IV

Sir Wynet led them along the road and through the trees. They passed more densely cultivated farmland and houses. The people of the Kingdom of the Blue Dragon glanced at them with outward looks of, curiosity, guardedness and hostility.

“Is the kingdom ever in danger?” Yoreno asked.

“Always!” Sir Wynet said. “Between the various monster factions and the Schuarists constantly meddling with our affairs, we have a lot to contend with.”

Yoreno’s jaw nearly dropped. The way Wynet mentioned Schuarists as if they were an everyday fact. His mention even got Dantera to turn her head quickly. “Schuarists, you say?”

“Yes,” he said. “I know they’re talked about in Aevalin like some kind of myth, but here, we know the truth.”

“I know the truth,” Yoreno said.

“Well you should,” Wynet said with a wry look. “Your king was just killed by one. Sorry—I mean no offense.”

“None taken.” Yoreno glanced toward Dantera. She nudged her chin up toward Wynet, indicating that Yoreno should continue to question him.

“What problems with Schuarists have you had? Forgive me, but it is as you say. In Aevalin, anything to do with them is disregarded as fantasy.”

“Here in the Kingdom of the Blue Dragon, we’ve learned to recognize when the Schuarists have their hand to play in something.” Sir Wynet said nothing more on the matter for a time, but when they came around a rocky bend, he pointed.

There were cages suspended from the overhanging rock ledge and inside them skeletons glanced out like they were possessed by evil spirits.

“That is what we do with Schuarists here.”

“Gods!” Mai gasped. “Does this… does this deter them?”

“I like to think so,” Sir Wynet said. “It’s impossible to be certain. We’re always fighting them.”

“Why?” Dantera asked. “What is their interest?”

“Perhaps I should let His Majesty talk to you of this matter. That is why I take you to the castle.”

“Very well,” Yoreno said.

They came to a guarded outpost on the water with a keep. Men patrolled with bows and at the gate halbirdirs stood watch. As Sir Wynet approached, one yelled for the gate to be opened and they were quickly admitted. Wynet exchanged some friendly words with the man, as well as some hushed ones of which Yoreno couldn’t hear.

He hoped Sorika wasn’t spying on them.

If they got caught, he was starting to think these men would not look kindly on such action. The way they displayed their treatment of the Schuarists, though not unjust, revealed that there was a harsh nature to the punishments here.

They rode through the fort grounds and through another guarded gate that revealed a stone bridge just wide enough for a large wagon to pass. It stretched out over the waters of the lake, leading directly to the island.

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“It seems the castle is well protected,” Dantera said.

“Indeed,” Sir Wynet agreed with a nod. “The high towers allow us to launch missiles at height. Farelli Castle hasn’t been attacked in nigh on a decade because of this.”

“That is good to hear,” Dantera said.

“Things are changing.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will allow His Highness to tell you. Come,” Sir Wynet said and kicked his horse forward. His men stayed behind, all but the standard bearer who rode behind them on their approach to the castle.

Yoreno noticed many small boats with oarsmen in the water.

“Is that how people get on and off the island?” Yoreno said. “Boats?”

“Indeed,” Wynet said. “This bridge is primarily used for the king’s army, except for when we must move vital materials and during emergencies.”

Datnera glanced about the waters. Then she craned her neck. “You have a truly beautiful kingdom here, Sir Wynet.”

Yoreno looked up at the castle as well. It was much larger than he had thought it was, though still small compared to Aevalin castle. Because it was situated on a steep hill, the castle had the impression of climbing high into the sky.

It did climb high into the sky.

“We even have a lighthouse turret,” Wynet said. “Ships come up river and lay anchor in the lake while they deliver supplies or drop off travellers.

“I am very much interested in learning why I have never heard of the Kingdom of the Blue Dragon,” Yoreno said.

“What?” Wynet said.

“I’ve never heard of your kingdom,” Yoreno repeated. “Not in all my years.”

The older man smiled. “You’re rather young,” he said. “You talk like you’re my age.”

Yoreno shrugged with a smile.

“In any event, I would say the reason why you haven’t heard of the Kingdom is because of how far north we are. It’s outside of the boundaries of Aevalin. Not only that, but the king has—oh, in the last five or seven years—made it illegal to place it on any maps.”

“What of the older maps?” Mai asked.

“There are those,” Wynet said with a nod. “But the treasury has been buying those maps off of travellers for years now.”

“Oh,” Mai said. “I see. But why strike the Kingdom off the map?”

“To keep her hidden, why else?”

“Does it work?” Yoreno asked.

“It keeps the kingdom off of the political minds of those who might want to interfere with our sovereignty. It was never meant to keep the Kingdom a secret.”

“I think I understand,” Yoreno said.

They passed through another guarded gate. This one was open and the guards stood about. They looked alert, but bored. Sir Wynet then led them along very narrow cobbled streets among the homes and shops piled atop the mountain. They had to switchback several times, slowing their mounts to get by villagers and children in the streets.

For the longest time a barking dog followed, incessantly growling. Wynet lashed out at the animal, calling some name Yoreno couldn’t quite repeat, though he did so with little real effort to strike the animal.

Once they came to the main summit, a beautiful courtyard with statues and trees opened before them. There were people here—men and women in fine clothing, and even a few children. In various corners of the courtyard were knots of guards at the main castle entrance were more knights in armor. The huge double doors were painted in blue with a dragon crest at the top. The depiction of the monster looked down upon them with angry eyes.

Yoreno craned his neck to look up at the castle turrets as a cool breeze gentle swept past. He suspected that on a foggy night or morning, the tops of those turrets wouldn’t even be visible from down here, and surely they wouldn’t from water level.

“Come,” Wynet said. “If the king welcomes you to us, then you may explore the Kingdom and the castle at your leisure.”

“Very well,” Yoreno said.

Then Wynet turned around. “We will enter the armory where you will surrender all your weapons. That is required in order to see the king. Do you agree to these terms?”

“Of course,” Yoreno said.

“Very well,” Wynet said with a nod. “If the king is occupied or does not wish to see you at this time, you will be provided rooms where you will be kept under guard until called upon or asked to leave. Do you further agree to these terms?”

Yoreno didn’t like the idea of being locked in a room with guards at the door—especially without his weapons. He gave Dantera a glance and she nodded.

“Very well,” Yoreno said. “We agree.”

“Then let us proceeded,” Sir Wynet said amicably. He gestured for them to precede him and his men through the cracked doors and into Farelli Castle.

Before following him in, Yoreno turned and regarded the countryside, the lake, realizing that a storm of black clouds was on the horizon. He wondered if it would hit the Kingdom by day’s end.