Mars Underneath The Sceptre of Eternity

Suspicious Friendship

Terra Nocturlis was also known as the Valley of Dead Eagles where the Eagle kings and their blood relatives commenced their last journey to eternity. It was a cremation ground. When the procession finally reached into the Terra Nocturlis, it was the last part of the Hour of Afternoon. Very soon the Hour of Twilight or Nightfall would start.

King's men were arranging for a gigantic funeral pyre with lots of white woods. White woods were highly expensive in Terra Aquillaan, but the Eagle Kings used it for their last rite. In this kingdom, only Karzond kings followed different types of cremation. They burned their dead instead of burying them in underground vaults.

Blazerrick noticed that Ergonn had arranged for an expensive funeral for Zealeoness; he smiled secretly. The half-alien king wanted to show his respect for his stepmother, whom he loathed most. Many people were suspecting that Ergonn had killed Zealeoness, but the Grand Seer held a different opinion.However, Blazerrick did not believe in the theory of Firephenys.

Like other Warlords his father was standing in the front row but not beside the King; but beside Prince Amorah who had suddenly arrived from the Kingdom of Sevrot. Blazerrick had found this man ridiculous; he wore colourful clothes and expensive jewelleries like women; not only that, the man had used eyeliner in his almond shaped hazel eyes. His strong perfume was spreading a peculiar sweet smell even in the cremation ground. He was the only man in colourful attires. Blazerrick looked at his brothers; Zephyr, Emereon and Eonrick were all standing with him.

"Ze"; he called his brother softly; Zephyr looked at him and answered, "Yes."

"What do you think about the Prince of Colours?"

"Like a clown in the show of mummer's." He said in a rhythmic tone. Eonrick smiled to hear the answer; but it did not please Blazerrick.

Zephyr had noticed that Emereon was not participating in their conversation anymore; he might have felt insulted. He thought to speak to Blazerrick later on; but another thing surprised him. Emereon walked faster than others and was not at all looking tired. He might have gained some energy from that cave. He wanted to point it out to his brother, but Blazerrick was a bit hot headed. He remarked, "Since yesterday we are walking around catacombs; very soon I'll forget that I'm still alive."

"Brother, we expected you to win." Eonrick remarked.

Blazerrick looked satirically at the younger boy; Eonrick looked like his mother; he had oblong face, hooked nose and hazel eyes like his mother; his hairs were dark brown not black like Oeilna. Eonrick had not yet completed his martial training, so, he was permitted to keep his curly hairs. Blazerrick always felt a surge of anger whenever he looked at the boy. Zephyr realized it, he caught his brother's right hand; but Blazerrick replied, "I did not win intentionally, Eonrick; I'll not leave Sargoshi in your hand." He replied and clenched his jaws in fury.

"If I want, you have to stay here, brother; don't forget my sister is the future queen. Oeilna is my full sister." Eonrick smiled at him.

Zephyr always feared of a war of succession in Sargoshi; his father had many wives and children. At least seven of his half-brothers were eligible to rule. Though Blazerrick considered himself the strongest among them, but Emereon was no less than him. Moreover, Terra Aquillaan had no clear law of inheritance. Now Ergonn's accession to the throne would ignite aspiration of succession among many incompetent claimants. He never imagined that the half-alien boy much loathed by his aunt Zealeoness would sit on the Scarlet Throne.

The Sweet sound of bells and chorus singing relaxed Zephyr's disturbed mind. He had no knowledge of the Ancient Tongue, but chorus singers dressed in pale blue robes were singing nicely. He saw fifty chorus singers were standing around the gigantic funeral pyre and were singing in a mesmerizing tune. He could not realize whether they were men or women; but realized that both sexes were present among the crowd. Zephyr remembered his little sister Alba; who loved music and wanted to be a chorus singer; but his father dismissed her dream and forced her to marry a warlord twice older than her age.

"Thinking about Alba?" Eonrick, his half-brother guessed the thought.

"Yes, whenever I see them, I think about her."

"I heard that Alba is with baby?"

"Yes," he did not continue the conversation and concentrated on the ceremony. The tune was melancholic enough to ignite sad memories in one's mind. Everyone present there had tearful eyes. People of Terra Aquillaan called this song 'Last Song' and it is believed that the tune had a supernatural power to wipe out all sorrows from one's mind.

The song stopped and the Hour of Nightfall began. King Ergonn ignited a torch and started walking around the pyre. He walked around the pyre for nine times and finally touched the fire to the wood. Other warlords also joined him and the fire spread across the pyre.

"I can bet that the prince has something in his mind." Eonrick said. Zephyr looked at him thoughtfully and finally said, "Cannot we set aside politics for a while." He was feeling annoyed with both of his brothers.

When all the rituals were finally finished; King Ergonn declared the former queen Zealeoness as officially dead and prayed for her departed soul. Crowd dispatched; plebeians started leaving the ground first; followed by the others.

"We have to walk again." Eonrick complained.

Zephyr was not listening to Eonrick; he was watching Emereon. It was surprising to see that he became a close friend of Arold and D'eimeonn. However, Zephyr got a chance to speak to him; he came close to his half-brother; "Congrats."

"For what?" Emereon asked abruptly.

"For winning the first trial."

"I am not the winner; say it to that alien." Emereon replied.

"He's no brother of mine; but you and your friends have finished it on time. We could not reach on time; we were called back. I don't think, we can compete in the next round." Zephyr said.

"You don't need to be an Eagle Guard; your brother will inherit Sargoshi and you'll get a prestigious position in his court. However, I need to have my own place. Anyway, thanks for your wishes." Emereon said.

"Don't get angry with Blazerrick."

"No, I cannot; after all, the future warlord of Sargoshi and the new queen's brother; but the last honour has some doubt."

"Doubt? We all are Oeilna's brothers." Eonrick replied from behind.

"Do you know what the foreign prince was offering? He was proposing Deodara's name again. Though I could not hear Ergonn's reply clearly."

Zephyr could not believe Emereon; "How did you know it?" He noticed that his father was looking indifferent. If really Ergonn refused Oeilna's hand, he would not look so calm. He knew, since Oeilna's birth, his father wanted to make her an Eagle Queen like his aunt. Earlier, he thought about Alba but after marrying Kaissenei, Oeilna's mother, he invested his hope in Oeilna, the first born child of Kaissenei.

Emereon did not bother to reply back; he again joined Arold and D'eimeonn. Eonrick whispered, "I cannot associate our half-brother and a warlord's brother with a former thrall. Something must be suspicious." Zephyr agreed with Eonrick.

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