by Ian Carter
"Well, you were bound to see it eventually. No-one in this world is perfect, Kai. Not even me."
"Such a shame. You had the potential to be that person for me."
"Who knows? Maybe if you look at that useless Stone a little less, I'll have fewer reasons to be annoyed, and you might get lucky."
"You better hope this Stone isn't the greatest thing you've ever seen, or else you're going to feel really stupid."
◆◆◆
A fist rasped against the door on the opposite wall from a man sitting in his chair. The chair was a magnificent carving of wood varnished to look much darker than its original shade. Several pieces of red cushion were affixed to the back, seat, and armrest of the chair to support its occupant. The mess of dark robes shuffled a bit in place, and a loud sigh escaped the hood covering the head of the man sitting in the chair. Without a word, he raised his right arm cloaked by his black robe and twirled a green ring on his middle finger.
A soft click emanated from the door, and a woman entered and stopped in front of her master. She prostrated herself in front of her ruler as the fireplace left of the man's chair crackled in the background.
"Sir. You requested a report?"
"You're late," a cold and deep voice answered the woman. "Usually Thomas is the one who reports to me. Why are you here?"
"Sir. Thomas was conducting an important experiment and attempted to finish in time to report to you, but he was unsuccessful. I regret that he could not be here. I will be providing the report instead."
"I see. Give your report."
The woman gave a brief nod and cleared her throat. "Sir. The experimentation on breeding is proceeding behind schedule more than we'd like. While overall progress is slow, we have some forward momentum. In the last week, we have made remarkable progress with one of the combinations, so Thomas would ask for you to be patient with us as we explore ways to speed up our efforts. Each of the lifeforms we are mating was never meant to breed across species-"
"That sounds like an excuse, and I am not fond of excuses."
"Sir. The team would like to extend their deepest apologies. We will make every attempt to improve our results!" The man sighed and began to twist the rings on his right hand in order from pinky to thumb, with each catching a glint from the fireplace's light.
"Disappointing. Each other area of my research is advancing steadily. Only your group is advancing at a snail's pace by comparison. Can you give me a reason as to why you are the only group lacking sufficient results?"
"Sir. With all due respect, this is not tweaking a spell or mixing different ingredients. Our work is forcing living things with vastly different body structures and reproductive systems to merge. Naturally, it takes time."
"If you take me for an idiot or a simpleton one more time, you will not be leaving this chamber alive," the man threatened. The woman shuddered in place, eventually releasing a few tears that landed on the stone floor.
"Sir. I apologize, and I did not come only bearing excuses. I mentioned a pair earlier that showed progress. We will be able to produce a stable specimen for you to see within the next week or two."
"Oh?" The man in the chair exclaimed. "That is good news, indeed. I find it strange that you wouldn't have led with and fully elaborated on that news in the first place. If you had, I might not currently find myself in such a foul mood..." A flash of brown emanated from his right sleeve and shot towards the woman. The light impacted against her chest and sent her flying across the room before she slammed against the far wall. Her body crumpled into a heap as she cried out in pain. She wheezed as she drew breath and made small whimpering noises as she tried to roll onto her back.
"The next time you are in my presence, I expect you not to make me angry again," the man spat at the woman before he lifted himself from his throne. "I'll be going to see your progress with my own eyes. Lay there and think upon your failures, and I expect you to be gone from this room before I get back."
The man slowly and methodically made his way out the door and down the hallway out of sight. The woman remained on the floor, gasping for air.
◆◆◆
Kai's eyes fluttered open as Hayleigh gently shook his shoulder. A stifled groan left his lips as he sat upright and stretched his arms and legs out like a small child. He shuffled over to the left side of the carriage and raised the curtain with his hand to reveal a cloudy grey sky. Kai's nap hadn't taken him any farther than late afternoon, but it seemed the air was about to turn to darkness. Familiar trees jettisoned into the sky around the road they travelled upon. Hayleigh, who now sat across from him in the carriage, leaned forward and looked out the same window.
"Welcome to Karsdal, Prince Kai."
Kai excitedly opened the front carriage door that led to the driver bench and was greeted by a wave of heat and humidity. Even though the group had cleared the dessert four days ago, it was still more than hot enough to make Kai wish he didn't have to wear his suffocating armor all the time. It looked and felt like it was about to storm as he exited the passenger compartment and sat to Mason's right in the middle seat. Simultaneously, Hayleigh came up to join them and sat to Kai's right just in time to see Karsdal come into their view.
Karsdal was just over twice the size of Erkau's population, coming in at over forty thousand people. Whereas the Capital and Erkau were primarily made from wooden structures, stone was the standard material used in the city's construction. The difference in materials made the city itself seem a bit darker than it should have under the dark grey clouds that made up the sky in the background. Lanterns lined the streets of each home and business to ensure enough light made the streets safe enough for inhabitants to travel and shop. The warm glow of the lanterns resulted in a clearly defined grid of small fires to showcase the city's grid structure.
Kai immediately noticed the lack of spark in the air that he found in the Capital and Erkau. He listened carefully but heard far fewer children's voices emanating from the city. The feeling of joy and aspiration in the Capital was replaced by indifference and mundane in Karsdal.
The air felt stagnant in the city as Kai and the group approached the front gate. The City Guard quickly exited their guard stations to welcome them and immediately bowed once they realized who their visitors were. Unlike in Erkau, their reactions were more muted, reserved, and cordial. It was a nice change from always being fawned over and having everyone cater to his every whim. Kai felt more like a nonchalant merchant than a prince as the guards gave him the okay to pass.
Due to a lack of wind, the stench from pig farms to the east wafted incessantly into their noses. Neither the Capital, Erkau, nor the surrounding areas produced sufficient quantities of pork to support themselves. They all heavily relied on the bevy of farms here to provide enough for the Central and Western parts of the kingdom.
The cities and towns of Orilia primarily relied on the trade of specialty resources between the various population pockets that dotted the lands, sans perishables like vegetables. The Capital had its incredible wines brewed with the lake's water. Erkau's textiles and dyes were in demand far and wide across the continent. Karsdal was known for its livestock, mainly pork. That gave them a bit of a reputation around the kingdom for being dirty. Mason, and particularly Hayleigh, were saddened not to have been able to purchase much during their brief time in Erkau. They promised to make up for that in Karsdal by obtaining as much cured meat as possible for the next leg of their trip.
The citizens of Karsdal allowed their eyes to silently follow the group's carriage down Karsdal's main road. Unlike the swooning streets of the Capital and the excitable guards inside of Erkau's Garrison, Karsdal was utterly subdued. Mason eyed up many of the residents who walked past the carriage as Hayleigh looked up and down the streets in confusion.
"Not a single one of these people has bowed in Kai's direction Mason, let alone smiled at us," Hayleigh pointed out. "Should we be prepared to do something?"
"They know who we are," Mason replied in
his normal stoic tone. "They would never dream of picking a fight with the prince with us at his side. However, be on guard. Maybe try to put them at ease a bit and show it on your face. We'll see if we can soften them a bit with our demeanor."
Kai did his best to put on a proud and princely face, but inside he panicked. As the indifference and coldness of the city's citizens reached him, fear bubbled in his heart. These people must only be a fan of his father, he reasoned. They must think he was a worthless prince rather than a man who had actually earned the adoration of his people. 'What has he done to be strutting through these streets like he owns the place,' they must be thinking. Kai's fingers tightly gripped his knees as the worst-case scenario he had always feared was displayed in his mind like a well-rehearsed play.
A hand reached out and placed it on his right hand, which caused Kai to look and see Hayleigh stone-faced. Though her face didn't show it, her eyes were showing concern for Kai. She was keenly aware of his deeply rooted fears of inadequacy.
Mason moved the carriage to the side of the road and parked it next to a stable area before he jumped down to tie the reins of the horses to the designated wooden beam. The stable attendant ignored Mason as he reached his hand out with the posted fee to tie up the carriage. Mason barked a few indiscriminate words at him before the worker finally accepted payment and moved inside the stable's living area to deposit the funds. Mason shook his head and took a moment to survey the city road they had travelled down before helping Kai and Hayleigh down off the carriage.
"These people very obviously do not appreciate our presence, but they're not malicious enough to cause us any trouble I'd wager," Mason surmised.
"You don't suppose Terrell's group has penetrated this far out of Stura, do you?" Hayleigh wondered aloud as she took a look for herself.
"No-one who would act," Kai answered meekly. "The intelligence that Senator Braga had at his disposal said that there was very little chance of that. There wasn't a single report from guard patrols outside Stura that involved Terrell's group, or even a hint of discontent. He also surmised that those most disillusioned with the kingdom would likely pool themselves in Stura. Why would they take the chance of unnecessary trouble in areas they didn't have solidified? During the attack, the attackers didn't throw a single bomb into the audience, only at the Empyrean Tournament competitors."
"What? I didn't know about that," Mason said as he pondered for a moment. "But that makes sense. Why kill people who wouldn't pose a threat? I imagine they want people to know if they are a normal, law-abiding citizen they would be safe. They wanted to prevent anyone who wanted to join the army from doing so. They wanted to prevent their opponent from getting stronger."
"That makes sense, but let's not be naive. I bet my wages for a full year that Terrell will have spies here," Hayleigh added. "They have almost assuredly already sent word that we have arrived here and our descriptions. But I can't for the life of me explain why every single person here would dislike us to this extent."
"Unless Senator Braga wasn't telling the truth," Mason wondered out loud. "Regardless, we need supplies. We should find a merchant who likes to talk and refill our stores of goods and information."
Mason swung open the door to a nearby shop and led the group across the threshold. They walked up to the counter as the shopkeeper stood behind it with his back to them. Various general goods lined the shelves such as flour, spices, and cooking utensils. The atmosphere of indifference didn't change inside the store, but Kai was thankful that there was a much more pleasant aroma from the spices. His newfound happiness was short-lived as the shopkeeper looked up at his new customers and sneered at the realization of who his patrons were.
"I have a list of items that I need to procure for the next part of our journey," Mason informed the shopkeep and placed a list on the counter. "Could you please get us these items and answer some ques—"
"We have no supplies for the likes of you." The merchant, about a foot shorter than Mason but the same age, scoffed and brushed the list off the counter. The shopkeeper didn't look away from Mason as the list slowly drifted down towards the floor.
"What did you say?" Mason asked, bewildered.
"I guess it's true that you royals don't listen after all. I said that this shop doesn't have a single item to sell to you and your friends. It doesn't matter how much money you wave in our face, either. The sooner you get that, the sooner this unpleasantness is over for everyone."
"The only unpleasantness that is here is from you," Mason barked. "Do you know whom you are speaking to? You are in the presence of His Highness, Prince Kai Orilia. In said presence, you will act accordingly. I'll charge you with treason for denying us supplies after a royal decree."
Kai had never seen Mason this irritated before and was afraid of what he saw. Of course, he couldn't help but feel a little reassured inside that someone he trusted and admired would defend him this ferociously.
"You can string me up for all I care," the merchant steadfastly refused. "I will not give you a single crumb, drop, or screw. I suggest you walk on out of my store, as well as this city, and never come here again."
"I'll have your head ..." Mason started before Kai's hand suddenly appeared in front of his face, the signal to stop. Kai moved in front of Mason and faced the merchant himself.
"I apologize for whatever slight either myself or my companion has caused you. Would you at least tell us the cause of your distemper?"
"You know damn well what you and that father of yours have done to us. Get the hell out of my store!" As they began to shake and clench their fists in unison, both Mason and Hayleigh reached for their Blades. They stopped short of drawing as Kai motioned his hand against their idea.
"Very well, we'll be on our way," Kai replied. He nodded his head and turned around and beckoned Mason and Hayleigh to come with him. Mason and Hayleigh both glared daggers at the shopkeeper before they turned themselves around to leave. The merchant spit at the group's feet before he turned his attention back to the stock he was attending before the unwanted interruption. The group had barely taken two steps out the door before Kai stopped and shook his head.
"Diplomacy is maddening," Kai chuckled. Mason and Hayleigh stared at Kai with an expression that consisted of confusion and anger. He turned and faced them and raised an eyebrow. "What?" Kai asked.
"Your Highness, that man disrespected you to the highest degree," Hayleigh seethed. "We should have cut him down where he stood."
"That wouldn't have solved anything, though," Kai said thoughtfully, to the surprise of both Hayleigh and Mason. "If we had killed him, that would have been the end of any hope I have ever to rule this area peacefully. We need to find another way. We need information, so let's go get some."
"Wow, you said something... wise," Hayleigh replied as she allowed her demeanor to return to normal. "You might have a shot at actually being wise someday."
"Hayleigh, in public, remember—" Mason started again.
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
"What is going on? Is everyone going to cut me off today?" Mason huffed as Kai and Hayleigh laughed to lighten the mood on the street, little by little.
◆◆◆
Mason rasped his fist against the wooden door so hard it made Kai and Hayleigh jump. Mason was in one of his rare attitudes, and Kai could only watch on in dismay. He would have given anything to not be around Mason at times like this and sighed in reluctance. Kai couldn't help but feel as they got closer to Stura that it would only happen more often. Hayleigh had managed to find out the location of the village elder from some other locals after some negotiation. At the same time, Kai talked to Mason as he waited impatiently.
The door swung open to reveal a surprised elderly woman on the other side. Her eyes scanned from Mason to Hayleigh, and then finally to Kai. Upon seeing Kai and the royal insignia on his armor, her eyes widened and immediately dropped her wood cane and went to fall to one knee. However, she clearly labored to do the task.
; "You are under no obligation to drop to a knee, elder," Kai opened. "You are no longer part of this city's guard, that requirement ceded with your duty."
Elders held a mainly traditional place in Orilia's society and had limited say in how the city spent the majority of the funds it collected. The majority of the spending was still determined by the local Garrison to ensure the proper upkeep of patrols, equipment, and infrastructure. One area the resident elder held significant sway, however, was the cultural aspects of the city. They held discretion over the funds earmarked for festivals, statues, or other events. Elders also were the primary source of local history, as well as trusted feedback for various positions of power in the city.
"I could never forgive myself if I did not display my loyalty to my prince," the woman replied in a soft yet firm voice. The robes she wore were the color of dark tree bark, and they splashed down upon her feet that wore sandals. Her long silver and grey hair had long thinned out, leaving a patchy view of her scalp between strands. A full set of wrinkles were showcased on her face, as the evidence of father time helped aid her air of wisdom. She was still fit, however, and reasonably mobile considering her knees.