Chapter 14, Xidor the Cunning

Xidorville, 1 month before Oak's arrival in Skyhigh

Xidor Cèdre was lounging on his leafy throne in the     great hall of its new capital. This room was protected by a dozen guards. It was equipped with a wooden floor of Blackwood, covered with slabs and a wall without windows, made of gold-plated steel.

King Xidor, paranoid as he was, had only one entrance made: the stairs to the first floor. However, there were two secret exits known by him and his entourage.

One of these exits, a shallow trap door, was located just below the throne. The king had only to press a button on the throne to activate the mechanism and disappear before the eyes of possible assassins. This exit led to the ancient catacombs where many Appler wizards were buried with their spells.

Indeed, the territory surrounding Xidorville was considered a scared place for the Applemen. Back then, thousands of Applers were sacrified there on  a blue moon night, in order to convert their vital energy into divine powers.  It was even said that the high priest Yablaka reached the status of deity on the night before the place fell into treemen hands. 

The great council of the Applers, mortal avatar of the Applers Gods planned to reconquer what they called "Divipommur" and to raze Xidorville. They frequently gathered troops at te eastern border of the province of Cedaria. 

These threats had only increased the king's paranoia. He had made sure to have a second emergency exit in case the Applers discovered the path linking the catacombs to the throne room.

The second escape route was through the closet where the king stored his laundry. Indeed, this closet leaning against the wall had a secret door that led to the alleys behind the palace where a caravan was waiting for him, ready to leave at any time.

The king's paranoia was proving useful. , he had to have the dishes changed three times due to the discovery of poison during the celebratory banquet for the inauguration of his beloved city. A vial of digitalis had been poured into his glass by his ennemies. 

Xidor suspected the Applers as well as the Jefar and Quercus families of being responsible and of working together.  But on this day, that was not his main source of anxiety; the merchants' guild kept complaining, refusing to pay their taxes.

Nervous, Xidor scratched his brown spruce bark. He turned to Evergreen, his most trusted advisor. Evergreen was secretly in love with Xidor, whom he had known for decades. However, despite their great friendship, he had never confided his feelings to him. That's why he called him Xiddy, even though he was his superior.

Xidor looked intensely at Evergreen with his violet eyes.

 Evergreen returned a look of concern, sensing the king's thoughts, the king he loved with passion.

"What will we do with the merchant guild?" asked Evergreen.

"The Merchants' Guild is only complaining. Karel arrested José, one of their worst enemies and the guild is now taking advantage of Oakvalley's tranquility to line their pockets. If one of these merchants had, say, an accident, maybe the others would be more docile. Maybe we can tame them, like we tamed the Jefar and Quercus families," he said.

Evergreen stroked Xidor's pines cone-filled hair. "Xiddy, what shall we do about Karel? He hasn't sent us a letter about his mission. Maybe he's dead."

 Xidor tenderly put his hand on Evergreen's thigh. "Don't worry Eve, Karel will come back. He always gets out of extreme situations. I can never get through to him. I've offered him wealth and power and he has declined. He smiles when he gives me the farmer's money,  never complains and excels in his work. Karel's the perfect pawn."

 Xidor leapt from his throne and paced the room after quietly removing his hand from Evergreen's thigh. He scanned it with his eyes, looking for possible eavesdroppers.

 Xidor stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of an unfamiliar guard. Terrified, cold sweat ran down his back.

 Am I going to die? Has he come to murder me? Is he working for the Quercuses? Especially since their son Oak has escaped. he thought

He looked at Evergreen, pointed the guard with his chin and began to stammer. "It's.. it's..."

"He's new...I picked him, don't worry." said Evergreen, who carefully examined  the guard's face.

Xidor regained his composure and began to talk again. "Eve  plants kill treemen  and make them mad and unfit. Only through carnivorism will the tree-men attain freedom, wisdom and immortality. Alas, the people are not yet ready and would crucify me if I were to speak these words publicly. I did well to replace Ignis.

"Really?"

Xidor nodded. "Yes, he questioned the existence of the reborn warrior, but I'm not the only one who has seen him. On the contrary, some people even knew him personally and want me to honor his memory."

Evergreen gave the king a weak smile... " Xiddy, I know he's been around, but Ignis has served you well... He followed you in everything you've done."

Xidor shuddered with rage. "Ignis renounced to me and carnivorism. It was only a sin for him when it's the future, the  REVOLUTION!"

Evergreen put his hands on either side of Xidor's head. He forced him to look into his eyes. "Xiddy,  if only you had forced him to eat a pig instead of executing him..he'd still be here."

Evergreen's touch spread a gentle sensation through Xidor's bark and he looked down at the ground in embarrassment.

The king hesitantly replied, "Maybe."

Xidor raised his head and changed subject. "Eve. Go grab the letter for the Skyhigh plan. I've prepared this sample pamphlet. Pay the printers' guild to print them and spread them. This must not be traced back to me. If anyone speaks, kill them."

Xidor showed Evergreen the pamphlets. The general nodded with his coniferous thorn-covered head. "Okay. First the pamphlets, then the letter?"

Xidor put some coins in his friend's pockets. "Yes, send the letter only if the people receive pamphlets' message.  The people must be ready. Publish a new one every day and save the most shocking ones for last. The message must be imprinted in the minds of the people, Lies must replace truth. Don't let my brother and his friends in the clergy and in the rebellion influence public opinion,"

Evergreen bowed. "Your wish is my command."

Evergreen left the room with a nonchalant step. He went down the stairs and left the palace.

He then wandered through the alleys of the city of 80,000 people. The red and blue brick houses and white marble government buildings flashed before his eyes.

The city had been specifically built to celebrate the 12th year of the king's reign, and several cul de sacs had been added so that an enemy army could be led into an ambush. It was in one of these cul-de-sacs that Evergreen met a man wearing a red and black mask and walking with a cane.

He gave him some pamphlets copies and a purse filled with a few hundred floraux. "Hello, mask wearer. Give these designs to the printers. This must not be traced back to me or my master Xidor. I'll pay you the rest of the money once the job is done."

The tree man picked up the purse and weighed it, to make sure it was gold and not lead. "It's a pleasure, Mr. Evergreen. The brotherhood will be eternally grateful for what you and Karel have done for us and José..."

"Serve us with discretion and we will continue to support the brotherhood. Stay in the shadows, the truth must not come out. The merchant guild remains loyal to us and always brings back Avians and animals." José is dead."

Evergreen repeated the slogan of the brotherhood in a mysterious tone. "José is dead."

Evergreen went back to the palace and the mask wearer disappeared into the shadows.

Shortly thereafter, the old treeman working for Evergreen showed up at the printers' premises in the city's western part.  The old man, sporting a withered green beard and carrying a cane, entered a small room of 1,000 square feet, illuminated by oil lamps. A massive printing press took up most of the room and hid a stool that stood just behind it.

The old tree man addressed the printers with the a fake old man voice. 

"I received terrible news from Skyhigh City. The avians have killed two of our people. These adventurers only explored the island with the purpose of mapping in when the Avians executed them without trial."

The printer showed him what was left of a torn book, traces of birds' talons were visible all over the binding. "What terrible news! Look, these birdmen have also attacked the Merchant Guild's caravans  These poor merchants had done nothing wrong except transport our precious books!"

The old treeman then pretended to fall on his back, taken by a sudden pain. The pamphlets illustrating the terrible events fell from his hands.

He told them with a tremolo in his voice. "Print these pamphlets and spread the word, it has to get out. We can't stand by and do nothing. You wouldn't refuse an old man's last wish?

The printer ran to the old man and helped him to his feet. "You're quite right, we've already lost a contract of 4000 floraux to these rotten birds. We're printing this right now!"

The printer beckoned him to sit down on the little stool, which the old man did. Curious, he watched the printers prepare the day's prints.

Several hundred pamphlets were printed and placed on the large table.

One could read various slogans such as Arbolarbres killers, Execution of two citizens, Karel Candelberry and Joshua Applewood,

"Justice must be done! People, what are you waiting for? Let's cut off the Peacock's King head ".

"Avian, Inferior species and Arbolarbres eater."

"Avians, caravan-destroying vermin!"

"Treeman, become masters of the avians! Punish these insolents."

The slogans were accompanied by shocking images: The peacock king executing two-tree-men. Avians cooking treemen's bark in an oven. Avians taking pleasure in looting a caravan, cackling and finally the Arbolarbres caging the Avians."

Still sitting, the old tree man thanked the printers. "Bravo! Thanks to you, justice will be done and this subrace will pay for its crimes!"

The old Arbolarbre whistled.  A dozen treemen wearing red and black masks and carrying backpacks came into the room and carried the pamphlets away. They helped the old man up from his stool and carried him out. He was "miraculously" able to walk again once outside; Passers-by saw him and his henchmen disappear.

The Brotherhood of the Mask Bearers distributed the pamphlets throughout the capital over the next week. Merchants, peasants, artisans, soldiers and artists talked about the atrocities in the city's taverns, saloons, libraries, markets and churches.

All the people shared the news.

Protests broke out in Xidorville and then in Oakvalley and St. Cèdre.

The citizens of Xidorville came armed to the gates of the royal palace, demanding justice. A squadron of soldiers stood in turtle formation to prevent any outbursts.

A spokesman stepped in front of the steel structure.

He shouted. "Oh, king of kings! How can you stand by while your citizens die at the hands of those awful birds! Justice must be done. These tree eaters, caravan destroyers must pay for their crimes!"

The crowd was hysterical and uttered the slogan.

"Let's become masters! Let us become masters! Let us become masters!"

Xidor Cèdre went out on the balcony, looking at the crowd gathered at the foot of the palace. 

How will I answer them? he thought.