Scales and Swords ✓

14: A Missing King

Philip was mad at me. I was mad at him. Neither of us had enough humility to apologize.

When we travelled back into town he was nowhere to be seen, not that I was looking for him. The next morning was Philip-free as well. Maybe he had given up on me. Maybe he had abandoned me. Maybe this was the end of our deal. Well, it was never a deal in the first place I had nothing to offer. All these thoughts swirled in my mind on my walk to the castle. I expected to find Philip there, because that's where he worked but again he was nowhere in sight.

I contemplated walking back out the gates and never returning because I didn't see the point in lying anymore when the person who lied with me was gone. Though that didn't happen because the gates slammed shut before I could step out. Looking around, there weren't as many knights as there were the first time I got here. Many had begun, few were left. I didn't know through what luck got me so far.

Lance gathered us at the courtyard where he greeted us and explained our next test. "Welcome knights! I would congratulate you but I fear that would be too soon. You are far from finished and even further from passing. The worst, I tell you, is yet to come. This test, however is a bit different, take that how you will. Similar to the first test, you will be called one by one to the testing room where you will be given a scenario. That is all I am allowed to relay. I wish you all the best of luck!"

The first knight, a tall blue-skinned man with pointy ears, who entered came back out after a minute cursing himself and pulling at his hair. Lance announced his results which only scared away the little self-esteem I still had. He failed. And that quick, I knew time didn't pass the same way in that room but I expected a little more time. Knight after knight, some came out smiling-passed, others came out disappointed, angry and disoriented—failed. And finally Lance called my name.

I hesitated. My mind swayed between quitting and going forward. But every time I let myself fall into despair, the gem hanging from my neck only grew heavier. I'd give it a shot, even if it meant I'd fail. I stood and reluctantly travelled to the room where I had almost lost myself by bad judgment. This time when I pushed the doors open blinding white light shot right into my eyes and forced them to squeeze shut. When I could open them again I was somewhere else and someone else.

I was outside again, in the courtyards. A grand, white carriage, dragged by only the healthiest and fittest steeds stood at the center of the courtyard where knights gathered and rushed about in disarray. One ran up to me calling, "sir, sir, he's not here."

I blinked. "What? Sir? Who's not here—" that wasn't my voice. It was deeper, manlier even. My hands weren't my own. I even had a mustache. I obviously wasn't myself. The knight who had come up to me, kept staring at me—I wished I was staring at me too.

He was a young man with familiar eyes. The fright shown through his face clearly indicating distress. "Sir, what do we do?! The king is gone."

I stepped back. Took a deep breath and allowed myself to process what was happening. The king was gone, and I seemed to be in charge. Well, that was deathly terrifying.

The young man started pacing. Mumbling to himself, pulling at his hair, he was losing his mind. Insanity, contagious or not, I didn't need it. I grabbed a hold of his shoulder. He stopped and looked up at me, tears ready to spill. "Take a deep breath," I told him. He did as he was told then wiped the tears with the back of his hand.

"Where was the king last seen?" I asked him.

"The fairy village by the East Border," he answered.

"What was he doing there?"

"The sprites and the fairies were at each other's necks again. He went to settle the dispute. The last time he was seen, he was waving goodbye to the fairies and sprites after resolving their conflict. The rest of the trip back he was in his carriage. Or so we thought. We never stopped, not at all. It wasn't that far from the castle anyway. There wasn't anything unusual with the journey, at least we thought there was. All his belongings are still there; it was as if he disappeared into thin air."

"What was the dispute over?"

"Some sprites claimed a patch of flowers along the fairy-sprite village border. The fairies found out and retaliated. Lives were lost in the first few days. When the king heard of it, he travelled there as soon as he could. He asked the mages to grow new flower patches for both villages. So it was a win-win situation, no one would have a reason to hold a grudge against the king." The more he talked, the closer he was to full out bawling.

I organized as much information as I could. But that still wasn't enough. I needed to know more. Before that however, I needed let everyone know what we were going to do. I asked the timid knight to gather everyone, and by everyone I meant everyone. All those who worked in the castle, all those who worked with and around the king.

When they were all together, I stood before them and announced, "the king is missing."

Gasps and whispers arose.

"I trust you all will keep this to yourselves."

Even more gasps but this time accompanied by hollers.

"The citizens must know!" A coachman shouted.

"They'll find out soon enough," a knight called to me.

If I still had my weak and thin voice, I probably wouldn't have been that confident. "And find out they shall! But for now, let us not alarm them with such sudden news. Five days, if we do not find the king in five days then I'll tell the people myself. Until then sweep this under the rug, seal your lips and never speak a word of his disappearance."

I seemed to have acquired their trust. No one objected. So I went on with my next step.

"All those who travelled with the king will remain in the castle to be interrogated. You immediately become a suspect if you refuse. Please follow quietly, I'd rather this not get out of hand. While that is happening, a team and I will retrace the route."

~~~

Two days later and still no sign of the king. I couldn't sleep a wink knowing I still hadn't found the king. Everyone who had been interrogated came out clean. The fairy and sprite village we visited seemed calm and nothing seemed out of place. Everyone in both villages was accounted for during the King's journey. It couldn't have been them. I had men walk and scour every inch of the route and further, not a trace of his majesty. Time was winding down, and all clues led to a dead end. The thing I needed most was either far from reach or hidden right in front of me.

A/n: ok, give your guess. Who did it? Who took the king???