4.2 || The High Table
"Everyone is here now," Arc began with arms crossed firmly across his chest. "You can get on with the explanation."
"Of course." King Mortas smiled and Ilyana could tell he was struggling to resist the urge to roll his eyes. "The phenomenon everyone has been seeing is something called the Necromancer's Curse."
The princess studied everyone's expressions as the news spread around them. Most were serious as they awaited more information. A few others showed visible shock at the mention of an extinct magic and a curse. Ilyana was curious how much her father was going to share.
"The creatures that ruled this island long before we came to inhabit it?" questioned Rosil as she pulled her fighting robes closer around her.
"That would be correct," Mortas confirmed. "Before we took over, they left a curse on the island and now it has been reawoken." He left out a lot of important, glaring details, but if he was sure the basic details would suffice, Ilyana wasn't going to interrupt.
"But the necromancers are gone." The witch tapped her long nails against her arms.
"Or so we thought." He motioned a hand to Cloven for her to join them at the table.
She stepped forward and stood behind the king, hiding her shaking hands behind her back.
"Captain Cloven here has encountered a necromancer first-hand and survived.
" Murmurs erupted throughout the room and he held up a hand to silence them.
"I'm sure from past discussions that you're aware of the name Morana The Cursed.
She's an assassin from the Lost Abyss who works for Silas and has taken too many loved ones from our families.
In our investigations to bring her to justice and entice Silas from his hiding place, Cloven discovered that she holds a dark power. "
As King Mortas turned to the captain, she took a deep breath and nodded. "A mere few hours ago, we encountered the assassin. She controlled shards of bone and used them to kill the four comrades I was with."
"And you're sure she's a necromancer?" the witch pushed. "Bone Faeries can also manipulate bones."
"As she used one of my dead friends as a puppet to assist her in killing the rest of us, I would say I'm pretty sure," Cloven answered with a cool glare, a challenge daring her to doubt her.
"I'm only alive because I was able to get to Ill- Princess Ilyana in time.
Her blessed healing magic is a godsend."
From the amount of death reports that had come from Morana's killings, it was no surprise to Ilyana that she was a necromancer.
The bone shard that she had found in Cloven's wound would make sense too if the assassin was able to control them.
Perhaps the endless list of victims she had accumulated over the years had something to do with the curse.
"Thank you, Cloven." The king concluded, signalling for the captain to return to her place at the door.
"As Morana is the first necromancer this island has encountered for centuries.
I'm certain she has something to do with the magic wall.
I will be sending out more guards to capture her and bring her in for interrogation.
Now that we know what she is capable of, we should have no trouble securing her. "
"So you want us to trust you with this matter and let you deal with it yourself," Arc scoffed.
"As you have done with several other matters before, yes," Mortas affirmed.
"But, forgive me for saying this, those matters were trivial compared to this," the woman with the shaved head added.
"I do have a few requests of you to help things run smoothly.
I will not be running this operation by myself.
" The king turned to the Sea Warrior, making them straighten their posture under his eyes.
"Zene, please make sure no ships leave the dock.
As the head of the waters, I need you to make sure nobody else loses their life to the wall. "
"Of course, Your Highness" they bowed their head before untucking a slip of paper from their pocket to make note of the order.
"Arc, as you are the head of communications, I need you to stop any mail from leaving the island. Ships aren't able to leave, so I'm sure ravens wouldn't be able to either. We don't need any unnecessary damage."
His only response was a nod.
"Cassara," King Mortas began, meeting the witch's concerned gaze.
"This will likely be the biggest request I have.
I need you to ask within your coven and other covens to see if you have any information about necromancers.
While I'm confident in my plan, it wouldn't hurt to have as much information as possible. "
"I will see what I can do." Cassara weakly smiled.
"You have my gratitude, everyone. That will be the end of this meeting."
"That's it?" Arc clenched his fists. "There's a curse that's affecting the whole island and you call a ten-minute meeting?
" It was normal for the head of communications to try and start arguments — he wanted to make Ilyana's father look like an unfit ruler in every way he could.
Usually, his random blows missed their target and he made himself look like a fool.
However, now some other members of the High Table nodded in agreement.
The princess needed to do something about it.
"Unless you have any other points to bring up, I'm sure we would rather not waste time talking and start putting this plan into motion.
The sooner we can discover how to break the curse, the sooner everything can return to the way it was.
" Ilyana held her head high, mimicking the challenging stare that Cloven had given Cassara.
She had questioned before why her father kept him on the High Table when he was nothing but a nuisance.
If she was in his place, the princess reckoned she would have kicked him off long ago.
It's all about the links, he had said.
Arc has so many connections that he's still useful to us.
King Mortas paused for a moment to allow people to speak up if they wished, but everyone merely began to filter out until only he, Ilyana, and Cloven remained.
"Ilyana, there is something I would like to discuss with you."
As the captain approached the High Table and sat opposite her, Ilyana narrowed her eyes.
"What is it?" With Cloven still there, it couldn't be anything good.
She managed to run away from her when the Necromancer's Curse had risen with finding her father as her excuse.
Now, there was nowhere for her to flee to.
She would have to face the pain she had caused.
Cloven had a reason for her silence — for the years Ilyana had spent second-guessing their friendship. But, she couldn't forgive her just like that. A thick wall of resentment had built up over the decade they had been apart and it was much too difficult to knock down.
"With the curse now being active and you knowing what that fully entails or, if anyone else were to find out how the curse is caused, you may be in danger.
That was the reason the assassin attacked us all those years ago and I refuse to let more of my family die.
" Her father reached over and tucked a golden strand of hair behind Ilyana's ear.
"I want you to be well protected until the curse is broken and a personal guard is a suitable way to do that. Cloven with fill that role."
"What?" The princess' blood boiled as the captain smirked. "Why Clove? Surely there is someone much more suited for the job. I mean- the- she's only been back in Wyrith for a month!" She scrambled for an excuse — for any reason not to face what she had been trying to bury.
"I can't think of anyone better," the king countered.
"You're already acquainted, her training over the years in the Kingdom of Nicitor has given her the upper hand on several of our best guards, and she's encountered the necromancer first-hand and survived.
Cloven will be guarding you everywhere you go until the curse has disappeared. There won't be any questions about it."
This couldn't be happening. Her kingdom was going to suffer at the cruel hands of a curse and there was nothing she could do, and now she was going to be forced to have Cloven follow her everywhere. There wasn't a single situation she could think of where things could get any worse.
"But-" A knock at the door interrupted another excuse forming on her tongue.
A small, frail servant entered shortly after, bowing deeply.
"I'm so sorry to intrude, Your Highnesses, but I have an urgent message.
The Vahan guests are getting restless in the entrance foyer, especially King Matthian.
His exact words were 'I appreciate the grand display of magic for our arrival, if that was what this charade was meant to be, but I have a feeling that wasn't the case.
I want an explanation as to what is happening.
Now. The absent welcome hasn't been pleasant in the slightest'.
" The boy shook as he tried his best to recall every word.
Ilyana paled. With the chaos of the Necromancer's Curse, she had completely forgotten about the guests they were meant to be hosting at her birthday. Instead of the grand banquet they were promised, they had been met with nothing but panicked people rushing around Celnaer Castle.
"As the potential betrothed of King Matthian, I will see them now. Please let them know I am on my way," she requested.
"Yes, Your Highness." The servant rushed back down the spiral staircase that led to the High Table meeting room.
"I will discuss the personal guard situation with you later, father.
" The princess rose from her seat and brushed out the creases in the skirts of her dress.
She had planned to wear one of her best gowns made by a designer overseas, but she didn't have time for that now.
Ilyana was already nervous about the rumours that circled about the Vahan king, she didn't want to push her luck by being even more late.
King Mortas placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "You know how to handle the Vahan royals. Even though the island is in peril, alliances still need to be made for the future."
"I know." Marrying someone she would barely know wasn't something she wanted to do, but this was for Wyrith. She was the only heir left — the only one who could make their kingdom stronger. It needed to be done.
Her father smiled. "Go and show them why they chose to come here instead of any other kingdom."