When Stars Fall (NaNoWriMo22)

Chapter 14

The stench of rot consumes the air, weighing it down on all who goes through the woods. The middle Prince of Beyond is dumbfounded by decomposition of the whole wood. His men anxiously wait for their monarch to move one. The Prince Foustaz grabs a handful of ash and watches it slip through his gloved fingers. Utterly perplexed is he to find such destruction where his advisors informed him the King's Diamond to be. He stands and surveys the damage to his kingdom. "My Prince," his second-in-command bows, "shall we move on?"

Foustaz shakes his head in thought. "Eustace declared the piece to be here. Yet, when we do arrive, it is all in ashes." Foustaz was never one to leave it to the imagination to fill in the missing parts of a rather large puzzle. In fact, Foustaz has depended on what his brothers do not: magic. It is the very reason why he is now here and not Desiderious or Etroaus. "Mmm, we are missing something." Indeed, he is.

The Middle Prince stride out onto the gravel path where his men await instructions. "What could we be missing, my lord? Has Eustace misled us?" He doubts it. Eustace knows what will happen to him if he ever betrays him. No, Eustace has not betrayed him. None of his brothers know of his meddling with magic. He's sure that his father knew, but he never voiced it. "Have you sent scouts to the nearby town?" His comrade nods with a single jerk of his head.

Foustaz swiftly mounts his horse. "When are they due to return?" Just as he asked, the sound of hooves makes its way down to where they are. "That should be them now." And, so it was. Two scouts dressed in their lord's colors ride quickly to where they all gather. They ride too quickly to bear good news. In fact, he knows by their grim faces that they indeed bring bad news. "What is it? What have you found?"

"My lord!" One of the scouts exclaims breathless. "An innkeeper from the town housed a pair of strangers. The wife said that a boy and his wife stumbled in appearing disheveled and wounded." Foustaz stares at his scouts blankly, willing the bastard to get to the point. "Finn showed her a drawing of the King's Diamond and she recognized it!" Foustaz snaps at attention, straightening his spine. "She said that the wife was wearing it around her neck. Never took it off." The Prince taps the leather reigns ever so methodically.

"Did they say where they were coming from? Or where they were going?"

The scout hesitates and send a look to his companion, Finn. "Well," Finn begins, "The husband mentioned that they asked how to get to Market Palace. Before they set off, the boy bought a horse. They were seen taking this very path south." So, they are the cause of this destruction. What confuses him is how could a plain boy and girl inflict all of this damaged. Magic was so obviously used here.

"And you're sure it was just the two?" Foustaz glances at his comrade. He doesn't like what he sees in his face. A mixture of dread and confusion. The Prince decides to question him later. "Yes, sire," the other scout answers, "It was only them two and the horse."  The comrade awaits orders from his prince.

Prince Foustaz deliberates all that he has seen thus far. Two strangers appear from nowhere and stays in an inn not far from where they are. One of these strangers has his father's Diamond. A girl, of all things. Then, sometime after they leave, this curious case of self-destruction occurs in the woods they must've crossed. There are too many questions than answers. "Let's head back down to the others," Foustaz commands his men with authority. There's no doubt who his father is. "I must speak with Eustace."

* * * * *

After a day's ride, Foustaz and his loyal men finally reach Foam's Peak. Tents have been built along the rocky coast, overseeing the foaming sea. Foustaz storms through them all, beelining towards the biggest tent. Eustace is already waiting for him, but the tension between his shoulder blades tightens with each passing step. He enters his tent with a thunderous expression. Eustace, the magician, trembles in fear as he bows. Foustaz holds his hands behind his back and stares the poor man down.

"Pray tell, Eustace," Foustaz slowly creeps forward, "why is it that I don't have the King's Diamond in my possession right now?"

Eustace's legs tremble underneath his bow, sweat beading his forehead. "I-I'm not sure w-what happened, sire." Foustaz leers over him, stalking him. "T-the reading m-must've missed something. I-I c-can fix it, my liege! I shall f-fix it!" The Prince grabs a glass bottle of gas and pours it at the fireplace. Quickly lights a match and throws it in. "I'm sure you will," he mutters as he grabs Eustace's collar, throwing him in front of the fire.

The trembling magician rubs his hands together and mutter inaudible strange words. Interesting figures emerge from the fire, mystically dancing before disappearing back into itself. "What do you see?"

Eustace exhales as a scene unfolds. "The night that the King's Diamond was bound by the Old King's command, there was an emergence in the Far Beyond. A Star fell." Foustaz freezes. "This Star along with the King's Diamond fell to the North. From there, the Diamond and the Star have followed the path South. The boy came later, but..." Eustace trails off, squinting deeper into the flames. His form is almost intangible. He cannot see anything about him.

"Finish, Eustace!" Foustaz grits his teeth, his anger and impatience are reaching its limit. The magician jumps in fright. "I c-cannot see h-him! He is veiled from my sight." The Prince walks away without a second glance. He leaves his tent muttering obscene words aimed at Eustace. The one silver lining from what he has learned is that a Star is now among them. He has heard many stories about StarS. He also heard that they have not been seen in centuries. He vows to change said history and be the first.

Foastaz is now more determined to find the King's Diamond than ever before. He wants the crown and the Star.

While the Prince goes off to blow off steam, Eustace continues to be entranced by the reading. He watches as three dangerous figures step out of the flames. They smile wickedly at him dripped in carnage. It is a bad omen. These three ladies have their eyes set on the Star. And they will slice through anyone to get to her. Eustace knows that he should warn Prince Foustaz of the oncoming danger, but he stays seated in silence. Even after the fire simmers out, he sits still in this silence. In fact, he finds satisfaction in the freedom that it will bring.

This dangerous journey has gained many players on the board. None of them realize this. Not even when an ominous shadow watches the Prince stomp out of his tent. Not even when she smiles at the sudden opportunity that has presented itself.