The Ransom

The Ransom
By
James W. Aubuchon

         Once upon a time, there was a noble prince named Redimere who lived with his father King Caelestis in a beautiful castle in the land of Lucidus. Redimere was an honorable man and a strong and mighty warrior. He was engaged to marry to a beautiful princess named Ecclesia, whose golden hair and fair skin, along with her grace and charm, would like to have won the heart of every noble man in the kingdom.
         The people who lived in Lucidus were very fond of Caelestis and his son for they ruled the kingdom with equity and justice. They also possessed the Sanguis Numen. This noble blood possessed the power to heal, and was rumored to keep its bearers from suffering death.
         Lucidus was very beautiful, and all of the meadows, mountains, forests, streams, and lakes radiated with inspiration and mystery. The harvest of the land was very abundant. The grain barns were always full, and the fruit was always ripe and delicious.
         Every year, a great festival was held at harvest time, and everyone in the kingdom came to the king’s castle for seven days of celebration. King Caelestis ordained this festival for the rest and refreshment of his hard-working subjects. There were jousts, dancing, singing, good food, and many good friends made at these events.
         However, bordering this kingdom was another kingdom named Opacus. There, King Anguis ruled his subjects with fear and brute force. He also practiced the black arts and cast spells on his subjects to keep them under his control. Those who lived in this kingdom could never expect justice. They had to offer bribes and know the right people in order to have the king show favor to them.
         This land was also very poor and unproductive. The harvest each year was always lacking, and many people starved. Only those who were rich and powerful had enough to eat. They never had festivals, and there was no joy, or peace, or happiness.
         Anguis was jealous of Caelestis. He desired to rule Lucidus, but he knew that as long as there was an heir to the throne with the Sanguis Numen, he could never be king. If he could destroy the Sanguis Numen, he could claim his own lordship over Lucidus without opposition. In order to do this, he had to kill Redimere, but he couldn’t just go to Lucidus and do so. Somehow, he had to lure Redimere into Opacus where he was vulnerable.
         He had a brilliant idea. If he could take the people of Lucidus captive, he might be able to draw Redimere into a trap. He knew that each year that foul kingdom had a festival attended by all of its subjects. There was a day during the festival when Caelestis and Redimere went on a hunting expedition, and didn’t return until nightfall. He could launch an attack at that time, for the people would all be gathered together, and would be unprepared. Caelestis and his son wouldn’t return until after the attack was quite over with. Preparations were made for an attack at the next harvest festival.
         The festival soon arrived, and people from all over Lucidus set out for the castle of Caelestis with their wares, produce and livestock for seven days of celebration. The children couldn’t wait to get there. They asked all sorts of questions until their parents were quite frustrated with them. Everyone dressed in his or her finest clothes. The ladies made themselves new dresses, the men donned their new hats, and the children plotted how to ruin their new shoes.
         During the festival, many a knight won the honor of a lady in the games, and many a soul gained weight from the abundance of food provided. Ecclesia herself was in attendance, and it was rumored that an announcement of her engagement to Redimere was likely to take place before the festival was over.
         The day arrived when Caelestis and his son went on their hunting expedition. They arose and left early in the morning before the sun had risen, and took their horses, their dogs, and a retinue of lords, ladies, and spectators, and went into the woods for a day of sport. Caelestis left strict orders that sentries were to be posted on the walls in case anyone tried to lay siege to the castle while he was gone. Ecclesia was to go along, but at the last minute she fell ill, and decided that it was best if she stayed behind.
         Meanwhile, King Anguis had massed his troops at the border. The trumpet was sounded, and the army of Opacus marched into Lucidus. The gates to the castle were left wide open for the festival, and there were no sentries keeping watch on the walls as the king had ordered. The people were caught completely off guard. They were unable to offer resistance, and surrendered to their foes. They were gathered together, along with Ecclesia, bound in chains, and led off to Opacus.
         When the hunting party arrived in the evening, they found a ransacked and deserted castle. Redimere ran to Ecclesia’s chamber, but she was gone. He was heart-broken. Caelestis realized that they didn’t post sentries, and were caught unaware. He wept bitterly. He gathered together those who were left to determine a plan for the rescue of his people.
         Arriving at a plan was very difficult, however, since they had no army with which to launch a counter-attack. Some of the knights offered to go to battle anyway, but the king refused. There was only a handful of them, and they wouldn’t accomplish anything by needlessly dying in combat.
         Then the prince spoke up, "Dear father, I have an idea for the rescue of my countrymen. I will venture into Opacus, and offer myself to Anguis in place of your subjects. We know that what he really desires is to destroy the Sanguis Numen, and make his own claim to sovereignty over Lucidus. If we make him think that he can do this, he may let your people go."
         Everyone disagreed and dissuaded Caelestis from accepting his son's counsel. "Anguis will certainly put Redimere to death, and even then, there’s no guarantee that he will release the people." However, Caelestis knew that there was no other way.
         He accepted his son's plan. He equipped Redimere with an armored white horse, golden plate-mail that shined as bright as the morning sun, a broadsword with a razor-sharp edge, and a shield with the symbol of a lion on it. The prince mounted his horse, bid farewell to his father, and set out on his journey to the land of Opacus and the castle of King Anguis.
         Redimere journeyed to the border of his father's kingdom. The trees in Lucidus were green and beautiful, the flowers were blooming, and the birds were singing. As he entered Opacus, however, the look of the land suddenly changed. The birds did not sing, there were no flowers, and the trees were leafless and wilted.
         As he rode on, he was overwhelmed by evil and injustice all around. People were diseased and dying, and many were working in the fields chained together and unwashed. The smell of death was everywhere. Some of the people had begun to contract a plague that Redimere feared would eventually wipe out the entire population.
         Redimere could not help stopping on his journey to the castle to help these hopeless, dying people the best he could. By the power of his Sanguis Numen, he healed many of them. He also released them from their shackles, and comforted them with a message of hope, for he knew that soon he was going win the release of them all.
         He finally arrived at the castle of Anguis. It was a morbid, death-ridden place. The walls and buildings were painted solid black. It was surrounded by a brackish, foul-smelling moat. Some soldiers dressed in dark clothing were standing at the gate. Redimere rode majestically across the drawbridge, the brightness of his armor momentarily dazzling the eyes of the soldiers. They cringed at the sight.
         "I am Redimere of Lucidus”, he said, “and I have come to speak to King Anguis regarding the captivity of my subjects."
         The soldiers whispered to each other, and a messenger was sent through the gate. After some minutes, he returned, and Redimere was bidden into the castle. He entered and the gate was shut and locked behind him.
         Redimere dismounted, and entered the palace. He was led into the throne room, and stood before the king. Anguis was seated on his throne with an arrogant smile on his face. Standing at his right hand, with a sorrowful frown on hers was Princess Ecclesia. The throne room was massive, and the throne itself was in the shape of a fiery serpent.
         Anguis addressed Redimere. "Why do you foolishly appear at my court?" he hissed.
         "You have taken my people captive," Redimere replied, "and I have come to make you an offer."
         "What could you possibly offer me," said the king, "since I already have all of your people as my slaves, and your princess as my beautiful new bride to be?"
         "I have come to offer myself in place of my subjects. If you free them, and allow them to return to Lucidus, I will remain here as your prisoner."
         "You fool!" Anguis retorted. "What made you think that I would accept you in exchange for your people? Now I have you as well as your people!"
         "Do what you wish," Redimere replied, "but remember that your name will always be Anguis, not Sanguis."
         "We shall see!" bellowed the king. "The right to rule comes by force alone, and not by any other means. I say you've made your gamble and lost, foolish prince. Guards take him away and put him to a slow torturous death. The Sanguis Numen will be mine!"
         Ecclesia wept when she heard these words, but Redimere cried, "Fear not, my love, for I will return for you. I promise you that I will!"
         They led him away to a dungeon deep under the castle. They submitted him to the most dreadful tortures imaginable. They beat him. They put him on the rack. They flogged him. They did things that one should not mention. They left him in a dark, damp cell for long periods of time, and then led him to believe that he would be set free. When they got his hopes up, they came suddenly and took him to be tortured again. This went on for some time, until finally, Redimere could take no more and expired.
         They took the body of the prince and laid it on a cart. They dressed him in his fine golden armor, and put his sword and shield on his breast. They paraded him through the streets while all the people of the land shouted and applauded the victory of Anguis over Redimere. They had forgotten all of the wonderful things that Redimere had done for them on the way to the castle.
         When Ecclesia saw the body of her dear prince, she lost all hope of living. She could not bear the thought of being married to that awful Anguis so she began to think the morbid thoughts that one sometimes thinks when they have lost their true love.
         They rolled the body of Redimere into the square outside the palace. Anguis stood on a balcony with Ecclesia next to him. He recited a speech to the people that was full of flowery language and promises, and everything that you would expect a king to say to his people. None of it was true. He announced that he was to marry Ecclesia the very next day.
         However, as the king was speaking, the body of Redimere began to move. First his hands moved, and then his feet. His legs began to twitch. Then he moved his head, and the people let out a gasp. "Redimere is alive!" they cried. They panicked and fled in all directions.
         Anguis called out, "Stand your ground. Surely this is some sort of trick."
         At that moment, Redimere sat up. The Sanguis Numen was pumping through his veins. He took his sword and shield and stood to his feet as the panic-stricken crowd swarmed around him.
         He looked straight at Anguis. "By the power of the Sanguis Numen, I depose you in the name of my father, King Caelestis!"
         The heart of Ecclesia leaped for joy at the sight of her Redimere alive, but Anguis only scoffed, and dispatched a squad of twenty soldiers to silence the prince once and for all. They appeared at the palace doors, and marched across the courtyard, swords drawn and ready to strike.
         Redimere held his sword up high, and a flash of light exploded from the blade. The soldiers were struck with terror. He went forward to meet his foes. Swords clashed in a fury of energy, blow after blow. In no time at all, all twenty of them lay vanquished by Redimere in the square.
         When Anguis saw this, he grabbed Ecclesia and disappeared from the balcony. Redimere entered the palace with a noble, majestic stride. His armor glowed like the sun.
         The doors to the throne room were locked. Redimere smashed open the doors and entered. Anguis sat on his throne, staring at him with a sinister glare and with one of those grins one has when he is conceiving an evil plot. Ecclesia lay unconscious at his feet. He approached the throne bravely, and pointed his sword at Anguis.
"You have lost, wretched king! I demand that you release my people."
         "Do you really think that I would do that?" Anguis scoffed. "I have the power of the black arts at my command, and I will overpower your Sanguis Numen and defeat you, worthless prince!"
         Anguis changed right before Redimere’s eyes. He started to grow, and his skin turned green and develop scales. His nose and mouth projected out, and his eyes turned glowing red. He dropped on all fours, and a tail appeared from his rear. Wings like a bat unfolded from his back. Redimere soon found himself facing an enormous fire-breathing dragon. It stood as high as the throne room itself, and its wings stretched from wall to wall.
         Redimere put up his shield as the Dragon exhaled a fiery blast that filled the entire length of the chamber. He was engulfed in a flood of flames, but when he emerged, he was unharmed. He ran forward and swung his sword, dealing a severe blow to the dragon. It let out an agonizing roar that shook the walls and pillars. The Dragon swung its tail around catching the prince and flung him back across the room. Redimere got up unscathed and pressed the attack again, but the Dragon grabbed him in his claw in mid swing. It lifted him up into the air, and was about to dash him to the floor, when Redimere thrust his sword right into its eye. The Dragon bellowed in pain and released Redimere, but he held on and jumped onto the Dragons shoulder. He climbed onto its neck and straddled it like a horse.
         The Dragon threw itself around the room trying to dislodge Redimere. It crashed into walls and knocked down pillars, barely missing the unconscious Ecclesia. Redimere lifted his sword up high, and once again, the powerful light energy flashed from its tip as he plunged it into head of the Dragon. It gave one last mighty, agonizing cry, as it fell to the floor dead.
         Redimere climbed off its back, and, as he turned to look at the Dragon, he saw the body of Anguis lying there. He went immediately to where Ecclesia lay. She had not been harmed. He lifted her in his arms, and carried her out of the palace. The crowd stood silently in the square. The spell of King Anguis had been broken.
         Redimere spoke. "King Anguis is dead. Therefore, by the authority of my father, King Caelestis, I declare the people of Opacus free."
         The people did not know how to react to this at first. Some of them shouted for joy at the news, but others said, "Why do we need to be set free? We are not slaves!”
         Redimere shouted, "Make an announcement throughout the kingdom. Anyone, who wishes to, may come with me to Lucidus, where there is justice, righteousness and an abundance of all good things. You may stay in Opacus if you like, but be warned that a terrible plague has broken out in the land, and you will most likely perish."
         Many people accepted Redimere’s invitation. There were others, though, who didn't believe the story about the plague, and decided that they would stay in Opacus and try to make a go of it on their own. Some of those who decided to remain were captives from Lucidus. They had no desire to return.
         Redimere set out on his white horse with Ecclesia at his side, leading a train of people back to Lucidus. They came to the border of that fair country and saw all the beautiful fields and mountains and streams. The people shouted and danced for joy. They arrived at the castle of King Caelestis exactly one year to the day from when they were taken captive, so they celebrated the harvest festival.
         Caelestis was overjoyed to see his son and all of those who came with him from Opacus. He welcomed them with open arms and prepared a massive feast in their honor. There was turkey and ham, potatoes, squash, cornbread, stuffing, and many other delicious things. All of them ate until they could not take another bite.
         As they were feasting, a messenger came with a report that a plague had swept throughout Opacus, and every man, woman, and child had perished. This made everyone sad.
         Then Redimere stood, and announced that he and Ecclesia were to be married. The people cheered, the knights raised their swords, and Caelestis wept tears of joy.
         After the feast, everyone stayed for the wedding and after that, they went and found homes and jobs, and worked hard and had their festival once a year and everyone lived happily ever after.

The End

This story, along with two others, can be found in my new book Tales of Inspiration http://www.lulu.com/jwaubuchon