In Defiance Of The Second Sun (MxM)

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

GWYN

Some weeks had passed since the incident at the tea shop and although many gossiped about the missing man it was soon attributed to bandits. Yoru had thought that seemed far too convenient. Bandits where? He knew the road to their neighbour Alve was safe. Alve was the most secure region in all of the elven Kingdom of Lumera. They supplied the king with his guards and boasted about their strength.

Yoru guessed the guards of Garnda had no idea where the merchant was but needed to resolve the situation. Apparently the Lord of Alve was not pleased with his missing citizen, but due to their close relationship with Garnda, nothing came from it. An unjust ending to the mystery but like all things, time has a way of just moving on.

The official announcement that the city of Gwyn was to be the host for this year's Kings Games became the biggest news, thus in part helping to push the missing merchant out of everyone's lingering thoughts. Kai had yet to breach the topic of taking Yoru and Yoru refused to bring it up either. He had not yet decided if he wanted to go. His meeting with Guard Captain Tiss-Farrow had left a sour taste in his mouth.

The competition was to allow all warriors from every corner of Lumera to fight against each other in organised sword combat, no light magic. It was to determine who and by proxy which region was the strongest. It was a five day event that happened every decade in a city chosen by the elven King Calern himself. Every ten years the King would decide who was next to hold it. Garnda, for some reason, never got chosen until now.

Kai was old friends with the Mayor of Gwyn and had managed to get an invitation to the main viewing box in the new arena. He would be mixing with the highest of elven nobility and therefore Yoru knew he would be looking to make business connections as he always did. All of Silona's finest would be travelling to Garnda, the King himself had chosen not to come. Kai had explained that it was not too strange for him to decline to go, after all these games happened so quickly after each other.

Kai was excited at the prospect. He had been planning out his many tactics to lure unsuspecting elves into his pockets. While Kai had many great attributes his worst had to be his love for business and money. He was frugal and always looked to expand his horizons, he never seemed to spend any of his well earned gold after amassing it. Yoru couldn't make sense of it.

Loralie had returned a week earlier, fresh faced and feeling more spiritual. She even got Yoru to pray a few times in the shrine Kai had erected for her in the back garden. Her being home felt like a missing piece had returned, a sense of wholeness came back to the Kai household. She, of course, had read the invitation and shrugged it off.

Loralie followed The Goddess of Peace, Svenna. Like many other elves of her ilk she despised violence. Yoru was raised in a Light Temple, he knew all about the ancient gods and evils. He also knew King Calern creating a competition surrounding combat was not very popular amongst the Monks and High Priests. Not that he was one to fall back on his teachings, all orphans were sent to Light Temples. He prayed for Loralie, not for her gods and she knew this.

Eventually, like a pot boiling over, Loralie brought up the invitation. She was not one to mince words and although her patience with Kai was admirable, it was not eternal.

"Are you taking the lad or not? If not I will take him to see my sister in Arrell and we shall have a jolly good time!" She snapped one evening as they all sat to eat.

Kai looked confused for a moment then answered indignantly.

"I was waiting for him to ask! I didn't want to badger him, it's his choice if he wants to come or not"