Chapter 23
“No. Absolutely not, are you insane Kenneth?”
“It would be a good idea to have her just in case anything happens on the way there.”
“I think they’d find out she was a traitor soon enough so she wouldn’t be able to help us escape a fight at all.”
“But if it comes to a fight she will be incredibly helpful.”
“Except for when we get to the capital. It will be because of her that we’ll have to fight them. And given that I’m going there to find my family, I don’t think it would give off the best first impression of me coming home with a monster like her in my company.”
“Araceli!”
“I’m sorry, what else am I supposed to think of the creature that has been nothing but horror stories for me since hatch hood?”
“She’s different than the ones you’ve known, and she’s not the only one either. There are plenty of the Skaal that are just as peaceable as you and me.”
“Sorry but I find that very hard to believe.”
“Believe it or not, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is your overgeneralization of the Skaal, Dakarai will be able to help us so much on the road whither you can see it or not.”
I turned away from him, my arms crossed as I scowled at the wall opposite Kenneth and muttered,
“What do you know about overgeneralization?”
“Plenty, but that’s not the point now. Just think it over ok? We still have a few days before we planned to leave.”
“If I still decide to not include her with us, will you honor my decision?” I looked back at him questioningly.
“I will, even if I don’t always agree with you, you are the head of this trip and since you are returning home for the first time, I will not do anything to complicate the reunion of your family.”
“Thank you,” I nodded at him.
“Of course,” he said evenly.
“So when are we leaving again?”
I turned to see Alida walking up to us, her shoulder length black hair tied back with a small strip of cloth.
“I figured it would be nice to stay here for a few more days and relax as well as make up a plan for our travels before we leave. Does two more days sound good to you?”
“Sure, we’ve been here for two days already. It’s nice, but honestly it’s a little weird being under the earth.”
And being around so many Skaal I thought to myself. Oddly enough, over the past few days we had spent here with the Kundi-Amani, I had found myself forgetting a number of times of where we were in relation to the sky. It seemed that even though Alida and I both weren’t comfortable here, it was for different reasons altogether.
“Right, well we shouldn’t be here for too much longer. Should we take this time now to find a place a little more secluded to discuss our plans?”
“There’s little else to do at the moment so that sounds like a good idea.” Alida looked around at the tall ceiling above us and with a heavy sigh, looked back at me.
“I found a series of nest like rooms that branch out from the Library, we could go to one of those.”
“Lead the way.”
Once situated around a round table in a small, cubby of a room, the three of us poured over the maps of the land that we had borrowed from the Library. One focused on the topographical aspects of their route, while the other simply stated where the cities and being made lines that separated the territories of each race and their sub groups.
“So if we take this road here, we can make it to the small village indicated by this blue dot right here by the edge of this river before long. There we can make any final adjustments before heading to our final destination.” Kenneth surveyed the political map, his finger tracing lightly across the indicated path of the parchment.
“What race inhabits that area?” I asked tensely.
“It’s not Skaal if that’s what you’re worried about, they don’t have any land that is technically theirs that far south or west. And the humans haven’t lived in that region for centuries so you won’t have to worry about that kind of trouble either.”
Alida nodded. “So I’m guessing it’s one of the Azinza’s places? I don’t recall there being any Pavox settlement around there except of course for the capital.”
“Right, it’s one of their few land based homes, given that the majority of them live in the oceans or lakes.”
“So wait, that’s almost near the edge of this land, where exactly is Veiliegstad?” I asked, leaning forward confused as I surveyed the map for our objective.
“It’s not on here. At least it’s not marked, the royal flight worked hard to keep their exact location hidden from all but a select few. The Royal Skavlieu a few years ago made sure that all maps, which indicated their exact whereabouts, be destroyed.”
“Then why are we even looking at a map to begin with? Do you even know where it is?”
“Not in great specifics, but I was told the general location years ago. I will of course be getting more information on where it is and how to get there before we leave, but given that it is a closely guarded secret, they aren’t so keen on giving out the information quite so easily.”
“So how are we supposed to convince whoever it is we need to convince to tell us where to go?” I looked at him accusingly.
“Well that was actually part of a tiny snag we found for this whole thing.” Kenneth glanced up at me before awkwardly scratching at his neck.
“Why didn’t Keever tell me anything like this while I was meeting with her?” I snapped, slamming my hands on the table as I stood up angrily. “What do I need to do?”
“They probably thought that it didn’t matter much because you would find a way one way or another.”
“Doesn’t matter? We need to know where we’re going to be able to get there, Kenneth!”
“True, but years ago I was given the general location so I know where to head to first, which would be this village here.”
“Ok so say we get there without knowing anything else, where do we go from there?”
“It is said that there is an individual nearby that village who is a keeper of many secrets. Evidently, they will tell a secret to one foreigner whom they deem worthy of the knowledge they seek every year.”
“So we have to travel to the other side of the Land just to ask a question that has a possibility of being answered? Kenneth, I don’t want to have to be roaming around the Land for months simply trying to find out where the capital is when we can just ask someone who knows right here.”
“No one here knows the location. Like I said, it’s a well-guarded secret.”
“Keever doesn’t know?”
“Only as much as I do. The only information we have been given was that we needed to go to this village first in order to get to the city. That and a prophesy, or a riddle as some prefer to call it.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t remember it off the top of my head but we should be able to find it here if nothing else. Anyway, it’s called a riddle for a reason, it won’t be able to tell us straight out what we need to know.”
“No, but it’ll be more than we have now and I’ll feel better once we’ve actually started along the path to finding this place.”
“Excuse me, Araceli? Do you have a moment?”
The three of us turned our heads to the doorway to see the male pavox that had been with Keever earlier standing by the edge, looking in on us.
“Depends, are you here to question my lineage again or do you want to discuss something of importance?”
“I wish to confer with you about the journey you will be taking with your friends soon.”
“We were just talking on it, join us if you have something to say.”
The large pavox shouldered his way into the smaller room and sat across from the three of us who had huddled together to look at the maps arranged in front of us.
“Thank you. I have thought over the situation when we last met two days previous and decided that I will guide you at least part way to the capital if you will have me. There is a small village on the edge of this Land that we must go to first.”
“Yea we already know about the village and some old secret keeper. We have the map too so if you’re not going to help us get to our destination or think that taking us part way is sufficient then I will have to pass on your presence.”
“I understand your sentiments, however I believe that you will find me more helpful than you think I am at the moment.”
“And why is that?”
“To reach the Aerie, one must be helped by someone who has been previously trusted with its location. I will be able to guide you to your desired location.”
“If you can do that, why would we need to stop at the village in the first place?”
“I must follow protocol and present you to the secret keeper to see if they will allow you and your companions’ passage.”
“And if they say no?” I challenged him, “Then what? Will we be forced to return back here since we were not allowed entrance to the capital?”
“Are you expecting to be turned away?”
“No.”
“Then your question holds no merit.”
We stared at each other for a long time before he glanced away ever so slightly. I looked over at Alida and Kenneth to see what their thoughts were.
“It sounds like we’ll need his help once we get past the secret keeper, so I say why not,” Kenneth replied with a shrug.
“I don’t care, as long as we find a way to get there, I don’t really care who comes with us.” Alida looked over at me and gave me a look saying it was my call.
I returned my gaze to the man in front of us and with an internal sigh nodded to him.
“Very well, if you would like, you are welcome to join us on our journey to Veiliegstad. I hope you will be able to keep your word on helping us to the capital when we get to that part.”
“Of course. So long as you pass the Keeper’s inspection.”
“We will,” I assured him. I think we’ve spent enough time here, when will you be ready to move?” I asked the pavox.
“I can be ready as early as tomorrow morning.”
“Good, what do you two say about leaving tomorrow? I know I said in two days, but I personally want to continue on as soon as we can."
I received two nods of agreement as I glanced back at my companions.
“Alright, then we leave tomorrow. Make sure you are ready to go near sunrise, I want to get an early start on the first day.”
“Very well, I will meet you in the house that you came into, does this work for you?”
“It does. Until tomorrow.” He was about to leave the room when I stopped him.
“I don’t think I ever learned your name, what is it?”
“My name is Kontar.”
“Alright then, Kontar, totsii.” He nodded first to me and then the others before leaving us behind in the small room, still crowded around the map.