Amelia Merlin and the Game for Okamila

Part 64: Choosing Sides

The private chambers of Kenrick Lattantio were some of the grandest in Castle Canavar. His windows were large, stained glass landscapes of scenery all over Kalishterya which cast the room into interesting shades of green and blue. There wasn't much furniture in the room, a large oak table with sturdy chairs around it. An organized bookshelf stood along one wall and beside it was a wardrobe considerably smaller than the shelf. The bed took up hardly any space and it was made immaculately. Rumor had it Kenrick made the bed himself every morning. His shoes lined the foot of the bed, he only had three pairs; everyday, formal, and hunting.

Around the oak table sat three men. Kenrick sat at the head of the table with a young man to his right. The Crow sat opposite Kenrick with Isaac standing behind him. It was hard to see, since the child was so small his head barely reached the top of the table, but a boy stood beside Isaac.

"You called this meeting, Crow," Kenrick glared at his most despised colleague. "What did you want to discuss?"

"The war."

"What war?" The warden said stiffly.

"The one that is ravaging your kingdom?"

"You mean the war between the -what do they call her? Ah, yes, the girl with golden hair and ocean eyes and the Lord of Dreams? It's a bit dramatic, don't you agree?"

"I don't care about their names." The Crow glared. "It's time we declared a side. It's time the Lattantio's started playing in the Game for Okamila."

"We now have the largest army in the entire kingdom," Kenrick's son, Harold Lattantio whom everyone called Hally, placed his hands squarely on the table. "Whichever side we pick will win the war."

"There's more at play here than a normal war." The Crow pointed out. "Mere human power isn't enough. All the soldiers in the world won't win this war."

"Don't be stupid." Hally laughed. "That's the whole point of war."

The Crow raised his thick eyebrows and leaned back in his chair. "This is not a normal war," he repeated. "When it comes down to it, only one player from each side is going to face each other. Until then they're just securing their positions. We need to make sure we pick the winning player to back otherwise we will be decimated after the grand finale."

Kenrick told his son to sit down before turning his full attention to the greasy man in black. "So who do you suggest we back?"

"Well the lizards have been in power in this kingdom for centuries now. They've nearly eliminated magic and they brought quite the slave trade with them. No one can doubt Akkedis' abilites." he said in his dry wheezy voice.

"And the Girl Queen?" Kenrick's throat tightened at the mention of her.

"She's conquered more of this kingdom in the past year than anyone has done in the past five hundred. She is not something to be taken lightly, and the prophecy does rule in the favor of a Merlin although, some say she is not the one they speak of." The room was warmer than comfortable and the Crow sweated lightly under his thick black cloak

"Really?" The Warden of Kalishterya leaned back in his chair. "So, in your - professional - opinion, who would you side with?"

The Crow shrugged. "You could play it safe and side with Akkedis or take a risk on the Girl Queen."

"I don't like taking risks."

"I know."

"But you say she is in the prophecy?"

"She may be in the prophecy. Like I said, she's a risk." The Crow smiled slightly, Kenrick rubbed his face harshly, considering his options.

"There is a third option," Hally said. Both men looked at him with minimal expectations. "We could take the kingdom for ourselves. Side with neither, stake our own claim. Our family has kept this kingdom safe for hundreds of years, why should the Lattantio dynasty end?"

"Foolish boy." The Crow spat at him. "You don't understand the rules of this game. We are not the players. We can't just decide to become one either. We would lose in a heartbeat."

"We have the biggest army-" Hally glared.

"It's not about armies! It's not about who has the best warriors or the most cities or the richest bank! It only comes down to the two of them. They're just stalling right now, trying to slowly weaken the other. If we stepped in they would end us in a heartbeat. The Girl Queen can flatten a city or lift oceans in the blink of an eye while Akkedis can put every one  of us in the deepest of slumbers so he can take the city as easily as he breaths. We are not competition for them. Don't be such a prat-"

"That's enough Crow." Kenrick growled. "You forget you are speaking to a lord, and to the current heir to the throne." The fat man put his hands up in surrender and leaned back in his chair. Isaac and Davyd both tensed at Lord Lattantio's words against their boss. "So your final opinion?"

The Crow sighed heavily and ran a hand through his dirty hair. "If it were me, I'd pick the girl."

"I thought so." Kenrick nodded and looked at the guard who stood at the door. "Bring me parchment, ink, a quill, and my seal." Without a word the guard nodded and left the room. "I do believe I have a letter to write."

When the guard returned with the materials Kenrick started drafting up the letter. Nobody breathed a word while they waited for him to be finished. The Warden slid the letter across the large oak table until it reached the greasy man sitting at the end. He picked it up, scanned the contents and threw it back down on the table with a resigned, derisive smile on his face. Kenrick sat at the end in stoic silence.

"So that's how you're going to play this then?" he stood up and shook his head. "You fucking coward." Before they left, Isaac managed to get a glimpse of the letter,

Dear Akkedis,