The Wielder and the Source

Chapter 4

Kon, 1000 years ago...

I could've been training. Kitaya watched as the last of the people trickled into the dining hall. Her eye twitched and her mouth dipped into a frown as her senses were assaulted by all the stimuli around her. The light from the hanging orbs reflecting off the polished silverware, the rustling of fabric, the soft murmur of hushed conversation. She'd much rather be down in the garden, practicing her spear throws, Or up in the observatory, watching the stars drift by.  But when the Queen had guests for dinner, she expected everyone present and dressed in their finest. 

Eriani gave her a scornful look from the head of the table, and she realised she was slouched over, elbows on the table with her chin in her hands. Bit by bit she corrected her posture like a wooden doll being posed for a display.

Several Lords of the council sat at the other end of the table, along with their families. Which meant Eriani had some kind of announcement to make. Probably expanding the farming district, building a new grain house, or something else Kitaya didn't care about. It was bad enough she had to cut her training with Kemah short, but now she had to listen to these stuffy snobs prattle on.

"Kitaya," Shara said from across the table. "How's your training with Kemah going? I saw you two in the gardens earlier. Seems intense."

"It's coming along," Kitaya said.

"That's great. What will you do after? Join the guard, perhaps?"

She shrugged, and began toying with her wine glass in hopes that she'd be left alone. It's not that she didn't like the girl. They'd kept company once or twice, but Shara was – for lack of a better word – boring. Whenever Kitaya suggested something for them to do, she'd be met with a 'that seems dangerous' or 'we could die.'

Eriani clapped twice, blessedly cutting their conversation short, and the attendants entered the dining hall balancing trays laden with food and drink. The scents of roasted meat and vegetables and rich, hearty stew filled the room. When one stopped to fill her glass, she took the whole bottle from the tray, not missing the look of disapproval from the head of the table.

Silverware clinked against plates as everyone dug into their meals. Kitaya kept her head down and eyes on her food, hoping that the dinner would end fast. A bean, the size of her thumbnail landed in her food and she squinted at it before staring across the table.

Ade waggled his brows at her, a sly smile on his lips.

"Really?" she mouthed at him. Now wasn't the time to start a food fight, and they weren't children anymore.

Eriani cleared her throat, silencing the table. "I have some... rather unprecedented news." She sat back in her throne-like chair and spun the stem of her goblet. "I was contacted a month ago by the new King of Ravina."

A chill came over the room, as though the temperature had dropped, and a few Councilors shifted in their seats, leaning closer to better hear what the Queen was saying.

"New King?" Mellidius looked at Eriani as though she'd grown a second head. "You mean to tell me Roderic defected?"

The Queen snorted. "You know that would've never happened. Roderic clung to power as though his very life depended on it. A group of rebels staged a coup, and took the throne by force. The former King is dead and the new King is looking to make amends."

"Make amends." Lord Aderro wrinkled his nose. "They fought against us in the Millennia War. They sanctioned the use of forbidden magic and they still do. By the gods, they nearly destroyed half of Magika. Why should we make amends with them?"

The Millennia War was still a touchy subject in Kon, even though thousands upon thousand of years had passed. They'd lost so many, nearly their entire army, along with Kon's third ruler. Which was why forbidden magic remained just that. Forbidden. Nations across Magika had come together to sign a treaty to outlaw it, turning their backs on those who wanted to remain on the wrong side of history. Ravina had been one such Nation.