Kingdom's Hope (6 page)

After two days of traveling, the people began to murmur and complain. Food was scarce, and the canyon walls trapped the afternoon heat. Their only recourse was to stop and seek shade among the canyon walls until the blistering heat subsided. The cool nights were welcomed, but the people worried that the canyon would eventually be their grave.

“The King has saved us to abandon us in this desolate canyon. We will die here!” one man said in an evening assembly of the people.

“He's right!” Garrin said. “We are starving. There is no food … and no way out of this dreadful canyon! You have brought us to our destruction. I say we rid ourselves of Leinad and make our own way!”

“Listen!” Leinad said. “The King delivered us from slavery. He will not abandon us now! Tomorrow I will ride up the canyon to find a way out.”

“How do we know you will not ride off and leave us for good?” Garrin said.

“Yes,” said another man. “You are the only one with a horse strong enough to leave this massive graveyard!”

Quinn stood up and faced the people in anger. “Leinad came to us when he did not have to. Have you already forgotten? You are free because the King asked him to risk his life for you. May you be cursed for saying such things! Leinad will find a way out for us … as sure as the King reigns!”

Quinn's words seemed to satisfy them for now, but Leinad knew it was a temporary appeasement. He thanked Quinn for his words of support. He saw more leadership potential in Quinn, who had a charisma the people loved, than he felt in himself. His respect for Quinn was growing, and Leinad knew that he would have to rely upon him to help control the people.

T
HE NEXT MORNING
L
EINAD
rose to find Freedom packed and Tess waiting for him, mounted on Freedom's back.

“And what do you think you're doing, Sunshine?” he asked.

“My duty, Leinad. I have to make sure you're not going to abandon us,” she said with a wink and a smile.

Leinad responded with a cheerful smirk. “Yes, I suppose someone had better keep an eye on me.”

He was actually thankful for her company. She was always a boost to his spirit, even when the rest of the world was trying him.

Leinad assigned Quinn and Audric to lead the people in the day's travel, then he and Tess went in search of a route of escape. They put Freedom into a trot to cover as much ground as possible and still be able to return to the people by nightfall.

The canyon seemed to stretch on forever. They found a few places that some of the stronger people could climb, but it was extremely risky, and most of the people would still be trapped in the canyon.

They pressed on. The scorching heat baked them as if they were in an oven.

They came to a point where the canyon split north to the left and east to the right. The northern branch was wide and looked easy to travel. The eastern branch, however, was narrow and foreboding. Before deciding which branch to take, Leinad and Tess stopped and found refuge in a sliver of shade while Freedom drank from the river.

Tess wiped the sweat from her brow. “This is quite the adventure you've brought us on, Leinad.”

“Are you doing all right, Tess?” he asked.

Tess was growing up. Leinad felt their relationship changing. No longer was she a little sister. Her maturity and stature forced him to see her as more of a peer now. She was
taller than most girls her age—only slightly shorter than Leinad himself. He respected her ever-present wisdom, but what he cherished most was her unwavering loyalty. Oftentimes this devotion kept him from giving up altogether. He was thankful that their relationship had changed, because he did not have the luxury of being vulnerable with anyone else.

What Leinad was only just beginning to see was how pretty Tess had become. Like slowly opening rose petals, Tess's gradual change hid her beauty from Leinad's heart. He was a young man with heavy responsibilities … responsibilities that he needed a fellow companion to bear. There was no time for anything more.

“I'm fine, Leinad. How are you holding up?”

“I am not the one to lead these people, Tess. The King used me to free them, but I know that they need someone other than me.”

© Marcella Johnson

Tess was silent for a moment. “Right now, Leinad, you
are
the one. The King chose you, and you must lead them home … wherever that may be. Be confident in this for now.”

He looked at her with great admiration. “How did a little girl like you grow up to be so wise?”

She blushed and turned away to look down the canyon.
Her expression transformed into one of wonder. Leinad followed her gaze and saw it too. High on the canyon wall, in the crux of the canyon branch, stood the form of a man. Though He was far away, His majestic form was unmistakable to Leinad.

“It is the King!” Leinad said in hushed reverence.

“The King?” asked Tess bewildered.

“Yes. Come on, Tess.”

They rode Freedom to the base of the canyon wall, where the northern and eastern branch split, and looked up. The King was no longer visible, for the jagged stone walls before them blocked their view. Leinad searched for a place to scale the wall, and when he found one, they dismounted and began the arduous climb. Halfway up, they found a natural shelf large enough for both of them to rest on. They drank heavily from their water flasks.

“You … must go on,” Tess said between breaths. “I am spent.”

Leinad nodded. “I'll be back soon, Tess. No matter what happens, wait for me here.”

Leinad reached the top of the canyon wall late in the afternoon. He lay for a while on the ground until he could catch his breath.

“Sir Leinad.” The deep rich voice of the King seemed to strengthen Leinad. With great effort, he rose to a kneeling position.

“My King,” he said, “my heart and my life are Yours.”

The King placed His hand on Leinad's shoulder. “You are a faithful knight, Leinad. Come … eat and rest.”

After he had replenished himself, Leinad said, “We are
trapped in the canyon, my Lord. The people are hungry and worried that they will die there.”

The King looked sad. “The people are foolish and ungrateful, Leinad. But in spite of this, I will use them to establish My kingdom. You must teach them the ways of the Code.”

Leinad was perplexed. “What is the Code, my King?”

“The Code is what gives the sword its strength.”

“How is this possible?” Leinad asked.

“Because when one without the Code bears the sword, he does so only for himself … only for selfish gain. But the one who bears the sword
with
the Code does so for a higher calling … for a purpose greater than self-service. He does so for the King and for his fellow man. You did not defeat Fairos because of your sword. You defeated him because of what you believed in—Me. This is the meaning of the Code.”

“How do I make the people understand the meaning of the Code, my King?” Leinad asked. “I have been with You and have seen You, but they have not. I have lived it and felt it, but they have not.”

The King withdrew a rolled parchment from His robe. His royal seal was upon the scroll.

“Give them the Articles of the Code. They must live by them. If they do, I will make them into a great people.” His firm voice rose in volume. “Through them I will establish a kingdom like the world has never seen.”

The King's voice echoed across the canyon. All of nature seemed to stand still at its sound. Leinad saw the power of the King firsthand. He saw the mighty warriors that followed Him. He felt insignificant in the King's presence, yet
chosen. And though Leinad did not understand it all, he followed faithfully. The King gave the scroll to Leinad, who received it humbly and knelt before the King.

“My heart and my life are Yours, my King. I will do Your bidding.”

“Bring the people up the east canyon branch. There you will find another gorge that will lead you out. Travel south across the plains until you reach the Chessington Valley. This is the land I have chosen for them. This is the land to which the kingdom will come.”

Leinad bowed. “Yes, my King.”

The King nodded and left.

It took Leinad longer to descend the canyon wall than it had taken to climb it. He rejoined Tess on the ledge and gave her food and water. It was dusk so they decided to wait until morning to finish their descent. Leinad placed some rocks on the edge of the ledge to keep them from falling off during the night. It was cramped, and the night's sleep was not refreshing.

B
Y LATE MORNING
, L
EINAD
and Tess had finished descending the canyon wall just as Quinn, Audric, and the rest of the people arrived at the canyon fork.

“Quinn, Audric … it is good to see you,” said Leinad. “How did it go?”

Quinn looked frustrated. “We would have had a revolt on our hands were it not for Audric here. Garrin mysteriously tripped, hit his head, and was knocked out,” he said with a wry smile.

Audric looked slightly embarrassed. “Sorry.”

“Don't be sorry, Audric,” Quinn said. “It was the most peace we've had on this trek.”

Garrin worked his way to the front of the people and approached the four. His brow was furrowed, and he held a hand to his forehead as if he was suffering from a severe headache.

“Well? Did you see a way out of here?” he asked Leinad.

“No. But I know which way to go to find one,” Leinad said. “Gather the people so I can talk to them.”

Within a short time, all the people were gathered to listen.

“I know you are weary and tired of this journey,” Leinad said, “but the end is near. I know of a way out of this canyon. We must persevere for a while longer.”

“You said you did not see a way out. How do you know the way then?” Garrin said, loud enough for all to hear.

“I know because I have seen and talked to the King.”

Some of the people looked skeptical and murmured to themselves.

“You expect us to believe that?” Garrin said. “Why have none of us seen Him? This is some elaborate story you have created to get these people to follow you.”

“No!” Tess said. “I saw the King too!”

“And did you talk to Him as well?” Garrin asked.

Tess was silent.

“That's what I thought,” replied Garrin smugly.

“The King was above us on this canyon wall yesterday,” Leinad said. “He told me the way out. Farther down the eastern canyon branch there is an exit.”

The people moaned, for this was the most rugged and treacherous route.

“He promised to guide us to the lush Chessington Valley and make us a great people if we live by the Articles of the Code.” Leinad held up the scroll with the King's seal on it.

Garrin grabbed the scroll from Leinad. Audric moved toward Garrin, and some of Garrin's supporters moved forward. Leinad held out his hands to quiet the situation.

Garrin pointed at the people with the scroll. “You are fools if you believe this man. He is going to get us all killed if we continue to listen to him. I can tell you right now that the eastern branch will bring you nothing but death. Look … look up the northern branch. The route is easy and wide. The canyon walls look less steep farther down. Ignore this fool and travel with me. I will lead you out!”

Garrin threw the scroll at Leinad's chest and began motioning for the people to follow. Many shouts of affirmation rose in support of Garrin.

Leinad shouted for the people to be quiet.

“I cannot force you to follow the King,” he said. “Make your choice now! Those who want to follow the King, separate yourselves from the others and come with me through the eastern canyon branch.”

Leinad turned and began to walk toward the eastern branch. Tess, Quinn, and Audric immediately followed him, but the rest of the people hesitated. Then slowly many of them began to join themselves to the King's people. Over two-thirds of the people followed Leinad toward the rugged, narrow route. Garrin laughed and
ridiculed them as he led the others northward.

The people parted, and those that traveled with Garrin were never seen again.

The stream that flowed down the eastern route was small but still provided ample drinking water for the people. Their progress was half of what it had been, and it was further slowed because the older people needed help over the jagged rocks and loose soil.

When the afternoon heat became unbearable again, Leinad halted the people to rest. They were weak because their food supply was gone, and the rough terrain exhausted them.

“Quinn, take Audric and see if you can spot another gorge that might lead out of the can—” Leinad stopped midsentence and his eyes widened.

Quinn turned to see what had captured Leinad's attention. “What in the—”

Not far ahead, antelope—hundreds of them—were leaping off the canyon wall onto the jagged rocks below. All of the people stared in amazement, wondering what could possibly make the antelope take such bizarre action.