No Land for Princes(s) (ONC2024 Entry)

Chapter Six: Black Fox

A line of people stretched out from the city gates. Merchants, farmers, beggars, and travelers all waited for entrance through thirty-foot iron doors. The city watch screened visitors, collected tolls, and informed all who entered Black Fox; they were under the rule of Jun-Rei Kai, first cousin to Lord Jun.

The wilds around the city were full of wild monstrosities and vicious creatures that left the sane no choice but to seek the safety of the high walls. Most chose the stern hand of the governor over the dangers of the wilderness.

Jieun observed the men and women awaiting their chance to enter Black Fox with barely checked curiosity. In Castle Hwipalam, she had never witnessed such diversity of ethnicity and culture. A burly Kaydis woman balanced a huge iron-banded barrel on her shoulder as though it weighed nothing, despite the bulging of her triceps and shoulders. She idly chatted with a hairy man with pointed ears and yellow eyes that caught the light strangely. A Switangian woman loudly complained about the toll to enter the city while her Ngun-Mwari husband worked to keep their two walnut brown children quiet.

Jieun couldn't help but think about all the new sights she'd witnessed since fleeing the castle. Things Prince Kkachi might have never seen if he'd gone through with his Lord Father's wedding plans.

Meanwhile, Chaleek and Shin spoke quietly about current events.

"Half of the Bawikyan senate has sided with Lord Sardon," Shin said, stroking the muzzle of his warhorse. "With the senate split, they won't stand with him, but they won't oppose him either. At this rate, he'll have majority support in a year's time."

"He'll take The High Throne and rule all the lands." Chaleek shook his head. "I fear dark times are coming."

"Having a new King on High after a decade might be a welcomed change."

"The people of Kaydis suffer, their labor and wealth go to the oligarchs and sycophants who blindly serve Lord Sardon. Kaydis is the richest land in the realm and the people can barely feed themselves. With Sardon as the new King, all of The Lands of Gale will be the same."

"The lords won't let that happen," Jieun cut in. "Those like Lord Jun won't allow his people to be exploited like that."

Shin nodded in agreement. Chaleek kissed his teeth.

"No matter what a lord's good intentions, the will of The King on High will govern them. From the throne, to the lords. Through the lords to the governors. The will of The King on High will be our own eventually."

"I don't believe that. I can't believe that."

"This is how it is and how it's always been."

Jieun looked around; the mother, a nearby farmer, an old man smoking a pipe, a pair of young men dolled up and marked as staff at a pleasure house.

"You're saying that all we are and all we do is at the whim of The King. By that logic, there is no free will and nothing we do is of our own design."

"By the very nature of The High Throne, its will becomes the desire of the people."

Jieun thought of The Prince's Lord Father being twisted by King Sardon's character, and she felt sick to her stomach.

They fell silent as the line brought them closer to the gates. Shin looked from one to the other with a curious expression while feeding his warhorse a carrot.

"Shin, may I ask why royal guards are away from Castle Hwipalam? Is Lord Jun visiting, by chance?" She managed to hide her own dread under an air of innocent curiosity.

Shin's smile slipped as he drew closer, and lowered his voice. "We've been here since last night. Prince Jun Kkachi has gone missing! So has the heir of the Ngun-Mwar throne, Princess Jelani. We were sent here to support Governor Jun-Rei's efforts to comb the countryside."