THE ROOT OF BITTERNESS

Williams oversaw the kingdom’s armed forces to defeat the neighbouring kingdom to show that he was a competent and tactful military commander. The situation was changed and he gained the newcomers’ respect and admiration not only from the nobles, but also from the ordinary people as well. Arn, in this novel for the first time Williams no longer follows the path that Arthur had paved for him instead he is finally accredited as the king’s son, a powerful warrior and a strong leader.

The palace that Williams returned to was not a joyous one at all. It was all somewhat formal, and even the servants moved and talked quietly. This did not take him very long to know that King Frederic had contracted a severe illness as soon as the king was away. They pulled the news on Williams and it affected him. Their relationship fluctuated, but there was a loving relationship between the father and the son, so it was very hard to see his father so sick.

The death of King Frederic made a gloom of the royal palace. The strong and charismatic king that was once alive finding himself helplessly confined to bed hence creating the future of the kingdom not very clear. Arthur was not well physically after the unexplained illness, and he could not rise and lead the kingdom, which is why Williams became a regent.

Williams being new in his positions began to think of the future of the kingdom as well as his own position in the Kingdom. The victory he gets in the battle is very real, but the uncertainty of father’s health and the instability of the royal family is even more real. He was stressed specifically with the relationship between him and Arthur, the unsolved feelings regarding the death of Diana, and the undercurrents of a political court.

Responding to tradition, Williams thought to have a victory dinner which means a recent military triumph. It was a ceremony that ought to have been presided over by King Frederic but since the king was ill, the role was picked up by Williams. It was finally to be a royal dinner with all the royalties and most important members of the court in attendance. But the real idea with which Williams convened this assembly was quite different, and he didn’t share it with anyone.

When the preparations for the dinner were being arranged, Williams did not show any wraths though inside him, he must have been boiling. He invited all the royals including Arthur and Diana and all the noble and influential persons of the kingdom and the court. People were waiting for the victory of Williams and at the same time, people wanted to see the relationships within the royal family during such time.

The banners and decorations were set up in the grand hall for the dinner on the day and, thus, the palace was completely different from happy and festive as it was before the mourning. They came to the palace as royals, as polished as they could be on the outside, while on the inside they all had their fears and doubts. When they were all seated, tension rises as King Frederic is not present and Williams also gives off a mysterious air about him.

Williams was at the head of the table readying himself with his goblet to make his opening speech for the evening. He gave a moving speech on the recent win and thanked all the soldiers and nobles who contributed to the campaign. But there was a differentiated undertone to what he said; there was more to the story than simply getting a party going to salute success.

With a certain pause and deliberation, Williams put down the goblet and scanned the company with a particular eye on each one of the dinner guests. “Tonight we triumph not only against adversaries but also for the future of the kingdom,” he said confidently. ”A future which needs to be won not by force of arms but by the force of right.”

His speech left the room in a pin-drop silence, as the seriousness of what he has said set in. Williams’ look shifted from Arthur, and then at Diana, and lingered at Henry, the confidant of the king. There was an electric tension; there was no need to ask questions, it was as if an answer was expected.

Williams went on; his tone still measured but assertive, “There are things that need to be settled, things that have remained unsaid for a long time.” Tonight, we do not come together as only a braw royal family, but as members of this kingdom’s administration. As such, there is a need to establish the current facts and realizations, and make appropriate choices.