1st Draft Fridays - A Fistful of ... (#6)

Breidentel

Unlike Marsdenfel, which centers on a valley and cuts into the sides of the surrounding mountains, Breidentel centers around mountains, specifically one of the higher ones. The entire realm is higher than even Dwaline-Het to the southeast, which at least has a mountain pass. The physical way into Breidentel is rough and long, winding back and forth up the side of one steep mountain.

This means guests can be seen from afar, and identified well before they arrive. Dakadza is always fetched when something unexpected happens. There's no consistency in who gets him, and no one is ever here when he arrives, so he's not sure who keeps watch. He wonders, but it doesn't matter, so he doesn't push.

Today's unexpected guest is someone Dakadza actually knows: Aidan Jarvim, prince of Salles and consort of Grehafen, approaching with an unknown male. The horses are both Aidan's--he let Lallie borrow that one the male is using, back when he and Lallie were trading off helping Grehafen and Marsdenfel. Hard to believe it's been years.

Aidan is helping the male with him, who stays on his mount even when the prince sees fit to walk his.

The male is on the tall side of average, and filled in, but he's obviously not a fighter. And something about that male strikes Dakadza as fragile, though he can't identify what's giving him that impression.

Dakadza has water available for them when they finally reach the gate, tacitly welcoming them.

Aidan gives a thin, distracted smile with his thanks, and nudges the male's arm with the gourd. "Dakadza brought us water, Fer."

The male's taps to find it announce he cannot see. Dakadza winces, even though he knows that's not the death sentence here that it would have been among the montai, under his father.

The male sips, then returns it to Aidan and waits, silently, looking out as if over the mountain.

"I didn't realize how rough the path was," Aidan said, "else I would have asked Berthen if I could use his portals. I need your help moving something, back home."

Dakadza blinks.

Aidan grimaces. "I have to get this large, heavy rock from Grehafen castle to some caves in the far south of Saf. Suffice to say there's magic involved, and I can't stay far from it for long."

"I..." No, he doesn't understand, and he isn't going to say 'see' in the hearing of someone who can't. "Why me?"

"Honestly? You're the only montai in the area. Also helps that you can keep your mouth and magic to yourself--the south has a lot of isolationist and anti-magic sentiment."

Dakadza thinks he understands the subtext in that. "Which is why you need a montai and can't just use a group or one of your fancy carts."

"Carriages. They're called carriages."

"You'll have a third with you," the unknown male murmurs.

Aidan winces. "That really isn't—" He cuts himself off, giving the male a sharp look. "By the black fires."

"Aidan."

"I have the right to choose my own vocabulary, thank you very much."

These two so obviously know each other, and just as obviously have some unspoken tension between them.

Dakadza hesitates, but curiosity wins out. "What fires are black?"

The male sighs, takes Aidan's arm, and they start into Breidentel proper. "Some believe that the Creator punishes people after death by tossing them in black fires for eternity. Some think that applies to only Makish"—he taps his breastbone twice—"and his explicit, sworn servants, whatever they are. Some believe more people are added, like those who egregiously harm others, or everyone who fails to abide by the Creator's wishes, which can themselves be understood multiple ways... Altogether, the 'black fires' are a reference to eternal punishment."