Seeing an army in person made the urgency of the war real for Kari. The amount of people alone was overwhelming, but knowing they were out for blood was unimaginable. She tried to shake the vision but that image of thousands of people marching to take her home was seared in her mind.

The road to Redponn was long and very notable. As they traveled further, they could see a distinct change in scenery from dry pale foliage to green, vibrant grass, in fact, it was almost an instantaneous change at the border. Redponn was known for always being beautiful, even during harsh weather and war. Flowers and lush bushes stretched out as far as they could see. Kari was pulled in by a particular patch of bushes with huge pink puffy flower heads. They were heavy but looked light like clouds. She leaned off the side of the horse and grabbed one. The smell was overwhelmingly succulent. She placed it in her hair.

"Kari,"

Jeplin said quietly, getting her to look up. They had reached the top of a giant hill where they could see all of the castle. they stopped as she looked in awe at the surrounding land below. There were hundreds and hundreds of tents and houses in the valley before the gates. . There were people and refugees everywhere protected by the enormous surrounding wall. The castle was very uniquely shaped, it had rounded edges and non-symmetrical turrets

They began to descend the hill. They did not draw a lot of attention at first, but as they reached the gates, the guards blew an enormous horn. The noise surprised Kari, Its harsh but melodic song flooded the valley and echoed across the city. That drew an audience. The city gates opened and children ran toward them. Kari was embarrassed by the amount of attention they were receiving. She tried to keep her head down through the chatter and excitement but she couldn’t help but look at those lining the streets for them.

They eventually made it out of the city and approached a collection of lush gardens. The final stretch before the castle gates. There Kari could better see the enormous castle. It was made of beautiful marble that glistened in the sun. Mesmerized, she barely noticed when they stopped. Charles led them to the hidden stable. They pulled open the huge doors. The stable was enormous and was constructed out of birch and lighter woods. There were dozens of horses inside. Despite the large number, the stalls were very well kept.

The wood used to house each horse was dark brown and hooks and locks were brass.

They left their horses and Charles and Robert led everyone into the castle through a side door from the stable. The hallway was dark. The reason was most likely because there weren’t any windows and everything was made out of dark stone. Kari wanted to linger and look at every detail and every room they passed but Jeplin was behind her and she couldn’t stop. They entered another hallway.

The corridor was made of cobblestone and splashes of marble. There were torches and various metal trinkets hanging on the walls. Kari let her hands touch the wall by dragging them along the empty parts, and enjoyed the cool surface.

Charles stopped them at a strong oak door with iron braces, which led into another, but larger, hallway. It was easy to tell that they had reached a more inhabited part of the castle, the floors had lush carpets, and the walls were covered in paintings and old weapons.

Charles was holding keys that belonged to the corresponding rooms in the hall. He opened the first door and gestured for Kari to enter. She walked through the threshold and before leaving,

Charles spoke briefly

"There are fresh clothes in there, you will need to change. You have an hour before we all meet back here.“

He pointed to the hallway in front of her door.

Charles shut the door behind him. Kari was free to really admire the room’s grandeur. The stone walls were covered in intricate tapestries, and the bed had every type of fabric draping it. She turned to the closet and saw dozens of gowns and elaborate dressings. She ran her hands across them. She was very excited that she would have the chance to wear one. She then realized that she was going to be representing a whole kingdom but didn’t have any experience with the protocol or anything relating to the ways of her kingdom let alone theirs.

There was a knock on the door and a lady only a bit older than her came in.

"I was told to help you dress miss."

She said with her head lowered.

"Hello, I am Kari."

She said, holding out her hand. The lady was taken aback by the friendliness.

"What is your name?"

She asked

"Harota."

She said meekly.

She handed her a tray of food. Kari ate while she looked at the closet.

"I am not sure what I am supposed to wear."

She said hopelessly confused.

The lady answered

"One of these dresses."

She gestured to the enormous closet.

"Which one should I wear, I don't want to take someone else's."

The lady laughed. Kari looked at her.

"I'm so sorry miss, it's just you act like you don't know who you are."

"What do you mean?"

Kari responded.

"All of these dresses are for you."

"All of them?"

She said,

completely shocked. She looked through them, still hesitant. With Harota's help, she pulled out a beautiful green one. It had a thinner skirt and was more modern than the puffier dresses, those were more common.

Harota walked to her to help her undress but Kari insisted she could on her own. She pulled off her outer clothes. Harota gasped. Kari looked at her very confused.

“What happened?”

Kari looked down and realized her underdress had a huge bloodstain.

She laughed.

“Oh I’m fine, that’s been there for a while. I was on a training excursion and all but three of us were killed, so to protect the other two people with me I had to cover some areas in blood to trick the person that was trying to slaughter everyone. Only this bit on the sides here is mine, the rest is from the cave floor."

As she spoke the words she realized how terrifying it was. It never bothered her because she was able to escape successfully and help those left, she really hadn’t thought back to that time. She was too preoccupied. She really thought about it. That blood on the cave floor she was wearing, was the blood of her classmates. She started to panic and she ripped it off.

“You are very brave."

She said.

Kari thanked her.

Harota fetched a collection of undergarments from a chest by the door and laid them all out on the bed for her. Kari had similar choices at her former home. She loved wearing white or tan, to her it was a simple blank slate that complemented all things. She pulled on a silk white underdress and silk stockings.

Kari held the emerald dress in her hands in front of her. Harota could tell she was unsure and uncomfortable.

"Here, let me help."

She said.

Kari stepped into it and Harota pulled her arms through and began the tedious process of buttoning the back. Standing there, Kari noticed a bin below the dresses. It was spilling over with jewels and fur-covered shoes. Harota grabbed a pair that were covered in emeralds and held them up for approval. Kari smiled. The flat silk and gem-covered shoes were comfortable despite their oddly balanced constitution.

She turned to the window and saw her reflection. She did not know what to feel. She stood there almost in stunned silence, a large velvet cape was draped onto her shoulders. Harota began to clean the room.

"I must leave."

She said.

Kari looked at her with an expression of pleading.

"If you need anything just call for me.”

She said. Kari walked over and hugged her. She blushed and bowed as she left the room.

Kari stood alone, in an unfamiliar castle dressed as someone she did not recognize. She felt lonelier than most days and the world seemed colder and darker. An age of war and fighting loomed over her head. She calmed herself by placing her sword around her waist.

The wind outside howled and it startled her out of her thoughts. She decided to wait for Robert in the hallway. She appreciated that they were not staying somewhere hidden and dark, the lack of light had begun to take a toll on her eyes. She waited in the hall, she was very tempted to wander around. Before she could even decide Robert joined her. He was completely outfitted in his royal armor. His chest plate was made out of several beautiful metals and a crest decorated his cape. All of his effects were lush and elaborate. He smiled at her and pointed at the sword.

"It makes me feel safer."

She admitted

. He laughed.

They waited for Charles, then Robert escorted her to the throne room.

The doors to the throne room towered above them. They stopped only a few inches short of the ceiling. The edges and frames of each door were made of gold and in each panel was an intricate carving.

Robert reached his arm out without hesitation and knocked. The doors slowly opened, simultaneously fanning inward. They were being held by two guards wearing all silver. As the doors reached the position perpendicular to the walls, the light engulfed them. Kari felt the comforting hands of the sun on her cheeks and she felt safe again.

They took each step slowly. Kari canvassed every inch with her eyes. The room was very long and their pathway was lined with large columns. The walls were covered with enormous arched windows that flanked both sides.

The floor was white marble and covered just between the columns by a lush burgundy rug. She was overwhelmed by the greatness and beauty of everything. At the end of the rug sat the throne with five gold chairs on either side creating an arc. An old man was sitting regally in the center throne. Completely ignoring the others near him, she looked at his face. It was dark brown, very chiseled and old, but his eyes were very young. He was vibrant and she could tell he was trustworthy. The three of them approached the throne, Charles and Robert first then Kari. Kari stood in front of the King. Her eyes were open wider than before, almost as if she was trying to get the most out of her time there by seeing everything. The king looked into them. They were perfect and pure blue. Her skin, was smooth and white, like snow.

He stood. She bowed, not really knowing what else to do. He lowered his head in acceptance and then returned to his throne. He gestured for her to sit to his left. The vision of the hall in the opposite direction was powerful. The king began to talk to the person to his right very quietly.

She looked past the king to see who was sitting there. She lost her breath when she realized it was Jeplin. He was wearing the formal armor of Edeagar. His face was clean, which made his scars very visible. His shoulders were holding a green cloak that fell elegantly across the chair. Though the most shocking affectation was the crown. She watched him as he responded to the king. He looked regal and confident, like someone who could lead the world. Their eyes locked and she could immediately tell he was uncomfortable wearing it.

She was drawn back into reality by the voices of others entering the room. There were three men, one had white hair that was ragged and the other two had red hair and extremely dark skin.

The king stood again as he was approached by three men. He began to speak about the war and why he gathered them.

It was an epic scene, even the guards were in awe seeing some of the most powerful people alive together.

"As the King of Redponn, Richon Tranerac Rotheran. I am hoping we can join together like we did years ago and destroy the armies that are casting their shadows on all of us."

All eyes were on him.

"I would like to officially request that we all join forces to protect our people, in what we call the Tyrearith alliance. This continent is very corrupt and I would like to finally end that. I am very old and can no longer dedicate myself to war as I used to, even though as most know, I am not a fan of war no matter the age."

Kari looked around at everyone. She did not know half of the leaders and felt unsure of trusting them.

"How can we be sure of whom to trust?"

Kari asked quietly.

Richon looked at her.

"You make a good point, not all of us are acquainted. Though it’s hard to trust anyone no matter how long you have known them. That is why, while you are here I want all of you to become acquainted."

Kari lowered her head thinking.

"We do not have any insurance that we can trust anyone, but we must hope that at the very least they are invested in the security of their citizens."

A moment passed and Kari spoke.

"I will gladly join."

The man with the white hair, Setherit, began to taunt her a bit.

"That quickly without knowing what the plans or rewards are?"

He scoffed.

She turned to him and responded tersely.

"What else is there to learn? My family was torn apart and my kingdom was ruined. I'm ready to destroy anyone who stands in the way of freedom."

"Your kingdom."

he responded sarcastically, Who do you think you are?"

Robert stood up angrily, "She is the ruler of Asiroth!"

The man looked startled not just by his aggressive voice but by the actual words.

"You? You are the ruler of Asiroth?"

She looked at Robert as if looking for an answer. She turned to him.

"Yes." She said.

He smirked.

"Well, you haven't been doing a very good job. Your city is in ruin."

This time Jeplin stood up.

" Silence."

His voice boomed through the hall.

"I am tired of this foolishness."

He said looking at the man.

"It is too late to be foolish. So either we work together or we die."

Robert agreed with Kari and pledged his armies. They all eventually agreed after they presented various scenarios and rewards but the only term King Richon thought that was necessary before he gave up thousands of troops to them was that Kari and Jeplin needed to have an official and public coronation.

After hearing what the others had to do or give up, she was grateful for only having to sit through a coronation. Jeplin tried to fight the request. He argued that it would draw too much attention, but Richon insisted it would help morale and strike fear into the enemy. King Richon, of course, won the argument. The meeting adjourned for Kari and Jeplin so they exited into a back hallway.

Jeplin’s whole life was spent hiding himself and others and was very uncomfortable letting the world know who he was.

They stood in silence. She looked at him, unable to articulate how powerful he looked. The torches flickered in the hall causing his crown to reflect bits of light. She looked up at it. Noticing her gaze.

he sighed.

"This does provoke a lot of attention, that is why I never wear it."

Kari sympathized,

"It is a crown, of course, it draws attention, which I'm not looking forward to finding out for myself."

Jeplin put his hand on her arm and gently pulled her to his chest. She could hear his heart pounding and closed her eyes. His arms wrapped around her cutting of the chill coming in from the opening in the cobblestone wall.

"We are going to be public figureheads."

He said in a depressing way.

She looked up at him, not daring to admit the small bit of excitement she felt about becoming a real queen,

"It will work out, when we are done you will be taking off your crown and fighting again."

He looked down at her,

"That did make me feel better, thank you."

Their eyes locked. Kari reached up and adjusted his crown. She lingered there for a moment. Jeplin felt the soft skin of her lips gently press against his. A slow loving gesture. When they separated Kari looked down, her cheeks were pink. Jeplin felt the same, so to contribute to the situation, he grabbed her hand.

"Come with me."

They slipped through the secret passages and reached the main hallway. Like the hallway near her room, it was decorated with paintings and carpets. They continued to run until they reached a set of double doors. Her mouth fell open as soon as he opened them. Hidden between the walls of the castle was a luscious microcosm of a jungle. It was formed and surrounded by the natural fall of the castle walls. There were vines connecting the trees, an enormous pool of water, and hundreds of flowers. She ran forward and knelt down by the water dipping her hands into the smooth clear liquid. Jeplin knelt down next to her. "When you get your kingdom back, you can have your own room like this, I know how much you enjoy them." She looked up and smiled. After enjoying the pond, she noticed a pathway and decided to follow it. Jeplin grabbed her hand, and they slowly walked looking up at all the plants and the sky that hovered ominously over them. "I'm glad you are here." He said breaking the serene sound of the water trickling across various rocks.

They spent the rest of the week sequestered within the castle walls. Jeplin felt uneasy with the lack of action and found himself passing the time sitting in Kari's room whittling another pipe. She was amused by his antsy nature. After lunch, she sat on the bed watching him. He was slumped in a large velvet wingback chair. His chin almost resting on his chest as he aggressively took large chunks out of a piece of hardwood. Some of the curved shavings he discarded danced elegantly to the ground, ironically mimicking ash.

Kari stood to look out the window. She stood confidently. Her arms were crossed as she towered all who were on the grounds below.

She noticed a group of children riding around on horses. “I have an idea." She said grinning mischievously. He looked at her, hoping for something to kill the boredom.

"Come with me."

Once she waved him over he quickly jumped up, dropping the wood haphazardly onto the table. She grabbed his wrist and led him through some back corridors. They approached the stable.

“Wait here.”

She grabbed the horse she arrived on and led it to him.

“Get on."

She said after mounting, herself. He leaped on behind her. She took the reins and with one smooth gesture, they were racing beneath the sky once again. He laughed. He put his arms around her grabbing the reins and they dashed maneuvering very intricately through and over the shrubbery. They reached the North East garden, where the children were playing.

“Look!”

A girl yelled,

“That's the king and queen!”

One young boy yelled a bit shocked not believing his eyes.

Kari and Jeplin both waved to the group and they all yelled and waved back. They rode to the shore just off the east side of the castle barracks.

“They were really excited.”

She said.

“Yes.”

He said unenthusiastically.

“What's wrong?” She asked.

“I just realized that Richon was right. We are their only symbols of hope.”

She looked back at them.

“We are the representatives of freedom and the end of the war.”

Kari couldn't lift the sudden overwhelming pressure she felt. She took a deep breath. Jeplin continued,

“I never thought something symbolic would be such a crutch. I always thought my skill and constant dedication to fighting was what gave people hope.”

The weather was slowly getting colder as the days had passed there. Kari enjoyed it mostly but riding on a horse made it a bit worse. She shuddered as a ghostly breath of cold air slithered through her. Jeplin flipped his cape to the side, and it gracefully draped around her. He pulled her closer to keep her warm. She smiled. They wandered up a rocky ledge and sat on the top and watched the waves crash methodically against the rocks.

The sky had turned a hollow gray and matched the water's surface. They both sat together huddled under his cloak. They stayed there on the horse sharing a cloak even when it began to rain. It wasn’t a downpour, just a light drizzle of droplets every so often that speckled the horses hide.

Kari found herself bored in her bedroom again so she decided to dig through the drawers in the room. She found a few books and various trinkets but then she noticed a leather bound book that was very decrepit. She opened it, it was a journal.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Smoke billowed from the windows. I recoiled. The flames jumped up out of nowhere. They stood in a circle, like fiery soldiers protecting me, but I knew better. The room was utterly bright orange, and my eyes burned from the heat and smoke. I screamed and tried to fight my way out. No one was home, and I didn’t know what to do. I saw the window to my left and dove right through it.

I landed on the porch. The wood was hard, but I didn’t care. I could finally breathe.

Just as I stumbled onto the ground in my front yard, my father came rushing over. He lifted me and placed me further away in the grass; then, he ran into the house.

My father, Thomas, was a big man, primarily aged muscle. His chest was the most significant part of him. He was solid yet swift. While I had her back turned to the house, there was a massive gust of wind that came out of the window, like an explosion that caused all of the dust and straw to fly in all directions. I hunched over and covered my head with my arms.

When I thought it was safe to move, I looked at the house. The fire was gone.

I didn’t want to get up, but I eventually placed my hands on the grass to push myself into a kneeling position. The metal coin I held in my palm released itself from my grip. My father came over to make sure she was ok and then noticed the metal on the ground. He picked it up.

“Where did you find this?”

He asked.

I didn’t want to answer.

“No, no, it’s ok. You aren’t in trouble; I just want to know where it came from.”

“It’s not yours,” I said.

My parents had several similar-looking metal objects; they were like coins but three times the size.

“Phineas was playing with it; he brought it over. He forgot to take it home when he left. I didn’t notice it until after I ate lunch, and I picked it up to move it so I wouldn’t forget to give it back to him, and then the flames just appeared.”

Phineas was the man I was seeing romantically. He was tall and had soft brown hair. I had been seeing him for a few months, and every weekend we would meet to walk to the city together.

“Let’s go inside.” my father said. I walked into the house; I was very embarrassed. “I feel so awful; I can’t believe it….” “Don’t worry about it.” He said. “There isn’t much damage; accidents happen.” I looked up at him, and he could tell I felt horribly. He knelt down and hugged me. “Seriously, it’s fine.” He said. I started to feel better after that, but then I realized I had many questions.

He stood back up and checked the other rooms. “Doesn’t look like anything damaged in here. You just took out the kitchen.” I nodded. I was astonished that the damage was so minimal since when I was surrounded by the fire, it looked like it was everywhere.

I had just finished lunch before the incident, I could see the remnants of everything on the table still, burnt crusts. I was glad that we did not store our food in the kitchen or it all would’ve been ruined. I began to clean up the ash but he stopped me and asked me to pick some items up from town.

The town was just a mile away and over the hill from my house. I lived in a pretty rural area where large open fields sat unhindered beneath the sky. There were dozens of houses scattered about, just like mine and no real land definition between them. The grass was hinting towards its brown future as the seasons started to change. It was the end of summer and the cold air was inching its way in more and more each day. It wasn’t a very drastic change since I lived in the south where it was decently warm all year round, to a visitor it was warm weather all year round, but to those who lived there, they could tell the distinct difference between the few degrees that marked separate seasons.

I usually loved walking to the city, it was relaxing and I loved wandering in the fields, but that day the fire kept creeping into my thoughts.

The town was busy like it usually was at that time of day. It was just after lunch and there were many people looking to buy food for dinner. My family caught most of ourfood, but there were some supplies that we didn’t produce ourselves like bread and oranges. I waved politely as I passed someone I knew. I would’ve normally stopped but I wasn’t in the mood to talk frivolously.

I made my way to the vendor we frequented. That day, like most, they had a canopy up in front with their best-selling items on display. I ordered two loaves of bread and one bag of oranges. While I waited for the man to get the items I watched everyone walk through the streets. One man was buying a wooden statue and another was buying a scarf.

It wasn’t very hot there compared to other places in the south. It was somewhat temperate. They didn’t have full winters, and there wasn’t ever snow, but it wasn’t a desert either. The average temperature was around seventy degrees. I liked the consistency but often wondered what living in a colder climate was like. I know about snow but I had never seen it. I imagine it as a beautiful tragic hero of the sky, that tries to soothe the hot land but rather destroys it with its fridges breath.

I began my journey home after I placed all of the food in my pack. I was careful to place the oranges on the bottom so they wouldn’t squish the bread, a mistake I had to correct so many times that I learned.

I left an orange out and ate it on my way back. I love to dig my nails into it like an animal and let the juices drip down my fingers.

I finished the orange by the time I returned home. I put the food in the kitchen. My father said the damage was superficial, but it looked horrible. All of the flat surfaces were a shade of black. I smacked her palm down on the table to test its strength. I felt no real difference from before.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Kari was interrupted by someone knocking on her door. She really didn't want to put the book down, she was really enjoying the journey.

Several days passed and the coronation was approaching. Kari was relaxing on her bed. Her left arm was holding orange rinds and the other a fresh slice. She looked at the beautiful stained glass windows her room was framed with. They colored the sun allowing different hues to stream across the walls. She closed her eyes a bit overwhelmed by the brightness and rolled onto her back. Having left the orange’s remains on the table beside her, she nestled herself into the pillows and blankets that were strewn around her. Nothing felt better on some days than to cuddle under several blankets. With the colder weather, it was even harder to stay warm because the stone walls were not forgiving.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She was caught off guard by the intricate detail on the ceiling. She rarely lied on her back so she never noticed it before. It was structured by tiers and on each level, there was a beautiful painting. She sat up to get a better look. The closest one was something she recognized. The land surrounding the castle. It was mostly green and very attractive. Easily depicted. She admired it as she tried to fall asleep. She ended up turning back to the window. Restlessness plagued her. She was unsure whether it would be safe to venture off past her door.

Despite her desire to help Jeplin keep his promise to her father, her boredom overcame it. She walked to the wardrobe. and began to leaf through everything. She found a pair of sand-colored pants. She put them up to her to see how big they were. They were a bit bigger than her waist but close enough that she put them on. They were very straight, she assumed they would be perfect pants for riding a horse. The fabric was dense and extended a bit past her feet, She pulled them up and secured them with a belt.

She paired the pants with a clean undershirt and hooked her sword onto the belt. She knew someone would laugh at her for doing so, but she did not want to be caught in a situation without her sword. She thought back for a brief moment remembering the thick smoke and fresh blood on the cavern floor when she was up in the mountains. She shook herself out of it.

The castle was a seemingly safe place, she did not intend to put herself in a situation like the one in the mountains. Her awareness has been continuously kept at a heightened level since.

She unlocked the door, placed her hand on the handle, and pulled it open. She poked her head out and cautiously looked into the hallway. The torches were dying down, leftover from the night before. She felt safe knowing her brothers' room was next to hers. She didn’t know where anyone else was staying. She decided to approach his door.

Robert answered and invited her in. Charles and Marcel were also within the walls. They were sitting at a smaller table by the windows. She smiled and Charles smiled at her excitedly. She really loved Charles. He was the same as a brother to her. He had been in her life for longer than she could remember and she loved seeing Charles and Robert working together. Robert was typically emotionless or silent near most people, but was totally different in front of Charles. It's not something specific that she could put her finger on or anything drastic, but he always seemed, at the very least, happier.

Robert gestured for her to join them. Instead of sitting on the vacant chair, she sat on the pillowed bench at the foot of the bed. She could feel the lush fabric under her fingertips. It was a mixture of something alongside velvet, it was a very nice dark berry color. . She looked at the table, which was only an arm's length away. It was covered with maps and paper. They began to discuss the arrival of another group and Kari was reminded of something she wanted to know.

"How long are we staying here?"

She asked.

"We are not sure yet.

" Charles answered,

"Most likely it will be out of our control."

He explained that all plans were tentative and based on the enemy's presence. She nodded accepting that as a reasonable excuse for not having a specific time frame. "What is going to happen after the coronation? When is the coronation, more importantly?" She still felt weird thinking about the concept. "The coronation is scheduled for a week from yesterday. If everything goes as planned, you will not have to worry about anything until then." She was relieved. She revealed a hint of a smile at the clarification. She looked over to Marcel. . His eyes were sparkling beneath the bright sun. Very similar to stained glass. She admired his smile. No matter how angry or mean he was towards others he would always remove himself from the hate to greet her. She knew a lot of people considered him unpleasant but she could not base judgment on mere words. She felt that everyone deserved a chance to make their own impression. Marcel was always supportive, and kind to her, and in return, she enjoyed his company. As she drifted off into her own inner monologue the three men began to discuss the military plans. Deep into their discussion they began to laugh, this brought her back. She started to worry about whether she was supposed to be paying attention.

"Should I be a part of this?"

She asked.

Robert turned to her hiding his excitement in her interest.

"Well as the queen, you will technically be in charge of everything regarding our kingdom. I have been named the leader of the soldiers, which is who I have accumulated support. Most are from Asiroth but there are a lot from elsewhere. Because I pledged my title to lead the army, that is my responsibility, of course, if you are interested in being a part of it technically you rule over those citizens from our kingdom. I would love to include you in the discussion, it will help you obtain an accurate frame of judgment."

"I have no intention to take over any of this.”

She said skittishly.

“You guys have much more experience than I and I completely trust your judgment. Though I do agree it might help if I was at least informed." Charles and Robert looked at each other as if they had heard the most beautiful words in their lives. She sat with them for a bit lightly listening to their plans. After a decent amount of time, she excused herself into the hallway.

Kari was planning on finding Jeplin, but she felt uncomfortable knocking on any door unless she was very sure it was his. She turned back around to re-enter the room to ask the men if they knew of his whereabouts but a bit of movement caught her eye. It was Harota. She was carrying a tray with fresh food.

"Oh, I'm so glad you are here!"

She said.

Harota looked at her in a stunned gaze.

"You're excited to see me miss?"

"Yes, I have been so bored, would you help me with something?"

"Of course, anything!"

She exclaimed.

"Could you show me around the castle? I have no idea where anything or anyone is located."

She smiled.

"No problem, I have been here for quite a while."

She gestured to the tray.

"Would you like to eat before we explore.”

When they had finished, they began their excursion. Harota knew every inch of the castle, as Kari had expected. She wanted to start at the beginning. For her, it was easier to grasp the layout from the proper perspective.

They stood on the giant platform facing the even bigger doors. Obviously, no expense was spared in keeping the castle secure. The doors were made of solid metal for this reason. Harota whispered to one of the guards and in response, he pulled the doors back open. She turned around to glance at the view before entering. The scene was breathtaking, more elaborate, and grand than she could have ever imagined. The garden stretched out like a vast ocean in front of them engulfing most of their field of vision. Past the garden, there were thousands and thousands of people living below in the valley, protected by the hills. It looked like there were seven hills but she couldn't be completely sure, it was hard to see where each began and ended.

"It's lovely isn't it?"

She said smiling.

"Sometimes I can't believe I get to work here."

Kari turned. She was very curious about how she came to Redponn and where she was from. Despite her curiosity, she enjoyed silence more.

The entry hall was long and wide, it cast an enormous looming shadow over everyone. Like an inverted ship the wood beams arched above them leaving a smooth slope. Hanging from the beams were elaborate chandeliers made out of metal with hundreds of candles. There were several fire pits that dotted the spaces in between the pillars that stretched up supporting the structure. They were made out of large chunks of stone. She followed them up to the ceiling. There were circular holes exposing the elements above each fire pit. The rays met the haunting flames on a dancing beacon.

There were dozens of people huddled in different groups around the various fires. Some of them were refugees that had just arrived. She watched the children's faces, they were covered in ash and dirt but every single one looked happy.

"Where are they from?"

She asked

. "I heard they were from one of the last waves escaping Asiroth."

Kari froze. She could not even begin to fathom the words. The place she had heard regal tales of, the place that was known for being honorable, her home. Not only was it abandoned but it as a kingdom had failed its people. She was feeling a mix of emotions, relief, that they escaped, but also rage. A dark angry flame haunted her. Harota noticed her change in demeanor and distracted her by pulling her to another hallway.

They walked slowly passing door after door. Near the peak of the hour, they entered a narrow hallway. It was completely coated in cherry wood. The wood was not grainy, but very shiny and appealing to the touch. The flames from the torches danced against the surface provided. Its convulsions were slow and sluggish looking. When they stepped further down the corridor, the soft noise of high music notes gently drifted through the air. Only a few at first, but as they moved forward the notes became more prominent and revealed a lovely but haunting melody. They were led to a door that was at the end of the hallway. The door was cracked open allowing only a sliver of light to pass through.

Kari boldly but slowly pushed the door open so she could see. She saw a man in the far corner Before she could notice anything else she was stopped by the two guards that were standing on the side of the door. Kari looked to Harota.

"What was that?"

"The war room."

"The war room?"

She said showing interest.

"What is that noise?"

"I don't know."

She said. "

"I have been dying to find out but I always get caught before I can."

Kari was drawn in, keeping the location in the back of her mind knowing Jeplin and Robert most likely had been there. They turned around and left the corridor.

Seconds later they heard fast footsteps clanking towards them. They both turned around and saw a creepy pale thin man. He was hobbling crookedly, both looked at him shocked. He scowled at them.

"What are you doing here? Stay away from my quarters."

. "Oh, I'm so sorry."

Harota said

He pulled his arm out from his thick gold cloak and slapped the girl's face. She fell to the floor.

“What are you doing?”

Kari demanded.

“She isn’t allowed to speak to me. Neither are you! Stupid maids.

He raised his arm to slap her face too but she was too fast for him. Kari was completely appalled and without a moment's hesitation, she punched him. He was not the athletic sort and though strong, he hit the floor very quickly.

Harota pulled her away while he was checking his face for blood. They ran all the way back to the entry hall.

"Do you know who that was?"

Harota asked, almost terrified to say.

"Who?"

Kari said not particularly concerned either way.

"That's King Richon's son."

Kari laughed.

She did not for one moment regret her actions.

"Why did you do that?"

She asked.

"He slapped you for no reason."

"I'm a servant here he always does."

Kari stood up straight, almost convincing herself to go back after him.

"No, please don't once you're not here he will beat me even more or worse banish me."

"I can't believe Richon allows this."

"Oh, I don't think he knows, I'd like to think he doesn't know, he is very nice usually. I mean strict but understanding."

"That is the impression I got from him too."

"I really appreciate you standing up for me but please don't say anything ..."

before she could finish Kari interjected.

"I understand."

The next day Kari found herself wandering around the castle again right after lunch. She took to the opposite side of the castle, the side her room was on. She decided to try to find Jeplin if he was still around. She laughed to herself thinking it was not implausible that he sneaked away to avoid being crowned. She made her way to Robert's bedchamber again and knocked on the door. Charles opened it very quickly.

She could see Robert and Jeplin sitting at the table in the back. She smiled at Charles, and he invited her in. the men greeted her and she sat down on the bed. Robert looked over to her.

"Bored?"

"Yes very." She responded. Charles returned to his seat at the table.

“Well, I guess it would be a good time if we took a break anyway.”

Charles grabbed a bottle of wine and he and Robert began to imbibe it slowly. As they spoke to each other Jeplin sat silently. She decided to excuse herself. As she closed the door behind her, it swung open again. It was Jeplin. She was alarmed by his swiftness and looked at him with wide eyes questioning his actions.

"Archery?"

He asked without needing any more of an explanation.

"Sure,"

Kari said coyly.

They made their way into a cold damp stairwell. Their boots clapped onto the stone. Kari loved the sound of shoes on cobblestone. There were several rooms in the basement for combat training. Once inside one Jeplin began to viciously shoot arrows at the target, one after another, swift like angry wind. Kari loved shooting, but she couldn't help but pause her own attempts to view his. She eventually turned toward her target and joined him.