39.

Denrich exposes Bishop Jules' deception/

39.

 

“Archbishop Mondes and esteemed Archbishops and nobles of Albyia, I have no aspirations of royalty or any desire to possess a throne.    Only a few months ago I was just a Sheriff, happy in my work and content in life before everything was ripped out from under me.   Suddenly I am told I am Reddric’s son and I get thrown into the chaos that is the royal court.     Never have I seen more sin and danger in my life.     I do not want anything to do with it.”

“Yet almost from the start, someone or a group of people have desired me dead, as if I were a threat.   I am half elven and not ashamed of my elven mother, who I never knew.    Again I state that I have no desire to be anything other than Sheriff again.   But apparently my words were not enough and several times my life was endangered from assassins.    I nearly died from poison, but in all of my trials, I learned one important thing - the High King of Albyia has cruelly oppressed peaceful elven kingdoms and tried desperately to possess the Highlands.   All for greed.   But more troubling was what transpired under the banner of the clergy or royal titles.”

He began outlining all that they had learned about the various twisting plots against Reddric.     Jaelabeth and Jules just sat there stewing, listening without commenting but their eyes smoldering.

Finally, Denrich reached the end of his account, “When I met with Somled, Princess Kyara and Abbot Matthes, we knew that we had to find a way to stop Jules and Jaelabeth.   But we feared to contact anyone other than when we all were assembled here.   So I concocted a plan.    Now you have seen that the ring does not fit the baby’s finger, but some of you might say that this is because I am still alive and that it considers me as the rightful heir.”

Denrich moved over to where Mother Julia’s black covered box sat forgotten on the dais, “But we have better proof.    We have Bishop Jules and Queen Jaelabeth’s words as witness against them.”

“Preposterous!”   Jules yelled out, “You have no proof!”

“Oh, we do, in fact, Bishop,”   Denrich began unwrapping the box and pulled out a crystal ball, “Do you recognize this, Bishop?  It is your own scrying ball, one of two that you stole from their rightful owner, Mother Julia.”

“You have no business taking my possessions!”

“Ah, but originally it was Mother Julia’s, so we were just retrieving stolen merchandise, Bishop.”

“You can’t prove that!”

“No, but we can prove that you used the crystal ball.”

“I never used it; I just collect them as art.”

“You’re lying, Bishop.   It seems that there is a spell that Practical Magicians can cast upon a scrying ball that they made that will reshow all the conversations spoken into the ball.”

“You’re lying - there is no such spell!”

“Shall I demonstrate for you?   We have contacted the enchanter of this ball and we know it was purchased by Mother Julia.    Therefore all we need is her permission to share with everyone here the scenes and words that this was used for.     I’m quite sure you know what it will reveal, don’t you Bishop Jules?   It will show all your crimes and perversions.”

“You’re bluffing,”   Jules spat back.

Denrich shrugged, turned to Mother Julia and she nodded, so he beckoned to Brother Matthes to come forward and cast the spell.

Jules just sat there, defiantly, but as the Abbot began to chant the activation spell, Queen Jaelabeth cried out hysterically for them to stop.

“Please!    It was all his idea!   He threatened me with death if I didn’t follow his plan!”

“You lying b***h!”   Jules exploded, jumping up and slapping her so hard that she was knocked backwards, dropping her baby.    The infant screamed in pain and Jaelabeth howled in rage, lunging at her half brother with a small dagger.   He tried to grab her arm but savagely she stabbed him perhaps five times before the Highlanders pinned her to the ground and disarmed her.

Jules sunk to the ground, mortally wounded, blood bubbling out of his mouth.

“Damn you!”  He wheezed once and died.

 

***

 

It was several hours before a semblance of order returned to the hall.     Jaelabeth was carried off screaming and flailing her arms like a wild woman.    Her baby had broken both of his legs but was healed by some of the clergy in attendance.

It was late afternoon before everyone was calm enough to continue and Denrich had the spell recast on the crystal ball.     The councils listened for half of an hour before Archbishop Mondes stood up and had the magic dispelled.

“We’ve heard enough, Denrich,”  He said somberly, “I’m sure that my brothers agree that the evidence is quite damning to Jaelabeth and Jules, as well as Hobst.   Mother Julia, you and Denrich have done us a great service by revealing these abominations.   I am also certain that the council of barons shares our gratitude toward you.”

There was a chorus of rather muted agreement from the section of Barons.

“Now a great crisis is before us,” Mondes announced, “For we have no rightful king, no regent and no clear candidate for Archbishop of Albyia.    Tell me, Denrich, what do you think we should do?”

Denrich shrugged, “I would say that you all should simply do your jobs.    You prayed for wisdom from Yesh in your decision and now you have time to consider other options.    To the Barons, I’d suggest finding someone who will work to achieve peace with the Highlanders and who will restore Baylcothrom to the peaceful elves and humans that lived there.   What is needed is a king who will end the corruption and perversion of the royal court and restore unity.”

“To the Council of Archbishops I’d recommend considering someone who is not already a bishop.   Someone humble and holy who will also pursue peace with everyone.   For too long has a message of muted hatred been proclaimed against the elves.  Yet all of you Archbishops know that the earliest collections of the teachings and story of Yesh state plainly that he was half elven and preached compassion to all races, which he held to be equal.”

Many uncomfortable and even angry murmurs sounded and Denrich shook his head, “Listen to all of you - do you hear that murmur from you?   Anger and disapproval for what you know deep within your hearts to be true.    Yesh was merciful to all, not just to humans and those who really know him as Lord understand that.    If you have forgotten that, this would be the first thing all of you should address, because a slow revolution is beginning amongst the people and if you don’t correct your errors, one day this revolution will sweep all racism and corruption from the church and purify it.    Search your hearts and see if it is not true.”

Denrich stood up.

“So what are your plans, Denrich?    Will you stay and help us craft these changes, since you seem so certain in your righteousness regarding them.”

“No; these matters are for those called by God and those who are nobles by birth.    I have achieved what I hoped to achieve; now it is your turn,”   He started down the dais, stopping for a moment to embrace Mother Julia.

“Denrich, this belongs to you,” She handed him the Ring of the Prince, which he had given to her after enlisting her to help him with his scheme.

“You keep it, grandmother; try it on the finger of one that the barons select as king and I will bet that it will fit if he is a righteous man.”

“Well where are you going?”   She asked as he squeezed her hand.

Denrich smiled broadly, “I’m going home, grandmother; back to St. Wemricshire.”

 

***

 

The snow fell early this year, blanketing Abbosett in a fine dusting on the day of the end of harvest festival.   He was just returning to his house with a nice pumpkin for carving when he saw a familiar group of people sitting on their horses in front of his gate, waiting for him.   

“Hello,”   He spoke as he approached, “I’m surprised it took this long; I’ve been expecting you for almost a week.    Have they made their decisions?”

“They have,”  Abbot Matthes replied as he held the reins for Chief Somled to dismount.   

“Well?”

“Where’s Xael?”   Kyara asked as she and Luke Penrook also dismounted, “We want to share the news with her too.”

Denrich nodded and slipped past them, through the gate, went into the house and a few moments later emerged with a very sleepy looking Nymph tying a robe in front of her.

Abbot Matthes’ eyebrows arched slightly.

“We’ve been waiting for you to marry us, Abbot.”

“Waiting?”  He asked with a slight smile.

Xael and Denrich looked at each other and shrugged, then turned back to the others, “Tell us the news.”

“Well, first, Mother Julia sends her love, but she had to return to St. Catherine’s,”   Brother Matthes said.

“Everyone, come on inside out of the cold and I’ll get us all some coffee while we talk,” Xael said and they all followed her into Denrich’s cottage.   It was small but quite neat and cozy, with just enough space at the dining table for the six of them to sit together.

 “So?  Out with it then!”  Denrich said after they all had something warm to drink.

“They elected Brother Matthes as Archbishop,” Somled announced.

“Archbishop!”  Denrich exclaimed.

“Yes, I guess I made an impression on them though I really didn’t want the position.     I kept the debate open for three days in hopes they’d warm to someone else, but they insisted.    I was consecrated two days ago, though we will wait until next week to make it official, to give time for the brothers to vote on a replacement.”

“Congratulations, Your Grace!”  Denrich kidded, “I am thrilled for you but saddened that you won’t be around for me to talk to anymore.”

Everyone snickered.

“What was that for?”  Denrich asked.

“Well, you will be seeing quite a lot of me, actually.”

“What?  Why?  What do you mean?”

“Denrich, the council of Barons insists on naming you as king.”

“Oh hell!   Absolutely not!”   He exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

“Now just listen to me, please-“

“I don’t have to listen to you, Brother Matthes, there is no way that I am going to be king!”

“You have to if you truly want peace!”

“What do you mean?”

Matthes turned to Somled and Kyara, “The council of Barons agreed to a peace treaty with the Highland clans and to restore Baylcothrom as a sovereign kingdom, but only under the condition that you accept the High King position and help orchestrate these changes.”

“They don’t need me to do that!”

“Well, actually they do, Denrich,”  Kyara replied, “You see, they are not completely trusting of me or my people and there are nearly as many that think that the entire island belongs under the High King’s iron grip.   But they also value heritage, and you are the very last of Reddric I’s line.   Even as a half elf, they would rather have a descendant of their founding king rather than a nobleman.”

“But why?”

“I can answer that, “ Luke spoke up, “All through the barons’ debates, there were earls, dukes and other barons mumbling about the advantages they or their house would gain by gaining the throne.    They all are greedy for it, so clearly they all are also suspicious of each other.   Reddric’s house has ruled the island for many generations, and you are clearly not greedy for power.    Your speech to them before you departed stung them, but they were refreshened by your brutal honesty.   You don’t tell them what they want to hear, and they like that.”

“Yes, but-“

“Denrich, the future of the Highland Clans and the elven kingdom depends on you showing them how diplomacy works,”  Somled told him, “I’d like peace to return and Kyara will certainly be named Queen if the kingdom is restored.    I think she already has an idea for a mate.”

Luke and Kyara blushed slightly but said nothing.

“What about Avalynn?”    He asked the elven princess.

“She’s at St. Catherine’s and is slowly getting her memory back.    From reports that Mother Julia got during the meeting, Ava seems to be repenting of her evil and wishes to stay at the convent, at least until she has restored her mind and soul.    I plan to go and visit her, but first we need to know your decision.   All of our futures depend on your decision, Denrich.     The council of Barons delegated us to ask you and if you say no then another council will be called next spring.    But you are needed now.    Jaelabeth has gone quite insane and her baby has been taken back to her people in Howardford.     They have assured the council that they will not pursue a claim to the throne on behalf of the child.   The door is open for you, Denrich.   The elven kingdom’s restoration depends on you as well.   I would like to marry Luke and live in peace again, but it all is in your hands, Denrich.   We are confident of your ability and goodness.   What do you say?”

“That would mean moving south again to Caelyin.”

“Not necessarily,”  Matthes replied, “As king you can live wherever you desire.     You could even live here and just make several visits to Caelyin each year to meet with your barons.”

“But I don’t know anything about being king!”

“Which probably qualifies you best,” Somled replied, “You have the best kingly qualities already - fairness, humility, compassion and love of the common man.   You know the laws from your time as sheriff - you would make an excellent choice, Denrich and your friendship would strengthen ties with the Clans and help Baylcothrom restore itself.   You have the power to bring peace to Albyia, Denrich and perhaps -between you and Archbishop Matthes- even change in the Church of Yesh.”

Denrich considered this for a long time, then turned to Xael and took her hand, quizzingly arching his brow.

“Oh, you know that I love the royal court,” She responded, “And as Queen it would be extraordinary.”

Denrich sighed, “Well, I’m sure it won’t be all roses and sunshine; there are plenty of problems and strongholds of prejudice that will be very hard to dislodge.”

“Then… you’ll do it?”  Matthes asked hopefully.

Again the half elf sighed, “As long as all of you can share my destiny, I guess I have no right to refuse.”

 

A chorus of cheers sounded together in the small cottage, bringing the dawn of a new era of hope for everyone.

 

 

The End