The Journey 34.

Autumn. The Capital City.

Prince Waniq is up early the next morning, still feeling completely numb at what happened yesterday.
His wife, princess Kelriss is up early too. And the two of them have an almost silent breakfast in their suite.
They've yet to tell their daughter Sarsha what's happened. They're both dreading it. But they know they'll have to tell her sometime today.
The crown prince of Terrindim looks out the windows of the main room of their suite as much as he eats his breakfast, which he barely tastes as he eats.
After finishing their breakfast, the couple quietly chat about when they'll tell their daughter who they've let sleep in this morning. Until there's a knock on the door of their suite, which one of the servants answers.
The prince shares a look with his wife, then he makes his way to the double doors, where a senior officer in the king's guard waits.
"Highness, his majesty wishes to see you" says the senior officer after he bows to the crown prince of Terrindim, he continues with "He'll be down, out infront".
"I'll be down shortly" says crown prince Waniq.
The senior officer bows to his highness, then walks away. It's not lost on the crown prince that his father sent one of the senior officers of the king's guard to deliver that message.
As the events of yesterday are that important. For more than likely the course of politics in the kingdom of Terrindim have been changed forever.
Prince Waniq embraces his wife, who holds onto him tightly, princess Kelriss then murmurs "Be careful".
"I will" replies the crown prince, who then slightly winces as his wife almost hisses "And keep your temper in check" before she lets him go.
Waniq, the crown prince of Terrindim, quickly looks at himself in one of the wall mirrors, before he kisses his wife, and exits their suite.
He then makes his way to the right down the hallway, heading to the stairs, which will take him down to the ground level of the main keep, here in the so called real palace.
The crown prince hardly sees anyone as he heads downstairs, and when he does. Either a servant, or one of the king's guards, they stop, and bow in silence to him.
What prince Waniq does see, is that all of the servants and guards he sees, are wearing the black cloth of mourning.
Women with a scarf upon their heads. Men with one wrapped around their upper right arm, as the crown prince is wearing.
Prince Waniq gets down to the massive reception chamber on the ground floor, where a small squad of king's guards are standing, they bow in silence to him as he walks by.
The crown prince of Terrindim slows down when he gets to the open doors, he takes a deep, calming breath.
Before he steps outside into the cold morning air, and makes his way down the steps, at the base of which, stands his father, the king of Terrindim.
"Father" quietly says prince Waniq.
"Son" replies king Crassil of Terrindim, with a nod of greeting to his oldest child.
The king, a man who turned fifty in the summertime, is of similar stature as his son Waniq.
Lean, not particularity tall like a lot in the kingdom. Though the king has grey in his hair, unlike his son.
The king is looking out across the large courtyard, that's a size of one of largest squares, here in the city of Fanile. He's looking out towards the open gates, as if he's waiting for something, or someone.
The crown prince who notices that they're alone out here infront of the main keep, looks away to the left.
And sees the twin dragons, Blackflame and Whitefire. Lying in the early morning sunshine. Watching the father and son out infront of the main keep.
Prince Waniq who sees his father is also wearing a mourning cloth wrapped around his upper right arm.
Stays silent, as he knows his father will eventually say what he wants to say, whenever he wants, and not before time.
So it's a little while later as the two of them stand side by side, infront of the main keep, that the king of Terrindim finally says "We got a message in the middle of the night".
King Crassil briefly pauses before he continues with "He'll be here this morning, quite soon to be exact".
Crown prince Waniq nods, as he expected as much. He glances sideways at his father, and wonders what his reaction will be.
For his sake, and the kingdom's, he hopes his father doesn't say the wrong thing.
Outside of the walled off section, that contains the so called real palace. Not far from it, members of the Balford faction are standing on the path that leads to the roadway that goes to the gates of the real palace.
There's others on the rooftop of the keep that's their headquarters. All standing still in the cold morning air this autumn day.
Likewise, throughout the vast complex that's the Royal Palace of Terrindim. Others, whether members of various factions, or court officials, are standing on the pathways close to the roadway, or on the rooftops of keeps.
Looking at the roadway that leads to the walled section of the vast palace complex. A roadway that is completely empty this morning.
Lord Ganulf, like the others around him on the path infront of the headquarters of their faction, is wearing a black cloth of mourning.
Next to the lord of Highsun, stands prince Paldim. And it's about the only time that lord Ganulf can recall, seeing the king's brother completely sober. For if he's not drunk, he's at least slightly tipsy.
The prince, who no longer has any day to day activity in the faction he was once the leader of. Is dead set sober, even though his eyes are red.
The lord of Highsun can imagine the king's brother has been crying on and off, ever since he got word of what happened yesterday.
The nobleman from the northern province of Hanamede, who still can't believe what's happened. Refrains from sighing, as he wonders what's going to happen now.
He'd like one thing to happen, but he knows even though it's a possibility. He suspects the person responsible, or at least partially responsible, is keeping themselves scarce this morning.
The lord of Highsun looks towards the walled off section of the palace, then he looks the other way, down the roadway, when someone in the group behind him on the path, quietly says "He's here" followed by "He's heading this way".
Lord Ganulf hears prince Paldim sigh, then take a step forward. Then he like everyone else on the path infront of the headquarters of the Balford faction, and up on the rooftop, look down the roadway to the their left.
On the other paths, keeps, headquarters, and buildings. Others are doing exactly the same thing, watching the empty roadway. Where in the distance, to the south, a lone figure has appeared, who is walking along the roadway, heading in the direction of the so called real palace.
As he walks by, those waiting on the various paths, walkways, keeps and buildings, bow low to him.
He doesn't acknowledge them, as he walks purposefully along the roadway, heading quickly towards the walled off section of the vast palace complex.
As the man on the roadway gets closer, lord Ganulf sees that he's wearing a sword at his side. A highly rare sight, considering he's a member of the royal family.
The lord of Highsun, murmurs "Hell" when he sees this. As he looks at the man, who inspired him to take up the sword, and become a duelist.
Then the advisor to crown prince Waniq hears the king's brother, prince Paldim hold back a sob, before he bows to the figure walking by them on the roadway.
Then lord Ganulf and the rest of the Balford group on the path, and the others up on the rooftop of their headquarters, bow to the man walking along the empty roadway.
Who hasn't acknowledged anyone, until now. But now he nods his head to the king's brother, prince Paldim. After all, they're brothers too.
Crown prince Waniq looks out through the open gates across the large courtyard, when he sees the king's guards out there bowing.
They remain in a bowing posture, as a figure walks between them, and enters through the tall gates, and walks through the thick wall. He didn't need permission to enter. And he wouldn't of stopped, if had to.
Prince Waniq darts a quick look in the direction of the twin dragons, and sees they're now both in a crouching position.
The crown prince looks sideways at his father the king, who only has eyes for the figure making his way across large courtyard, towards the main keep.
Prince Waniq looks at him too, and a lump forms in his throat. Then he forces himself not to cry as he watches the man walking this way.
The crown prince of Terrindim, then notices the sword at the hip of the man walking this way.
"Fucking hell" prince Waniq mutters to himself, and looks quickly at his father, king Crassil, who has noticed the same thing.
Then the man gets closer, and there's an obvious resemblance between the three of them, as they're all close family members.
He stops infront of the father and son, standing infront of the main keep of the so called real palace. And it's the newcomer who speaks first.
"Brother" says prince Fallins.
"Brother" replies king Crassil, who holds out his right arm, which his youngest brother Fallins clasps in greeting.
The youngest of the three royal brothers then looks at the crown prince then says "Nephew".
"Uncle" is what prince Waniq barely gets out, as tears threaten to fall again. The next thing he knows, his uncle Fallins is holding him, and hugging him in a tight embrace.
Prince Fallins then lets him go, and steps back, the crown prince quickly wipes his eyes, as a few tears fell as his uncle hugged him.
Then the youngest of the three royal brothers, after looking at his brother the king, and his nephew the crown prince.
Looks up, and to his left, at the main keep in the so called real palace. Looking towards what is the queen's quarters.
Prince Waniq, who hasn't seen his uncle Fallins in a few years. As he shuns the capital Fanile, and lives down in the province of Cramoor.
Sees the dangerous look in the eyes of the youngest of the royal brothers.
And knows that if his mother, queen Pania was out here. She would be dead at the hands of prince Fallins. Who has always hated her. And now, has even more reason to do so.
The crown prince looks at his uncle's sword, and sees a black cloth of mourning wrapped around it's hilt.
Prince Waniq recognises it as the same sword his uncle has always had.
The same sword, that was last used by his uncle when Waniq was still a child, over twenty years ago.
When prince Fallins, not yet twenty himself at the time. Was the last royal family member to be in a duel.
Not just any duel, but a sword fight, where he fought three noblemen at once, who he had challenged, and they accepted.
The crown prince looks up, and finds his uncle looking at him, the youngest of the three royal brothers slightly nods, then looks at his brother the king.
Prince Fallins, who is the younger brother by a decade, says to his oldest brother "Mind if i speak with the twins?" as he nods over to where the royal dragons, are crouching, watching the three of them out infront of main keep, here in the inner sanctum of the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
"Of course, go ahead" says king Crassil to his youngest brother.
Prince Fallins nods, then he walks towards the dragons Blackflame and Whitefire.
Crown prince Waniq watches him, knowing that his uncle Fallins is the only other person the royal dragons consider a friend.
Father and son, watch as the twins slightly rise, then lower their heads to prince Fallins as if bowing to him as he stops infront of the two of them.
Blackflame lets out a rumbling mournful call, which is echoed by his twin sister Whitefire.
Before they lower their heads even further, and get close the youngest of the royal brothers.
The three of them are close together, as prince Fallins talks to them about something.
Whatever it is, the king and crown prince can't hear what it is. As the twin dragons have silenced their conversation with the royal brother who has returned to the capital for the first time in a number of years.
Prince Waniq glances at his father, who is watching his youngest brother and his dragons.
Then without looking this way, infact they make sure not to look this way at all.
Whitefire lifts off in a rush of wings, followed by her brother Blackflame. The twin dragons head straight up into the air, and disappear through a pair of rifts that they cast in the morning sky.
"Hell" is what prince Waniq hears his father the king mutter.
The crown prince knows that although his father is the twins rider. They will do whatever they want to do, when they see fit. As it seems to be the case now, after speaking with prince Fallins. Especially considering they didn't look this way towards their rider at all as they were speaking with prince Fallins.
Who is walking back across the large courtyard, here in the front of the inner sanctum of the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
The youngest royal brother briefly stops infront of his brother and nephew.
And after he looks up in the direction of the queen's quarters in the main keep again, prince Fallins nods to the king, and crown prince and says "Brother" followed by "Nephew".
Before he turns around, and starts walking across the large courtyard, back in the direction of the gates.
King Crassil of Terrindim calls out to his youngest brother "Brother, where are you going?".
Without stopping, or looking back, prince Fallins says "I'm going to kill a man".
He continues a few more yards, before he briefly stops, and looks back and says to his oldest brother "You'll need to get yourself a new lord of the exchequer, the current one is about to die".
"Fucking hell" this time it's king Crassil who mutters this.
As he along with his son, crown prince Waniq watch the youngest of the royal brothers walk away.
As prince Fallins goes off to exact some revenge for the death of his wife, princess Laenna the dragon rider, and her dragon Greenfire, who were killed yesterday morning . . . . . .