The Curse Conduit
Chapter 50

The King knew that it would not be long before they would go into battle, days. It only gave his new guests a short time to come to terms with what they would be getting into. His heart heavy, knowing what he asked of them and the very real fact that they could get killed.

While the King remained behind he had sent a contingent of his knights on a mission, he expected them to bring back valuable information on the enemy. Little did he know as to how they would gain their information.

The King’s knights had indeed infiltrated the enemy’s camp but not in the way they had planned. Along their journey young Geoffrey had been found hiding amongst them. They had travelled too far to return him to the castle. Uri’s trusted Knight John was part of the contingent and he had no idea that Geoffrey had travelled with them to the King’s castle let alone how he had managed to stay hidden and travel with them now. Because John knew the young boy it had been left to him to decide what to do with Geoffrey.

Geoffrey sat on a large rock trying not to fidget, watching John as he paced up and down in front of him. Every so often the knight would throw a look the young boy’s way. It was no use asking the boy to behave himself and stay out of trouble so he did the next best thing. John decided to involve the boy so much in their plans that it would either give him what he would need to grow into a man or scare him so much he would never leave the safety of Uri’s home again. John gave him a task. An important and very dangerous task for one of such a tender age. Geoffrey was to pass himself off as one of the Paige boys they had seen working around the enemy’s camp.

The young boy had jumped at the chance to help, grinning from ear to ear though John was not sure that he fully understood the danger he would be in.

“Geoffrey do you understand what I have asked you to undertake?”

Geoffrey nodded.

“Do you understand the danger you shall be in?”

Again he nodded. “I fear not nearly as much as when I have to explain to Lady Beth-Elena where I have been.”

John laughed and slapped the young boy on the shoulders. He may have been young but he was far wiser than men three times his age.

John escorted Geoffrey to the edge of their own hidden camp, stopping to look down at the enemy. “We will be right here. Don’t be a hero Master Geoffrey. Only stay as long as required, no more.”

Still looking out in front of him once again John squeezed the young man on the shoulder. “You can change your mind; no one will think less of you.”

Geoffrey gave him his answer by stepping out and walking purposefully towards the enemy’s camp.

Young Geoffrey spent three days working inside enemy territory; no one paying him any attention except to shout orders at him. He worked, he listened, he watched, he remembered and not long before he decided that it was time for him to return to his own kinsmen he came upon a group of knights discussing the subject of a powerful sorceress that Geoffrey’s King had enlisted to help with the fight. The young boy smiled, he had mentioned something about the ‘sorceress’ on his first night in the camp hoping that the rumour would spread. The men were sitting around a camp fire trying to come up with ideas as to how powerful this sorceress was. Geoffrey decided that as a parting gift he would help them out. He cleared his throat. “Begging your pardon good sirs but I have heard it told that she is indeed very powerful. So powerful that she can become three. Making her even more powerful.”

Many of the knights laughed at him but Geoffrey could tell by the look in the eyes of the others that he had sown the seed. He made like he was going to leave when one of the men stopped him. “Young Paige. How did you come by this knowledge?”

Before turning back to face the knights Geoffrey smiled to himself and then launched into the most fantastic story about Beth-Elena, Elizabeth and Bethie he could think off. Weaving a tale of spells and potions, of how this sorceress had conquered large armies in far off lands just by singing. The more of this story he wove the more the knights were taken in.

As Geoffrey walked out of the enemy’s camp and back to his own he knew that by the time each army faced off in battle that the rumour of this powerful Sorceress would have done its work.

When the group arrived back at the castle the first thing to happen was Geoffrey’s reprimand. Not from the King but from Beth-Elena, Elizabeth and Bethie. All three women had been worried sick about the boy when they had found him missing. While the women fussed over the boy the King was privy to the news wondering what the women would do when they found out just how involved Geoffrey had been. It did not take them long to find out and the poor boy could see no escape until Declan came to his rescue.

“Ladies, Ladies. I beg thee. Has the boy not been punished enough? Would it not be wiser to let him take his leave to rest after having to suffer such an arduous situation?”

Declan looked straight at the young boy. “I think it best you see what cook has for you to eat and then possibly a bath. Off with you.”

Geoffrey needed no second invitation and bolted from the hall before any of the women could start a counter attack.

Derek and Danny had the same silly grins on their faces, Urian, Uri and Uriah frowned just a little and all three women glared at Declan. That was until he wore the same silly grin as Derek and Danny and all they could do was laugh.

Their sweet sound filled the air and rested on the hearts of each man who heard it. Even the King smiled. As the shadow of war loomed larger the King saw a gentleness and love he hoped would survive.

He saw friendships that had been birthed across time, people who had connected with each other in a way that was a wonder to him and he saw a love between souls that was eternal. For all their sakes he hoped the battle went in their favour. No more was it a fight for just his land and his people, it was now a fight for souls and the survival of love. No greater battle would the King ever face again.

Part Three - Fused

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