Aetherian(Part 1): A War Begins

Karlon

 When Karlon received word of Ariana Lysander attacking his father and sisters in the streets of Mistral, he found himself pacing in front of the long table in the dining hall of Snowfall's keep, where Allard was sitting, watching his older brother with concern.

"Will he be alright?" he asked.

"He has to be," said Karlon. "He isn't going to die from a cut to his leg."

"Marching on Green Hill would be one way to solve this, wouldn't it?" Allard suggested. Of course he would suggest that. He was eight years old and angry that his father was attacked.

"No, it wouldn't," Karlon answered. "Even if he's our father, he isn't a member of House Vestarr. He's the Commander of the Guardians."

"But if the Guardians are protectors of all of us, then wouldn't attacking their leader be considered a crime?" asked Allard.

"Attacking anyone is a crime, brother," said Karlon. "We just have to be rational about this. Melody didn't let anything happen to him, or Belle."

"But he can't walk on both of his legs," Allard reminded.

"I know," Karlon admitted. "But unless he actually died, there's nothing I can do without the King's consent."

"Then get the King's consent!" Allard shouted.

"A Lysander is our Queen, Allard," Karlon reminded. "Marching on her home would be considered treason. I don't want to end up like Ballard Redwald."

"Right," Allard admitted.

"Besides, I have enough to worry about as it is," Karlon added.

"The bug people?" said Allard.

"Yes, the bug people," Karlon snapped. "The Guardians are working every day to find their hive, and I have all of my soldiers defending my people. I can't afford to risk weakening the Snowlands, and if I were to march south, it would weaken Snowfall as well, leave it right open for taking. Our home would either be flying different banners or be destroyed before we knew it." Saying that seemed to console Allard a bit, but Karlon could still sense a feeling of nervousness from his little brother.

"They can't stay in Mistral," he said.

"I know," Karlon admitted. "Either I or mother will have to go and get them."

"Could I come, too?" asked Allard. "I've always wanted to see Mistral."

"Allard, this is the third time in the past few days that father and our sisters have been threatened by the Lysanders," reminded Karlon. "You're eight years old, and I won't risk your life. All we can do is hope that father will recover from his injury, and I wouldn't worry about him, anyway. Even if he's injured, he'd be impossible to beat in combat."

"Okay," said Allard. He seemed calmer now, but Karlon saw him in the sanctuary a few hours later, sitting in the snow under a tree with its leaves covered in snow. Allard always went down there when he was nervous or anxious about something, and the presence of the gods must have been calming to him, or maybe it was the peace and quiet that was soothing to him. Either way, Karlon was glad that his younger brother was less worried. As he was swinging Blizzard at dummies in the courtyard, Ser Dalton approached him, bowing his head.

"My lord," he greeted.

"Yes, Ser?" Karlon asked.

"King Talavir is requesting an audience," said Dalton.

"The Ice Epsilon King?"

"That's the one, my lord," Dalton answered.

"Let him through the gates," Karlon ordered, sheathing Blizzard. Ser Dalton waved to the gatekeeper of the keep, and the portcullis raised. King Talavir walked through with two Epsilon soldiers in white leather armor, and gray cowls. He seemed only a little older than Karlon, but he was most likely a few thousand years older.

"My lord," Talavir greeted.

"Your Grace," said Karlon. "What brings you to Snowfall today?"

"War, Lord Karlon," King Talavir answered, handing him an ancient piece of paper. "One that is yet to come." The paper seemed like a map of a city, but Karlon didn't recognize the location of anywhere in Aetherian and didn't understand the language it was written in, but the center of it was circled in red.

"Is it a map?" he asked, and Talavir nodded his head.

"Is it written in Fae?" asked Ser Dalton. He was a spellsword warrior who trained in the Tower of Magi, fluent in the ancient languages of both Fae and Draconic.

"May I see it, my lord?" he asked, and Karlon handed him the map. He studied it carefully, and when he was done, he looked to King Talavir.

"This is a map of Mistral," he said. "It's ten thousand years old."

"It took a lot to get our hands on it," King Talavir blurted, then Ser Dalton handed it back to him. "It's more than just a map." He held one of his hands over the map and spread his fingers, chanting a Fae verse. His palm began to glow a bright blue as blue runes the color of moonlight appeared on the map.

"Mistral is the Fae word for 'city of light', my lord," Talavir informed. "But as of late, a darkness has fallen over it. And we believe the death of the last Head Counselor was the start of it."

"The start of what?" asked Karlon.

"A chain of events that was preordained at the end of the Dragon War," Talavir enlightened. "When a new bloodline sits the Dragon Throne, the darkness that threatened to destroy Aetherian will rise again, and blood will be shed and men will burn."

"But House Busch has ruled Aetherian for fourteen years, now," Karlon reminded. "Why would it be rising, just now?"

"It must take that long for it to become a serious threat," Talavir suggested.

"If you're suggesting that I rise up against my King, Your Grace, I can't," said Karlon. "Treason aside, I don't have the resources, and my army is focused on defending Snowfall's outlying villages."

"I understand, my lord, but when this war happens, we fear that Snowfall may be a major target," said Talavir.

"Who's we?" Karlon asked.

"Myself, and the Epsilon Kings' Council," Talavir answered. "We discussed the situation overnight, and half of the Kings suggested we stay out of it. I won't."