Aero Part 1-6 A Brothers Love

“Boy! He called me boy!!!” Aero shouts in frustration while pacing his room. Just moments ago, Marco of Orlea, his father’s closest advisor degraded the knighted prince and sent him to his room. Aero, third in line to be king! Sent to his room by an assistant! These thoughts run through his mind at breakneck speed.

Aero paces, he is beside himself. The past months of uncertainty and doubt were instigated by Marco, but to what end? Aero doesn’t know. Even though he is in the lineage of the crown, there is no way that he could ever possibly wear the crown. It has to be something else.

How could he be so important? Marco threatened the lives of everyone he loves, and he has the leverage.

“I’m a sacrifice to keep my family alive.” He mumbles in defeat as he slumps to the floor. He leans against the wall while allowing a single tear to fall from his honey-gold eye. In this moment of angst, Aero feels lost. He has no choice but to complete the mission and die a senseless death in Meego.

“For David, Stephan, Matt, and Shoala… Poor little Shoala…” Aero whispers to himself.

He is afraid. When he ventured to Crimson, he thought he was taking his destiny into his own hands for once. Now he knows that it was all a fantasy. Forces were working against him the entire time. Why? Because he was a good knight, earning a reputation as a true servant to the Kingdom. Aero has no royal aspirations, he just wanted to be a knight worthy of the calling. But that calling died tonight at a feast in his own honor. Now he knows he is nothing more than a dead man awaiting his execution, and that execution is so far away, separated from everything he has ever known.

The door flings open, John Henry enters full of arrogance and pride.

He looks around the room before seeing Aero sitting against the wall.

“Brother! What’s happened? Why are you locked in your room?” he asks before busting into a humiliating laughter.

Aero tries to collect himself, but John Henry continues talking.

 “Why are you in the floor?” John Henry asks as he allows his laughter to linger.

Aero doesn’t answer. Suddenly, John Henry’s smile disappears. “Answer your King!” He shouts at Aero.

With those words, Aero springs from the floor, and takes a couple steps toward his condescending brother.

Instantly four guards enter Aero’s room, swords drawn.

“Don’t be stupid brother, you can’t die tonight. You have to get my sword.” John Henry says.

John Henry takes a moment to look over his brother. He has hated everything about him since he was born. Their mother loved him more. He doesn’t look like a royal. He is a selfless do-gooder. All of it and more. John Henry decides to enjoy this control.

“Show me that you aren’t stupid. Show me that you are a smart servant. Kneel before your new King!”

“You’re not the King, and never will be.”

“Stupid, stupid, stupid. You just can’t help yourself, can you? You must be punished…” John Henry says as he pauses for effect.

“Guards, bring me Shoala, he loves that half-burnt abomination.”

“No! John Henry don’t do that! Don’t hurt her!” Aero screams.

“You have one chance, kneel NOW!”

Aero swiftly kneels before his brother. The indignation is nearly intolerable. John Henry laughs, the guards follow his lead. John Henry steps towards Aero and places his hand on top of his head. He pats him.

“Good boy.” Hearing this breaks Aero. For the second time tonight, he has been degraded by being called boy; and there is nothing he can do about it.

Laughter erupts even more.

Aero is so far beyond humiliated, this is emasculating.  

“Guards return to the hallway. I am sure my servant will obey me now that we have his attention.”

The guards do so, as they do John Henry turns his attention back to Aero.

“You will stay knelt until I give you permission to stop.” He says sternly. “You see, I have risen above my destiny. I now own my life, and I own yours too. In fact, there is not a single person in the Kingdom that I don’t own.”

Aero looks away, he can’t bare this shame.

“See, I’m the next King now. You may die serving me on the road, but you will die carrying out the mission I decree.”

Aero just listens, what can he say?

“I want to let you in on a little secret, I joined a secret society and they will make me king sooner than you would think. I’m going to tell you something that I probably shouldn’t but I command you to never speak of it. You will listen to the truth, then live the rest of your short, miserable life in silence.”

John Henry awaits a response from his brother, and finally Aero shakes his head in agreement. For him, he has no choice but to listen.

“Marco recruited me to the society known as The Covenant of the Whispering Owls. We have been shaping the landscape of the Kingdom for centuries, and I am the first royal to ever join. Hell, I was the first to know they even existed and now you do too. The plan is to make father step down and name me his replacement, and it’s going to happen too. I will be the King soon, and you will be dead. My life will be in comfort and raised up as a hero upon my death. You will be forgotten by everyone within a month of your death.”

Aero continues to keep his head down. This angers John Henry, he backhands Aero’s right cheek.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you!” He screams as he crashes his returning hand across Aero’s throbbing cheek. Aero loses himself for a second and tries to jump up but John Henry, embolden by his current situation, forces his brother back to his kneeling position.

“It must suck to kneel before your brother like this, but you will do it any way. The next time you make a move from your kneeling position, I’ll end Shoala right here.”

Aero freezes, he knows he can’t do anything now. Marco must have planned this, John Henry isn’t smart enough to pull this kind of scheme off, Aero thinks to himself.

“Prove to me that I am your King. Proclaim it now, no hesitations.

“You are my King.” Aero says, as he struggled for the words.

John Henry’s hand crashes down on his cheek again. “Louder!”

“You are my King.” He musters.

“Then act like it, if I am your King, then kiss my ring.”

Aero leans in and kisses John Henry’s ring, he has no choice.

“See, that wasn’t so bad. You would have been a good servant of mine. Maybe, I can convince Marco let me keep you. Your future would be groveling at my feet, day in and day out. That’s where you belong.”

John Henry knows he is in control of this situation and he uses it to his advantage. Satisfied, he lays down the final command. “I command you to follow the path on this map. You will go straight away to Meego, this is not a vacation. You have a job to do. I would tell you that I expect you to return with my sword, but I’m going to be honest with you. You’re simply going to die. Knights will pursue you to ensure obedience. If you do not go to Meego, then the blood of those whom you love will be on your hands. This will be a fair trade, a life for a life. Shoala will be safe, maybe I’ll let David live in exile in some forgotten corner of my Kingdom. Everything depends on how well you follow your King’s command. Will you obey?”

Aero, raging on the inside, shows nothing but defeat outwardly, just nods his head.

“Good boy. The Coven will be watching you, goodbye brother. If I ever see you again, you better be bringing my sword to me. If not, I will kill you myself.”

John Henry walks out the door laughing. He commands the guards to stand watch until he is due to depart.

Aero stands and returns to pacing the floor, it’s going to be a very long night.

Setting the Board

In the Throne Room of Blue Water Castle Gerwin sneaks over to Marco with news. While John Henry speaks, he leans into whisper.

“Still no word from Ser Robert, sir.”

“I knew those drunks wouldn’t take the mission seriously. Send a dispatch to Tree City, I’m sure they will be found on the way.”

“So, you think they got sidetracked by the Midnight Wine?”

“No doubt about it, I am going to punish the entire lot. I put a lot of effort into hiring the Underbridge Assassins, I expect results not drunken fools.”

Gerwin nods and walks away. Marco turns his attention back to John Henry who is finishing up his report for the King.

“Very good, my son. Since your brother’s disappearance you have assumed his old responsibilities well. After speaking with my advisors, it has been decided that it is time to award you for your hard work. I hereby name you as my heir. On this day let it be known throughout all the Kingdom, that John Henry will be the next King. Also, after long talks with Marco, we have assembled a committee to handle the process of a peaceful transfer of power within the fortnight. I am retiring as King and have decided to live out my remaining days on the Breaker Islands. I will take the royal quarters as my home. We have sent a delegate to the Islands to make the proper preparations for my arrival.” Says King William.

A hush falls over the crowd. This is an unprecedented move; no king has ever walked away from his power. This is possibly the quietest the Throne Room has ever been. This is truly a historical moment that is not lost on the socialites.

Marco steps forward and begins clapping. It is a shock to a lot of the people in the room, but his supporters follow his example. Soon everyone is clapping. After a moment, Marco holds his hand up for silence.

“We are entering an exciting time for the Kingdom. For the first time, we will see a King hand over his crown to his son. We are about to have a coronation without a funeral, this will be a momentous occasion that could possibly lead to a new tradition. We will see, but for now we would like to announce that we are pulling resources for the biggest party in memory. We will be having a coronation, a retirement party, and a wedding feast all in one. That’s right, the future King has chosen his Queen.”

“I choose, Mary of Northpoint. Her family has supported the crown for many generations. She has been extremely beneficial within the court for some time. Not to mention, she is the most beautiful woman in the realm.”

“Three cheers for our new King and Queen!” Someone from the court shouts.

Cheers ring out, over and over. Many cheers are called for- King William, the Kingdom, the new King, and the new Queen. Cheers ring out for some time. The celebration begins.

A couple hours later, the news has the entire Capital buzzing. Cheers are had all over. In Maverick’s the arrogant knight’s toast the night away. At Grove Stone, the low-level soldiers sing songs into the early hours. The commoners of the Bend walked their dirt streets gossiping.

Later, Marco has a meeting in his quarters.

“You pulled it off my friend. I don’t know what you did, but I thank you. This always seemed to be just a dream, but thanks to you my head will hold the crown.” John Henry says.

“This is the culmination of centuries of work. Your willingness to see the vision expedited the plan. You are to be praised as well my King.” Marco replies.

“Don’t forget about little ole me.” Mary chimes in as she leans into kiss John Henry.

“You my dear are the best prize of this victory.” John Henry replies.

“A toast to the new world order! We have successfully overthrown the Crown without bloodshed. The Coven now holds all the power, a new dynasty has arisen, and no one will never know.” Marco toasts.

“The Kingdom is restored; through our power we will bring everyone to heel. No one can stand in our way now.” John Henry replies.

“Indeed.”

As Marco and John Henry toast each other for their victory they are unaware that Aero’s thirty thousand strong force is a day away from the Capital. With the Capital busy by the news of the day, everyone is distracted. They should have been spotted by now, but they haven’t been. Maybe luck is on Aero’s side.

In his camp, the Bellumi warriors perform menial task, while he and Asna hold a meeting with their council.

“We must try to secure a peaceful transfer, if not a lot of innocent people will be killed.” Rune suggests.

“The people of the Bend will suffer the most, we must attempt a peaceful transition at all cost.” Yorba backs Rune up.

“It is not realistic, the King is not just going to give his crown and power away, they will fight to the last man.” Stephan rebuts.

“We all want to save lives, but I know the Capital more than anyone. Peaceful really isn’t an option.” Prince David adds.

“But we must try!” Yorba shouts in anger.

“If we make saving lives our priority, then we will all die!” Stephan shouts back.

The tent erupts into shouting. The Bellumi leaders stand with Stephan, they want to fight. Most of the Meegan leaders stand with Rune and Yorba. The shouting increases to a fever pitch.

Aero and Asna sit quietly in their seats. Aero looks to his bride unsure of what to do. She stands.

The entire tent takes notice.

“Our priority is always to life, I decree that our leaders shall make war plans that emphasizes saving life, but also be flexible to prepare for the worst. We leave you to it, see that it gets done.”

She reaches out to Aero for his hand. He takes it, and she leads him out of the tent. They return to their private tent, where they lay down.

Aero seems distant and very distracted.

“What’s wrong love? You’ve been distracted all day.” Asna asks.

“It’s nothing.” Aero replies.

“We share a magical bond; I can feel your burden. Stop being a typical man and tell me what’s wrong.”

Aero takes a moment to collect his thoughts.

“I’m just thinking about the last time I was home. Thinking about what John Henry did.”

“This is what Roasa told me that you refused to talk about isn’t it? And you still haven’t talked, have you?”

“No, I don’t know if I can.”

“Try, for me. I’m here for you.”

“Okay… After Marco revealed that he had forced me to go to Meego, I was escorted to my room. Then John Henry came to see me…”

Matthew and Ali before Crimson

Around the same time King Aero reaches the western border of Bellum, Ser Matthew and Ser Ali arrive at the cave of Brintz.

As they prepare to enter the cave, they have no way of knowing that Aero and Asna have secured the allegiance of the Bellumi warriors and were about to take an envoy of more than thirty thousand Bellumi into the Royal Lands. Their thoughts had been on their King and Queen earlier, but now all thoughts turn toward the immediate danger; they are about to meet a monster. Both men are taking this mission very seriously, so serious that Ser Matthew did not drink last night.

As they settle their horses, Ser Matthew remembers his vow to Governor Dabir, his son must not see the monster. So, he commands his squire to remain outside the cave and tend to the animals.

Both men stand at the cave entrance. This moment has loomed large in their minds for over a month now. A sense of foreboding is shared between the men. They linger, the first step is the hardest. Finally, Ali who is holding the box of Meegan artifacts takes his first steps and disappears into the darkness.

Matthew quickly lights his torch and follows him in.

Even with the light, the cave is still dark. It’s a strange feeling for both men to have light, but still be in darkness. The idea of what’s ahead has both men on edge. They slide cautiously past an old skeleton still in its armor. An ominous sign they cannot ignore.

Cool air from inside the depths of the cave blows past them rhythmically, almost as if the cave itself is breathing.

Neither man speaks, but both are allowing fear to creep into their minds. Just when the tension is at its peak, a stirring from ahead can be heard.

“What’s this? A fresh snack? Good, I am very hungry.” A deep and intimidating voice says from inside the depths of the cave.

Both men stop, they allow a few seconds of fear to overtake them. Aero didn’t tell them the terror that grips their bones from his voice alone. Ali immediately starts thinking about running, Matthew starts trying to figure out if he can outrun Ali.

Heavy breathing can be heard from the direction of the voice, then footsteps that sound more like small earthquakes echo off the cave walls.

“He… He told us you would say something like that.” Matthew stammers out.

“He? Who did?” the voice says from the darkness.

“King Aero, he sent us to meet with the one he calls Crimson.”

“King Aero? King? How? Tell me. Come closer, I must know.”

“He also said that you would have questions.” Ali says.

Both men breath a sigh of relief as they step forward. That is until they see the body that the voice came from. Aero’s description did not do it justice. Both men allow their anxiety to rise up again.

“Well… he obviously made it to Meego and survived. Did he marry the Governor’s daughter?”

“Yes, we were pursued by a platoon of knights pushing us toward Meego. There was a plot to kill Aero to remove him from the Capital. The plot involved overthrowing King William, killing the oldest son, David and setting up his middle son, John Henry as the new king. That’s why Aero was chosen to go to Meego.” Ser Matthew responds.

“Did they do it? Put John Henry on the throne?”

“We don’t know. King Aero and Queen Asna entered Bellum to seek an alliance.”

“Does he think the Bellumi will support him because he married a daughter of Meego?”

“He has the Royal Blade; it works for him. Prince David is with us on the journey. It did not work for him. He has the sword and the Queen, per the ancient agreement, he is King.”

“Then I hope everything works out for him, he has the heart of a true king.”

“Agreed.”

“So, why did he send you here and break our vow?” Crimson asks.

“Only six people in the kingdom know about this, we are some of his most trusted knights. This is Ser Ali from Meego, and I am Ser Matthew from Two Springs.”

“The drunk? Aero did speak highly of you. I always wondered why.”

“Can’t say.”

“I don’t smell any ale on you.”

“I didn’t drink last night.”

“Oh, I see. So why are you here? We keep getting sidetracked.”

“We were sent with this box. In it contains all the known magical artifacts that cursed Meego. The King and Queen wanted you to look at them to see just how hard it would be to reverse the curses.”

“Oh, this will be a treat, open the box.”

Ali sets the box down and opens it. Inside are five artifacts. Crimson reaches down, picks up a stone tablet with ancient writing on it.

“This stone tablet was created when the spell was cast. This is a wizard’s spell; he struck his staff against the ground when casting. This is for the dried-up sea.  It appears that this was intended to be a hundred-year curse that lowered sea level as a warning. It was never meant to be permanent.”

“What?” Ali gasps.

“This spell is strong, magic forces a meteor to come in from the sky and set over Meego. That is how it’s always light there. The good news is, that even though it is a very powerful spell, it can be easily broken. Let me see the others.”

Crimson looks over the old relics, one by one. He thoroughly inspects each item. He takes a few moments with each before setting them down.

“The jar is a curse upon the fresh water, the plate is a curse upon the food, the rock with the writing on it isn’t a curse but a blessing. It protects the city from ruin.”

“So that’s why the old city never wears…” Ali said to himself.

“That’s right, and the knife is a ritual blade for blood magic. It is neither a blessing nor cursing. It has magical properties, but it wasn’t used in the attack on Meego. However, I truly believe that these four are all the magic that was used to curse Meego.”

“So, how bad is it? You said the sea one was easily broken.” Says Ser Matthew.

“They all are. Once these spells are broken Meego would be fully restored within five years. The sea would begin to rise, as would the drinking water and food.”

“Can you do it?”

“Yes and no. I have the ability, but I cannot leave the cave and it has to be undone near the site of the curse. I have no choice but to remain here. However, I could easily teach someone with a certain bloodline magic how to break these spells.”

“Roasa, a Durrie we picked up on the road, she has bloodline magic that prevents her from missing any shot with an arrow.” Matthew replies.

“Not strong enough. Actually, the easiest thing would be to bring a relative of the King. The closer the better, maybe one of his brothers. It wouldn’t take me long to teach him how to do it with the magic flowing through their veins.”

“So we need to bring Prince David to you. What should I tell King Aero?” Matthew asks.

“Tell him the good news that Meego can be restored easily but since I can’t leave this cave, I can’t do it. I can teach someone to do it in a few weeks, hopefully. Tell him to come see me when he has time, there is so much I want to hear from him.”

“Will do, we will return with someone as soon as possible.” Matthew says as they turn to leave.

“Wait! You can’t leave yet. I need to hear the story with details, sit with me good knights. Tell me the story of my good friend, Aero.” Crimson demands.

Matthew and Ali look to one another, this is just like Aero said it would be. So they sit, and Matthew begins. “When Aero left the cave, he was arrested by a low-ranking officer in the Capital Guard named Will…”

Ser Nunley at Village Harbor

“I don’t care if you’re scared! You’re doing it or I will kill you on the spot.” Nunley says clearly annoyed.

He is talking to his two new lackeys, Griff and Hick. After the Skymen killed Burn and Coge, Nunley stopped by one of the Knight Forts to pick up some more helpers. Sadly, these two losers are the best he could get.

He is planning on taking a boat ride out to Peel Island in the Golden Sea. It is well known that the island is the current home of the Skymen.

“The rest of my cape is there.”

The new crew has already heard the story a dozen times, Nunley tells it often. Each time the men act as if it is the first time they have heard it, Nunley demands it. But now, he has decided to go to the Skymen’s island to find the one winged one just to get his wing. It sounds like a dangerous mission to say the least.

“But Nunley, what about the witches?” Hick asks.

“Witches? If there are any witches there, it is our sworn duty to end them! King’s orders. This is why I always preferred Burn and Coge, they knew to never ask questions. They just knew to do the job and everything else will take care of itself.”

“Until they were killed by Skymen!”

“Comments like that are what will make me kill you, Hick. You best learn your place quick.” Nunley replies. “Now, go find us a boat. I’m sure there are plenty of captains looking to make some money by being a ferry.”

The two men run off toward the harbor. Nunley decides to stay in the city and look around. It’s not very often that he enters a large city and he wants to take advantage of it. Village Harbor is one of the largest port cities on the entire coast. It’s an old fishing hub that has attracted sea lovers from all over for centuries. It is a city that likes to party. Village Harbor is one of the more modern cities in Avodroc. Everything from restaurants to sporting events, the city has you covered. Though, it’s not the fish or the cuisine that Nunley is interested in. No, he wanders the streets looking for a woman.

He is looking for a lady of the night, a prostitute. It doesn’t take him long to find a brothel. A man just needs to know where to look for them, and Nunley is that type man that finds them.

He enters the establishment and meets with the owner who recognizes Nunley instantly.

“Ser Nunley, welcome back my good man. It’s good to see your money again.” The owner says.

Nunley laughs, both men are scoundrels.

“What do you have for me today?”

“Only the best women in the entire Harbor.” The owner says as he snaps his fingers, causing the women to line up. “Look at the merchandise and make your pick.”

Nunley paces in front of ten beautiful young women. A blond catches his eye, but he keeps browsing. He lingers on each girl, making sure to inspect each one as if he were buying one of them.

“You have a fantastic assortment.”

“Variety is the spice of life my friend.”

“Indeed it is, I’m in the mood for something special, I’ll take the blond.” He says as he points to her.

“Excellent choice my friend.” The owner says as Nunley hands him the required gold. The girl walks up to the men as they exchange payment.

“This is… What’s your name dear?” The owner asks, not being able to remember.

“Hi, I’m Jackson.” She says as she extends a hand.

“Strange name for a girl.” Nunley says.

“You can call me whatever you want.”

Nunley grabs her hand and she leads him down a dark hallway toward her room.

“You’re the famous Hunter Knight! I’ve heard many legends about you!” She says

“Like what?”

“You killed a Rhine and an Underbridge Assassin.”

“Yes I did.”

“You are the best tracker in the entire Kingdom, and you are vicious in battle.” She says.

“Those are true as well.”

“You’ve recently hunted down a Skyman near Rhoan, and took one of his wings as a trophy, but you haven’t been able to collect the other one.”

“Wow, you are really an up to date whore, aren’t you?”

“You plan on sailing to the Peel Island to collect it.”

“How do you know that?”

“You will not find what you are looking for there, only death.”

Nunley looks at the girl inquisitively but doesn’t speak.

“You will find that you are on a path that will lead to your downfall if you aren’t careful. You are a prideful man full of arrogance. The very ones you wish to harm will be the ones to take arms to you and break you.”

“Sure, okay whore. Take your clothes off and get down on your knees… stop talking.”

“If you don’t listen to me now, you will beg for your life later. When that time comes, you will be the one on your knees. Then you will be shown the mercy the same mercy that you have showed others, your pride and arrogance will leave you. There alone, you will die and be cast aside like trash. No one will even bother to bury your corpse.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve paid for you. Shut up!”

“Do not get on the boat, give up this foolish mission and live.”

Nunley draws his sword. “Last chance, shut up!”

“Then it is decided, you will be forgotten. Your bones will be picked clean by the vultures. Flee from here!”

Nunley swings his sword down on her but he misses. She simply disappeared. He finds himself standing in an old unused room.

He rushes out to find the owner, but no one is there. He is alone in an abandoned building.

“What the hell?”

Nunley stumbles out of the building lightheaded and confused. He sits on a bench to collect his thoughts.

“Was that a dream?” he mumbles to himself.

“Ser Nunley! We found you… Why are you here?” Griff says.

“I was going to the East Street Brothel to relax for a while.”

“But East Street is clear across town.”

“I don’t know… What do you want?” Nunley asks still dazed.

“We found a captain that will take us close to Peel Island, but he refuses to dock there.”

Nunley processes Griff’s words, and remembers the whore Jackson’s words as well. He mulls over his options for a moment.

“I am sure I can persuade him to dock. Let’s go get my wing.” He says defiantly.

Back to the Forge

“At last!” Betta cries as he sees the forge with his eagle eyes in the distance.

He and Zyno have been slowly making their way to the forge for days. Betta is at the point of exhaustion from having to carry both Skymen’s weight; nut soon he will be able to rest.

As he surveys the mountain top, he sees Kobi and Ayepex talking with a few other Skymen. Without hesitation, he lets out a screech. The emergency signal of the Skymen.

At once, all the Skymen turn toward them, with Ayepex and another jumping into the air to meet them, The fresh Skymen relieve Betta of his load. It takes a few minutes for the to return to the forge. They land near Kobi.

“Zyno, what happened?” Ayepex asks.

“He was attacked by a group of knights near the city of Rhoan.” Betta replies.

“Nunley the Hunter! He snatched me out of a tree! He took my wing as a trophy, then he hunted me for days to collect the other! He’s wearing my wing as a cape, and he wants the other one! We aren’t safe here. We aren’t safe on the island. He’s coming!” Zyno says breaking down again.

“He’s been like this since I found him. I think the trauma has gotten the best of him. He needs rest but he will not keep his eyes shut.” Betta tells Ayepex.

“I will make a bed for him in the forge, it won’t take long.” Kobi says.

“We don’t typically stay in beds, but he needs one.” Ayepex replies.

“No! He is coming! It’s not safe!” Zyno screams.

“Borma, set up a guard rotation at the door to his room, and the main door to the forge. We need to show Zyno that he is safe here. Umph, return to the island and request more volunteers for guards. Tell the elders that they have returned and that there were complications.” Ayepex commands.

Kobi and the other Skymen lead Zyno into the forge to make him rest. This leaves Ayepex and Betta alone on the plateau of the forge top.

“Tell me everything! How did this happen?” Ayepex says.

“My journey took me through some very underpopulated areas. I thought I was lost so I landed when I saw a boy sitting alone. That boy was probably a wizard or something because he knew everything about me. Told me that Zyno was in trouble but that I had to make it to the city of trees immediately. When I arrived, an old man claimed to be the boy. He said that I was a year early to Tree City but needed to know the way because the next time I wouldn’t have time to waste.”

“A wizard? They are all gone, have been for centuries. You know that there are no wizards on the mainland.”

“Well he said that Zyno was in trouble and that I had to get to him directly. He gave me a stone to rub, and it transported me across the continent to near Rhoan. From there I followed the directions the old man gave and found Zyno. We have been on the run ever since then.”

Kobi returns to Ayepex and Betta. “He is in bed but is restless. He is too frantic to relax.”

“Do you have anything to help? Will you check the magic library?” Ayepex asks.

“Of course.” Replies Kobi who hurries off to find a magical remedy.

“A stone transmitted you from Tree City to Rhoan?” Ayepex asks Betta.

“I appeared in an old magic temple. I had to drop the stone into a bowl and leave to find him.”

“Do you know how far it is from Tree City to Rhoan?”

“A long way…”

“Yes, it is. So, you saved him with the help of a young-old man who knew everything about you and also gave you a stone transmit you across the kingdom? You believe magic has returned?” Ayepex says before taking a pause. “We weren’t ready for this, Betta. We were fools to think we could return to the mainland; to our home.”

Both Skymen look over the horizon as the first sun sets.

“We need to hear from the elders, they must know what happened to us.” Betta says as he the last glimpse of the sun fades from the sky.

A few hours later, Kobi approaches Zyno with a drink. Ayepex makes him drink it all. Before long, Zyno is out cold. Finally sleeping. He gives out a loud snore with each breath.

“Good, maybe he will feel better after he gets rest.” Kobi tells the others.

The men walk into the forge dinning room and set at a table. Each man carries a burden for Zyno. They know he has suffered the worst kind of trauma.

“What happens when a Skyman loses his wing like that?” Kobi asks.

“They typically die.” Ayepex says.

“Or they kill themselves.” Betta replies.

“Yes, our people are identified with the sky. To have that removed, they often lose purpose and direction. They feel less than they once were. They feel defeated and lose their identity.” Ayepex answers back.

“Maybe there is something in the library about broken Skymen wings.” Kobi jumps up and leaves the other two again.

“Let’s hope so.” Betta says.

For the next hour or so the Skymen discuss the issues together until Kobi returns.

“I can cap the wing at the back to heal, but it won’t grow back. I’m sorry.” Kobi says.

“It’s okay, a healed broken wing may give him some peace. Try your method on him in the morning.” Ayepex rep;ies.

“I will.” Says Kobi.

For Zyno, he sleeps in the room made for him. The concoction that Kobi gave him seems to be doing the trick.

As he rests, he feels something on his leg, then the sound of metal locking. He sits up to find Nunley standing over him with a chain in his hand. Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees the dead bodies of Skymen guards who were tasked with keeping him safe.

“Found you! Flightless birds are easy prey!” Nunley says as he pulls Zyno out of the bed by the binds on his leg. Nunley pulls him through the floor and they fall into darkness.

Zyno lets out a huge scream as he startles himself awake. It was a nightmare. Nunley has truly gotten inside Zyno’s head.

As everyone piles into Zyno’s room, he weeps from the fear in his mind.

Ayepex pulls Kobi and Betta aside. “I am departing for the island. I will see if I can get him some help back here by morning. If I do return with help, I need you to be prepared Kobi. The legends are true, when I return it will be with a real witch.”

Around the Campfire #3- The Tragedy of Meegone

As the camp settles in just inside the gates of Bellum, Lieutenant Rain heads out on horseback to speak with High Command on behalf of the new King and Queen. She is the only person with the clearance to make the journey through the night.

Will takes it upon himself to cook the stew for the Royal delegation. Most of the Meegan security force is camped about them with their own fires and stews boiling.

“Hell of a day!” Aero says as he pats Will on the shoulder.

“Yes, my King it was. The first of many victories ahead.”

“I hope so, for now I just want to relax and enjoy the company of friends.”

“I noticed Matthew isn’t around. Is he okay?”

“I sent him and Ali on a mission, they will meet back up with us on the other side of Bellum.”

“If they let us through…”

“Have faith Will, The Bellumi’s let us through once. I’m sure they will again. The question on my mind is if they will be loyal to us or not.” Aero replies.

“They will, Rain said so.” Roasa says as she walks up.

“I hope she’s right.”

“She knows her people. Trust in that my husband.” Asna says as she sits near the fire.

Aero joins her and soon the rest of the group are gathered around the fire with David and Stephan joining last.

“It will be a while before the stew is ready, anyone have a story?” Will asks.

“Stephan tell the story of Ser Patrick again!” Aero suggests.

David places his hand on Stephan’s shoulder to stop him. “We have heard that one a million times. I demand something else!”

Everyone laughs. The group is at ease inside the security of Bellum.

“Then tell a story brother.” Aero replies.

“No, I want something different. A Durrie or Meegan story perhaps?”

Everyone turns toward Roasa.

“What? Durrie don’t have stories. We move from one place to the next, that’s it. I am sure the Queen has a few Meegan stories to share.”

Everyone looks to Asna.

“I can share a Meegan story. I will tell my favorite one.” She says.

“Is it an adventure?” Aero asks.

“Yes, the best kind of adventure- Love.”

Aero softly groans in disappointment.

“My story is called the Tragedy of Meegone.” Asna says as she begins telling the story. “A few thousand years ago, in the centuries after the Age of Magic Discovery lived a man named Meegone. He was secretly a descendant of the Light Bringers, the magicians of the first age who originally brought magic to the land. He was an immortal but didn’t appear as one of the old beings, he looked like a normal guy. He was a traveler much like the Durrie are today, but one day something caught his eye… a woman.”

As she continues her story, each person listens intently.

“She was a slave, named Ky. She was young and beautiful. Meegone instantly fell in love with her. Ky was the servant of one of the richest men in the land. He used Ky as a sex slave for many years until he decided to pass her on to a friend, where she continued in her duties of a slave to the new master.”

“Damn.” Roasa whispers to herself.

“All the while, Meegone loved her from afar. You see, since he was an immortal being, he didn’t understand the urgency of time. He didn’t see the effects of aging. He loved her in secret for twenty-three years. Until one day, she spoke to her in the market where her master had sent her for some items. To him, she was still as every bit as beautiful as the day he first laid eyes on her. That day, he started speaking to her, and for the many months that followed whenever she came to the market. After months and months of secret conversations, he told her of his love for her. She couldn’t believe it.”

“I wouldn’t either, a guy waits twenty years?” Will asks. Several people hush him.

“So they began an torrid love affair that lasted years until her master found out. He demanded retribution from Meegone. But Meegone didn’t understand the concept of slavery or worldly possessions. He had nothing to pay. So in a rage, the master sold Ky to another man. This man took Ky away for a while. Meegone didn’t know where she was taken. He had someone ask the master where she went but he just laughed. And said she was on her knees somewhere serving her new master.”

This story is not like the legends of the mainland. Most of them are of knights and warriors performing feats of valor and heroism.

Asna continues. “But about a year later, Ky returned to Meegone on her own. She had escaped. It didn’t take the new master long to come looking for Ky. The two lovers had to abandon the lives they tried to make together and live on the road. Meegone ran them to the north-east where the land meets the sea. With their backs against the wall and arrows flying around them, Meegone used his immense power to create a walking bridge across the water. In doing so, he accidently created the Inland Sea cutting it off from main sea. He hurried them across to the other side, but when they made it, he found out that his love Ky was wounded mortally by an arrow in her side.”

Tears form in David’s eyes.

“Meegone sat there holding his love in his lap until she passed. Then, he sat there next to her body clenching her hand in his, day in and day out. All he did was hold her hand. Being immortal, he had no need to eat or drink. He didn’t need to go to the bathroom or anything. So he just sat there, holding his dead lovers hand.”

Tears flow from David’s eyes.

“Centuries roll by unnoticed. In the middle of a barren desert, he sat. Nothing stopped him, not her decomposing body, because eventually he held just her skeleton hand. It was as if he forgot to live after she died. But some say his love was too deep to let go even when she was gone. He sat there for over a thousand years until her bones turned to dust. Once the last vestige of Ky was gone, Meegone realized he had nothing to live for and made a decision in a moment of weakness… He tore out his still beating heart and buried it in the sand where Ky once laid. He killed himself on the spot where he had clung to her for so long.”

Tears flow freely amongst the group.

“His actions formed the region of Meego that stands today. The city was built on the spot of Meegone and Ky’s death. His heart contained so much life magic that the legendary oasis of Meego sprung out from where it was planted. The lover’s deaths were seeds that provided life for millions to follow them. Out of their ashes, my people arose.”

“But why did he kill himself after a thousand years of mourning? He should have healed by then.” Stephan asks.

“Sometimes, love is so strong that we hold onto dead things until it destroys us. Only a select few ever learn to let go before it’s too late.” Asna replies.  “I believe that is the main lesson of the story.”

Most of the group quietly reflect on the story and its lessons while they eat their stew.

Roasa thanks everyone for the fellowship and heads to her tent for bed. Once inside, she collapses to the floor and quietly weeps for her Jose. The story hit too close to home for her tonight.

Opposites Attract

The convoy has stopped. For a couple minutes the women sit and wait for someone to come give them an update. They assume they are at the gates of Bellum, but they can’t be certain from inside the Queen’s carriage.

An expected knock on the door finally comes, it is opened by the contrasting silhouettes of David and Ser Stephan.

“My Queen, Roasa… Mother…” David says as he is cut off by Lieutenant Rain.

“I have told you not to call me that.” She insists.

“No, that was King Aero, you never told me.”

“I am sorry, all non-Bellumi looks the same.”

The Queen bursts into laughter. She has never heard anyone use such blatant stereotypes before.

“Forgive my interruption, but I’ve had guest with me all morning. They were rescued at the battle and have been riding in my carriage. Since we stopped, I thought I would take the opportunity to introduce them to the Queen.” David states

“Of course, there is room in my carriage. Please send them in.” Queen Asna replies.

“Queen Asna, this is Raven Summerset, but she prefers to go by the alias Yorba. The gentleman is Rune, you will remember him from when we spoke about our time at the Old Palace prior to coming into Meego. He was the man with the axe and bear.”

“You have got to be kidding me!” Roasa blurts out. “Sorry… I can’t believe you are here!” Roasa says as she tries to cover her dislike of the overly opinionated Yorba.

“Welcome Yorba, Rune. If I remember my stories correctly, both of you oppose monarchy rule, correct?” the Queen asks.

“Yes.” Yorba responds.

“Then what are you doing here?”

“King Aero invited us to be advisors to the crown.”

Roasa, who has been extremely laid back since she departed the mainland, has suddenly found her Durrie fire. Before she can make a comment, Queen Asna calmly places her hand over Roasa’s and gives a gentle squeeze. It isn’t much of a gesture, but it is enough to calm Roasa down.

“You changed your name? Why?” Asna asks.

“I ran away from home. My father was trying to force me into a marriage. I left in the middle of the night about three years ago. I was going to the Breaker Islands because I thought no one would ever find me out there, but then I found the desolation of the Dump. I knew that I could build a community based on the freedom writers and no one would ever look for me there.”

“A free community? Do you mean self-sufficient?”

“Partly, but we governed each other as equals. We had no rulers and lived within our means. We were independent from the outside world except when the Bellumi forced a tax upon us.”

“You would have loved Meego. It’s everything you speak of, but we had to be due to the curse.”

“Except for your fighting pits.” Roasa adds.

Asna can’t hide her embarrassment upon hearing Roasa’s comment. It’s true, the fighting pits is one of the biggest struggles that she has had in her life. She always thought it was an outdated practice, but never found an opportune moment to voice her opinion.

“Violence is something we both hate.” Rune adds.

“Which is understandable. I prefer living in harmony myself.” Asna replies.

“But violence is what freed you this morning.” Roasa snaps.

“It was, I also participated in the fight at the Old Palace. Violence is something of an enigma to me now. I always thought it was a barbaric practice but now, I can see some of its benefits… In a twisted way.” Rune replies.

“What did you say?” Yorba blurts out as she is deeply offended by Rune’s comment.

“I know, it’s crazy. I do not want to participate in it ever again but the men who destroyed your community were all slain this morning. In some twisted way I am relieved that they won’t be able to hurt anyone again.”

“War should always be the last course of action, but sometimes it can’t be avoided. Sometimes the cries of justice from the weak and powerless are too loud to ignore.” Ser Stephan adds.

“I for one will always advise against it!” Yorba stubbornly proclaims.

“Then you will be a great advisor, but I fear war is on the horizon. The powers in the Capital now aren’t just going to give up their control because we ask. Even if Aero holds the Royal Blade and I am the rightful Queen. We have a lot riding on Bellum supporting us, this meeting is critical. We must have Bellum’s support.” Asna says as she strokes Princess Fluff.

“Agreed, but will Bellum join your side?” Roasa asks.

“Our side.” Ansa responds.

Yorba turns toward Rain but before she can ask, Rain answers “A soldier does not ask these questions, it is for the high command to decide.”

“If only we had a guy with a magic axe riding a Halo Bear with us…” David says.

Everyone looks to Rune.

“You would get tired of the bear, he was a jerk.” Rune jokes. “Besides, no one has asked a very obvious question about it.”

“Which is?”

“How did it know to come to your aid at the palace? It called me three months before that day. It feels like something is guiding our journey. It’s as if someone wants Aero and Asna to take over the kingdom. To me not knowing is very frightening.”

Everyone thinks on Rune’s words and he has a point. Nearly everyone has experienced something extraordinary since the Meegan journey began. No one wants to admit how unsettling that thought is though. After a moment of silence, David speaks.

“It’s been a long day so far; I am going to go back to my carriage and get a little rest.” David says as he looks up to Stephan “We will be at the gate in a couple hours.”

“We aren’t there? Then why did we stop?” Asna asks.

“I was able to convince Aero to bathe, we stopped at a small river.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me? I need to go check that out!” Asna says as she places the rabbit in Roasa’s lap. “Watch Fluffs for me, Rain come with me please.”

Asna and Rain exit the carriage leaving Roasa alone with Rune and Yorba. Asna immediately darts for the river. Roasa looks at David still standing in the door, he gives her an evil smile and shuts her in the carriage with her guest. Roasa has a shocked expression, how did she get stuck with these two of all people?

David and Stephan return to their carriage. As they look toward the river to see Asna speaking to Aero who has finished bathing. Once inside, and all the curtains are drawn Stephan grabs David by the neck and pulls him in for a kiss. A couple of hours is plenty of time for these two.

Bio- John Henry

John Henry, second born son of King William the thirty-second and his mother, a common woman from the Breaker Islands.

John Henry is named after the line of Kings; there have been four King’s named John Henry throughout history. He possesses all the attributes of a royal- light skin, black hair, blue eyes. John Henry has an average build.

The name John Henry is unique in all the line of Kings, as it is the only one that carries two names. The first John Henry was named so because his father couldn’t decide between both the royal names John and Henry, so he combined them.

There are actually several more John Henry’s throughout the history of the Royal Family, they just tend to be born second or later. It is a running gag amongst the servants of Blue Water Castle, that a prince given the name John Henry is a rotten child. The secret oral history from within the castle actually suggests that the name is cursed to produce princes that are difficult to deal with.

John Henry is not the exception to that rule either.

Even though he trains in the Royal Academia and sits in the Royal Court like his older brother, David; he knows it’s all a waste of his time because he is not the heir to the throne. This is a fact that haunts the middle Prince. He has been forced to dedicate his life to learn the ways of the King, just in case something happened to David. This along with him seeing younger brother, Aero be free of the burden has made him a very bitter young man.

Though both brothers tease Aero about his appearance and name, John Henry relishes in making his younger brother feel like an outsider. In fact, it was John Henry who first called Aero “the Fin” after he was knighted. He took great delight when he realized the name stuck. John Henry tries to take out as much frustration on his younger brother as he can, since he can’t upset his older brother, the future king.

Of the three boys, John Henry is the most like his father. Just like King William, John Henry has a passion for women. He often teases David about which woman he would choose to be Queen, and which women he would turn into his own personal harem if he were the heir to the throne. David shows more tact in matters of females, and that gets under John Henry’s skin.

John Henry treats everyone as if they are beneath him, except for his father and older brother. His mistreatment of the castle staff is well known. It’s not just that he has an abhorrent attitude towards them but that he goes out of his way to do so, especially with the female staff.

Originally, it was John Henry who was assigned to take the journey to Meego to retrieve the Royal Blade, but somehow that mission was passed on to his younger brother. Much to John Henry’s relief.

Notes

– John Henry is the stereotypical “middle child” among the three brothers. He is both jealous of David for getting to one day be king and of Aero for not having to endure the rigors of the court. He is a bitter person who has no qualms about letting his feelings be known. He is the second biggest misogynist in the family behind his father.

-John Henry’s appearance is of a typical ruling class “white male.” In the world, the white rulers govern over every race on the continent. In the Capital, this is most evident by the overwhelming number of like officials. John Henry is among the most bigoted men in the kingdom, believing wholeheartedly that it is his family’s right to rule over subordinate races.

-John Henry is designed to be an extremist in all his views since he comes from a family with all the power. Given his place in the line of succession, those that know him best are glad he is not the heir. Most believe his rule would be brutal as all his personality traits indicate him as a potential tyrant.

-John Henry was one of the first characters that I envisioned. He was always a jerk but as I discovered more and more of his backstory, he evolved. He went from being a jerk to a total dick. While I played around with his name early on (all royal men have a mixture of either British royal or Christian New Testament names- save Aero) once he became this “total dick” I settled on the name John Henry quickly, because I am a fan of the comedian Bert Kreischer. (See his “Korean School” bit for more details)

Ser Robert’s Arrogance

A trumpet sounds out throughout the camp at daybreak. Ser Robert jumps to attention at the first sound. As he stirs, he knocks over ale glasses from the evening before. This six-month tour of duty is near its end, and the men have had trouble staying focused.

The Coven under the guise of the Crown has stationed him at the Old Palace until the return of the Meego Light to ensure the royal brothers do not return. It’s Marco’s final solution to ensure John Henry takes the throne.

The problem with missions like this is that they get boring very quickly. Robert hasn’t seen any action since the day the brothers departed the mainland for the sands of Meego. Drinking has become his pastime. But as the horn blows, he knows duty calls. Bad timing for sure.

Robert struggles to gather respectable clothes out of the pile he has lying on the floor of his tent. If he were sober, he probably wouldn’t bother since he knows they are all nasty. As he fails to find something to wear, a thought crawls through his mind. He misses the comforts of the Capital so bad; he misses his cleaning ladies and his bed. He misses rubbing elbows with the other knights of the Capital at Maverick’s.

The horn blows again.

“Somebody shut that idiot up! We heard you!” Robert shouts.

Another blow.

“Dammit!”

Robert steps out of his tent to see a crowd gather around the makeshift watchtower that was erected months ago.

“What is it? Come on… Why are you waking us up?” Robert demands.

The guardsman looks down at Robert with noticeable fear in his eyes. Unable to form words, he just points across the way toward the ruins of the Old Palace. In the middle of the field stands a man. He is hooded in grey. His cloak hides every detail about him. It doesn’t matter, every man in camp instantly knows that it is the silhouette of an Underbridge Assassin.

While visible, the Assassin’s use the grey cloak to hide their deformed bodies. Old women tell the stories of being cursed to see a grey hood in the world. According to them if you see it, you are dead, but you don’t realize it. They frighten young boys in their beds at night, and the stories stick with them for the rest of their lives.

Here one stands before the entire camp of five hundred plus knights without fear. Surely this one visible one is a warning that others are around in the shadows.

“Send a man out to meet him.” Robert shouts to a group of knights.

They discuss amongst themselves who should go but all the men are afraid. Most refuse to go, even with the threat of losing their knighthood. After a few minutes of discussion, word gets back to Robert that no one is willing to go.

 The responsibility falls to Ser Robert.

“I’ll go, but I need a couple volunteers to go with me.” He says in a panic.

The Underbridge Assassins are legendary, and not many people are brave enough to stand before them. To all the evil campers, they are glorified ghosts built up in the minds of the men as children. The assassin before them is the embodiment of bedtime monsters, and these drunk men are terrified. They are unable to find the courage needed to act like true knights.

Robert doesn’t have that luxury. Griping to himself, he steps out of the ranks alone. As the senior officer, it’s his duty to meet the assassin. His misgivings about speaking with the assassin is weaker than telling the Coven that he was too afraid to do what needed to be done.

As he approaches the figure, he calls out. “Greetings friend, I suppose you have completed your mission. It’s about time too, the light nearly locked you away for ten years.”

The figure holds out a sword from underneath his cloak.

“That’s it? That’s the Royal Blade? I expected so much more. What did it cost you to get it, and what is it going to cost me to get it back?” Robert asks.

“It cost me everything, and you can’t have it.” The cloaked figure states.

The grey man lifts his head up to meet Robert’s gaze from under the hood.

“Aero?” Robert says in shock. “Aero… How?”

“It’s a very long story.”

As Aero speaks, Robert’s inebriated mind starts to connect the dots.

“You survived Meego!”

“I did.”

“Unbelievable, I wish I had time to hear the story, but I don’t. I’m sorry Prince Aero. I just want you to know, I won’t take any joy in this.” Robert says as he waves his men over.

Laughter is heard throughout the camp. They have known for months what to do if the Prince returned to the mainland. Each man is in the pocket of the Coven and have been embolden by years of freedom and treachery; still the camp is electric with the prospect of committing treason with the murder of a prince.

“Stop! Every man that stands down right now will be pardoned by the King.” Aero yells.

Robert joins in this round of laughter with a smile on his face.

“Aero, I would have thought you were smarter than this, but you are clearly the idiot that John Henry claims you to be. You just endured Meego against all odds only to die at our hands here. As far as the King is concerned, you never returned from Meego.”

The knights line up behind Robert awaiting his order.

“Let me do Ser Robert!”

“No, me!”

“I’ll cut that Fin in half!”

The men shout as they jockey for position to do the deed.

Robert holds his hand up in the air “Wait! We must hear Prince Aero’s last words.” He says as he laughs.

Aero nods as he begins to speak. “The interesting thing about the Royal Blade is that it only works for the true King of Avodroc…”

He holds up the sword, and it begins to glow yellow. Rays of golden energy burst from the sword. Robert’s eyes enlarge, instinctually he kneels. Most knights draw their swords, others run. Aero swings his sword and cuts down dozens of false knights in one fluid motion. He continues swinging. As he does so, he catches another knelt man to his left. He swings above the head and keeps on swinging.

After several swings, most of the knights have turned to run away.

As they do, they are met by the Meegan security force assigned to Aero. The Calvary runs through them with little effort. A few seconds later it is over. More than five hundred knights are slain.

Aero covered in the blood of his enemies, calls over three members of the Meegan force.

“Take these men into custody and search the camp. There is no telling what we will find in it.” Aero commands.

“Yes, my King!” The three guards say in unison.

Robert is bound and brought before Aero. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“I uh… I mean…  What I want to say…” Robert studders.

“Take him over to one of the armored carts, give him a few minutes to collect his thoughts.”

The soldiers take Robert away. The other knight is brought before him. “What’s your name? Where are you from?”

“You don’t recognize me?” the knight says.

Aero looks over the bound knight, there is something familiar about him. A burnt man, with dark skin and black hair. He has braided hair all over his head. Aero looks him in the eyes, the man has a blue eye and a brown one. “Gyn?”

“Yes.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Surveillance.”

A coded message that Aero clearly knows.

“Unbind him.” Aero commands. The guards hesitate for a second. “He’s not one of them. Let him free.”

They do so, and Aero hugs the knight.

“I will tell you everything in private.” Gyn says.

“I look forward to it. Send him to a carriage, I will speak with him alone shortly.” Aero tells his soldiers as he turns to Gyn. “I’ll be with you as soon as I can.”

Aero turns around to find his brother David and Ser Stephan walking up with a couple people.

“We found these two, they were being held prisoner.” David says.

“Rune? Yorba? What happened?” Aero asks.

“They found us in the Community. They slaughtered everyone but us.” Rune replies.

“Why did they spare you?”

“Because he has information about the magic axe he carried, and they recognized who I am.” Yorba responds.

“She is the missing daughter of the Summerset family; her name is Raven.” David says.

“How did you know?” Yorba asks.

“I knew the moment I saw you. I have spent a lot of years in the Royal Court with your father. You can change your name, but you can’t hide your features.” David responds.

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“Because I couldn’t risk you knowing who I was, I am David. Aero’s oldest brother.”

“You’re the future King?” Yorba says in shock.

“No, things have changed. We have a new King and Queen now, Aero and his Meegan bride, Asna. They rule together as one. I am just an advisor now.”

“And so are you, Raven.” Aero says. “Come with me to the Capital and be an advisor to us. We need someone with your unique perspective.”

“I can’t… my father would…”

“Your father answers to me now, he can’t hurt you. Where else would you go? Do you really want to rebuild the community at the Dump and help a few people or do you want to be in a position to help more?” Aero asks. “And as for you Rune, you will come too.”

“I go where Yorba goes.”

“Where’s the bear and the axe?”

“The Bear took me back to Yorba and told me that my time with the axe was up. He took it from me and ran away. But he did say that if I tried to reclaim it the forest would kill me.”

“That’s unfortunate, but I remember you weren’t interested in violence.”

“Not at all.”

“Then please, join us. There will be violence in our future, but our goal is peace and prosperity for all, not just the rich. I will not ask you to fight, just be advisors to us. We will protect you, and you will in turn help guide the Kingdom.”

“We will go with you. For the sake of the poor and powerless, but you know that we both do not agree with the ideals of Monarchism. We will speak our minds.” Yorba states plainly.

Aero grabs her gently and pats her on her arms. “I expect nothing less.” He pats Rune on his shoulder and instructs his guard to find them accommodations within the convoy.

Aero, David and Stephan watch as they walk away with the guard.

“I never thought I would see them again and now they are with us. Brother, there goes a whole lot of opinion… I hope you don’t regret that decision one day.” David says as Stephan laughs behind him.

“King Aero, the guards say that Robert is ready to speak.” Stephan interjects.

A few moments later, King Aero steps into the prisoner cart, which is a steel box without windows, with small holes in the top to allow light and air in. The door is slammed shut and bolted. They are effectively alone.

Aero still covered in blood, stares into Roberts eyes as if he is trying to see into his soul.

“I will ask one question, and you will give me the most honest answer that you have ever given in your life, is that understood.”

Robert shakes his head while looking the young King in his eyes.

Aero speaks “Tell me everything you know about the Covenant of the Whispering Owls.”

Robert goes pale, how could Aero know anything about them? There can’t be but a handful of people who know the name, and a royal shouldn’t even know that. He is torn between the knowledge that he is alone and powerless, and that if he does speak then the Coven will kill him. He surrenders to the fact that he is helpless, and he begins to speak.

Bio- Aero

Aero, third born son of King William the thirty-second and his mother, a common woman from the Breaker Islands.

Being the third son allowed Aero certain liberties in his youth that his brothers did not have, such as not having to attend royal academia.

Aero’s appearance is opposing to his brothers, even though they have the same parents. His brothers, David and John Henry, each have the typical royal features such as light skin, black hair and blue eyes. Aero, on the other hand has the appearance of an islander. Deeply tan skin, sun-kissed blond (almost white) hair that he keeps shoulder length, and honey-gold eyes.

Even his name is different, instead of being named in the centuries old line of King’s, he has an island name given to him by his mother. He is named after a warrior from her home island. Aero was a comfort child for his mother, hence the island name. The King’s advisors convinced King William, that the Queen would benefit from being able to have a child of her own. One that didn’t have to function in the royal court. Aero’s close relationship to his mother in his early youth shaped his ideals heavily.

It was her kindness and gentleness that forged him with a fundamental base of empathy for the needy of the Kingdom. He was allowed to be with her during her humanitarian missions to the mud city below Blue Water Castle, called River Bend. It was here that he saw firsthand the neglect from his family’s rule. He saw women and children deprived of basic human rights while his father lived in excess.

When Aero was ten years old, tragedy struck as his mother died during childbirth.

The King swiftly assigned Aero to squire for a knight and sent him out on long missions throughout the Kingdom. Aero believes that the King did so because his appearance reminded him of his mother.

Over the next ten plus years, Prince Aero squired for three knights. The last of whom knighted him for his valor in combat against a band of rebels that were terrorizing the poor along the countryside of the western regions near the city of Rhoan. That knight, Ser Stephan the Broken Sword became more than a mentor to Aero during this time. Ser Stephan despite only being a few years older than the prince, became a true father figure. The first one in Aero’s life, as he was rarely ever in his father’s presence.

After knighthood, Prince Aero was given the freedom to roam the Kingdom to serve the people. His missions often put him at odds with other knights. These knights, sometimes called false-knights are men who instead of serving the people terrorize them for personal gain. Aero has often pressed the Crown for help in combatting this ever-growing band of extremist.

Aero was on one of these missions when he received a command to return to the Capital from his father. Upon arrival, King William announced to his third born that he was to take a special mission to the region of Meego, to try to retrieve the ancient mythical weapon of the crown, the Royal Blade. The sword that was taken from them over eight hundred years ago. It’s a weapon that has cost the life of every royal that has sought to retrieve it. Each man has been killed by a “daughter of Meego” who charms the royal men through an ancient love spell.

Aero believes this mission is thrust upon him instead of his brother John Henry because of the bias against him in the Capital. After all, his knight moniker is- the Fin. A name meant to accentuate that he doesn’t truly belong in the Royal Court. It’s a derogatory title that harkens to the Breaker Islands warriors, who use Spearnose Dolphins to hunt in the Raging Sea. They ride the dolphins by literally grabbing the dorsal fin while swimming with them. The aristocratic court calls Aero the Fin, despite the fact that he has never visited the Breaker Islands.

Notes-

– Aero’s island appearance is inspired by the “Lords of Dogtown” surfer look of the 1970’s. His appearance is meant to give an immediate contrast to the other Royals, and highborn members of the Court. Everything from his skin tone to his hair and eyes, is intended to show that he doesn’t really belong. A feeling that his island mother shared throughout her life away from the Islands.

– His moral code is formed by as a stark contrast of his fathers. While King William is an architype of everything wrong with the upper-class rulers of the day, Aero is a model of what the crown could have been. His lack of royal training and his life as a perceived outcast, makes him feel like the preverbal “Black Sheep” that so many of us can identify as in our lives.

– Aero is the initial point of view into the world of Avadroc. He is the prime example of how unchecked magic without the magicians of old has locked the people into a systematic loop where destiny is decided for them before they are even born. He is intended to be the eyes of the masses that live their lives generation after generation with the same curses. Yet at the point of him entering the cave, he has decided to rebel against the destiny that is being thrust upon him.

– Aero is a man who just wants to live his life as a servant of the Kingdom. The very definition of a knight, and in direct opposition of the majority of his contemporary knights. He makes a rash decision like so many of us do in an attempt at self-destruction, which he quickly regrets. However, his decision actually leads him down a path to a possible greater destiny.