Hey guys. I have decided to extend the length of this arc to make it make more sense. So the arc did not end in the last one. Thank you for reading.
V' alkre
It was fifteen days. 15 days of bitter journey north while being chased by the Highvoids before we reached our destination. I say chased but we didn't really see the Highvoids. According to what I overheard mother telling Kina, Hold should have set a decoy to make my family go chasing a false trial west, he gave his life for that. So before they realize and turned we'd have gone far.
We went through the Louis woods to the meadows; a plain with grass and bright flowers; then we went over the border on the ninth day of our journey. The V'alkre land was a poor country, plants hardly grows unlike Crystalis but the citizens of Alekr were more richer on average because of the their strength in trade and art. We went past villages and towns through a wide highway until on the fifteenth day we reached our destination. Fen castle.
Fen castle was a large gray fort city situated inside a valley. Mother said her sister resides there as the wife of the city lord. Mother and Kina had argued alot on the road. Kina had advised we go to the old forest to mother's father. But mother wanted to stay in the mainland so one day I could return to become lord of Chrysalis.
Anyway the city gate was full with people coming and going. Mostly merchants in carriages or adventurers on horseback or feet. Entering the city wasn't that difficult as you might believe. Mother just gave the guards a few coins and they let us pass. The city was like a market places; people went through and fro and others sold stuffs beside the road. The buildings were tall and gray with lots of people living in one. The shops and stalls sold things from pets to weapons and food, and to spelled objects.
Kina found us an inn first. A stable boy took the horses as we dismounted and I took the time to warm my legs that were sore from the intense horse ridding. The interior was a medieval common room with cliche costumers around tables and a short inn keeper that called herself Madame Gonzase. Mother cringed at the name and said it was the most ugly name she'd ever heard when the woman left after showing us our room. Kina shook her head though. "She's a Westerner mistress," the maid said. "It's how they name themselves for the harsh life their live. I don't see anything bad in that?"
"Are you challenging me Kina?" Mother snapped.
Kina smiled and started sorting the luggage. "Forgive me mistress," she said. "Anyway I have been watching in silence and you still haven't told me how we are going to do this. I thought you'd go straight to the castle."
"No, I need to know the situation in this city and country first before approaching Viktora. I need to approach her from a place of power or my dear sister won't take me seriously."
"Well you know your family. I am going to take the kids to bath, want to join us?"
"Yes..... We have been on the road for a long time after all. Ah, I could really use a hot bath. Pay the madame well to give us somewhere private."
"Sure, mistress," Kina grinned. "Let's waste all the money."
"I am going to burn that mouth of yours," Fire started burning from mother's hands. Kina ran out laughing the whole time. Mother just heaved a big sigh controlling her temper before dispelling the flames. "That girl," she said pouting.
After the bath we wore clean cloths and went downstairs for a meal. Night was starting to set and the place was getting busier. We found a sit in the corner of the common room. As we eat I started perking my ears so I could catch some important gossip like in fantasy stories but got nothing beside useless tavern tales. Instead I soon got lost in my thought. What does V'alkre mean to my survival? Crystalis was the main country the novel took place but the wider world couldn't be ignored.
The wider world was just as important as many of the wars fought in the novel did not start in Crystalis. Only, Crystalis was were the lens of the author concentrated on. The eyes of Aliye are also scattered around the world. If I remember correctly none was in Crystalis but one was in V'alkre.
Again all I want is to survive and maybe get immortality, my mother's plan for me to return to claim lordship of Chrysalis did not interest me. I'd rather stay away from the Highvoids and any relatives because in this world your kin was your biggest weakness. It had been shown again and again in the novel with greed and betrayals. But another thought brothers me; what if the storyline is hard to change?
In the original story I was dead at birth and Sin my cousin( yes he's named that) was heir to Jack Highvoid. And now after my fall I could bet my life he's now my father's heir. In the story my mother opposed father because of me when she fled to V'alkre after my death. She was later killed in Fen castle with her sister. I guess, I thought bitterly, in both instance I am doom to my relatives. My death will also bring the Highvoids down wouldn't it?
I don't know how things will go. But maybe that's why I am here. To change things. With that thought I felt better and started looking forward to my new life and my new relatives.