Meego #3

The group has settled into the new daily life in Meego. A week and a half has passed since they arrived in the old port.

David along with Aero have made daily visits with the Governor’s daughter, Azka. These visits have been organized to by Dabir. Even though David has not met with Dabir since the arrival, he knows the Governor is testing him. It’s right out of the Meegan playbook, force the prince and his daughter together enough and eventually the magic will take effect. Dabir’s problem is that it hasn’t, neither party seem to be romantically interested in the other.

However, Aero is extremely interested in Rania. His problem with her is that she uses Meegan traditions to control their meetings. While Aero would spend every second of everyday with her, she only allows a visit every few days. He is so frustrated by her rules. When they are together, she is obviously interested in him; but when they part, she will not see him again for a few days.

Matthew takes time to tease Aero on the days Rania is not around. Matthew is happy for his friend, finding love instead of death in Meego. As long as he has his barrels, Matthew is happy as well.

The rest of the group is also in good spirits.

Will has taken to the night culture of Meego and stays out as late as he can wondering the streets. Roasa seems to be healing after the horrors on the road. With that life an entire dried up sea between them, she appears to have lifted some of her heaviness. She has secretly been meeting with Rania in the streets on the days she doesn’t see Aero. Roasa tells her how he mopes around and complains about not seeing her. She enjoys those talks with her new friend.

Lieutenant Rain has taken to the militia of Meego. She spends most of her days training with and serving the Meegan people. The military side of Meego is pleasing to Rain.

David and Stephan sometimes join in the nightly party on the Meegan streets; but most evenings when David returns, Stephan demands a full review of the day. He is a little bitter that Aero accompanies David to all the Meegan functions.

David did not meet with Azka today because she is busy preparing a family dinner for David and his staff. This will be the first real meeting with Governor Dabir, and it will take place in the old Governor’s Mansion in the old city.

Aero has been on edge all day, he wants to see Rania but doesn’t know if she will be there. Roasa knows she will be to attend to Azka, but she will not give him the satisfaction of knowing. A request Rania made to her.

As the evening arrives, the group are greeted in the old mansion by the Governor, his wife, daughter and young son, Isa.

As they are set at the large dinning table, Aero sees Rania.

Just the sight of her settles his heart. Slyly she gives Aero a quick smile and looks away. She didn’t want to cause a scene while serving at an official state dinner. Only her, Aero and Roasa saw it. Moments later as Aero is distracted by Isa, Rania shares a similar look with Roasa, this look is pure amusement.

The dinner is uneventful with mainly Dabir and David sharing political commentaries under the guise of diplomacy. Will finds it hard to stay awake during these long monologs from each man.

Matthew is impressed with the Meegan ale in his glass. It’s not the stuff the locals have in their shops.

When the dinner mercifully wraps up, Dabir asks for David and Aero to remain with him. He thanks the other members of David’s group for being such good dinner guest and shows them how to reach the balcony of the old mansion to view the nightlife.

Azka also walks up to each member and thanks them. When she stands before Aero, she slips a small piece of paper into his hands. She then excuses herself, and her handmaidens follow.

With the commotion of everyone leaving, Aero takes time to glance at the paper. It says- our bench tonight.

Aero is ecstatic! She will see him tonight! He wants to shout but doesn’t… This is not the place.

“David, thanks for staying after dinner, and you as well Ser Aero. I’ve been told you have been accompanying the Prince on all his meetings with my Azka. I took the liberty of keeping you here for David’s comfort.” Dabir says.

“Not a problem, Aero is one of the most loyal knights in all the land, he is here to serve.” David replies.

“Of course, he is. I hope you don’t mind… Since I am taking you to a secured location, I have brought along four guards for everyone’s protection.”

“Not at all, we have placed our safety in your hands since the moment we arrived, and we have not been disappointed. What do you want to show us?”

“It’s up the stairs.”

Dabir leads David and Aero up the staircase to a room just off the main dinning room. He pulls out a set of keys and unlocks five locks that were bolting the steel door.

David is invited to go into the room first, Aero follows. Then Dabir, his guards stand at the entrance.

They walk into a large vault filled with many treasures.

“This is the great vault of Meego. Or it used to be when the old city was thriving. What you see before you are some of the greatest pieces of Meegan history. All the items here on this shelf are items found after the war. These are relics of magic that we believe were used to conjure the Meego Light into place. Some of our early scholars studied them and told us that with even a novice magician, the Light could be removed with these relics.”

“That’s amazing! If only we could find one! Meego could return to glory.” David replies.

“Careful, that’s treasonous talk.” Dabir responds.

“I simply meant that it would be amazing to restore Meego and the region. I know magic talk is illegal, but there are no magicians left.”

“I know David, I just wanted you to see the dilemma that we have been in for centuries. Even if it is treasonous, every Meegan would still allow a magician to lift the spell. You see us in the streets, in just over four months it will be gone for another nine and a half years…”

“I’m so sorry for this, Governor Dabir. Meego deserves better.” Aero interjects.

“Agreed.” David adds.

Dabir smiles at the young men. It’s as if he wants them to understand Meego’s side of this tragedy.

“And the shelf next to it, are magic items used by the apprentice, Isa to combat the curse of Meego. Without his quick thinking, Meego would be just a sandpit today.”

“What did he do? I’ve never heard of him.” David responds.

“Meego was home to all kinds of magic. The old city flowed with water, plants and wildlife before the war broke out. My ancestor decided that we would try to remain loyal to both the crown and magic.  This outraged one of the strongest magicians stationed in Meego. He cursed the ground, sea, and sky before abandoning Meego. Isa, even though he was young in magic, he was also strong. He filled up the reservoir underground, created the gold caves, and caused the Light to disappear for a time. These are his items.” Dabir says. “He used his own blood to bind the spell. He sacrificed his life to save every one of ours.”

“Wow, I didn’t know. So, your son is named after him?” David asks

“Isa is one of the most common names in all of Meego. In fact, in the park in the new city, there is a rather large gold statue of him. You should take time to see it tomorrow.”

“We will. If we see Azka, we will ask us to take us.”

“That would be wonderful.” Dabir says before taking a short pause. “And on this shelf is the Royal Sword that you came all this way to see.”

Both David and Aero tense up upon hearing the words. They both turn to look at it wide eyed.

They see an old sword blade that has rusted beyond repair from nearly a thousand years of neglect.

“That’s it? That’s really all it is?” Aero says to himself out loud.

“This is what Father sent us for?” David says in shock.

“I’m afraid, it’s just a piece of scrap now.” Dabir responds.

The look on Dabir’s face seems to tell a story of him relishing in this moment. He must be, they endured that perilous journey for a piece of rusted steel.

“Please David, pick it up. Look it over really well.”

David hesitantly does so mainly to appease Dabir. It is just a rusty old bar. It’s nothing like he thought he would see. He thought that it would be a majestic weapon fit for a king, but it’s just junk.  Aero can’t even stand the sight of it. After all the bedtime stories of the great sword’s victories, to see it like this is too depressing.

David carefully sets the sword back on the shelf. “This relic belongs in Meego. I vow, that I will not tell a soul in the Capital of the shape the sword is in. Hopefully, that will continue to allow Meego to thrive in trading with the mainland.”

Dabir seems relieved at David’s statement, and accepts his vow. “Ser Aero, would you like to take a closer look at the blade?”

Aero glances at it for a fleeting moment, then turns away.

“I respectfully decline, I grew up on stories of this sword’s greatness and to hold it in that condition would ruin those stories for me in some perverse way.”

“I understand, then let’s continue the tour.”

Dabir leads them to the next shelf and begins explaining the significance of the items.

As he does so, there is a crashing sound directly behind them. As they turn around, the Royal blade is on the floor across the room from where they left it. Much too far for it to have fallen.

Two of the guard’s step inside and draw their swords. They look at David and Aero as if they made a move for it; but they didn’t.

Suddenly the sword begins to float. A guard cautiously approaches. About five feet from it, he is stabbed by an unseen object. He falls into the sword and it slides across the floor to the feet of David and Aero.

Another guard goes down by an invisible attack.

“Underbridge Assassins!” David screams.

In a panic, Aero searches the room for a weapon, the closest ones are on the dead men.

Another guard is killed.

Suddenly, Aero hears a slight singing in his ear. He quickly looks for the sound… It’s coming from the ground.

Is it the old sword?