was already on his work table. What??? Who even dared think of such thing? The new council was consisted already from the first sons of the ministers he had just executed. Who would have thought they all had sons... He raised his right eyebrow in wonder. What now...let's see what these little man would want to ask. He started reading and by the seconds his face turned dark and his eyes already looked like flames begin to burn in his look.
-What is this?? he raised the peace of the paper in his hand looking at the young members that already looked frightened. Who???
The new members of the Council were mostly boys of not more than 20 years old. They wore already in their shiny armors, just like warriors, but he doubted the war had touched them . They seemed so frightened already although someone had the audacity to inform him of the decision of the old assembly he did not even knew!! And this decision was an old custom that he apparently never knew, an old custom that invokes the law of equity, that when the King commits a crime of honor, he should answer by paying with his honor too. So in this case, the King was demanded to marry one of the Houses he had wronged, and bring new heirs into the bloodline that he took heirs from!
The King snorted and yelled furious:
-Who wrote this??? and his words rumbled like thunders in the silence of the hall.
The soldiers were still standing in front of him, all on their knees, with their heads bowed and their eyes on the ground.
-It is the old low, Your Highness, the Monk said, kneeling behind him and also bowing his head. He was the only daring to answer, but he would hope to keep his head on his shoulders. His King was furious and he realized the mistake he did but he would not care if he would repeat it.
-When man make a mistake, man also should accept the consequences of their actions, It is the ancient Law of Balance My Lord, the Monk continued with a softly voice, trying to not challenge his King even more. Not much luck. He could hear the King trying to control his breath and his jaws clenching and his silence at this point was not such a good sign, the Monk was thinking.
-It is not My Law!!! Sheng Zhung raized his voice. And that was not a good sign either. He would never lose temper, as his soldiers would not see him often in this condition. They all thought he had such an admirable control over his feelings. Today he proved them wrong. The Monk did really ask himself to a point if he would be spared after all these many years of good service, or he would be executed with the new war council.
-Is is the low, My Lord, he said in a low voice bowing his head even more, until his forehead touched the ground in front of his king.
The new members of the war council learned from him and did the same. That somehow calmed the king's rage a little bit, looking at them as they seemed so obedient but in this position he knew they were still waiting for an answer from him. And that would be as forcing his hand into forging an alliance he did not need. If he would be to chose from a house, his choice would empower the house he would chose from, giving it the power of the kingmakers. As there would be heirs to be expected, the chosen house would also have the claim to the throne from that day on. And that throne was his. No one deserve it more than him as no one would fight for it like he did. To chose a woman now would make him what.. a sacrificial groom??? How was that possible? the mighty king is to be punished by his own council?? they would so pay for it!! All of them!
-I will think about your request, the king said. He let the paper fall down from his hand and left the room. Monk, with me! he hurried up to the stables.
-My king... ? the Monk knew they did not have to go in no mission, or maybe he was not suppose to know where they would go? He knew the king is sometimes calming his worse demons by riding wild into the night but tonight was so dark and he did seem calmer... or was he wrong?
The king grabbed his horse by the mane and threw himself on the horse, speeding in the night. The Monk hated that. Even if he was a really good rider, there was no one riding as his king. His horse was from a wild royal bloodline horses, mankiller demons, that would only listen by the dark saruman and the king was only riding those formidable horses which were faster than any other, which were stronger than any other and which were counted as fierce fighters on the battlefield. He could not ride such a wild horse, he did not have the powers of the demons. His blood was not powerful enough to dominate such an exemplar so far and he would doubt that one day he would ever be. His horse could not keep up with the king's horse and soon he was only trying to not lose the direction. The king was already far away and he was lucky they would ride in an open field already, where he could still do his duty to protect his king if anyone would dare to try anything.
He hated his job sometimes. His King was a very difficult man, who did not like to be crossed and always had to be right in everything. He was the most powerful man he ever knew, and he knew a lot of man. He remembered he was so proud the day he was chosen to be his guard, and he did not care much what happened to the other before him. It was their job anyway to be the shield in front of the King's life. He had trained a lot for this job, all his life actually, and he was one of the bests in riding, in sword skills, in archery but his King was so much better. He would be able to defend himself alone and his saruman was enjoying blood. That was pretty disturbing as as it is known that no one can control their saruman and if Sheng Zung's was thirsty for blood, it would ask more and more and where would that lead in the end? To the rise of the Dark King... and who would that Dark King be?
May the Gods have mercy on them all if at any point Sheng Zung would turn to rise as the Dark King. People thought of him right now as being the devil impersonated, what would he be like on the the Dark side? no, no, the Monk shacked his head, he would not think such thoughts. Better hurry his horse to try and catch up the King. If he only was allowed to ride with a saddle, he thought he would be more effective. The Shadows would not use saddles on their horses as all the war horses were kept wild so they can be used in battle as well as meat if necessary.
Rain started. Little, delicate and cold drops began to flow from the clouds. Soon, he could no longer see in front of him because of the rain and lightning was already furrowing the sky. The power of nature unfolded before him in this way would frighten him when he was out riding with his King for him to calm down. That was the way to stop the killing. He would just take a wild ride in the night and if would be raining, the better. The demon inside him would take his rage and spread it in the might of the nature unfolded.
Soon he saw a dark still figure in front of him. Waiting. His head up, letting the drops touch his face. Seemd calmer already, but then he saw a dark shadow rising before him with with his eyes burning in flames and sniffing the air leaning towards him. Damn, he would never get used to this sight...never..
-Do not move, Monk, he heard the king.
" I would not dream about it", the monk told himself dumbfounded. Even his horse was already in trance given by the sarumans's gaze upon them. The saruman was a dragon-like creature who was living as a symbiote contained in the human essence. They would not know much about them, but they knew that the saruman would grow to be bigger than the human body and yet would still get back into it after emerging from it. Sheng Zung's saruman was dark, the darker that was known so far, and was a big and very strong male. Just as his host. They were so strong and feared creatures that people called them demons because of the atrocities they could commit. They were also perfect judge of characters, weighed human souls and mind so clear, with no escape. And the worse part, they could not be controlled. The shadows who were hosting them would lend their powers and some were very strong, others could control the mind of the rest, other could even get invisible so far as he knew. Sheng Zhung's saruman gave him the ability of speed, agility and mind manipulation. Exactly what he needed to rise as a king. Nothing in this world could stop him to get what he wanted. And he would always get it all.
So the Monk saw the saruman absorbed back like a grey dark smoke inside Sheng Zung, while his eyes lended sight to his eyes, and he observed the fire burning in the King's eyes for a while in silence. He wondered what they would be planing so far in the darkness. Yet he stood there, facing the king in silence, untill he would adress him:
-I am calm now, we should get back.
-Yes, my King, he bowed his head and his right fist hit his chest saluting.
So the new young War Council would be spared... for now...