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Chapter 19
Benedict brought up the matter of Estor. He had heard of the superstitions regarding the aftermath of a convicted prisoner’s death. He wanted to see it changed.
“You refer to Estor my Lord. I am afraid he took his life yesterday. Faced with bankruptcy and ruin he chose to depart this life.”
Benedict nodded with disappointment. “What of his family and his assets?”
“His wife passed a few years ago. He has two children and they are gone. We do not know where. Perhaps they will present themselves to an orphanage soon. His property has been returned to the Guild’s ownership to dispose of and settle his debts. He was bankrupt accor
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“Get out,’ he said flatly. “You must leave. They will come for you and I cannot help you. They will seek retribution. You cannot fight them all. I cannot understand how you did this.” His father had looked for a weapon almost endlessly since he had returned yet he could find none. The only weapon he could see was Samnom’s hands covered in blood which was splattered in his hair, on his face, his clothes and all over the shop. He had never believed his son could do such a thing.“Get out!” he repeated. More urgently now. Louder.Samnom stood and picked up the backpack. “I’m sorry father. I never meant to…&rd
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Gelyn entered Benedict’s chambers. She curtsied and bowed her head as the doors were closed behind her.“Come in Lady Gelyn.”Gelyn moved deeper into Benedict’s chambers taking small steps as she tried to measure the mood of King Benedict. She was confused as to the purpose of this meeting. Since Atomas death she had kept a low profile not wishing to be or to become a loose end of Atomas’ legacy. Her summons to appear before King Benedict suggested that she had not succeeded.Gelyn stopped just beyond Benedict’s reach. “Your majesty?”Benedict indicated that Gelyn should be seated. “Please. Have a seat.” He sat opposite Gelyn and took the opportunity to study her as she sat and made herself comfortable.She had a beauty all her own. If one thing could be said about Atomas, he had excellent taste in women. Having seen Hester, he had not been able to understand why Atomas would have wanted another woman. But seeing Gelyn made him understand. Her crystal green eyes shone brightly from a p
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“I thank you for your kindness and generosity your Majesty. I think that people do deserve second chances but sadly I fear, the population of the city and even the kingdom at large differ.”“Perhaps. But I am their ruler. They must do as I say.”Gelyn opened her mouth as if to say something, then hesitated and closed it again.“You would say something more my lady?”“’Tis no matter your Majesty.”“No please. I would hear your opinion on the matter.”“Forgive me your Majesty. I am but a dead king’s whore. I dare not be so arrogant as to spar verbally with the new king.”“No matter the labels we attach to ourselves or that others attach to us, we all have a voice that should be heard.”A smile touched the corners of Gelyn’s mouth. “You contradict yourself your Majesty. The people must do as you say but you would hear what they have to say anyway?”Benedict smiled as he realized the point Gelyn made.“You give yourself too little credit my Lady. Perhaps you should be the King’s advisor?”
Viva La Vida (Complete) Chapter 24
Gelyn waited making sure Benedict was asleep. Then she rose and dressed in the dark making sure she left nothing behind. She crossed to Benedict where he lay. She looked down at him. He looked content and at peace as he slept. She bent and kissed him softly.“Good night my King,” she whispered. Then she turned and left. She opened the doors to Benedict’s chambers and exited pulling the door closed behind her. She ignored the guards looks. They may have ideas as to what had happened in the King’s chambers but she gave nothing away. She had made sure she looked as immaculate as she had when she had arrived. Not a hair out of place. She left the palace and returned to her home.When Gelyn arrived at home her heart sank. A voice spoke in the dark of
Viva La Vida (Complete) Chapter 25
Both Tordor and Raeme relaxed visibly. It seemed that since Benedict had become King he had become more stubborn and was wont to do things spontaneously and without heeding advice. They both knew that Benedict had let Gelyn go and had used the city funds to acquire her house. A house given her by Atomas. The Kingdom had thus paid for the house twice. If people on the street heard about it they would be up in arms. He had given Hester luxurious chambers in the palace which did not sit well with some people in the palace. While this was still defendable in that Benedict refused to let her go until her daughter returned, people believed she would be just as comfortable in smaller, less opulent chambers. Hester had said the same but Benedict refused to listen.Their meeting moved on to other matters. Raeme reported that much of the corruption elsewhere in the kingdom was being pushed back and eradicated but that little progress had been made in Kyrshom. Attempts to meet with the Black Cloa
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Benedict feared that the people would lose their faith in him as fast as they had been prepared to have any in him at all. He had ordered night guards to patrol and curfews to be put in place but still, these assassins roamed freely, invisible to the soldiers. Their training far exceeded anything that the army had been given. Benedict had ordered Tordor to find someone to train an elite group within the army to fight, and move under cover of darkness as the assassins did.Hester continued with her visits and charitable work. In many ways it was as if nothing had changed. She had not seen Dargo since the night that Benedict had overthrown the kingdom. She wondered if he had been caught and imprisoned or even put to death. It was always a possibility. Nevertheless, she still looked for Dargo wherever she went when she left the palace, hoping
Viva La Vida (Complete) Chapter 27
Hester cleaned her face quickly before stepping outside into the bright sunshine. She hoped the guards noticed nothing amiss. Then she climbed onto the horse cart and told the driver to go to the next orphanage.The rest of the day passed too slowly for Hester. Her mind was on Dargo. She missed him and seeing him again had reminded her of just how much she missed him. She repeatedly felt for the parchment he had inserted in her dress sleeve. She longed for a private moment to be able to read it.The children at the orphanages she visited had to bring her back to the present many times during the day as her thoughts wandered.When she finally returned to the palace that evening she was exhausted. She had spent the rest of the day trying to spot the guards Dargo had told her about. She could not tell them apart though. They were clearly well trained and discreet. They obviously blended in with the people.Hester’s thoughts detoured to Dargo as well. He was clearly a man who was connected
Viva La Vida (Complete) Chapter 28
Benedict was silent as he digested all that Hester had told him. “What would you have me do?”“Let me go your Majesty. My daughter has ignored your terms. She has not come back until now and nor will she. Holding me captive serves no purpose anymore.”Benedict stood and approached Hester until he stood beside her chair. Hester cringed inwardly not knowing what to expect. Benedict stood over her and she leaned back in her chair to look up at him. His clear blue eyes betrayed nothing but, in his face, there was something she could not quite describe. He remained calm and betrayed nothing to her but when he spoke Hester realized there was more to his actions than he had ever dared tell her.“I apologize for keeping you here. I will think on what you have said. Perhaps you are right. Perhaps my reasons have not been honorable after all and I have been selfish.”She opened her mouth and then closed it as what Benedict said struck home. She looked up into his eyes searching anew for somethi
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