belt. The paladin archer asked the priest to wait for him in the carriage while he search the castle for Father Elijah. Bertram refused at first, but Alesso insisted to have him stay for while. The paladin archer thought the priest's staggering steps would slow him down.

Bertram kept peeping out the window for Alesso, praying that the paladin archer would come back anytime soon. He was too afraid to tell where he last found Father Elijah. "Not now", he murmured. He leaned back and gave a loud sigh, then once again, he stared right back the window.

"Waiting for me?", Vesta appeared by the window in a sudden, startling the priest who only have started to relax in the carriage. Bertram's blood went ice cold hearing Vesta's voice. "I believe you have something I want… or should I say, the Queen wants", Vesta tried to open the door, however it was locked.

Dropping down the floor, Bertram panicked and held the knob of the door shut. Shrieking, the priest gave all his strenght not to give in Vesta's brawniness while the lady paladin tried to open the door violently. Her eyes were like that of an owl, and the way she called the priest's name was harrowing. Bertram held the door and closed his eyes tightly. He mumbled a prayer that he may be enveloped with the light of god's protection.