Chapter 40: The Black Owl
"Where is your mother? The man asked Amilek. The boy looked excited.
"Father? Father! Where have you been? He cried, running to where the man was; he hugged him but almost tripped and fell because he hugged thin air.
"Father, are you a ghost? Amilek quivered.
"How is it that you can see me? The man asked and then started floating away; his legs were not visible, only a long gown that covered him from head to toe.
"Wait! Don't leave me here! I want to come with you! The boy screamed.
A knock came on the door in Racheal's chamber….
"My lady, Prince Amilek doesn't seem well." Came the voice from behind the door.
Racheal was already on her bed pulling the bed sheet over her body, but immediately after she heard what the guard said, she swung one of her legs over the bed, followed by the other.
She wore a robe on the plain white gown she was wearing and stepped out, her pace fast as she quickly made her way to Amilek's chamber.
"What is wrong? She asked the guard as they took a different turn in the hallway.
"He seems to be having a nightmare; he is screaming in his sleep." The guard said.
They got to the room and opened the door; Amilek had already stopped screaming. The five-year-old seemed to be standing by the long window in his chamber. There was a lit candle on the ledges of the window.
"Amilek? Rachel called out, making her way to him. The young lad turned around, and Racheal saw the fear in his eyes; there were tears on his cheeks, indicating he had been crying.
"Oh, my sweet boy." Racheal made her way to him and cupped his small face before planting kisses on his forehead and both his cheeks.
"Mother is here; you don't have to be afraid." She had a soothing voice as she enveloped him in a hug, then disengaged.
She led the lad to his bed and made him sit on her lap while she sat on the bed.
"He is here! The boy whispered.
"Who? Racheal asked, looking around.
"The owl is here; I saw it." He whispered as if afraid to say anything to the hearing of someone except his mother.
"You have been dreaming again, Amilek." Racheal tried to console him.
"Mother, why wouldn't you believe me?! The little boy sounded frustrated.
"He comes every night, in the form of anyone I know, then changes back to his form before flying away." The boy buried his head in his mother's chest and began to sob.
"Shhsh, shhsh, hush, my little boy." Racheal said, rocking her upper body back and forth, as she stroked Amilek's curly brown hair.
The boy kept complaining but slowly fell asleep. When Racheal saw that he was asleep, she slowly tucked him back in his bed, then closed the windows in his chambers.
She sighed before gazing at her son, who was fast asleep on his bed, and then she stepped out of his chamber, locking the door behind her.
"If he wakes up again, send for me." Racheal said to the knight in front of her son's chamber, and he nodded curtly.
She retreated to her chamber looking exhausted, her eyes heavy with sleep.
...…..
As Micah walked along the long hallway, she had her hand placed in front of her, her black wavy hair swaying as she walked.
She was wearing her blue gown with three silver chains connecting the waistlines, long sleeves, and a small portion of her back opened and then tied with the rope of the gown across both her shoulders.
She saw a little boy step out of another hallway escorted by a royal guard. She slowed down to allow them to pass, but her eyes and that of the little boy locked, and she halted in her pace.
It was as if he had just seen through her soul, his eyes….
Micah snapped back as she made her way into the dining arena. She took her seat; Jazell was seated by her left-hand side and Racheal to the right.
Ragaleon stepped in, and they all rose to their feet and acknowledged him, then took their seats back. As always the dining room was silent…
The dishes on the table were savory; Micah wasn't planning on walking out of breakfast this time. Today's dish was quite complicated.
Micah's eyes darted to a small wine glass that had a boiled egg inside; the egg was cut in half and fitted the size of the champagne glass.
Micah encircled the champagne glass in her hand and brought it to her lips, as if she was going to drink the boiled egg!
There was a loud chuckle from the table, coming from Tamina. Ragaleon raised his gaze slightly and saw what Micah was doing…
"You should wait for others to take the first initiative and learn from them." He said, and everyone turned their gaze to him before tracing his gaze to Micah.
Everyone now had their eyes on her; Micah froze, and she slowly put the glass down, overwhelmed with embarrassment. When she glanced across the table, she saw Leah using a spoon to scoop from the egg…she paused the spoon halfway close to her lips, then directed her gaze to Micah.
As if to say…This is how it is done!
Leah continued to gaze at Micah as she brought the spoon to her mouth. Micah swallowed hard, her hand becoming cold, as she shut her eyes. She fluttered it open and saw that everyone had directed their gaze back to the food they were eating.
Soon William wipes his mouth, stands up, and leaves the table. Micah started drinking from a soup in front of her, and then again Ragaleon rose to his feet and left the table.
Racheal also wipes her mouth. Immediately Amilek saw that his mother was through; he wiped his mouth, his lobster soup left unattended. Together with his mother, they left the table, followed by Jazell, then Tamina.
Jia seemed the least bothered. Micah was shocked. She glances at the plate of food on the table, barely eaten halfway; she could no longer eat it, and she felt uneasy.
Jia soon finished up her food and also left the table; soon it was only Micah seated at the dining table. Her hands shook as she scooped from the soup and tried to bring it close to her lips but failed…
She was trying not to cry from the embarrassment she had just experienced. She got tired, dropped the spoon, and then took her leave, making her way to her chamber. Tamar was on her way to get her; when she saw Micah coming this way, she was glad.
"My lady, you are late for the tournament; the other queens are already on their way." Tamar said after bowing in courtesy.
"What did you say? A tournament? Micah's lips trembled; she has still not recovered from the embarrassment earlier.
"Yes, my lady. We are heading to the fighting square. You will be taken in the same carriage with the queen of luxury…," Tamar said, but she immediately bit her tongue as she uttered the last sentence.
"The queen…of luxury? Micah thought she was hearing things.
"Queen Jia ... I meant to say Queen Jia." Tamar says, stuttering.
"I do not feel like going." Micah said and then tried to walk past her.
"It is a must, my lady; the royal family has to be present. It sends a good message to the commoners." Tamar said, and Micah bit her lips tiredly.
"Let's go."
The carriages pulled up outside the great walls of the fighting square. Followed my knights escorting them. Slowly the royal family began to emerge from their respective carriages.
Jazell and Tamina climbed down from the same carriage; Micah and Jia also climbed down from their carriage, and William and Leah from the same carriage. Racheal, Amilek, and Ragaleon have already been escorted inside by two knights, since their carriage was the first to arrive. Just then a trumpet was heard from inside, signifying Ragaleon's arrival.
Micah gazed at the great walls of the fighting square. The building was ten feet high! A circular building, with spikes on the edges and the rims. She could hear thunderous applause and yelling from thousands of subjects, their voices suppressing the air.
"Let's go, my lady." A knight said, jolting Micah back to reality.
Soon, she found herself climbing multiple stairs until they got to a high terrace, wild enough to accommodate the whole royal family. From up there they could see the thousands of people in the crowd and the center of the building layered with sand.
Micah's eyes twitched as the subjects began to hail. For a moment they were distracted from the fight that was happening.
"Hail Queen Micah!!
"Hail the queen that cares!!
Ragaleon was seated on a throne with the queens lined up at both sides. He tilted his gaze to where Micah was as she slowly took her seat; she was perplexed that the subjects were chanting her name.
Slice!!
"One of the fighters in the fighting pit just yanked off his opponent's head with a sword; the crowd's attention was immediately shifted.
"Ohhh! They applauded the fighter who won.
Micah had instinctively shut her eyes when she saw blood spewing from the dead man's neck as though it was a tap rushing water. Her breath became hitched.
"Why do people do this to themselves?" She thought she had muttered under her breath.
"It is an old tradition, built with love and understanding. It brings the people together; it also connects the subjects to the crown." Amilek explained.
Micah tilted her head to her right-hand side and found him sitting next to her.
"I thought you were afraid of me."
"If a knife was put on your neck by a crazy lady in ragged clothes…I promise you would also be afraid of that lady whenever you see her." The smart boy answered maturely.
Micah thought of what he said; her eyes softened…
"I…I am sorry." Micah apologized, but Amilek's eyes were fixed ahead at the two new fighters in the center of the fighting pits.
"You should not apologize to me but to my mother. She is the only one likely to take things to heart." He said, and Micah nodded…
"But first I need you to forgive me; it was you I offended, not your mother." Micah retorted calmly.
'I will forgive you…if you can tell me which of those two men will go with a head in his hand." Amilek didn't even spare Micah a glance.
"What you have asked from me is difficult, Amilek." She called his name for the first time.
"Just pick one already; this fight won't take a minute before it is done." Amilek said, and Micah creased her brows; her gaze rested firmly on the fighters preparing their swords and waving to the crowd.
"How would you know that the fight won't take a minute? Micah questioned, shifting her gaze to Amilek. The boy was quiet for a while, his eyes seemingly distant….
"I just know." He said it plainly.
"I pick the man with the blue vest; he looks capable." Micah finally said.
Amilek scoffed…
"You mistake being gigantic for being skilled; you have already lost the bet." He said.
Micah was stunned.
"How can you tell all this by just looking at them? You have to first watch them fight….
"Didn't I just tell you this fight won't last for a minute? It is going to be the shortest fight in history.
Micah was about to say something when the crowd roared, and Ragaleon clapped his hands at the successor in satisfaction.
As if afraid, Micah slowly tilted her head. To her utter disbelief, standing in the center of the pit was a man in a black vest holding the head of the man in the blue vest while waving at the crowd.
The body of the man in the blue vest was on the ground…lifeless.
Micah swallowed, her brown eyes dilating, when she turned around to gaze at Amilek; he was already looking at her.
"Apology not accepted."