The Forgotten

Chapter 14

Lynden made his way out of the castle down the side passages and out the kitchen the same way he went in. He spared no greeting to the workers on the way out this time, his mind was in pieces from what he had been told. Rendall had been put in prison. He had spent the best part of the last year trying to find and release Arthur but now Rendall as well.

"I should have stayed with him." He muttered to himself.

The night that Lynden had told the boy to go was the very same night that he had been held up by the guards at the gatepost entering the town. While he knew he could take the guards himself, especially given how drunk they were, he didn't want any more violence. Instead, he took a risk.

He told them of the orders that King Myval would have them and the army carry out while he was general of the army. Murdering villages, raping and plundering all to make other kingdoms look guilty. Inciting war, he and his men would then mop up both sides and take two territories for his own.

The guards did not believe him at first, such a tale and a supposed plan had too many variables that could go wrong. However, on showing them one of the letters that Lynden and Myval exchanged there could be no further doubt. It was in the king's own hand while the royal seal, outlining the death of a small village called Mydorat bordering the kingdoms of Locklia and Hisdoran. Both kingdoms had disputed their claim to this village for years. While war had never broken out between the two sides, it was always a sore point that had troops from either side temporarily garrisoned there.

The guard who had been there that night holding the halberd had soon sobered up after hearing the news. His face, red from the alcohol, had turned a pale white. Whether it was the realisation of the murder that he would be taking part in or if he was about to throw up, Lynden could not be sure. All three guards though had no words to share after they had seen the letter. They and Lynden just sat there for hours but as Lynden got up from his seat after the fireplace in the room had died, none stopped him.

It should have been him to end rapists' lives, not Rendall. Even if he had cleansed the streets, he took no pleasure in knowing that the boy was the sword of those deaths. Since a young lad, Rendall had been forced again and again to live out hardships of a man three times his age.

Guilt welled up inside Lynden, while he believed the boy should live happily in a warm home he also wanted to use the boy to bring down the king. If he is right, Rendall has as much claim to the throne as Myval. The monarchy in the land does not follow a line of succession through the oldest child much like other kingdoms that often fail. In the land of Renvale the king or queen can obtain such title through either challenging the current ruler in three settings, political, combat and their frame with the people.

No son or daughter has ever challenged the previous ruler as they are guaranteed to be disliked by the people. Instead, when all children are of age they are given the right to challenge their siblings to become first in line. Should they lose and ever wish to challenge again, they must wait five years.

It is rumoured that Myval had killed his older brother, but no proof was ever found. The youngest child, Rendall, was born ten years later and could never challenge until he was of age. Out of the three, it was his oldest that possessed no powers but an unrivalled swordsman at a young age, many times better than Lynden. Rendall, on the other hand, was always too young to gauge what lineage he would follow, though his silver eyes from birth to match his mothers hinted that he would one day me animal bonded and a true ruler of peace. Myval though was different from both, spending most of his time in the library when not tormenting people. The magic the man now possessed wasn't something he inherited but developed through age, something that only through death and sacrifice could have been uncovered.