Over the course of half a month, the fellowship of the blade stuck together through thick and thin overcoming challenging monsters and treacherous terrain, inching closer to their destination while growing as a family all the while. Were this a fairytale that may just be the case however, it was only on good days the storybook huntress tolerated the groups mascot and his simian accomplice. On bad days, well if ever there was a Monsters Activist group whose sole goal it was to increase awareness for monster cruelty, they would most assuredly have a problem with Valerie. Samantha remained ultimately indifferent, neither fawning after the prince nor outright despising him. If push came to shove, she would take her friends side without a second thought but until such a division occurred, she was fine to walk and listen absentmindedly to the princes never ending stories of home.
On the motley crews travels they formed a unique day to day routine; Valerie would hunt, Sikandar would guide and tell tales, Maji would do something to annoy Valerie and Samantha would hold her friend back as best she could. Every day the huntress would come that little bit closer to killing the infuriating monkey and it would retaliate by goading her on. Thankfully the groups tryst would end soon as they at last came upon the distant sight of the Gentile seat of power.
“There it is, awe inspiring is it not? We are so close I could reach out and grasp it in my hand.”
Valerie’s face scrunched up into a grimace at the prince’s audacious statement when the capital they sought was still a distant dot on the horizon. They did begin to see more signs of life as they journeyed ever closer, which is to say even more monsters. A census had never been completed on the ratio of monsters to intelligent life however it was roughly believed to be about ten to one. Thankfully the Gentile Kingdom was home to a majority beast type population of monster rather than the Maroch golems and Shurle spirits which were resistant and immune to physical attacks respectively. The increasing monster threat got so bad the rag tag group was forced to avoid more than they killed. They still struck down a number of creatures along the way but needed to quickly vacate afterwards as the carrion was like a beacon for famished creatures of ill repute.
The group eventually made it to the main highway that led directly to the capital, a long stretch of well-travelled road which merchants and other parties used to go between major trading hubs and the city itself. They passed numerous small settlements and farmsteads leading deeper into the heart of the kingdom, oddly enough the quartet was paid no mind as they marched on. The sight of two teenage girls, a twenty something shirtless foreigner and a monkey was clearly not more important than tending to the crops.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally arrived at the outskirts of the city, the sheltered runaway girls marvelling at the spectacular sight before them. The aptly named ‘Capital City’ was a leap beyond the simple farm life they had witnessed so far. Gargantuan eye-catching towers split the sky, their height and ingenious construction an engineering feat unlike any other. A massive and intimidating wall encircled the capital, so great the very idea could and had deterred numerous war bands from attempting a siege. The crown jewel of the defence however was the slightly shimmering blue dome that encircled the sky above the capital. A magical barrier that not only prevented any form of aerial attack but also featured an impenetrable anti-portal enchantment that made all special transportation within the city impossible. Moving vast distances using magic was a highly studied if unfruitful endeavour however the demons had somehow figured out a way to use holes within the fabric of reality to enact their invasions. The barrier however prevented any such holes from opening, the methods and techniques used to enact such an enchantment lost to the ages. Sikandar did his best to educate his travel companions as they performed a favourite pass time for all Gentile residents: waiting in line.
Border security was very important to those in charge of the Capital City and so they performed thorough checks by specially trained individuals. After waiting in line for over an hour, the group were given the opportunity to approach one such official, a heavily armoured, heavily breathing and heavy-set guard. The wonders of nepotism in action as the man didn’t look like he could guard a fart from escaping. Sikandar stepped forth offering his limited services in negotiating safe passage for the group. His temporary companions silently agreed to make a run for it the second things inevitably went south.
“Papers.”
The guard demanded, the exertion from saying a single word appearing nearly enough to send him into fits of exhaustion. The prince dramatically scoffed at the notion he would require any documentation.
“Papers? Papers?! My dear friend, I am Sikandar Reynaldo of house Reynaldo! My family is known far and wide for our prowess in battle and our unyielding devotion to our nation’s prosperity!”
The prince accentuated his speel with grand gestures and rising tones momentarily capturing the attention of other guards and those still awaiting their turn in line. He would have gone on for another hour if he could but a burly man some distance behind the quartet yelled at him to hurry up adding colourful language in the process. The man handling Sikandar was also not impressed.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Bully for you, your papers?”
Unaffected by his onlookers lack of class, the prince approached the guard his tone dropping to a whisper.
“My good man! As I said my house is known far and wide as we have many friends. You seem like a fine gentleman, I am sure we can be friends too, yes?”
A small coin purse changed hands too quick for anyone to notice. Valerie watched the exchange happen and still couldn’t say how he accomplished the deft sleight of hand. After feeling the pouch, and not so secretly pocketing it, the guard looked over Sikandar’s shoulders nodding his head to the prince’s party.
“Your mates got their papers too?”
Stepping back, Sikandar put a hand to his forehead in mock horror.
“You wound me my new friend. Do you think my retinue would travel without their identification? Perish the thought! They are a class above the rest, why just look at my bodyguard!”
The prince gestured to Valerie waving his hands up and down the girl’s frame.
“Onyx hair as black as the night, a stoic and unyielding frame built upon muscles powerful enough to crush boulders! Don’t even get me started on her skills, the monsters she has slain would put even the great Fandrial to shame.”
Many eyes turned to the huntress as the crowd whispered behind her back. As embarrassment overtook her, she imagined the numerous ways she would get back at the prince. Moving on to the next member of his entourage, Sikandar extended his arm allowing Maji to leap up and hang upside down from the appendage using only its feet.
“Then there is my loyal support animal, a symbol of my home and family alike. He has been with me through thick and thin always by my side to offer his own unique wisdom.”
The monster in question glowed at the high praise while side eyeing the furious huntress and lightly sniggering. Tame monsters were nothing new to the city guard although he greatly underestimated just how much smarter this monkey was compared to himself. Letting his companion drop from his arm, Sikandar moved down the line to present Samantha. The cloaked girl puffed out her chest awaiting her own exaggerated accommodations.
“And finally we have… um… My Retinue of loyal companions and followers!”
She deflated being overlooked. It was easy to understand why, despite spending so much time in each other’s company the prince had never gotten used to how Samantha made his skin crawl. The other guards and surrounding onlookers would have sympathized with the girl, but they too averted their gaze as best they could. The guard handling the party slowly clapped at the princes grand introduction before sticking his hand out.
“Wonderful, now their papers?”
Unflappable as always, the prince reached into a backpack and handed a carefully rolled up parchment to the guard who unfurled it to find two more pouches attachment to the paper. With the subtlety of a bull in a porcelain shop, the guard pocketed the bags and waved the group on while calling for next in line.
“Hold your applause, I need no commendation for it is simply my role as your leader and prince.”
Sikandar proclaimed, bowing gracefully as they walked through the gate into the city proper. Valerie might have finally bit back with a well-deserved jab but both she and Samantha were left frozen upon crossing the border into Capital City. It was absolutely packed to the brim with an ever-shifting assortment of travelling merchants, foreign dignitaries, adventuring youths and its ever-increasing populace. Going from a three-person cabin to a small homestead and now this massive metropolis unsurprisingly shook them both. Neither could begin to imagine the sheer number of people the capital housed or how many came and went with each day. While Valerie was feeling overwhelmed, Samantha stared bewildered at the scale with a bit of nostalgia for the claustrophobic surroundings. Though the sky was overhead, and no one was forcing her to work, the outrageous hussle and bussle between tightly packed buildings and towering skyscrapers distantly reminded her of home. Not the majesty or brilliance, that was for sure, but the constant stream of movement this place shared with the mine.
“Papa would have loved this…”
She whispered under her breath knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt her adoptive father would flourish in just such a town. Sikandar was not quite so reserved in his appreciation speaking loud and proud amidst the sea of people that parted ever so slightly around the group thanks to a certain shadow user.
“Aaah, take it in Maji, isn’t it beautiful? The white gleaming towers built in honour to the Divine. The constantly expanding suburbs home to an uncountable number of Gentilians. And do you see it? There in the distance a single smokestack with constantly changing colours? That is our destination mentor, we are nearly there. Oh my, and look is that what I think it is…”
He continued to excitedly point out the many buildings and explain their function or comment on the exquisite design while Maji ooh’d and ah’d at his student’s words seeming to be just as enchanted. They had good reason to be as the city itself was a feast for the eyes with wondrous gleaming streets that were shockingly cleaner than was to be expected. The near deafening noise as peoples of all races, ages, creeds, shapes and sizes moved to and fro, their destinations a mystery but the sight alone enough to catch one’s breath. It was like a microcosm of the greater world at large shrunken down and put on full display for all returning and newly arrived travellers. The moment was cut short for Valerie and Samantha however as the prince and his mentor concluded their marvelling and stood before them bowing deeply.
“And with that our accord has come to an end. I thank you both for the unforgettable journey we have embarked upon, and I wish you the best. May we meet again under more… amorous circumstances.”
The prince finished his goodbyes with a last wink and a flourish as he walked off from the awe-struck girls. Maji followed after giving a friendly wave to Samantha and sneered at Valerie. Before long the two foreigners were lost in the sea of people leaving the monster hunting pair stood in the middle of a road neither could name, in a city they could not navigate and with nothing to their name but the clothes on their back. A thought crossed the shadow users mind, and she turned to her friend.
“Hey Val, what do we do now?”
In that moment, Valerie recalled a word she heard as a child from her uncle. It was a word used in great duress and never repeated however in that spot in the middle of the street without a single idea what they were to do next or where to go she felt the true meaning of the word. Without looking at Samantha, Valerie uttered a phrase that she knew would be repeated frequently and with ever increasing severity.
“… Bollocks.”