The Journey 47.

Autumn. The City Of Fanile. The Capital Of The Kingdom Of Terrindim.

Prince Waniq, the crown prince of Terrindim is just wondering if he should call it a day, and head back to the inner sanctum of the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
When another messenger comes into his offices, and hurries over to the table that some of the officers are sitting at.
One of them waves over lord Ganulf's aide, able airman Orvick after the message has been deciphered, and hands it to him.
Along with another rolled up scroll that came in with the messenger, this one a parchment that's been sealed.
The young able airman with the clubfoot hurries over to lord Ganulf, the lord of Highsun.
Who is sitting at prince Waniq's desk, while the crown prince himself is sitting on a nearby couch seat.
After the aide to the lord of Highsun, hands him the first message, he walks over to the crown prince with the rolled up sealed parchment.
"Oh?" says prince Waniq, the crown prince of Terrindim when able airman Orvick quietly tells him "Highness, a private message from captain Jarmic Komav of the second fleet's, first wing".
The crown prince nods in dismissal to the able airman, then looks over at his advisor, lord Ganulf, who he sees is grinning as he reads the message he's holding.
Refraining from opening the sealed parchment, prince Waniq, who essentially leads the Balford faction, asks his advisor "What is it?".
"More success" says lord Ganulf, who stands up from behind the desk, and reads part of the message he's holding.
The crown prince blinks in surprise, then grins as the lord of the city of Highsun tells them that the dragon rider Daeliss, and her dragon Sunbeam.
While out on patrol this morning in the western province of Wilshaw. Came upon two warships in the Salmain faction, along with a dragon in that faction. Who declared war upon the Balford faction last week.
And that the dragon Sunbeam destroyed the two enemy airships, and killed the enemy dragon, which is believed to be the dragon Skyfire.
With a crow of laughter, prince Paldim jumps up from the couch he's sitting on, and says "Ha!" followed by "That's three the lass and her dragon have killed recently" he then adds "Two of the Golmard scum, and now a Salmain dragon".
Prince Waniq nods in agreement with his uncle, who previously led the Balford faction until stepping aside nearly a decade ago.
The crown prince looks over at his advisor, who says to him "This will be a major setback for them" followed by "My family's faction don't have as many dragons as us or the Golmard's".
Nodding in agreement with his advisor, prince Waniq says "Hopefully this will keep them out of the way for a little while so we can concentrate on the Golmard's".
"I concur" says the nobleman from the northern province of Hanamede, who continues on with "And the Golmard's have had a tough time of it, of late" he then adds "What with the death of four of their dragons by the twins, and the death of the princess yesterday morning".
The crown prince of Terrindim nods in agreement again. And once more at the mention of his sister Chrisabol's death, he doesn't feel anything.
He thought he would whenever he thinks about it. But so far, it hasn't illicit any emotion from him at all.
And though the royal family is officially in mourning. The black mourning cloth wrapped around his right arm, is still the one for his aunt Laenna, and not his sister Chrisabol.
Who he witnessed being killed by their uncle Fallins in the main cathedral of the church of Torros. Here in the vast complex of the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
The crown prince listens as his advisor lord Ganulf reads a bit more of the message he has. How some of the first wing of the Balford faction's second fleet encountered some of the Golmard faction's forces in the province of Wilshaw today.
And in a quick skirmish, airships from both sides of the faction war were either destroyed or damaged.
Though the report says the Balford faction got the better of it in the quick battle, as they had three dragons present, to the enemy's two.
"We might be getting the upper hand out west" says lord Ganulf.
"Let us hope" says prince Waniq, who then looks down at the rolled up parchment he's holding, which his advisor is looking at.
The oldest offspring of king Crassil and queen Pania, cracks the wax seal, that he figures has a spell on it, which will destroy the message if someone else were to open it.
The crown prince of Terrindim unrolls the parchment, then reads the message from captain Jarmic Komav, who is in command of the first wing, of the Balford faction's second fleet.
After reading the first few lines of the message, prince Waniq blinks in surprise as he's not too sure at what he's actually reading.
Then the member of the royal family who is effectively the leader of the Balford faction sits down on the couch, and starts to frown as he can't quite believe what the message from captain Jarmic is.
After reading it, then reading it again, prince Waniq sits there in disbelief. As he wonders if the message is true, and not just something made up, and a flight of fancy.
The crown prince figures it has to be true. For why else would captain Jarmic Komav write the message himself, and not leave it up to a scribe.
And a private message too, that was sealed with wax. And no doubt had a spell on it, allowing only prince Waniq to break the seal and read it.
The effective head of the Balford faction sits there in disbelief for a few moments, until he realises the office is silent.
He looks up, and sees that everyone in here, is looking at him.
It's his uncle Paldim who breaks the silence, by quietly asking him "What is it lad?".
Prince Waniq is silent for a few more moments, then he says "Nothing really".
His uncle, who is usually drunk, especially as it's early evening. But as he has been for the last week or so. Is totally sober.
Raises a questioning eyebrow as he looks at his nephew, who he knows is lying.
The middle royal brother then nods his head, when prince Waniq quietly says to him "I'll tell you later uncle".
Then looking over at his advisor, lord Ganulf, who is also looking at him, with a questioning look upon his face, the crown prince of Terrindim quietly tells him "Later".
The lord of the city of Highsun nods, then he sits back down behind the desk, and rereads the message he's got.
While prince Waniq does likewise with the message from the captain of the battlecruiser the Dragon Flame, captain Jarmic Komav.
The crown prince of Terrindim, doesn't know how many times he rereads it, but it's more than a few, especially a couple of passages in the missive written to him by the commonborn warship captain who is in temporary command of the first wing of the Balford faction's second fleet.
Hell, once this gets out, it'll change everything, prince Waniq thinks to himself, the crown prince briefly pauses before he silently adds, this will change the kingdom forever.
The member of the royal family who effectively leads the Balford faction, waits a little while longer, then quietly says to his advisor "I'm heading in for the night" followed by "I'll see you in the morning".
Prince Waniq leaves, his uncle Paldim comes along with him, they're followed by half a dozen guards, as they head to the walled off section here in the vast palace complex.
The guards remain outside, while the two royals enter what's commonly referred to as the real palace.
Uncle and nephew are silent for the most part, until they're through the wall, and in the large courtyard out infront of the main keep and towers.
"Has your mother been seen at all?" quietly asks prince Paldim, who continues with "Since Chrisabol's death?".
"She hasn't" is the reply of prince Waniq, who sees along the torch lit front of the main keep this evening, the dragon Blackflame peeking in through one of the windows on one of the higher floors of the main keep.
The crown prince wryly smiles, and rolls his eyes as Blackflame darts a guilty look in this direction, before waddling off, to join his twin sister Whitefire.
Who is scratching her back on the side of an abandoned tower here in the so called real palace.
"And i doubt she'll be seen anytime soon" says the crown prince of Terrindim, who continues on with "She definitely won't step outside these walls anytime soon" he then adds "Uncle Fallins will kill her if she does".
The middle royal brother nods in agreement as they walk towards the main keep here in the real palace.
While next to him, his nephew prince Waniq has a thoughtful look upon his face, as he looks away to the right, in the direction the twin dragons are.
As they approach the main keep, on what's a rather chilly autumn evening. The crown prince of Terrindim quietly says "If you'll excuse me uncle, there's something i want to check up on with the twins".
Prince Paldim, who notices that his nephew, is still holding the rolled up parchment he received a little earlier, nods and says to him "Of course".
And as prince Paldim enters the main keep, prince Waniq walks away across to one side of the large courtyard, where the twin dragons Blackflame and Whitefire are.
And as he walks, the crown prince's thoughtful look changes more to a frown, as he continually taps one end of the rolled up piece of parchment, that's a missive from captain Jarmic Komav, into the palm of his other hand.
And though he tries not to show it, the royal family member who is essentially the leader of the Balford faction.
Is more than a little worried with the contents of the missive written to him by captain Jarmic Komav.
And though he tries not to think about it, he can't. For the simple fact it will change the very fabric of Terrindiam society forever.
He comes to a stop infront of Blackflame, who is peering at his front claws, with only half an eye on the crown prince.
While Whitefire ignores him, as she continues to scratch her back along the side of an abandoned tower. It's been abandoned for a couple of centuries, simply because the large white dragon uses it to scratch herself on.
"Can we have a private word?" quietly asks prince Waniq.
"Of course" says Blackflame the dragon as he continues to look at his front claws, examining them for any imperfections.
"You do know every time you speak to us it's private" dryly says the large black dragon.
The crown prince of Terrindim chuckles, then says "I didn't realise" followed by "Good to know".
Then he falls silent, as he looks at the rolled up parchment he's still holding.
Noticing his silence, Blackflame asks the oldest offspring of king Crassil and queen Pania "What's on your mind Niq?" followed by "You look distracted".
Prince Waniq briefly smiles at the use of his nickname, which the twin dragons often call him by.
Then the crown prince quietly says "I got an interesting message from one of the captains in my faction".
He holds up the rolled up parchment "From a captain Jarmic Komav, whose cousin is the rider Daeliss, whose dragon Sunbeam has been in their family since the egg".
"And what's so interesting about this message?" asks the large black dragon who along with his sister Whitefire, are the twin dragons, or as more often than not, they're called the royal dragons.
Prince Waniq who is a little nervous to divulge the private message sent to him by captain Jarmic Komav.
Pauses to take a deep breath, then quietly tells the twin dragons what the message entails.
Blackflame who was paying more attention to his front claws than he was the crown prince.
Stops paying attention to them, and instead pays all attention to everything that prince Waniq is saying.
Whitefire stops in mid scratch, and with a loud clack of her jaws, she hunkers down, and pays attention to the crown prince of Terrindim.
Who after saying what the message he received from captain Jarmic Komav actually is.
Looks at the twin dragons he's known all his life. Who consider him, as one of the few friends that they have.
"You think any of this is true?" asks prince Waniq as he looks from Blackflame to Whitefire and back again, as he notices them share a look.
Then eventually it's Whitefire who finally speaks up, and says to her twin brother "You might as well tell him".
The large black dragon, the largest dragon in the kingdom of Terrindim, grunts, then lets out a sigh as he looks at the crown prince.
"Tell me Niq, when was the last time you saw your father ride upon one of us?" asks Blackflame the dragon.
Prince Waniq frowns as he tries to recall the last time he saw his father, king Crassil of Terrindim ride upon either of the twin dragons.
It takes him a few moments to remember, but he eventually says "A few years ago, wasn't it?".
"More like nearly five" says  Blackflame, who continues with "In celebration of the birth of your daughter Sarsha".
Whitefire hums, her sign of happiness, at the mention of prince Waniq's daughter.
"And that was the first time in close to a decade since he rode one of us previously" says Blackflame the dragon.
The crown prince of Terrindim blinks in surprise, as he had not realised how long ago his father the king, had flown upon either of the twins, and the gap between his previous flight on one of them.
Then looking at the rolled up parchment he's holding, realisation dawns upon him, that everything captain Jarmic Komav has written to him, is true.
Looking sharply at the twin dragons, prince Waniq in a stunned tone of voice says "It's all true then?".
Blackflame just grunts in a positive manner to signify that indeed it is true.
Absolutely shocked at what he's just learnt, the crown prince of Terrindim asks the royal dragons "How long have you known?".
"Oh a few centuries" says Blackflame who continues with "Since prince Valder was our rider" the large black dragon then adds "Well rider in the traditional sense".
Prince Waniq who is shocked to learn that for more than three hundred and fifty years, the twins have kept a secret from the rest of the kingdom, asks them "Who knows of this?".
"Your father of course" says Blackflame, who as per usual does most, if not all of the talking for the royal dragons.
"And now you" adds Blackflame, who follows that with "And eventually Sarsha when she becomes our rider".
"Though she won't actually be your rider, in the traditional sense will she?" asks the crown prince of Terrindim.
"Correct" says Blackflame, which is echoed by his twin sister Whitefire, who says "Correct".
"Hell" mutters prince Waniq, whose whole concept of life here in the kingdom of Terrindim has been turned completely on it's head, due to these revelations he's just learnt.
The member of the royal family who is effectively the leader of the Balford faction, looks at the twin dragons, then says to the two of them "So, what exactly are your real names?" followed by "Your dragon names?".
There's a long pause, and eventually Blackflame the dragon says "Das". "Cre" adds Whitefire the dragon.
Prince Waniq shakes his head in disbelief, then once again mutters "Hell" at the turn of events this evening.
The crown prince of Terrindim pauses to gather his thoughts, then he starts asking the twin dragons Blackflame and Whitefire, or more correctly, Das and Cre. A number of questions he hopes to get answers to.
The three of them, the royal dragons, and the crown prince, speak long into the night as they discuss important matters that will forever change the kingdom of Terrindim . . . . . .