The Prince of Old Vynterra

by V F Sharp

  “And what about the river?” said the prince. “Are you going to try to burn that down too? We don’t even know the origin of the magic. We’d be fools to act before finding that out. And what about the horrors we haven’t even discovered yet?”

  “Well, when you discover them, let us know,” said Elenor.

  “I’ve made my offer,” said Zaros. “I can help you fight the wolves and contain the forest. We’ll then have less to contend with and we can make a more informed decision. If you don’t want that help, then you may deal with this situation as you wish. However, I will not condone a voyage to the Magiclands. It would break the treaty that has been in place for hundreds of years.”

  “Prince Alazar,” said King Amnon, “with all due respect, there is a reason no man has ever attempted such a journey. Once you cross the sacred border, the sea is guarded by the ancient beasts. And if by some miracle you were to survive that, it’s written that the River of Blood surrounds the Magiclands as a reminder of the treaty. They say there are dead souls floating within it, waiting to grab anyone who crosses. And these are but a few of the threats we’re aware of. What about the ones we’re not aware of?”

  “The treaty was put in place for a reason, Alazar,” said Zaros. “You’d be wise to remember it was the cost of preserving our very existence.” He looked at Izhar. “You cannot let your son go on this impulsive journey. Not only will it put his life at stake, it could place all our kingdoms in jeopardy. I will not let that happen.”

  The prince threw up his arms in frustration.

  “It seems to me,” said Izhar, “that some of you are willing to open your mouths, but not your ears. Have you not listened to what my son has been saying? I assure you, this situation will not dissipate, nor will it succumb to traditional battle.”

  “Couldn’t the very magic that threatens us now be seen by the magic world as a breach of the treaty?” said the prince. “We could easily be blamed for it.”

  “Is it not more likely,” said Amnon, looking at Alazar, “that someone in your village has unleashed this magic and must be caught?”

  “No human would dare,” said Alazar.

  “Or so you think,” said Elenor. “Evidence seems to prove otherwise.”

  “I still insist we find a way to contain this problem ourselves and find the culprit,” said Zaros. “Valta will support that approach entirely.”

  “And I’ll send my Laderian armies,” said Baldar, banging on the table. “Those wolves won’t stand a chance against both our armies.”

  “Oh hush, Baldar!” said Elenor. “You’re a pompous fool and you’ll go with whichever side you think will win. You’re Zaros’s puppet. We all know that.”

  “It’s a battle we can’t win,” said the prince. “Do you all not see it?” He looked around the room, searching for any sign of agreement.

  “You want to journey to the Magiclands,” said Elenor. Then she looked at Zaros “And you want to attack the wolves and burn the forest. Well, I’ll light a candle for the both of you when you’re dead, along with all your men.”

  “And what do you propose?” said Zaros. “Because you must be implying you have a better idea?”

  “Dear, unless it comes north, I don’t propose anything,” said Elenor.

  “I am of like mind with Queen Elenor,” said King Amnon of Nali. “My island is in the western sea. What is happening here is not happening there. The cause of this havoc may very well be one of your own conspiring. You have a regional problem here and you have the option to fight it however you choose.”

  “King Aramor,” said Izhar. “You’ve been quiet. What say you to all this?”

  All eyes were on Aramor as he remained silent for a few seconds. Then he spoke.

  “I’ve been listening to all sides,” he said. “King Izhar, we’ve been friends for many years and I respect your judgment. But you’ve put me in a difficult position. I must think first of the kingdom of Dragos. We’re a seafaring people. We have a decent army and a formidable fleet. But even though our island is far north, none of that will mean a thing if the magic world doesn’t take kindly to Alazar’s journey.”

  “And if I don’t take the journey,” said the prince, “any dark magic that currently threatens us could rapidly spread north. You must all understand that I’m taking every precaution. I intend to take the witnesses from the Cottages, if they would agree to join me.” He glanced back at Ezstasia and the group. “There are said to be magical beings with the ability of second sight in the Magiclands,” he added. “They’ll be able to sense from the witnesses that we speak the truth and come in peace.”

  “That is, if the old tales of ‘second sight’ are even correct,” said Aramor. “It could be merely a rumor, or even a parable.”

  Ezstasia’s spine tingled with fear at the thought of going on the journey, but she was also excited to be a part of something so significant. She was thrilled to experience it with her friends and especially the prince. She heard several of her friends gasp. Lanzzie grasped her hand and squeezed it tightly.

  “You’d risk all of their lives for nothing but a sprinkle of false hope,” said Zaros. “You’re a bigger fool than I took you for. I therefore oppose your journey. I’ve explained my reasons.”

  “I haven’t been offered any superior ideas,” said the prince. And so, my plan will remain. We set sail in the morning.”

  “How dare you!” said Zaros. “What’s the meaning of this? Why did you waste our time if you were going to follow your own whim?!”

  “I must do what’s best for my kingdom,” said Alazar. “I was open to hearing better solutions and thus far have received none. I’m aware of the dangers of this plan, but I was positive that you’d all see the importance of making this journey, and the futility of not doing so.”

  “If you think I’ll bury my head while you cause a war that we’ll likely never recover from,” said Zaros, “you’re wrong.”

  “You have a right to protect your kingdom,” said Alazar. “And I have a right to protect mine. If what you said is a threat, we both know that your armies are in Valta. By the time you return, I’ll be far across the sea. I only hope I can make it back with help before this evil worsens and spreads to your lands.”

  The prince looked around at the shocked faces of the monarchs. Zaros stood and glanced back at several of the men behind him and nodded. They rose.

  “My input on this matter is done,” said Zaros. “I’ve said my peace.” He turned toward Izhar. “And you stand behind this suicide mission? I thought you far wiser.”

  “And I thought you a strategist,” said Izhar.

  Zaros sneered and began to leave the room with his men. On his way out the door, he turned and added, “You’ll be hearing from me, my friend.”

  After Zaros left, the prince turned to the rest of the rulers.

  “I know this voyage will be tremendously difficult,” he said. “I’m not under any illusion to the contrary. That is why I’ll be enlisting two thousand of my finest men to help in whatever means necessary. I have three ships ready to sail, including the Valorian.”

  “The Valorian!?” said King Aramor. “That ship hasn’t sailed in hundreds of years. I didn’t know it still existed.”

  The prince smiled. “That’s what everyone said about this castle, and all of Old Vynterra for that matter. We’ve restored most of it.”

  “It’s still a fool’s errand,” said Elenor. “No matter how many men and ships you have.”

  “You would prefer to bury your head in your Maldoran pottery and pray to your gods that this simply goes away,” said the prince. “I can tell you, it will not. What Miss Lanzzie heard gave us a warning and we’d be fools to not listen. If this does tie back to the Great War, then we won’t be able to fight any of it without help from the magic world.”

  “And if they refuse?” said King Amnon.

  “If they refuse,” said King Izhar, “then we are already dead.” The great king sighed. “From what I’ve ga
thered based on your responses, it seems none of you support this decision. Is that assessment incorrect?”

  Ezstasia looked around at the blank faces in the room. The silence was deafening.

  “You’re putting us all in danger,” said Baldar, looking at Izhar. “I make no promises.”

  “I won’t fight you,” said Elenor. “But neither can I support you.”

  Izhar looked at Amnon, who remained silent for a moment. Then the Nalian leader said, “I have no comment.”

  Finally, he turned to King Aramor of Dragos. “Can I rely on you, my friend?”

  Aramor lowered his head, then glanced back up. “The risks are great, but I have no doubt that you arrived at your decision with the best intentions. I will consult with my advisors,” he said. “It’s the best I can offer you at the moment.”

  “Very well, then,” said Izhar. “Then our time here has come to an end. We all have a duty to protect our kingdoms, but we must also consider all of humankind. We have not been at a greater risk since the Great War. May the stars guide my son in his journey, and may the magic world find favor in our cause.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Back in her room, Ezstasia closed up the wooden box and placed it back in the desk drawer. She decided to store away anything precious, like her mom’s necklace, while away on the journey. She’d already lost it once.

  She still couldn’t believe they’d actually be going to the Magiclands. She surely didn’t like the idea of confronting giant sea creatures or a river made of blood, but she and Lanzzie had agreed that accompanying the prince was the right thing to do. All of humanity depended on it.

  She looked over at Lanzzie, who was sitting on the floor beside the bed folding some of her clothes to pack into her sack. Ezstasia didn’t mind the silence at a time like this, and it seemed Lanzzie was in deep thought, too.

  She walked to the bed, grabbed her sack, and began taking clothes from the pile and stuffing them into the sack.

  “Ezstasia, are you going to take—”

  A firm knock on the door startled them both.

  “Lady Arrow,” said a female voice. It was Miss Tee.

  She put her sack down and opened the door.

  “I’m so sorry to disturb you,” said Miss Tee, “but your presence and Lanzzie’s has been requested in the prince’s study. I’ve already notified your friends and I believe they’re on their way. Would you like me to take you there?”

  “That won’t be necessary, Miss Tee. I remember where it is, but thank you. We’ll head there now.”

  “Very well, then,” said Miss Tee as she left to continue her work.

  “I wonder what it’s about,” said Lanzzie.

  Ezstasia turned to her and shrugged. “Maybe something about the journey?”

  * * * *

  When they arrived in the prince’s study, everyone was there, even Pallu. There was only one person missing: the prince.

  Ezstasia and the others looked around the room while they waited for what felt like an eternity, but was likely only a few minutes.

  “What do you think he’ll tell us?” said Pallu.

  “Obviously he’ll share details of our trip,” said Meldon. “These types of things take extreme planning. We’ll probably get instructions on what to pack and how to keep ourselves safe.”

  “Do you think we’ll have a choice whether we want to go or not?” said Zander. “Because I’m not so sure I want to go.”

  “I know I don’t,” said Pallu.

  “The prince needs our help,” said Ezstasia. “All of the kingdoms do, whether they realize it or not. We’re the reason the Unseen Wizards will even believe him. They will be able to see that our stories are true.”

  Just then, the door opened and Eliezer stepped in.

  “I do apologize for my tardiness,” he said.

  “No worries, my lord,” said Fin. “The prince still hasn’t arrived.”

  “Oh, I’m afraid Miss Tee wasn’t precise in her message,” said Eliezer. “It was I who requested your presence here. The prince is busy preparing for the long voyage. I’m sure you can imagine how much planning is involved.”

  Eliezer stepped into the room and motioned for them to take a seat. He sat at the prince’s desk.

  Once everyone was seated, he picked up an old, copper, balance scale that was sitting on the desk and placed it in front of himself. He lifted a golden coin off the right side, causing the two sides of the scale to even out.

  “You can also imagine,” he said, “that the prince must weigh many options as the ruler of Old Vynterra, and some of these options are quite delicate. For example, there are tremendous threats here at home as well. We must remember that the threats do not only lie across the sea. Both must be considered.”

  Ezstasia wasn’t sure what he was getting at.

  “Three ships set sail in the morning to a land that hasn’t been seen or ventured upon since the days of old. The Valorian, the Willow, and the Arboran. Half the Vynterran Guard will make the journey. The other half will stay behind to protect our dear kingdom. The Valorian, we hope, will make it all the way to the Magiclands.”

  Eliezer looked around at everyone to make sure they were all following.

  “What about the other two ships?” said Meldon. “Won’t they be going to the Magiclands?”

  “The Willow and the Arboran will assist with getting the Valorian to its destination. That is to say, beyond whatever dangers are lurking in the seas. According to the scrolls, there are many. It shall take every spear and arrow we can spare, but we will still need help here in Old Vynterra. So, as you now understand, we can’t send everyone. Oh, I suppose I’m rambling. My point is that everyone has a role to play. Which brings me to all of you.”

  “We were told our role in the meeting, sir,” said Fin. “We’ve all discussed it and we’re more than honored to be a part of this. Well, most of us.” He looked at Zander, who appeared frightened beyond his wits.

  “From what I understood,” said Ezstasia, “the prince said he needed us as witnesses.”

  “Ah yes, but not all of you are witnesses,” said Eliezer. “The witnesses are those of you with direct exposure to the worst offenses from this unspeakable magic: Miss Lanzzie and Masters Fin, Zander, Meldon, and Ithron.” He paused and looked at each of them.

  “That’s all the prince is taking?” said Ezstasia, feeling panicked. “I don’t understand. We’ve all had some kind of interaction with it.”

  “Not really,” said Randin. “What interaction did you have, or did I have for that matter?”

  “You watched with your own eyes what happened to your brother,” she said, feeling blood rush to her face.

  “He’s talking about firsthand experience,” said Ithron.

  “It’s a matter of precaution,” said Eliezer, as everyone quieted down. “Those five are the only ones the prince is willing to risk taking to the Magiclands. The rest of you will have important roles back here in Old Vynterra.”

  Ezstasia couldn’t even process what she just heard. Her breathing grew tight and she thought she might explode with a thousand different emotions at any moment. She couldn’t fathom being separated from her friends while they were risking their lives, and especially her sister. She’d also looked forward to taking this incredibly important voyage alongside the prince. This was the worst of all possible outcomes for her, and one that she hadn’t expected. Lanzzie grasped her hand to comfort her.

  “Can I switch with Ezstasia?” said Zander. “Because she really wants to go, and I’d just as soon… well, my brother is—”

  “I’m afraid the lines have been drawn,” said Eliezer. “The prince was quite clear.” He turned to the rest of them. “I understand some of you are not happy with this decision. I hope you’ll come to the realization that this issue is beyond all of us. It is sometimes useful in these situations to remember, as they say, the ‘bigger picture.’”

  “You said fighting those sea creatures will take every arrow
you can spare,” said Lanzzie. “My sister is the best archer of all of us, except maybe for Fin.”

  “She’s far better than me,” said Fin, no doubt being modest.

  “Seriously,” said Pallu. “I once saw her shoot an apple off the head of Mr. Codsworth’s lawn statue from across the gardens.”

  “I remember that,” said Randin. “I still can’t believe she made that shot.”

  “I understand that every one of you wants your group of friends to remain intact,” said Eliezer. “Please realize the prince has his reasons. He has given this much thought. He was well aware that some of you would be quite upset. Brothers leaving brothers. Sisters leaving sisters. These decisions were far from easy for him to make. However, the very future of our kind depends upon these rulings. If you’ll excuse my presumptuousness, there’s a small, but wise bit of advice I’ve shared with knights and princes and even kings over the decades.” He rose from his chair and looked at each of them. “Whatever situation you find yourself in,” he said, “you are precisely where you are intended to be.”

  Ezstasia remembered the prince telling her these very words. And at the time, she believed them. She even remembered feeling inspired by them. But hearing them now just felt empty.

  “I have a hard time accepting that,” she said. “I thought I found my purpose. Now I’m not so sure.”

  Eliezer offered a gentle smile as he clasped his hands together. “I’m afraid you have it backward, my dear,” he said. “Your purpose finds you.”

  * * * *

  Ezstasia was back in her room. She had rushed there while everyone remained talking after the meeting with Eliezer. Her friends were overwhelming her with their overly sympathetic responses to her situation and she had just wanted some peace and quiet. As their conversation shifted to speculation about the journey, she had managed to slip away without anyone noticing. No matter how much she tried to hide her feelings and pretend that she was okay with the prince’s decision, she still couldn’t fathom not being on that ship with Lanzzie.