A Solitary Journey by Tony Shillitoe Page B

howl out his grief. His mother wasn’t meant to die. He always expressly forbade attacks against her. The word was that a young Seer who claimed that she killed his father had taken it upon himself to carry out a personal act of revenge in the palace and killed the Queen in full view of witnesses. He was struck down by the Elite Guards trying to make his escape. The Queen’s death signalled to her supporters that the war was lost. Her main army, already in retreat, surrendered on Kangaroo Plains. Her second army, stemming the incursions of the Coalition of Chiefs’ forces, was yet to surrender because its leader had not formally offered his allegiance to the Prince, but Future knew that was only a matter of circumstance and time. He really didn’t want to negotiate with the Coalition of Chiefs if they had taken control of substantial tracts of the Western Shess land, so the stoic resistance by the Queen’s soldiers in that region was something he would commend when he took command.
    This morning, with the sea breeze at his back and the ship on which he was sailing cutting through the green ocean of Royal Bay towards the docks, the white palace walls glittering in the sunlight, his spirits were buoyed at the prospect that he was the new king. He’d wanted his mother to crown him despite their war for the throne, but now he was king by absolute right as the sole inheritor as well as the conqueror. Jarudha held him in His hand and guided him to the throne. The city, the lands, the oceans were his to command.
    ‘It’s been a long time, Your Highness,’ said Seer Weaver as he joined the Prince on the foredeck of the Kerwyn ship.
    Prince Future smiled and licked the salty spray from his lips before replying, ‘It’s been almost thirteen years since I last set foot in my home as a free man. I thank Jarudha for His protection throughout that time.’
    Weaver bowed his head briefly and said, ‘As the new king, Your Highness, your service in Jarudha’s name I’m sure will be faultless and generous.’
    ‘And you? Are you glad to be home?’
    The Seer stared at the dark line of buildings squatting along the curving shore of the bay, flanked to the north and south by the tall limestone cliff-faced promontories of the palace and the notorious Bogpit. Waves shattered into white plumes on the smooth rocks. ‘I will be home when Jarudha’s Paradise is here in this world as the scriptures promise. Until then, my life is a continuous journey, and if the promise isn’t fulfilled in my mortal lifetime I will be a traveller until Paradise is made to be.’
    Future could offer nothing in response. The Seers always gave him the impression of being dissatisfied, even when events were turning in their favour. He stayed silent and gazed at the white palace walls. He, at least, was home.
    ‘When the Prince has had time to settle in, then we should bury the Queen,’ Diamond said in answer to Goodman’s query.
    ‘Yes, Your Eminence. You are right,’ Goodman agreed. ‘I’ll attend to the Prince’s arrival.’ He withdrew from the Counsel Chamber, heading for the quarters of the Elite Guards.
    Diamond nodded to three disciples. The young men in their yellow robes bowed to the Seer and followed Goodman. The Seer studied the chamber, noting as he always did the symmetry in the octagonal architecture. The space was empty, the Queen’s death momentarily suspending the need for diplomatic meetings. The Tithe Lords and surviving Marchlords were gathering in the palace, anxiously awaiting the arrival and imminent coronation of Prince Future, wondering how the change in leadership would affect their personal status, wealth and lives, but they were barred from entering the Counsel Chamber until it was graced with a Royal personage. Diamond was flouting the rules with his presence, but he had long discarded fear of recrimination from the earthly leaders. To Jarudha, and only Jarudha, was he accountable.
    He sighed and looked at the Royal