“But Matt, you were shot in the shoulder with an arrow!” Aero laughs.
“See that’s the crazy thing, Rain sewed my wound up first!”
“Then she threw it on you!”
“Unlike any woman has before! She was aggressive… It was like we were fighting. She bit me several times.”
“What did you do?”
“I bit her back!”
“So you didn’t like it?”
“Like it? I loved it! I can’t wait for the next battle to get with her again!”
Aero laughs. He needs it to release some stress. It’s been a week since the fighting pit incident. The morning after the pit, Dabir came to Aero’s cell and removed his stocks and put him in a proper cell. One with a window, and bed… And real food.
“There’s just one problem Matt.”
“What’s that?”
“She’s the reigning Queen, if my father finds out you will be executed.”
“I’m not telling him, and you’re probably not going to be around to tell him yourself… so I think I’m good.”
Aero laughs again, Matt visiting is exactly what he needed to lift his spirits. Aero probably wouldn’t have laughed at that comment if anyone else had said it, but Matthew thrives in these awkward moments. It’s part of his charm.
“So have you heard anything from Dabir? Or Rania?” Aero asks.
“Dabir has called each one of us in for interviews. He’s called me in three times, Rania has been at every meeting. Other than hello’s, she hasn’t spoken. She seems to be burdened, like something is weighing on her heart.”
“What about Roasa? Has she said anything about her? Have they been together?”
“Roasa is staying with Rania now. She is the second biggest thing in Meego right now. Since the fighting pit.”
“And you’re the first?”
“No, you are. Your name is spoken constantly, everyone in Meego seems to be fascinated with you. But I haven’t heard from Roasa since the day after the pit, she can’t walk down the street without being mobbed. I imagine if you could walk down the street that you would be surrounded as well.”
“I can imagine, Meego already holds women in high regard, but to have one fight in the pit and dominate it like she did… It was impressive to say the least.”
“Yes, and she had a little help.”
“Of course, Matt you were my first choice because I knew that you would do what needed to be done.”
“I know, Roasa impressed even me; I get it. She deserves her praise.”
“So no word on what they are going to do with me?”
“Actually that’s why I’m here. I’m escorting you to Governor Dabir’s office.”
“Just you? They have relaxed their security.”
“Ali will be joining us; he should be here any minute.”
The two men speak for a few more moments before Ali arrives. They quickly bind Prince Aero’s hands and hurry off to the Governor’s mansion.
A security detail takes possession of Prince Aero at the gate, Ali and Matthew wait outside for his return.
Two from the security force takes Prince Aero into a room with no windows and a desk. They set him on one side of the desk and leave him. A few moments later Governor Dabir and a few advisors enter the room. Dabir sits in front of Prince Aero at the desk while the advisors disappear behind the Prince.
“So, Prince Aero…” Dabir starts “You have a loyal group with you. They have all sung your praises in my interviews this past week. Hell, even some of my people are doing the same. I would go as far to say that Ser Ali Saah is one of your men now.”
“He’s a good man, it was an honor to fight by his side at the docks.”
“If I may be honest Prince Aero, I wasn’t prepared for you when you arrived. All my ancestor’s writings spoke about how vile and single minded your ancestors were… all they cared for was the sword. But I admit, you have put on a good front to show that you don’t want it. You almost had me convinced.”
“Look, Governor Dabir, even if I did want the blade, I am honor bound to return it to the Capital and surrender it to my father or brother. If I may be honest with you, neither one of them deserve it. So keep it here in Meego, maybe someday a King will come along… one day hopefully… worthy to wield the sword.”
“Do you really believe that? You don’t want your family to have their sword?”
“They don’t deserve it, I mean it. Keep it here.”
“What about you, do you deserve it?”
“Me? No, I’m not the next King.”
“You could be… with the sword.”
“And murder my own family… No! And on top of that, I wasn’t raised to be a King. I wouldn’t know what to do any way.”
“But you’ve harnessed its power! Are you really willing to just give it away?”
“It’s not my sword to take, I’ve told you this.”
“You really don’t know much of anything do you?”
“Please don’t insult my intelligence Governor, I wasn’t taken into the royal academia, but I am not an idiot. I was trained to be a soldier, to help people. Don’t judge me because I can’t speak every royal decree of the line of Kings. That has never been a part of my life.”
“Prince Aero, I did not mean to insult your intelligence. It is just that you do not understand the situation at hand.”
“What do you mean?”
“You came here for the sword because you are honor bound to serve your father, whom you openly admit is a horrible King.”
“I didn’t say it like that.”
“Then deny it.”
Aero looks at Dabir for a moment before turning his head away and looking to the floor. He is ashamed he can’t bring himself to deny the statement.
“See?” Dabir asks. “I think you understand the situation more than you’re letting on. You are honor bound to return the sword, but you won’t because you know that your family doesn’t deserve it.”
“I don’t want the sword because it hasn’t been offered to me to return it. Never mind the fact that my family doesn’t deserve it. If I took the sword then what would happen to Meego?”
“Good question, but shouldn’t it be me that asks that question and you answer it?” Dabir asks knowingly. “What would happen to Meego?”
Prince Aero tries to compose himself for a flowery statement such as Prince David could give, but he isn’t him and he fails. “Meego would fall.”
“Is that right? Do you think we are incapable of sustaining ourselves without our light skinned masters?” Dabir asks in anger.
“No, not at all. It’s just…”
“Choose your next words carefully Prince Aero, they may be your last.”
“Fine, Meego needs the resources from the mainland to survive. If the sword is in the Capital, I am not sure my father would bother sending those supplies. So keep the sword here so that we don’t have to learn that truth.”
Dabir opens a drawer to his left on his desk and pulls out a large item wrapped in cloth. He unwraps it to reveal the Royal Blade. “You knew it was here didn’t you?”
Aero did, but he doesn’t admit that deep down inside him, he felt the blade calling to him. Dabir waits for an answer, the fact that he doesn’t get one infuriates him all the more.
“You’re telling me that this blade is what has kept us alive all these years?”
Aero notices his previous answer did not please the Governor.
“You’re twisting my words again. That’s not what I said.”
“Well then spell it out for me, because I feel like you’re insulting my intelligence now.”
“I didn’t mean to, I apologize.”
“Don’t apologize to me! Explain yourself!” Dabir yells.
“I uh…”
Dabir stands up and slams down his fist.
“Father, enough.”
Aero turns around to find that Dabir’s staff isn’t sitting behind him but Azka, Rania and Roasa have been this entire time.
“Rania! How long have you been there?” Aero asks.
“No! You do not get to talk to my daughter! Not now!” Dabir shouts.
“Father, calm down and let the man explain himself without fear of your outburst.”
Dabir stares at his youngest daughter for a few seconds before he sits back in his chair. “Fine, continue.” He says with a lowered tone.
Aero can’t take his eyes off Rania, whom he hasn’t seen since the Fighting Pit. She nods toward her father to direct Aero to continue.
“The sword being in Meego keeps trade with the mainland flowing steadily. I am afraid that if the sword was returned that the Kings of my family would forget the plight of Meego. My father only wants the sword to consolidate power back to the throne. I have seen the resourcefulness of the sons and daughters of Meego, I know how strong your people are… But in returning the sword, it would add a heavy yoke upon your people that would be so burdensome and unnecessary.”
“You may be right, but we will survive.” Dabir states as he stands up and begins pacing the floor. “Take your sword, get your people and get out of Meego by the end of the day.” Dabir states as he heads towards the door to leave.
“Governor Dabir, no!”
Dabir turns around just before reaching the door “Prince Aero, I have offered you the sword. I am sure by your honor; you will know what to do next.”
“Rania, speak to your father, please!” Aero begs.
“Do not speak to her! You got what you came here for, get out!”
“No! I did not!” Aero shouts back finally reaching his breaking point. “I may have came to this place under orders, but if you send me away now then I won’t have anything that I want!”
Dabir looks to his daughters, then back to Aero. The conflict on his face is evident. “If you want anything here… No more secrets, no more lying. You tell me everything from the beginning, leave nothing out. I mean nothing. Last chance!”
Aero takes a second to calm himself before speaking.
“Okay, but just the two of us, no one else.”
“No, Rania stays, that’s the deal.”
“Okay.” Aero agrees.
Aero begins with the dinner in his honor. His conversations with Marco and John Henry. He spares no detail- stowing away David, Matthew drinking his piss, to finding Roasa, and Rich’s betrayal. He tells of his journey through Bellum, and Rune and the Halo Bear.
Several times, Dabir stops him and asks questions, to which Aero answers honestly.
Aero continues all the way through picking up the sword that night in the vault. When he is done, Dabir is silent for several minutes. Rania doesn’t speak at all.
“Is that absolutely everything?” Dabir asks.
Aero slumps in his chair somewhat, he knows that he has to be honest, his life depends on it.
“No.” Aero states before taking a brief pause. “What… What do you know about the Cave at Brintz?
Dabir has a confused look on his face but doesn’t speak. So Aero continues and tells the story of meeting Crimson, and the advice he gave him. Again, Aero shares every detail. He leaves nothing out.
When Aero is finished, the room remains silent for a long period. Dabir staring at Aero, Aero staring at Dabir. The sword between them, neither glances at it. Behind Aero, Rania sits quietly taking everything in…
Dabir finally breaks the silence “Guards!” he yells.
“Take Prince Aero back to his cell.” Dabir commands.
As they grab Aero up Dabir speaks to him. “Get a good rest young Prince, you have given me much to think about, your sentence will be carried out tomorrow… one way or another.”
Aero doesn’t reply, he turns toward Rania, but she has already left.
The guards rebind Aero’ hands behind his back and bind his feet to slow any escape attempt. As he prepares to begin walking, the guards throw a bag over his head.
“Not this again.” He whispers.
The guards lead him out of the office and on to the streets. Aero tries to listen for Matthew, but he never hears him.
The guards lead him through the city. When they arrive at his cell, they take off the hood. He is in the inner cell, the heavy stocks waiting on him. He doesn’t resist at all; he allows them to place him in the stocks again. The guards leave.
Alone. Bound on his knees, all Prince Aero can do is wait.
Relics of the Old Age 