The Red String Of Faith

Chapter Three:

"Jamie, the King has summoned you," Eli said as he entered Jamie’s chamber.

Jamie looked up from the book he was reading. "Do I have to go?" He asked, hoping to God that he didn’t.

"Yes, you do. Now hurry!" Eli commanded, taking the book from the boy and pulling him up off the chair.

Jamie thought that he was going to the throne room at first, but instead, he was lead to the parlor. The King was sitting in a comfy chair, petting his big wolf, while his wings were nowhere in sight. Jamie stood still as the door closed behind him, leaving him alone with the King.

Sebastian smiled pleasantly, and told Jamie to sit down. Jamie took the chair that was farthest from the King, not wanting to sit too close to him, he guessed, judging by how he could see how nervous and frightened the boy was of him. He didn’t want that at all.

"Jamie, I heard that you’re a really fast learner. Demetrius was telling me how smart you are. He even told me that you answered a riddle that I, myself, had answered wrong as a kid."

"Is that a compliment?" Jamie asked, confused by what Sebastian meant by that. He had no idea if the King was complimenting him, or perhaps, mocking him.

"Yes!" Sebastian replied with a smile, his words very truthful.

Why was the King smiling so much today? Jamie wondered.

"Jamie, I want to reward you for your excellent effort in learning our languages. Tell me, Jamie, what would you like?"

Upon hearing this, Jamie completely forgot about his fear of being alone with the King. "I could have anything I want?"

"Yes!" Sebastian grinned at the obvious excitement that was on the boy’s face.
Jamie let out a big smile. "I want the weaving machine that I left back home."

"Wouldn’t it be better if I buy you a new one?" Sebastian commented, thinking a new one would benefit more than an older one.

Jamie shook his head. "The one I have at home belonged to my father. It is the only thing I have left of him," he explained, his thoughts going back to his father.

Sebastian saw the look of sadness in the boy’s eyes. He went over and grasped his chin, lifting his face up to look at him. "I will get Nicolas to bring it over if it means that much to you."

Jamie gave the King a big smile that lit up his dark brown eyes. "Thank you!" He said, and truly meant it.

Sebastian took his hand away and went back to his seat. "Jamie, you may go now."
Jamie bowed, and then left the room. He went back to his chamber with excitement showing on his face. The King was going to have someone bring over his father’s weaving machine. And that made Jamie’s day a bright one.

When Karsten saw the look on Jamie’s face, he became consumed with anger. He vowed to make the boy suffer for stealing the King from him.
--
Sebastian reached in his pocket, pulled the red fabric out, and brought it to his face. Just then, Nichoas entered the parlor to report to him about the King of Siren.

"Your highness, why do you still need that piece of fabric when you already have the person?" Nicholas wondered.

"I still need it because the boy doesn’t remember me."

"Why don’t you just tell him you met before?"

"Even if I told him, he still would not remember me. He was only twelve when we met." Sebastian put the red fabric away. "Nicholas, what do you have to tell me about the King of Siren?"

"The man is not very smart. But he is a loving father and husband. He loves his country," Nicholas started but then paused. "If you want my honest opinion your highness, the man just doesn’t have it in him to be a good ruler. I fear that he will turn his back on us once someone else threatens him. The man complied too easily to our demands."

Sebastian leaned back against his chair. "Nicholas, find Theron and tell him that I want a word with him."

"Yes your highness." Nicholas bowed and took his leave.
--
Leon stood in front of the King of Zhanthia, wondering what the King wanted with him.

Sebastian petted his wolf and silently observed the man before him. He could see that the man was scared of him. "Leon, do you know why I requested a meeting with you?"

"I do not know why, your highness," he said truthfully.

"It’s about our alliance."

Leon’s eyes shot wide open. Sebastian smiled, loving when he saw fear in people’s eyes.
"Leon, I want you to take my brother Theron as your consort."

"I am flattered but I already have a consort whom I love very much, your highness."

Sebastian stopped petting his wolf and glared over at Leon."You will make my brother your consort, or I will break the alliance and take your country by force killing millions of your people."

"Why must I marry your brother," Leon asked, exasperated.

"Why you ask; it is because I want to strengthen our alliance. Think about it Leon, my brother will be a wonderful consort. He is smart, and best of all, he will report everything you do to me. What better way for me to keep my eyes on you." Sebastian chuckled, then added, "Leon, I thought you knew what kind of a person I was before you signed the alliance contract. This shouldn’t come as a surprise."

The King of Zhanthia was not giving him much of a choice. If he refused, he and his family would be killed, and his country would be in the hands of someone else. He couldn’t allow that. "Very well, my lord."

Sebastian stood up and went over to Leon, placing a hand on his shoulder. "My brother will be the first consort, and your beloved consort will have to be demoted to a mistress. Do you understand Leon?"

Leon nodded his head, while Sebastian’s lips curved into a smirk. He went back to his throne and started to pet his wolf again. "Leon, you are dismissed."
============
"A bearer who commits adultery will be condemned to marry a woman."

Jamie looked up at Demetrius. “How is marrying a woman a punishment to those who commit adultery?" He didn’t understand.

"They’re bearers, which means that they could only breed with men. And being married to a woman means that they cannot produce children. And not being able to bear children is frowned upon by our people. This is what makes it a punishment."

"Demetrius, are you telling me that a bearer is not able to make children with a woman?"
Demetrius nodded his head, while Jamie gave him a puzzled look, still confused. "How can that be? I thought all men are able to produce children? Even if he is a bearer, he is also a man, so what makes them unable to produce children with a woman?"

"It’s because they are a bearer, and a bearers seed doesn’t seed children. That is just the way it is boy." Demetrious looked over toward the boy. "Jamie, I thought that you would know all this stuff already from your parents, considering that you are a bearer."

Jamie turned away from Demetrius, sadly looking out the window. "My dad left my father and me when I was eleven. Soon after, my father grew sick and died."

Demetrius went over to the boy, wrapping his arm around him. "I’m sorry," he said, completely sincere, then added, "Jamie, if it makes you feel any better, I, myself, was an orphan; I lost both my parents at the age of three."

Jamie gazed up at Demetrius, giving him a weak but sad smile."Demetrius, you have it tougher then me if you grew up without knowing your parents."

"Not really. I have my grandparents to look after me and tell me stories about my parents."

The sound of the door suddenly opening drew Jamie and Demetrius’s attention. They both turned toward the door to see Eli standing there, hands clasped with the kid Jamie had rescued last night.

Before Jamie could say anything, the little boy came running up to him and hugged him tight with tears in his eyes.

"Eli, what’s going on? Why is he with you?" Jamie asked as he tried to pry the boy away from him. It was a futile attempt since the boy was still stuck to him like glue.

"He said that he wanted to talk to the angel that rescued him. And so, I brought him here to you," Eli explained.

Demetrius picked up the book and the lesson plan, then started for the door. "I will see you tomorrow for your next lesson," he told Jamie, then left, Eli following closely behind him.

"Stop clinging to me, will you," Jamie sighed out, finally pulling the boy away from him. He sat him on the table in front of him.

Caelane stared right at Jamie with tears in his eyes. Jamie sighed again. No matter how much he hated his dad, he just couldn’t seem to find it in him to hate the kid. He cupped the boy’s cheek with his hand. "Alright boy, tell me what the matter is and why you’re crying," he insisted, softening his tone a bit.

"My parents are fighting, and my dad threatened to leave father." The boy hiccupped out.

"Tell me, why they are fighting?"

"My father said that he is getting married again and dad’s position will be replaced. Then dad threatened to leave him."

"Is that why you were crying?" Jamie asked, knowing that it was indeed why.

Caelane nodded his head, and leaned onto Jamie’s chest, wrapping his arms around him. "Please help me? I don’t want my parents to fight. And I’d like it even less if dad left," Caelane whispered, trying to snuffle his cries.

"Why did you come to me for help?" Jamie asked as he comforted the boy.

Caelane pulled away, looking up at Jamie with wide eyes. "Because you are my guardian angel; you saved my life."

Jamie was taken by surprise. He couldn’t let the boy think that he was some guardian angel, because he was nowhere near being one. He didn’t even want to rescue the boy in the first place. If it weren’t for his conscience, the boy would’ve been dead now.

"Look here boy, I am not your guarding angel or whatever else you make me out to be. But what I could do for you is have a talk with your dad and see if I can convince him not to leave your father."

Caelane nodded his head, hope shining in his eyes. Jamie wiped the boy’s tears away."Alright, let’s go find your dad."
--
Arian was sitting in the courtyard with his face buried in his hand when Jamie found him. Jamie told Caelane to go play while he talked to his dad. "Does it hurt that much to lose someone you love, or does it hurt so much for you to lose your position as a consort?" Jamie dryly asked as he walked up to his dad.

Arian looked up when he heard Jamie’s voice. If there was anyone that could help him, it was Jamie. With that thought, he pretended to look away sadly. "I know you think that I am a horrible person. I also know that you hate me with all your heart. And you must think that I am incapable of loving anyone but myself, and so you might not believe this, but I do love Leon."

"If you love him, then don’t leave him," Jamie said firmly. "Unless, of course, you want to repeat what you did ten years ago," he added, then looked over toward Caelane. "Tell me dad, do you want that boy to suffer the same way I did when you left me?"

Arian looked at Caelane. "I was pregnant with him when I left you and your father," he told Jamie, then looked at him with teary eyes. "I love him very much, and I don’t want to put him through what I put you through. I could never live with myself if I did."

Jamie turned his gaze back to his dad. "Tell me the whole story, then I will see what I can do to help. Keep in mind that I am only helping you because I don’t want that little boy to grow up the same way I did."

Arian nodded his head, agreeing. "The King of Zhanthia has ordered Leon to marry his brother Theron and I am to be demoted to a mistress, for there can only be one consort."

"Tell me, dad, what is more important? Being with the one you claim to ‘love’ as a mistress, or being a consort?"

"Of course I want to be a consort. But I also want to be with Leon." .

Jamie shook his head at his dad. It was clear to him now what his dad had been most upset about. "I will see what I can do but I can’t guarantee anything," Jamie decided, then turned and left with Caelane following at his heels. Jamie knew he had no choice but to take the kid with him. And knew that his dad watched them both retreat from the castle, himself, all alone.
--
Devin stretched his arms out like a bird while riding on his brother’s shoulders. He laughed joyously, shouting, "Nicholas, run faster!"

"If I run any faster then I’ll fall and break my leg," Nicholas joked.

Devin looked down and smiled wide. "No you won’t," he claimed.

"Nicholas!" Jamie called suddenly.

"What is it, boy?" Nicholas asked as he put his brother down.

"Do you happen to know where the King is at this time of day?"

Nicholas thought for a moment."He’s probably in the library."

"Thanks!"

Devin tugged at his brother’s shirt. "Nicholas, who is that boy with the King’s consort?"

"I believe that he is King Siren’s youngest son," he answered, then turned toward Jamie. "Am I right?"

"Yes you are, Nicholas. He is King Siren’s youngest son."

"Why is he with you boy?"

"It’s a long story. I’ll tell you some other time, right now though, I need to find the King." He grasped Caelane’s hand and headed toward the library, set on seeing the King.
--
"Jamie, where are you heading? Dinner starts in an hour," Eli spoke when he spotted the boy.

"I was just heading to the library."

"Well, you can go there later. Now it’s time to get you ready for dinner," Eli said, bending down to look at Caelane. "Boy, I think it’s time you get back to your parents."

Caelane gazed up at Jamie in question. "Go boy, I will see you at dinner," Jamie told him, then went down on one knee and gave the boy a hug. Caelane was happy with that, and so, he went back to his parents with a smile.

When Jamie returned to his room, he took a warm bath and dressed in a new set of clothes that matched his dark hair. Which also, brought out the brown in his eyes.

"Eli, I’m thirsty. Can I at least have a drink of water before dinner?"

"Alright, I will get the maid to bring it in."

"Thank you!"
--
Nicholas made haste to his King, worried beyond reason. He swung the door to the throne room open roughly.

“Nicholas, I’m in the middle of something," Sebastian told him. "Whatever it is you need to say can wait."

Nicholas shook his head, frowning deeply. "I’m afraid not your highness."

"And why is that?" He asked, noticing the look of seriousness and worry mixed in Nicholas’s features.

"Your highness, Jamie has been poisoned."