The day was dawning, and Lucios had just woken up with a slight jolt from the boat he had been traveling on since yesterday. After the conversation he had with his father during breakfast, Lucios barely had time to say goodbye to his mother and grandmother before being sent on his journey northward to Baron Oliver's territory.

Lucios boarded a small delivery boat from the household, which was used to quickly send messages and deliver light and valuable cargo along the arms of the Xingu River. Using carriages, the journey north would take about 20 days, so the fastest route was to go by sea, but it would still be a long 8-day journey.

First, he would take this boat downstream until it reached the sea, where he would make a stop in Guarania, the main city in his maternal grandfather's territory, Baron Lester. From there, he would board a ship already prepared by his grandfather, where he would travel northward by sea, then disembark in Sucundu, the northernmost port city of the kingdom, where he would continue the journey by carriage to his final destination, Baron Oliver's territory.

The boat he was on was small, with only 15 crew members, including Lucios. It sailed down the river, heading southeast. The river was calm and peaceful, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds. The sun shone brightly, but a gentle breeze tempered the heat. It was a beautiful day, perfect for a journey, but Lucios hadn't left the cabin since the journey began the afternoon before. He preferred to be alone, away from the gaze and comments of the sailors.

The sailors were happy and content. They chatted cheerfully on the deck, praising the good weather and their luck.

"What a wonderful day, isn't it?" said the first sailor, a young and cheerful man. He smiled, showing his slightly yellowed teeth. "Indeed," agreed the second sailor, an older and more experienced man. "I wouldn't trade this life for anything," said the third sailor, also a young man.

The three sailors laughed and conversed happily. "I can't say the same," said a fourth sailor, an old and thin man. "What's wrong? Why are you so disheartened?" asked the first sailor, trying to cheer him up. "It was on a sunny day like this, nine years ago, that I had to make a trip on a boat that had to send supplies to Fort Caribuma, on the southern border." said the fourth sailor in a deep voice.

"So what? What's the matter with that?" asked the second sailor, not understanding. "The matter is that we were attacked by a small enemy army detachment, in an attempt to sabotage the fort's supply line with a suicide attack. They caught us off guard and started firing arrows at our boat. I took an arrow in the belly and was peeing blood for days. I nearly died." said the fourth sailor.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Well, I'm sorry, but why are you talking about this? Why are you spoiling the good mood?" asked the third sailor, a bit annoyed. "And why are you even thinking about these things? There's no need to worry about it. There hasn't been any war in the kingdom since the peace treaty seven years ago," said the first sailor, still optimistic. "That's what you think. I've heard rumors, my friends. Rumors that the king is bedridden, and the third prince, with the support of the duke of the south, is challenging the first prince's heir title. They say there's a conspiracy underway, and a civil war could break out at any moment." said the fourth sailor, in a somber tone.

"What? Is that true? Where did you hear that?" asked the second sailor, worried. "I heard it from a friend of mine from the capital, who heard it from a very wealthy merchant, who has eyes in the king's court," said the fourth sailor, convincingly. "That's absurd. That's just a rumor, baseless. You can't believe everything you hear out there," said the third sailor, disdainfully. "Yeah, that's just a story, nonsense. You can't let yourself be swayed by it," said the first sailor, hopefully.

The three sailors tried to calm the fourth, but he wasn't convinced. He continued to talk about the dangers the kingdom faced, and how they should prepare for the worst. He spoke so insistently that the other sailors began to feel nervous and scared. They looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

A strong voice silenced them. "Silence, you chatterboxes! Enough of idle talk. Get back to work, and stay alert. We're approaching the port, and we can't be late," said the ship's captain. "And you," he pointed to the fourth sailor, who fell silent and stared at him. "Stop talking nonsense, and focus on your duty. You're getting on my nerves." The captain was a tall, strong man, with a scary reputation that commanded respect.

Meanwhile, Lucios remained inside his cabin, legs crossed and eyes closed, meditating, oblivious to the sailors' conversation. In his thoughts, he tried to recall the only time he saw his grandfather, Baron Lester. It was on his fifth birthday. Try as he might, Lucios could barely remember that day. He wondered how his grandfather would treat him when he arrived in Guarania.

He didn't have to wait much longer. As time passed, the boat began to become more unstable, as the river waters mixed with the seawater. It was then that the boat's captain entered his cabin to inform him that the port was already visible on the horizon. When Lucios emerged, he saw an impressive sight, one he had only seen once in his life: the sea. And right on the coast, to the right, was the sturdy port of Guarania, one of the most important and bustling ports in the southeast of the kingdom.

Even before getting off the boat, Lucios saw a large entourage of guards and servants waiting at the port, and leading them was a tall, well-dressed man, wearing clothes in the green and blue colors typical of House Guato. He was Charlie Guato, his uncle and his mother's brother. It was easy for Lucios to recognize him because his uncle Charlie traveled to Kaapurina at least once a year to visit his mother, Isabella.

Seeing Lucios disembark from the boat, Charlie spoke: "Lucios, look at you, already a young adult. The last time I saw you was two years ago, and you've grown so much. I could hardly recognize you when I saw you coming off the boat, you've changed so much. Come, let's go to the castle so we can talk in a more pleasant environment."