Acclayne Book 1: The Game Begins
Chapter 10

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

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

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

“Brother? It is notlike you to enter unannounced, and so flushed! Whatever is thematter?” Prince Fofana was smaller and lither than his tall, robustbrother and he bowed with a fluidity that the King would never havebeen 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 alreadyhe could make out a firm roundness to her stomach that had not beenthere when he had last had the fortune to see her. “Do not bealarmed, but I come baring bad news. An invasion.”

“And you wish me notto be alarmed?” Humphrey stood automatically, his book nowcompletely forgotten on the floor. To Fofana it seemed as though thewhole room was filled with his brother's impressive frame.

“My men have heardtell that an invading force is being sent from the south. They aresaid to be heading this way.”

“From Corthus? Surelynot, we have had no argument with them for many a year.” He ran ahand through his thick brown hair as he struggled to comprehend thematter.

“That's as maybe mybrother but it appears as though it is where they have been sentfrom.” Fofana stood calmly with his hands behind his back as hewatched his brother's reaction. News such as this would not haverattled himself so much. He was able to handle himself with moredecorum. Humphrey, on the other hand, sank back into his seat. Joanneput a slender hand on his knee. It rested there unnoticed, by theKing at least.

“And what of theirnumbers?” She asked.

“Oh, One Thousand atleast. My Queen.”

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

“We have not heardfrom them in some time, is it not clear that they have been planningthis all along?”

“But to what end?”

“The CROWN Brother!”Fofana found himself increasingly angered by his brother's naïvetyand slammed his fist down on the coffee table that stood betweenthem. There was a few moments silence as Fofana composed himself. Hesmoothed out his tunic and straightened up his weapon laden belt inan attempt to distract himself from his growing impatience. Humphreyrubbed at his face in agitation. Fofana began to pace; his gazecontinually flitting between the King and Queen. Joanne sat quietlyand still; one hand on her stomach, the other still on her husband'sknee. Fofana's pacing slowed;

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

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

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

“Send word to myGenerals- rally the troops; we leave at dawn. We must stop thembefore they reach Cortharen!”

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

The couple held handsand sat together in a heavy silence. The last of the evening's lighthad trickled away and both the book and the booties now lay besideeach other; abandoned and forgotten on the floor.

***

It was the middle ofthe night and most of the hustle and bustle in preparation for theday ahead was over. Fofana waited for her outside the palace walls;hidden by the long shadows created by the flickering lamp light. Shehad not wanted to meet with him tonight. It was too risky she hadsaid; what with all the guards on high alert she did not want to riskthem being caught. He had insisted; he simply could not wait anylonger to see her. He needed her now, to feel her, to prove that shewas his. She already knew that she had him. Completely. Her slenderfigure appeared silently next to him. He smelled her scent before hefelt her presence and an intense longing immediately began to burnwithin him.

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

“Be careful,” shechastised 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 itfrom the rooftops if only you would let me.”

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

“Soon,” herepeated, “ the King won't know what has hit him. Not with thekingdom's key defence on their futile mission.” He allowed himselfa small chuckle; it was finally coming together after all of theirpreparation. Soon they would be together and the whole of Glakyriewould be at their feet.