The Kingdom of Noitcif

Chapter Eleven - Touring

  The gentle tinkle of a bell woke Espen from a deep slumber. The coronation and the feast afterward had completely worn him out. Now, waking slowly with his mind in a fog, he couldn't remember where he was. His gaze drifted from the silk sheets of his magnificent bed to the surrounding room. Highly polished, gleaming artifacts reflected the morning sun, which was peeking through the fine linen curtains.

  "Your breakfast, my king." A steward holding a satin bathrobe bowed at his bedroom entrance just as Espen realized he was waking in the King's Chamber – his chamber.

  The mental fog began to lift as he turned to allow the steward to put on his robe and direct him to his elegant chair at the table in the adjoining room. A poached egg, toast, and orange juice awaited him. Espen felt a bit odd eating by himself with two stewards flanking him, but before he had time to give it much thought, there was a knock on the suite door and he heard the doorman welcome someone in.

  Espen didn't see who the newcomer was until Sebastian the doorman showed him into the dining room, and the teenager turned to see Lysander, in the midst of giving a low bow.

  "Good morning, my king," he breathed, standing upright before walking to the other end of the table.

  "Good morning," Espen replied, and then waved a hand at the chair next to him. "Please, sit down."

  "Thank you, my king," the duke responded, his hunter green cloak glinting in the chandelier light.

  "Do you have anything planned for the day?" The duke waved away coffee from a steward and sat up straight in his chair.

  Espen shrugged. "Unless something comes up, my day looks pretty open."

  Lysander nodded. "Good. Because I was going to suggest that if it suits you, I could take you to some of the islands of Noitcif to start off my mentorship to you. While we are there, I could tell you about the history of the islands and what you will be expected to do for them, being king."

  "That would be wonderful, Lysander!" Espen responded gratefully, after he had taken a long swallow of juice. "Thank you!"

  "Oh, it is no issue, my king. It is my role and duty, after all."

  So, after King Estevan had finished his meal, he and the duke set off on the back of Lysander's black pegasus – Tectum - to the islands of Noitcif. The duke explained that there were three islands that he wanted him to see today, as they were an important part of the kingdom; as well as being absolutely beautiful.

  "But, I am sure there will be plenty more opportunities for us to explore the thirty-four other islands hidden in the clouds."

  The first island that Lysander and Espen visited was Noitca, where there always seemed to be something going on, and everyone was busy and alert.

  "The people here will probably want to be involved the most of all the islands in the kingdom. They will expect your emissaries to keep them in the loop on everything," Lysander explained as a group of teenagers jostled past, swords at their sides and voices carrying throughout the street. "They are great helpers in times of need, but are also very independent and do not mind being left to their own devices every now and then."

  The second place on the duke's tour was Htym, where the people seemed incredibly superstitious and yet appeared to be factual and noble in their ways. Lysander told Espen that this group of people hardly came to the main island of Noitcif, and instead preferred expounding on theories with their own citizens – whether they were good speculations or not.

  "You would do better just to let them be," the duke murmured. "They are friendly and all, but they are a people apart from the rest, and take care of themselves."

  The final island they were scheduled to see was Aipotu. Espen originally thought it to only be a small village on the side facing the Noitcif castle, with just enough citizenry for it to feel cozy. The people were charming, warm, and welcoming, but after one walked past the village, the real magic of the place began to manifest. The island was so beautiful, in fact, that many people considered it to be the finest gem that Noitcif had harvested from the sky.

  Espen had to agree with all of the illustrious comments as he waded through knee-high, lush grass. The gentle whoosh of the wind sailed gently through the air, blowing fuchsia petals on its current. In front of him, a huge forest with emerald trees grew, and beyond that lay a range of rolling, lavender hills.

  The young king lagged behind as he followed Lysander through the stunning woods that had come before them, trying to take it all in. The tree branches sparkled with rainbow colors as the sun hit millions of tiny droplets hanging on their leaves. Suddenly, the woods opened up to a clearing. A clearing so small it probably would have only accommodated three unicorns comfortably, but it was the most spectacular sight that Espen had ever seen. A crystal blue waterfall flowed from a large, smooth boulder at the far end. Embedded in the boulder were thousands of silver pebbles which shone brightly as the water cascaded down into a pool and then escaped into a small, lively creek with fish of every color swimming in the clear liquid. The stream made its way to the center of the clearing, where it trickled into a small pool lined with multi-colored wildflowers. Long grass made up the carpet for this beautiful place, and the trees growing around it seemed to bend away, revealing the perfectly formed clouds overhead and the breathtaking blue sky, alive with birds of every kind.

  However, there was a small space to the left where the trees didn't block the view, and through this, Espen's eyes were drawn. The sky shone beyond, and it would have only added to the tranquil atmosphere except there was a huge, ugly black tower placed atop a small floating piece of land about five miles away.

  "Lysander..." the young king murmured, "... is that the tower that Ytilaer built?"

  The duke glanced at it for an instant before turning away and replying in a monosyllable. "Yes."

  "Do... do the people of Ytilaer still come here to turn it on and off?"

  "No. King Estevan, now is not the time to discuss the tower, nor the people of Ytilaer. We need to be cautious."

  Espen nodded. "All right..." he murmured, wondering if Ytilaer could hear them through the tower somehow. But even if that were true, he had hoped for a more substantial response from Lysander.