The Scarlet King by Charles Kaluza Read Free Book Online Page A

King Jason figured
something would happen tonight and we hoped it would be you." He
then asked," What of Jeremy?"
    Heather explained briefly their escape and
Jeremy's injury. Larby went below and got a few others to help and
they moved forward. Larby took a line and easily slid down the
anchor line. Those on board then hauled Jeremy topside. Larby used
a line to secure the skiff and then climbed back aboard himself. By
now the entire delegation was topside and everyone had
questions.
    Jason took control. When he had heard of the
envoy's instruction to leave immediately, he gave the command to do
so. Unfortunately those on board were delegates and soldiers, not
sailors. It was Larby who then took charge and began giving
specific instructions.
    They began by partially raising the main
sail, then Larby gave the order to raise the anchor. Using the
large windless, they slowly began raising the heavy anchor. When
all the free scope of the anchor line had been pulled in, they were
no longer able to turn the windless. Larby went forward and tested
the tension on the anchor line; it was as tight as a string on a
bow.
    He returned to the pilot house and told Jason
that the anchor was stuck. Jason asked what they should do. Larby
chewed on his lower lip before replying, "It would be best if we
waited for the tide to break the anchor free, but I fear that dawn
will be approaching before that happens. If we would leave in the
darkness we must cut the anchor line and lose our main anchor."
    Jason looked at Edna and Jeremy, and Edna
said, "I wish not to see the prison of the Scarlet King again. I
would we leave as ordered by the envoy."
    Larby again went forward, but instead of
cutting the anchor line aboard ship, he tied a line around himself
and descended along the anchor line to the water’s edge where he
began sawing with his sharp knife. When but a single strand was
left, he called up, "Relax the tension." Even with some relaxation
of the tension, the last strand gave way suddenly with the line
whipping upwards. Larby then had those aboard pull him up.
    The ship began moving ever so slowly and
Larby took command of the helm. Under the partial sail they made
slow but silent progress. Not until they had passed out of the
harbor and into the open sea did Larby hoist the remaining sails.
The pink of dawn was evident in the east as they sailed south away
from the prison of the Scarlet King.
     
    With the coming of the light the escape of
the prisoners from the Forest became known. A messenger who was
trusted by both the King and the envoy presented at the envoy's
quarters. He spoke briefly, saying, "Our King reports the visions
have gone and his mind is more at rest. For this he thanks you but
also sends a warning to be prepared, for some within the palace
will not be pleased." As soon as his simple message was relayed the
messenger disappeared quietly.
    The envoy prepared for the day knowing it
would be a day of reckoning between those groups who struggled for
power. He had not yet finished the morning review with his
commanders when an official messenger of the palace arrived,
requesting his presence at the palace. He would not tolerate even a
few minutes of delay for the envoy to complete his planning. The
envoy sighed heavily and told his commanders to prepare, then left
with a messenger. He was escorted into the palace by armed troops
and taken not to the great hall, but to the Hall of Justice as had
Jeremy and Edna. There he was met by the same small group of
advisers, several of which were openly hostile to him as they
waited for the arrival of the Scarlet King.
    The Scarlet King was carried in and set upon
his throne. His cousin, the Pet Bird, opened the proceedings by
charging the envoy with treason for failing in the Scarlet King's
command to capture the lands of the Sacred Water, and then allowing
the release of the prisoners from the Forest. This monologue went
on for some time and even the envoy, who was used to