Birthright: The Contested Seat

Kael

The ship crashed against the ocean waves as it was nearing the end of its voyage. Kael stood at the bow, taking in the sight of land in the distance. The wind whipped through his hair, peppering it with salt from the sea.

There was no greater feeling than the ocean air on his face. The feeling of salt in his hair reminded him of his time aboard his father's merchant vessel when he was younger. Kael was born in Ethios and spent most of his formative years there. His father had been the merchant captain for Laelic's largest merchant vessel, The Bear's Fury, from which they had acquired immense wealth.

Kael would often sail with his father on smaller trade missions. He got to see different parts of the world, which exposed him to many different cultures at such a young age. He was often given free reign of the ship, but his father never allowed him to enter the cargo hold. It was not a safe place for a child to play.

His father had served under Ronald Arintear, the late king's brother. He was a fierce, stern, and often unyielding man. Though he was all of those things, he was thought to be an honorable man who held great respect for the law. Kael had thought so too, until his father was wrongfully convicted of stealing and exiled for it.

They were made to leave their home and surrender their riches as repayment for his father's crimes. Their family was rounded up and placed on the first passenger ship out of Laelic. They didn't even know where they were going, but Kael remembered being so frightened that he lost his speech for several weeks. He was so young, a boy of just eight.

His family spent more than a month on board the vessel before it reached its destination, the port city of Old Cestapor. Voralis was a vastly different nation from Ethios in both language and customs. His family could not communicate, so they were poor for quite some time. Eventually his father had found work as a farmer and was even able to begin his own farm for a time. As the years went on, they recovered from their poverty, but his father's health had waned significantly. The stress and hard labor he endured after their exile had taken a toll on him, putting him into an early grave. His father's death had broken his mother. It had broken her to the point where she refused to eat, and in just a few short weeks, she too met an early death.

Kael vowed to never forgive Ronald Arintear for destroying his family. He sold his family's farm and joined the local Merchant's Guild that operated out of Old Cestapor. He had worked with them for several years before earning enough to purchase his own ship. After years of service, the Merchant's Guild finally named him a merchant captain. It was the day he had been working for since his parents died, and also the very day he vowed to avenge them.

Kael's rage had been bubbling and seething just beneath the surface, growing every day. It consumed him so completely that only one thing could satiate it; watching the light leave Ronald Arintear's eyes. It was the only way to right the injustice his family had endured.

"Kael, come. We have much to discuss before docking in Rentos," came Zoric's voice from behind him.

Kael followed him into the captain's quarters of the ship. Several maps were spread across the desk, which was framed by the large windows looking out to the sea. Zoric had spared no expense on his ship, which he insisted was an extension of the merchant captain himself. Impressive ship, impressive captain.

Kael preferred a more modest approach. He would rather save his money for more important things. The world offered a host of pleasure houses for him to spend his coin in. He was no stranger to them. He enjoyed the company of both men and women, it didn't matter their shape, size, or color. He fashioned himself a connoisseur of sorts, and his name was known to remain on their lips long after he had left them. Rentos was home to some of his favorite pleasure houses. Where the women of Ethios were the most skilled, the men of Rentos were their equal.