Kallias Markus's Story

Kiran supposed he should count himself lucky. For a split second, he was half-sure that that was it. He was going to die with his head blown off raining bits of skull and brainmatter in a filthy market halfway across the world. No matter how skilled he might've thought he was, swords were just no match for rifles at such close range. He'd be dead before he could even touch the hilt, let alone pull it free from its scabbard.

But to his immediate surprise (and relief), the arquebus shoved at his nose was instantly drawn back, and he was instead greeted with the stricken face of a young, ruddy-cheeked soldier. It was when the soldier began apologising that he figured the young man had probably been part of a search party of some sort—no doubt sent by his brothers—because even though the man was clearly from Khalidor, he called Kiran by name and hurriedly urged him to follow him back to the docks, muttering something about decimations and the like as he did so (he hadn't really bothered to pay much attention to the man's blubberings, as he too still hadn't quite recovered from the shock of having a bloody rifle aimed between his eyes).

Several similarly-dressed men joined them as they approached the harbour, and soon, some of Ashkara's own soldiers had weaved their way between the Kiran and the Khalidorians as well. Honestly, he thought it was a bit much. Sure, a bit of chaos went down by the marketplace, but surely it wasn't bad enough to send nearly a quarter of the Ashkarazi Royal Guard and a good chunk of Khalidorian soldiers to come looking for him.

At least, that was what he thought before he saw the bodies.

He could barely make them out from between the wall of guards gathered around him, but the air itself was thick with the sharp tang of blood, and through the gaps he could see Khalidorian soldiers tossing them into piles by the side of the road. Men, women, and children alike, bathed in red, their bodies riddled with holes the size of pebbles.

He was no stranger to death nor violence, but the mere thought that he and Jingshen might've ended up exactly like those bodies was enough to make his head spin and his stomach lurch. Whatever it was that went on there, he was only thankful that he and his new Fae friend had emerged from it with their skin unbroken and their limbs intact, even if it meant having to suffer the indignity of being frogmarched back to the Ishtar like a prisoner.


As predicted, Akhil was none too pleased with his little disappearing act, and Kiran now bore the mark of his eldest brother's displeasure: a fresh burn, shaped just like a hand closing around the length of his left forearm. Granted, it was only a light one, as Skandar had stepped in before Akhil could do any real damage. Nothing a few days couldn't fix. Still, it pained him nonetheless. Enough to have to bite back a wince every time his sleeve brushed against the raw skin.

General Ursuul, cousin to the King, had agreed to accompany them towards the palace at Jodan, though most of the journey was spent in silence—tensions between the three brothers still singing hot as they journeyed towards the capital.

Akhil had ridden far ahead of the train with the General, the prince appearing rather magnificent in his scarlet robes and pitch black charger as he laughed along with something the General must've said—looking almost as if he hadn't attempted to burn his own brother alive not half an hour prior. Skandar and Kiran were left a ways behind. A group of guards surrounded them, both to protect the princes and to serve as watchdogs over the Kiran to ensure there wouldn't be a repeat performance of that morning's incident.

None of his brothers had said a word to him throughout the duration of the ride, which was just as well because while Skandar had yet to utter a single sentence, Akhil had lashed out in a fury as soon as he set eyes on him, letting loose sharp, cutting words that halted whatever explanation Kiran had prepared.


That silence persisted until they reached the palace, when, just before entering, Akhil paused and turned to face his younger brothers, "Not a word about the incident at the harbour, are we clear?" He told them, "Should anyone ask, you are to tell them that we departed from Akhzarun behind schedule." He instructed further, "I'll not have the Northmen know that the cause of our delay is due to the sheer stupidity of our dear little brother here." Akhil practically spat, directing a mocking sneer at Kiran's direction before turning heel and continuing on through the entrance.

Skandar followed wordlessly after his eldest brother, not even bothering to spare Kiran a glance as he walked past.

Kiran balled his fists at his sides, uncaring of the fact that it only deepened the throbbing in his arm. He could feel his patience wearing thin, but he knew that acting upon his anger would only cause him more grief. After all, what could he do? He was only human. Akhil was practically Djinn, and the blood shared between brothers meant next to nothing in Ashkara. If he displeased him further, Akhil could just as easily kill him the way Skandar did with the rest of the princes that came before Kiran.

Kiran took cold comfort in the fact that the only reason he hadn't been killed along with them was due to his father's love for his mother. If his mother hadn't been so beloved by the Sultan, Kiran highly doubted if he would've even made it past infancy.


As they entered, the princes were immediately lead towards where the rest of the delegations were gathered. However, when the doors were flung open, they were instantly greeted with the jarring noise of gunfire. Some of the guards moved to cover them, but quickly returned to formation because as quickly as the banging began, it stopped, and they were instead treated to the sight of several balls of ammunition hung suspended in mid-air. But while it made an uncommon and altogether fascinating sight, nothing caught the princes' eyes quite like the creature standing in the middle of the room.

"What in Ishtar's name is that?" Akhil uttered lowly, not even bothering to hide the disgust colouring his tone as he stared incredulously at the various strange and foreign implements jutting out of the not-quite-woman's body. "It's hideous." Skandar's eyes narrowed a fraction as it raked over the creature's form, the subtle furrowing of his brows the only indication that he found it's presence odd as well. "It's not an 'it'. It's a she." Kiran muttered, also transfixed by the unknown being.

None of them had ever seen anything quite so strange. Monstrous, even. And while Kiran looked at it with a tinge of fascination, all three could silently agree that whatever it was, it had to be some sort of abomination.

Akhil stepped aside, allowing Dorian to enter the chamber as he waited for the herald to announce their arrival. His brothers stood at his back, hovering over his shoulder just close enough to be able to glimpse the happenings inside. A brief grin tugged at the corner of his lips as he watched the General lumber into the room, trailing mud and dirt all over the King's finery as his booming voice filled the air. Only Dorian Ursuul would dare invite a monster to dinner, and Akhil found himself liking the General more and more. The young man reminded him of Arkaelus' predecessor, Hakvus, who'd been a friend of his before his rather untimely death.

However, the rest of the monarchs didn't seem to share the General's amenity towards the creature, because as soon as he extended his invitation, the woman in front of him spoke. Akhil's eyes shifted towards her, and for a moment, he found that he couldn't speak. Once she drew attention to herself, she immediately outshone all the others. The woman was striking in her beauty; smooth, ebony skin framed by dark locks falling in waves past her shoulders. Though she looked delicate, her voice was strong, unwavering, and it was then that he discovered why: she was no ordinary mortal, she was a Faery. The Empress of all Faeries.

His brothers must've also heard what the Empress had said, because as soon as the words left her lips, Kiran had wedged himself between him and the doorway, peering with eyes wide at where the Fae were seated. "It's her!" He whispered excitedly, "I told you they'd be here."

Akhil rolled his eyes, "Yes, yes. So they went to the summit after all. I was wrong, you were right. Congratulations. Now back to your place." He scowled, clamping a hand at the scruff of his brother's coat and jerking him back. He turned his attention back towards the other monarchs and noted how they responded towards the creature, especially after she so boldly accepted the General's offer. Most of them weren't all that pleased, while only two—Dorian and a young man he had yet to identify—welcomed it with open arms. However, some chose to pay little to no heed to the current proceedings. One raven-haired man in particular chose to carry on his conversation with the young woman by his side.


Meanwhile, Kiran was stuck scowling, not particularly pleased to have been shoved back just as he caught sight of Jingshen. "I suppose I owe you a hundred ducats after all." He heard Skandar say. His brother showed just a hint of mirth in his eyes, clearly amused at his flustered state. "Can't the herald hurry up with that bloody announcement? I have to get in there." He hissed, annoyance bright in his tone as he jerked his head towards the chamber. Skandar only raised an eyebrow at this, "Someone's eager." He observed, "I know you're excited to meet the Fae, but you're usually more patient than this."

Kiran heaved a sigh, unconsciously beginning to tap impatiently at the floorboards, "It's Jingshen, the Empress' sister." He began, "I met her at the marketplace just before the General's soldiers swarmed the place, and I want to know if she's all right." He told him, sneaking glances past Akhil's shoulder as he did so.

"Why did you not tell us this?" Skandar asked, brows furrowed at his brother's unexpected revelation. He had to admit, the new bit of information took him by surprise. Faes mingling with mortals were nigh unheard of, and if what his brother said had a shred of truth to it, then maybe his friendship with the Empress' sister might hold the key to brokering an alliance with Anansai.

Kiran rounded on him then, his eyes narrowed and his scowl deepening even further, "Because the two of you were far more interested in chewing me out to listen to what I had to say!" He shot back. However, before Skandar could answer, the herald finally appeared, bowing low before the three princes before stepping unto the threshold of the chamber and announcing their presence to the rest of the monarchs.

Akhil took that as his cue and entered the room, his scarlet and cloth-of-gold trimmed robes sweeping behind him as he walked. Skandar followed suit, his previously stony expression softened slightly into that of cool civility. Kiran walked in last, immediately locking eyes with Jingshen as he fell in to place at Akhil's side. He sent a small smile in her direction, lifting his hand for a brief wave before a pointed look from Skandar had his arms flying back towards his sides.

A sandy-haired man immediately shot up to his feet, offering a kind greeting and an even kinder smile at their arrival. Akhil recognised his name at once. It was the Blue Faery. His lady wife, Nerissa, often mentioned him whenever she regaled him with tales of her childhood. She was the daughter of a wealthy Northern nobleman, and apparently, calling out to Faeries had been quite common among her people. Before he could extend his own greetings, however, another man rose from his seat. Like the Blue Faery, he was quite handsome as well, and sported a shaven head. As it happened, he too was Fae, albeit a Dark One, as it was known even in the South that the Fae in Valen Alus had darker leanings. His son turned out to be the young man he had noticed earlier—the only one other than the General who approved of the creature.

"And to you as well, my Lords." Akhil answered, "Likewise, my brothers and I, too, are honoured to be in your presence." His fists were already held together at his chest as he dipped his head in a respectful bow not only addressed towards the three men, but to the rest of the monarchs as well, with Skandar and Kiran immediately following suit as they stood flanking his sides.

Akhil turned towards Arkaelus next, his smile already widening into a grin, "King Arkaelus! We meet again, Your Grace. My father has sent my brothers and I in his stead as he's currently sorting out some disagreements with a few of our neighbours. We hope you'll find our presence adequate for this event." Of course, when he said that, he meant his father was busy waging yet another war with the neighbouring kindoms. It's always been said that Southern blood ran hotter than that of Northmen. Though peace reigned over much of the Northern countries, the same couldn't be said for the South, where war occurred almost as regularly as the changing of night and day. It's the main reason why Ashkara boasted such a large military force. If not, the Kingdom would've succumbed to its neighbours centuries ago.

While most of the people in the room were unknown to him, he and the King of Khalidor were definitely no stranger to one another. "I apologise for the small delay in our arrival, but I must say, you have quite the gathering here." He commented, "It isn't so often that the leaders of so many great nations are gathered into one place." He mused, as he selected an empty seat. He pulled it back with a nary a sound and sat himself gracefully unto it before motioning for his brothers to do the same.

"I speak in behalf of my father when I say that the Kingdom of Ashkara are ever grateful to be considered for such a historic event." He continued, "I can already tell that this coming summit will be most interesting." He spoke with the lofty air of a man clearly accustomed to speaking with Kings and nobles, and the way his words flowed fluidly with the right amount of charm showed just how capable he was at holding his own against those of much greater rank.

Skandar sat quietly at Akhil's right, his head held high despite the chill. The palace wasn't quite as warm as he had expected, and he could slowly feel the cold seeping into his bones as the minutes ticked by. Still, he willed himself to remain calm even though he wanted nothing more than to set himself on fire to draw warmth back to his skin.

But while Skandar thought it hard to ignore the cold, Kiran found it even more difficult to tear his eyes away from the Fae—Jingshen in particular. He had seated himself in the empty seat between Skandar and General Ursuul, directly in front of Jingshen. "I never thought I'd see you again so soon." He murmured, keeping his voice low despite the grin on his face so as not to draw too much attention to himself. "How are you?"