by Jade Royal
“Are you building something?” Kapono asked, pointing to his tools.
“The gate on my goat pen is broken. Every morning my goats get out and I have to run them all over town. Some folks are kind enough to bring me back my goats but others just see free meat,” he answered.
“Where is it?”
“In the back,” he replied. Kapono let himself into the man’s yard. The man who possessed dragon blood didn’t seem the bit afraid of Kapono. Even if he was old, after living for centuries with power, he wasn’t going to change his mindset because of age. He expected respect and he probably never cowered.
Kapono walked by him. The elder watched him as Kapono picked up his tools. Kapono took the tools to the back where the goat pen was located. He spotted the missing piece of the pen that kept it open enough for the goats to escape. Squatting in front of the pen, he began hammering the piece of wood to close the exposed part of the pen. The gate of the pen was still intact, allowing for the old man to open and close the pen whenever he was ready.
“The goats should stay put now,” Kapono announced when he was finished, knowing the old man was already behind him.
“Wow son. Thank you. They don’t make young folks the same as they did before you know. Now, all they do is riot and loot. Hell, it’s either that or try to survive on the short comings rained down upon them by the king. Good men become hunters and killers because of the bounty the king issues simply because they desperately need the money. I used to sell goat milk for my living. Everyone loved my milk. And now? If I’m caught even trying to do such a thing, I’ll be thrown in jail. The king sends guards here at the end of every week. All the milk that I’ve cultivated for the week, I’m forced to hand over to the guards. They give me a lump sum, and then go about their way. The king things I’m a fool however. That lump sum doesn’t come close to how much money I used to make selling to people on the streets, daily. This kingdom is going to hell. Ever since the destruction of the Red Dragon clan. It’s refreshing to see someone genuine come to help an old man.” Kapono couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“What do you mean good men become hunters and killers?” Kapono asked.
“The king has several active bounties. Some people who don’t agree with his ruling and laws have rioted against him. The king has made them enemies of the kingdom. For those who have been struggling because of the new worker laws and how much money the king takes from them, the bounty seems the best chance of survival. So, they’re hunting down these enemies as if their life depended on it. Even I’ve been raided because they thought I was trying to hide some of them.”
“Well, were you?” Kapono asked. His face was covered but he was smirking slightly. With the fire in this old man, he knew the guy would do anything to go against the king.,
“Of course, I was! The so called enemies are all Drakaina’s. The king was keeping them as chamber maids and prostitutes. They burst out of that castle after putting the king on his ass. He got what he had coming to him. I saw two of the females fighting off the hunters. I stowed them away in my cottage for a few days until they were clear to leave. They said they had a hideout that would keep them safe.”
“Wow. Drakaina’s kicked the king’s ass, huh?” Kapono asked.
“Yes. It’s too bad though. Sweet little Drakaina’s fighting and it’s all for naught. This kingdom won’t change when there’s no one to defeat that king and overthrow him,” the old man huffed.
“I see,” Kapono nodded.
“So, what are you going to do about it?” he asked. Kapono stiffened. A chill rushed up his spine.
“Pardon me?” Kapono sputtered.
“I can’t sense your dragon power or what clan you belong to. Your scent is completely different and slightly muddled. My overall vision has gone bad with my age but I am not blind. I know those violet eyes young man. Now take that thing away from your face and let me see you.” Kapono felt it was no use to hide. He slowly yanked the cloth down from his face. Anxiety tensed his joints, making them crack. He’d never revealed his face after the incident, much less to anyone in Emberdom and Kapono didn’t realize just how hard it was to do so.
“Prince Kapono,” the old man sighed. Kapono bowed at him.
“I’m no longer the prince. And I didn’t come here to be the prince or the king. I just came because—because someone told me that there was something I needed to find,” Kapono explained.
“Doesn’t matter why you’re back. It only matters that you are. In due time you will understand what moves you have to make next. Right now, there’s too much hurt inside of you. Fear is coiled in the pit of your stomach, just waiting to launch itself. You’ll never know what you truly have to do until fear doesn’t exist for you anymore,” he said.
“No one will forgive me for what happened that night. The innocent lives that I took,” Kapono admitted.
“People can’t forgive when the person they don’t trust hasn’t given them a reason to get forgiveness. Time doesn’t heal all wounds, Kapono. And no, people have not forgotten what came upon us that dreadful night. But if that’s all that they can remember, if that’s all they have to cling to then how can they forgive you? Right now, our people need someone to fight for them. This kingdom is going to shatter if we keep on the same path. Still, the crown was snatched away from you the night you lost your family. You don’t owe this kingdom anything. I suppose your fear is not only in being forgiven, but it is if you yourself can forgive. I know well of your punishment. The rage you must feel inside.” Kapono clenched his fists. He took a deep breath, needing to calm the beating of his heart. Getting riled up would only awaken Wrath.
“I just want my family,” Kapono rasped out. His skin became tight with desperation and hot tears leaked from his eyes.
“That’s all I want.” All at once, Kapono saw visions in the back of his eyes. Visions of Ashbel’s smile. Visions of how she looked when she rubbed her growing belly. Even a vision of when they’d first laid eyes upon each other. None of them were even ready to commit to the idea of love until their hearts took the lead. Kapono touched his chest where her firebrand lay.
Lost in thought, Kapono was looking off into the distance until he felt the heat of fire. Blinking himself back into the present, Kapono looked at the elder man. He was cupping his hands over his mouth and whispering something. Even with Kapono’s keen hearing he didn’t understand the muffled words that sounded like gibberish. The man continued to talk until he drew his hands from his mouth. He kept his hands cupped as if he was holding something. Raising his hands to the sky and uncapping his hands, a small black bird of flames took flight, flying away gracefully. What was that?
“Son. Look at me.” Kapono lifted his head until he was gazing into the elder’s mahogany eyes.
“I was contemplating fixing my goat pen all day because I knew of the strain it would put on my old body. But you came here and stopped, without thinking of your own mission to help an old man. I cherish the value you see in caring for others. I will return the favor.”
“There’s nothing I can take from you sir. I won’t—”
“I will reunite you with your Ashbel,” he declared.
Each time Kapono swallowed, his throat felt as if it was being coated with dry sand. Kapono had forgotten just how truly heated the streets of Emberdom could truly be. It was either that, or it was the nerves that rippled through his body, making his muscles quake and his body dribble with sweat. Kapono would brave any element however. He would do so because this journey was the path to Ashbel.
“You there. Halt.” The elder walking next to Kapono hobbled to a stop. He used a cane to guide him through the streets of Emberdom. Kapono wanted to get a wagon so the man didn’t have to walk, but he claimed he needed the exercise. Three royal guards approached them; long swords sheathed as their sides. They wore traditional guard uniforms, bare chested with pants that flared out at the bottom, giving the guards flexibility and freedom with their movements.
“What can I do you for you guards today,” the elder asked, coming to a stop.
“We’ve been alerted about a suspicious character in Emberdom and that you’ve been conspiring with him sir Lyon.” The guard looked Kapono up and down.
Just who the hell is he looking at like that?! Smack the taste from his mouth! Wrath grumbled to life. Kapono bit back the pain that the urge of Wrath brought him.
“The only suspicious thing around here is you,” Lyon stated, wagging his cane at the guard.
“The milk supply you provided us last week was low in numbers. We expected 50 jars of milk and you only provided 37. The king demands double for next week.”
“My goats are living and breathing creatures. Just as humans change every day, as do my goats. If they can’t produce 50 jars of milk, there’s no way to force them to. And thanks to high taxes and the small lump sum I’ve been handed, I cannot afford to buy any more goats,” Lyon exclaimed.
“If you do not obey your orders, you will be held in contempt. Your arrest will be immediate.” Kapono’s fist clenched. Next to him, Lyon was shaking with anger, his weakened knees hardly keeping him standing.
“As for you! Come with us for questioning!” the guard pointed his finger in Kapono’s face. Without needing the prodding of Wrath, Kapono smacked the guard’s hand from his face.
“I think you should turn tail and get out of our way,” Kapono warned him. The guard clenched the hilt of his sword.
“Dressed from head to toe with a face covering; you’re as suspect as they come. The king does not allow outsiders in the capital of Fireland. You can either leave, or be brought to the prison for questioning by force. What will be your choice?” he asked.
“My choice? My choice is to have you step out of my way and leave me alone. You can try to get me to leave and you can try to bring me to prison. But I must warn you. If you touch me; I’m going to tear your arm off and beat you with it,” Kapono said casually. The guard didn’t seem to believe Kapono’s words. He took a step forward. Kapono turned and looked at the old man.
“Pardon me sir Lyon, but you know of my condition. If this man places his hand on me, I won’t have a choice but to give into my sin and that will not be a pretty sight. I hope you do not think less of me after you have seen what I can do,” Kapono said. Lyon hobbled to the side, giving Kapono space.
“Fret not dear boy. You did issue a warning and he has failed to heed it. Do as you must.” Kapono actually felt relief. Relief that despite the ugliness that he would have to display, he wouldn’t be looked at differently or with disdain.
“Let’s go!” the guard demanded. He reached forward and grabbed Kapono’s wrist. Wrath roared in his head, the dark urges of inflicting pain and destruction beginning to swarm Kapono’s body. The heat circling Kapono’s wrist brought on by the touch of the guard’s hand burned all the way up to Kapono’s chest.
Turning his wrist slightly, he traded holds with the guard, grabbing onto his wrist instead. Yanking his arm back, he pulled the guard towards him roughly. Kapono used his free hand balled into a fist, slamming it smack in the middle of the guard’s face. Kapono wrapped his hand around the guard’s neck and held onto his tightly.
Danger on your left side Kapono. Wrath growled the words out, offended that someone was choosing to attack them. Still clutching onto the guard that touched him, Kapono easily unsheathed his sword and struck to his left. His sword dove into the stomach of the second guard who was trying to come up on Kapono’s left side. Kapono struck at his stomach because the flow of dragon power came from the breath. If you couldn’t breathe, you couldn’t conjure dragon fire. With the guard on the ground, bleeding heavily, Kapono could bring his attention to the guard in his grasp. He tightened his hold around the guard’s neck.
“I did warn you not to touch me,” he gritted, grabbing hold of the guard’s wrist. The guard’s skin began to heat up as if he was trying to produce fire hot enough to force Kapono to let go. Too bad for him, he didn’t realize that Kapono easily absorbed all that heat; taking it within his body. With Wrath inside of him, Kapono was able to suck up dragon power as if it were food, supplementing his body. Wrath bellowed triumphantly in his mind, sucking up the power of the guard.
Rip him! Tear him up! BLOODDDDD! Wrath screamed. Kapono held the guard’s wrist tight and began to tug at his arm.
“No! Sto—” Kapono squeezed the guard’s neck tighter, cutting off the words he was trying to speak. Even if Kapono wanted to stop, Wrath wouldn’t let him. He was fueled with anger and destruction, emotions that had no pause button. Fueled with such wrath, Kapono was more powerful than the average man. As he continued to tug, he could hear the skin stretching and bones beginning to give way under his power. The guard was flouncing in his grip as if he was a fish out of water. With his throat being crushed, he couldn’t scream and shout with his pain.
I want to hear his screams. Kapono growled at the nagging voice in his head. He was inclined to refuse until he felt the scratch of pain across his skull. Screaming in anger, Kapono let go of the guard’s throat. He slammed the man to the ground and stepped on his chest. Continuing to hold onto his arm, Kapono continued to yank. He used his foot to hold the guard down, bracing against him. The screams rippling from the guard immediately soothed the pain in Kapono’s head. Wrath cackled with glee, cheering Kapono on, heightening his power until he reached his peak.
The sound of the guard’s arm tearing away from his body echoed in the streets. Kapono nearly fell backwards as the guard’s arm came away from his body with a final tug. Blood spewed over the cobblestoned street continuously from his now vacant arm socket. Breathing heavily, Kapono stood with the guard’s arm in his hand.
“Didn’t I tell you what I would do?” Kapono gritted. The guard’s eyes were rolling to the back of his head, the blood loss making him weak. Even with dragon power, healing for such a wound still wouldn’t grant him fill recovery. Kapono smacked him across the face with his own arm.
“And you better tell all those other pigs who work for the king that Sir Lyon is not to be harmed or bothered anymore. You will no longer take his goat milk and you will no longer demand any more production from him. Those who do not heed this warning will encounter the exact fate.” Kapono continued to smack him with his arm as he spoke. He wasn’t so much doing it for pain as he was doing it for the man’s humiliation. Wrath seemed to like that kind of shit too.
Serves you right for touching us. Wrath laughed giddily. Kapono casually threw the man’s arm away. Even though the wound was hefty, the dragon power the guard had would keep him alive, even if his arm would never grow back. He would be able to deliver the message to the king.
“Pigs!” The shout from an onlooker made Kapono seize up momentarily. Dread made his blood ice cold, regret seeping through him. No. He didn’t want to be seen as an animal, or a monster. But he had to—he had to give into the sin or the pain—he couldn’t stand the pain.
Feeling a shaking fear, Kapono lifted his head to meet the onlookers who had watched what he’d done in horror.
“Go back to the castle, scum!” A potato went flying, landing against the head of the guard. Kapono’s eyes widened as he looked at the people surrounding them. They weren’t showing disdain for him at all. They were scowling and throwing food at the two fallen guards, swearing and cursing their existence.
“We must continue on,” Lyon said as he tugged Kapono’s sleeve. Still gawking with disbelief, Kapono stumbled after the man.
They continued to walk until they reached a small shack where locals often visited for drinks and quick bites of food. As soon as the shop keeper saw Lyon, she pushed a wooden beer mug in his direction. Lyon hoisted himself up on the wooden stood, sitting at the bar.
“Is she here?” Kapono asked, wondering why they were stopping.
“What can I get for you?” the shop keeper asked.
“Nothing,” Kapono insisted. He used to enjoy drink back at the castle but ever since that fateful night,
he didn’t have the luxury of enjoying a drink. He had too much shit going on.
“Have a seat boy.” Kapono shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t want to sit around. He needed to see Ashbel.
“Sir, I don’t mean to be rude but what the hell are we doing? You said you would bring me to Ashbel. Is she here?”
“Be patient. Ashbel is not here but I will—”
“Patient?” Kapono shook his head. He held his temples, feeling an ache beginning to tickle his brain.
“Sir Lyon. For two years I’ve lived in misery thinking that my beloved heart is dead. I’ve sworn that I would never come back to this damn place, and now I’m here. Only for the prospect that Ashbel is somehow alive. I—I held her lifeless, cold body in my arms. I want nothing more than to hold her again if she’s alive and warm. Being patient? I can’t. I’ve waited too long for a miracle. I need my Ashbel. Please. I must see her.”
“And I will continue the journey to reunite the both of you.” The determined voice sounded from behind Kapono. He recognized the scent coming from behind him almost immediately. It was a female from Ashbel’s clan. Turning around, Kapono was met with the eyes of the female who he’d first given into his sin to save.
“It’s you,” Kapono whispered.
“I’ve been looking for you. All over Fireland. But you move too quickly and you work in the shadows. No one here could ever offer me information on your whereabouts. When I left Emberdom in search, I heard talks about you living in the canyons. However, that was too much a difficult trip for me to take. I only managed hiking for two days before I was forced to turn back or I would die out there.”
“It’s the desert. I would never suggest a female try and brave the terrain,” Kapono said.
“I tried. And I tried. Because I told Ashbel that I would. Sir Lyon, he provides me with shelter and food whenever I’m in need. Ever since the Drakaina’s escaped the castle, he’s been sending us milk and bread. That’s most likely why his portions are short for the castle. He made a big risk to help us. He passes me messages of things going on around town so I can relay it to Ashbel and the others.”