It was nearly noon when Acarad and Wanda came to the capital of Shay, the humm of magic surrounding the two of them. Acarad offered Wanda his arm, looking up to the castle.
“Just because this doesn’t feel quite right, does not mean that we should go in separately,” Acarad said softly. “Stay close until your calling pulls you away.”
“I will,” Wanda replied. She thickened her outer shell from head to toe before she took his arm. “Something tells me we are going to be side by side for a while yet.”
The two of them walked side by side through the streets, ducking in and out of the crowd as people made a path for them. Most whispered, knowing what their robes meant. Some women hid their children behind them, keeping them from chasing after Wanda. Wanda’s flame danced beneath her shell, and her eyes searched the faces of the humans surrounding her. Only a handful looked to be scared. Most looked as though they were trying to hide grief. Acarad scanned the crowd too, but for something in particular. The capital of Shay always had carriages carrying nobles by noon. There was only foot traffic today, and it set him on high alert. It likely would set anyone off, seeing such a big part of the capital seemingly having gone missing.
“Wait a moment friend,” Wanda said. She stopped and knelt down in front of a child with the mud of dirt and tears caking their face. “Here child, let me warm you. I promise I won’t burn you.”
The child hesitated for a moment, biting their lip, before stepping into Wanda’s arms. The child’s dirty hands were hidden in Wanda’s robes for a few moments as she stroked their head.
“You are lost aren’t you little one,” Wanda asked. The child nodded and Wanda gently wiped the tears from their face. “I will help you little one.” Wanda picked the child up in her arms and stood, resting the child against her side. “Can you tell me your name?”
“The child is dumb Drifter,” a man in the crowd piped up. “Won’t talk to anyone.”
“Well if I didn’t know anyone at all I wouldn’t want to talk either,” Wanda said. “Where did they come from?”
“From the shadows it seems like,” an old woman said. “A street urchin Drifter, nothing for you to mind.”
“I will decide that,” Wanda said.
“Where are the nobles,” Acarad asked. “There should be carriages carrying them all over town by now.”
“The nobles have been ordered by the king to stay in their homes,” a young man answered. “The king and his family have also been staying in their home. No one has seen them in a week.”
“Something must have happened,” Acrad said.
“You go ahead friend,” Wanda said. She rubbed the child’s back. “I will see to this little one’s well being before I meet up with you again.”
“Stay safe,” Acarad said. He bowed to her before turning back to the street. “Does anyone know where I could go to buy a horse?”
“The blacksmith lives just a little way down this street, Drifter,” the first man said. “He lets people use his stock for a day when they need one.”
“Thank you,” Acarad nodded to the men and women on the street.
After a few minutes of walking, several more minutes of bartering with the blacksmith, and nearly an hour of being picky about a horse, Acarad swung himself into the saddle of a slim thoroughbred and set off for the palace. He rode at a brisk trot through the near-empty streets. The people walking on the sides of the paved roads watched him pass with a mix of relief, dread, and grief. The sun had moved just a bit further westward when Acarad came up to the palace gates and met the guards.
“Travelers are not permitted to come in,” a young man in guard’s uniform said. “All must be turned back.”
“I am not just any traveler,” Acarad said. “I am the new Earth Drifter, come on a Calling. I must see the king and queen.”
“I cannot allow that sir,” the young guard put a hand on the hilt of his sword. “My orders are not to allow anyone in.”
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“What is going on here,” an older man in guard’s uniform asked. The stocky man turned around the corner of the Guard Post.
“This man seeks entry to the castle Captain Alair,” the young guard answered.
“I heard that,” the older man, Captain Alair, said. “But this man is the Earth Drifter lad. He is the exception to most rules when on a Calling.” Captain Alair bowed deeply to Acarad, fist to heart. “I am deeply sorry, Drifter. The lad is still young and not yet learned in the ways of the comings and goings of Drifters.”
“No apologies necessary,” Acarad smiled as he dismounted. “I have only held my position for a few days now.”
“Then your predecessor is with the ancestors,” Captain Alair drew a circle in the air, and cut it with his other hand. “May they rest in peace for all of time.”
“May she be at peace,” Acarad tapped his forehead with his thumb and middle finger.
“I will take your horse Drifter,” Captain Alair took the horse’s reins.
“Thank you Captain Alair,” Acarad dusted his robes off. “Are there any pages running around by chance?”
“We can send a message wherever you wish, Drifter,” the young guard said. “Our doves will take any message you need to send.”
“Send a message to the royal family in Glade,” Acarad said. “Tell them that their prince Acarad is well. He will be home as soon as he can.”
“I didn’t know that the prince was missing,” Captain Alair said.
“Glade prefers to keep things quiet,” Acarad said. “Thank you for your time.”
Acarad left the guards in the yard and walked up the steps to the doors. He opened the enormous doors and entered a silent, dark, and empty receiving room. Acarad, almost without thinking, summoned a small, flickering flame to light his way. The windows and mirrors were all covered with fine black silk. The Calling drew Acarad stronger here than anywhere else. He let the pull lead him through empty but clean halls, past hundreds of rooms, and into a tower in the southern wing. He made his way up the stairs in the tower up to the only door, one akin to the sort one finds in an attic. Acarad reached up and grabbed the handle, pulling it down and revealing a ladder.
“Coming up,” Acarad called. He climbed the ladder slowly, raising the light up with him.
“Let me be,” a man’s voice growled from the darkness.
“I would if I could,” Acarad said. He lifted his light above his head as he stood, illuminating the room. “My Calling is to you for now.”
“Then do as I say,” the man said. “Leave me alone.”
“You are King Trenton, are you not,” Acarad asked.
“Who else would I be,” the man scoffed.
“”Well then, if you will be of no help,” Acarad said. “I will go find Queen Carrie.”
“She is dead,” Trenton moaned. He sat up in his bed, rubbing his face.
“What happened,” Acarad asked. He came to the king’s bedside, kealing down to be level with the king. “How did she die?”
“Someone poisoned her,” Trenton pushed his hair away from his face. “She fell down dead in my arms.”
“I am sorry Trenton,” Acarad offered his hand. “She was an amazing woman.”
“How would you know,” Trenton scoffed.
“I am from Glade, and saw her on her visits to the capital every year,” Acarad answered. “She never rode in a carriage. She was always on her horse or walking on her own feet. She would stop and talk with anyone who asked her to. A ruler with a kind heart is worth much much more than one can say. I cannot even imagine what it is like for you and Terrance to lose her.”
Trenton broke down in tears, shaking with each sob. Acarad put a comforting arm around the older man and offered him all he could.
~
Wanda entered the palace with her charge under her arm, following the pull of Drifter’s calling through the halls. From the heart of the castle, and out into the gardens, Wanda heard the sound of quiet crying. Wanda parted the rose bushes and found a young man, about fifteen, curled up on his side beside a small yellow rose bush.
“Oh youngling,” Wanda shook her head and knelt down beside him. “What hurts you so hard you need to hide to cry?”
The boy didn’t answer Wanda for a long time, trying to get his hiccups and sobbs under control. Wanda just rubbed the boy’s back and offered the warmth that she could. After some time, he sat up and tried to rub the tear tracks off of his face.
“Here youngling,” Wanda said. She brushed her hand over his tear tracks, wiping the dirt and tears away. “Tears like this are the worst, aren’t they?”
“Who are you,” the boy asked.
“I am the Fire Drifter,” Wanda answered. “My name is Wanda.”
“Prince Terrence,” the boy offered his hand in greeting.
“What happened Terrance,” Wanda asked.
“My mother was killed,” Terrance answered. “She drank from my cup and..”
“Oh darling,” Wanda said, wrapping her free arm around him. “It isn’t your fault.”
“But it is,” Terrance said. “If I had just….I shouldn’t have given it to her. She would still be here.”
“Darling, you couldn’t have known of this poison,” Wanda said. “You never could have known of the poison Terrance. Whoever poisoned your cup is the one who killed her. They intended to kill you and your mother was caught in their crossfire.”
Terrance took a few moments to collect himself once again. Wanda fussed with his wrinkled, dirty, fine jacket and shirt for a moment before helping him stand.
“Let us find you something clean to wear and warm to eat,” Wanda said. Terrance nodded and led the way to the kitchens.
Wanda, Terrance, and the child entered the kitchen, and found King Trenton and Acarad in the kitchen. A plate of warm pastries sat between the two royals. Terrance walked up to his father and put a hand on his arm, uncertain what to do. Trenton pulled his son into an embrace, smoothing the boy’s dark hair down. Wanda and Acarad stepped away, each taking a pastry in hand.
It was nearly an hour before the king and prince were ready to be seen. Wanda and her other young charge followed Terrance to his chambers to ready him for a new beginning. King Trenton met up with Acarad in the throne room and summoned the castle’s servants. The five of them stood in front of the servants, holding themselves tall.
“I apologize for my behavior in the last several days,” Trenton said. “I simply… Did not know what to do. But, now I do.”
The servants all clapped and cheered. Wanda’s charge clung to her robes shyly.
“Today we will send messenger birds to our allies near and far,” Terrance said. “To tell them that my mother’s life was stolen, and we seek anyone willing to come forward with knowledge as to who killed her and why.”
“And in the morning, we will open the kingdom once again, hold a funeral for the queen,” Trenton paused to swallow a lump in his throat. “And begin again.”
It was a long, sad road for the people of Shay, but with the help from Acarad and Wanda, they came to their feet after a week.