Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter 21: Known to the World







Swift’s wings and the darkens of the night caused Elowen to lean against Drey’s back and let her eyes droop close.
Drey glanced over his shoulder at her and saw that she was fast asleep.
He allowed a smile to cross his lips as he had a flashback to the forest.
   “Oh for Eleyos’ sake.”
He glanced over at Merek who was rolling his eyes. He sat astride Bella, his tan yerto.
   “What?” Drey asked innocently.
   “You have gone from bounty hunter to a sap over night. You’re giving us men a bad reputation.”
It was Drey’s turn to roll his yes.
   “You fall in love and then talk to me about being a sap.”
Merek laughed.
   “Fat chance brother. You wont be able to tie me down like that.”
   “Ha! No I won’t, but Eleyos could.”
Merek couldn’t find a witty response to that so decided to just keep his mouth closed.

.:+++:.

Councilman Gregory sighed as the subject went around the room once again.
   “Rand will not take up alligence with Falion if we will only be used as a breeding stock for weapons!” Travak, DragonTrainer, stated adamantly.
   “Travak,” Councilman Iven’s tone sounded as if he was holding back an ocean of anger. “You’re people are phenomenal. You can train beasts that everyone else would do anything to avoid. You are so incredibly important to the turn of a battle, of course we’d use you as weapons, but only in times of war. Never in times of peace would we -”
   “You only prove my point Ivan!” Travak rose angrily from his seat of the twelve identical chairs that were placed in the large circular room. There was thirteen all together, but no one had sat upon the throne in fourteen years.
Travak’s weathered face held much anger and frustration. His tan, light weight clothes were appropriate for the hot lands of Rand, but they didn’t keep the chill out from the Falion winter.
   “Once we aid you in battle, you will see how easy it was to win. Then your minds shall be twisted into thinking you can take on any army! And then it wont mater if it is a time of peace or a time of war!” His accent was less noticeable, but Gregory could still pick it out after spending so much time in Rand.
   “You fought with Falion once before!” Ivan’s note brought up agreements from the other nine Falionite councilmen seated around the room.
   “Yes, under the wise rule of king Carac, and then his daughter, Fayoen and her husband, Ast’Drev. They were both wise beyond their years and knew the risks not only in battle but also to their minds.
When the long lost prince is found, then and only then, shall Rand take up allegiances with Falion.” The other Randigorians that stood behind Travak’s chair murmured their agreements.
Gregory couldn’t agree more with Travak’s point. Falion was barely surviving under the rule of the council, and it was far from flourishing.
   “Bah!” Ivan spat. “The Royal Line was broken long ago. The prince has been long since dead and buried. But the Infidels are marching now!”
The door opened, stopping all discussion instantly.
Everyone turned to look and saw a timid page boy poking his head in.
   “What is it boy?” Gregory said calmly.
The page walked in the room, cleared his throat and stood erect.
   “There is a man here to see you all.” His squiky voice sounded like he was more nervous than he let himself show.
   “Can’t you see we’re in middle of meeting?!” Ivan hissed.
The page gulped loudly, but didn’t leave.
   “He said to give you this.”
Gregory rose from his seat and moved to the boy before Ivan could get up.
The page handed over an orb, and then retreated into the shadows of the council room.
Gregory knew what the orb was the minute he touched it. He moved to the stone table in middle of the room, and placed it on top of all the maps.
   “What is that?” Malkyn, the only woman on the council, asked.
   “It is a message orb.” Gregory explained, running a hand down his waist length white beard.
As soon as he set it down, the orb began to glow and Gregory hurried back to his seat.
A projection shot up into the air above the orb. The Talon-bears roared in shock, the Trylanian’s eyes grew wide, and the Randigorians murmured amongst one another. None of the other lands were use to Magi powers.
The face of a boy yet to grow his beard out showed for all to see. Gregory rubbed his beard in thought. In his hundred years of service to the kings, he remembered what they all looked like, who they’re children were, and who they’re children’s children were. He never forgot a face.
And this was one face that had always haunted him, had always given him hope that perhaps he was not dead, and perhaps, he would come back.

.:+++:.

Drey and Merek landed their yerto’s a little ways away from the city walls of Asmodea. They had traveled through the night and had arrived faster than they thought.
Drey shifted slightly, Elowen was still asleep, but he woke her up gently. Her deep green eyes fluttered open and she glanced around. Her eyes fell onto the large wall of Asmodea and she drew in a deep breath before sliding off Swift.
Her boots hit the white snow and she placed her Magi robe back on, slipping her staff into place on her back and then her pack.
   “So this is it yeah?” Merek asked, coming up beside her.
Ellie nodded.
   “Aye. This is it.”
   “But you haven’t even seen the front of the city yet.” Drey said, a grin breaking across his face.
   “Come on!”
Drey ran across the snow, following the wall. Ellie and Merek ran after him. They rounded a hill and found him standing still at the bridge.
Asmodea was ultimately on an island. A large island that was connected to the mainland by a man made bridge. This proved to be a good advantage in battle, when the only way to get in was across a well armed bridge, but it also isolated Asmodea as well.

The graceful and elegant towers of Asmodea soared through the sky, two giant stone angels guarded the entry into the city.
Merek looked up at them as they walked through.
   “Oi, that is a lot of stone.” He mumbled.
Elowen smiled at him before telling him to keep up.
Inside Asmodea it was busy. The ocean had been channeled into the city, where it circled around and around the city, seeming to cut through. But this was also another defense, so if an enemy did happen to get through the river’s gave another protection. And with one of the largest armies in Falion, Asmodea could hold it’s own.

People crowded around, the shouting and yelling made it hard to hear Drey’s remarks on various places where he had played as a child.
   “My brother and I use to sneak into that baker’s shop. There’s a whole in the corner of his wall that’s covered by his wood stack. He never knew how his pies kept disappearing.”
Elowen’s smile grew wider as Merek’s frown grew deeper.
As they crossed bridge after bridge to get past the various levels of rivers, the less crowded the streets were.
   “Why was there so many people back there towards the beginning and less here?” Merek asked.
   “Because, the people with the lowest income stay in the first ring now.” Elowen answered.
Drey looked at her in shock, but Merek nodded thinking it made sense.
   “But it wasn’t like that before.” He commented.
Elowen gave him a sad look.
   “You’ve been gone a long time. Now the battle plan for Asmodea is that if they’re under attack the commoners are the first one’s to go.”
Drey was appalled and knew he had to do something. He sent up a grateful prayer that Elowen had been so adamant about him taking up the crown once again.
   “Now the three rings have been divided. The commoners in the lowest ring, middle class in the next one up, and then the castle and the nobles are in the last one.” Ellie explained.
Dreyden was shaking his head.
   “It wasn’t divided like this when I lived here.” He muttered.
Elowen nodded.
   “I know. But time changes things.”
As they crossed the last bridge they continued to walk right up to the castle.
The castle it’s self seemed to be made of graceful angles, towering spires, and elegant angels that guarded almost every window.
At the gate to the inner courtyard, guards closed their spears, blocking their path.
   “I…didn’t think this far ahead.” Elowen muttered. Merek glared at her, but Dreyden was already working on trying to get in.
   “We’re here to see the council.” He said.
   “The council is in session. And I don’t see any rings on you lot, so you don’t belong in the upper ring.” One of the guards stated.
Drey forced himself not to glance at Ellie for an explanation on the rings. Instead he held the guard’s gaze.
   “I want you to go tell the council that if they don’t let me in now, the lot of you are going to get thrown out of your homes and put out on the streets.”
The guards scoffed, and Ellie hung her head. This wasn’t the best approach.
   “Guard!”
They all looked past the guards and Ellie tried very hard not to gasp.
Kade walked up to the guards, his demeanor full of authority and importance. He looked nothing like he did when they last saw him. He had traded his leather travel clothes for thick robes of wool woven in complex patterns. He looked like a noble.
   “Let them through. They’re with me.” He ordered.
The guard looked like he was about to put up a fight but the look Kade gave him sent a shiver down Elowen’s back.
The guards scowled at him, but let the trio pass.
They walked through the courtyard ignoring the several nobles looking at them oddly, though Elowen became conscious of her looks and pulled her hood up over her greasy hair. Oh how she longed for a bath.
   “What happened to you?” Elowen asked Kade as she jogged up next to him.
He glanced down at her and smiled, he stopped and placed a hand on her small shoulder.
   “First, can I apologize for the way I treated you Elowen? I know a simple apology can’t make it up to you, but I thought it would be a good start.” He said, the sincerity plain in his voice.
Ellie’s eyes were wide, and words were beyond her reach so all she did was nod.
Drey glanced from her to Kade in wonder. He knew Eleyos must have touched this hatred filled boy, because there was no possible way that he could have the compassion to apologize to a Magi with out a new heart.
Kade nodded and dropped his hand. He continued his brisk walking and led the way through the great oak doors and into the castle.
   “It’s a big long story as to why and how I got here,” He went on as he dodged down a hallway. “I’m not going to go into it. But I will tell you, Dreyden I have been preparing the council for your return. I would offer a change of clothes, but I’m afraid you have to get in there now other wise the council meeting could go south.”
Drey and Elowen exchanged places and she hung back with Merek.
   “Ambassadors from the other surrounding countries are here as well, and the Falion council is trying to get them to join in an allegiance. Only they aren’t having much success.”
   “What other countries are there?” Merek asked Elowen.
   “Well lets see, there’s Rand, Daphora, and Trylan.”
Merek looked at her as if she had just grown horns.
   “You really were isolated up on Cevlon weren’t you?” She remarked.
Merek shook his head. “You have no idea.”
   “So the council knows I’m the heir?” Drey asked.
Kade hesitated.
   “Well…sort of. I think some of the council members believe you’re alive but it’s going to take more than an orb to change they’re minds. Do you still have the Royal seal?”
Drey nodded as he pulled his gloves off with his teeth, while fighting with his cape to get to one of his pouches that were in the back of his belt.
He pulled out the gold ring and slid it onto his finger.
   “Good. Elowen, Merek, once we get inside, we need to stay to the back. Drey, everything is depending on you.” Kade said, stopping at a large oak door.
   “No pressure.” Kade said with a smile as he pushed the door opened.
Drey drew in a deep breath which was stolen when Ellie kissed his cheek.
   “May Eleyos guide you.”
Then the doors were opened and Elowen melted into the background with Merek.

Kade walked Drey to the edge of the ring of twelve high backed chairs.
Dreyden was shocked to see such diverse people. But the two Talon-bears standing on either side of one particular chair shocked him the most. They were both snowy white, with a deep blue clothe drapped over their backs like a tunic.
It was hard for him to hide the shock but he knew he must or they would doubt him.
   A projection of himself stood in midair, silent, as the council raged a debate around it.
He and Kade watched for a moment. One council  member, Drey noticed, was not joining in on the debate. But one wasn’t enough.

Dreyden walked into the ring, not sure what he was doing but he knew that this madness had to end.
As he moved past members, they fell quiet until it was only two left bickering.
Drey crossed his arms as he stood at the other side of the room, on the dais in front of the throne.

The two still bickering didn’t notice his presence. One man, he noticed, wasn’t from Falion. His clothes were made for warmer weather, and his face showed that he spent most of his time outside. His graying hair had been pulled back and oiled, his beard though looked straggled.
The second man was stoned faced with hard anger lines. Drey pinned him as one who wouldn’t back down easily.
His red hair was still obvious despite the few grey strands. And unlike most in the room, he was clean shaven.

   “For the last time Travak!” The Falionite cried. “The prince is dead! He didn’t make it out of the masicaer that took the rest of his family -”
Drey had had enough of this. He cleared his throat loudly. Anyone who hadn’t taken notice of him before had now.
The two men looked at him, mouths gapping. He took this as the perfect time to get a word in.
   “No, actually, I didn’t. As you can see I’m very much alive and well. Thank you for you concern though.”
The man that had stayed out of the argument all together, chuckled.
Drey looked at him again, his eyes widening as he recognized the man.
   “Gregory!” He cried, running up to the old man.
   “Oh Dreyden my boy!” Gregory cried, hugiging him tightly.
   “I had hoped this day would come.” He said, letting the boy go.
   “Just look at you! All grown up, and you look just like your father.” Tears had sprung in Gregory’s eyes as he praised Eleyos.
   “Gregory.” The sharp tone of the red haired man brought them both back to the matter at hand.
   “As much as we would love to let you have your little reunion, we are in middle of a meeting. Page!”
The page boy melted out of the woodwork.
   “How did this commoner get in here?!”
Drey turned to Gregory.
   “What’s this man’s name?” He asked.
   “Ivan of Esquire.”
Dreyden nodded and ran back up to the large wooden throne and sat down on it.
This caused murmuring from most of the council members, but for Ivan of Esquire, it was an up roar.
   “Call the guards! Get this ruffian back onto the streets where he belongs!”
Drey’s eyes met Kade’s and he nodded. Kade moved and bolted the door shut.
   “Ivan,” Drey said in a cool tone. The man looked up at him in shock.
   “Shut your gop.”
More people joined in on the laughter this time.
   “And please, take a seat.”
   “Boy, you are disgracing the Royal Line by sitting on that throne.” Ivan argued.
   “No, actually I’m not. Now would you shut up and sit down. So I can explain what I mean?” Drey asked non too kindly.
Ivan obliged this time.
   “Thank you. Now to answer everyone’s question. Yes, I am prince Dreyden, son of Ast’Drev.”
An up roar ensued once again. But he was quick to stop it.
   “Don’t believe me?!” He shouted above the noise. He pulled off his ring and handed it to the closest member.
   “I have the Royal seal. No one has seen it in fourteen years, and that is because my father gave it to me.”
The ring circulated around the room, but when it came to Ivan he looked at Dray, doubt in his eyes.
   “How do we know this isn’t a fake?” He asked.
   “Because on the inside it is engraved ‘May Eleyos guide thy hand.’ No one knows that  is there except the people on this council.”
Ivan looked inside and reluctantly passed it on as he saw it was true.

Once it had come back to Drey and he had put it back on his finger, he moved on.
   “Well now that we have that settled,” He could see questions forming, but put up a hand to stop them.
   “I know all of you are dying to ask questions but I wont answer them until later this evening. My friends and I are both exhausted and hungry. I intend to let them eat and sleep before I reconvene this meeting later tonight. We have lots of things to discuss.”
He rose from the throne and moved to the door.
   “And please, don’t leave town.” He said to the shocked and awed council.