"I wish to be left alone for a private
meeting," the king said quietly, interrupting the prince, but not looking
up at anyone. Cece gulped at how dangerous the man sounded.
Everyone who had been milling about in the hut, whether
they were writing, reading, or frowning over what looked like a tattered map,
stopped and bowed one by one to the king, though he never acknowledged them.
Everyone left without a word.
Finally, after a long stretch of silence that even the
prince was unwilling to break, the king looked up with a grave expression. He
let the piece of paper fall from his fingers before he clasped his hands
together and regarded Loyie.
"Watcher," he said in a gravelly voice,
"my son seems to think there is a major threat in our midst. Is this
true?" He barely glanced at Cece, as if she were nothing.
Loyie bowed her head and gave a small curtsy. Cece at
least knew that the deeper the bow or curtsy, the further below station you are
from the person you are bowing to. She wasn't sure, but it seemed as if Loyie
were only a small step in power below the king himself.
"If your son is speaking of our guest, Cece, then he
is a fool, as I have told him before you summoned me here with the girl."
"Father," Prince Bramaad broke in, sounding
more defensive than anything, "Watcher Loyie apparently does not
understand how dangerous this guest
actually is. I say we put her in the cage where she'll have no chance to do us
harm!" The man's rigid face made his words all the more threatening.
King Xvenaad lifted a hand to stop his son from rushing
on. "Bramaad, you must learn to think before you speak so foolishly. I
will not have a son of mine taking the throne sounding as you do. We are not
taking back what is ours just so you can lose it by acting like a child."
Bramaad snapped his jaw shut and glared at Cece, as if it
were her fault his father was berating him. She wanted to wilt under the
glare, but squared her shoulders instead, wanting to show the prince she would
not be timid around him.
After a moment of silence, the king turned his attention
back to Loyie, "Tell me, Watcher and Guardian of Prophecy, is this guest
of ours part of the prophecy that states, 'The
one born of Sa'dei'Feyier will wreak
destruction and will bring death to the people.' Or is she an innocent with
a bad memory?"
Loyie's eyes seemed to look far away and was silent for a
long time. Finally, she whispered, "As the Watcher and Guardian, I cannot
interfere with those tied directly to the prophecy, no matter which prophecy
they are fulfilling." She paused, though no one said a word. Even the king
seemed to be leaning in to hear what the small woman had to say. "Even
though Cece is tied to this prophecy you speak, all I may say is that it is not
what it seems."
"Father," Bramaad nearly growled, "put
this woman in the cage where we can keep an eye on her. The Watcher just
admitted that she is part of the prophecy! How can we trust her? She will bring
death to us all!" His green eyes burned with anger and hate as if he had
never seen anything worse in his life than Cece.
King Xvenaad took a deep breath and stood straight, squaring
his shoulders and turning his full attention on his son. "I should throw
you in the cage until you learn to listen, boy," the king said, clearly
disgusted with the prince. "Go tell the captain you want an extra long
watch tonight. Maybe you'll learn to listen closely, then."
"She is dangerous!" Bramaad said, gesturing
toward Cece as if by pointing her out she'd suddenly turn into a panther about
to attack them all.
Unable to take it any longer, Cece took a step forward
and said in her most commanding tone she learned to use on stage, "May I
speak?" though it was more of a demand, than a question. She did not wait
for the king or prince to nod before she continued on, "I am not a danger
or a threat to you and your people. I do not even know where I am or what this
place is called. I do not know how to use a weapon, so I cannot harm you
physically, I am not sick, so I cannot bring you disease to kill off your men,
so what else would I do in order to bring death and destruction? I can hardly
look at my own blood without feeling light-headed, let alone another
person's."
Bramaad took two steps forward, bringing him within inches of
Cece's face. His breath was warm against her skin, but she did not take a step
back. "Never underestimate anyone," he whispered, "especially
ones that claim they can do no harm."
"Enough!" Loyie's voice came sharply and was
enough to make Prince Bramaad take a step back from Cece and blink in surprise.
"I have seen a thousand times a thousand men die because of actions like
yours. You are too brash and claim the wrong people as the enemy. I have seen
fools die more often than not. You know how long I have lived, Prince. Do not think I would be foolish
enough to let someone as dangerous as you claim anywhere near my
presence."
"But you cannot interfere, Watcher. That is why it
is your title. You cannot interfere with anything that deals with the prophecy!
So if someone so dangerous walks right into your path and decides to bed with
you for the night, you could do nothing about it!"
Loyie let a small smile twitch on her lips. Her pale blue
eyes held a dangerous glint that told Bramaad he had gone too far. Even though
the cold look was not directed at Cece, she still wanted to shrink into the
corner of the hut and hope that Loyie never found her there. Even the king
pressed his lips together and watched Loyie with a wary expression. Prince Bramaad
licked his lips and did his best to tower above Loyie, though her presence
still made her seem much taller than the prince. He certainly seemed sorry he
ever even opened his mouth.
Finally, Loyie said in her quiet voice, "There is
always free will, prince. The prophecy does not go so deep as to explain day to
day what must and what must not happen. The prophecy is not a diary. It is a
foretelling of an event of what will
happen, what must happen, but not
when or how, or even the who until it is upon us. I can tell you that this girl
is tied to the major thread of the prophecy, but it is not what it seems. For
once, Prince Bramaad, use what bit of a brain you actually have."
Prince Bramaad's jaw clenched. He seemed to want to say
more as his gaze rested on Cece. It was a cold look, one that made her want to
shiver, but his green eyes finally seemed more forgiving somehow. Finally he
turned toward the king, who had stayed quiet, seeming to observe the events
unfolding, and bowed deeply. "I will tell the captain that I would like
two extra watches of duty for the next two weeks, King Xvenaad."
Without another word, the prince left the hut, making the
room seem much larger now that only three people stood within its walls.
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