PART II - KINGS ARE ONLY PEOPLE
Vanis walked across the camp, taking his time but intent on making his way back to the training field, if only to make a proper appearance and allow a few people to say what they needed to. He minded himself as he went, making sure his back was straight, his gait steady, and the look on his face neutral. The sash across his chest, black though it was, seemed to shine like a beacon of some kind, announcing what had happened to the King Regents all over again.
He began to hear a few whispers from staff he passed, unsure what they should do or say, if anything. He’d already thought about what to reply to every conceivable thing someone might tell him. ‘Thank you for your condolences’, or ‘They will be greatly missed’, and a few other simple acknowledgements that said nothing, while helping the other person feel just a little bit better.
A sudden crackle of Flashstep appeared next to the Prince, and he jumped slightly, startled out of his internal thoughts.
“Hey,” Lena said, falling into stride next to him.
“Lena,” Vanis said simply.
“That turned out really good,” she said, gesturing to the sash.
“It did,” Vanis replied, reaching up to rub one of the beadwork stars. He really didn’t feel like idly chatting right now, just wanting to force his way through the upcoming assault of platitudes.
“So, just a warning,” Lena said after the silence became too much, “Pixyl’s turned into a blubbering toddler.”
“Damn. I probably should have told her. Or had Callie do it.”
“Maybe. She would still have been a blubbering toddler, though. Callie’s trying to calm her down a bit. Most of the people were pretty shocked, and the majority of them were immediately worried about you. I also overheard that Arkan guy trying to get Xera to introduce you to him, I’m sure so he can gush out some condolences and feel important. Expect him to pounce as soon as he’s able. Probably everyone else, too.”
Vanis didn’t respond, save a heavy sigh, and they continued to walk in silence, slowly approaching the training field where most-everyone would be. At least the recruits, that was. Lena’s presence, laced with a bit of a scowl, served to ward off anyone that might want to say something as they walked, which was both good and bad. It just meant they would say something later.
“We’ve heard the official story,” Lena said quietly, forcing herself to break the silence again. “Haver mushrooms? Seriously? That was the best your people could do?”
Vanis shrugged. “Simple. Plausible.”
“Well yeah, but it’s so … mundane. It doesn’t feel … noble for some reason.”
“Kings are only people, Lena. They can fall to the simplest of things.”
“I know. It just seems like an ending that doesn’t suit them. They were so loved by Imoria and their memory deserves better.”
“That they were and yes it does. Regrettably, these are the times we live in. Maybe someday the history will be corrected.”
“I met one of them once,” Lena continued idly. “It was your father’s father; your grandfather. I actually ran into him, literally, when I was running from someone. I was maybe … eighteen? Sprinted around a corner from an alley onto the street and there he was. He didn’t fall, but I did, and his guards were quite … unhappy with me. I thought they might skewer me, actually.”
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
“What happened next?”
“He laughed and helped me to my feet, asked if I was hurt, and wished me a pleasant day. He was nice, actually. I was too shocked to even apologize, or say anything.” Lena paused, before adding, “My opinion of you uptight nobles changed a little that day. You all didn’t seem so stuck-up any more, I suppose.”
“He was kind like that, to everyone.” Vanis let off a huff of laughter. “I remember that he used to sneak me sugar candies when my father’s back was turned. I was a little chubby as a boy, so my grandmother didn’t approve. He spoiled me, as did my great-grandfather.”
“I have no idea who my grandparents are, or even if they are alive,” Lena said wistfully, apparently missing the opportunity to give Vanis grief for being a chubby boy. “They probably are, so I suppose I could track them down if I wanted, at least on my mother’s side. I don’t know if I want to, though. I’m a big disappointment in a lot of ways.” With a frown, she glanced down at her covered shoulder, under which were her three criminal tattoos. “Maybe it’s better they don’t know me.”
“You do have a chance to be someone new,” Vanis said.
“I know. And I’m going to be, too. I’m not sure what I might do when this is all over, but I don’t want to go back to who I was. I’ll be a better person … at least mostly. I need to kill Hoxx first, though.”
“Lena!” Vanis gasped, the casual manner of the statement surprisingly shocking him.
“Don’t worry,” Lena said, trying to calm her friend as she padded the air with her hands. “I won’t let him suffer … much.”
Vanis shook his head slowly, but actually cracked a smile. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear anything you just said. That way, when the Imor magistrate inquires about someone named Hoxx who has been filled with dozens of tiny holes, I’ll have nothing helpful to say.”
“Dozens? More like hundreds.”
Vanis couldn’t help but grin even wider and snort at that, even if he shouldn’t do that when wearing a mourning sash, and Lena grinned along with him. He needed the levity, if only for a moment. The distraction gave him a little strength. “Thank you for that.”
“It’s a shame the proclamation came now, and not until after Midsummer,” Lena said, changing the subject away from her future pincushioning plans and quest to be a modestly-better person.
“I received a cipher via Scryer yesterday from my mother, and she warned me it was coming today. They couldn’t hold off until after the holiday without raising questions. By doing it today, there’s time for the shock to fade and people to refocus. It will be the same here, as people make masks and trinkets in two days and get back into the spirit. The formal days of mourning aren’t for over three weeks.”
“Yeah, I suppose. It’s funny, we’ll all be traveling then, on our way to the front, during those days. Well, except those staying for those additional weeks. I’ll be gone, though.“
“Why do you say that?” Vanis asked.
“Military leadership? Special tactics? Vanis, I’m just a disposable Guardian. I don’t need any of that kind of stuff. You’ll stay, because they want to make a general out of you some day, if not High Commander. Me? I’m just a walking sack of meat to get in the way of incoming enemies.”
“You might be surprised,” Vanis said, almost seeming coy. “There could very well be a place here for you past the end of term.”
Lena gave Vanis a hard look, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. “You … you know something, don’t you? I can see it on your face.” Then she added as a side-thought, “By the way, never play cards, you can easily be read.” She grinned and gently bumped her shoulder into his, forcing him to sidestep a bit, slightly off-balance. “Come on, what do you know?”
Vanis shook his head and laughed a bit. “Nothing I am permitted to speak of, Lena,” he said vaguely. “But, might I suggest you focus as hard as you can on your training.” He said that last bit as if giving a strong hint, without actually saying anything of substance. Then he added a teasing, “You probably need to get that new skill with the wings down, after all. You’re not much good to anyone if you’re constantly crashing into the ground.”
“Ha, ha!” Lena replied dryly and with a bit of a grumble. “Don’t worry, I'll figure it out. I really think it will be a good skill, though, once I master it.”
“Indeed,” Vanis agreed. “More than ‘good’, in fact.”
Shortly they arrived at the bottom of the hill leading up to the training field. Where normally the air would be cluttered with the sounds of recruits in training, it was now eerily quiet. Vanis took a deep breath, straightened his posture and then his armor and the sash, with Lena adding a final fiddling to make sure all was proper. “I need you to stay close, on the chance too many need to say something at once. Try to keep them organized,” he said quietly.
“Certainly. Whatever you need. Just watch out for that Arkan guy.”