Rexpennae
Chapter 4
Krethos stood up from his seat, "Why now, why can you look on me now?"
"Because you know who you are now, because now you have at least an idea of the power you wield, but what you know is not nearly a full knowledge."
"Meaning what, exactly?"
The king turned and mounted up on his horse, "Everyone, everyone, heed my call," he called out, but it was unnecessary, King Ahk-hatta had the people's attention from the moment his horses entered the town, "This man before me, Krethos, is the Keyschnect, there can be no doubt. The savior is come!" and with that the king spurred his horse and was gone.
While Krethos still stood, trying to make sense of the past moment's actions, people all around began to murmur and talk amongst themselves. One by one, starting with the elders, the people began to kneel, in the mud and dung, before Krethos. He stood watching the scene before him unfold, his jaw was slack in complete wonder, his hands hung limp at his side, and it seemed to Krethos that only his eyes floated in midair while his body was nowhere to be found.
Men emptied the shops and women emerged from their houses, Esmerelda came around the corner of a side street, she stopped at the sight, and a knowing and satisfied smile spread across her face. Krethos caught a glimpse of her as even she came to her knees in the mud, there was not one man, woman, or child left standing.
One man, Meir, stood, "You, You are the Keyschnect, and we will follow you, even to the edge of the universe and beyond." He said, to which a resounding chorus added, "Yes, it is true."
"Why do you kneel?" Krethos asked.
"You have come to reverse death, to end our suffering, you have a long ways to go, and many obstacles lie in your way." Meir said.
"The Keys to the Dark World, I do not have them." Krethos called out, mutters of general uncertainty filled the crowd at this.
Meir stepped forward, "Mr. Krethos," he whispered, "Where are they? What must we do to get them for you."
"Jack Von Bondahar has them, he should be far ahead of me by now, but I don't know how far."
Meir stepped back, thinking hard, he turned to the still kneeling crowd, "Do what you will, I choose to follow this man on his quest, to get the keys, you may come along, or may not, it is your choice."
One by one the crowd came to its feet, over half came forward and stood before Krethos as if waiting for instructions, the others walked back to their respective business, all of them feeling shamed for their inability to commit to the changing of the world.
"Von Bondahar has the keys, who has seen him, or knows where he goes when he comes through here?" Krethos asked.
Silence met his question, blank stares filled his vision, no one knew, or no one would tell. Esmerelda suddenly appeared at his side, "The docks, he would go to the docks and try to get away." She said.
"To the docks, arm yourselves, I fear trouble awaits us, then return here, we will depart in an hour." Krethos called out, and the crowd dispersed, all of them to retrieve some sort of weapon, be it a bow or hatchet, or whatever lay at hand.
Krethos walked back into the Mercantile, to help load up Esmerelda's wagon. She came up and laid a hand on his shoulder, "Don't bother, Krethos." She said softly.
"Why, we have to get you back with these supplies before your brother comes back from the mines, and I have to move on quickly."
"Krethos, I'm coming with you." Esmerelda said, she pulled out a letter, "This came for me, the mineshafts collapsed, my brother is among the dead, there will be no need for me to ready for his return. I want to help you right the world."
Krethos looked down at the girl, she had nothing left, but wanted to go with him, he could not refuse, any more than he could order the townsfolk to remain here, their minds were set, unsaying, the would follow the man they believed to be the Keyschnect to the end of the world and beyond.
Krethos nodded and turned away, he went to the back of the wagon and took out his sword, "Well then, m'lady, we ought to get going.
"Because you know who you are now, because now you have at least an idea of the power you wield, but what you know is not nearly a full knowledge."
"Meaning what, exactly?"
The king turned and mounted up on his horse, "Everyone, everyone, heed my call," he called out, but it was unnecessary, King Ahk-hatta had the people's attention from the moment his horses entered the town, "This man before me, Krethos, is the Keyschnect, there can be no doubt. The savior is come!" and with that the king spurred his horse and was gone.
While Krethos still stood, trying to make sense of the past moment's actions, people all around began to murmur and talk amongst themselves. One by one, starting with the elders, the people began to kneel, in the mud and dung, before Krethos. He stood watching the scene before him unfold, his jaw was slack in complete wonder, his hands hung limp at his side, and it seemed to Krethos that only his eyes floated in midair while his body was nowhere to be found.
Men emptied the shops and women emerged from their houses, Esmerelda came around the corner of a side street, she stopped at the sight, and a knowing and satisfied smile spread across her face. Krethos caught a glimpse of her as even she came to her knees in the mud, there was not one man, woman, or child left standing.
One man, Meir, stood, "You, You are the Keyschnect, and we will follow you, even to the edge of the universe and beyond." He said, to which a resounding chorus added, "Yes, it is true."
"Why do you kneel?" Krethos asked.
"You have come to reverse death, to end our suffering, you have a long ways to go, and many obstacles lie in your way." Meir said.
"The Keys to the Dark World, I do not have them." Krethos called out, mutters of general uncertainty filled the crowd at this.
Meir stepped forward, "Mr. Krethos," he whispered, "Where are they? What must we do to get them for you."
"Jack Von Bondahar has them, he should be far ahead of me by now, but I don't know how far."
Meir stepped back, thinking hard, he turned to the still kneeling crowd, "Do what you will, I choose to follow this man on his quest, to get the keys, you may come along, or may not, it is your choice."
One by one the crowd came to its feet, over half came forward and stood before Krethos as if waiting for instructions, the others walked back to their respective business, all of them feeling shamed for their inability to commit to the changing of the world.
"Von Bondahar has the keys, who has seen him, or knows where he goes when he comes through here?" Krethos asked.
Silence met his question, blank stares filled his vision, no one knew, or no one would tell. Esmerelda suddenly appeared at his side, "The docks, he would go to the docks and try to get away." She said.
"To the docks, arm yourselves, I fear trouble awaits us, then return here, we will depart in an hour." Krethos called out, and the crowd dispersed, all of them to retrieve some sort of weapon, be it a bow or hatchet, or whatever lay at hand.
Krethos walked back into the Mercantile, to help load up Esmerelda's wagon. She came up and laid a hand on his shoulder, "Don't bother, Krethos." She said softly.
"Why, we have to get you back with these supplies before your brother comes back from the mines, and I have to move on quickly."
"Krethos, I'm coming with you." Esmerelda said, she pulled out a letter, "This came for me, the mineshafts collapsed, my brother is among the dead, there will be no need for me to ready for his return. I want to help you right the world."
Krethos looked down at the girl, she had nothing left, but wanted to go with him, he could not refuse, any more than he could order the townsfolk to remain here, their minds were set, unsaying, the would follow the man they believed to be the Keyschnect to the end of the world and beyond.
Krethos nodded and turned away, he went to the back of the wagon and took out his sword, "Well then, m'lady, we ought to get going.
Copyright © 2008-2009 Robert W. A. Nance
All rights reserved
2 comments:
"You have come to reverse death, to end our suffering, you have a long ways to go, and many obstacles lie in your way."
Great technique - my favorite part!
Mike S.
Great line: "his eyes floated in midair while his body was nowhere to be found." As you know, I'm always glad when a female turns up. It doesn't matter to me whether she's a damsel in distress, a slash-and-burner, or whatever. So thanks for including Esmerelda. I can hear her saying, "I want to join you." I'm not sure she would actually say, "to right the world." Let the commentators say that of her. Also, the "mud and dung" image is great! It shows the reader the scene and expresses the depth of submission at the same time. Good show!
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