The Journey 25.

Autumn. Fanile.

Able airman Orvick, the new aide of lord Ganulf. Stands behind the nobleman he now serves. Who is pacing back and forth at the edge of the roadway just down the path from the headquarters of the Balford faction, here in the vast complex that's the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
The lord of Highsun, lord Ganulf. Will occasionally stop, and look towards the inner sanctum of the royal palace. To the gates in the walled off area commonly known as the real palace.
Then after the nobleman from the northern province of Hanamede looks that way for a little while he resumes his pacing back and forth, while a bit behind him is his new aide.
Alongside Orvick, is the bosun Cedric. Who is the lord of Highsun's new offsider. Who like the young airman, is still getting used to his position. As the two of them were only given their new jobs yesterday morning.
Off to one side along the path stands the dragon riders Daeliss and sir Malfane.
They, like the others, are looking towards the open gates of the real palace.
It's the middle of the afternoon, and lord Ganulf who judged it would be best to come outside and wait here, on what's a sunny, but chilly autumn day.
Stops his pacing again, and his new aide Orvick hears him mutter "Finally" as a carriage comes out through the gates of the inner sanctum of the royal palace.
The royal family's seventh day noon time meal has finally come to an end.
And those who don't live within the so called real palace, or those who want to be elsewhere after spending time with their family, are departing, and heading elsewhere.
Carriages come out through the gates, some open topped, others closed off carriages.
Orvick doesn't know all of those who pass by, but he does recognise a few of those in the carriages.
In a closed off carriage, through the glass windows. He sees a severe looking young woman sitting by herself, with her haired cropped short, and pulled back.
Who can only be the princess Chrisabol. King Crassil's and queen Pania's third child. The younger sister of prince Waniq.
Who no doubt is on her way to one of the churches of Torros here in the vast complex of the Royal Palace of Terrindim. Or elsewhere in the city of Fanile, the capital of Terrindim.
The princess doesn't even bother to look at those from the Balford faction who are waiting just back from the side of the roadway.
Another carriage goes by, in which Orvick the aide of lord Ganulf, doesn't know who the occupants are.
He doesn't know who is the next carriage that comes out of the gates too.
But from the way the lord of Highsun stares at it. The advisor to the prince definitely knows the occupants.
In the closed carriage sits a young man and a young woman, in their early twenties by the looks of things. Who are sitting opposite one another. As they both stare out each side of the carriage.
The young man looking the other way, the young woman staring in this direction.
She spots lord Ganulf standing there, and a look of contempt appears on her face, as she looks at the advisor to the crown prince, who is watching her as her horse drawn carriage rolls by.
Able airman Orvick slightly frowns as the young woman looks vaguely familiar. He blinks as he realises she partly resembles lord Ganulf himself.
The new aide to the lord of Highsun, slightly nods his head as he realises that she must be the lady Kallie. A younger cousin of lord Ganulf. Who is married to one of the younger royal cousins. Which one, Orvick isn't too sure.
But what Orvick is definitely sure about. Is that from the contemptuous look she directed at her cousin lord Ganulf, she absolutely despises the advisor to the crown prince.
The following carriage is an open topped one. In which sits a haughty looking woman in her early to mid forties, who flicks a glance this way, before looking straight ahead.
The able airman in the Balford faction isn't entirely sure, but he thinks that might be the lady Desamo. Who is a cousin of the queen. And is married to one of king Crassil's younger brothers, prince Paldim.
Who happens to be in the following open topped carriage. Along with one of his sons, Craefar. Who though only in his early twenties, is an admiral in the Balford faction's second fleet.
Orvick has seen the prince and his son a number of times in the past. As both of them are in the Balford faction.
Though prince Paldim actually has little to do with the Balford faction nowadays.
As that carriage slows, able airman Orvick sees that the king's brother, prince Paldim looks to be a little tipsy.
It's no secret that prince Paldim enjoys a drink or two. And by the looks of it, he's partaken in a few of them during the noon time meal the royal family here in the capital gather for every seventh day.
The opened top carriage comes to a stop, and as his son Craefar gets out. Prince Paldim after nodding his head in greeting to the two dragon riders, calls out in a slurred voice to the lord of Highsun "Keep giving them hell Ganulf!" and laughs, before he yells at the carriage driver to get moving again.
Lord Ganulf laughs too, then calls out "I will highness!" as prince Paldim waves farewell to his son Craefar and the lord of Highsun.
The advisor to the prince shakes hands with the young royal who is an admiral in the Balford faction's second fleet.
Then the two of them stand close together, and quietly chat. What they're actually talking about, able airman Orvick isn't too sure.
But he assumes it's about what took place at the royal family's noon time meal, that was held in the main keep, of the so called real palace.
From the accounts that Orvick has heard about in the past about those royal family gatherings. They can get a bit argumentative at times. And that's putting it lightly. As it's not unheard of to know that straight out shouting matches take place at the seventh day meals that the royal family of Terrindim have.
A few more carriages depart the real palace, and go by the path that leads to the headquarters of the Balford faction.
Orvick doesn't know who's riding in them. But he figures one is the lady Halene, daughter of prince Paldim and lady Desamo.
Because her younger brother, Craefar briefly waves to her, and she waves in return as her carriage goes by.
The able airman who is just sixteen, and until yesterday served upon the battlecruiser the Dragon's Revenge.
Understands that those two siblings amongst the extended royal family, actually get along. Even though they're in two different factions.
Which can't be said about most of the extended royal family. Many of whom just plain don't like one another. While others just want to kill one another.
Both Orvick and Cedric beside him, look towards the open gates to the real palace, where on the seventh day, well at least when the royal family gather to have their noon time meal. No one is allowed to enter the so called real palace.
That's just about to come to an end, as two members of the royal family can be seen walking through the thick wall, and out through the open gates.
And though the king's guards have been bowing in a perfunctory way to those who have been exiting the real palace by way of the carriages.
The king's guards now stand to attention, and bow in unison to those who walk through the open gates.
And though Orvick would like to think the guards did that for the crown prince, who is one of the two making their way out through the gates.
He knows they did it for the other person walking beside prince Waniq.
As the two members of the royal family walking along the roadway, and head this way.
All of those waiting here on the path to the headquarters of the Balford faction, including the dragon riders Daeliss and Malfane, bow to the two royals who stop about thirty yards away.
Orvick looks up once he completes his bow. And watches the crown prince and his aunt, the dragon rider Laenna. Without doubt, with the exception of the king himself. Is the most well known dragon rider in the entire kingdom of Terrindim.
Many people might not know all of the dragons and riders in their own factions.
But everyone, from the lowest of peasants, to the highest of nobles. Knows king Crassil and his dragons Blackflame and Whitefire.
And the only other dragon rider in the royal family. Princess Laenna and her dragon Greenfire.
The princess, who is the wife of prince Fallins, the youngest brother of king Crassil.
Is from the southern province of Cramoor. And is a member of the Welmid faction.
And apart from the king, is the most respected member of the entire royal family.
Orvick along with the others here on the path, watch as the two members of the royal family on the roadway chat.
Though they're only thirty yards away, not a word can been heard from them.
Then the rider Laenna, a fine looking woman, who Orvick believes is around the same age as his mother.
Kisses her nephew on the cheek, then turns to those on the path, and bows to her fellow dragon riders, Daeliss and sir Malfane, before she suddenly disappears.
The able airman with the club foot figures Greenfire the dragon teleported away the princess, as he watches crown prince Waniq make his way along the roadway, and join them on the path that leads to the headquarters of the Balford faction. The faction that the crown prince is essentially the leader of.
"Craef tell you?" is what Orvick hears prince Waniq say when he joins his advisor lord Ganulf, and his cousin, the airship admiral, Craefar.
"He did" is the reply from lord Ganulf, the lord of Highsun.
"It was a doozy today, that's for sure" says the crown prince of Terrindim, who continues with "Not the typical shouting and screaming match that's for sure" he then adds in a self deprecating tone "Hell, i didn't even get involved".
"Which is a rarity" dryly says admiral Craefar with a shake of his head as he looks at his older cousin the crown prince.
The admiral in the second fleet of the Balford faction, who is just a little over twenty, then adds "I thought there was something wrong when you didn't get up and start yelling at your mother".
Prince Waniq chuckles, the crown prince who has got a bit of a temper to say the least.
Is surprised himself, that he didn't react all that much to what happened during the noon time meal of the royal family.
He looks around, and before anything else is said, the crown prince of Terrindim gestures to the keep that's the headquarters of the Balford faction, and says "Inside".
A short time later, and in the offices of the prince, which are opposite from those of his advisor.
Prince Waniq who is sitting on a couch seat, says "Of all people it was my wife who kicked things off".
Orvick isn't the only one's eyebrows that go up in surprise, for all know that princess Kelriss is calm and collected, the complete opposite of her temperamental husband the crown prince.
After prince Waniq explains in detail what happened at his family's meal, lord Ganulf slightly frowns then says "Was there a reason the king didn't show up?".
"He couldn't be bothered is all" says the crown prince, who follows that with "Well, that's what the twins told my daughter".
The lord of Highsun arches an eyebrow as he looks at prince Waniq, who shrugs his shoulders, and says "They tell her all manner of things now" he wryly smiles as he adds "I have to yell at them at nighttime to stop talking to her so that she can get to sleep". Over to one side, the rider Daeliss slightly chuckles.
"That happen to you rider?" asks the crown prince as he looks over at the commonborn dragon rider from the western province Halvarc.
"It sure did highness" says Daeliss the dragon rider, who Orvick can't take his eyes off as she speaks.
"Once Beam picked me" continues the rider Daeliss "Which was about the same age as your daughter, he would speak to me in my mind most nights" adds the commonborn dragon rider who follows that with "Like you, my father had to yell at him to let me get to sleep".
"How long did that go on for?" asks prince Waniq who doesn't fancy yelling at the twin dragons Blackflame and Whitefire night after night, to let his daughter get to sleep.
"It doesn't" says the dragon rider, who along with her dragon has killed two enemy dragons within just five days, a feat unheard of in recent memory.
"We're in constant contact with one another at every waking moment of the day" adds Daeliss, who continues with "And have been since he picked me to be his rider".
Next to her, sir Malfane the dragon rider nods in agreement. For though he was picked later in life by his dragon Firelight. Just three years ago, just after Firelight's previous rider died. From then, it's been the same experience for him.
After a few moments of silence, as no one else here in the prince's offices knew that about dragons and their riders, prince Waniq winces, then loudly mutters "Hell" followed by "That's going to get annoying".
The rider Daeliss nods, then says "Highness i know you get on well with the twins, and by all accounts you're one of the few that they call friend". The crown prince nods as he concedes that this is true.
"But it would be best if the king spoke to them about it" says the commonborn dragon rider from the western region of the kingdom who then adds "He's their rider, and the only one who can get them to not be a nuisance to your daughter at bedtime".
Able airman Orvick takes his eyes of the lean, blonde haired, attractive young dragon rider, and looks at the crown prince, who grimaces at that suggestion from the rider Daeliss.
Prince Waniq sighs, then after a moment or two, he says "I'll try" quietly followed by "Though that might be a little difficult to achieve".
For they all know, that the crown prince is on cordial terms with his father the king. He tends not to have anything to do with him.
For the simple reason prince Waniq doesn't want to ruin what relationship he does have with his father.
Who for the most part, keeps his distance from his oldest child, the crown prince of Terrindim.
All because of the queen. Who as the leader of the Golmard faction, wants to see her oldest son, who leads the Balford faction, dead.
Something king Crassil won't intervene with. For as the king, the sovereign of Terrindim. He is above the politics of the factions in the kingdom. And has nothing to do with them.
Able airman Orvick looks at prince Waniq, and wonders what it would be like to have one's own mother trying to kill you.
He just can't imagine it, or being part of a family that would let something like that go on.
The new aide to lord Ganulf slightly nods to himself, as he can see that the lord of Highsun was right.
His family might be dysfunctional, but it's no where as dysfunctional as the royal family of Terrindim . . . . . .