Chapter 105

There was a feast at the castle. The usual kind of feast Roger has whenever a big war is coming. Julian was in his chamber with kabal, teaching him the things he needed to know, when a guard informed him about the feast and that the king asks that he must be there. Kabal had mix feelings about it but he could not stop his master from attending the feast. Julian instructed him to turn off the lights and go to bed but Kabal could not. He felt something was off. Maybe something really was off. He left the chamber, though late, he had lost sight of Julian. He walked round the castle, searching for the exact place the feast was holding but didn't find it. It's a private feast so it wasn't taken at the assembly hall. Frustrated, he retraced his steps back to the chamber.

He was stopped by whisperings from a room, the royal kitchen. His curiosity led on and he decided to have a peek through the half closed window.

He saw Raleigh conversing with the head nurse. He had to strain his ears to get what they were saying. Raleigh was hold a small bottle in his hands. Though he could hardly discern what they were saying but he could tell that the liquid in the bottle wasn't good. He saw the maid pour out it's content into a cup of wine. Then he knew what it was. Poison! But for whom?! Kabal felt a sense of responsibility rush over him . He followed the maid. 

He saw that the feast was held in the council room. The king, Prince Julian, surrounded by the council members. His eyes was fixed on the poisoned cup. He stood afar in dim light. For the first time he was proud of his tiny stature, which can't be easily noticed in dim light. He was shocked when he saw the maid drop the cup of wine in front of his master. He was not too surprised though, he has sensed it, the moment his master said he'd attend the feast. He searched his brain for ways he could stop Julian from taking it. The council room is out of bound for any commoner. His presence there alone qualifies him for punishment, talk less of interrupting the meeting, or worse accusing a maid of poisoning. He was still thinking when he saw Julian raise the cup to drink. Then he had no choice, he flew across the table so swiftly and flung the cup out of Julian's hand, emptying its contents on the ground. Julian stared at him, eye widened in shock, likewise the council members.

"You! How dare you?!"Raleigh scolded him. Kabal knew he was in for big trouble. He just prayed his master understood.

"Guards!"Another shrieked.

Julian remembered he had promised Katrienair he'll keep him safe. He stopped the guards just in time.

"Enough. I'll scold Kabal myself. He's my squire." They wanted to argue but he hushed them.

"Kabal, go wait for me in my chamber. You have a lot of explaining to do."Kabal bowed and left. Julian followed him.

Huh...he's achieved his aim. He was glad his master is safe now.

*

"What you doing here?"I gasped in shock on seeing his figure by my bedside. It was too late in the night and I would have been asleep if not for... Well, it was quite a day and I had a lot to think about. Seeing Julian is the last thing I would have expected the day to bring. "You scared the hell out of me."

He was dressed rather casually. He wore a black polo, he was sitting so I didn't see his lower part.

"Don't be scared. I wanted to see you."

"You teleported, just to see me. isn't that too much a risk?"I questioned, while I sat up.

"It's not a risk. I needed to be sure you're okay."

"I am. Thank you...for caring."I had this feeling that I'd just spewed out the wrong thing. The things I don't know what to say. "How's Kabal?"

"He's doing good. He'll be at war tomorrow."

"Wow"I smiled. "Thank you Julian."I kissed him on his back. I saw him smile.

"The castle... is not bad. "He was looking out through the window. "It's my first time being here."

"Looks like a church huh?"I giggled.

"Kind of."He sighed. "By God's grace, tomorrow's war would favor us. I mean this castle. I and kabal would join your team. I hope you've informed your comrades about..."

I hugged his back, while interrupting him. Gosh! I miss this man. He's always been by my side, one day away seems like a year to me. And the fact that he acknowledges God still surprises me.

 "Julian, are you sure you want to do this? You would fight your own people, why? You don't have to."

"What are you saying?"He winced. "I owe it to the world okay. I might be born as a demon but it's a free world. We choose our destinies , don't we? I despise the demons. I'm doing this for the white coven okay?"

I felt like there was more to it. "Were you present during the big war. Do you know anything about..."

"I know a bit but I left before it ended, or rather when it began. My father killed my mother because of the war, he killed his brothers, even attacked the white coven because his brother was their king. Do you think Roger deserves to be king?"

"I've heard that once."

"The demons hate themselves. They can never be united. Fighting for them would be like chasing shadows. Do you know I was almost poisoned today?"

Wow! Demons, really?! A day to war!

"Who?! Why?!"

"Its Raleigh. Thanks to kabal. He saw them."

"Raleigh?! Why would he do that?!" I paused. "I never trusted him. That dude has a weird plan in mind."

"You can say that again."

"Do you know anything else? About the war. Did you ever meet Alistair?"

Julian arched his brow. "I was really young. I was locked in my Roger's chamber during the war. I never knew her. My mother told me the things I know. "

We were silent for a while. Our silence spoke much, many things that can't be said.

"I hate Roger. I'd like to kill him myself."

I shook my head. "No, you don't have to. I know someone who needs that more."