Bethuselom let out an ear-piercing, inhuman shriek as he covered his face. He turned and leaped from the window, turning to mist.
Briga dashed to the window, but Bethuselom was gone. She thumped the window sill and gritted her teeth in frustration. Then she turned her gaze to the trembling figure huddled in the corner of the bed, her radiance casting a dim glow on the wild-eyed face of Harolf Uldenson.
Harolf’s mouth was agape. A soft sobbing noise escaped him as tears streamed down his face. He suddenly threw himself at her feet and began exhorting, “Please divine one, save me! I can’t escape! I made a mistake, and I can’t find my way back!”
“Your folly placed the life of he who is dearest to me in dire peril. I am not here to save you, I am here to answer the last wish of your mother. I am here to take you to her.”
“I can’t, they’ll kill me!”
“That may be what you have earned. But they will not, as I will not permit it. However, after I return you here, events will unfold as they may. Now, pull yourself together.” Briga regarded the man prostrate before her. Her face was blank, but for the trace of pity, evidenced by the small furrow of her brow.
Harolf came up to his knees, his face turned up toward Briga, a haunted look in his eyes. He wiped his cheeks with the backs of his hands, and then struggled to his feet. He closed his eyes, took a deep, shuddering breath to steady himself, and then gave a small nod.
“Stay behind me when we enter the room,” Briga instructed, as she turned and moved toward the room entrance.
They passed through the doorway, and emerged inside the royal bedchamber, where a woman lay on the giant bed. She was propped up on several pillows, surrounded by King’s Mage Gereld, King Ulden, and his brothers, Thayn and Viggin.
All eyes turned to Briga, her presence unfettered and palpable; a warning that she would brook no attempts to subvert the guarantees she had given.
The queen gasped and reached out her hands to Briga, as she said in a weak voice, “Is it time, oh lady of our hearts? I am ready.”
“No, dear Margot. Not quite yet,” Briga replied, as she gently took the frail woman’s hands. “I have someone here to see you.”
Briga released the woman’s hands, and stepped aside, allowing Harolf to take a hesitant step toward his mother.
“Come closer, my son. What’s the matter?” the queen asked in a quavering voice.
“I’m fine, Mother. Really.”
“You could never lie to me, Harolf. Don’t start now.” The queen then looked to Ulden and her other sons, and said in a clearer voice, “You need to put this behind you, somehow, my dear, my sons. I know what happened. Dying, though I may be, a fool, I am not. For the sake of our family, put this rift to rest. Promise me.”
Queen Margot winced and grimaced as her breath came in gasps, tears leaking from her eyes. Her eyes widened as she gave a brief cry of pain. She looked upon the faces of her family as though to store their visage in her mind for the last time. Then her eyes fell upon Ulden, stony faced, with a hand upon Harolf’s shoulder. At that, a wan smile creased her lips and then she sighed as the last breath left her body.
A single tear rolled down Ulden’s cheek as he leant in to speak into his youngest son’s ear, his tone conveying the rage he felt towards him. “When you leave here, the next time I see you, will be your last day.”
Ulden then knelt beside the bed and clasped the lifeless hand of his queen and pressed it to his lips, his shoulders gently shaking.
Harolf stepped back from the bed, his eyes downcast, and his face contorting as he wrestled with a flurry of conflicting emotions.
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Thayn was watching Briga closely. He couldn’t be certain if it was a trick of the low lighting in the room, but he was certain he saw it. A small, soft glowing light floated from his mother into Briga, who then tilted her face to the sky, from which a column of light flashed to toward the heavens. It was but an instant. Though having seen it, he felt a portion of his sorrow and anguish evaporate. He felt content, knowing his mother was truly at peace.
The goddess had bowed her head, and laid a gentle hand on the queen’s feet. She then turned and looked at the three princes, and inclined her head toward the door. As she exited the room, the three men filed out quietly behind her.
Once they were in the corridor, Viggin’s face contorted with rage as he grabbed Harolf by the front of his tunic and slammed him against the wall. The irate prince hissed into Harolf’s face, “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t end you now!”
Briga placed a hand on Viggin’s arm, and the rage evaporated as his hands dropped to his sides. She then rebuked him. “You gave your word. That should be reason enough, Viggin Uldenson. I understand your pain, so I will let it go, just this once.”
The goddess then turned her gaze to Harolf. She caught his eyes, and then hers widened momentarily, as she gave a quick, meaningful look toward his brothers and back to him twice.
Harolf returned her look with a quizzical one of his own, when his eyes widened, and he threw a look of appeal to his brothers, as he quickly stammered, “I-I have information. Y-you m-may want to hear it.”
Viggin looked away. However, Thayn, ever the pragmatist, returned Harolf’s look with curiosity.
Harolf continued, “I understand. I wronged you, brothers, but please, know this. There are lands on the eastern continent with vast populations. A daemon named Bethuselom is planning to enslave them, and use them to bring all the dark ones here. If he can achieve this, he will unleash them on the whole world. I know that the bastard’s son can kill daemons. He needs-”
Thayn’s fist cut Harolf’s words off. The punch knocked him to the ground, and Thayn stood over him. “I have fought alongside our sister. Impugn her again, and I will face Briga’s wrath gladly for the pleasure of taking your life. Princess Venna is our sister. Say it, Harolf… SAY IT!”
Harolf cowered as through his ruined mouth, he stammered, “Our s-s-sister, our s-sister!”
Thayn then continued in a conversational tone, “Better. Now, I thank you for the information. I will talk to father and convince him that banishment from Halder lands will be better for all concerned, our mother’s dying wish and all. And when I say Halder lands, I mean all lands with Haldermen in them. You will not be setting up a new kingdom in the east, for they are Halder lands, too. Your banishment, however, will not take effect immediately, for you have a mission. You will spy on this daemon, Bethuselom, and you will send reports to us regularly.”
Looking down at his brother, Thayn noticed Harolf’s expression change to chagrin.
Thayn scoffed as he added, “My realm is closest to yours, Harolf. Did you seriously think I wouldn’t notice you shifting half your nation’s people east?”
Thayn then turned to Briga, and asked, “Is there a way that Harolf can convey information to us quickly? Reports are of little worth if they are a month after the fact.”
Briga gave Thayn a hard look, then looked down on the hapless Harolf and said, “Pray to me, and in your prayer, relay your information. I will hear it. You do know how to pray to your gods, do you not?”
Harolf could only nod.
Briga reached down to Harolf and assisted him to his feet. She cast an admonishing look toward Thayn, who shrugged with feigned innocence. This caused the faintest of smiles to spread across her lips.
Turning back to examine Harolf’s distorted, swelling face, she said, “Open your mouth.”
The disgraced prince winced with pain as he complied, and the goddess drew a sharp intake of breath. She saw his jaw was broken, and the inside of his cheek severely lacerated from broken teeth. Reaching into his mouth with glowing fingers, she restored his mouth to its condition previous to Thayn’s thunderous blow.
Turning to face Thayn, she said, “We will discuss this later, Thayn Uldenson!”
She then grabbed Harolf by the arm and said, “Let us return you whence you came.”
After the goddess had left, Viggin rounded on Thayn and hissed, “Banishment? He tried to murder me, and you propose banishment?”
“Brother, you need to look at it objectively. These daemons are an existential threat, and now, we have eyes in their camp. With banishment, we ensure our dear little brother never gets near the levers of power in Halder lands again. He has motivation in the fact his survival depends on the information he sends us, and we keep our promise to Mother.”
“How can you be so calm? Mother is dead! Do you not even care?” Viggin asked in exasperation.
“How can you even ask that? Of course I care! I’m not the one making my first act upon her passing, to dishonour her dying wish!” Thayn retorted.
Viggin stared at him, wide eyed and breathing heavy. After several moments, he turned away, covering his face with a hand, as he placed his other on his brother’s shoulder.
“Forgive me Thayn,” he sobbed. “It’s just-”
“I know. I know,” Thayn interrupted, as he drew Viggin into a tight embrace.”