by D N Meinster
"Why aren't you in a shelter?" Aergo questioned the veteran. "They were set up for a reason."
"Can't take another man's food for the rest of my life," Perfin answered. "I can still do an odd job, keep my heart beating."
"But you have no home," the King stated. "No clothes but the rags you've sewn together. You don't have to live like this. I refuse to let you."
"And who are you to tell me what to do?" Perfin growled.
"I am your king."
Perfin studied Aergo, and then tried hobbling to his feet. His fingers scratched along the wall behind him as he tried to force his body to stand. "My liege," he bellowed, following it up with a coughing fit.
Aergo rose with the vagrant. He clasped his hands on Perfin's shoulders to steady him. "I care about every single Kytheran alive, from the richest trader to the lowliest vagabond. You are important to your king, and I want you to help yourself." Aergo took one hand off Perfin and reached into the pocket of his jacket. He pulled out a handful of gold and violet gems. "Give me your hand."
Perfin held out his palm, allowing Aergo to drop the gems into it.
"If you will not stay at a shelter, you will check yourself into a lodge. But first get to a healer. And if you ever need an odd job, there are plenty in Castle Tornis." Aergo turned away from the man, hopeful that Perfin would overcome his pride and do as he requested. He would make sure to have one of his men check up on him in a few days. He felt responsible for this man, more so because he had served the King in battle.
Aergo could feel every member of his party staring at him, but he chose to ignore most of them and focus on the ten-year-old boy atop a horse. This boy had the rosiest cheeks, and eyes that conveyed more warmth than the sun. He had an untamable mess of silver hair atop his head and was wrapped in robes of light green. "Do you know that man, father?" the boy asked.
"Never met him before," Aergo answered. "But it is the King's duty to treat every citizen as if he knew them and cared about them."
The boy nodded but left Aergo wondering if he truly understood. Shine was a young lad, perhaps too young to grasp every lesson the King tried to teach him. But he hoped the words would stick with him as he aged, and that they might make him a better king when that time came.
"I wonder, sir," a man with a scratchy voice said. "Do you actually care about these paupers or do you just want the streets to look nicer?"
Aergo glared at the man who spoke so bluntly. He was covered in thin white armor, with matching gloves and boots. It was a durable shell worn only by the head of the King's guardians.
"What a dumb question, Rant," a woman commented in monotone. She pointed her blue and white staff at the man. "There's little that could make the Outer appear nicer."
"Grace!" Aergo barked.
She focused her wide eyes on the King. "Sorry, but look at it."
"Do you even know the King, Grace?" a teenager in the party spoke, joining the conversation. He had light brown hair and was attempting to grow a matching goatee, but the hairs on his face refused to cooperate. Leaf was wearing clothes much finer than when he was a young servant and more fitting for someone in the royal lineage. "All of Kytheras matters to him; not only the Outer and the Inner, but the other kingdoms as well. Who invited you anyway? We're stuck with Rant, but usually it's the Grand Mage that joins us."
"No need to insult Grace," Aergo said.
"She insulted you," Leaf shot back.
"Did not!" Grace argued. She slammed her staff into the ground. "The King does not need you to fight his battles, squirt."
"Enough," Aergo barked. "Rantiford, please return to the front of the party."
"Are we going to be making any more unscheduled stops?" Rantiford asked.
"If they are required," Aergo said.
Rant was clearly looking for more assurances, but he obliged the King and walked back to his position.
"Grace," Aergo said, staring at the young mage with short black hair. "You should know better than to fling diatribes against my kingdom when I am within earshot. It is offensive."
"If you care so much about this shithole part of Kytheras, I would expect you to do more," she said without remorse.
"I have done plenty," Aergo replied. "You do not sit in on the meetings. And Leaf is correct. You are only here because Amelia chose not to be. If you would ever like to be in my party again, you should hold your tongue."
Grace's mouth began to open, but she quickly shut it. There was nothing more for her to add.
"The Outer still needs work, but we'll get there. And Leaf," he said, turning his attention to the teen. "Be careful picking fights with mages. They aren't all saintly."
Grace sped away from the King as the party started moving again. There were more than twenty in the group, marching down the streets of Kytheras accompanied by horses and guardians. Most citizens strolling down the streets squeezed against the walls of buildings to stay out of the way, but others would try to infiltrate the group and pretend to be in the King's company. King Aergo walked side-by-side with the horse his son was riding, while Leaf hung nearby. Two other mages stayed close to the King's side, while guardians encircled the group, with Rantiford leading at its head.
"Look father!" Shine shouted, pointing at an enormous bird in the sky.
Aergo glanced up, not as impressed with the vision as his son. Plenty of post birds decorated the skies of Ghumai, each with a rider dressed in a uniform and cap, and carrying a satchel stuffed with letters. There was no more expeditious way to deliver news and correspondence then sending it off with the post birds.
A bald mage in sparkling blue and purple robes crept up on the King. "I'm sorry about that one," Quentin said, referring to Grace. "She's got quite a mouth on her."
"It's not often a king hears the word 'shithole,' especially when it's describing a part of his kingdom," Aergo noted.
"And I think she was censoring herself with that remark," Quentin said. "She's called Amelia a – " He stopped speaking, realizing the Prince was near. "Well, you can guess what she called her. And it was straight to her face."
"Why exactly would she be sent with us then?" Aergo asked. "We don't want to cause a diplomatic incident."
An old mage shifted right beside the King. He had a gaunt face that was more fitting on a corpse, with nearly transparent eyes and earlobes that hung lower than his thin white hair. Olley was the former Grand Mage who had grown too decrepit for the role, but he was well respected and still had Aergo's ear when he desired it. He startled the King when he started speaking, for he was not so close upon last inspection. "Surely you're wise enough to figure that out. Or do you need an old mage like me to tell you?"
"Dammit Olley," Quentin said. "You couldn't walk over five feet? You had to shift?"
"Pardon my extreme frailty," Olley replied, sulking to provoke sympathy.
"You've been walking with us," Quentin stated.
"And I don't know how much further I can make," Olley said. There were rust spots on the simple silver staff he was using as a crutch.
"Why don't you shift there and we'll meet you?" Quentin suggested.
Olley ignored the question. "Have you figured it out?"
The King tapped his chin. "It's a test, to see whether she can hold her tongue in front of me?"
"Close enough," Olley said. "Amelia hoped she could control herself in front of royalty. Shame it seems she can't."
"Really? I'd give her passing marks," Quentin stated.
"Maybe I will shift there," Olley said before fading away from the King's side.
"What is in the air today?" Aergo wondered. "So many irrelevant squabbles. Is there so much anxiety for leaving the city? Or for the event itself? I was under the impression that the castle had grown weary of attending these races. Not one member of the High Council wanted to join us."
"I love watching the horses," Shine told his father. "I hope this one wins, so I can fly back."
"Is Peanut competing?" Leaf asked.
"I guess he is," Aergo replied. His son hadn't mentioned entering Peanut in the race, but there was no good reason not to allow it. It wasn't at all dangerous. Streamers would never allow an animal to come to harm under their watch.
Streamers, as the native residents of Terrastream were called, were culturally peaceful and inherently attuned to nature. Though they had gathered themselves into different tribes, there were common traits that they all shared. No Streamer would harm another animal unless it was in self-defense. They feasted only on vegetation and were offended if meat was eaten in their presence. They spent their lives outdoors, camping across their terrain without any form of artificial shelter. And, more than any other kingdom, they relied on trade to obtain items like tools or clothing. But, they would only barter if they were certain that no living thing was harmed to produce the article they sought.
Steamers had been involved in Ghumaic wars throughout history, but they were almost always forced into their involvement by outside perpetrators. Intertribal scuffles were rare and brief whenever they did occur. Aergo knew integrating Terrastream into his First Kingdom would be difficult because there was no centralized power in their land. He had to engage each tribe separately and promise them nearly complete autonomy. Despite their hesitance, there was widespread agreement that a united kingdom would be a more peaceful kingdom. So every tribe eventually agreed to the King's terms.
The abrupt end of the city block marked the edge of Kytheras. The landscape transformed before them, as the walls of buildings that lined the cobbled streets disappeared and left only miles of grass in their wake. It was a sudden change and trudging through the high grass was a more complicated process and slowed Aergo's entire party. Fortunately, their destination was in sight.
Not far from Terrastream's border was Malaise Tracks, a unique structure built in a half circle. It had been constructed out of metal and glass, without a single plank of wood. Streamers refused to allow trees to die for the pleasures of man. Though one might think it fragile, it had stood for over one hundred years, entertaining all who visited. Aergo could only see the semi-transparent back of the structure, but he knew that on the other side there was a stadium full of benches that would soon be occupied.
Aergo's party stalled before reaching the tracks, as they seemed reluctant to interrupt an apparent commotion that was occurring right outside. A crowd had gathered that was shouting and screaming, and none in his group could make out the subject of this quarrel.
"What's going on, father?" Shine asked from atop his horse.
"I haven't a clue," Aergo stated.
"Would you like me to run up and check?" Leaf asked.
Aergo saw one in the pack break off from the crowd and head in his direction. "That won't be necessary." He recognized the man approaching him.
He was a darker skinned man draped in shredded clothes, walking barefoot on the uneven terrain. There were flowers and sticks mixed in with his long, dark green hair, and his stern face gave way to a relieved expression as he neared the King.
"What's going on, Chief?" Aergo inquired.
"Master Tunsev," Chief Equestray said with a slight bow. He was the head of the tribe that oversaw this area of Terrastream. "As ruler of our lands, you can best handle the situation that has come before us. Please follow me."
Aergo glanced at Leaf before trailing behind Equestray as he moved back toward the shadow of Malaise Tracks. "Master Tunsev is here!" the Chief yelled at the crowd, trying to be audible over the clamor. "You will respect him!"
Rantiford darted to the King's side as soon as he realized where he was going. He tightened his hand on the sword at his waist, preparing to strike if necessary.
The voices dropped off as Aergo passed through the rowdy bunch. "Get out of here you filthy Faun!" was the last phrase made in the uproar before a respectful quiet overcame them as their king came to the source of the hostility.
"This is Lord Fadros of Faunli," Equestray said, introducing a man with bright yellow eyes and black hair tied into numerous knots on the back of his head. He wore a fine jacket of red and gold with matching pants. It was an outfit that showed no sign of the harshness of his travels. His hands were clasped upon a leather leash that was attached to a horse-sized creature with black and green scales that was standing on all four of its human-like claws. It had a short, rounded snout with flared nostrils and flat white eyes that lacked any pupils. Its tail was stiff, and it occasionally bared its petite sharp teeth at the onlookers. Aergo rarely saw a velizard out of Faunli, and he was not expecting to find one here.
"What is the issue, Lord Fadros?" Aergo asked the Faun.
"I would like Mart to compete," Fadros said through a thick accent.
Aergo examined the nearby creature. "He seems well behaved."
"He is trained better than your horses are," Fadros commented, leading to a few murmurs in the crowd.
"The rules are clear, though," Chief Equestray stated. "Only horses may compete in the Pegasus Races."
"Fauns do not ride horses," Fadros told the King. "We ride velizards. This is a disadvantage to us."
Aergo considered the dilemma. Fauns did not have horses in their kingdom, nor did they import them. They preferred their reptilian counterpart, which could be more dangerous but just as nimble. The practice of only allowing horses in the race was exclusionary to Fauns, which no one really minded because the other kingdoms did not hold Fauns in high regard. But they were all one kingdom now. And if Aergo was to be fair, the Fauns had to be allowed to compete.
"Lord Fadros is right," King Aergo stated. "From now on, velizards will be allowed to join Pegasus Races. That is the final word on the matter."
The decree produced a few gasps, followed by a crescendo of murmurs. A stunned crowd refused to disperse, expecting this to all turn out to be a joke.
Rantiford withdrew his sword, concerned that he'd have to break them up, but Aergo placed his hand on Rant's arm.
"They're allowed to have opinions," Aergo reminded his head guardian. He glared around, silencing the loudest protesters with direct eye contact.
"Thank you, King of All," Fadros said. "I look forward to beating your kingdom's horses."
The encircling group broke apart as a Streamer led Fadros and his velizard through, and they all headed toward their seats in the stadium.
"My son would like his horse to compete in these races," Aergo told Equestray.
"We will make room on our track," the Chief responded.
"I appreciate that."
While the Streamers collected Peanut, Aergo and Rant led the rest of their party to the other side of the structure. The rows of flat steel and glass benches were filling up. Aergo searched for a decent spot but saw that the choice of location had already been made for him. Sitting halfway up the rows was Olley, who looked bored and ready to shift back home.
Aergo climbed the adjacent stairs and shuffled through the narrow platform to take a seat next to the elderly mage. Shine took the spot right next to the King, followed by Leaf. Rant remained standing on the stairs, while Quentin and Grace climbed to the very top of the structure.
"Where are they going?" Shine asked, pointing as the two mages passed their row.
"They have a role to play in the race," Aergo answered.
"Mages always have a role to play in the Pegasus Races," Olley croaked. "They have since the very beginning. In fact, mages are responsible for the creation of the pegasus."
"I bet you were there for that," Leaf teased.
"I was not, you disrespectful cad," Olley grumbled. He placed an emaciated finger to his chapped lips. "But I think I did share some time with Elfmon."
"Who's Elfmon?" Shine asked.
"I believe it is Olley's intent to tell us," Aergo stated.
"Few who aren't mages know who he is. And even fewer mages seem to care. He's the origin of a rule; a question on a test. But his story is a tragic one, if you can understand the bond mages share with horses.
"Well
after the creation of the pegasus, there was a young mage named Elfmon who was at the end of his teachings. He was given a pony...I forget the pony's name. But, like all mages who come of age, he gave his pony wings. Now he had a flying horse, a pegasus, to aid him as he traveled the lands to learn what could not be taught from a book. Together, they soared through each kingdom, growing closer with each adventure they took. However, one exploit almost led to the pegasus' death. Usually, such events might enhance the relationship between mage and pegasus. This event did the opposite."
"What was the event?" Shine interrupted.
Olley dug his nails into his face. "What was it? A crumbling hillside? No, it was a kidnapping. That's it. Bandits wanted to take the pegasus for themselves. No, that's not it. That was my own pegasus. Umm." He sat still for a moment, but the event never came to him. "Whatever it was, it was bad. So bad, that while Elfmon was asleep, the pegasus took to the air, never to be seen again. Poor Elfmon awoke to see his pegasus flying away from him. The abandonment left the mage heartbroken. When he finally returned to Castle Tornis, he was offered a new horse. But he refused to take one. Instead, Elfmon did what no mage before him had ever considered. He gave himself wings."
Aergo's interest was piqued. "Did you see them? Were they like a pegasus'?"
"I knew Elfmon after the incident," Olley recalled. "So I can't tell you what they looked like. All I can tell you is that Elfmon was flying about on his own for nearly a season. One day, as he was flapping through the skies, his wings unexpectedly disappeared. He tried desperately to bring them back as he fell through the air but was unsuccessful. Down he went, splashing into Wingless River. Though it wasn't called Wingless River at the time. I think it was Mercy River. Anyway, Elfmon lived to tell his tale. The name of the river changed, as did the rules of the mages. It was widely believed that humans were not allowed to have wings, so they were banned. No human would ever have wings again."