Dance With Darkness And Light 5 Sightseeing In The City I

Did he lose face to a child prince of a middling kingdom? Yes!

Yet, with this kind of encounter, he was sure he had not the foresight nor status to make an executive decision on behalf of the Circle. Thus, he would rather ask for help with the higher-ups, possibly, as the prince wished - an original.

So, Darwinius and his entourage made their way out of the throne hall.

"Master, are we really going to leave just like that? What about our mission?" One of his apprentices asked.

"Shut up! Do not speak to anyone about what happened here today, not even a letter, do not even make a sound!" He answered in a heavy and threatening tone as his eyes were locked into the distance, and so it seemed, was his mind.

They were making way to the Circle HQ in Ra'Lun to use a portal to the Circle's central hub on the Ytolonian Realm. Still, traveling back to Atlantis would take at least two months. Then came the procedure of finding an original that would bear a second of his time to look at a cryptic message from a twelve-year-old prince of a middling kingdom. All that would take, with luck, up to six months Darwinius thought.

Bazuul himself also estimated, depending on the rank and knowledge of the original, that it would take four to six months.

King Varanur had a complicated look on his face as he observed his son. Now, as a king, he had many sons, and sure, before Bazuul's death, the other three princes ranked higher in importance for the kingdom. Then came the royal tasks of leading a kingdom, considering it all, the king felt he had failed to see this son's latent talent before.

The way he controlled a situation in which he himself, the king, was at lower position whilst sitting on his own throne. Though still a little too rampant but clearly close to the demeanor of himself. For a twelve-year-old prince to be of a mind that could rival that of a king, unthinkable. Although King Varanur still looked like a middle-aged man, he was actually entering the latter half of his second century.

"Son, I must say, I'm impressed. I can see now, the heaven's had their reason to give me back my child." The king said in a half serious half comical fashion.

Bazuul looked this father of his in the eyes but remained silent.

King Varanur sighed and said: "Fortune and disaster truly go hand in hand."

Bazuul chuckled as he heard this familiar saying.

"Talking about fortune and disaster, father, I will go sightseeing the eastern city. Are there any special locations I should visit?"

The eastern city was the oldest part of the empire. For the ancient Ra'lunian people this city was the first step towards becoming an empire.

Historically it was a treasure and should have been kept like one. But, the reality was that as the empire progressed, the eastern city lost its strategic importance.

Nowadays the eastern city mostly bore harbor to the poor and criminals.

Varanur really didn't have much to pinpoint to beside the basic historical locations and one shop belonging to the royal court. Since he himself - apart from his initiation ceremony - never been to, and never bothered with the eastern city.

"Either way son, I'll let the servants prepare an escort for your trip then." he finally added.

"There will be no need for that father." Bazuul seemed adamant about going alone but in the end, his father insisted on at least two guards accompanying him.

To his surprise, as he reached the gates, he saw the horses were being prepared for his trip.

Inwardly, there were slight ripples of shock not noticeable to anyone else. He never rode a true horse, sure, he went on a rodeo-machine a couple of times but this was something completely different.

He was supposed to be a prince, naturally, the had to be able to ride a horse to some extent. Even though he was only twelve years old.

Bazuul somehow managed to get on the horse without looking like this was his first time. Still, he was the lead, so it was also him which would determine the pace of the group.

Slowly, after getting comfortable with the current pace he accelerated. These actions puzzled Bram.

The two guards - Kadi and Hanzu - were looking at each other with faces full of questions but only shrugged and went on. Bazuul was still considered a good-for-nothing silkpants. Although he was a prince, he was apparently not proficient with the sword, neither did he harbor any intention to become a scholar and so on. His body also always seemed to be weak and sickly, since a young age he'd always been a thin fellow. Plus his facial features were rather delicate for a man.

Yet the scandals, he invoked with his party's became increasingly harder to cover up.

Bazuul of course, not even just knew about these scandals, he even remembered them, since it was his former selves memories. He had to say, for a twelve-year-old to be so frivolous - to tell the truth, he was a sc.u.mbag. His death was most likely fully deserved, and h.e.l.l, Bazuul benefitted from it too, he started to like the air of this world. As if he were unshackled.

As they finally strolled into the city after three hours, Bazuul got a grip of riding a horse but still found it a relief to free his b.u.t.tocks of this torture.

They left the horses at the stall and entered through the gate. The age of the eastern city was evident with one glance, the stone paving on the road was at best uneven and on a mult.i.tude of spots non-existent.

The buildings were obviously built in an older, more simpler way, also reflecting their ancestor's lifestyle.

One could see that the people on the streets and even the merchants were living a hard-working life, that also was adorned with many hurdles. Not long after entering the city Bazuul felt that some with ill intentions already locked their eyes on him.

He smiled and his childish face beamed as he suddenly yelled.

"3..2..1..COME OUT, COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE!"

His two guards were startled for a moment as they didn't know what the young prince was on about and even felt their faces redden from shame.

Those with ill-intentions all apart from one group - which actually - came out to 'greet' the young prince left. The two guards were daunted at this sight.

This group consisted of three men, the man in the middle bowed courteously and greeted.

"It is an honor to personally meet you prince Bazuul.

This humble subject is named Aran, may we change location as to avoid the eyes and ears of the city?"

As he lifted his head again and made contact with Bazuul's gaze it felt to him as if the temperature had dropped and immediately avoided his gaze on instinct.

Centering himself again he awaited an answer.

Bazuul on the other hand simply nodded and gave a sign to show the way.

Aran led the group to a tavern with a dark interior and static atmosphere, the clients also all seemed shady, which seemed to amuse Bazuul a bit. Seated on the second floor Aran started saying.

"Fourth prince, let me be blunt. The reason I've brought you here is that of your debts towards Chief Thousand Flowers."