CROWNS I: Of Desolate Hope | ✔

6. Elias' Task

Elias and Eliza sat cross-legged on the green-tiled floor. Elias had been there for well over a week this is all he had done - sat and waited. Not once had the Seran visited him and he was starting to become weary of Dek telling him to be patient. The only thing keeping them company was a large green plant that Elias had never seen before and the permanently closed window.

The wooden door burst open and Dek entered the room with a smile. "Finally," he said, "I bare good news." He sat down on the floor between Eliza and Elias. "Cheer up," he continued, patting Elias on the back, "you start today."

Elias looked up solemnly."Great," he said, "What do I start and why has this taken so long?"

Dek stared him in the eyes. "I don't think you fully grasp what the two of you need to do," he replied, sternly, "If you must know...once training is complete you will need to travel west, past The Great Expanse and onwards to Castland. I'm sure you've heard of it."

Elias nodded trying to mask his excitement at the prospect of travelling. "I have," he said, "the capital of that place. It has a huge castle and knights and everything but why do I need to go there."

"You must deliver a letter of the utmost importance."

"Are you being serious?" replied Elias rhetorically, "You want me to deliver a letter? Why can't you send a stupid pigeon or crow or even...an actual messenger?"

"There are some that want the downfall of the *serendir. They would do anything to stop the letter being delivered. A messenger would get killed as would any birds that we send from here," replied Dek, gravely, "Those enemies would never expect a child to be delivering a letter that could potentially save every life on this side of the Sansun. There are spies and agents of the enemies everywhere including here. You also speak the common tongue quite well."

Elias already knew what Dek's answer would be but he asked anyway. "Will I know what's in the letter?" he asked, hopefully.

"If we are lucky. No, no you won't," replied Dek, "You will only know what's in it if it comes to pass. " Dek stood up and pulled Elias with him, "All you have to do is give it to King Willem in Castland. No shortcuts, no deviations, no messing. Please, remember that even now, someone will be plotting to kill you."

Elias was shuddering visibly whereas Eliza simply shrugged, pulled out a hidden knife and played with it like it was a wooden toy. Elias built up the courage to finally respond. "Isn't this a little too much pressure to put on a child?" he asked, shaking.

"I know it is and I'm sorry," replied Dek, "This was the last resort. I was hoping that you would deliver it and as a result, start to take life more seriously. You will, undoubtedly, receive a huge reward and I want you to do something smart with it. You can't keep living the way you are. I used to be like you. I had a group of eight friends. Guess how many I still talk to."

"I don't know. Two?"

"Dead. They're all dead. The last one of them was burned as an offering last week," replied Dek grimly, "you can not end up like them. I won't let it happen to either of you."

Elias knew Dek had a very good point but he didn't want to believe it. He had been fine up until now. Eliza and himself had only been arrested a handful of times in the past three months. "It won't," replied Elias, "We're not stupid."

"Neither were they," said Dek, pulling a resisting Eliza up, "Anyhow, we have wasted enough time talking. Let's go." Dek led them out of the room, past the courtyards lined with marble arches and the zoo filled with exotic animals.

"The Seran sure lives well," commented Elias, enviously as he petted a green monkey. Eliza nodded in support.

"Yes," replied Dek, "he does. When that letter is delivered things may change." He glared at Elias intensely. "Things will change," he added, matter-of-factly.

Elias didn't reply. He wasn't quite sure what Dek meant by that but he had a reasonable idea. Not a coup, he thought, they can't be planning one. I don't wanna be a part of it! Need to find out what's in that letter.

Dek led the group inside. "I'll give you a glimpse of what you're to be carrying," he said. The internal walls of the *Cazar were decorated with expensive and precious paintings detailing heroic feats and the slaying of monsters and enemies alike. Dek pointed at an image portraying a man in tattered rags on an elephant plunging a scimitar what Elias thought was a giant snake. "That beast is real," commented Dek, "we found the skull in the underground sewers just last month."

Elias stepped forward to take a closer look at the monster. The snake-like creature was gargantuan in size compared to the elephant next to it. "That snake's teeth are larger than the elephant." said Elias, "I want to see it. It was you who found the skull right?"

Dek nodded, proudly."I'll show you later. Anyway, let's continue."

The Cazar was huge. It felt like they had been walking for hours and even Dek's pace started to slow as they continued the impromptu tour. Fortunately, a dozen steps later they found themselves in a lonely hall with only one door. Dek cautiously opened it. "*Senra?"

"Ah, come in. Come in." she replied, "Make sure no one is following you. Make sure!"

The senra was huddled in the corner of the room dimly lit by only a candle on the windowsill. Elias noticed that her arms were bound together in chains as she wrote furiously. She's young for a senra, he thought, observing her youthful complexion despite her tangled and wild black hair.

"Yes, I am young, little boy," she replied, ever-focused on the letter, "I am only one thousand years old after all."

"Don't mind her," replied Dek, uncomfortably, "She's mad. She is only here because she can write in the common tongue. We found her wandering outside the walls doing strange things."

"She read my mind!" exclaimed Elias, nervously, "Who are you? Where are you from?"

"Who I am is my own business. Where I am from? A land far, far north of here where the elves still thrive and where the trolls and goblins writhe in darkness...hiding...waiting for something. And the-" she replied, stopping mid-flow to make direct eye contact with him.

Elias knew that what she said was impossible. There aren't any more elves and certainly no goblins, he reassured himself. However, he still could not fully convince himself. "You are mad," he murmured, "There are two things in this world. Man and beast."

"I wouldn't be so certain young one!"

"Well, Elias, she's the one writing the letter," interrupted Dek. 

Elias looked around and saw the mess of parchment and paper flooding the room. "What is this?" he asked.

"Evidence." replied Dek, "There is something stirring and we think we know what it is. "

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Seran - King/Emperor

Serendir - Kingdom/Imperial Land/Empire

Senra - Wise woman

Cazar - Castle/Palace/Fort

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