Shadows of Aether

Chapter 3: Threads Of Our Ancestors

Nacola stands at the grand entrance of the Earth Kingdom castle, her arms tightly crossed. She glances at the towering architecture, her heart racing with nerves. Beside her, Predi radiates pride and excitement. "Isn't it magnificent, Nacola? You're going to work here with me!"

Nacola forces a smile, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's... impressive, Mother." The weight of expectation sits heavily on her shoulders. "But I didn't want to be here."

Predi's face softens, understanding flickering in her eyes. "I know, dear. But you've been assigned to the Prince Royal—think of how fortunate you are. It could have been far worse. You could have ended up in another kingdom altogether." She gives Nacola a reassuring squeeze.

"Lady Predi! It's good to see you," Kwan Darragh, the Prince Royal, approaches them with a warm smile. His presence exudes confidence and charm. He turns to Nacola, eyes sparkling. "And you must be Nacola. I've heard so much about you!"

Nacola blushes, glancing between Kwan and her mother. "All good things, I hope?"

Kwan laughs lightly. "Only the best, I assure you. Lady Predi has a way of sharing her enthusiasm." He steps closer and pulls Predi into a brief hug. "It's always a pleasure."

"Let's get started, then," Predi says, her excitement bubbling over. "I know Kwan will a great guide around the castle."

"Lets start with Library while your mother finishes some of her daily tasks." Kwan gestures towards a long hallway. Predi does a slight bow, and kisses Nacola on her head before scurrying off. 

Kwan leads Nacola to the library, the towering shelves filled with ancient texts igniting her curiosity. "This is one of the largest collections of Earth Kingdom history," he explains. "It tells the stories of how we came to claim our lands after the War of Lightning. That war changed everything, but it came with a heavy price."

She stands beside Kwan Darragh, her eyes roaming over the countless books that line the shelves, before settling on him.

"What was it like during the War of Lightning?" she asks, her voice careful, as though stepping into a past she doesn't quite understand yet. "Did you ever see Queen Matisse?"

Kwan's smile is faint, but a glimmer of nostalgia softens his face. He pauses, seemingly lost in thought for a moment. The weight of history hangs between them. "Queen Matisse..." he begins, his voice lower, almost reverent. "She was a force, not just in battle, but in every room she entered. Regal, yes, but also intimidating in her own way."

Nacola listens intently, her hands clasped together, her shy demeanour making her presence almost quiet compared to Kwan's, but her eyes speak volumes. She leans in slightly, eager for more.

Kwan glances at her, noting her rapt attention. "The War of Lightning changed everything. The land the Earth Kingdom claimed afterward—what should've been a victory—started to rot." His expression turns more serious. "It's still rotting, slowly creeping towards the other kingdoms. What was once rich and fertile land is now... dead."

Nacola frowns, her brow furrowing as she processes this. "What happens if it keeps rotting? What will become of the kingdoms?"

Kwan exhales, the lightness from moments ago fading. "No one knows for certain," he admits. "But it's not good. The balance between kingdoms has been fragile since that war, and this rot... it threatens everything. It started with the Aether Kingdom, and now it's slowly making its way to us. It could affect the earth, the water, even the mountains."

Nacola tilts her head, her gaze lingering on the map that shows the lands as they were before the war, now marked by borders and territories. "But the Air Kingdom didn't gain land, did they? They didn't have to deal with it."

Kwan shakes his head. "No. When the power shifted from five kingdoms to four, they were left without new land. Didn't gain as much as the others, but there were benefits." He lets out a dry chuckle. "Solid math, if you think about it."

Nacola's lips twitch, her mind spinning with the implications. "Why don't the people know? About the rot?"

"Fear. There could be uprisings across the kingdoms. None of the royals will allow that." Kwan answers sternly.

Nacola sighs, "So even me knowing..." Kwan nods. Using his fingers to gesture, zipping his lips shut, and throwing away the secret.

"There's a prophecy, something the Wise have been whispering about. No one knows exactly what it foretells, but it's enough to make even the most powerful uneasy." Kwan walks over to a set of chairs by the window and sits.

They fall into silence for a moment, until Nacola breaks it once more. "Do you think... it's all because of what happened in the war?"

Kwan's eyes darken slightly as he regards her, the weight of those lives still heavy on his shoulders. "I think the land remembers more than we give it credit for. Grief, destruction... sometimes, they leave marks long after the battles are over."

Nacola shifts uncomfortably, glancing back at the map. "At least they were able to stop the tyrant queen," she says softly, her voice trying to sound certain but carrying a note of hesitance.

Kwan's expression hardens, and he quickly corrects her. "Queen Matisse was no tyrant, Nacola. Whatever you were taught in your classes..." He pauses, choosing his words carefully. "It doesn't always reflect the truth."

Nacola's eyes widen, her voice more curious than defensive. "But in history class, we learned about her plan to take over the kingdom. The other kingdoms said if they hadn't acted, everyone would've been doomed."

Kwan laughs softly, but there's an edge to it, a deep knowing that makes Nacola feel like she's only skimming the surface of something much deeper. "No, it wasn't the Aether Kingdom planning to control everything. They were powerful, yes. They were prosperous. But they weren't after domination." He shakes his head, leaning slightly toward her as if to share a secret. "They needed someone to blame, Nacola. That's how the world works sometimes."

Nacola frowns, struggling to wrap her mind around the implication. "But why? Why would they lie about that?"

Kwan regards her with a kind, almost pitying look. "You'll understand in time. The longer you spend here at the Castle, the more you'll start to see the truth behind what you've been taught. History is written by those who survive, and sometimes they get to decide what's remembered." His tone is gentle but firm, as if offering her a glimpse of a much larger, more complex world than she ever imagined.

Nacola opens her mouth to ask more, but Kwan glances at the clock on the far wall, his expression shifting. "We must make haste," he says, straightening up. "The kingdoms are gathering, and Royals hate to be kept waiting."

He turns, walking briskly toward the exit. Nacola lingers for a moment, her mind buzzing with the weight of what Kwan has revealed. There's so much she doesn't know—so much she wants to know—but for now, she has to follow.