The Chronicles Of The Council #1: The Sun's Tears

Chapter 14: Laelia - Myth

"Myths are what remains once the history of an event has been forgotten or lost to time." - Shatrujeet Nath

Alachna City, Ardam 802

Faolan enters Aedan's room. He has an enormous book tucked under his arm.

"Mother asked me to read you a bedtime story."

Aedan and I sit up.

Aedan groans. "Please, don't. We're still recovering from the boring meeting notes of a decade ago."

The stories Aylissa chooses are quite unconventional, and not the kind of stories you usually read to children, but she is grooming us to be the best and only help Faolan would ever need when he becomes king. Aylissa had one core value that dictated her every action: Keep the crown in the family.

Faolan flips through the pages: "These stories are quite boring. They are reports on some meetings just after the time the Council was established. It is mostly about the Ancients bickering about what will be theirs and what the Council may have. It is tedious to read through and the tension is unbearable."

He puts the book on the edge of the bed and joins us on the bed. Aedan moves to give him space.

"Aunt Idunn told me about giants today."

"Giants?" Aedan and I say in disbelieving unison.

"Yes. Giants as tall as mountains; some even taller. The giants lived in cities of clouds."

I look at him sceptically: "Giants don't exist."

Faolan ignores me: "I'm just going to tell you the story she told me."

I roll my eyes.

"A long time ago giants used to live in cities that were higher than the mountains. They lived simple lives, but they were content and happy. Their cities were something quite remarkable.

"They were a peaceful race, but they had one weakness: their love for flesh."

I scowl in disgust.

Aedan's expression mirrors mine.

"What kind of flesh? Because flesh can refer to human flesh, or animal flesh, or even peaches have flesh," I say after giving it some thought.

"We even say that we are flesh and blood so it could mean that they were very family-oriented," Aedan says with a shrug.

"Those are all valid thoughts, but the story Idunn told me was about a young ordinary fellow named Jak, who travelled to the city of giants, and barely escaped being roasted as an entree.

"Jak was a scrawny, regular human boy who lived on a farm with his mother. His father had died years before, and Jak and his mother had difficulty in making ends meet."

"That is so different from us. We would care for the families who have lost their Names-giver."

"Aedan, keep quiet. It is a story after all, or would you rather have Faolan read us meeting notes?"

Aedan rolls his eyes at me and then stick his tongue out.

The next instant Faolan hits him with a pillow.

I break into laughter when I see Aedan's shocked face.

"Now, wise one, would you please keep your smartness for yourself and allow me to continue?"

Aedan scowls but wisely doesn't share his smartness.

Faolan continues: "During a particular bout of difficulty, after losing their last chicken to starvation and their last crop to disease, Jak's mother tasked Jak with selling the cow at the local market, and bringing her the gold. She planned to use the gold as entrance fee to the city for she had decided that they would have a better life there.