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THE ROOT OF DARKNESS FOURTY FIVE
I’d pretended as if I’d left the kingdom and returned home but stopped in the woods, where I knew the knights and my Aunt would be waiting for me to tell them about my plan to escape with the princess. “What was so important that it couldn’t wait till we returned home?”. Sir Victor questioned strongly. It was written all over his face that he couldn’t wait to go back to his son and wife. “I apologize for taking out of your time”. I say from one knight to the other.”But this is a matter of urgency”.“Then speak with a matter of urgency, lad. We don’t have all day”. Barrett spoke calmly. The calmness in his tone was only made possible because of my Aunt’s presence and to that, I was grateful for. “It’s about the princess. She wants to follow us back to our land”. “No. No, not at all. Perish that thought”. Sir Barett say the minute my words come out.“Barett, let’s atleast hear him out”. Sir Hansman cajoled. “No. There’s no thinking this. The king would be very furious when he finds
THE ROOT OF DARKNESS FOURTY SIX
Feeling uneasy and almost sick of the smell that oozed out from the giant’s clearing, I nearly forget the reason I’d decided to come here and had almost turned back the way I came but after chiding myself harder and one last time, I make my way into the clearing where the giants would notice me quickly and as expected, they did.They start to charge towards me upon sight, seeing me as a meal to be eaten but I hold up my hands. “Wait”. Surprisingly, they halt and to that, I was grateful for or else I would have taken off quicker than my next breath. “I have an offer for you all”One of the bigger giants amongst the troops before me seemed fascinated by this idea as it opened it’s mouth and spoke as a strong sewage breathe accompained his words. “Wh-at is t-hi-s of-fe-r?”I repressed the urge to cover my nose at the stinch of his breathe as I table out my offer. “I want to offer you a chance at revenge”. The giant quirked it’s brow, confused by clearly intrigued. “Re-ve-n-ge?”“Yes” I
THE ROOT OF DARKNESS FOURTY SEVEN
I hide nearby the kingdom gates listening to the mayhem being caused by the giants in the village. Roars and screams could be heard from each and every angle. It was hard to even decipher if the giants were the prey or predators from this battle. Blood were spilled on the ground and immediately I saw it, I knew they belonged to the giants. I knew just how skillful the knights of this kingdom were. I’ve seen them fight upright. Plus these giants they were fighting with were one of the “friendlies” not the barbarians who’d killed a lot. Or maybe I should have tried to talk the barbarians into corporating with us?. I shake my head dissing my thoughts. I couldn’t believe I was thinking of corporation with those who’d captured my Aunt and whole lot of others. Plus even if I’d miraculously gotten them to corporate with us, the chances that they would turn against us was relatively high. Instead of thinking of the decision I would have made, I just concentrate on now. What’s done is done
THE ROOT OF DARKNESS FOURTY EIGHT
The great fall of the giant seemed to have awakened our six senses as I look down at Christina from above and shout with a matter of urgency. “Faster! Go down faster!”. With a mad rush, we keep going down the beanstalk knowing fully well that the king and his knights will also be on their way down, on our tail. It was nightfall by the time we start to reach the bottom as jumping leaf by leaf was a lot easier than trying to climb. As we reach the bottom, I see numerous people waiting for us down below. From my Aunt to the King of our land to Sir Barrett, Victor and Hansman and only one thing resonated In my ears. Home. I was finally home and never in a million years did I ever think I’ll be glad to be back here even with the creditors that awaited us. I wiped at the tears that threatened to roll down my cheeks as I jumped off the beanstalk. Immediately my feets hit the ground, My Aunt rushes over to me and hugs me ever so tightly. I, more than anything wanted to hug her just as m
THE ROOT OF DARKNESS FOURTY NINE
As the beanstalk falls, I see the king who had also followed his knights down, fall but was rather lucky as he ended up landing on the body of the giant he killed, breaking his fall even though he is still quite scuffed.“You people are the worst!”. He fumed. “I welcome you into my home, bathe you, clothe you. I saw you as family as you were even allowed to feast and dine with me by my golden table!”. He turned to look at Sir Hansman and my Aunt. “I helped find and save those who you’d lost In my land and this is how you repay me?!”.“I should have known better than to help people who know nothing about kindness”. He ended as he spoke out of rage. Understandable rage because he didn’t seem to understand why we were doing this when he welcomed us in his land with so much generosity. But over my dead body would I let those fickle words of his move me to return Christina back to this man. This murderer. Only the lord knows what he would do to her for planning to escape in the first plac
THE ROOT OF DARKNESS FIFTY
Within a span of 30 days, Christina had fused a few items into gold as she couldn’t stop crying tears of joy over the littlest thing. Everything around here was a first for her so I completely understood why she couldn’t stop crying. Was it when she first held a puppy? Or when she first ate food that wasn’t giant flesh, you name it!. The first time It rained, she observed it’s droplets with sheer curiosity and when it landed on her skin, she freaked out thinking she was crying without her knowledge and that made her cry all the more. Everything overwhelmed her and I understood the feeling quite well as that was exactly how her island overwhelmed me too with it’s golden bedding, beautiful festivals, horses and soft beds. Sometimes it could be because she was extremely happy on our land and other times, it could be because she remembered the one eyed giant who was killed on her behalf. Nonetheless with the gold that was produced, she used it to pay all Aunt’s and I’s debt and moved
THE ROOT OF DARKNESS FIFTY ONE
My Aunt, the king of our land and the knights were all invited to our wedding and I was nervous a well. “Stop being nervous”. Sir Victor said. “You are acting as if you don’t want to marry her anymore”. Sir Victor tired to face Christian, his baby boy in his arms. “Are you seeing your uncle, Christian?. Do t grow up to be like him.". He teased. Yeah that’s right. We finally got to see Sir Victor’s wife and son and might I add that his son looks nothing like him!. And on the topic of kids, what the night awaited Christina and I made me nervous too. I was nervous about everything. “Were you this nervous when you were getting married to your wife?”. I questioned Sir Victor. “No, not at all---“. Sir Victor started but his wife had interrupted with the truth, exposing that Sir Victor had developed his first asthma attack from his wedding and that if not for god’s interference, they would have postponed their wedding while he would have spent it at an hospital. That did a little trick
THE ROOT OF DARKNESS FIFTY TWO
300 years later. “Wow Father, this is beautiful!”. Christina and I’s 40 years old son, Gerald exclaimed as he stared at the huge white –with a little touch of gold—skyrise apartment. Gerald is our first son and a sturdy business man. He’d taken interest in learning business immediately we’d moved to the city and I couldn’t be more proud to see my son excel do well in his choice of study.He Is currently married with a fine lady that works in his field of work and they have two beautiful girls, twin girls to be precise---Katherine and Katherina---“I really couldn’t agree less, father”. Miriam, our daughter chimed in. She was a spiltting image of Christina. From her long blonde hair to her green eyes. She’s our first and only daughter, the second born of the family and probably Christina’s favourite---although Christina always denies that she doesn’t have a favourite--- but it shows and we all know it too. Being an epitome of beauty just like her mother, she’d had different spouses