Destiny Scorns

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  Jared was caught in a position that no one would have ever wanted to be in. Everywhere he went he was being asked if it was true that Diane was alive. If he answered no, then he would have to explain the white haired replica of the late queen. If he answered yes, then he was going to be asked if she would take over again from Alice.

  There was no hiding Wendy's presence anymore. Not to mention that she was now riding towards him with the company of one of the wizards whose name he had found out was Ken. He was quiet most of the time. Jared watched as they approached. Wendy's head was covered which only highlighted the fact that she was hiding her hair. After she passed the people turned to watch her. She slowed down as she neared him. She dismounted and walked the rest of the way to him pulling the horse behind her.

  `Hallo Jared,' she said the reached out and kissed him slightly on his cheek.

  `What are you doing here?' he asked.

  `Gorham wanted me to look around and I thought that it would be best if I started where you were.' Then she laughed cheerfully. `But to be honest,' she leaned forward and whispered, `I think he wanted to get rid of me because I remind him so much of Diane.'

  `Anybody can understand that.'

  She punched him slightly, `I was kidding.' She walked to the table that was before Jared. `So, what are you doing here?' She looked at the map.

  `I'm trying to see if the defenses on the city are strong enough.'

  `Gorham told me that the security was getting slack. What I want to know is how are the country side people coping with all the changes?'

  `As far as I've heard, they are okay.'

  `As far as you've heard?' she looked at him skeptically. `You are supposed to keep abreast of the on goings within the plantations. Who arrests the thieves?'

  `What thieves?'

  `The thieves who steal from other people's farms. There is always someone stealing from another. I grew up in a farm, I know.'

  `Well, there have not been any thieves...' he hesitated before he finished, `Caught.'

  `You should work on that. They are the ones who provide food for the rest of us and we want them happy doing what they do best.' She looked over the map. Jared couldn't help but study her instead. She was intensely looking over the map. `Here, here and here,' she pointed then looked at Jared. `There used to be stations in those parts. If I remember correctly. You should send someone to check on them and you probably need to circulate them if they are not doing any work.'

  `Will do.'

  Wendy was quiet as if in deep thought. She looked round and saw a carriage. `Whose carriage is that?'

  `Don't know.'

  `I need to borrow if for a few hours.'

  `Why?'

  `Victor is back and has brought with him a visitor who I don't think will be comfortable on a horse's back.'

  `If you don't mind me accompanying you...'

  Wendy thought about it thinking that Jared had better things to do but she knew it would be good for Dr Ryan to meet a friendly face. She laughed at that then waved to him to follow them. Jared had someone drive the carriage as the rest of them got on the horses.

  It was a reasonably long ride but eventually they got to where they were heading to. From some distance away, they could see two figure walking and a horse at one end. They went closer and Wendy could make out Victor's figure and Dr Ryan. She went and dismounted before them.

  `Miss Wendy, a pleasure to see you again,' he said as he hugged her.

  `Well, Dr Ryan, I can't possibly try to start explaining to you how happy I am to see you here. You did come willingly, didn't you?'

  `Of course. I was very curious as to where you come from...' his voice trailed as he looked around. `The air is even fresher than in the mountains back home. Wendy, did you know that we are in an alternate universe?' he asked excitedly.

  `Yes, yes, Dr Ryan, now please meet these friends of mine,' Wendy said as she pointed to Ken and Jared. She had forgotten the fact that Ken was a wizard and almost shouted but a hand held her shoulder. She looked round and her eyes met with Victor's.

  He leaned down to her and whispered in her ear, `The rules don't apply here.'

  He straightened up back Wendy couldn't help it when her mind started whirling with thoughts. `Oh my god!' she exclaimed, `Amber was right.'

  Victor was confused. Wendy was staring at him strangely and then she suddenly turned and was heading away. `Amber was right about what?' The former refused to look at him. He turned questioningly to Ken but he was beaten to it by her. She gave him a stern look. Ken shrugged his shoulders.

  `We should be heading back. It will be dark soon.'

  `Wendy,' he called. She looked at him with a blank expression on her face. `Never mind.' He went back to his horse. Dr Ryan was opened for the carriage door and she was surprised at how comfortable it really was. As they passed the houses, he was stunned. Architecturally they were a bit advanced but their mode of transportation was still the most basic one. The carriage was eventually drawn into a large compound. He looked out and could see the massive building that seemed to be the center of all the activity. The door was opened for him and he found that everyone else was already on the ground.

  They walked into the building. Victor and Jared were at the lead. Wendy was walking next to him and Ken was behind them. Then a guard as he now was aware of the attire approached them. He went straight to Wendy, `Miss Summer, the king would like to see you.'

  `Now?'

  `Whenever it is appropriate with you.'

  They went up the stairs and Dr Ryan now knowing that they had to follow Victor was suddenly tugged aside. He watched as Ken passed them while the others kept walking. Another door was opened for them and they walked into a single room. There was a desk in front of them and a middle aged man was sitting alone in the room. They walked until the table where the man looked up and Wendy curtsied. Dr Ryan quickly assumed that this was the king and he therefore bowed deeply to the ground and almost seemed to be bending.

  The man stood up and held out his hand for them. `Your Majesty, this is Dr Ryan. Dr Ryan, this is King Gorham. One of the kings of our people.'

  `A pleasure to meet you, your Majesty.'

  `Same here,' he turned to Wendy. `Alice came to see me,' He sat down and waved them both to sit down. `I don't like that she is assuming that I am helping you. Not to mention she is already talking about a civil war.'

  `She's already thinking of fighting me?'

  `Apparently you were not clear enough in the council meeting...'

  `I told you that it went okay.'

  `Let me make myself clear so that you also know this. I am not going to have us go into a civil war. The two of you need to settle things in a civilized way but I should advice you to quit when you think that you cannot handle the power.'

  `I assume that you told her the same thing?'

  Gorham sighed. `Wendy, I want you to know that I will support you if you are to be sworn in. And personally I think that the crown belongs to you. Unfortunately Alice is determined not to let go.'

  `But I told you that I'm not interested.'

  `I'm afraid that you will realize too late that this is what you want.' The door opened and Victor walked in. He headed to the table where everyone was assembled. `Victor, can you make Wendy see there is no sense in what she is saying.'

  `And what is she saying?'

  `I'm sorry, will you excuse me?' she got up bowed and then left.

  Gorham and Victor stared at each other. `What is going on between the two of you?' Gorham asked.

  `Nothing.'

  The former looked at him skeptically, `That can't explain why she suddenly turned nervous when you entered the room.'

  `She started acting strange when we met today.'

  `You are still training her, so whatever it is, let it not go into the training.'

  `Yes sir,' he turned an
d he also left the room. The only reason that he went there in the first place was because he knew she would be there. Now that she wasn't there, there was no point.

  `I'm sorry Dr Ryan; it's just that some things always need to be solved at that particular time.' `I understand, your Majesty.'

  `Please, when we are in the confines of privacy I am no longer a royalty. I remember reading something about you.'

  Ryan raised his eyebrows in surprise. He didn't realize that he was a celebrity in this world.

  `Where?'

  `In Diane's diary. We have a custom here that when a queen dies I read their diary.'

  `How many people have read the diary?'

  `Many, but I tore the part about you and burnt it in the fire.' he answered knowing where he was going with the questioning.

  `Why?' Dr Ryan couldn't believe it. He thought he was famous but he was not.

  `Well, doctor, in Diane's diary she referred to you as a healer given that we do not have the term doctor in our language. And according you with such status your must have really impressed her.'

  `I was just doing my job.'

  `Don't be modest doctor, I'm surrounded by wizards and modesty is not one of their traits. I am used to everyone bragging now and then.'

  `Very well then, I did impress her.'

  Gorham smiled. `I only hope that you will not cut Sidney open.'

  `Not unless it is necessary which I doubt will be.'

  The king was quiet for awhile before he asked, `Why did Henry pick you? From what I've heard, he really loved Diane.'

  `Loved is an understatement. He really adored her but I doubt that she felt the same way about him.'

  `What made you assume that?'

  `She would be lost in her thoughts and Henry would find her like that and he would leave as if he had a broken heart. It was a long time ago. So, I really can't remember much except that Henry's servants had never seen that side in him which scared them more than his normally stern self.'

  `So he's a good person?'

  `I suppose one can say that but he has his own set of rules that he rarely diverts from.' Ryan watched him. `Why are you so interested in him?'

  `Everybody keeps telling me that I remind them of him or I'm like him. Even Diane.'

  `You do resemble him in build but you are older of course by a few years. You may seem like him in how you view issues but that takes time to note.'

  `Okay, back to what brought you here. You will stay within my castle. If you are to go out then you will need a guard assigned to you by Wendy, Victor or Jared to accompany you. You are to refer to your patient as only my wife should anybody ask which somebody is bound to. If you are asked where you come from, just tell them you are from far away.'

  `Am I in some sort of danger?'

  `Not when you are under my protection. Another thing, if anybody seems too interested in you, then you should inform Victor.'

  `Not you?'

  `Victor is more capable to keep abreast with what is going on around than I am. Naturally, my name is supposed to keep the bad people away but Victor is the one who will know which group is which. I should also inform you that you can tour around the city until Sidney will deliver, then after that you can stay here or even tour the outskirts and other kingdoms should you choose.'

  `That is very generous of you.'

  `Regarding your payment...'

  `Already taken care of.'

  `By whom?'

  `Half by Henry, the other half by Victor.'

  `So you came here fully paid for services that you have not even rendered?'

  `That is just the way it works.'

  `You don't trust them?'

  `On the contrary, they are the only people I do trust in business. They deal that way because sometimes they disappear for years and they do not want to do that when they are still in debt.'

  `So they also trust you?'

  `I suppose that is a yes.'

  `But how much is your pay when it requires two people to pay your fee?'

  `They not only pay for my services but for privacy and the background of the story I am to tell other people. And a lot of other things.'

  `I would have felt better if there was some way that I could pay you.'

  `I am staying in a castle and in the company of a king, that is payment enough for a simple peasant as myself.'

  Gorham stood up and Ryan took it that they were now ready to see the patient. `My castle is not as big as Alice's so I doubt if you will get lost. In case you are, you can always ask anyone where to go. People are helpful here.' They walked through the corridors as Gorham explained the functions of most of the rooms. At least the ones that he knew their functions. Eventually they got to Gorham's room which was now turning into one of the public rooms. He found Ken and Amber there.

  `Where's Victor?'

  `He's looking for Wendy.' Amber answered.

  `What is going on between them?' Gorham hopefully fished.

  `The usual your Majesty,' Amber said as she shrugged. They let Dr Ryan have a look at Sidney. Gorham watched with a lot of interest. He remembered bits of what Diane had said in her diary. But what surprised him was when Sidney woke up. She looked curiously at Ryan then seemed to realize who he was and closed her eyes seemingly very relaxed.