The Kalixian Chronicles: Behind the Smoke and Mirrors

Chapter Seven: 00:11:14:11:05:42

~~~ Author's note: Hello all! This is the Rae of Reb and Rae! This chapter contains mature language, so please consider yourself warned! ~~

A knock rang on Cara's heavy wooden door. Abimyne opened the door and called to Cara.

"Oh Princess, the king wishes to speak to you now. I have a feeling it is not good news," Abi said as she closed the door and walked back to the maid's quarters.

What does he want to do with me? I'm just the daughter who has caused him more trouble than he ever believed possible. Even my birth shook the pillars on which this monarchy is held. Cara broke free of her thoughts and walked to her father's office.

"Ah, Caralina! The lady of the hour!" Cara suppressed herself from rolling her eyes; she had been able to see right through his mind games long ago, "Please, have a seat. I have some news to share with you. Would you like the good, or bad first?" King Mathus was playing with Cara and she knew it.

"Somehow, dear father, I doubt I will particularly enjoy any news you deem necessary for me to hear. So please, let us not waste time." Cara tried to maintain the same expression on her face that she had been using ever since she was a child around her father: utter boredom.

"Very well then," King Malthus paused to stroke his golden brown beard, "After thinking about recent events between you and Prince Hadrian, I have decided you are becoming much too close. I do not need more scandals surrounding you. From the second you left your mother's womb, you have been causing me troubles. Your dreadfully low death date, your disobedience, and now I do not need you to become known as the castle whore!"

Cara knew her father would continue blathering on with this topic for quite a while, and let her mind drift off to the past week she had spent with Hadrian.

While rocky through the lunch at first, Cara and Hadrian soon learned they had much in common. They had a mutual distrust of everything politics, and they both wanted to change things, to improve them. 

After confronting Hadrian about what the two kings were discussing, and being told to ask her mother; that it was something he could not explain, Cara had grown annoyed. But seeing the defeated look in his eyes, Cara decided not to push him. She made a mental reminder to see her mother later.

After the initial wariness of each other, Cara and Hadrian scheduled more appointments to see each other. The largest one being the trip to the city two days ago. Cara was still impressed that Hadrian had managed to get them out of the palace without guards following their every step, after learning Cara had never visited the struggling sectors of Kalixia.

"You have to see why I care so much, Cara!" She remembered Hadrian exclaiming. "These people have done no wrong yet they are continuing to be persecuted for no viable reason, other than to secure a corrupt government's ranking. Let me talk to your father! I will tell him we are taking a day trip to Beltiare, and you will be perfectly safe with me!"

Somehow Hadrian managed to get them both out of the palace, as she doubted King Malthus would allow the trip. She pictured the torn up streets they had arrived to. The second largest Kalixian city, Norhugh, was in rough economic shape. She remembered seeing so many dirty faces, walking barefoot down the road. Yet somehow, despite the low death dates planted on their wrists, despite the lack of a humane place to stay, the children still smiled. The adults still laughed.

Cara was amazed that people in such rough shape could be so happy. The adults' faces were deeply lined. They watched their children as if they would be snatched away at any moment. It was all too obvious that these people were battered and abused. Yet, they smiled. Upon seeing the sight, Cara felt something she had not allowed herself to feel for a very long time: hope.