The Journey 17.

Autumn. Fanile. The Capital Of Terrindim.

People hurry to get out of his way. He's never a popular figure at the best of times. And with an angry looking scowl upon his face at the moment. People definitely don't want to get in his path.
His face is scraped and cut. Covered in dried blood in places as he walks at pace.
Behind him follows a pair of airmen. From his faction by the looks of it. One a bosun by his insignia. And the other, an able airman. Who walks with a limp, due to the club foot he has.
The wizard Morsen sent them over two hundred and fifty miles to the south. To the capital city Fanile. Into the heart of the kingdom, the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
The three of them, the only survivors of the flagship the Dragon's Revenge. Are making their way towards the inner sanctums of the Royal Palace. The vast, sprawling castle complex found in the middle of the capital city.
Able airman Orvick, who knuckles the tears in eyes, has to hurry to keep up with lord Ganulf, the lord of Highsun, and the advisor to the prince.
Next to the young airman with the club foot, is a bosun by the name of Cedric. Who was at the wheel of the Dragon's Revenge. When it was destroyed by an enemy dragon, not that long ago. On this cool autumn morning found throughout most of the kingdom.
Just the three of them made it through the rift cast by the wizard Morsen as the battlecruiser. Which was the flagship of admiral Halmack, was destroyed.
Orvick, an aide to the fleet admiral. Barely has a chance to look at his surroundings as he and bosun Cedric keep up with the nobleman infront of them.
The able airman with the club foot, who is from the capital Fanile. Has been to the staging grounds, and the airdocks of the Royal Palace before.
But this is the first time he's ever been inside the vast complex. And definitely the first time he's been inside the inner sanctums of the royal family's abode.
Orvick and Cedric share a look, as they both catch a glimpse of the face of lord Ganulf infront of them, as they turn into a covered walkway between a keep and a tall tower. A walkway that goes through the base of the tower.
The look on the face of the lord of Highsun. Is one of pure anger. Infact Orvick is of the opinion, when someone speaks of murderous intent. Then that's the look upon the face of the advisor to the prince at the moment.
Court officials, palace guards, noblemen and noblewomen. All get out of the way of the nobleman from the province of Hanamede in the mountainous north of the kingdom. Who is in a hurry as he makes his way through the palace grounds.
He's said barely a word to Orvick and Cedric since arriving here in the Royal Palace by way of a rift.
He's told them to follow him, and keep up and not to fall behind. Apart from that, he hasn't said a word.
Though both of the airmen who serve in the Balford faction, have heard the lord of Highsun occasionally mutter to himself as they head further into the inner sanctums of the palace.
After they go through the base of the tower, they follow a path alongside a round keep. At an intersecting path, lord Ganulf takes a few steps down it, and finally comes to a halt. There he looks at the building at the end of the path, just twenty yards away.
The lord of Highsun stares at it for a few moments, before he spits in disgust in the direction of the building. Then turns around, forcing the two airmen to get out of his way. Before they follow him again. As he resumes his way along the main path.
Orvick spots the large brass plaque on the wall next to the large double doors at the front of the building.
The able airman who knows how to read and write thanks to his position as an aide to one of the fleet admirals in the Balford faction.
Clearly saw the name Salmain embossed on the brass plaque, on the building the advisor to the prince spat towards.
Orvick gulps as he wonders what he's suddenly found himself in the middle of here in the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
Within the palace grounds, you find people from throughout the kingdom, who are members of every faction that Terrindim has.
All of the factions have headquarters of some kind throughout the Royal Palace. Wether it be an older keep, or a newer building that's been built more recently.
The Royal Palace is sacred ground. Where factions who are even at war with one another. Can mix and mingle, and be safe in the knowledge that they can't harm one another.
As the wrath of the sovereign, the king at this present time. Will meet out swift justice upon anyone who breaks peace within the grounds of the Royal Palace.
Though that doesn't entirely dissuade any action between those who are at war with one another.
As there's still one avenue, for the nobility at least. To deal with matters that will incur violence.
And that is through the act of duels. Which in various times throughout the history of the kingdom of Terrindim. Can be popular to deal with certain arguments between those whose factions are at war with one another.
Infact quite a few faction wars throughout the centuries here in Terrindim. Have been won and lost in a duel between nobles.
It's not unheard of to have a faction war that's gone on for years, come to an end by dueling nobles.
Lord Ganulf slows a bit, and the two airmen following behind him. Look around the lord of Highsun.
And see on the path they're on, a small group of people walking in their direction.
The able airman and the bosun see that it's a nobleman, wearing an armoured breastplate. Something of a rarity here in the kingdom of Terrindim. As you're unlikely to find chainmail or scale mail too. As most soldiers and airmen. No matter what their standing in society. Wear leather armour at most. The majority of them wear little armour at all. Padded, and stuffed clothing is what you'll find most soldiers in.
Behind the oncoming nobleman are officers in uniform. It's obvious for the colouring of their uniform, they belong to the Golmard faction.
He slows even more, then after being so silent for most of the short time they've been here this morning.
Lord Ganulf glances back at the two following airmen, and says to them "You know what lads, i smell a rather unpleasant odour".
The lord of Highsun, comes to a stop in the middle of the path as he adds "It's the smell of shit you accidentally stand in sometimes".
The nobleman from the province of Hanamede in the mountainous north of the kingdom briefly pauses as the group from the Golmard faction come to a stop just half a dozen yards away. Having clearly heard what the advisor to the prince just said.
"Annoying true" adds lord Ganulf, followed by "But ultimately insignificant because it's so far beneath you" the lord of Highsun then says "After all, it's under your boot where it belongs".
Then feigning surprise, the prince's advisor says "Why sir Porscin i didn't see you there" followed by "A good morning to you".
With a look of disdain upon his face, sir Porscin of the Golmard faction says "And a good morning to you lord Ganulf". Even though he would want to say anything else apart from that. He follows form, and greets the lord of Highsun.
"Busy morning?" asks sir Porscin, who is from the eastern province of Darnass. Who knows that the advisor to the prince is supposed to be with the Balford fleet up in the  province of Smalsare. Fighting the Golmard fleet that are up there.
"Yes quite" says the lord of the city of Highsun, followed by "I'm off to see the prince to discuss it".
The nobleman from the northern province of Hanamede. Who figures that probably no one here in the Royal Palace knows yet of the fairly obvious outcome of the battle this morning in the province of Smalsare.
Says to sir Porscin "Condolences" he briefly pauses as the enemy nobleman frowns at him, he continues with "For that deep red dragon, the maroon coloured one. Large fellow, don't know his name sorry. But from the way he fought, I'd say he belonged to a family in your faction since the egg".
"Deepsun" says sir Porscin automatically, who then slightly winces as he realises he probably shouldn't of said that.
"Ah that's the fellow's name then" says lord Ganulf, who glances at the two airmen behind him and asks "Did you know that lads?".
"We didn't my lord" is the reply from able airman Orvick who realises that the lord of Highsun, who just a short time ago, was furious as if all the hells had opened up, is trying to antagonize the enemy nobleman, and the officers with him.
"Must not of had all that much renown my lord" quickly adds the able airman with the club foot.
There's a quirk to the lips of the prince's advisor as he sees how quickly the young airman has caught on.
And he now realises why admiral Halmack had the able airman with the club foot, at such a young age, be one of the fleet admiral's aides.
"Must not of alright" says lord Ganulf, who sees he's getting the enemy nobleman worked up, quickly follows that with "And he won't have any too, considering he and his rider were killed by our Sunbeam and the rider Daeliss this morning".
Sir Porscin, and the officers in the Golmard faction's army and fleet with him, look at the lord of Highsun in shock.
Then the advisor to the prince, who figures word has reached the capital of the battle earlier in the week, in the province of Darnass, says "That's two of yours in a week that Sunbeam and the rider Daeliss have killed".
Glancing at Orvick, who he knows, has definitely remembered the name of the enemy dragon and rider killed in battle earlier in the week, says to him "What were their names again airman?".
"Sunblaze and the rider Cyril my lord" is the immediate reply from Orvick, who indeed remembers the names of the enemy dragon and rider killed in the battle in the province of Darnass.
"That's the pair" says lord Ganulf with a nod of his head as he looks at sir Porscin and the officers with him "Killed by, let's be frank, a young girl whose had her family's dragon less than three years" followed by "A commonborn girl at that".
The lord of the city of Highsun, who beneath the surface is still seething in anger at what's happened this morning.
Faintly smiles as sir Porscin scowls in anger at him. While the nobleman from the province of Darnass, right hand hovers over the hilt of his sword.
Lord Ganulf takes a step forward, and pointedly looks at the enemy nobleman's right hand and sword. "Yes?" says the prince's advisor in a deathly quietly tone of voice as he then looks at sir Porscin in the eye.
The nobleman who is part of the Golmard faction snatches his right hand away from the hilt of his sword.
For lord Ganulf, who was never all that popular when he was in his family's faction, the Salmain faction. Even though he was a respected ruling lord of the city of Highsun.
Who still isn't all that popular now he's in the Balford faction. Who is a more than accomplished warship captain, who quickly became the advisor to the prince.
Is one thing, that most other nobles throughout the kingdom of Terrindim are not. A highly talented and skillful swordsman. So much so he's known as the best duelist in all of Terrindim.
Who has dueled since he was a young teen against nobles of all ages. And has yet to loose one. Infact he's rarely been wounded in the duels he's had. And he's had a lot of them. It's one of the reasons he's not that popular. 
"Sorry, must be moving on" says lord Ganulf as he eyes sir Porscin and the Golmard officers with him.
"And condolences again" adds the lord of Highsun, who looks at the two airmen who survived the destruction of the Dragon's Revenge with him this morning, and says to them "Come on lads, must not keep his highness waiting".
He then looks at sir Porscin again, who grudgingly stands to one side, as do the officers with him. For the simple reason lord Ganulf is of higher social ranking than the nobleman from the province of Darnass.
They continue on their way, without looking back at the enemy behind them.
Once they round a corner in the path, that goes by a hedgerow, the lord of Highsun quietly says to the able airman and the bosun "It's the little victories that count, remember that lads".
The nobleman from the province of Hanamede, who at just over six foot, is very tall for a Terrindiam, continues with "Those bastards will soon know they've been victorious up in Smalsare, so we've got to take our little victories when we can".
The lord of the city of Highsun, who switched from his family's faction, the Salmain faction to the Balford faction three years ago. In an attempt to become the rider of the dragon Firelight. And because he grew to despise the decisions the Salmain faction have been making in recent years.
Quietly says to the two airmen "I know it's petty" followed by "But I'm a petty kind of guy, so there you go".
Both of the airmen, one who has served in the fleets of the Balford faction for nearly twenty years. And the other just for a few years.
Nod in agreement with the advisor to the prince, a nobleman who isn't particularly popular amongst the crews in the fleet. There's a grudging, and a guarded respect for him. But nothing more than that really.
Feeling emboldened to speak up, able airman Orvick says "I thought you might of been trying to goad sir Porscin into a duel my lord".
"I was" is the reply from sir Ganulf without looking back as he leads the way through the palace complex.
"Pity the bastard didn't go for it" states the nobleman from northern Terrindim in a loud mutter.
The lord of Highsun falls silent again. And the airmen, the only crew members of the Dragon's Revenge to survive it's destruction this morning.
Hurry to keep up with the man who is the advisor to the prince as they continue on their way through the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
After they go around a rather large garden, where people are quick to get out of the way of lord Ganulf.
They cross a bridge, that goes over one of the streams throughout the vast palace complex.
As they do, the bosun Cedric, who has had a tour of the palace grounds a number of years ago by his aunt, who worked as a servant in the palace.
Nudges Orvick, and gestures away to a keep to their right, and mouths the word "Ours".
After a moment, the able airman with the club foot nods as he realises that keep is the headquarters of their faction, the Balford faction.
They're not heading for that, they're heading for the central broaches, which are behind forty foot tall walls. The central broaches that are often referred to as the real palace.
The large gates in the wall are open, and while throughout the vast palace complex, they've seen palace guards.
The gates here are manned by the king's guards, and they're stopping everyone who is entering and leaving.
Infact everyone stops for them, as they ask the reason why you're either entering or exiting the real palace.
The lord of Highsun stops, and before the guard sergeant can ask him his reason for entering the real palace.
The nobleman from the province of Hanamede says "Lord Ganulf to see his highness" gesturing at Orvick and Cedric, he adds "These two are my witnesses".
The guard sergeant nods, then looks through the open gates, to where another guard sergeant stands. Who steps out of view for a few moments, before stepping back and nodding.
"You may enter lord Ganulf" says the sergeant in the king's guard, who steps aside for the lord of the city of Highsun, who nods to him, before setting off. Followed closely by the two airmen from the Dragon's Revenge.
Orvick sees how thick the walls are as they walk through the gates to the real palace.
As they go through the wall, lord Ganulf quietly says to able airman and the bosun "You two stick close to me" followed by "Whatever you do, don't wander off, or let anyone lead you away".
The nobleman from the mountainous province of Hanamede quietly adds "You're about to enter the most dangerous place in all of Terrindim".
And as they walk out through the thick wall, and look across the large courtyard here, to one of the broach towers inside of the real palace.
The bosun Cedric and able airman Orvick sees exactly what lord Ganulf means about it being dangerous. Because there's a rather large black dragon draped over the broach tower, sunning itself on this cool autumn morning in the capital city . . . . . .