The Story Of Axilles and Astrogarde - Part 4 – A betrayal and a vow.

Many joyful years passed and every year put a new layer round the love between Axilles and Astrogarde but such a great love is hard to keep secret and rumour of it spread throughout the halls of Summacum and soon the rumour reached the ears of Lovingods great king and the king demanded that Axilles be expelled from the school because of his corrupting influence upon Astrogarde.

But every night,while others slept, Axilles would use his magical locket to transport himself to the side of Astrogarde. “Beloved Prince. Our love will always find a crack to spring through. So long as my heart is still beating we shall never be apart”.

Axilles had assumed that his father would be angry with him for his expulsion but his father was not the same man whom Axilles had known as a child. When Axilles arrived home, his father did not scream or shout but merely smiled and said, “That is the old order but there will be a new order coming”.

“What can you mean?”, asked Axilles, “What new order?”

“Over the western sea lies the land of King Drumera. He is powerful indeed. Favoured by the dark forces. He has a mighty weapon called the hell-blade and they say that he cannot be defeated. He has called upon the aristocrats of Lovingod to betray their feeble,foolish king and join forces with him. It will be a league of traitors
who will help him to occupy this land of ours. Some months ago the Duke of Saneka-Vanegra added his name to the list of betrayers”.

“What?”, exclaimed Axilles, “What horror! Would you truly betray your king and country to a foreign tyrant?”.

“Yes”, laughed his father, “And if you had sense then you would stand by your fathers side”.

“That is funny”, said Axilles, “You would happily betray your king and yet you expect loyalty from your son?”.

“You may do as you wish”, answered his father, “Drumeras victory over Lovingod is inevitable and only a fool would stand against him. I am merely becoming an agent of destiny,that is all”.

That night Axilles spoke to Astrogarde but he could not bring himself to tell him of his fathers treachery. Instead he told Astrogarde of the war which his father had said was coming and Astrogarde told Axilles that he too had spoken to his father and had been informed of the same.

“Yes. I am to be moved to the Fortress of Nye for my safety”, said Astrogarde, “My
Father has said that he will have to lead the forces of the flag into battle but that I , his only son and heir,the seed of the crown, must be kept under constant guard for my own protection and yet I fear more for him than for myself. Let assasins take the prince if the king can be spared”.

Then Astrogarde implored Axilles to use their magic locket to watch over the king,
his father, and guard him in battle. “If you love me,beautiful,brave Axilles then do this much for me. Let no harm come to my father”.

“I swear to you that I shall protect your father; oh, Astrogarde, suzerain of my heart.
I swear to you upon my own life.”, said Axilles.