Chapter 14 - Xidor the Cunning Part Two

Xidor swiftly raised his sword in the air, the sun glinting off the emeralds and amethysts that set it. "People, you're right! The insolence of the avians has gone on long enough. They must pay for their crimes. Let us become masters of the Avians! This subspecies doesn't deserve freedom, they feast on the bark of our children with a smile on their face. Let's eat the avians and reduce them to breeding."

The crowd was stunned by the king's request. To embark on the path of carnivorism? To break the fundamental laws of Arbolarbre society? Among the crowd, a tree-man stepped forward. A carnival mask concealed his face, but did not hide his cactus-like hair.

He said with unwavering conviction. "Compatriots, it's been too long that we turn the other cheek to the enemy. We refused to eat the remains of the Applers during the Piranga War  and hundreds of treemen died of hunger."

He pulled a small statue from his pockets. It depicted Maple of Jericho attacking an Appler who was eating a treeman. "These apple men did not hesitate to devour the corpses of our fellow treemen and none of them died of starvation. On the contrary, they were invigorated and slaughtered our troops. Without Maple, we would not have survived. These avians have sent us a message of war and will soon come to attack our troops. Carnivorism is the only solution! Let's eat the avians! Let's get stronger, let's crush them!"

Xidor tossed gold coins into the crowd." Yes, carnivorism will bring prosperity and wealth to our people! We'll become rich and immortal! Nothing will stop us! Every race will kneel before our glory! Let us become masters!"

The jubilant crowd grabbed the coins and shouted. "Let's become masters! Let's become masters! Let's eat the avians!"

"Dear people, soon the peacock king and his avian subjects will arrive. Welcome them with open teeth!"

Xidor Cèdre withdrew to the royal palace and the crowd left the premises.  The treemen no longer complained, but smiled. They walked with a light step, breaking the necks of the little birds they met, sharing the carcasses between them.

They even invited their friends to taste what was previously forbidden; Flesh. The local priests heard the news and tried to protect the birds. However, they met the same fate as the birds, beaten to death by passers-by.

As Xidor sat on his throne, an old treeman with a withered leaf beard entered the narrow room, carrying a document in his hands.

Xidor beckoned him to come closer. He asked him in an authoritative voice. "Mr. Holzfire, is the letter ready?"

Kiria opened his palms slightly, revealing a yellowed piece of paper, marked with red letters and signed by a supposed "Peacock King". The Seal of a Peacock adorned it. 

"Obviously, here it is."

Kiria handed the letter to Xidor who inspected it thoroughly to make sure that there was no evidence that it was forged.

"Good job, Kiria, ship it out at dawn."

Kiria made a last bow to the king before leaving. "The honor is all yours, my king. Turning lies into truth, what a genius! To lead the people on the path of carnivorism, what a genius! The innocent becomes the bully and the bully becomes the innocent."

Kiria opened the throne room's cupboard and disappeared through the secret door.  A short time later, he walked through the alleys of Xidorville and stopped at a dead end. He slipped his hand into his sweater and pulled out a red and black mask which he put on.

A treeman wearing an identical mask appeared in the alley,

Kiria greeted him with a brief gesture. "José is dead."

"José is dead", they said to each other in greeting.

Kiria handed the spy the yellowed letter and some coins. " Send this letter to Skyhigh with the utmost discretion and remove your mask. The Brotherhood of the Mask Wearers is gone."

The spy answered Kiria. "The official version... The Ministers continue to support us."

"Yes."

The spy slipped the letter into a clay envelope and placed it in the central pocket of his hooded suit.

Then he greeted Kiria with a nod. "The actor will succeed."

"Long live the actor" replied Kiria before disappearing in the opposite direction of his henchman.

As this exchange took place, the cactus-haired man climbed long stairs and entered the throne room.

The treeman looked around the room. The gold-colored stone walls contrasted with the silver tile floor. A dark blue carpet topped these tiles and guided the occupants of the room to the throne.

Xidor glanced at the tree-man who stood at the entrance to the narrow room. A good distance separated him fromthe guards protecting the king. "Karel... This is the first time you've seen this room, isn't it? Beautiful?"

Karel moved toward the king without removing his shoes. His boots trailed gravel and obsidian fragments on the blue carpet. "Exquisite, your highness. I bring news from Skyhigh."

The king reached out and signaled to the guards to clean the carpet.

How many times have I told him to take off his boots? Good thing that's the only thing he doesn't care about. 

Karel saw Xidor's outraged expression and held back a laugh. "Those awful avians captured and tortured us. I was dying of pain and saw the reaper closing in on me. The Peacock king himself watched my ordeal and laughed. He said he would let me go if I revealed the plan to him.

Xidor asked him curtly. "And what did you tell him?"

Karel knelt down in front of Xidor. He explained to him what had happened at Skyhigh; he asked him to be rewarded with a thousand avians in a cage and a few treeman slaves. 

Xidor put his hand on his head. "Thank you for helping me with my speech, you came just in time.... You deserve your slaves; you'll get them. The people eat now in my hand. The Peacock king will come and fall into our trap. As for the letter you were supposed to give me, maybe the pigeon was eaten by an eagle."

"Maybe. The map was attached to it but I have a duplicate here just in case."

Karel stood up and revealed the map to Xidor, showing him the important points of the city and the key people.

Xidor read the people's names and their places of residence.  "Excellent, the Peacock King, and the Miracle Worker are there."

Xidor shamelessly licked his lips. "Interesting, the miracle worker... Someone important. Bring him back to me. I'll break his neck with my hands then roast him."

Karel gave his best smile. "An exceptional prey for an exceptional being."

Karel's smile faded, a false expression of concern appearing on his face. 

"What is it?" asked the king.

"I'll need an army to protect me when I get my hands on the Peacock King." replied Karel.

King Xidor handed a purse to Karel. "Just take care of that for now... You'll get your army in due time. I must first gather the treemen and ensure myself of their unwavering loyalty. Especially that of Admiral Seaweed, we'll need him and his sailors to invade Skyhigh."

Karel picked up the purse, hiding a smile. Though he knew it, he asked the question. "Does Seaweed know that his worst enemy is dead?"

Xidor declined with his head. "No... I don't think so..."

Karel gloated. "So let's make him think he's hiding in Skyhigh, that drunken Seaweed will have no choice but to  guide our fleet to Skyhigh Island."

"Go recruit him and you'll have your soldiers, loyal and reliable tree-men." exclaimed Xidor as he looked around,  fearing being watched.

"Who would betray you, my king?" questioned Karel before leaving, mocking him.

These last words made Xidor doubt; he went to check his palace's banquet hall. The room, usually crowded with people was now empty, except for the presence of his sorcerer Alder Alnus. Alder was sitting at the table, feasting on a chicken leg.

"Where are the ministers?" he asked the wizard.

"Gone.." he replied

"Those bastards! They're going to pay for this!" exclaimed Xidor, in an access of paranoia.

 Alder Alnus gave him a big smile, showing off his disgusting black teeth. "If I find them, could I have some fun with one of them?

Exasperated, Xidor sighed." Yeah... but first, help me to interrogate our dear soldiers. Maybe one of them knows where the ministers have gone."

"We'll know soon enough," replied the wizard, licking his lips...

***

At the same time in an old manor on the edge of Xidorville.

 The aristocrats and ministers were all sitting at the same table.

A treeman dressed in a straw hat and caught in a fit of hysteria, put his fists on the table. He shouted. "The king has gone mad, Avians have never eaten treemen! Karel Candelberry and Joshua Applewood are alive and well. I saw them enter the royal palace today. He put this scenario together. What do you think, Minister Cherryblossom?"

Minister Cherryblossom held up a cross to the assembly. "Indeed, Minister Orangeflower. He's the devil! He defies God by engaging in the sin of carnivory and endangers the survival of our people. Let's not end up like mankind. The great cities of men are gone, sunk beneath the seas and they have returned to the wild."

Another minister added his two cents. "Oh yes! Even Prince Atord gave a speech extolling vegetarianism but few people listened to him. They'd rather kill pigeons and demonstrate in the streets in honor of Xidor Cèdre."

 On the table, Minister Cherryblossom placed a letter bearing the royal seal and the insignia of Atord, a tree-man protecting a golden mole from the attack of a great eagle. "Sacrilege, we must murder that traitor Xidor before he throws us into the abyss. The prince sent me a letter. He sends us the perfect man to slit Xidor Cèdre's throat.

The Indomitable.