Whispers Of Desires: A Sense Of Truth {Book 2}

꧁༺ 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓧𝓘: 𝓡𝓮𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷 𝓽𝓸 𝓝𝓲𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓭𝓪 ༻꧂

Kazi walked across the docks, the salty sea air filling her lungs and the creak of wood beneath her boots a familiar sound. They were on their way back to Niameda, not on the usual trade route but on the longer and less-travelled route. The recent attacks on their ships had forced them to take a longer journey, but it would give her time to think and plan. She could not shake off the memory of the King's proposal, and the anger within her only grew with each passing moment.

She glanced back at her soldiers. They had all witnessed the fear on the faces of the families who had lost loved ones in the attacks. Each soldier understood the weight of their mission – to find the culprits and bring justice to Niameda.

As they arrived at their ship, the soldiers climbed aboard with practiced efficiency, hauling ropes and hoisting sails. Seraphinael stood on the dock, watching them work with a critical eye. "General Kazi," he called out, "You and your soldiers have shown great courage. May the winds guide you safely to Althea and back."

Kazi nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Seraphinael. Rest assured, we will not fail Niameda and Althea.

Turning, she boarded the ship, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew the journey ahead would be challenging, but she had faith in her people.

"Alright everyone," Kazi shouted, her voice carrying over the sound of the waves and creaking wood. "We have a long journey ahead of us, but I have faith in our abilities. We will find those responsible for these attacks and bring them to justice. Let's get underway." With renewed determination, the soldiers moved about the ship, hoisting sails, and taking their stations.

The journey back to Niameda was long and arduous, with the soldiers enduring stormy seas and treacherous waters. Days turned into weeks, yet Kazi and the soldiers remained resilient. They trained tirelessly under Kazi's leadership, honing their skills and preparing for whatever challenges lay ahead. Despite their best efforts, however, the memories of the King's proposal continued to haunt Kazi's dreams. She was determined not to let it distract her from her duty, but she couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding about the future.

Soon they finally saw the flag of Niameda on the horizon. As the ship approached, the people of Niameda waited for them on the shore, cheering and waving their weapons.

In the crowd, Kazi potted her father, Governor Nari. A surge of emotion welled up inside her. It had been weeks since she had last seen him, weeks filled with hardship and uncertainty. But now, she was home.

Governor Nari rushed forward, his eyes shining with pride. He hugged Kazi in a tight hug "Kazi," he whispered, "you are back. You are finally home."

Kazi hugged her father back, "I am home, Father," she murmured. "And we have much to discuss."

As Kazi and her father pulled apart, four figures emerged from the crowd – her sisters, Tanisi, Adanna, Ife, and Asha.

"Kazi!" Tanisi shrieked, launching herself into Kazi's arms. "You are back! I missed you so much!"

Her other sisters hugged her in turn, their tears mingling with laughter as they shared the joy of their reunion.

"We missed you so much, Kazi," Adanna said, her voice thick with emotion. "You have been gone for so long. It is good to have you back home."

Kazi squeezed Adanna tight, "I missed you too," she murmured, feeling a pang of guilt for not being there for them. She turned to her other sisters, taking in their faces, their familiar features etched with worry and exhaustion.

Tanisi, bounced on her feet. "Come on, let us go home! Father's been telling us so much about what is been going on while you were gone. We have so much to catch up on!" She tugged on Kazi's arm, practically pulling her through the crowd.

Governor Nari chuckled at Tanisi's eagerness, wiping away a tear of joy. "Patience, child. Let your sister breathe first."

The walk to the carriages was a blur of laughter and excitement as Kazi shared stories of her journey with her sisters. They clung to her words, hungry for any details they could glean about the attacks and the heroic efforts to save Althea.

Inside the familiar Parlor, Kazi was bombarded with questions from her sisters.

"So, Kazi," Asha began, "tell us all about Althea! Is it truly as beautiful as the rumours say?"

Kazi smiled, the memory of Althea's gleaming white buildings. "Beautiful doesn't even begin to describe it, Asha. Everything is so different from Niameda. But it was almost too white, too bright. It made me miss home more."

"And the people?" Asha prodded, leaning forward in her chair. Are the Altheans as beautiful as the rumours say?"

"Remarkably so," Kazi admitted, "They take their appearance very seriously. It is quite a contrast to our more practical Niamedan ways."

"And the food?" Adanna asked with a mischievous grin. "Did you find anything to your liking?"

Kazi laughed, recalling the elaborate feasts she had enjoyed in Althea. "The food was incredible, Adanna. You would never believe the variety of flavours and dishes they have. Sometimes it was hard to believe it was all made from plants." She paused, her expression turning serious. "But I think I will be glad to get back to our hearty Niamedan stews."

Ife, ever the astute one, raised an eyebrow. "What about the politics, Kazi? Did you meet the whole royal family? They are quite fascinating, you know. Especially Queen Evangeline."

"I did meet the King, Eldarion," Kazi replied. "A very interesting man. But I did not see any other members of the royal family. Did not quite catch where they were."

Suddenly, a question formed in Kazi's mind, a question fuelled by a memory of the King's words. Turning to her father, she raised an eyebrow. "Father," she began, "did you know there would be a... test involved in Althea?"

Governor Nari let out a hearty chuckle, the sound filling the room. "A test? Whatever do you mean, Kazi?"

"What test are you talking about, Kazi?" Tanisi asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"It is nothing major. Just something King Eldarion put me through to... assess my capabilities for the case." Kazi shrugged, feeling a little unsettled by the memory. "It was to test my patience and my loyalty to find solve the issue of the missing trade ships."

"How could you do that, Father! You know Kazi is the most capable person we know! She doesn't need some Althean king to test her!" Tanisi exclaimed, her voice rising in anger.

"Now, now, Tanisi," Governor Nari said, laying a hand on his youngest daughter's shoulder. "There is no need to get upset. King Eldarion only meant to ensure that the right person was handling such a delicate matter. And, as you can see, he made the right choice."

Tanisi scoffed. "Daft, that is what It is! Daft and foolish! Why would you let them test you, Kazi?"

Kazi smiled, a slow, knowing smile. There was something else the King had mentioned, something that had slipped her mind until now. "Speaking of the king," she began, "who here has heard of Prince Azrael?"