Chapter 13

The secretary told Stefan to rap three times on the door, and made him sign the record book. The lieutenant swallowed his fear at the request for three knocks, for he knew three knocks meant the door would be opened immediately. "Out of the pot and into the fire," he mumbled to himself.

"Enter," a voice cried out, and Stefan obeyed.

Stefan walked three steps and saluted the king, the crowned prince and the old advisor, "Lieutenant Stefan of the King's Guard reporting as ordered, your majesty."

"At ease, Lieutenant," King Gringolas rumbled, "I imagine you've had a hard day already. How did your interview with Eusebionius go?"

"I don't think I'll be invited back, sir" Stefan stated looking straight ahead, trying not let the beaded sweat around his neck distract him. The irritant was of little consequence for as the councilor was admonishing Stefan for not answering directly, the crowned prince was laughing uproariously. The king banged on the table once for both to cease their noise.

Stefan continued, "He wanted me put to death for slaying his priest in Marakand. When he failed at that gambit, he charged me with heresy."

"Yet you are here and not in his dungeon," the crowned prince remarked with amusement still in his voice. "How did you escape that charge?"

"I didn't escape the charge, sir; it was true. However, the High Priest doesn't pay his mercenaries enough, and the evidence went into the fireplace," Stefan answered candidly for the first time. The lifting of the secret burden was a relief to his soul.

"What kind of heresy have you committed?" the crowned prince continued, "I hope it was something lascivious."

"I'm sorry to disappoint the Prince, but the heresy was a mathematical proof that the earth goes around the sun, a rather boring treatise using arithmetic," Stefan responded in full.

"Does it?" the king piped in.

"Probably," the old advisor answered before Stefan could, "but no one in their right mind is going challenge the priests and their ignorant mobs over it." He faced Stefan, "Were you open about it?"

"The High Priest had the scroll stolen from a hidden place in my house in the military neighborhood just outside the wall," Stefan made clear. "Only my wife and I have studied the scroll, but she is just learning."

"Where did you get this scroll?" the king asked.

"Esala. The governor has invited a bookseller to take up residence in the city."

The king shook his head, "I told you that governor is far too clever for his own good, Aldon."

"The High Priest has violated the boundaries of the royal property, father," the crowned prince pointed out.

"I gathered as much, my son. What would be the proper response from the throne?"

The crowned prince thought for a moment, "I believe that the High Priest is in need of a spiritual rest at his mountain retreat in the western range. I wonder how soon the fatted fool could leave?"

The king nodded with approval, "Aldon, make a note to invite our grand priest to make a hasty exit from the city. I'll give him one day to make his arrangements, because I'm feeling rather perturbed at his feint to harm one of my officers."

Aldon wrote a quick note and passed it out the door before returning to the table where the king and his son sat. Stefan still stood at parade rest.

The king continued, "Were you planning on telling me about your encounter with the zealous priest in Marakand, Lieutenant?"