Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK II - Scene LVIII

"I'm sure the constant logging of trees has in part caused this," opined Taxilian, casually, as he pondered the turmoil from the safety of the farmhouse kitchen: a cocoon from the wider warring world. The news that Lake Fryjia had flooded its banks thankfully seeming like something distant, that was happening in a faraway place, though it was near enough to be disturbing. Grandma Mayleen instinctively felt the sense of threat though, as if the breached lake was another army of troops heading to the wars, travelling, fluid-like, in her general direction. Troubling the thoughts as she juggled the rumours in her mind.

(The Farm and Lake Fryjia)

"I think I'm going to go and stay with Luteeay for a bit," interjected Elgiva, as the words unfolded. Her mood more positive, and her mind less willing to conjure the flooded fields in abstract. Though the reports of it gave her plans an added sense of urgency. "I feel he'll need my help more than you two do. I'm not entirely keen on spending a few weeks in that ramshackle hovel of his, but I must find something to do now there's no harvest to distract me." She then looked out from the window, and across into the drizzly fields, remembering her last rain-sodden journey to Luteeay's home.

Taxilian and Mayleen didn't argue with the plan. After all, there was little better to do, other than sit and ponder the world outside. Beneath the rain-rattled roof. Plus, like her, they too felt concern for Luteeay. Now even more so, as he was the one link left between them and Box, Goola, and Julen.

"I suspect he knows much more than he lets on," noted Mayleen, contemplatively, reflecting on the strange figure they all knew so well, but knew so little.

"He's certainly doing something over there," nodded Elgiva, with the air of mild disapproval. Supping her tea with a shake of the head. Giving the clear sense that she planned to tell him exactly just that when she finally reached him.

"If he is up to something- something important - let him know I can help him if he needs me," chipped in Taxilian with steadiness, feeling the need to take the aged kytalyk's side somewhat, given he was being henpecked in absentia. "There's always work on the farm, but nothing hugely important at this time of the year. If he's working flat out like you said it must be something important. Whatever he's doing."

"He said something about 'eggs hatching,' or 'broken shells,' or something or other. Perhaps he's going a bit cuckoo in his old age."

Elgiva didn't quite believe this as she said it, but the peculiarity of the potions and trinkets she saw in his scruffy workshop, not to mention his manic behaviour, could forward no better explanation. As Mayleen heard these words they gave her another jerk of internal worry. She'd wondered about the faculties of Luteeay herself, but someone else raising the point made it a deeper concern. Inwardly she briefly considered joining Elgiva on her sojourn, but quickly remembered the animals on the farm. The comfort of the goats and the cows a poor, but necessary substitute for the missing younger ones.

As Elgiva took the last of her now lukewarm tea she likewise thought of Liofia, so far away. What did her royal face now look like after such a long time? How had her cunning, but goodly heart grown in a world of prickles and thorns? At least they were now both further from the over-spilling Lake Fryjia, she thought. Perhaps the urge to flee the castle walls had served a timely purpose.

All the while, as these three spoke and wondered, nearer Castle Tori, another torrent was rushing through the Eastern Kingdom. As heavy waters washed across grassy pastures, threatening to make covenant between lake and Eastern Sea, King Brijsk was on his weighty horse, heading to make conference with Liofia's father, King Kaspria. A king now rising like a tide with each stony victory. His own thoughts of Liofia occulted from his mind. Painful and distant. Like treacherous emissaries threatening to arrive from distant lands.