The Hidden Key

Gilford paused on the landing and turned towards his father’s room…the door had been forced off its hinges and lay across the floor. The bookcase had been pushed over and the table in the middle of the room had been overturned and the floor was covered with books. He slowly approached the doorway. His stomach hardened while he gazed around. Who could have done this…what were they searching for? He sauntered into the room, stopped, picked a book from off the floor and gazed at the cover and as he opened it…a folded piece of paper cascaded from the pages. Why was this inside the book? Could this be what they were searching for? No…why would they be looking for a letter? Unless…He glanced across his shoulder towards the doorway as he opened the letter and started to read it. Who was my father supposed to have met? What’s so important about the key that the person wanted to speak to my father about? He turned and made his way into the room, stepping over the books while clutching the paper in his hand as he glanced around the room. Did my father write something about the key in one of his other books…if he did, which book was it? He paused for a moment and glanced at the letter. Who were they trying to keep the key from, and what did it have to do with my father? Gilford folded the letter and turned towards an old scribe desk in the corner of the room and tapped his lips with his finger. No…he wouldn’t have kept a book inside his desk…or did he? He rushed over towards the desk, opened the lid, and peered into the compartment, hoping to find another one of his father’s books inside…but there was nothing except for an empty inkwell with an old goose feather quill poking out of it with dust and cobwebs that filled the air making him cough. He turned away, sighing deeply while shaking his head as he made his way back towards the doorway. I need to find the person who wrote the letter. But I don’t even know where to start. As he walked outside the room, his friend, Raveil came up the stairs.

Raveil paused…eyeing up the piece of paper in Gilford’s hand. “What is that?”

“It’s just some old notes that my father left me.” He stared at Raveil. “How come you’re not down at the tavern?”

Raveil crossed his arms. “You were supposed to have met me there.”

“Really? When did I say that?” Gilford crossed his arms.

“This morning.” Raveil arched his eyebrows. “Or don’t you remember?”

Gilford gazed at Raveil. “I didn’t see you this morning.”

“Then if it wasn’t you…, who was it? Raveil slowly uncrossed his arms and walked towards Gilford.

“Maybe it was someone pulling a prank.” Gilford laughed and turned away, gazing back inside his father’s bedroom at the carnage the intruder had left. Where can I find the person who wrote the letter? He turned back to Raveil. “What are you doing now?”

“I’m planning on heading home. What are you going to do?” Raveil stared at Gilford and raised his eyebrows, still eyeing up the piece of paper he was holding. “What was the note about?”

“Nothing.” Gilford scrunched the paper up in his hand. “Just a list of jobs that needed doing, but I’ve done most of them now.”

Raveil nodded and turned away. “I’ll see you later if you’re not busy.”

“We’ll meet up for a pint.” Gilford smiled.

“I’ll speak to you later.” Raveil glanced back at Gilford as he walked down the stairs.

Gilford sighed and walked off down the hallway towards his bedroom. As he opened the door and strolled inside, he made his way across the room towards his bed and sat down. He unfolded the sheet of paper and read the rest of the letter, hoping to find out more about the key, and who was searching for it, but the person who had written it, didn’t say who the person was. Who were they trying to hide the key from…and why? As he leaned forward, he folded the paper and glanced up at a small iron box on the wooden mantle above the fireplace. Strange…that wasn’t there earlier…where has it come from? He slowly stood up and gazed at the box while he made his way towards the fireplace. Could there be something inside the box that could help me? He stopped…his heart pounded as he slowly opened the box and peered inside…

Gilford sighed, shaking his head as he put his hand inside the box and removed a blood-red gemstone. Why was there a ruby inside the box, and who could have put it in there…and why? He stared at the gemstone and as he put it back inside the box…the floorboards creaked outside in the hallway. Gilford turned towards the doorway. “Raveil…is that you?”

There was no answer…

Gilford tiptoed towards the doorway and stopped. His heart pounded as he peeked around the corner to see who it was…but there was nobody there. He let out a deep sigh and turned round…there standing in front of him was a person, draped in a white hooded robe. “Who are you and how did you get into my room?”

The hooded figure stared at him. “They’re coming for you.”

“Who’s coming for me?” Gilford stared back at the hooded figure, intrigued to find out, who it was that is coming for him and why. Does it have something to do with the letter that I found inside the book? “Who are you?”

“You must keep the key a secret, they must not find it.” The hooded figure stepped back into a shaft of sunlight that was shining in through the window. The figure stared at Gilford and slowly faded away.

Gilford rubbed his eyes and glanced around the room as he made his way towards his bed and sat down. Who was that person and who is coming for me? … I’ve done nothing wrong. He turned towards the fireplace, stood up and walked towards it and as he glanced across his shoulder at the doorway, a soldier strolled into the room and stared at him.

“Are you Gilford?” The soldier demanded.

Gilford nodded and stared at the soldier without saying a word as he crossed his arms.

“King Ottomon wants to speak to you.” The soldier stared back at him.

“Why?” Gilford turned towards the window. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“He didn’t say why. I was just told to escort you to the castle.” The soldier glared at him; his hand tight around the hilt of his sword that was still sheathed inside the scabbard.

Gilford uncrossed his arms and rubbed his chin. What does the king want to speak to me about? He walked closer, closing the distance between himself and the soldier. “Do I have a choice?”

“No.” The soldier’s lips curled back. His voice was ladened with contentment.“I insist you join me.”

Gilford stared at the soldier, eyeing up the sword in the scabbard. What would he do if I didn’t go with him? He’d probably arrest me and throw me in a dungeon, or worse. “We better get moving if the king wishes to speak to me.”

The soldier turned away. “Follow me.”

Gilford nodded and followed the soldier down the hallway towards the stairs. He paused and turned towards the doorway and gazed inside his father’s bedroom. I’ll find the key and keep it safe. He turned away and gazed down the stairs. His chest tightened and his breathing accelerated as he made his way down them. His stomach started to churn while he followed the soldier into the bar full of villages that had stopped what they had been doing to stare at him without saying a word while he made his way through the main door of the inn and outside onto the bustling street full of people. “Do you know what the king wants to speak to me about?”

The soldier walked in silence.

“Don’t ignore me.” Gilford glared at the soldier.

“I was only told to escort you to the castle.” The soldier turned to Gilford and glared at him.

Gilford glared at the soldier. His whole body trembled with rage, and he couldn’t keep his hands from shaking as he walked closer, closing the distance between himself and the soldier. “Tell me what the king wants to speak to me about!”

The soldier stopped and turned to Gilford. “You don’t frighten me.”

“I’m not scared of you either!” Gilford bared his teeth in what he hoped was a threatening display as he balled his shaking hands into a fist; fighting back to the urge to launch himself at the soldier.

The soldier eyed Gilford up and now with a cocky sneer on his face. “You’re nothing but a worthless peasant.”

Gilford trembled with rage. His heart pounded. He drew his fist back and charged towards the scowling soldier. Something hard struck him on the back of the head and his conscious fled...