Read TWO HEADS TWO SPIKES (The Pearl of Wisdom Saga) for Free Online

bloody battle rather than drab council meetings. But he also understood a king controlled the realm with mind and might. He spoke with a deep, manly voice and acted with equal grace toward a court member and a common man. He paid attention as the meeting progressed.
    “Alright, alright, enough about the Gold Bandit. What is happening in the other regions?” King Ali-Stanley Wamhoff asked his Chamberlain of the Realm, Otto Cuthbart.
    The Kingdom of Donegal was divided into five regions, all headed by a duke. Bottomfoot was basically a neutral region of mostly mountains that kept to themselves. They sent taxes and men to serve in the army to keep the King happy. The other regions were Mattingly, Waters Edge, Burkeville and Fox Chapel. Each region was further broken down into districts that were run by a high lord. There were also areas called Typhoon Alley and the Frozen Forest, but they were uninhabited.
    “Well highness, I shall start with Waters Edge. Payments came in on time as always. However they do not seem to have new ventures in place to bring the crown more coin.” Otto, the little man with an enormous amount of arrogance, had risen quickly to his new council position. He tended to annoy everyone but the King, the only person whom Otto showed the proper respect.
    The King interrupted, “Same tired story from Old Man Etburn, why won’t he just die already.” The King spoke with a cranky, high pitched voice that made him sound like he was constantly complaining. He relaxed as he fingered his gold scepter. The top of the scepter had a shining fox crafted onto it with two ruby eyes. The King rubbed the eyes of the fox to calm himself. He wore his silver crown today. He had seven different crowns that he wore for each day of the week. The King tended to speak with some of the old-language words mixed in with the current tongue of Donegal. He also liked to quote the ‘Words of the Gods’ to sound like a Godly man but he often used them in the wrong instances.
    Anyone born to the royal bloodline of Donegal started their name with Ali. The regal offspring also used two capital letters in their first names to further set themselves apart from others.
    The King of Donegal held private council meetings in a spacious room in the north end of the castle. The walls were painted gold with alternating horizontal patterns of red foxes and black falcons. Two immense windows on either side of the room let in the pale sunshine whenever the rays broke through the clouds. The thick, rectangular oak table top was about twelve feet long. The top rested upon six lion-shaped legs that had been sculpted from marble. Four were positioned at the corners and two in the middle of the table. Everyone occupied similar wooden chairs except for the King. The taller King Ali-Stanley’s seat was higher and bigger than all the others and had arm rests. A plump purple velvet cushion with gold tassels provided added comfort. There were several smaller tables around the room stacked with rolled up maps, records of the realm’s finances and former battle transcripts.
    “If they won’t make use of it, maybe we can take more coastline from them,” said Derich Bonsfogger, Admiral of the Sea.
    “I might think it best to take the whole damn region if Duke Etburn cannot get his ass moving on new income,” screeched the King. “The annual sea harvest doth not suffice anymore; they must take further advantage of their location. If Fox Chapel had the land and coast of Waters Edge, hah, I would not need concern myself with this insolence. Havest thou the firth?”
    I have been gone four years and nothing has changed with you. You are still making excuses and misquoting the Gods, father.
    “Enough of this guff, let’s move to Burkeville,” the King declared.
    His Master of Finance, Henley Moore, spoke up first, “Highness, they are behind again on monthly taxes. However, Duke Burke sends Ali-Tiste’s love and begs your forgiveness.”
    The King