Destiny Scorns

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  The council was called up the following morning. Alice and Nathan had been summoned to join in. It was no surprise that the topic of discussion was Gorham who was conveniently absent. The council was enraged at Gorham's public defiance and to Nathan; it seemed that Alice was going to team up them. It wasn't that he wasn't with them but he did not like the manner that they were going about everything. Nobody's anger could compare with what he felt inside but he knew that Gorham had planned things ingeniously.

  If the council were to refuse to accept Sidney now, then they would lose the support of the people. But because they were so mad they were not thinking clearly. After a few people had given a suggestion and Nathan had listened to the few of them, he realized that now they were being completely irrational. It was his time now to speak. He interrupted the person who was talking.

  `There is nothing that you can do.' The whole room stared at him with shock. They had expected him to be the one to come up with the solution. Everyone in the room knew how much he was opposed to Sidney. `There is nothing that you can do because there is nothing that you can do.' Still the staring. `Gorham could foresee that you would not accept Sidney as his wife and so he went where no decision can be disputed, the public. If you do not accept Sidney now, then the people will think that you do not believe in them to make their own decisions. That will drive them further into Gorham's corner.'

  `Then what are we to do? We cannot let him get away with this!'

  `I'm afraid Gorham knows how to manipulate the crowd better than any of us. He learned from the best, after all.'

  `What are you talking about?' It was Alice who spoke.

  `I have had my eyes on Sidney trying to see if she was plotting something. My spies tell me that the reason you lost to Gorham on the issue of Wendy's parents was because Sidney talked to Gorham and forced him to see it from a different view. She works outside the castle and she mingles with people. She knows what is being said in the streets better than any of us and no one can use information better than Gorham.'

  `So you are saying that because of Sidney, Gorham has the most powerful tool against us. The people,' the head of the council suggested.

  `As much as I hate to admit it. He was right to say that she was the wisest person because she is very sly.'

  `But the only reason that she is marrying him is because she is pregnant,' Alice countered.

  `That doesn't matter as long as they are getting married. What would the council have done had the issue have come to their attention? They would have forced them to do exactly what they are doing now willingly.' He turned coldly to Alice. `I also happen to know personally that he asked her to marry him before either of them knew she was pregnant and just until the other day, she had not given him an answer.'

  `You are defending her?' Alice could not believe this.

  `I'm trying to save you from embarrassing yourself in the future.' How had he thought that she would make a good queen albeit one who is prone to be manipulated? She could not even tell that Gorham was thanking Jared instead of her during the latter's speech.

  `Does anybody know the details of Sidney's kidnapping?' They were all looking at Alice.

  She was put on a spot. `As far as I know, at the moment, Sidney was kidnapped on her way to the festival. The guards got on the trail and they rescued her and brought her back.'

  `But that was not what really happened given that Gorham was weak after that.' Nathan said.

  `That was what I was told.'

  `Then you were lied to by your own guards.'

  The head of the council turned to Nathan since they could not rely on Alice. `What did you hear?'

  `Gorham is more powerful than he pretends to be. The guards didn't have a clue as to where Sidney had been taken. It was Jared's ingenious idea to convince Gorham to try and find her like he located Eric's cell from his chambers. After that the details get unclear but they say that he rescued her on his own.'

  `How could he do that when he was in the house and never came out?'

  `You can ask him when you meet him. I hope today's business has been concluded.' He stood up without waiting for an answer and headed to the door. There was no point staying there when he could do better thinking on his own.