The Cinders of Dezu

11th: Born of Fire and Moonlight (2)

Raina recognized the voice before she peaked around a sculpture to see them. It was Orion surrounded by several kids. They looked up at him with wide eyed interest. They were dressed fairly plainly and functionally. Some looked like they had some spots on their clothes like they'd just come from working on something. But Orion was also dressed fairly simply. Raina had mostly seen him in something that expressed his kingship in some way. But he looked very casual. A simple cream shirt and cloth dark green pants with boots to match. He looked like some of the servants she had seen headed to work outside.

The children gathered around the white statue of a man reeling back his bow with a powerful arm, his arrow at the ready and a look of determination bearing down on his unseen target. Raina watched as the kids tried to get a look at the  plaque on the base of the piece when Orion made eye contact with her. She smiled at him. He gave a slight smile in return and then turned his attention back to the other kids. It was then that a voice rang through the hall.

"Alright, children! Times up! It's time to get back to your duties!"

It was a cheery voice of a lady. Raina looked to the entrance to see a larger woman with her hands on her hips. The kids groaned.

"I know, I know. His Majesty is lots of fun. He can show you more later."

Raina watched as the children began to shuffle out. Some lingered behind and looked to the king. He winked at them. Two of the girls ran up and hugged him before following the rest of the group. It wasn't long before the king and Raina were alone in the hall. Orion kept looking at the marble statue.
Raina chewed the side of her cheek briefly in the silence. She made her way over to him and stood in front of the plaque. She started to read it out loud.

"'General King Graylon. Champion of the North and warrior of the people. May his legacy never be forgotten.'"

Orion gave a thoughtful smile, still looking into Graylon's determined white marble eyes.

"He was always a hero of mine growing up. Mom used to bring me down here and tell me all of his stories. Graylon wasn't afraid of anything."

Raina smiled at him.

"Where's your mom now?"

Orion's eyebrows went up.

"She's... Gone. I miss her a lot."

Raina put her hands in her pockets and looked back at the statue.

"I don't have a mom either. It's nice you know what it's like to have one."

Orion looked at her profile as she looked at the statue. They were quiet a moment.

"What about your father?" the king asked.

"He's nice," Raina said with a smile, "He's rich and he takes me everywhere with him. He worries a lot though."

Orion nodded and looked back at the statue.

"But he's not my real dad," said Raina, "He adopted me when I was a baby."

Orion cocked his head as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"It's pretty obvious if you see us together I guess, but you've never seen him. He's probably really worried since I've been gone so long... but he's always worried."

Orion felt his nose tingle.

"Hey, is this you?" Raina said turning her attention to a large mural nearby.

It was high up and at a slant on the ceiling. Orion squeezed the moisture from his eyelids and looked up. It was a sprawling epic of a painting depicting a shirtless young man with blazing hands. He was mid twirl in a swirl of flames facing off against of a ferocious and massive, pure-white dog bearing its blood tipped white teeth in a bone chilling snarl. The two were surrounded by black trees covered in flames.