Kara
"If you would all be seated, please."
Queen Leandra's assertive voice echoed through the room and everyone found their place at or around the octagon. A few came in later than I did and rushed to their place at the table. Around it sat queen Leandra Aelius of the Empire of the Sun, king Arian Shaw of the Kingdom of the Moon, my brother, and other noblemen - some that I knew and others I had never seen before. There were both magicians and warriors, each split between their respective leader and standing behind them were their guards. Amongst those who came late was William, who I was not particularly excited to see. He gave me a stern glare and sat down next to Cayden and I in turn stared daggers at him.
The rest of our squad were standing behind my brother and I made my way towards them, thinking I was going to be standing as they were. However, I appeared to have been wrong as Shaw looked up at me with that slight smile on his face from before and motioned his hands towards an empty chair on the other side of my brother.
"Please have a seat, Lady Lowe," he said.
It was really more a demand masked as a friendly suggestion and I dared not deny, fearing what might happen if I did. The sudden kindness from the king and enthusiasm to include me had me perplexed and feeling slightly suspicious. From the stories I had been told, moonfolk were not known for being kind or inviting, as the king himself also had pointed out.
Perhaps I was wrong or maybe there was something else in store for me. Going from being a simple trainee to sitting amongst kings, queens and great warriors was quite the step and an unlikely one at that. I did not see what my purpose would be at the table, but obliged regardless and sat down, not wanting to cause a scene.
It turns out I was not the only one confused with the sudden invitation. Catching the eyes of many as I sat down, I noticed their equally contorted faces, ones filled with confusion and perhaps a bit of jealousy.
Please stop looking at me, I thought.
"This is ridiculous," I heard an all too familiar voice utter, a little too loudly, just so that I could hear it.
Our eyes connected instantly and despite my nervousness and sweaty hands, I was able to throw a sarcastic smile in the direction of William. If anything, his dissatisfied look brought me some joy and comfort.
Small victories. Now, just breathe in and out. In and out.
Despite my valiant efforts, I was unable to calm the rapid speed of my heartbeat. This was all too much to fathom in one day and I would so desperately not want to say something wrong, so I kept quiet and tried to maintain myself, eventually getting a bit lightheaded.
Just breathe woman!
As I was sitting there, trying to catch a breath, the divine queen Leandra had stood up, catching the attention of everyone in the room once more.
"As you all are well aware of, the Empire of the Sun and the Kingdom of the Moon have lived side by side for centuries, in peace. We have come together in unison by dividing ourselves amongst our two nations, one where magic lives with the people and where the sun never rises and then the other where our warriors and crops thrive, but where the sun never sets. We live this way because it is what is best. This way we are safe and will never need to fight one another."
I felt goosebumps crawling up my skin as she spoke, like a little child listening to a thrilling story, but then she paused suddenly and looked around the room at each individual attendant with what appeared to be worry in her eyes. They in turned looked back at her, anticipation filling theirs to the brim.
"We have lived like this because of our beloved god's sacrifices and the wall that they have created, using the Talisman of Amora, an ancient and very powerful relic. The relic from which the wall is created - from where it draws and returns power - has been stolen and thus the wall is weakening and will soon deplete."
Chaos broke loose as the queen brought upon the bad news. Some stood from their seats and pointed fingers at her and others around the room, yelling and screaming at the top of their lungs, demanding justice, and a solution. Other people, like myself, sat wide-eyed and frozen in place, unable to process the dire announcement.
"We must prepare for war," one person said loudly.
"Oh, what will we do!"
"No, we must learn to live in peace!"
Looking towards king Arian, I could tell frustration was building from within. He was vigorously tapping his temple with two of his fingers and stress lines became quite visible on his otherwise smooth forehead.
"No! We most certainly need to send out a search party!"
"I do not trust moonfolk to bring it back safely," another councilman scuffed.
"And I do not see how someone with the brains of a sunfolk would be able to figure out where the relic even is!"
I looked back to my brother who was desperately trying to calm an argument between a very heated William and a magician. I did not manage to get a hold of his eyes, but he looked equally concerned as I felt on the inside.
What would happen if the relic was never returned?
Would there even be a war?
And if so, who would win?
My hands formed into fists. The noise level seemed to only be increasing and the insults were thrown between each nation's councilmen at a higher frequency. For my first council meeting, it was all very overwhelming and though I was very tempted to join the commotion and disrepute the undermining words used by the moonfolk - and perhaps throw a few punches if needed -, I refrained myself from doing so.
The talisman that my father had ventured out to help restore had been taken and a part of me felt like his death had been for nothing. To call sunfolk unintelligent and to discredit their hard work was like a punch in the face, considering what we had sacrificed to protect the peace.. What my father had sacrificed.
It felt as though the verbal war commencing between the councilmen had reached it peak, when the queen angrily stood from her seat, fire burning in her stare.
"Silence!" she yelled.
Within seconds, everyone cowered to their seats like little puppies, ready to be scolded for misbehaving. They barely dared looking her in the eyes and many were still whispering insults towards one another under their breath.
"Now is not the time for bickering and division! We must stand together!"
"If I may please speak, my lady," king Arian said with a calm voice.
She nodded sternly and motioned her hand, signaling for him to stand and sat down herself as he raised himself from his seat. The loud sound of the chair being pushed back - a testament to his large build - rang in my ear. He quickly glanced across the room with an assertive look in what appeared to be an attempt to silence the remainder of the complaining councilmen.
"I suggest we send out a search party to find the Lake of Truths, or Aletheia as we call it. For those of you unaware," he said and looked towards the sunpeople and landed his eyes on where me and my brother was seated. I lifted my eyebrows unwillingly as we made eye contact.
".. it allows for individuals to have their most pressing questions answered."
He switched his attention towards the queen and whispering amongst the crowd emerged once more. I looked across the room to get a sense of the mood and noticed an elderly, slender man slowly raising his hand up in the air.
"Yes Bartholomew. You may speak."
"Who will we send? I am sorry to say sire, but many of us do not trust the people from the Empire of the Sun."
"I know Bartholomew. I know. That is why the group will consist of people from both our nations."
He turned his head towards my brother and I, with a slight smile playing on his lips. What was going on in his mind, I could not figure out. I did not remember us ever becoming acquainted and I was almost certain the contact he could have made with my brother would have minimal as well.
"I think it is only fitting since Darian Lowe assisted me in my quest to repair the wall, that his children follow in his footsteps. Perhaps it would help mend old wounds, being able to honor their father."
Eyes were directed towards Cayden and myself and I suddenly felt a sense bliss from getting a chance to perhaps honor my father and my nation, and so early on into my position as a soldier in the guard. A slight smile crept its way onto my lips and it was a challenge to not let eagerness overtake me.
In the Empire of the Sun honor means everything. Being able to avenge or to fight for your country and loved ones was nothing short of a blessing, even if it meant not surviving in battle. The thrill of the fight was unlike anything else. Overcoming hardships and emerging victorious on the battlefield would grant you glory and a place amongst the lion deity in the heavens.
Women were of course not expected to sacrifice themselves for their country in that regard. Continuing their lineage was often the priority of their families, as was it my mothers. It was a sad life, really. Waiting around for a man to help you fulfill your duties as a breeding machine was truly sad in my eyes. Women like Natalie wanted nothing more than to find true love - preferably with a rich and attractive husband - and to reproduce until the house was filled to the brim with children. A sad life in my opinion but I loved and respected her still.
I lived for the thrill of fight, for the ability to push myself further until my body collapsed. The other day it had in fact collapsed under me and remembering it caused a throbbing around my ribcage. I was still wounded but this was an opportunity I could not miss out on. Cayden looked back at me with his lips tightly shut together and he attempted to smile towards me but failed. He was probably concerned for my pain and would not want me to pressure myself further. It did not matter. I was fine. I would be just fine.
All that was left was for queen Leandra to consent our departure towards the Kingdom of the Moon and I was only hoping she would oblige.
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