As soon as my feet touched boiling sand, I was off. Running through the burning dunes to an abandoned lighthouse my friends and I called home.
I had something important to tell them.
The wrought iron door slammed shut behind me and I began my ascent up the stairs. I could hear them talking up the top. I burst through the hatch. My two best friends in the world stood before me.
“You’re not going to believe the story I have for you,” I said, excitedly sitting in the already forming circle.
“Well, get on with it, Ciel,” said Elijah Saltare, my best friend in this world. “We don’t have all day.”
“Three days ago my father, Baron Grayson Tames of Lycia, told me that I was to accompany him to the Kings Summit. This would’ve been an okay trip if one King wasn’t as dry as dust and the other wasn’t a racist sociopath.”
“You mean King Kane and King Vissian, right?” interrupted Kaya, the only girl brave enough to associate with us.
“Correct,” I replied. “Now quiet.”
She whispered, “Sorry.”
I continued, “The carriage ride was four hours of grumbles and “Are we there yets?” from me. This wasn’t helped by the fact that my clothes were all a size too small and were choking me in all the wrong places.”
“That implies that there is a right place to choke you?” Kaya said with a mischievous grin plastered on her face.
I glared at her. My story continued but my face was now ever so slightly pink. “When we had arrived, the angelic appearance of Castle Fienamont shocked me. It was a massive Castle situated by a waterfall, which bounced light off the windows of my carriage. Although I couldn’t look at it long, as we were quickly ushered inside into a war room for the peace talks. Huh, funny that.
“There was only one King present, that being King Kane Valerian of the Lylands, my Godfather. This made me his one heir and that was the precise reason that I hated and feared Vissian so much. He was my future adversary.
“My father bowed to Kane, and I followed suit.
“Good morn, my liege,” Grayson said. Kane groaned.
“Here we go.”
“Gray, why do people say, ‘Good morn’?” Kane said, auspiciously playing with his long pink braid, “Do they mean to say that my morning better be good or else?” The King tended to overthink these things.
“The two doors I had passed through earlier, opened again to reveal two familiar figures. General of the Lylands, Sean Verant and Advisor to the Crown, Alastair Figg. I bounded over to him and encircled his black cloak in a hug.”
“Ew,” whispered Kaya, making a face. “Not my dad,”
“Shut it,” I replied, “It’s weird enough being God-cousins or whatever.”
Sean was my other Godfather, and I liked him better.
Alastair squatted down next to me, reaching for my shoulder.
“Ciel, right?” He asked. I gave him a hum of approval, “Thought so, they bore you already?” I hummed again.
“Why didn’t you just nod, stupid?” asked Elijah, earning a glare from me.
“He’s blind, you ass,” I replied.
“Blind?!” Eli exploded into laughter, “The King’s advisor is blind?! Ha!”
A quick strike from Kaya ensured his silence.
I continued: “King Kane and his guests exchanged hellos and pleasantries. As they talked and reminisced about past wars they had fought in, I was left to sit, alone. If only I was older, maybe I could understand them.”
Kaya softly grabbed my hand and rubbed her thumb across it. I thanked her and continued with my story, “The massive doors were thrown open, this time revealing two new figures. I knew these two well. They were General Nicola Ignis and King Vissian Wytt. They wore decorative armour from their country – Renher and Vissian had a broadsword at his waist. I had a bad feeling about this.
“Nicola stepped forward and cleared his throat. The room held its breath, “King Vissian Marius Wytt requests a duel with King Kane Lycan Valerian, for the throne of the Lylands.” A collective gasp sounded, and Kane stood up, flicking his long braid off his shoulder.
“Now Vissian,” Kane said evenly, “You said we could resolve this quarrel without violence.”
“I was never one for politics,” came the icy reply from Vissian. “Don’t act like you don’t want a fight, scum!” The last word was spat from his mouth, as if it had left a bad taste in his mouth.
Kane sighed and drew his sword. Vissian grinned.
The Dance of Steel began.
The two Kings fought as complete equals, in strength and status. No advantages. This was until a rather stupid slip-up caused Vissian to fall and narrowly miss a slice from Kane’s sword. He paid for that with a sizeable chunk of his nose.”
“Ew! Blood,” said Elijah, in disgust. “I thought this was going to be a fun story,” he groaned.
“You are such a big baby, Eli,” teased Kaya.
I sighed and continued: “Vissian rolled behind Kane and tried to hit his back. Keyword: tried. He missed cutting Kane’s treasured ponytail off. This only served to distract Vissian from an incoming strike from Kane. His sword entered Vissian’s shoulder. He cried out in pain and spat blood. The enemy King toppled like a chess piece. Kane removed his crown, muttering “Stupid King.”
“I joined in a growing chorus of cheers for Kane’s victory. An arrow broke that cheer in two and pierced Kane’s shoulder. Checkmate. The room sprang into action. Sean quickly caught Kane and Grayson dived for the bow-wielding Nicola.”
“Ok, that’s it,” Eli said, his face turning green, “I’m out,” He ducked his head out of a window and vomited. Kaya turned to me and told me to continue.
“A medic was called over and they started to patch the arrow wound. Grayson re-joined us after arresting the culprit and declared “And you thought this was going to be boring!”
“I’m not one for politics,” I reiterated, mocking Vissian.
“My father laughed and Kane chuckled.
“And that’s the end,” I said, standing up.
“Is the King all right?” Kaya said, also standing up, “Did Vissian die?” I nodded. Her eyes wouldn’t meet mine.
Eli had fallen asleep near the window which he had thrown up out of. I grabbed a blanket from his nearby mattress and draped it over his shoulders.
I stood up and gazed out the window at the stunning coast, stretching for miles. I felt a tug on my arm and turned to see Kaya’s worried face, looking at my own.
The coast had nothing on this girl.
“What if Vissian had won?” she said quietly, giving voice to my deepest concern, “He would’ve killed you, yes?”
I grabbed her hand, gently. My status as Kane’s heir was known to Vissian, so I would’ve been a major target in that situation. “You don’t need to worry about me, Kaya,” I replied, rubbing her palm. “Your father wouldn’t let anything happen to me,”
“Sorry, it scares me to think about that,” she said, “I don’t want to lose you, Ciel.”
I pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear, “I know.”