Whether one lives in the tallest turrets of Verectias Palace or a humble miner's abode in the shadowy Vulstis kingdom, all can recall the tale of The Fabled Five word-for-word. Whilst someone living in the lush, warm confines of Fort Belltoria may be lulled to sleep by a lady in silk robes holding the tale in a leather-bound book form, another living in the distant fields of Nalentus would be guided into the land of sleep just the same through word-of-mouth and the warmth of a single candle. The Fabled Five is the story of Patrinis's beginning, expertly spun into a mellow children's bedtime story.

Mothers and nursery maids puff out their chests in pride- almost as if it is a tradition to do so- as they begin the story of how five men, so very different in class, stature and expertise, bravely traversed the Promise Sea together in hopes of starting anew. A jeweller, a farmer, a preacher, a knight, and a clerk- a most unlikely crew, and yet they founded the now flourishing land of Patrinis. Preacher Nocriam, the holiest of the men, knew no amount of travelling would allow them to escape the eyes of the Gods. And so, upon asking for hope and goodwill from the Sun God, with his necklace clutched tightly between his hands, this virgin land would now be baptised forevermore as the Country of Patrinis. With the four other men watching on, they agreed to set up camp at what is now known as the Hall of Witnesses in the Kingdom of Nocriam.

After camp was set up, Mr Nalentus began rifling through his satchel for his golden trowel, securing the tool in his hand as his eyes danced across the landscape for any sign of vegetation. Catching a glimpse of green far off in the southeast, Mr Nalentus set off. The Kingdom of Nalentus was born.

Sir Belltoria's gaze remained trained on the Promise Sea, hand tightly bound to the sheath at his hip that housed his trusty ruby sword. He would be prepared if anything dared to rear its head over the horizon or the natural borders he had also duly noted. Therein, the vast Kingdom of Belltoria and its ports were formed.

Meanwhile, Lord Vulstis vaguely fiddled with the emerald ring on his finger, showing immense interest in the geology surrounding him. A knowing smirk flashed across his face as his hand scrutinised a specific area of sedimentary rock. Here, the Kingdom of Vulstis would be built.

Mr Verectias remained at base camp with Preacher Nocriam, listening vaguely to the holy man as his prayers to the Sun God morphed into ones for the Moon God as darkness consumed the land. Verectias had been insouciantly observing the others as they wandered into the unknown, noting everything down as it occurred so we could tell this tale today. He would take frequent glances at his pocket watch to acknowledge what happened when. He had also considered how the look of the secluded and peaceful northern mountain range brought him comfort.

As Patrinis began to thrive, more people migrated there to form the vast populations of its five kingdoms that we know today. From mountain to forest, sea to sky, past to present to future, the lands of Patrinis will prevail.

Reading the Patrinis mantra at the end of a children's story finally makes Aine slam the book shut, scoffing at the irony. The last time she had been told this watered-down version of The Fabled Five was when she was a young child- her mother had been plaiting her hair into a suitable updo for a Lady of the Vulstis Court. Now, here she stands, sneering at a book encapsulating her childhood ignorance, in the neighbouring Kingdom of Nocriam.

The truth is that the five founders were cowards. They sailed across the Promise Sea to escape their previous lives. Their statuses did not matter to one another because fear had stripped them bare and scrutinised them under its most robust magnifying glass. Fear does not care about class, status or expertise- humans are humans. To avoid fear's clutches completely devouring their every breath, thought, and whim, they fled to Patrinis, hoping this barren land would shield them from fear's relentless talons. But Mr Verectias, the conniving little man, decided to write a version of events where the founders are perceived as heroes. This version of The Fabled Five is told to children who are the future of Patrinis. Mr Verectias was always thinking of the future. And King Park Jimin is the same, which makes him just as unbearable.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Yet the meticulous idiot never actually told us what caused this fear. Selfish cowards." Aine mumbles under her breath, taking her frustrations with the founders out on the book by shoving it back on the shelf with such force that the leather cover tears a little.

"Didn't know King Min could turn into a book." a gruff voice quips, causing Aine to whirl around.

"You're not funny." Aine deadpans, crossing her arms.

King Caylus lets out a hearty chuckle, his fur cloak swaying, and his greying shoulder-length hair bouncing in time with his strides as he approaches his daughter. His enormous stature takes up the entirety of the space between bookshelves; it is a surprise he does not become stuck.

"I am. Your mother said so," he announces, placing a large hand on Aine's shoulder as if trying to confirm that his wife did, in fact, exist once, "what are you doing in the library, anyway? I didn't take you for a reader."

Aine rolls her eyes at her father's one-track mind. "I was trying to see if there is anything about the Kingdom of Vulstis here that could be useful. It's not just all fighting, father. Then I stumbled across the children's version of The Fabled Five, which annoyed me even more."

"My daughter, don't you think I would have told my people to search the pages of this library countless times for answers already? If there is one thing I did not teach you well enough, it is patience." King Caylus reprimands, playfully hitting Aine on the back, causing her to stumble forward. She meets his grey eyes with a look of disapproval, to which he snorts, motioning for her to follow.

Walking through the familiar halls, guards and preachers bow to Aine and her father. Aine can't help the unsettling feeling when wading through the west corridor towards the Hall of Witnesses, even though the strongest man she knows is right beside her. Portraits of the Jungs- previous rulers of the Nocriam Kingdom- line the walls, their painted eyes following and dissecting Aine's every movement as she passes. Although the late King Jung appointed King Caylus as ruler and protector of this realm, Aine has a feeling that the rest of the Jung ancestors may feel betrayed. Not wanting to be intimidated by oil on canvas any longer, Aine scurries into the Hall of Witnesses after her father.

The Hall of Witnesses has to be the finest work of the founder, Mr Nalentus. With windows from floor to ceiling, the hall is bright. The lighting reflecting off the white marble surfaces from which the structure is made provides the illusion that everyone is elevated high in the sky, within earshot of the Sun and Moon Gods. Five pillars are curved in a semi-circle shape, each with an elaborately carved animal representative of each kingdom's sigil. Beneath each sigil are five identical wooden imitation thrones. In the centre of the semi-circle is a singular chair atop an intricate floor painting of the Sun and Moon Gods. This is where the speaker sits to engage their pressing issue before sitting back on their wooden throne. The rest of the hall is built like an auditorium where relevant lords, ladies, knights, advisors, preachers and civilians can sit, listen and witness the proceedings of the Parish of Patrinis.

Aine has been tempted many times to vandalise the fox carving and the throne beneath it, but considering the Hall of Witnesses is a place of neutrality, she has had to show her utmost self-restraint despite the image of King Min Yoongi sitting upon a broken throne at the next Parish of Patrinis being hilarious.

"We have the Parish of Patrinis in here tomorrow. Be on your best behaviour." King Caylus reminds, half-joking, half-warning his hot-tempered daughter. He has his back to Aine, admiring the wooden throne below the marble owl, which is currently being cleaned and polished to the nth degree by servants. The other thrones are getting but a quarter of the attention. Aine quirks a brow at the observation.

"Sit still, look pretty, don't say anything offensive. Who called it?" Aine questions, hands on hips. She does not much care to interact with the insufferable rulers of the other kingdoms, so had not bothered to ask her father before this point about who had called the Parish to meeting.

King Caylus turns to peer at Aine over his shoulder, looking her dead in the eyes. "King Min Yoongi." he reveals gravely.

Aine's eye twitches and her jaw clenches. Suddenly, she feels the need to go out for some archery practice.

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