A high Fantasy epic in short story form
“Tomorrow is a big day; I have dreamed about the mainland all my life. To finally see grass, and animals running free…”
“And trees!”
“Yes, even trees. But it feels like I will never see this place again, or my parents and sister. When we step onto the mainland, there’s no turning back. It will be ten years before I could have an opportunity to return. My life as I knew it, is ending tomorrow and it’s scary.”
“Asna, you chose this man, Aero to be yours. Do you take him now?”
“Yes, I do.” Asna says with a smile.
“Aero, Asna has chosen you to be hers, do you surrender to her choice?”
Matthew cannot help but let a small chuckle out under his breathe. The Meegan custom is still foreign to the mainlanders. Matthew can’t help but wonder what the Capital elite will think of this strong-willed Queen.
“With everything in me.” Aero says returning Asna’s smile.
Prince Aero is awoken by the closing of his cell door.
It’s time. Groggily he opens his eyes. As his gaze comes into focus, he sees a sight that he wasn’t prepared for, the dagger.
“Rania!”
“Aero.”
Aero looks up to see her face. She is looking down and away from him. Is she hiding shame?
“Oh…” Aero slightly gasps.
“People of Meego! These two volunteers stand against ten of our own to see if Prince Aero’s words are true. It’s a fight to the last man or woman on each side. Are you ready?”
The Meegan contingent holds their swords above their heads. Matthew stands at the ready while Roasa nods yes.
“FIGHT!” Dabir shouts.
“Ser Aero… but, it’s Prince Aero isn’t it?”
It’s Governor Dabir. His voice has become so familiar since arriving in Meego.
“Both are correct.” Aero replies from under the hood.
“Yes, but you did not let us know that when you arrived. You hid that fact from us, why?”
“Prince Aero, you have a visitor.”
“Rania?”
“Ser Matthew, the hero of the Battle of Inland Docks.”
Out of desperation, Aero reaches for the old rusted steel blade at his feet. There is nothing within his grasp that even resembles a weapon besides it. Not to mention, Aero has a feeling that the sword is calling out to him. The ancient magic that is said to be within the blade is a mystery to him; but he doesn’t have time to question it right now.
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.
“We use gold to get items from the rest of the kingdom that we can’t made here. But over the centuries Meego has found something far more valuable than gold.”
“Which is?” Aero asks.
Rania looks Aero in his honey gold eyes and grins. “Women.”
“Dabir, may I present my staff, my knights- Ser’s Stephan, Aero, and Matthew with the squire Will. I present the current Queen, Rain…”
“I am sorry, David, but Meego refuses to recognize a queen who isn’t a daughter of Meego.”
David is startled by Dabir’s comment. He had hoped to start a relationship with him on good terms, but he made a misstep almost immediately.
Relics of the Old Age