The Giant

Chapter 58

King Eliot Griffiths POV (Sophia's father)

The days, months, and years have gone by with heartbreaking slowness. Without Sophia, there is no driving force, no emotion, no nothing for me or my wife. She no longer speaks to me and hasn't since that cursed night. I rarely get any news of my daughter and what I do hear sickens me and brings the guilt back in full force. 

"My king?"

I glance up, my squire standing in the office doorway. "What is it?"

"We have received a letter."

"From?" 

"King Drake."

I pause, the beating of my heart stopping in it's steady thumping. A dose of fear flows through my veins like the ice cold water of a mountain top stream. My hands shake, my breath stopping. "Bring it to me."

He does so, bowing and bestowing the envelope in my unsteady hands. I turn it over, the blood red wax seal staring up at me. I begin to read and just as I broke the seal, the words break my mind. Good god. 

"Send for Gregory, now!"

With widened eyes, my squire runs off. I rise to my feet, my entire body filled with shivers and confusion. Not Clay no, he wouldn't. And yet, there at the bottom of the letter, familiar as the air I breath, Sophia's signature stares back at me. If she signed off on it then it must be true. And the thought of its truth brings such a level of morbid fear to me. 

I may have not felt peace in the time my dear Sophia has been separated nor in the time before when our land and people were ravaged by war, but the stirring of fear in my body now is unlike any I have ever felt before. There is a threat written in these words, not from drake as I expected but from an old friend. And the threat of a friend is far worse than any threat raised by an enemy no matter their size nor strength. 

"You sent for me my king."

I gravely look up, my closest friend and dearest ally, general Gregory Isembard greets me with his worried gaze. "I pray to god you tell me there has been no odd activity on our borders."

"No my king, there has not. May I ask why?"

"I have received a rather... grievous letter concerning an old colleague of yours and a friend of mine. Lord Clay Dering."

"What news could be so grievous. Has death taken him?"

"No, a far worse fate. He has become a traitor."

Gregory's face pales. "Our very own Clay Dering, a traitor? Excuse my outburst but there must be some mistake. Where did this letter come from?"

"King Drake."

To my shock, Gregory scoffs. "That must be it, he's bluffing. It is some ridiculous ploy on his part. Clay would never betray us."

"Come forth." I gesture.

He quickly obeys and comes to my side. I show him the letter, my shaking finger pointed at Sohia's signature.

"You know as well as I, that there is no way on gods earth she would sign something that was false. Even if it was forced, she would have left a sign. No Gregory, I am afraid this is all too true and real to ignore."

"Yes my king. What would you have me do?" His fire quelled and opinions silenced, he backs off, facing me once more. 

"I ask of you to deploy troops as watchman along our borders as well as have every single one of our available soldiers ready and fully prepared for battle at a moments notice. Unfortunately, it seems Clay still has an upper hand by the sounds of it."