The Sword Saints

2. Whitemarch part I

(Melias)

"Learn from the blind and the dumb, for they must trust unconditionally. The blind cannot see and must put their faith in the eyes of others. Have faith and trust. But do not become blind. Trust in your friends and in your betters, but do not be afraid to question."

- The Book of Patience: Ch. 6: verse 11.

After four days on the river, the two Sword Saints finally arrived at the capital city of the Queendom. Whitemarch: the golden-white city that has stood against armies and more for over fifteen centuries. It faced the onslaught of the old Kandari Empire for three hundred years and has held her borders and quelled rebellions in her territories and more for eight centuries since.

It was the most beautiful city in the world and Melias was proud to call it home.

The old man – who went by Nedd – eventually grew out of his fear of Melias and Gelion. He was rather talkative once he opened up. Melias enjoyed his stories. Nedd had apparently been a soldier in his younger days and had spent most of his career fighting brigands, bandits, and pirates. There hadn't been a true rebellion out of Kandar or Daath in several centuries, nor had there been any substantial conflicts in the other realms for just as long, so soldiering wasn't as grim a profession as it once was.

Nedd claimed that he once was rather close to a Sword Saint, Shaysa the Silver, forty years ago. She had been famous for her long, shiny silver hair and her duel cutlasses that were said to cut anything – anything. Melias doubted that Nedd had known her all that well, but he liked Nedd well enough and humored him.

His tales helped the four-day journey go by faster. Besides, Melias would rather the old man talk than hear Gelion prattle on about his annoying bullshite. Virtues help them if Gelion got started on a subject he loved.

Now that they were finally in the capital, Melias wouldn't have to deal with his friend for long. They passed underneath the Snow Queen's Bridge and then the rest of the majestic city came into view.

Whitemarch was built into the base of the Divided Mountain where the Black Peaks and White Peaks were said to meet. The city was a forest of brilliant white spires that towered into the sky and rivaled the magnificent peaks that the city was built into. The city slowly sloped up the side of the Divided Mountain, culminating in the Glacier Palace at the peak of the city, built into the slope of the mountain.

Melias had been to the other great cities of the six realms: Isshan, Port Avra, Queensport, High Kandara, Angriva Court, Mot City, Barlingshire. They were great cities each, but none of them had quite the majesty or allure of Whitemarch. He was a little biased, but any sane man would think the same. The capital of the Queendom had no equal.

They passed under more bridges and towering aqueducts until they came to port. The port of Whitemarch was far grander than that of Harvenshire. There were easily a hundred ships at dock and at sail around the port in all different shapes and sizes, though none were as large as the massive galleons that sailed the seas. Because the White River started beneath the Divided Mountain, the river wasn't so large at the base of the mountain where the capital sat.

Melias and Gelion disembarked from Nedd's boat. "Thank you for the ride, Nedd. It was a pleasure."

"The pleasure is all mine. Not everyone gets to meet a pair of legendary Sword Saints."

Gelion was bored of the conversation before it had even begun. "Yeah, yeah. It was nice meeting you, old man."

He and Melias left Nedd after that and ventured into the city. When they left the docks, it was still the middle of the morning, but by the time they navigated the maze of streets and endless numbers of people and ascended the city to the Glacier Palace, the sun was hanging right overhead. It was a miserable walk.