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26 – Esmeralda

“No?!”, she was stumbled. “Don’t you want to loot, rape, exploit, rob? Imagine the adventures that we will face in the future!”, she came up with new trap to entangle me into her web.

I sighed deeply. I stood up to walk towards her. “Sabre”, I whispered as I saw bell guard of sword she had in her hand. After few steps I stopped at distance very close to her. “Rape?”, I said. “Who are you going to rape?”, I added looking into her eye.

She had a puzzled face. I bet she haven’t thought a moment about what she wanted to be. “Kids. Spoiled rich kids”, passed my mind.

Laughing sounds of girl voices ringed around the deck of the Sea Serpents. Recognizing owners of the voices, wannabe pirate girl turned back with an angry face expression. “Elle! Damn you!”, she shouted. “Calm down, K. I was just teasing you”, Elle said.

Mine and Elle’s eyes met. We stared at each other for a moment. “Did Baba accept you as a student?”, I said and grinned. “Why do you care, P-E-A-S-A-N-T?!”, she replied angrily, taking time to spell out peasant for me. “Don’t take it seriously. I was just teasing you!”, I told her.

The other girl began to laugh which made Elle stare at me as if I was her eternal enemy. “We are heading to Monarch Academy. What about you Kain?”, she said with a high-pitch tone so that everyone could hear. “Oh! It seems you haven’t forgotten me.”, I said, laughed a bit and continued “I’m heading to Monarch Academy too!”

Taking her eye-patch off, the girl turned to me and spoke “I’m Klytea Silverstar!”.”I’m Kain. Nice to meet you Klai-tee”, I said not knowing how to pronounce her name, hearing it for the first time. “Kain, its K-L-Y-T-E-A. But it’s okay for you to call me K!”, she smiled. “Are you going to enroll in Monarch?” she asked. “Yes”, I answered.

During the trip, Elle did many pranks on Klytea. I talked to Klytea a lot learning about her.

Klytea was an easy-going but a spoiled wealthy child. Her family was controlling a city called Kilrest which was located hundred kilometers north of Vin. Kilrest was a trading heaven with hundreds of ships and caravans docking its ports or entering through its gates daily. As much as I understood Kilrest was a bigger city than Vin and Klytea’s family was ruling over it.

Elle and Klytea’s family knew each other well and had friendly relationships even though their cities were rivals in terms of trade and commerce. That was how Klytea and Elle had met. However, in comparison to Elle, Klytea’s family was over-doting on her.

Klytea had never been outside of Kilrest palace. She had no friends and no knowledge of foes. Like a nightingale in a cage. Her only contact with outside was Elle who was coming over to stay for a day or two with Klytea.

Klytea’s elder brother is a prodigy who is finishing Monarch Academy this year. He will inherit city from family head in the next few years after his age is past 20.

Elle and Klytea had met around 7 years ago and up to last year Elle had traveled to Kilrest to play with Klytea regularly. A year ago when Elle began to attend Monarch academy, Klytea decided to talk to her family regarding herself to study in Monarch.

Silverstar family denies her wish so she runs away from home with Ralf who accompanies her even now. They go to Vin to meet with Elle. But to Klytea’s surprise her parents were in Vin before she had arrived there with Ralf.

Klytea’s parents didn’t scold or punish her in Vin. Instead they agree and give their blessings to Klytea to go to Monarch Academy but with one condition. If she can’t enroll, she will come back to Kilrest and be an obedient girl as she has always been.

“So, how come you were acting like a pirate?”, I asked Klytea. “Earlier I asked Elle about who the freest people are, and she told me pirates.”, she told looking down in shame. “She didn’t lie”, I said smiling at Klytea. “But, you are not fit to be a pirate”, I continued.

We were walking with Klytea on deck while we chatted. After passing by third mast we saw situation which amazed us.

All lateen sails were flowing down the masts but there were no winds to push the ship. A man was standing by steersman. He loudly began to chant a spell and brought up both of his arms. Winds emerged and began to push the sails.

Time passed by fast with Elle and Klytea as we traveled by ship towards the Astoria.

“Enrollment is easy but its pretty hard at the same time”, Elle said. “Was that why my parents agreed?”, Klytea questioned. “I think so. No offense K, but I think they assumed you will fail”, Elle talked discouragingly.

“what is the enrollment test? Do we kill a monster? Or save the humanity?”, I asked and smiled at Klytea to ease up her mood. “Actually, you pass through Magus Speculum! It is a mirror, but not an ordinary one. You step into it and disappear from this world. If you exit from other side then you are allowed to study in Monarch, but if you come out from the side that you entered the Speculum then you fail!”, Elle explained.

“what’s in mirror?”, Klytea questioned Elle. “It varies from person to person. When I entered the mirror, I was sent into a room with one door. Without thinking at all I went towards the door, opened it and exited. Luckily that door led to other side of mirror”, Elle said smiling.

“Luck of the Irish”, I said out loud. “What is Irish?”, Klytea asked. “Nothing”, I said and sighed.

There was nothing to think deeply about regarding enrollment test. If I could I would pass, if I couldn’t then much more better for me. In case of failure I could go back and maybe Cohen family would let go idea of my recruitment. That would be much more better for Oscar, Leila, Luc and me to move somewhere else to live a peaceful life.

Half-way to Astoria, Sea Serpents docked on a port called Hirie town. Hirie was a small town consisting of almost one thousand homes. It is the first place inhabited by humans in Lyth territory if travelled from Cohen territories.

Hirie town was a resupply point for ships traveling to and from Cohen territories. There was a big market where supplies could be bought from. Elle dragged Klytea and me to a hut few kilometers away from Hirie.

According to Elle, a famous fortune-teller was living there. Moreover she only tells future of those who she deems worthy. “Swindler!”, I said looking at Elle. “What’s that?”, Elle questioned me. “Do you really believe in stuff like that?”, I answered with a question.

“Esmeralda has never told anything but truth.. You will see what I mean. If she accepts you, of course!”, she laughed at me.

We hired a carriage to go to fortune-teller’s hut. It was a 10 minute ride from Hirie town. We arrived in front of a small hut made out of logs and grass. It had one entrance covered with a colored curtain. “Are you sure we all can fit in it?”, I asked Elle before entering in to the hut. “Follow me”, she said and bended her head to enter the hut.

Klytea went after Elle and I followed her. I was amazed and astonished as soon as I entered the hut. From outside it looked like a simple place which could not even fit few people inside of it. To my surprise it was like a small palace in its own.

“How come?!”, I said in astonishment looking at Elle. “Hhahaa, you believe now!”, she replied.

It was a massive place which could hold hundreds of people inside it at same time. Ground was covered in mats while there were small lamps attached to walls of hut lighting inside of it.

“Elle, you have come again!”, a voice echoed inside the hut. It had an aura which gave mystery to the holder of voice.

“Esmeralda, I brought two of my friends!”, she said and went towards the dark part of hut.

Four lamps were lighted as soon as we came close to a sofa. A woman was sitting behind the sofa. Her curly hair was flowing down her shoulder. She had a small face, white skin, small lips colored in red, black eyes.

“Kain and Klytea”, she said looking at us. “I’m Esmeralda”, she introduced herself. “Would you..”, Elle wanted to ask but her question was cut in by Esmeralda. “Yes, I’ll”, she said.

Esmeralda raised her arm and made a hand gesture at Klytea signalling her to come close. “Let’s back away a bit”, Elle whispered at me.

We stepped few steps back and I saw Esmeralda taking hold of Klytea’s hand. She was saying some things to her which brought expression of joy to her face. After few minutes, Klytea stood up and came towards us. “Your turn Kain”, she said and smiled.

I walked towards the sofa. “Sit and relax, soviets!”, she said. I was shocked to hear that nickname. “How you!”, I was almost paralyzed. “I know many things of past”, Esmeralda told.

I sat on ground in front of her. “I saw two names. Kain and soviets. What does soviets mean?”, Esmeralda asked. “Nothing anymore”, I replied. “Your past is blocked. Only two names appear”, she said staring at me.

She took a rosary from behind her using her left hand. Esmeralda threw the rosary in the space between her and me.

“Okay”, she said and continued “There are two lives. Different ones. First is the soviets one which is no more.”. “You see the intersection”, she showed with her right hand. “Yes”, I replied looking at rosary. “That’s where Kain is born. Everything seems alright. Everything will be good. But”, she stopped. “But what?”, I asked.

“An old man and young kid. I can’t see their names but they want you besides them at all costs. They are blocking your future”, Esmeralda told. “Is that good or bad?”, I asked again. “Elle come here”, Esmeralda shouted.

Elle and Klytea came close to us. Esmeralda took out an egg. “Kain tell me your mother’s name”, she asked. “Leila”, I replied. “Kain, son of Leila”, she said and wrote some things on the egg. Esmeralda began to whisper some words while her hand was moving around the egg. She stopped and drew a star on the edge of egg.

“Elle, take this egg. On your way, let Kain to lay on bed. Take a jar with half-filled water and say ‘Pyrr, let him be free of bad fortune’ then touch this egg on his head and feet. Later on crack the egg and put its contents into the jar with water. Wait for 5 or 6 hours. Later on throw the jar into the sea”, Esmeralda said.

“Now leave! I need no payment for this..”, was the last thing that Esmeralda said before we left.

P.S: Sorry for the late release, i had my own problem IRL...

P.P.S: I'm reading all of the comments, slowly but surely I'll implement all the points raised by readers.. Thank you all!