The Demon King's Hero Of Light 18 Chapter 18 Royal Assassin

Ulrik climbed back up onto his seat as the healers moved down to see to Vesh.

"These are your personal healers, King Aella, so if you have them expend all of their spells on your followers, then they won't have any spells for you, if you need them," cautioned Tezra.

"I'm not worried about that. Heal Vesh." She waved her hand at the healers to continue, then stood to investigate the food table again. Grabbing an apple, she headed to her throne to check it out. It looked horribly oversized and uncomfortable.

"Tezra, where did the other counselors go?" asked Aella, returning to the table and leaning against it as she ate her apple.

"Borzan and Drozgor were both killed when the sword exploded. Drogmath was killed when the crowd attacked him, and Zalgor was killed by tentacle snakes. Gugrith left with Orruz and Jugthu to handle their funerals and to deal with any spouses or children, as well as their estates and finances," explained Tezra, refilling her mug from one of the many pitchers Edgar had placed on the table.

"Tell me about this royal orphanage, and why children were pitted against each other," demanded Aella after a moment. She never thought about the counselors having families. She had a.s.sumed they were all evil b.a.s.t.a.r.ds that could die.

"All military people are to place their children in the orphanage, when they are called away, if there is no one to care for them. Those are the children who are put through rigorous tests to choose who will be placed in compet.i.tions for being king. What happened with you, being grabbed off the streets, should never have happened. When an investigation looked into your group, after the Race, it was discovered that all of the children had been s.n.a.t.c.hed as you were, but because of their demise, there was nothing that could be done. You were too promising to release, and it was believed you had no family to be sent back to, anyways," Tezra continued.

Aella wasn't about to tell them her father was in the military, because she didn't want to find out he was still alive somewhere, and refused to return to her. She much preferred to believe he was dead, killed by the counselors who were also dead. It allowed her to move on and focus on important things.

"Alright, then tell me about the heroes."

"Your tutors can tell you far more about them, then I can. My job is to see to it that you are tended to for today. Tomorrow I shall return to my normal job," said Tezra, tearing a chunk of bread from a loaf that was making its way around the table.

"Oh? And what is your normal job?" asked Aella, imagining her perusing the royal orphanage for suitable contestants in her fighting rings.

"Normally I run a store selling clothing. My husband has been running it without me while I tended to my duties as a counselor," she answered, dipping her bread into her stew.

"You have a husband?" asked Aella surprised. "What about kids?"

"I have a daughter, Your Majesty," Tezra answered staring at her food.

"How old is she?" Aella was wondering if she should do anything to the child in retaliation for all of the c.r.a.ppy years she spent in the underground fighting, but decided she probably shouldn't. Why subject the child to something she wasn't involved in? It would make her no better than the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds she hated.

"She's almost fourteen, Your Majesty. I believe she has been helping my husband run the store while I have been gone."

"When you are done eating, you may return to them. I have no further use for you, if you won't answer my questions about the heroes," said Aella, tossing her apple core at Edgar. He caught it with a frown.

"But Aella, I haven't shown you to your personal chambers, or helped you sort out the rest of the compet.i.tors," exclaimed Tezra in a panic.

Aella raised an eyebrow. The counselor was so upset, she had dropped all pretenses of royalty. Something was up, that had her terrified.

"What happens if you just leave?" asked Aella.

"I could be killed for s.h.i.+rking my duties," she whispered.

There was someone in charge, that had made rules that everyone had to abide by, that didn't pertain to the king at all.

"Look, Tezra, I know that the position of king is nothing more than an honorary t.i.tle. Someone to distract the heroes and keep the pretense of war going for the little people. The only thing different between me and the rest of the demon fighters in this room, is the fact that the castle is bestowing special powers on me, to make me more powerful to fight the heroes."

Tezra looked like she had swallowed a frog and it was fighting to get back up her throat. The other demons in the room were listening to her intently, and it was obvious none of them had even considered what she was saying.

"Every attempt I have made, to learn more about my position, or to learn about being a better king, has been met with scorn from the advisors and excuses from you. So, tell me again what is expected of me?"

Tears were gathered in Tezra's eyes as she looked at Aella. "I don't know anything about the heroes, other than that you are to fight them as the king, when they show up. If you lose, you will die, and the six-year timer will begin again before we can get another king crowned. If you win, then the heroes will die, and the humans will have six years to find the new reborn heroes and train them up. That is honestly all I know. I was chosen 6 months ago, to oversee the final stages of training and weeding out of compet.i.tors for the final compet.i.tion today."

Aella nodded thoughtfully. Glancing at the ceiling, as she thought, she was suddenly struck with the memory of the first king, who had constantly looked up when she asked him questions. A chuckle broke out, despite her attempts to quell it.

"Then I want my tutors here now, and we shall start deciding what to do with these other demons while we wait. a.s.suming there are tutors to be summoned?"

"There are, but they don't usually get summoned until after the heroes come. It's believed to be a waste of their time to try and teach the new king anything, if the heroes come and kill him right away."

"Well, I don't intend to be killed. Summon them and let's get started."

Tezra nodded at her, and turned to one of the guards at the door. She waved a particular hand signal at him and he left.

Looking over the demons sitting at the table, Aella frowned. She was so short, that even with them sitting and her standing, they were too tall for her to see clearly. Grabbing her chair, she pulled it over and climbed into it. Several chuckled, but none of them said anything.

"Which of you truly want to become my generals? a.s.suming that is what they intend for you to become."

"What other options do we have?" asked Frederik.

"I would like to a.s.sign some of you as my personal guards. Some of you would have special positions, like Firion will be my a.s.sa.s.sin, to do the killing I won't have time for. Because I don't know what all is expected of me, I would have those I trust at my side. None of these guards are known by me, and I can't guarantee they will follow my orders if those orders go against the standing rules in the castle."

"And how do you intend to make us powerful enough to go up against these guards, a.s.suming that is what you want us to do? We've already seen that they are stronger than us," said Vesh, as the healers finished with him and turned to leave the room.

Aella glanced over to the guards who were watching her intently.

"You, there at the door," she said, pointing at one of the guards.

He straightened and saluted her.

"Explain to me how the guards are able to overcome the strength of us fighters,"

"The castle imparts strength to us, Your Majesty," he answered loud and clear.

"So, you have to do as I request?" she asked, surprised and happy at the news.

"The castle has recognized you as King, Your Majesty," he answered, saluting her again.

"Tezra, if I p.r.o.nounce some of these demons with special t.i.tles, would the castle give them special abilities to do what is needed for those positions?" asked Aella, wondering how this all worked.

"I am not sure; it has never been tested like that. All previous kings have immediately sent all their opponents away to prevent any from attacking them."
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Stepping up onto the table, Aella began walking down it while she thought. Pausing in front of Firion, she turned to him.

"Firion, I name you Royal a.s.sa.s.sin. Should you accept this position, you shall only answer to me. All those I wish to die; you shall see to in your own way. Do you accept this honor I bestow on you?" she asked, trying to use the finest words she could think of.

"I accept the position with pleasure," he breathed with a large grin.

A flash occurred and Aella heard, "Firion has been declared Royal a.s.sa.s.sin. None, other than King Aella, in the castle can prevent him entry or movement throughout the castle. He shall be gifted with invisible walk while inside the castle. He is allowed to kill anyone King Aella wishes within the walls of the castle."

"Firion, kill Paeral," Aella ordered.

His grin grew as he proceeded to stand up from the table, turn and disappear from sight.