Chapter 10: King's Play: Part XIV and Part XV

XIV

A lone wolf watched as they went their way. He could barely be seen in the thick bush. But, he was there. They know it. They didn't know how large he was. He was the only 'friend' that saw them leave for the sea. The wolf's expression change. His teeth were bare. Now, they knew that it was a large wolf. He waited. He stood there like a statue. There was no way, that they could defeat him. They were sure of it.

“What will you do now?” the captain asked.

“Don't know. I will think something.” Olgierd said.

“You are going east, and you don't know what to do next?”

“I know, what I'm doing next.”

“What?” the captain steered the ship from the sharp stones. “That was close.”

“I'm going to change my name.”

“In, to what?”

“I'll think of something.”

Olgierd turned. He walked to the side of the boat.

“You'll think something up.”

“I already have.”

“Let's hear it.”

“The Lone Wolf.”

“Not bad.”

The ship could barely be seen now. The wolf waited a little longer. He started leaving. He turned once more, to see the ship.

“Good luck, human. You'll need it.” the wolf said, disappearing in the bush. “Thank you, for freeing him. So long, I have other business to attend to. I hope that we will meet again. My friend is waiting.”

Where are the two of them planning to go? Nobody knew. The two of them didn't care. They were free, like the wind.

XV

The king's nephew sat in his chair. He always wanted to know what was so important with that chair. The chair was normal, a solid piece of wood. The armrests were covered with rough leather. There was no pillow. The top of the chair was fashioned into two eagles. One of the eagles was facing to the left, while the second one was facing to the right. The spindle was covered in decorated leather. He moved from one side to the other, looked in every direction, he was so pleased that he's finally sitting in the chair, he always wanted. He was disappointed with the quality of the chair.

The first thing, I'm going to do, when I became king, is to replace this chair. A throne would be good. A large throne would be even better. I know a good stonemason. The hardest man to find, I have him.

He was cheerful. He was excited. To someone else, the chair was ordinary piece of wood, to him it was more than a chair. It was everything he wanted to achieve. Nothing was going to stop him. Nothing.

He stood up. He doesn't want to hurry. His father hurried, what good it brought him. None. Only to be taken prisoner and later beheaded for treason. The treason of state, they called it. Others say, treason of the family.

I will show them, treason of state! All in due time.

His eyes were that of a wolf. And like every wolf, he will wait for his prey. He stopped and looked up at the support beams.

“I know that you are here.” he said. “Come out.”

The spirit appeared from the darkness. It looked more like a daemon that a warrior spirit.

“Were you successful?” he asked.

“More than successful.” the spirit said.

“Now, it begins.”

“No, now, it ends.”

The spirit jumped on him. They fell to the ground. Darkness was around them. The nephew tried to free himself from the spirit. There was no use, the spirit was too strong. The spirit lifted his paw, high in the air. Blood rushed on the parquet. The spirit disappeared. The nephew turned his head once more, looking at the throne. He started crawling to the throne, he moved a few inches, and died with his arm pointed at the throne.

After a hard day of work, the king was finally alone. He wanted a few moments to be alone. With each passing day, the duties were getting bigger and bigger. That only meat, more and more problems to solve. Some of them were easy while other we complex that they need a few days to be completed.

He was glad, that he's alone, even for a few short moments.       

“What's the matter?” the king said, not even trying to hide the exhaustion in his voice.

The man stood there like a phantom. There was something unnatural about him, like he was pure evil.

“It's done. He's no more.” the man said.

“You sure…”

“Yes.”

“That's all?”

“Yes.”

The man left. The king didn't hear the doors closing behind the man. What type of man is that? The king didn't have an answer for that. He went to the table. The doors of the room opened, on the other side stood Lady Joanna.

The only thing of clothing she had on her was her nightgown. She entered. The king went a step back. She took a step forward. The king looked at her eyes. He saw only passion.

“My lady, what are you doing here?” he said.

“I just came to see you. What does it look like?”

“You, tell me.”

“I'm making the first move.”

She jumped into his embrace. The king lifted her up and lowered her on the bed. She waited for him to undress. Her legs were spread wide. He entered with ease.

After their passionate love making, the new lovers were relaxing in bed.

“My lady that was amazing.” the king said, hugging her in bed.

“I know.” she said, lying naked next to him.

“What now?”

“I don't know.”

“I do.”

“You do?”

“Yes. The fairy tale begins here.”

“Will you…”

“Yes.”

Her mind was set, there wasn't a thing on this world that could change her. She wanted this. She leaned on the pillows; she wanted more. The king kissed her, and the sparks of love were lighted again.

What happened then, you ask? She became queen of the largest kingdom in the South. The king expanded the borders. Not long after their son was born, the first of many.

Each son they had, founded his own dynasty. They were the envy of many nations.

The room was full with their children. The king and the queen were sitting in silence.

“What now?” the queen asked.

“Now?” the king replied.

“Are you ready for more?” the queen stood up from her chair.

“Always.” the king replied with a smile on his face.

A top of a hill, a man, stood. His penetrating eyes and beaked nose gave him a hawk-like appearance. None knew that man. How could they? He was long before their time. The Founder King was pleased with his descendants. He turned, looked one more time and started singing:

 Somewhere above the black water,

Young Korakas said goodbye to his girlfriend,

But even sadder than Forterein,

Hey, hey, hey falcons!

Fly over mountains, forests and valleys,

It rings, it rings, it rings a bell.

My stepdaughter,

Flies over the heavenly heights,

There are a lot of girls in the world,

Mostly in Forterein.

There, I left my heart

With my dear.

She stayed there alone,

My little swallow,

I am here in this foreign country

I miss it day and night.

My heart is crying,

Sadness, sadness for a girl,

For green Forterein,

Sadness, sadness makes the heart cry,

I will never see her again.

Give me wines, wines, wines!

When she dies, have me beside her

In green Forterein,

In addition to my dear,

Besides my family.

Fly falcons across celestial heights.