The Kindreds, Volume 1

The Sixth, Pt. 3

Kartinar watched from the corner of his eye as the young king caught up to them with long, urgent strides, and then overtook them. Once safely at the head of their group, his pace slowed and so did that of Kartinar and Drath's captors. Kartinar had the thought that if someone looked up to or well-trusted by Caprius—perhaps his prudish sister he'd heard rumors of—were to tell him that true kings took up the rear of a party, Caprius would be behind Kartinar and the others before he could think to adjust his antlered crown. He adjusted it then, pushing the great thing too far back on his head which was too small for such a trophy. It looked positively idiotic slanted back so far on his braids, about to topple off, but Kartinar figured that it looked better there than hanging halfway over his brows and eyes.

He chuckled at the thought, earning himself another jab from his captor, the beast of a man. Then Kartinar had the great sense to call out to the king. Drath shot him a glare. What in the name of the void are thee doing? it said. But Kartinar was already wondering that himself, and he didn't have an answer for either of them Except that he wanted to see if the Kid King would at least be honest, if not merciful.

Or perhaps you believe yourself deserving of a crueler punishment than the one he's already set upon you, is that it Kartinar? he thought grimly. At long last, you shall receive the treatment that all in Elt deem fitting, and their condemning whispers will cease. When it is done, you may say, 'See, Caprius treats me unjustly, too. I am one of you now. Spare me your scorn, for I have already received punishment for the crime of merely existing.'

And punishment for what he and Drath had just done. Not that Drath could be blamed. He didn't even know what he'd set in motion. He supposed it was punishment for that, too, tricking his only brother and companion. Even though it was all for him.

And what of the effects it will have on Elt? Kartinar thought. 'From the Valley of Kings to the Border Cities and even beyond,' the sorcerer had said. That's how great of an impact the purple light, channeled by the moat and the rivers it connected to, would have on the world. And the old man had refused to tell Kartinar of exactly what that impact would entail, other than the fact that it would set in motion a 'new age' for Elt. Whether that was benign or malevolent, Kartinar could only guess. All that had mattered to him was that the sorcerer had believed it to be a great enough of an event that it would cause Amogasanes to take notice of Drath and accept him as an apprentice, as the drifter claimed had once happened to him. Now, that didn't even matter. How could his brother apprentice under the last true sorcerer in Elt if he was locked in Caprius's dungeons, or worse, killed in them?

They were slowly nearing the unofficial capital of the Valley of Kings: the fair city of Titian. Except these days it was anything but fair. The city that seemed to be eternally preserved in autumn like a fly in amber was supposed to be the sanctuary where all Eltics came to do business, visit, and even live. It was a romantic idea, and had seen success for perhaps a century or two during the finality of the former and late King Dikaelios'Pyrtoxos's reign. Now, the idea that outsiders could live in Titian was laughable. 

The sharp-ears thought they did well at masking their disgust toward the more homely folk of Elt, but it showed in the tightness of their smiles, the hard looks in their eyes. It also showed in the dwindling numbers of foreigners living in the city. While King Dikaelios ruled, Titian had truly been a bustling capital home to residents hailing from across the land, no matter their race, religion, or number of tangles on their head. Now, even Elves of the Wood native to other cities beside Titian—such as Verdelore or Grandfleur—counted themselves lucky to call the autumn city their home. And then, of course, there was the economy. Kartinar didn't truly think the residents to be lucky, but Titian was still considered to be paradise within paradise, if Elt could be called such anymore.