Tear of Light

by Michael Edward Tenner

  “Thank you,” she said again, confused by Tarell’s strangely outgoing nature.

  She sighed. “Now sadly, I have been given orders.” She rolled her eyes. “If there is a trespasser in the forest, I must bring them in. Now I shan’t be bringing these two fine gentlemen but you, seeing as you are not dead, will have to come with me.” Her smile was almost too comforting, bringing at least some peace into such a bizarre moment. “Unless you want to fight to the death, in which case I am more than prepared, I have friends betting on me, and I can assure you that I will fight with honor, and I will not cheat unless I need it to win of course.” She laughed at her own jokes.

  Efri couldn’t help herself and laugh also. “Please, I don’t want to fight,” she replied with a chuckle. “I’m no good.”

  “Giddy!” said Tarrel. “Let’s just put this on you,” she said while holding a piece of black cloth, “and we’ll be on our way.” She handed it to her. “On your head. You can’t see where we’re going.” Efri did as she said and put on the blindfold. Tarrel then took her shoulders and spun her on the spot. When she stopped, Efri knew not which side was which. In silence, Tarell led her away.

  Daybreak

  As the sun came up from below the horizon, its mighty rays pierced the windows of the Imperial Palace in the Empire’s mighty capital - Sesteria. One by one, the men and women of the royal court awoke, ready to tackle their duties. Yet one chamber’s window was covered by thick curtains, fighting the sunlight, telling it to stay out.

  It was the chamber of the second imperial prince Aelir Vi Dera, a young man burdened by little. He rolled around in his soft bed, wishing for the night to come back. Yet, as a thought passed his mind, he remembered. “The garden!” he shouted and jumped from the bed. One clap of his hands summoned Callir, his personal attendant, who rushed in holding Aelir’s clothes.

  “Good morning, your majesty,” he said and bowed.

  Aelir rushed to him and grabbed the clothes paying him little mind. The attendant was a boy of small stature, even more petite than Aelir. Even at the age of fifteen, he still looked childish, mainly when his mahogany hair was uncombed.

  “I shall pass on the bath this morning,” Aelir said, looking at the clothes Callir prepared. “Good. You are excused.”

  With one more bow and a pleasant smile, Callir left the prince’s chamber.

  Having no time to spare, the young prince put on the dark blue tunic, made of expensive soft silks, embroidered with gold and silver. To his belt, he attached a sword, a gift from his older brother. Just as he was about to comb his hair by running his hand through someone knocked on the door.

  “Come in,” he shouted and quickly fixed the collar of his coat. In came the man he anticipated. “Nariel!” he shouted with his arms open.

  “Aelir, it has been far too long,” the man replied, and both embraced one another. “I see you are ready.”

  With a chuckle, Aelir shrugged and just looked at his friend. It seemed as if he aged not a single day since his sixteenth birthday, even if he was a man of twenty-three.

  “Before we go, have you got any news?”

  Nariel shook his head. “You know them, neither have ever liked to stay in place for too long.” He sighed. “Let the day not be ruined by debating their antics.”

  “Right,” Aelir agreed, but with a sorrowful heart. “Tell me, how have you been?”

  Both, with smiles on their faces, departed the prince’s chamber and headed for the imperial gardens sprawling in the back of the palace.

  The way to the gardens led them through various corners of the palace. Not for a moment, a smile left either of their faces, for they both knew there was nothing just like spending time with a friend.

  Their passionate debate over which is the best flower in the gardens entertained them for almost their entire journey.

  Upon reaching the gardens they slowed their pace and set out to the very center. There was a calm lake with a sprawling arbor made of white stone, just like the palace itself. On the way there, they passed many lords and ladies of the court, but they took no notice of their bows and wishes of good mornings, pleasant days, happy times, and other phrases they learned far in advance. Neither cared for them.

  Just as they reached the center, with the hot summer sun rising higher and higher on the sky, they noticed a group of children playing on the opposite side of a lake. “Whom they might be?” asked Nariel.

  “I believe those are the wards of lady Allina. She took in another orphan just a fortnight ago. It was the talk of the palace; little brat broke two vases just the day he got here.”

  “Hope they won’t disturb the lunch,” said Nariel with a slight chuckle. “We wouldn’t want them to break our plates.”

  Aelir waved his hand, holding back his laugh. “They shan’t, lady Allina calls them to eat inside even on the hottest of days. Besides, I have heard a rumor that they are not allowed to approach myself,” a wide smile arose on the prince’s face, “if we come close to them, they are sure to run away.”

  “What a fantastic strategic proposition, my prince,” Nariel jokingly replied. “Shall we sit? I must admit our stroll took less time than I have foreseen but nothing wrong about a brunch.”

  Aelir let out a weary sigh. “I agree. Whenever I walked by myself, it always felt like hours had passed by the time I reached the lake.” He looked at Nariel. “It must have been no less than two hours, surely.” Out of his pocket, the prince pulled a small circular watch. “Only an hour and a half have passed! I apologize, next time we must lessen our pace.”

  After being lost in thought for a good minute, no more or less, Nariel snapped his fingers. “What about going for a swim. The ocean is close, and it should not take too long to clear any commoners from there.”

  “I am unsure,” Aelir admitted. “I do not feel like changing, and I would not want to ruin someone’s day, so suddenly, either.” While he rarely said no to a good day at the beach, he was there merely two days ago and wished to spend a more memorable day with whom he considered to be his closest of friends.

  “Why don’t we do something daring? An adventure beyond the palace walls!” he suggested excitedly like one of the children still playing on the opposite of the lake.

  Taken, aback Nariel loudly blurted out, “Are you sure?” He groaned. “It is one thing for your brother to put himself in needless danger but you.”

  Aelir laughed. “Please, no harm can come to me whenever I am. Also, I am not suggesting to venture to some forgotten village in the east. The outskirts of the city. We’ll have one drink and then return just in time for lunch.”

  Reluctantly Nariel agreed with Aelir’s proposition, and they took a right turn, which led them to get to the front gate.

  After passing through the gardens towards the southern gate, Aelir summoned Callir, who he ordered to arrange two dark cloaks of rough black silk.

  He took no time at all and returned shortly, carrying just what Aelir asked for. The two cloaks were truly rough to touch so much they were uncomfortable.

  With some difficulty, Aelir managed to put it on earning some laughs from Nariel and even a hidden chuckle from Callir.

  Their way through the city was largely uneventful besides Aelir consistent demands to walk slower and study every house. For the most interesting, he would note the architectural style, even the man or a woman who was the architect. Of course, he also took note of the flowers and other decorations. While Nariel would ordinarily gush about any blossoming flower himself, he now insisted on moving as quickly as possible. If it were up to him, they’d be running. Such an image made Aelir lightly chuckle.

  Yet Aelir’s interest in houses ceased to be as they entered the furthermost away area of the city. There the houses were smaller, made of wood and bricks with flowers dead or not present at all.

  Soon a tavern appeared before them, and Aelir joyfully hastened his pace to get there quicker. Nariel’s pleading for him to be careful passed right by him. The sou
nds of people reached their ears first and then the strange smell of food neither of them ever tasted before.

  Enthusiastically Aelir opened the door, his head covered by the black cloak. The people’s chatter ceased just as they entered. As if time froze in place everyone’s eyes were glued to them. Oblivious to the situation, Aelir sat at the first table he deemed sturdy enough. “Come on,” he called for Nariel, who still stood by the door.

  As they both sat down, slowly, the chatter resumed. With to them unnatural delay a young boy slowly walked to their table, his shirt covered in various liquids. “What can I get ya?” he asked, not hiding his bad mood at all.

  “Beer,” said Aelir, excitedly playing with his fingers. “For both of us.”

  “And?” the boy asked, lacking any emotion in his blank stare. “Food or anything?”

  “Nothing, for now, thank you,” Aelir added to his answer. The boy rolled his eyes and walked away.

  Nariel kept looking from one side to the other, his eyes shifting, measuring everyone who would even dare to come near. After a short while of him being at the edge, Aelir finally spoke up. “Is something astray?” he asked, knowing full well the answer.

  “It is dangerous, we should leave at once.”

  The sound of Nariel’s words ringed in his ears, and his expression fell. “I may be four years your junior, but do not consider me a child.” For once his voice lacked the joyfulness that became synonymous with his name. “I must ask if it is my safety or your pleasure that you worry so much about.“

  “I apologize,” said Nariel just as the young boy brought them their beer.

  With no care for them, he put the two wooden flagons on the table, spilling a fair bit of the drink. “Seven coppers,” he said.

  “Of course!” said Aelir and began rummaging in his pockets feeling the shape of the various coins he had thrown there. Finally, he pulled out a pentagonal coin made of shimmering cyan and black metal. With ease he snapped a quarter away, making the rest lose its glow, and gave it to the boy. “Please, keep the rest.”

  The server did not reply and only looked at the small triangle. “Thank you,” he finally whispered and walked away.

  “You gave him a hundred times what he asked for,” Nariel whispered to Aelir.

  “I am aware,” the prince replied, and with a cheeky smile added, “My pockets lack lesser coins.” While as much was true almost any other day, Aelir’s coat had plenty of ordinary coins of substantially lower value. Yet that was not something Aelir thought Nariel needed to know; for a man of royal birth, he was far too concerned with money.

  Hiding his excitement, Aelir leaned closer to taste the gold liquid he’s not seen ever before. As it touched his tongue it burned and with much difficulty, he swallowed the tiny sip only to then start coughing. Nariel did the same but chose to spit the liquid back into the mug. “This is horrid,” he whispered and pushed the cup away.

  “It is,” Aelir agreed with an amused laugh. “I guess we shall depart a tad bit earlier.” Nariel did not hide his excitement, but it was short-lived as they were approached by the young boy yet again.

  Aelir looked to him and said, “We don’t need anything, thank you.”

  “I wanted to ask,” quietly said the boy, ignoring Aelir’s words, “you seem sort of new to this area, I think. Maybe you could use a guide to show ya around?” As the boy finished his question, the widest smile arose on Aelir’s face and grew it did upon seeing Nariel’s defeated reaction.

  The boy introduced himself as Dari after Aelir excitedly agreed to his offer. He led them out of the tavern, telling them it was by far one of the worst of that part of town.

  First, he guided them to the barracks, telling them of the might of the capital’s armed forces, but Aelir was by far more excited to see the market where they set out right after.

  On the way, they met many people, some of which looked at them with suspicion. A few unafraid even to voice their concerns loudly to the people around them, but Dari was quick to think of a way out. He loudly proclaimed that they are visitors from the south.

  While approaching the market, seeing it in the distance, Nariel asked, “How old are you, Dari?”

  Even though Aelir was annoyed by Nariel’s constant questioning, he also wondered.

  The boy chuckled and replied, “Fifteen.”

  Both royals were surprised. For a boy of such a young age, he was big with broad shoulders and plenty of muscle. “What are you doing working in a tavern? That’s incredibly dangerous.” Aelir could not resist voicing his concerns.

  “My sisters are sick, and all, my dad died some time back. I work in the tavern here, and my mum also works in, it’s about twenty minutes away, not too far away from our house.”

  Aelir intended to argue and offer help but was stopped by Nariel with whom he exchanged a displeased look. With the conversation at an end, they continued in silence and soon reached the sprawling, bustling marketplace.

  It was full of people, the shouting and screaming, the demands and threats filled the air to a point Aelir could barely hear his own thoughts.

  “We ought to be together here. Be careful of pickpockets; they like to target foreigners,” Dari warned them, and together they stepped into the chaos.

  While pushing through the horde of people, Dari suddenly stopped as someone grabbed his hand. Nariel and Aelir both froze up, ready for anything, but hearing the loud shouting of the woman who caught him calmed them. “What are you doing here?” she shouted.

  Dari, before replying, looked back at them. “I’m showing these two foreigners, the town mom! Let go of me.” He shouted again as loudly as he could, but even then, the sound barely reached their ears.

  The woman did as Dari asked and let go of his hand but then pushed herself towards the two of them. She looked Nariel right in the eyes. “What do you want with my son?” she asked sharply. “Do you think he’s a plaything you can buy?”

  “Nothing, no, we would never do that!” retorted Nariel. “He is showing us around, we’re new to the city.” She pierced them both with her eyes. “I swear!” Nariel added.

  Turning back to Dari she leaned in closer and whispered something to him.

  “Very well!” the boy replied with a slight annoyance. As his mother departed he turned to Aelir and Nariel. “Let’s go,” he said.

  “Where are we going?” Nariel asked.

  “There are more stalls down that way.” Without answering any more of Nariel’s questions, all of which earned him an angry look from Aelir, Dari led them down a dark alley south of the market.

  As they walked through, surrounded by the wet walls of dark stone, even Aelir began to have doubts. “Say, Dari,” he spoke up. “What are we doing here?” He knew something was amiss, that Dari was not truthful.

  The boy froze and turned around. His hands were shaking and tears were in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed.

  “Well, well, well, Dari lead us a new prey,” a voice echoed through the alley. From above and behind came a group of dark clothed men. “You did good,” the voice said as a slender but freakishly tall man approached Dari.

  “They gave me this.” Dari stuttered his words and gave the man the triangle piece. “Split it from the rest of the coin.”

  The man smiled and looked towards Aelir and Nariel. “What are men with Ae-ria doing in here?” he asked, his voice crackling like thunder. “A fourth of a gold coin for a pile of rubbish like Dari? Why?”

  Nariel sighed, ready to act. “Don’t,” Aelir whispered resolutely and stepped towards the thief. “Leave,” he said, looking him in the eyes. “Run away, and I promise you that we will not hold this against you.” A flash of lightning sparked in his hands.

  “You are not the only one who can use magic,” he said as fire burst out around him. “Just give us all that you’ve got, and we’ll let you go.”

  With a sigh, Aelir looked at Dari. “Why?” he asked.

  “I’m sorry,” the boy whispered, but as he wa
s about to explain, the tall man put a hand over his mouth.

  Aelir now looked him straight in the eyes, anger coursing through him. With little care, he took off the hood of his cloak. “Let him answer.”

  “Typical of the rich, isn’t it?” the man asked his goons that surrounded them. “Medicine is quite expensive, you know, lordling.”

  Both Nariel and Aelir scoffed at his words. “Medicine for what?” Aelir asked. “Almost all medicine is free to all, do not lie me to.”

  “Ardian flu,” Dari shouted through the man’s hand. “My sisters have it.”

  Hearing that blood started to boil in the prince’s veins. “There is only one cure for Ardian flu, and I can assure you that is not what you are being given.”

  “What is the cure?” Dari asked, pushing himself away from the thief.

  With a shake of his head, Aelir answered, “Royal blood, belonging to one of the dynasties whose mark is on the Book of Areon.”

  “Bullcrap!” the man shouted. “He’s trying to play you against me, Dari, you know this, the rich always lie and scheme. Our plan works best like this. I get money, you get the cure.”

  “Come with me,” said Aelir. “Whatever he’s giving you is not working, you know as much, I will give you the real cure. Come sundown, your sisters will be healthier than ever before.”

  With no answer and nobody else speaking, the tension grew. Behind himself, Aelir heard the impatience of Nariel as he prepared to attack with his own magic, the Everflame. In front of him burned the childlike fire of the thief.

  Dari then made his decision. “Let us try,” he said and made a step towards Aelir, but as he did a sword’s blade came from the center of his chest. With a loud thump, he fell to the ground screaming in agony.

  “No matter,” the thief shouted. “Your money is worth more than this useless rat.” He was about to deal the final blow but then Aelir snapped his fingers and the lock on his cloak opened. A gust of wind and it flew away, revealing his gold-adorned tunic bearing the sigil of Aelir’s dynasty - the phoenix of Vi Dera.