Kingdoms - Book 6 - The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Seventeen

Luke was transferred to the Baltic Castle the second day after his arrival in Chezkovia.

Hog-tied as before, he lay cramped and uncomfortable in a carriage.

Driven swiftly through the five gates, the carriage halted in the courtyard by the stables. Julian waited to welcome this 'prize prisoner'. He cut the ropes from Luke's feet with his dagger then released his arms and hands. Using his sword, the knight pointed the way towards the castle, and Luke, feeling weak from having been tied for so long, began the tedious walk up the many stairs, paths and walkways.

Jobyna had described Baltic Castle to Luke and he remembered her explanation of this long walk. She had told him that each step she took had filled her with dread. He was suddenly thankful he was taking this tiresome trek and not his sister.

Pushed with unnecessary force into a tiny prison cell, Luke viewed a stonewalled room with no windows. He was now incarcerated under the soldier's quarters of Baltic Castle. A stone slab was the only furniture, there was no bed, no rug or pillow, no table or chair, no washbowl; just a small drain in the corner, a 'long drop' into the castle drains which emptied into the Baltic Sea.

For two long, lonely days, Luke was confined in these murky, miserable, damp conditions. A plate of food with no utensils was brought to him but for the first time in his life, he had no appetite. However, he sipped the cool well water from the pitcher left inside the door. Sitting on the stone floor of this small cell, Luke remembered Jobyna telling him how she had quoted Scripture when imprisoned. Words from the Bible came to his mind but fears replaced them as he thought about his sister; his uncle and aunt; Frencolia; Maia! And... Elliad! Prayer seemed oceans away, engulfed with stormy waves of turbulent rapids.

"Lord, help me! I can't seem to pray," Luke muttered, and this confession made him realize his tremendous weakness in the face of adversity. Words from the crevasses of his memory spoke. He almost heard the sweet sound of his sister's voice, reverberating from the uneven stones of his prison walls. It was a verse, in part, that she had read from a volume of the Bible that Konrad had sent: "When I am weak, then am I strong."

Dropping to his knees, Luke prayed fervently, "God, thank You for being here. I can feel Your Presence with me, and this is enough." Heartened, he continued talking aloud to God, "Please give me the strength to keep trusting; help me to have faith."

Luke realized, for the first time in his life, that it was one thing to pray for others in trouble, but a whole new feeling to pray for oneself when help was far away. How very strong Jobyna's faith must have been to have kept her through a whole year in captivity, he thought. I wonder if it is our faith that keeps us, or our God, our very great God, who gives us our faith! He murmured, "Lord, thank You. Work out your plan, God, and help me to increase in Your strength and faith!"

On the morning of the third day, Julian entered the cell flanked by two soldiers. With his sword extended once more, the knight indicated that Luke follow him. The soldiers marched behind. A bathtub had been placed in one of the soldier's rooms and a fresh change of clothes was set out. Luke ignored the audience on guard and felt some of the tension seeping from his body as he soaked in the warm water. After he dressed, he was ordered to sit on a chair. Some twenty minutes passed before Julian reentered the room.

"King Luke Chatelain of Frencolia," Julian addressed him in a monotone and his voice was high and raspy as he said, "You are a prisoner belonging to the Czar of Chezkovia; a hostage in his Baltic Castle. There's no escape from this fortress. We have other prisoners here and you'll be allowed to join them during the daytime. If you make one suspicious move, speak in whispers, or use unsavory words to the cause of our czar, you'll be thrown back in a cell and left there for the rest of your stay here. Remember this warning! It will not be repeated!"