The Mists of Time

Fred knew how right it would be if the "King" were slaughtered, but he seemed afraid and defenseless. To kiill him like this would be cold-blooded murder. For a moment, as he turned away in shame, his eyes met Exotica's. They were filled with a mix of fear and revulsion--was it for him, or did she hate the king as much as he, or both? Her eyes were deep grey, but then for a moment they were a subtly different shade of grey, almost like the mists, and then the mists dispersed and Fred knew to his horror that what he was facing was real, and fully realized what he had said. He slowly sheathed his sword and bowed down before the King. "I am sorry, my liege," he said. "The mists--I think the spell that the court wizard casted backfired somehow and drove me mad for a moment." His voice was quiet and ashamed.

The King nodded. His eyes, however, were full of anger and reproach. He staggered off, no doubt to flop down on his stinking bed and spend the rest of the day in hangover- induced slumber. Fred wished there were someone here who he could take out his righteous anger, but there was only him and the girl who seemed to be the one good person in the court. But could he trust even her after what he had seen? Her face was fair and her aspect was compassionate, but Fred could not totally bring himself to trust these, even though he wanted to.

For some time, Exotica did not say anything to Fred. He stood there, as if staring after something that had departed him, and she lent him her presence. Fred breathed in deeply but couldn't bring himself to say anything. Finally, Exotica said, "Yes, he is a monster. Although not the worst of this court by far."

Fred nodded. He at first felt a reflexive anger at the princess for saying such a thing, then an even greater anger at himself for feeling such a thing. "I am sorry I had any doubts," he told her. "I was raised to serve the Crown and the Great Kingdom. I thought we were better than Hespan. I always knew there was evil in our kingdom, but I had no idea it ran this deep. I--"

"Thank you," said Exotica. "I... was raised as the heir to the throne. I never had the benefit of any such illusions."

"Thank you," said Fred. "You prevented me from committing murder. I find it hard to believe that such a man as that could produce such a daughter as you."

Exotica was momentarily struck by a sharp knife of pain, and opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it fearfully. Fred had had a fairly good idea of what she would have said. Rumor had also had it that the King's wife had been driven by his behavior to be just as promiscuous as he, and had maintained her attractiveness for longer. Perhaps a day earlier Fred would not have felt kindly towards someone he'd suspected to be illegitimate. Even thought this wasn't their fault, it represented a reality he did not want to acknowledge. But Fred felt no such contempt for Exotica. He told himself it was because someone who was so noble and good should not have the sins of others held against them, but he wondered whether a part of him was dead to caring about such things now, and whether this was good or bad. He stretched out his arm to take her hand, and she gave it to him, after a moment's hesistance. Her hand was womanly but strong, a delight to hold.

"I am glad you did not kill him," said Exotica finally. "Perhaps a part of me might have wanted you to do so, but he does care for me and even his country, in his own selfish way. There are many in the line for the Kingship who do not. As I am not yet married, I am not in a secure position to oppose them." She smiled, and drew closer to him. "I hope you will not lose your faith in the importance of your task, Frederigo. Do not forget that many lives are depending on it." Fred smiled widely, barely beileving he was doing so. If he had ever wanted to abandon his task--and he told himself he had not--he certainly did not now. He would gladly have faced the Dragon for her alone. But he still feared that he was not suited for it. "Are you sure that there are none better to kill the dragon than me?"

"Perhaps not, but from what little I know of you it seems you will do the job well. You are honest and brave. The Dragon is very clever and cruel, but he will not be able to manipulate you as he has others if you are careful."

For a moment, Fred drew closer to her, saying nothing. Her lips were almost trembling. His thoughts turned towards the other Dragonslayers who he had been trained with and those who had come before him. What if it turned out that they were as corrupt as everyone else in the Kingdom seemed to be? He could not bear to think the thought. Even though he knew that it was not Exotica's fault if this were true, he could not bear to be in the same room as her. He broke roughly away from her and ran out of the King's chambers, letting the oaken doors slam conclusively behind him.

Lord Fred tramped off to take a walk in the courtyard. He needed to clear his head and had no sense of what time it was thanks to the King's illusion. It was a Fall night, cold and clear, and it was almost pitch black outside. He bumped into several trees, eventually finding one to sit under in the middle of the courtyard and gazed up at the stars. But he could not bring peace into his heart, for he feared that there were conspirators lurking even here.

Fred began to feel a sharp pang of regret for the way he'd treated Exotica. After what she'd done for him, he should not have left her as abruptly as that. And yet when she'd never told him the truth of whether or not she was illegitimate, likely because it would endanger her if anyone knew. She'd lied to him for the sake of political expedience. Was she any better than the others?

Then he heard the subtle tread of footsteps not far from him. Would Fred be in more danger if he moved and gave himself away or if he stayed where he was and let himself be found? He decided that whatever this danger might be he would gain nothing by running away from it, and stood his ground.

The figure was a man, standing at the edge of the courtyard, with a flickering torch in his hand. He was too far away for Fred to see who he was, but that meant he couldn't see Fred, either. The night seemed much colder than it had been when Fred had left the castle, however long ago. It was also not as clear--a faint mist now suffused the air. Fred's heart siezed up in fear, but he dismissed it--sometimes mist was just mist, odd as it was. After what had happened last time, he wouldn't let fear or anger overtake him again.

Another figure stepped into the man's torchlight. It was an unmistakably female figure, tall and slim, and Fred realized swiftly that it was Exotica's. He was tempted to rush out and greet her, but something, perhaps the mist, made him wary. The two had started conversing, too faint for Fred to hear, but somehow it seemed to grow steadily clearer. He realized from what snatches he could hear that they were talking about what had happened to him earlier.

"...And somehow I managed to pull him out of his berserker rage. I'm not sure how. I can guess what caused it, though. Fred mentioned a mist in the room and speculated that Adalbertus's spell had backfired. When I opened the door, I did see a small amount of mist in the room."

"So you think that Adalbertus is their agent in the court?" said the man. His voice was deep and reserved. Fred recognized it, barely. It was the voice of a man he'd caught only brief glimpses of in his time in the court--Robert Cecil, the King's spymaster. Adalbertus was the man who had taken over as court enchanter after Arahim had left. He had a reputation as an incompetent, bumbling fool, a man everyone called "Bert the Enchanter." He was about the last possible suspect for being a spy for Hespan or anyone else--but perhaps that was what he wanted peoploe to think? "I've had suspicions in that direction myself," said Cecil, as if reading his mind. "He always struck me as a little too incompetent."

"Based on that mist that I saw, I think he was," said Exotica. "It was subtly different from ordinary mist. I have only seen that kind of mist twice before in my life--when I was attacked by our enemies, a week or so before you approached me, and when you are communing with your friends." What could she be talking about, Fred wondered. The mist and the strange words were beginning to make the whole thing seem like a strange dream.

"You are probably right, then," said Cecil. "We'll look into it, to the extent that this is possible without giving ourselves away. Be careful, though. Even though Adalbertus wasn't present, he will not doubt know the fact that it was you who prevented Fred from killing the King, as he and the King are quite... close. This will lead him to suspect you, which I do not believe that he has done at this point."

"But clearly, someone among our enemies knew I could at least potentially side against them, considering how I was attacked."

"But I don't believe they know whether that potential has come true or not. Remember, we don't know how much our enemies are actually capable of knowing, or our allies, for that matter."

"I think we should bring Frederigo in on this," said Exotica. "You told me that one of the reasons your friends told you to recruit me because I was so entangled in the events that would proceed from this war that I had a right to know what was going on. The same goes for Fred, doesn't it? You told me that your friends suspect the Dragon has plans for him. What happened tonight would seem to bear that out."

"Unfortunatley, recruiting Frederigo would be a bad idea. It is true that he will play an important part in this war, as the one who might kill the Dragon. But there are other fronts to the war, even if it is true that the Dragon is truly the leader of our enemies, which we have reason to beileve he is not. He is not as skilled in politics as you are. You told him that he is very naive and very honest. Both are dangerous for our purposes." He hesitated. "Nevertheless, we should make sure one of our people is sent with him, although our enemies are no doubt maneuvering for the same."

Exotica sighed. "You are right, I suppose. But I wish there could be another way. Fred is a good man, which is very rare in any time and especially in this. He deserves better than to be used as a pawn." Cecil, apparently, had no answer for that. He walked off into the night, and Exotica as well in the opposite direction, their footsteps ringing through the now-clear air.

Lord Fred, too tired to move, now sank into a troubled sleep filled with nightmares, if he had ever been awake.

1. In the present...

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