William and Jon rode through the rest of the day and into the night towards Alryn. They arrived at the castle at dusk. King Sloan stood just beyond the tall gates with Barric and Carsen, their arms crossed. They greeted the young men with cynical smiles when Jon and William approached.
"My Lord," William said, dismounting his horse and bowing before his king. His heart raced in an anxious rhythm in the presence of their ruler. He ignored the hard stares of the village traitors. "We have come to report on the search for the witch that attacked the city."
"Your men have already come to me," the king said, his voice stern. "They tell me you're hiding it. Is this true?"
"It is, My Lord, but our actions are just."
"You will be hanged for this," the king scolded.
"My Lord," Jon spoke up. "We believe she is the key to finding Scarletta. She saved us from Scarletta's Nequam. She is not like the other witches. She could be an asset to us. She has agreed to bring us to Scarletta."
"Do you truly believe a witch will help us?" King Sloan hissed at them.
"Yes, My Lord."
King Sloan's face was hot with rage. "Fool! I have a kingdom to protect! I cannot let my people suffer just because you think she is good!"
"My Lord," William began, pulling his shoulders back in an attempt at seeming like less of a boy. He felt small and insignificant in the presence of his king. "We would never ask you to betray your people. We have come to you because we have faith in you. We could finally be rid of Scarletta and her witches."
"And what if this witch betrays us? What then?"
Barric and Carsen watched, waiting for William's answer.
William hesitated. The king turned his back to them in anger. "I will not endanger my kingdom like that," he said, pushing past their small group.
"Hang us!" Jon shouted.
The king turned back to the young men and studied them. William looked to his friend, hesitant, his expression nervous.
"If she betrays us, hang us all."
"I can assure you, your deaths will not fix the betrayal this could cause. We have been at war with Scarletta for years. Your deaths could not undo what she has put this kingdom through. What she put Asmar through."
"You cannot kill her," William begged. "Please, M'lord. We have seen her. We have spoken with her. We trust her. She is too weak to do Scarletta's bidding. She is too weak to do anything. But she could help us bring Scarletta down. We'd never have to worry about another witch again. She's promised to bring us to Scarletta. Let her bring us there. Please. We have put our faith in you all these years. We trust you. Put your faith in us, your people. Trust us."
"This is not a matter to be taken lightly," he said, his voice harsh. King Sloan looked them over, considering his options. Perhaps William was right; he had to be able to trust his citizens. "I will discuss this with the council. We will have an answer by morning." King Sloan called to his soldiers and they headed inside the castle.
Barric and Carsen turned to William and Jon, sneers on their faces.
"You've set yourself up to be killed," Barric said to them. "That witch will betray you. King Sloan knows that. You've wasted your time coming here."
"King Sloan is a smart man," Jon said. "He will use her to his advantage if it means bringing Scarletta down."
King Sloan's guards approached and shooed them off the castle grounds. The four men stared each other down for a moment before making their own ways through the city for the night.
Jon looked over his shoulder nervously as they walked through the quiet streets.
"Stop worrying," William hissed to him. "They won't follow us."
"You don't know that," Jon shot back.
William was quiet as they wandered.
"Do you think he'll kill us?" Jon asked with uncertainty.
They had never considered this until now. William suddenly felt sick. "You just had to tell him to hang us," he sneered at his friend.
"They all trust her."
"Do you trust her?"
Jon hesitated for a moment. "Yeah, I guess so. I mean, if she were as evil as everyone thinks she is, she would have killed us right then and there."
William seemed to consider this for a moment. "Maybe," he said, still unsure and wary of their situation.
"We're getting hanged, aren't we?" Jon mumbled.
They passed a group of young women hovering outside a tavern door. They giggled and waved as they passed.
"Heroes don't get hanged," William said, winking at the women.
"Yeah, well, I hope you're right."
#
King Sloan threw the castle's double doors open and let them slam shut behind him. He stood for a moment, just outside of the large throne room, contemplating his options. He strode through the empty room, his footsteps echoing off the stone walls, until he reached a door at the far end. He opened the door to the room where his council waited. He seated himself at the head of the long table in the center of the room and cleared his throat.
"I have received word that a party of villagers have found Scarletta's witch." He waited a moment to let the information sink in before he continued. "They believe she is not like the other witches. She has aided them against an attack by Scarletta's Nequam. The Nequam must be out searching for her, but she refuses to return to Scarletta."
The council spoke to one another in hushed voices. The king was quiet for a moment as he thought over the villagers' request. He waited for the council to quiet before he continued.
"They said she has agreed to bring them to Scarletta. It is time I put my faith in the people of my kingdom as they have done in me for many years. The army and I will ride out to the party and use the witch's knowledge to find Scarletta and defeat her once and for all."
A fist slammed into the table. "Are you mad?" The older man glared at his king, his thin lips hidden behind his thick, grey beard.
"You dare question my competence as a leader?" King Sloan said, raising his voice at the councilman.
"She's a witch! How can you believe she's any different from Scarletta? She belongs to Scarletta!"
"If she were half as evil as Scarletta, this kingdom would not be standing here right now. I have faith in my people. The consequences will be grave if they are wrong."
"I will not be a part of a plan that will bring this kingdom to its end."
"You distrust me, after all the years I've lead this kingdom? I will have you banished if you defy me."
The outraged councilman grew quiet at this threat. He cleared his throat, his expression still hard. "I will not betray you or my kingdom, my lord, but for the love of God, I hope you are right."
#
The next morning, King Sloan stood before his army. His graying hair blew gently with the wind. The azure and gold flags of Librona stood tall above the castle and swayed lazily with each breeze.
"I have received word from a search party that someone has been found who can bring us to Scarletta's castle. Today, we ride to the castle to defeat Scarletta once and for all. Our kingdom will soon be at peace from her and her witches." The king turned to his messenger. "Deliver the message throughout the kingdom. Bring anyone back here who wishes to join the fight."
The messenger bowed to his king, mounted his horse, and left the city.
The king turned to William and Jon who stood by his side.
"We ride out just before midday," the king said to them. "I trust you can guide me and my men to this witch of yours?"
"Yes, sir," William said with confidence.
"Good. Prepare yourselves for the ride."
Mallius and five of Scarletta's Nequam watched from the castle's tower, out of sight from the people below. They listened in on the conversation and turned to one another.
"Follow them," Mallius ordered, his voice deep and raspy. "They'll lead us to Calliope. This time, don't take off," he hissed. "I'll give Scarletta the good news. She'll want Calliope, so keep her alive."
Mallius pushed off of his perch and into the sky towards Scarletta's castle. The other four watched the men below, keeping close to the towers of the castle and out of sight, ready to stalk their prey.
When noon approached, the king and his troops rode out of the city and across the kingdom. The Nequam took flight, following in the sky, careful to keep their distance and to stay out of sight. The king and his army followed Jon and William as they galloped into the woods. The Nequam flew in and out of the trees, dodging branches and keeping to the shadows. The king and his men rode on, oblivious to their distant stalkers.