Embers of a King

Talk of a Kingdom

I'm glad NPC and I fixed up the house, Grian dimly thought. He sat in the original house, the one that had existed before he and NPC had gone on a whole tangent of rustic house buildings. He was in the living room, sitting at a table behind the couch. He stared down at the table. Two days had passed, and it had done so in a blur. Nothing felt real, and he had difficulty keeping himself grounded. But whenever he drifted too far away, Seto was there. He would take his hand and speak to him gently. About what, Grian wasn't sure. Half of the time he couldn't hear him. But his voice was soothing and gentle, and his touch was warm and human, so it was enough to bring him back.

He hadn't drifted off since he woke up this morning. When he peeled his eyes open and felt the morning light on his face, he felt... Liberated. It was becoming clear to him that this wasn't some dream or hallucination as he had previously thought.

He was pulled from his thoughts by footsteps. Another good sign. The past two days, Seto often had to touch his shoulder to get his attention, no matter how loud of an entrance he had made. He lifted his eyes from the table in time to watch him enter the room, carrying a tray. He blinked, and Seto smiled at him. On the tray was... Tea. And toast. How...?

"You look much better!" Seto chirped as he set the tray down, sitting across from him.

"Yeah..." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, I-I'm not quite awake yet." Lie, but there was no other way to describe his confusion. "How... How are you here? Who are you?"

"Understandable," Seto quipped before he picked up his tea and sipped it. As Grian picked up his cup, he realized it smelled of vanilla. "Let's start with an easy question. I am Seto. I suppose you could call me a... Traveler." Seto sipped his tea one more time and then set it back down. "As for how I'm here... That is more complicated."

Of course it was. When wasn't the answer complicated? He gripped the tea in his hands, the warmth from the mug seeping into his palms. Not for the first time, he wished he had his sweater.

"Uh, okay. Um. But seriously, who the hell are you?" Grian asked. "NPC is strong, I-I could never-!"

"Your fear often makes things seem a lot bigger than they are." Seto smiled gently.

Grian fell into stunned silence. He stared down at his tea. He hadn't sipped from it yet, but the smell gave him some comfort. Seto watched him as he cradled the teacup with the care you'd give a newborn, his gentle smile still on his lips.

"I suppose you could call me a traveler, and a... Caretaker, of some sort. I was traveling through the servers when I felt your pain and loneliness. I had to come and check it out, and I'm very glad that I did." Grian was silent as he stared at the cup. Did the guy know? Would he run when he saw the mark on his hand? He'd have to have seen it by now, Grian wasn't exactly hiding it. Not like you could. "What are you thinking about?" Seto suddenly asked in a soft tone.

"... Are you an admin?" Grian asked. Maybe Seto could remove this damned marking. But Seto's face scrunched up as he leaned back, shaking his head as Grian's heart dropped.

"Oh good lord, no," he said, then sipped from his tea. "But if you're asking because of that brand... I'm afraid I can't do anything about it."

"I-it's not mine!" Grian blurted. "O-or well, uh, i-it is, but u-uh-"

Seto held up a hand. "There's no need to explain it to me. I know." Grian blinked and Seto cleared his throat. "I don't know how you got it, but I know you didn't do it. That much is clear. You've been in such a state the past few days; if you truly were a griefer, then you would have tried to do something to me by now."

"... That's a dangerous way to think," Grian muttered. Anyone could lie. Not him, though. He was such a horrible liar. But Seto only smiled and shrugged.

"Take into account what I did to that walking armor stand of trash. I don't think you'd be able to do anything to me." That... Was terrifyingly true. Grian gripped the mug tighter.

"... How long will you be staying?"

"Well... That's something else we need to speak about. I have a... Proposition for you, Grian." Grian laughed slightly, but it was hollow.

"I'm not exactly a superb business partner." He said, pushing Sahara deep down and out of his subconscious. Seto laughed with him, but it seemed much more real.

"Oh, this is far from a business. I'm talking about a Kingdom." Grian blinked at him. Seto stood up and flicked his hand. Grian jumped as a map of the world appeared, floating up and down as purple wisps fluttered around it. He stared with wide eyes as they filled the map in, growing to fit it all in.

"You have already built a good portion of houses, which is just perfect. Though it looks like, they could use some personalization..." He waved his gloved hand dismissively before he looked at Grian. "Oh, well, I'm getting ahead of myself! Grian, I and a... Friend of mine has had this idea for a very long time. We would like a world where the broken, the lonely, those who have been cast out could come and live happily among others. A Kingdom, of sorts. And I believe you are the perfect one to finally help us make this happen."

"A, um, a what?" Grian asked. Had he misheard that? He had to have misheard that. There was no way that was just said to him.

"A Kingdom! A place where people can come and live a safe life. Whether it's exciting or peaceful is up to them," Seto chuckled. Grian looked down at his cup. So he had heard correctly, but how could Seto be serious? Who would be the King? Seto? And who would even come? It's not like anyone could trust him.

"You do not have to take this offer," Seto told him gently. "I will not be upset or hold it against you. But could it really be so horrible to at least try?" Grian bit his lip. He had already built so many houses, and he didn't want to be alone...

"What makes you think they'll want to be in a world with me?" Grian said, holding up his marked hand.

"Because quite a few of them have had that mark wrongly put on them too."

Grian's eyes softened. He'd want a place like that. He wouldn't want to be alone forever. And it was much better than building houses for nobody.

"... Okay." He whispered. Seto beamed.

"Wonderful! We'll rest another day and then get to work!"