Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK II - Scene LXXXIII

"This is all futile," stated Liofia, glum, but purposefully.

"It's not looking good, if that's what you mean," came Colm's sympathetic reply.

At this point the ship's boy arrived. The familiar little monkey jumped up into the arms of Goola. It's impish presence providing a moment of endearment amidst the wider foreboding.

"Why stay and face certain death, when there is a more hopeful option?" pushed Liofia, with pointedness, "Hope far beyond the reach of King Mizmeam ..or indeed the Tunidans."

"The other side?"

The ship's boy looked up as Colm asked this. Gelkin - out there in his calm, but lonely escape - instantly appearing his mind. Part of him envied the exile, but a deeper part felt the tug of loyalty to his besieged homeland. Liofia had already demanded every bit of information about the exotic outer realm. His long and strange journey; the story of Aralak emerging from the desert - only to be cut down by the wily arrowhead from Essen. She'd even pestered him about a return trip - a request he'd summarily turned down. A daring trip across the ocean to the Three Deserts, and from there a trip across - or perhaps beneath - the desert, to the uninhabited land beyond. Though how they'd find such a passage beneath remained a mystery.

Colm glanced over at the Eldersway settlement. The small, unruly children playing as the adults bustled around making provisions for the war. From the wooded clearance it looked a picture of paradise. The light breeze, and the birds still singing, giving an innocent air in the face of the approaching dread. The jagged brutality humming in the minds of the more worldly adults.

"I take it that you want to leave yourself then?" asked Colm of Liofia.

"Yes, naturally," came the quick reply.

He then paused. "Perhaps we should make provisions for such a thing," he pondered, "We have ships on the western coast, and we still have a degree of free passage in those seas. So maybe four or five can be laden for those that wish to go. Woman and children mainly, but I suppose men will be needed too."

He then looked at the ship's boy. "I think you should probably lead the endeavour."

"No, I'd rather not, I don't want to leave just as we're getting started."

"Leaving will be dangerous too. You have the experience ..that no one else has. So I'm going to have to overrule you. Head west to the harbour and start some preparations ..you can take that poor monkey back to where it came from."

Liofia looked pleased, as did Goola and Julen. Box, on the other hand, didn't look quite so grateful. She looked down at the muddy ground, and felt the cold breeze on her bare arms. A lonely feeling crossed her helpless heart. She felt the weight of fate, like the small, but heavy sword that hung at her side.

The ship's boy looked equally lost in thought, though he accepted the clear words of Colm. It was true that only he, along with Essen, had first hand knowledge of the lands beyond. Now, as Essen fought bravely in the east, he would be heading west. He felt a guilt in his bones, but it was quickly overtaken by a sense that black, dark clouds stood hovering over both of them.