Read the previous part here. The Princess of the Golden Fork.
The King slammed his fist down on to the banquet table before him, causing a jug of gravy to spill across the green velvet table cloth. “She did what now?!” he bellowed to his top advisor who had just brought him the news.
The king’s advisor, looking steadfast in the face of the bellowing King, with piercing eyes, simply said, “the Princess Christine left in the early hours of the morning, my King, she was accompanied by her usual guard the Golden Band as well as her top advisor Knot, but also along with them the wizard Dracomeer and another very large individual who is likely of great interest to you.”
The King stood up quickly, he was tall and starting to head into his senior year’s but still maintained a chiseled and fit body, looking very strong and imposing dressed in his tight-fitting green tunic which he wore on purpose to show off his bulky physique.
“I feel utmost aghast of my daughter failing to inform me of her added two company members on her expedition into the Icey Peaks,” he said loudly in a snorting voice, “that wizard as I have always said is not to be trusted, he only works for himself. He didn’t get that moniker of Twisted for nothing, believe me on that one,” he said, pointing his finger at his advisor, who seemed to be used to the King’s rage, “now tell of me who this other individual is,” he demanded, as he picked up a large leg of ham and took a big bite out of it.
“Well, you see my King. He is someone who should no longer be alive, he is the legendary Knight of the Hovel.”
The King dropped his ham, which thudded on to the floor, and looked at his advisor, and it almost seemed as if a quick flash of worry went over the King’s usually stout and unwavering face, “this is absolutely preposterous. He is not a wizard, there is no way he can live for such a long period of time, this Springle Steel. We all know I’ve been looking for his sword for a long time now. I’ve read his legend and there’s no way he took down all those goblins without some kind of aid, and I have a suspicion that sword is much more than it seems,” he said, still talking very loudly, “as far as I know Springle Steel is dead and the sword is still missing.”
“Well, if I may be bold my King, you’re quite wrong on this. He is very much alive as has been confirmed by our sources and he has set off with the group and he was carrying an obnoxiously large sword that is likely the one you have been searching for.”
The King made a sort of choking noise and stood back a bit, “I- I- this cannot be. Tell me how… are you sure it was him? Maybe it was like his son or something or perhaps someone who looks like him?” he wondered, speaking a bit quieter now.
“It is very much him my King. He is still wearing that golden armour he was gifted and his features are as the legend describes. I can only imagine that perhaps that sword is indeed much more than it seems.”
“Well, well I- you realize this is not good right. We need to go after them right now. We cannot let them get away with this sword, it’s too powerful, or at least I assume it is. What are they even going to do with it? Surely my own daughter cannot be planning to take it for herself? And also, why is she as foolish as to be having the sword near Dracomeer?! For all we know that wizard could be, or probably is working for the Magika family and trying to claim the sword for them. But what if, no, she would not join up with them. Oh, my Christine has always been a complex one. I should have kept her in the family fortress.”
Some servants begun cleaning up the dropped ham and spilled gravy.
The advisor produced a map from his pocket and laid it upon the table, “I’m sure the Princess Christine is merely mistaken in what she is doing, perhaps she has been manipulated by the wizard in some way, you know how those folks can speak with their dangerous tongues full of ages of knowledge. We have tracked their general direction into the Icey Peaks and we can trail them at your command, my King.”
“Well then Liliver what are you waiting for,” bellowed the King, “get some of my finest knights from the elite Oak regiment to go after them. And you my faithful servant,” said the King putting a large hand on Liliver’s shoulder, “will take another group of knights to the Golden Fork and question their top man-at-arms and any other important individuals of the fortress. I will have that sword even if I must rally the entire kingdom’s forces to go after it,” he finished, spinning around to face his throne.
Liliver bowed, “it shall be done my king.”
Liliver left out of the fortress and into the courtyard giving out the orders the King had delivered, causing the men-at-arms to spring into action, getting together the forces that were asked of them. Many horses were brought out from the stables, including a chestnut one for Liliver, and once both groups of knights were put together, they galloped off together out towards the Golden Fork.
There was much noise on the cobbled grounds as all the horses thundered down through the streets, many people looked up in awe at the knights all dressed in armour with deep green cloaks containing on it the banner of the kingdom, some of the lead knights also held up a deep green flag bearing the banner as well. Liliver was dressed in brown robes and for now his hood was up as he rode, his light brown hair covered within.
Eventually both groups of knights split off as the other headed out towards the Icey Peaks in search of the Princess Christine and her company. Liliver and his escort of knights continued on towards the Golden Fork.
Once they were there, they all stopped outside of the main entrance. “Who is below,” yelled the guards on the walls.
Liliver took down his hood, “I am Liliver Knot, the top advisor to the King and he has demanded that you give us entry into the fortress at once.”
The drawbridge was lowered down and the gate opened and Liliver galloped right in trailed by the company of knights. Liliver spotted Jerry Fortune and hopped off his horse. Jerry Fortune greeted him by saying, “advisor,” but which was said in a sort of mocking manner.
“Fortune, I hope your father is doing well. I hear his leg infection is improving. Would be a shame if it were to get worse again,” said Liliver, grinning.
Jerry Fortune visibly tensed, “what do you need of us.”
“Well,” Liliver went on, putting his arm around Fortune and walking him further into the fortress, “I believe that the King’s daughter, the Princess Christine, has not been so truthful with us.
“And what makes you think that,” Jerry Fortune asked, looking visibly uncomfortable, although Liliver could not tell if that was due to him knowing something he should not or merely due to his arm being around him.
“Hm,” Liliver took his arm back from around Fortune and stopped walking, “it would seem some of our loyal sources have told us as such. Was the Princess not only meant to be going on her expedition with the Golden Band and my brother?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Funny. Can you then explain why she was observed heading off with two extra in her company then? I mean, surely, she would let the King know if she was interested in someone, right? So surely it isn’t that, they must be some very important individuals to have not said anything.”
“You like the Princess don’t you Liliver, just like how your brother likes her, but aren’t you both a bit old?”
“Now, now,” said Liliver sounding slightly embarrassed, “let’s not change the subject. Tell me who those two individuals were that she went with.”
“I shall not betray the Princess. It is up to me to protect her fortress and protect her as well from people who may be looking to do her harm.”
“Your allegiance is also to the King and in this instance your allegiance to the King overrides your allegiance to the Princess, so I shall pretend I didn’t hear what you said, and ask again, who did she take with her.”
“What’s with all the backup,” asked Jerry Fortune, looking over at the knights behind Liliver, who were still mounted on their horses, “do you not trust us or something?”
Liliver started to notice other soldiers of the fortress staring them down, some not looking exactly friendly or welcoming, “it is merely for precautionary reasons. You must understand that you do not know and will not know the full extent of what is happening, and so it is important you just give us the information we are asking, otherwise-”
“Otherwise, what? You’re going to slaughter us all?” retorted Fortune.
Liliver begun losing a bit of his patience, “just stop playing the big boy and just tell me what I have asked for, otherwise I will take you to the King so you can explain to him why you are choosing to act in a treasonous fashion.”
“Have your knights leave the grounds and I shall tell you what you need to know.”
Liliver shook his head, “you will tell me what I need to know right now otherwise you will be taken to the King.”
More of the soldiers and guards of the fortress begun slowly moving towards Fortune and coalescing around him, causing Liliver and the knights to start backing up a bit, “you don’t want to do this Fortune, do you really want to rebel against the King right here in the capital. It won’t end well for you. Just give it up.”
“I ask you to now leave, the Princess has given me strict orders to banish anyone from these grounds who comes to seek such information, so if you shall not leave there will be bloodshed,” said Fortune definitively as he put on his helmet and put his hand to his sword.
“The King requests this information, do you dare declare to go against him right now? If so, say it and we shall leave and inform the King of a rebellion.”
Although Liliver was with a group of the most elite knights in the Kingdom he still knew they were far outmatched against all of the occupants of the fortress and they would not win here in the fight, although they could likely take many down, they would be eventually overwhelmed and killed. It would be better to leave and prepare a siege army instead, keep them trapped in and cut off their supplies until they eventually begun getting starved.
“Inform the King I am standing by the orders of his daughter Princess Christine.”
Liliver mounted back on to his chestnut horse and reared around to the occupants of the fortress, “so be it, a rebellion this shall be declared. Any and all who are still loyal to the King should leave with us immediately or face certain death as traitors,” he said aloud, “any who are thinking of turning against the King will die within these walls, and it will be a slow, drawn out and excruciating death. So, I say if you want to avoid such a terrible fate and to see your families and friends again and see that they are not disgraced by you, leave with us now, or leave at a time you choose to leave and return loyaly to the King, any who leave before the siege to declare loyalty with the King shall be given a full pardon.”
None of the occupants of the castle made any moves to follow Liliver as he begun to turn around and leave with the knights, but he had expected this, it was much more likely that such who did not want to be a part of the rebellion would leave in less obvious fashion, so as to not be cowed by the crowd. He fully expected that as many as a quarter or more of them would likely desert the fortress back to the King before any such siege took place. Surely, they knew they were hopelessly outmatched here.
Liliver specialized in scheming and manipulation just like his brother, and so he would be putting together many plans before any such siege in an attempt to demoralize further those in the fortress that remained and also would use blackmail and threats to family and friends living outside of the fortress as another tactic. Liliver knew that the more he could chip away at the insides of the fortress before a siege, the shorter such a siege would last. He also planned to scheme and manipulate those inside to burn and destroy food and supplies and other important buildings in the fortress as well, and do anything else he could to shorten any siege.
Liliver did wonder though what Fortune was thinking, it seemed completely unreasonable to commit to such a hopeless plight. The Princess must have told him something of particular interest to make him think that doing what he was now doing was going to lead to any good. More so if the other knights who rode out into the Icey Peaks could capture the expedition band, then it would all likely be over right there and then, bringing a swift end to any such rebellion. She would be made to order Fortune to open up the fortress. The only outlier was the wizard and that sword.
Liliver galloped back into the King’s fortress and immediately informed the King of the rebellion at the Golden Fork. “I will crush them all under my boot, how dare my daughter execute such a rash and ill-planned nonsensical bid. It just makes no sense why she would do this, surely, she knows this fool’s errand would fail. She must be counting on something as you say, Liliver. I bet it is indeed the sword.”
The King ordered all of his men-at-arms to begin mobilizing a siege army. “It is an outrage that I have to siege a fortress in my own city. Never in history would I have thought such a thing. Has this ever even happened before? Sure, fortresses outside of the city, it has happened many times through history. But in the capital, itself? It’s an insult to our ancestors!”
“Do not worry my king,” said Liliver, “I will work to bring Christine under control as well as my traitorous brother, who may I ask you to not recognise him as such any longer, do not see me in his light, I am not him and never have been, you know we have been at small odds between each other for a long time, always trying to outwit the other into certain positions,” Liliver looked pained for a moment, “but no, he has gone too far.”
“I will see it as such, that I shall strip him of his families name, and I will see you as the head of your own family, a true Knot,” said the King.
“And also, my King, if it is not too bold to ask for a reward, as I work to strip the Golden Fork out from its insides?”
“Anything,” said the King.
“When we take back the Golden Fork I ask if I may be given it as my own, where I shall start a new family and if I also may ask further, let me have the hand of Christine once we have brought her back here and under our control. I will be able to keep her at bay and become a higher authority over her and I shall reeducate her, if granted this.”
The King thought for a moment, he seemed somewhat troubled at the request, “only if we succeed shall I give you the Golden Fork. But I will think longer on your other, much bolder, request.”
Liliver bowed, “thank you my king, I will do everything in my power to fix all of this.”
And with that he swiftly turned on his hill and marched to his chambers to begin work.