Cinders & Gold (Celeste Academy Fanfic👑)

Cinders & Gold ◇ Dance Of Yegon (pt.2)

point to note, Quiden is pronounced as KEE•den (like the QUI in French), not KWI•den.

•••

♠chapter twenty one♠
DANCE OF YEGON

Valeriana looked over to Corvan, waiting for him to continue. With an indifferent expression on his face, he moved on to the next painting. It displayed Yegon and Quiden holding hands while walking through a crowd of people. The two in the painting could have been easily unidentifiable in the throng of people surrounding them, were it not for the vivid hues used to depict the hoodies they were wearing.

"They ran away," said Corvan. "But their escapade ignited a search party for both, as Quiden's parents desperately wanted their son back. He was the next continental heir after all."

Valeriana and Corvan moved on to the next piece of art. It was a simple hut, made of mud and thatched grass for the roof. The scene was in a valley, and it gave the fifth ranker a sense of serenity and peace.

"They made a home for themselves," said Corvan. "In Arlyss."

"The buried village?" asked Valeriana. The name of the place sounded familiar. Valeriana had encountered the buried village of Arlyss in the history books. It was one of the major tourist attractions in Denovegasia, and since Valeriana had never really known the background story of what made Arlyss what it was today, she became more intrigued in what Corvan was telling her.

"Yes," agreed the Arlandian heir. "It is here where the legend of the Dance of Yegon began."

The duo moved on to the next piece of art. It was one large piece divided into small sets of boxes, and in each box was a story displayed. The first box showed Quiden carrying a satchel, climbing uphill away from their mud hut in the valley while Yegon waved him goodbye in the distance.

"Quiden always went to the market to get new supplies, always being careful to wear his disguise whenever he went out."

Valeriana squinted at the small part of the painting and took note of Quiden's disguise. He was clad in all black, head covered in what looked like the ancient form of a hoodie. Quiden also had the lower part of his face covered. It reminded Val of a hijab.

"He kinda looks like a ninja," she commented.

Corvan strayed his eyes to her and raised an eyebrow, an amused smile lingering on his face. He went back to telling his story as he referred to the next part of the painting. It displayed Quiden in the market with a big bag in his hand while he handed out some fruits to the children surrounding him.

"One day, as Quiden was getting the supplies, he came across stray children in the market. His heart went out to them and he decided to adopt them."

"Aww, that's sweet," said Val as she saw the next part of the painting depicting Quiden with about ten children surrounding him as they faced the valley in Arlyss.

"The children were very unique in their own way since they adapted to the harsh conditions that they had been subjected to in the marketplace," he said. "Most of them had honed their senses to be more alert because they were usually hunted by authorities."

"How come?" the fifth ranker asked.

Corvan gave her a blank stare. "They were strays, Valeriana," he said in an obvious tone. "Strays were meant to be claimed by a person or authority so as to not cause chaos."

"Uh huh," she nodded absently, her eyes moving towards the next part of the painting. She saw Quiden, Yegon and the children sitting outside the mud hut and around a fire.