Acclayne Book 1: The Game Begins
Chapter 10

As the last of the evening's light trickled into the room King Humphrey Pennifeather of Cortharen contemplated his good fortune. Although autumn had not fully settled in, a small fire glowed in the grand fireplace ahead of him. He treasured these quiet moments he spent alone with his wife. This evening he had been reading a book that he had been meaning to finish for some time now; currently it lay open and discarded on his lap while he preoccupied himself with gently stroking his wife's barely pregnant stomach while she deftly stitched together tiny blue woollen booties.

Humphrey never tired of looking at Joanne, she had long, dark hair that fell in loose waves down to the small of her back. She wore it up in public; pinned back to support her delicate crown more steadily. Her loose hair was a sight only he could enjoy, here, in the privacy of their sitting room. He watched her green eyes as they focused on the task before them; her unbroken focus and stillness, apart from the small quick movements of her hands, made him feel as though he may be looking at a beautiful statue in a gallery. Until she turned her eyes to him. His book fell with a gentle thud to the floor.

“Oh do stop distracting me and read your book.” Her voice was like a melody to him, and though her words were laced with sternness they were followed by her beaming smile. She was rarely cross with him. He mused that such open adoration was hard to resist. He smiled back at her and leaned slowly forward to pick up his book, as he did so the door opened.

“Brother? It is not like you to enter unannounced, and so flushed! Whatever is the matter?” Prince Fofana was smaller and lither than his tall, robust brother and he bowed with a fluidity that the King would never have been able to manage. He shut the heavy wooden door behind him.

“Brother. My Queen.” His eyes lingered on the Queen before turning back to his brother. News of her pregnancy had not long broken in the kingdom and already he could make out a firm roundness to her stomach that had not been there when he had last had the fortune to see her. “Do not be alarmed, but I come baring bad news. An invasion.”

“And you wish me not to be alarmed?” Humphrey stood automatically, his book now completely forgotten on the floor. To Fofana it seemed as though the whole room was filled with his brother's impressive frame.

“My men have heard tell that an invading force is being sent from the south. They are said to be heading this way.”

“From Corthus? Surely not, we have had no argument with them for many a year.” He ran a hand through his thick brown hair as he struggled to comprehend the matter.

“That's as maybe my brother but it appears as though it is where they have been sent from.” Fofana stood calmly with his hands behind his back as he watched his brother's reaction. News such as this would not have rattled himself so much. He was able to handle himself with more decorum. Humphrey, on the other hand, sank back into his seat. Joanne put a slender hand on his knee. It rested there unnoticed, by the King at least.

“And what of their numbers?” She asked.

“Oh, One Thousand at least. My Queen.”

The King rested his face in his hands, he was not prepared for battle. Throughout his entire reign there had been peace between the two nations. He understood that it had not always been so but he had thought it was behind them. “A full scale invasion,” he mumbled into his hands, “but why now?”

“We have not heard from them in some time, is it not clear that they have been planning this all along?”

“But to what end?”

“The CROWN Brother!” Fofana found himself increasingly angered by his brother's naïvety and slammed his fist down on the coffee table that stood between them. There was a few moments silence as Fofana composed himself. He smoothed out his tunic and straightened up his weapon laden belt in an attempt to distract himself from his growing impatience. Humphrey rubbed at his face in agitation. Fofana began to pace; his gaze continually flitting between the King and Queen. Joanne sat quietly and still; one hand on her stomach, the other still on her husband's knee. Fofana's pacing slowed;

“I did not wish to be the barer of bad news brother, but-”

“No, I'm glad we know now, now we may prepare for-”

“No brother. I had also heard tell of something far more disastrous.” His pacing had now stopped altogether as he looked his elder brother in the eye. “They have Alaina Oakley.” The colour immediately drained from the King's face. Even his cheeks that had been a rosy pink from the heat of the fire had lost their colour. He stood- springing into action;

“Send word to my Generals- rally the troops; we leave at dawn. We must stop them before they reach Cortharen!”

“Yes, my brother.” Prince Fofana bowed deeply and swept out of the room without another glance towards the King or Queen.

The couple held hands and sat together in a heavy silence. The last of the evening's light had trickled away and both the book and the booties now lay beside each other; abandoned and forgotten on the floor.

***

It was the middle of the night and most of the hustle and bustle in preparation for the day ahead was over. Fofana waited for her outside the palace walls; hidden by the long shadows created by the flickering lamp light. She had not wanted to meet with him tonight. It was too risky she had said; what with all the guards on high alert she did not want to risk them being caught. He had insisted; he simply could not wait any longer to see her. He needed her now, to feel her, to prove that she was his. She already knew that she had him. Completely. Her slender figure appeared silently next to him. He smelled her scent before he felt her presence and an intense longing immediately began to burn within him.

“The King's men are ready my Queen.” He bowed low before his beloved before taking her in his arms. He kissed her with the same ferocity and hunger as a starving man might have devoured a welcome meal.

“Be careful,” she chastised quietly as she pulled back, his arms remained around her, “or are you intent on making our affair known to the world?”

“I should shout it from the rooftops if only you would let me.”

“And my husband would have you killed.” The Prince turned away from her, the thought of her with another man angered him more than anything he ever thought possible. “Fofana...” she whispered as she turned his head gently towards her before kissing him. “We shall have all the time in the world to be together soon.” She smiled and Fofana felt the warmth of her love wash over him; it calmed him.

“Soon,” he repeated, “ the King won't know what has hit him. Not with the kingdom's key defence on their futile mission.” He allowed himself a small chuckle; it was finally coming together after all of their preparation. Soon they would be together and the whole of Glakyrie would be at their feet.

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