The Blade of Rebellion

by Ian Carter

  "We were the ones who had to obtain all of these things because you ran away in a huff. It's only fair you do your part and load the carriage," Hayleigh reasoned while neglecting to tell Kai they had them delivered by the shopkeeper. "Besides, it'll be nice for the people of Karsdal to see their prince employing the same work ethic that they pride themselves on."

  "You're making my choice on who should be princess easier when you say that stuff," Kai retorted as he threw their cooking powders into the food storage.

  "What did you say? I never once said I wanted to be a princess! Besides, that's not my style. I would much prefer to be a woman of action, not some pampered girl who would be waited on day and night by servants. Find someone else for that."

  "Whatever you say, Your Highness," Kai shrugged as he continued. Finally, down to the last box, Kai bent down and tried to pick it up. The box itself wasn't overly heavy but was elongated and awkwardly shaped. Kai struggled until another pair of hands appeared on the other side of the box and helped heave the box into the carriage.

  "You're lucky I pitied you enough to help," Hayleigh said as she turned her nose up to the sky and walked back to the driver's bench. Kai rolled his eyes and dusted his hands, but he couldn't help but crack a smile as he shut the latch to the carriage's storage.

  Kai reached the driver's bench and pulled himself up and sat next to Mason's side opposite from Hayleigh, and with a crack of the reins, the horses proceeded to trot. As their horses made their way down the street, many of the residents' faces were welcoming, unlike their arrival. Kai was relieved to see that some even waved goodbye to the group. The morale of the trio, and maybe even Karsdal, had never been higher.

  "Once we leave Karsdal, we're going to have to be more careful, won't we?" Kai spoke as he waved at an onlooker. "If what the elder said is true, before long, people will probably begin to be openly hostile towards us."

  "Don't worry, Kai," Hayleigh assured him as she waved at an attractive man who smiled at her. "We borrowed some armor, robes, and capes to hide the fact we're from the Capital. I even got something good for us once we reach Stura. But before we approach the next town, we will switch into them to lower the odds of people finding out who we are."

  "Exactly what I was going to suggest, we are going to do our best to keep you safe until we reach Tipana," Mason reassured him. "Then, it'll be up to you to bring Terrell Braga to justice."

  "Thank you, both of you," Kai replied. "I couldn't ask for better companions and friends. I'll be counting on you both a lot in the next few months." As Mason guided the carriage through a left turn onto Karsdal's main road near the exit to the city, he summoned the horses to a stop and froze. Hayleigh's jaw dropped in disbelief, and Kai suddenly stood up from his seat.

  "Looks like they'll be counting on you too, Prince Kai," Mason remarked in awe.

  A small and boisterous group of about 100 of Karsdal citizens crowded around Karsdal's east gate. The crowd began to cheer wildly as Mason summoned the carriage forward. Many of the people held small flags with the kingdom's colors and waved them above their heads in jubilation. Kai scanned the crowd in disbelief, and sought the culprit behind such a scene and found Liliana among the happy people.

  His heart began to beat wildly in his chest, and as he raised his hand to the crowd, an even more tremendous roar erupted. For a few moments, he allowed himself to soak up the cheers and admiration, not because of his ego, but because he felt he had earned it. He had shed blood, sweat, and tears for them. He had encountered the worst pain of his life for this applause, and he was determined to enjoy it. Beside Liliana stood the two young boys he had gifted his cloak too. They were no longer encrusted in dirt, but instead were clean and wore brand new clothes provided to them by the Garrison. Kai was flabbergasted as just how much of an impact he had during such a short time. The citizens in front of him emboldened his spirit and deepened his resolve. He could do this after all.

  It took a city he had never been to and people who wouldn't give him the time of day to fill his heart with such overwhelming love. He earned their respect with his own two hands and actions. Though he didn't know it, he unconsciously left behind a version of himself that day. The insecure son of Edwin Orilia was no more. The man that left Karsdal was someone confident in himself and his ideals. A version of Kai who was one step closer to becoming the man he had hoped and dreamed of being.

  Chapter Eleven

  Out Of The Darkness, Into The Fire

  "Sir. I bring you a report."

  "Yes, Thomas, Come in." Thomas nodded at the instruction and walked over to the usual spot and kneeled before the man in his ornately carved wooden chair.

  "Sir," he began. "I understand you were previously upset at the lack of progress, but that is not the case today. The experiments of crossbreeding have begun to bear fruit."

  "Your words are positive today, much more so than the woman you sent in your place last time. I'm profoundly happy that my advice did not fall on deaf ears."

  "Sir. I'm glad my words please you. As you commanded, the specimen that we prepared for your approval was nurtured to adolescence. We gave it minimal training and let it loose near the town of Karsdal. The city has the best anti-giant squads and training in the kingdom, so we deemed it a true test. I'm pleased to inform you that it exceeded even our wildest expectations. Before it was put down, it managed to kill nearly three-quarters of Karsdal's City Guard."

  "Oh?" A wicked grin spread across his face. The man raised his bare left hand to his chin and pondered for a moment. "For an adolescent with minimal training to kill so many is a welcome surprise. That is above even my most exaggerated projection! Imagine an adult or a group of adults with proper investments! Tell your team they have done marvellous work."

  "Sir. Your words will overjoy my team."

  "Now then. How was the beast defeated?" The man's words hung in the air for a few uncomfortable seconds. Thomas cleared his throat before he responded.

  "Sir. Prince Kai killed it after he obtained an irregular Lightning Stone from the city's elder, Liliana Urquhart. He used it in concert with favourable weather conditions to fry the monster's brain with a bolt of lightning. Its troll regeneration was unable to repair the damage before the creature ceased to function."

  "I see." The man lowered his hand and sat up and put the full weight of his back against his chair. "This can be seen as a blessing, however. We gleaned that even the most prepared City Guards are unable to cope with one of our hybrids. Though, I can't say I'm pleased that we missed a chance to kill that damned prince. This is the second time he has thrown a wrench, ever so small as it may be, into my plans. One small problem won't worry me, but many of them can quickly spiral out of control..." The man sat in silence, lost in thought for a moment until he realized that Thomas remained standing in front of him.

  "Yes, Thomas. Is there anything else to report?"

  "Sir. Just one thing," Thomas continued. "The Breeders have wanted to give the new species names for quite some time now, and with the success of the half-giant half-troll in the field, they have decided to christen it. They settled on the name 'Triant' for me to present to you to obtain your approval."

  "'Triant'? That's a little dry for my liking. As a reward for their excellent work, they have my blessing to name the new species the 'Triants.'"

  "Sir. I will pass along the good news to the Breeders. They will be pleased."

  "I shouldn't give myself more decisions than I need to. Good work," the man's heightened tone of voice matched his spirits. "Pass along my appreciation to your team and inform them to continue with the Triant breeding under essential staff only. I think it would be prudent to move the remainder of the team to a new cross-species."

  "Sir. Your words will bring them boundless pride and joy. I shall deliver them now." Thomas briskly raised himself from the ground and made his way to the door.

  The man raised his right hand and twirled his brown ring. As it began to glow, Thomas slowly lifted from
his feet into the air. He clutched and grabbed at his throat as if an invisible noose had found its way around his neck. The man rose from his chair and slowly stalked towards his floating subject, smiling. With a swish of his hand, Thomas twirled around to face the man once more, struggling to breathe as he clawed at his neck.

  "I do feel the need to give you a gentle reminder," the man said as he drew Thomas towards him until they were face to face. "Just because you have one success does not mean that you may rest on your laurels. Along with my praise, pass onto your team that I wish for them to work as hard as ever." Thomas continued to struggle until his movements slowed and became sluggish and lethargic. The glow dispersed from the man's ring, causing Thomas to fall to the ground with a thud. He struggled to breathe and capture his breath.

  "Sir ... yes ... it is ... understood."

  "Good. Leave me. I have more reports to entertain."

  ◆◆◆

  "She's been gone a long time."

  "Ah, she has only been gone for a few hours or so. We know her skills, she won't get caught."

  "I know, I just worry."

  Kai and Mason were sitting around a small campfire they had made. Its soft crackles and wafts of smoke kept them company under the starry sky above their heads as they polished their respective armor. A nearly empty soup pot hung above the fire so its smell could counteract the smokiness of the fire and help make sitting around the fire more palpable. Trees lined the small clearing, serving as protection against patrols passing by on the nearby road. They had penetrated the forest, but they liked to be better safe than sorry.

  "Forgive me for overstepping here, but I think Hayleigh may be developing feelings for you." Mason sat stoned faced as he leaned forward towards Kai.

  "What are you talking about? Her fiancé just died a few weeks ago. I don't even think she is even aware other men exist yet."

  "You may be oblivious to it, but for everyone who has seen you together since that explosion in Erkau can tell the way she looks at you is different. Whether it's during your training or your awful disparaging banter, I can see a difference."

  "I don't know what ... look. Josiah only died a few weeks ago, and I don't think it's time to entertain anything like that even if that's how she feels. I just want to be there for her when she needs it. She's so strong on her own that I haven't been able to do much of that. But when she needs it, we can both comfort her." Mason sighed and grabbed a stick that laid at his feet and prodded the fire to produce a fresh wave of sparks.

  "You care about her, yes?" Mason asked

  "Of course I do. She is a treasured friend and companion."

  "But is it the same way that she cares about you?"

  "I don't know how she feels, and neither do you," Kai said pointedly.

  "I think she is confused about how she feels," Mason added. "But I'm sure she would welcome a gentle push from you. There's no harm in letting her know that when she is ready, you'll be there for her."

  "Mason, I'm starting to think you're looking after her needs more than mine. I should remind you of your position," Kai joked. "Besides I'm a prince, am I even allowed to pick my spouse? Father never told me about how he met, or why he married, my mother. He still has a hard time talking about her and their time together."

  "I am sure His Highness cares enough about you to give you some sway in the matter at the very least. But yes, his plans and intentions are his own. You may want to ask His Highness after we arrive back victoriously. It's your future, after all. You won't stay a prince forever, and a king needs a queen."

  "I guess ..." Kai trailed off as he looked back up towards the stars and began to trace pictures of animals and shapes in the constellations.

  "You have been quiet ever since we left Karsdal. Are the words of Elder Liliana haunting you at all, Prince Kai? Do you think His Highness is influencing the situation?"

  "Mason, it's all I can think about," Kai admitted. "I don't understand why my father would allow such poverty and indifference to reign in these farther areas. He loves Orilia. It doesn't make sense. My father must be oblivious to all of this. I have to believe that."

  "I've also been trying to connect some dots. Elder Liliana was adamant that they sent reports back to the Capital, right? Whoever is helping Terrell Braga must have intercepted those reports before they reached His Highness," Mason reasoned.

  "After going back and forth in my head about it, I have to agree with that. It must involve Senator Braga as he is the Senator of Internal Affairs. Every report goes to him, and that's even before I consider that it's his older brother who is behind this mess. The most likely scenario in my mind is that they're working together."

  "I am certain that covering this up would take more than one person," Mason acknowledged. "Certainly Senator Deloof who handles the taxation and collection of gold would be aware of such an uneven distribution of funds. Senator Valis would likely hear complaints from neighbouring nations if our dissatisfied citizens sought refuge outside our borders. Senator Verne entrenched himself in the kingdom's information network long ago, and it's implausible that he would not know as well... I'm worried. All of them, at one point or another, would have heard something. It's going to be quite something to untangle this."

  "I will certainly need to speak to my father when I get back to the Capital," Kai confirmed.

  "I would also advise caution doing that, as well. You and I wouldn't have a chance against His Highness or Ashentide in a fight in the unlikely event that His Highness is part of it. They must have some of the most powerful and rare Stones in existence. Each one of them would be able to handle the Knights of Mercy single-handedly."

  "Thanks for the friendly reminder... but one thing bugs me," Kai continued. "Why would any of the senators want to send me out here to observe any of this? They would have to know that we would immediately tell my father upon my return, or that I would send word directly to him via a messenger?"

  "They would intercept any kind of message if they have managed to nullify the City Watchmen reports," Mason reasoned. "They could also hope that something out here would wipe us out and take care of one of the few pieces of the puzzle they didn't control. They could be behind the giant attack on Karsdal even."

  "This ... this is bigger than just us, isn't it, Mason?"

  "It certainly is. I don't think I signed up for spy-craft when I agreed to be your bodyguard."

  "We have to rectify this. Or maybe I do, but you'll have to defend me while I do it!"

  "You always place the highest of faith in me, don't you Prince Kai?" Mason ruffled his now slightly longer brown and grey hair with his hand before slapping his thigh. "You know my sense of duty wouldn't allow me to leave your side."

  "Thank you Mason. Hopefully Hayleigh feels the same way," Kai joked.

  "Yeah, I do."

  Hayleigh's voice from the darkness behind Kai and spooked both of the men. Kai tripped backward over himself and Mason drew his Blade as Hayleigh's slim silhouette emerged from the shadows. Hayleigh immediately burst into laughter after watching Kai land on his backside. Mason, clearly annoyed, slammed his Blade back into his scabbard and sat back down.

  "What did you find?" Mason said with annoyance spelled on his face and dripping from his words.

  "Just a, just a second." Hayleigh's giggles ended, and she swept Kai's feet aside off the rock so she could sit down on the stone he had just been sitting on and crossed her legs. "We're currently about an hour's walk from Stura's capital, Tipana. We've known since we entered Stura, but they are very hostile towards the royal family. They have posters plastered everywhere with anti-royal rhetoric with His Highness' and Prince Kai's picture on them. It will be challenging to sneak Kai in even if he wears a hood to cover his face.

  "At the very least, we can increase our odds of him getting through if we change into these." Hayleigh reached into their carriage and pulled out three City Guard uniforms she brought from Karsdal.

  "No trace of royalty. We can pretend to be
dissatisfied City Guards looking to join the rebellion." Mason realized.

  "That alone probably won't be enough, which is why I got dye so I can dye our hair as well."

  "Wait. What?" Kai remarked as he nudged Hayleigh over to sit on the rock with her. Though it could comfortably hold one person, seating two meant they were in close company. Hayleigh began to blush a little bit from the contact.

  "When I bought my mourning robes for the funeral in Erkau, I also obtained some hair dye in case we needed it. I'm glad I did! Now we get to see what Prince Kai looks like with auburn hair." Hayleigh turned to Kai and blew a fake kiss at him as she laughed, and made Mason chuckle. Kai's worry and stress melted away quickly from the laughter of his companions.

  "I'll do whatever I need to so I can protect this kingdom, even if it means dying my hair," Kai said as he crossed his arms and raised his chin to the air. The attempt at looking cool fell a bit flat as Hayleigh rolled her eyes.