Chronicles of the Soveriegn

Chapter 4: Birthday Gift

I suddenly felt terrible for Cedric. His only family was going to end up the same way that my only family would – dead. Cedric was very quiet that day, but I knew exactly what he was feeling and how he wanted to stay and help. It was the exact feeling I’d had when my family was taken.

The day seemed to drag on forever. Máe could talk for hours on end and I soon grew tired of hearing my friend ramble. Cedric didn’t open his mouth that day, not once. He didn’t say anything even when they stopped for the night. This was not the Cedric that I had become friends with on the journey to Mrall. He was withdrawn and distressed and I felt really bad for him.

That night we didn’t stop until nearly midnight. The inn Cedric chose was filthy and poorly kept, but neither I nor Máe said anything about it.

After a short night of restless sleep, we were on our way again. That day, Cedric was a bit more sociable. And as the journey progressed, he got better. Overall, the trip went well, and I was talking with either Cedric or Máe constantly.

Over the course of that trip, Cedric taught me a great many things. Among them were how to formally greet and farewell to people and he told me it was how I should greet people of authority in Alarka. It was done in Elven because it wasn’t considered proper to say it in Ancient Caspenish, which was the language all Wizard spells were cast in. If you greeted someone in Caspenish, that was implying that you were saying a spell, which is never welcomed. You always say either a blessing or a curse in Elven greetings, though much to my disappointment Cedric refused to teach me the curses.

He taught me about the different kinds of magic and how they differed from each other. He explained that Wizards had to say a spell in Ancient Caspenish, while Fairies just had to think about whatever they wanted to happen. Elves were different. Only magicians had magical power among Elves, and they couldn’t just say a spell or think of it, they had to say it in Elven, truly want it with all of their heart, soul, and mind, and then will it into being using a large amount of energy. When I asked how many Elves were magicians, he said only about one in one-hundred, and that it was genetic. He also explained how Sprites had to think of the spell in Fairish for it to happen, and creatures such as dragons had to want it like the Elves.

After twelve days of travel and having great difficulty on the rocky roadways, a large white palace came into view through the mountainous skyline.

“That’s Tulus’s palace,” explained Máe.

“It’s huge,” I marveled.

Cedric chuckled, “What did you expect?”

When we reached the large gate that led into the palace’s courtyard, all Cedric had to do was look at the gate’s guard who immediately called for the gate to be opened.

Then interior was extremely lush with gardens and fountains filling the courtyard. Cedric led us to a stable in the left corner where he gave us strict instructions as of where to put our horses. Once I had Saya safely put in a stall with hay and had handed my bags to a servant, I followed Máe and Cedric into the palace.

Of all the wildest things I could have dreamed a palace to be like, this surpassed them all. Tapestries with battle scenes hanging on the walls, marble floors that were so shiny I could see my reflection when I looked down, and there were many servants running around. Cedric seemed to know where he was going, so Máe and I followed him into a long corridor lined with silken wall-hangings depicting Angor’s fall and Filkras’s rise to power.

At the end of the hall, there were huge wooden doors guarded by the biggest soldiers I had ever seen. But, of course, with one nod of his head, Cedric was able to get past without any trouble. I wondered if all of Tulus’s family members had as much privilege around the palace as Cedric.