People were buzzing like bees, as everyone sneaked peeks at their competition. Especially towards Akana and his group. Akana couldn’t blame them. There were a bunch of people participating, all standing by the flag of their country and carrying the shields of their houses. Some few wore no shields of arms, showcasing them as commoners but Akana’s side of the colosseum was the stranges.
The Eitirian flag, with a thousand pedals flower and two wolves standing on their legs at each side of the flower, waved proudly in the air in their light blue and silver colors. Right beside it stood Balkravs dark green flag with a tree in the middle with long roots and a snake circling the tree, biting its own tail. By the flag stood only three people. The Rial of Eitir, the last ice elf. His Rial Caraid, an auon with dragonfire, and some random balkravian woman. They surely must look strange.
Sidastir didn’t seem to care though and was glaring at someone walking towards them with a bright smile. Akana recognized the most powerful person here, the Mayin, coming back to defend his title once again. Even under the warm sun of Relevium, the Mayin still looked deadly pale. A fact that wasn’t helped that he wore long black robes with silver patterns. His chest was visible and the hood was pulled up, but you could still see the amber eyes, shoulder-length blond hair, and the ancient black tattoos crawling all over his body and face.
A handsome man though when you looked at him you get the feeling that something was wrong. Not only because he seemed otherworldly beautiful, but everyone knows that he was supposed to be mostly human but still lived around five-hundred years, but he still looked in his twenties.
“Akana den Rifabeinn! though I heard you have gotten plenty of new names. I hope that I can still call you Akana though,” the Mayin chuckled as he finally reached them. Akana noticed that several people gawked at them. He guessed it wasn’t common knowledge that they were on a first-name basis.
“Kara Vasin, glad to meet you again,” Akana answered politely, and the Mayin’s smile widens as gasped echoed through the colosseum, horrified that Akana called him by his name. This man loved drama, that was for sure.
“You didn’t answer my messages.”
“I did, to the once who was decent.”
“All of them were decent.”
“You telling me to run away from the grumpy Rial and marry you were hardly decent.”
Gasped echoed once more and Akana wanted to rub his temples. How could they hear anything over the noise of the crowd? Sidastir though, looked like he was ready to kill the Mayin who just ignored him.
“Fine, but I still thought the request for you carrying my child was a decent one. I was heartbroken that you didn’t reply, but don’t worry. I will court you properly since you are here.”
“Vis will be devastated.”
“My favorite drunk will always be my first love, but I still think our children would be able to set this world ablaze and that is far too interesting for me to ignore. Vis just have to accept me having a couple of children on the side.”
Noticing that some people fidgeting, trying to gather up the courage to walk over and greet the Mayin. Only two people finally dared so. One had a relevis bronze skin, but the red hair more common in Dailain. His length was also far above that of a Relevi and the grey eyes and unshaven face were further signs of him not being from relevi though he must have some blood. His cocky smile and shields of arms, a bull with a crown above it, which also was on the Dailain’s flag was visible and Akana recalled Aureus Lingua mentioning that was the arm of the royal family of Dailain, Tarabeir.
The other man on the other hand made Akana unconsciously edge closer to Sidastir. His skin was pale, with narrow tilted eyes, long straight raven hair, a thin frame, and black eyes. The appearance of a Huzhidian. His face was cold, unmoving like the mountains and there was no hate on his face when he glanced at Akana, but Akana knew it was there. Deep underneath a face of politeness. His cold demeanor and proud, almost silent approach reminded Akana of the Lieren that attacked him last year.
“Young Egnion Tarabeir, I wondered if I would see you here. The only mage of the Tarabeir family should be at the Trinetournament,” chuckled the Mayin. “Though I didn’t think you would grow up so fast. I still remember you tumbling around in the castle of your father, the king, screaming out for respect that never came.”
Akana can imagine, the Dailains are a warrior culture that despised magic, thinking it is cheating. the prince cannot have it easy growing up with magic. Something he can relate to, though he didn’t know he had magic, but growing up with more emotions than the average Auon always made him a target for criticism among his people.
“I am here to bring honor to my name and prove to my father that magic has a place in our society,” Egnion huffed, perusing Akana’s group. His eyes were challenging Sidastir who just ignored him, keeping his eyes on the Huzhidi with apparent hostility.
“As I’m also from a people who dislike magic, I can understand your struggle. The Auons like to study magic, but think it is an unstable force. Since they cannot locate its source, they don’t like to use it. Using any element without knowing how it works and its effects are too dangerous and foolish for them to try it,” said Akana, breaking the prince's glare at Sidastir.
Egnion’s eyes fell on Akana, going wide for a minute before the cocky smile was back with a hint of… Interest flash through his eyes.
“I have never seen one of your people outside of Auone. What might your name be?” he asked leaning in closer to Akana who wanted to back away but held back. Sidastir though did not and pushed himself in between Akana and Egnion.
“His name is Akana den Rifabein, Rial Caraid of Eitir,” Sidastir hissed between clenched teeth. His eyes narrowing dangerously.
“Seems like you will have a hard time keeping vultures off your dear consort,” chuckled the Mayin, clearly amused by the youths. Akana could only wonder if he realized that he was one of the vultures he mentioned.
Feeling a cold prickle on his back, Akana’s eyes moved to the Huzhidi who looked down on the ground with an expressionless face but Akana could have sworn he felt his cold gaze on him a second ago.
“And who might you be? Huzhidi doesn’t often send participants to the Trinetournament,” said the Mayin, eyes perused the young man.
The man bowed deeply, his right hand holding the fist of his left as he did.” Shan Xiajiang, honored Mayin. The adopted son of Tengoku Xiajiang. Akana noticed that he put his surname last, normally it was the tradition for them to use their surname first, but since they were the only ones who did so in the nine kingdoms, maybe he changed it when traveling.
The Mayin’s eyes fell at his shield of arms, a falling three-legged crow. “I don’t know your family well, but your father has spent a lot of money on spreading your name and raising you, or so he claims. He has told anyone willing to listen that you are without a doubt the next Mayin. Most are here to only show their skills, few expect to win.”
“I plan to try rival that of your greatness,” Shan said with the usual challenge and flattery of the Huzhidi in one sentence, as he bowed respectfully again.
“The only great about him is his age,” muttered Sidastir, but Akana knew that the Mayin was one of the few people Sidastir was weary of. The Mayin’s powers were mostly unknown but he has defended his title for five-hundred years, along being as having the same influence as the Keiser, the leader of the Council of the Nine Kingdoms. Kara Vasin might sound lighthearted but he wasn’t a man who you wanted to cross.
“And the only great thing about you is your consort,” retorted the Mayin, winking at Akana who just sighed at the dick measuring contest. Turning to Ceva who had watched the spectacle with interest.
“Let’s mingle with the participants. I want to get a sense for all of them.”
Ceva nodded and they started to walk away.
“I hope to see you again,” hollered the Mayin.
Akana turned around with one of his rare smiles. “That depends on you introducing me to the Curare or not.”
*****
Sidastir just wanted to find Akana and leave, this showcasing of feathers like peacocks was tiring. Especially that damn brat Egnion who wanted to know everything about Akana, clearly showing an interest in Akana. Why did everyone show so much damn open interest in a married couple? He knew relevis had no real concept of cheating, but these people were from cultures with one, so why was everyone flirting so openly when they suddenly came to Parcis?
Turning around, to walk away he walks straight into a small frame. He had to grab onto the young girl so that she didn’t fall and two brown eyes looked up at him with wide eyes. The brown hair stood on end, and the bronze skin showed she was from Relevium.
She gave him a shy smile looking down with blushed cheeks, and Sidastir wanted to groan. Did he have a sign over his head that spelled out that every teenage girl should have a crush on him? He had the sudden instinct to drop the girl but held back… barely, as he steadied her.
“Are you harmed?” he asked politely, glancing around after his consort.
“I’m fine,” she said rubbing her cheeks, trying to pretend like she wasn’t blushing. “I’m Lucara Galliaria.”
Sidastir peered at the nervous girl. Why did she introduce herself? The name didn’t tell him anything.
“I’m, Sidastir den Rifabeinn, Rial of Eitir,” he just said briskly. At least, this girl had the decency to look disappointed, realizing that he was unavailable… Or maybe it was because she was a commoner. The clothes she were were far from that of a noble, she only wore a dress, no toga which was worn by nobles. She also lacked the jewelry that often adorned the nobles. “I’m looking for my Rial Caraid, he is an Auon, have you seen him?”
Lucara looked up at him, clearly trying to ponder it but wasn’t able to answer when a dull voice said, “a commoner like her doesn’t have any knowledge of worth.”
Sidastir’s eyes fell on an arrogant-looking Patricali, his light skin gave him away, walking over at them with a smirk. He wore all the signs of being a noble, but lacked the wreath of one of the royal family. Maybe a son of a Consul or a Praetor. He doubted that the son of a Prefect, the lowest of the nobles in Relevium and Patricalum would show such apparent arrogance.
“But at least she had common manners. Who are you?”
The man-made a mock bow. “Laus Julianus, at your service.”
“Another Laus, why am I always assaulted by people with that name?” though Sidastir but the surname made his eyes narrow. Julianus was the surname of a Consul in Patricalum. Aurora Julianus rules one of the provinces of Patricalum called Austri Loci. He has no idea which one since he cares little for the geography of Patricalum.
“Have you seen my consort?”
“Need to hold his skirt?” asked Julianus with a smirk, and Sidastir rolled his eyes. What are they? Three years old.
“So, you haven’t. Wonderful,” Sidastir turned to the girl who was fidgeting like mad. “Have you-“
“Don’t ignore me. Don’t you barbarians have any manners?” Julianus said, his eyes narrowing angrily.
“No, it’s in the name. Barbarian. But I can introduce you to a cute troll, maybe she can show you some manners,” Sidastir snapped, getting tired of Julianus's obvious attempt to piss him off. People have started to turn, looking at them with interest.
“How dare-“
“Stop acting surprised. You have given me insult after insult. Don’t be surprised when I give one back. It just makes you look foolish,” Sidastir said, noticing that Lucara seemed to want to show him something behind him. Looking back, Sidastir’s mood soared as Akana stood with Ceva, frowning at the Julianus who was still trying to interrupt Sidastir.
“Dear Lucis, this is your consort?” Julianus face contorted into disgust. “I’ve heard that he was an auon, but I assumed it was just a rumor, but I guess you had the option of a troll or some foreign-“
Anger flared up in Sidastir, grabbing hold of Julianus before he could finish that sentence. Frost erupted on the ground as Sidastir ice element crept along his vein, giving his rage power. “Never look at my Rial Caraid like that. Never speak to him with your crude tongue.”
A warm hand grabbed into his arms, a heat that melted the frost on Sidastir's heart as Akana moved into his view. “He is of no consequence. He is not important enough for us to care.”
Sidastir immediately let go of the fool and turned to hold his consort instead, his arms wrapped around his waist. “Where did you go? I was worried.”
Akana’s eyes peered down to his lower parts that were making their presence known. “You are something, but not worried.”
With a grin, Sidastir decided to pull Akana away from the bitter Julianus and wide-eyed Lucara. Determine to get out of there so he could do what he truly desired.
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