The Highlands was the smallest part of the empire in terms of size and population. It had no specific tribe of people or culture of tradition residing within its walls except for the Imperial Family. It was where the sacred bloods that had ruled and reigned over the empire for generations dwells. It's also where the palace and the rest of the stately circles for the entire land was situated. The Palace, The Sybilline, the Jade Court, The White Circle, The Shield Order, The High House, The High Council and the rest of the Empire Order.
Then the Eastlands, second to the Highlands in terms of small size and known for its elegance and beauty, its gentle rivers, misty hills and bamboo forests scattered over the land. It was referred to as the Land of Silk because of its major trade produce of fine silk, which made for the luxurious and sophisticated ways of living among its dwellers. They also traded in fine textiles, woven works and art masterpieces. Its dwellers are known to be great scholars, masterful artisans, art masters and diplomacy experts. They make their boast in their mulberry groves from which they derive their trade exports.
The Northlands referred to as the Land of Frost, with its snow-covered plains, jagged mountains, deep-pine forests, frozen lakes and long winters. In fact, it had no other weather climate than snow. They traded mostly in iron, silver, furs and leathers, timber and rare winter herbs. Their craftmanship and resilient discipline is one of a kind and was something that made them stand-out among the people of other lands in the empire. They were known to be honest people, upholding honor and loyalty as their core virtues and are usually blunt with short and strong phrases during conversations.
Then lastly, the Southlands, warm bright and sunny. The Land of Spice it is called and known for its endless sunshine, warm weathers, golden fields and grasslands, lively culture and traditions, its coastal regions, comely waterfalls, fertile valleys and wide savannas. It markets were spice filled which they mainly traded in, making them a prosperous and flourishing land. They also minorly traded in colorful fabrics and dyes, announcing the bright and colorful tradition they upheld. Its dwellers are known to be warm, energetic and expressive in nature, lovers of music and fun.
And there is the Mountain Tribe, well, even though not recognized as one of the major lands in the empire, its dwellers do have some attributes by which they are distinguished from the other major land dwellers. They were always out-of-date, backward, primitive and timid. These may sound not so good of the qualities a people should be known by, but when we dig deep into the details, it was actually not a bad thing. The Mountainers being backward and out-to-date strongly proved of their tendencies to stay true to their originalities, to hold firm to their traditions, cultures and passed down norms and customs. They were mainly tribalistic and would defend and uphold their ancestral rituals and practices to the very end of the world. They were also loyal people, loyal to themselves and to the tribe.
The carriage suddenly came to a stop and consequently, the eastern guy who had been narrating to Cael, all the things he was clearly oblivious of, ended with his narrations and heaved a deep relieving sigh. It was clear that he had been holding in his breath throughout the journey and as he talked with Cael.
Then he smiled charmingly and raised up his book from the carriage settee and un-crossed his legs from each other.
'So, next time, when you see a man wearing a thick furry cloak with a whitish flaky substance covering him, just know that's a Northerner, like our fellow here' he said and gestured towards the other young man in the carriage who was now caressing his cloak of fur gently and proudly.
'Seriously, you should pull that off, I mean, just looking at it is making me sweat' the eastern guy spat out and they all chuckled softly.
'And when you see a sophistically dressed fellow like as you see me dressed right now, having their appearance as affluent and as classic as mine, and their speech so defined and immaculate that it even becomes hard to differentiate that of an Imperial from theirs, then you should know straightly that that is an Easterner' he continued in his aggrandizing tone that the snow guy could no longer help but scoff.
'And for a Southerner, they're mostly colorful, they dress in colors, speak in colors, and do almost everything in color. They can sometimes be a little too much and too expressive, I'm speaking from experience'
'Oh-oh, a little too much? That's rich coming from an Easterner, I mean, you guys do too much in almost everything' the northern guy put in harshly and the eastern guy turned to him and knitted his brows.
'I beg your pardon?'
Cael could immediately feel the tension that was about to erupt, and as always, he was unaware of what he might do to stop it. But just then, an Imperial Guard suddenly appeared at the entrance of the carriage and pushed the curtains to a side, bidding them to get off the carriage at once. Cael sighed in relief and silently thanked the guard for saving the day as they all dismounted the carriage.
The sight that instantly came to him as they got off the carriage almost blinded his innocent eyes. Cael as never in his life seen such dazzling and glimmering sights before. Everything he saw was literally made of polished gold, silvers and other precious metals that glittered under the sun like some temptation that was too hard to resist. Alluring, bewitching, enchanting, captivating, enthralling, arousing, and spell-bounding. Forget barging into The King's Court to meet the Emperor face to face and seek for justice to clear his father's name, because how was he, Cael, going to resist the tempting sights before him, of the large palace walls and embellished domiciles in the palace, before he could accomplish his goal here?
'Must be your first time here?'
A calm and manly voice came to Cael and immediately helped to return him back to reality. He turned to face a lovely looking man with a placid and gentle appearance, very comely to look at with his smooth eye brows, slanted dark green eyes, his subtle lips and well-defined jawline. It was undeniable that the person before him was an Imperial.
Now overwhelmed with a kind of inexplicable and elusive feeling, Cael took to straightly bowing to the young man standing before him, it was as if the presence of the man and the aura he carried with him, was something Cael could not but submit to. It was definite that this man was among the twelve princes Zaza had explained to him about, and if Cael could feel this much succumbent just standing before a Prince, what more the Emperor who he was not only planning to meet face to face, but was also going to confront. For a moment and for the first time in a long time, Cael was made to doubt what he had always been determined to do, to distrust his mad desire and ambition to seek justice and to see it as the foolish and impossible feat it actually was.
'Oh-oh, this is my first time seeing someone get so tense standing before me, it's usually the ladies who I see act this way when I approach them' the prince carried on and giggled, while Cael hesitantly raised his head with his eyes clearly failing to even meet with those of the prince, that even he himself was made to wonder at how quivery he has now become.
'I…I am sorry, I … must have gotten lost as soon as I entered…Ehm… the palace, forgive me' he replied stuttering and before the prince could say anything in response, Cael swiftly turned and walked briskly out of his sight. The prince stood still and then scoffed in disbelieve, trying to understand the type of a fellow he's just stumbled upon.
As Cael tried to search for a way back to where he's supposed to be, he placed his hands to his chest and could feel his heart beating so fast and crazy like never before. He then brought his hand to his head and struck it violently as he vexed at himself for acting the way he did back there. Just then, he saw the familiar figure of the northern guy approaching him rapidly with a worried look on his face.
'Where did you wander off to, Mountainer? I do hope you know that we're in the palace and stepping your foot into a place where you shouldn't can actually have your head removed from off your neck' he said and stretched his hands to grab Cael's hands.
'He talked with a prince.' The voice of the eastern guy came from behind the northern guy and Cael noticed how he was holding a huge decorated fan in his hands, with which he blew himself gently.
'And with the way he's shivering, I'm very sure it was one of the Lavender Princes. Oh, poor thing, it must have made you very nervous' the eastern guy continued as they were now returning to their designated spot with Cael's hands clasped into that of the northern guy.
'Look, you better quit with the wandering off to nowhere, I do not like searching for people I barely know. If not for the Northerner, who insisted that we look for you just because we got here together, well, not that I blame him, we know his kind to be very loyal and clingy, they immediately stick unto you and see you as a sworn ally once you've had one or two chemistries with each other. But that's not for me, I believe in first creating deep and unbreakable bonds through accessibility and mutuality before anything else can follow…'
The eastern guy rattled on and on and it was then that Cael could understand what Ham meant when he said Zaza was like what they called a chatterbox, because he needed no one else to tell him again for him to know that this eastern guy before him was the real deal, the perfect example of a full-fledged chatterbox.
And speaking of Zaza, Cael looked down to how the northern guy tightly gripped his hands between his own palms, and he remembered when he used to hold Zaza in the same manner so as not to risk him wandering out of sight. He knew what a great hassle it was for them to turn around and find Zaza no longer within their sights, the kind of fear that would immediately grip their hearts. Who knew that one day he'd be the one whose hands were being held so as to prevent him from moseying to somewhere he's not meant to be. He chuckled silently as the nostalgic and longing feeling of home swept through his heart. He was somewhat already home-sick.
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The Second Prince stood in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting his robes properly and adorning himself carefully. The court ladies were standing-by at both sides of the chamber with their heads bowed down as the prince dressed himself without seeking their aid. Then the prince suddenly paused from tightening his robes and looked to his reflection in the mirror and chuckled lightly. He couldn't seem to get the strange guy he had met the other day in one of the palace quarters, from off his mind. What an incredible fellow it was, who couldn't even keep him head up straight in front of a prince. He sighed and continued working on himself, and just then, the lady herald who was at the door of his chambers, called out to the prince from without in a low respectful tone.
'My Prince, the Fourth Prince is here to see…'
'Brother!'
The Fourth Prince voice quickly sounded in the room as he ushered himself into the dressing chambers and the court ladies bowed to him and hastily exited the room. He then studied the Second Prince from head to toe and smiled affirmingly at him.
'Why do you always have the dress-maids in your chambers when you know you wouldn't even need them to aid your dressing' the Fourth Prince, Uriel, said to his older brother and settled himself in one of the furniture in the chambers.
'Well, should I have them fired then? You know that would be cruel' Sylven replied and chuckled softly again as he went to sit with his brother at the table.
'So, Uriel, tell me, what is it? You've come barging into my chambers so early in the morning' Sylven carried on and looked closely into Uriel's face.
'You know there'd be an assembling of all the princes very soon to disclose the second part of father's Bid' Uriel revealed and Sylven nodded in assertion.
'Yeah, I do know that, what? It bothers you'
'Of course I'm bothered, the first part of the Bid's already worrisome as it is, what more the second? I mean look at Dan, he's being going to every prince's chamber to get everyone to stand against it' Uriel said with his brows slanted with uncertainty and worry as he looked to his big brother for some hope and assurance. Sylven then sighed and faced the ground thoughtfully.
'I get what you're trying to mean, but what about the Crown Prince? What is he saying…?'
'You know he's just the younger version of father; he thinks exactly the way father does. He's just been on about us exercising patience towards it. I mean who can be calm enough to exercise patience…'
'Me!'
The eighth price voice resonated into the chambers and he came pulling himself into their sight having his tender, prudish and straightlaced appearance, with an Elysian touch of beauty to it. The Eighth Prince, though presumed by many to be undeniably lecherous and lewd because of his certain habit of frequenting and sponsoring adult establishments even after considering his physical limitations, and as such, alleged to be the raunchy type of a prince, with an obscene fashion sense and to a very great extent, flirty in both words and deeds. However, in reality, the Eighth Prince was the most decently garbed of the princes, most decently-spoken of the princes and the most morally endowed of them all. He was in fact, an embodiment of moral etiquettes and acute properness.
As he rolled himself on his wheelchair effortlessly into the Second Prince's chamber, he came to a stop before the presence of the two other princes and smiled beautifully at them.
'If there isn't anyone calm enough to exercise patience then, here I am Uriel' he said to the Fourth Prince who just scoffed at his face and looked to the other side.
'You said Dan's being going to every prince's chamber so as to get signatures for his petition against the Bid, but he's never been to mine' the Eighth Prince continued and then pouted his lips in disappointment.
'Well, maybe he has, but couldn't find you in your chambers because you might have wandered off to some new whorehouse in the Capital' the Fourth Prince spelt out harshly and the Eighth Prince just sighed calmly at him.
'I guess that must have been the reason' he put in and then faced Sylven, the Second Prince.
'I heard you came across one of the selected ones for the Bid yesterday' he said and Sylven's eyes quickly brightened in bewilderment as he straightened up to look into his eyes.
'You… you already of know that?' he asked amused.
'Of course. Apparently, some of the court ladies saw both of you together even though it was but for a short while. They said the young man must have gotten lost in the palace and had moseyed into the wrong place and that's where you two came to meet face to face' Azel continued and stretched his hands to grab a berry from the full bowl of berries that was on the table, and threw it neatly into his mouth.
'There's nothing that happens in the palace that gets by you, or is there?' Sylven wondered bemusedly and Azel just chuckled at him.
'Oh no, there isn't. And now we're on that topic, there's actually something I have come to notice lately and, even though I really want to keep my lips sealed about it until I confirm it, but with everything's that going on now, I think I need to share' Azel observed and the two other princes turned to look closely into his eyes and seeing the seriousness that was written on his face, they immediately knew it was going to be about something very important.
'So, you mean you have some new information of some sort that even though not confirmed, needed to be shared to us because of…the Bid? So, it must have something to do with the Bid?' Uriel tossed in curiously and Azel gave him a swift nod in response.
'But, as I said, I need to validate it first, and yeah, with the assembly for the disclosure of the second part of the Bid coming up, I guess things would be made clearer by then, because I also think I have an idea on what the second part of the Bid might be all about' Azel carried on and immediately, Uriel sprung to his feet in anticipation.
'You do? Tell us! I know you are never wrong with your ideas' Uriel exclaimed
'As I said, it's nothing but an assumption, it's not wise to share it as if it's the real thing'
'No-no, it's fine, just…'
'Uriel…'
Sylven called out to the Fourth Prince in a demanding tone and Uriel immediately turned calm and retreated back to his seat.
'Hm! So why have you come to tell us all this? To agitate us?' Uriel put forth dryly and Azel watched his downcast expression and smirked.
'O no, this was more of an invite than a stir, and I came to the both of you because I knew that you were the only ones I could bring up an allurement to and be certain that it would work' Azel replied and then beamed wittily.
'And now I see that it's worked, then, my job here's done' he said and wheeled himself around, moving gingerly out of the chamber.
'Arrgh, that fox!' Uriel spat out crossly as soon as the Eighth Prince left the chamber.
Cael woke up to his first morning in the palace; flutter-some, emotional, mind-boggled for the magnificent grandeur of the Palace, and skeptical. Everything Cael has seen and was seeing kept leaving him with second thoughts about his mission here. Firstly, the facts about him being the only Mountainer here was spreading like wild fire among the selected ones and was truly not helping his situation because, secondly, this was rather seeming to help lower his chances of becoming part of the prince's Escorts.
Everywhere he went, he could feel the scorning and disparaging looks from others even on his own skin, and if not for the northern guy who would always wave a hand at him to invite him over to where he was standing with the eastern guy, Cael would have been more like an exile who was in a place he was not worthy of. Even though it has just been a day since he arrived the palace, Cael has now been made to understand, with the silent cold treatments he was receiving, what Ham was trying to tell him that evening, when they were gathered round the burning firewood. He could now fully understand the extent of the ridicule the people from the Mountain Tribe received from the rest of the major land dwellers.
But somehow, in some way, Cael was slowly growing an obstinate and avid desire to change how things were. He knew he wasn't here for the Mountain Tribe, to prove to the people that they weren't to be an object of mimicry for the rest of the major land dwellers, or to bring glory to the tribe and make the land understand what being a Mountainer truly meant. He had his own ambition for coming here. But just a night in the palace seem to want to change all of that, and surely, it wasn't a bad idea to add it on to his already planned out goal. If he wanted to be an Escort, he needed a strong and respectable reputation and as a Mountainer, he clearer doesn't have any of that, so why don't he just create one for himself first?
He tweaked the finely satin robe that they had just been given as the uniform to wear, every one of them, and nodded his head resolutely at his reflection in mirror.
'Oh-oh, you look so good in your robe'
The gentleman who he was sharing the small cozy room that they were accommodated in, complimented him from the bed where he laying and flicking through the pages of a book. He swiftly turned to him and flushed slightly as he gently stroked the silk attire on his body.
'Oh, thanks. It's my first time wearing something so…hmm…how should I put it?'
'Luxurious?' the gentleman put in and Cael looked up again to him and chuckled softly.
'Well…yeah, maybe'
He asserted and the gentleman smiled adorably and rose up to his butt, still studying Cael.
'Ohh, you Mountainers. Very predictable' he said humorously and Cael just hung his head in shyness. Then he looked again to the gentleman and assumed a guessing expression.
'You must be an Easterner then' he said and the gentleman slightly furrowed his brows.
'Why did you assume so?' he asked back.
'Well, I see you've been so occupied with a book even when I came in last night, you were with a book…'
'…Oh' the gentleman threw in and then snickered politely.
'I get it now. Yes, easterners are mostly studious and smart, but no! I am a Southerner, and this book…it's just a normal book anyone can read regardless of who they are. And I surely cannot just seem an Easterner just because I read, I mean those guys literally do too much' the gentleman conveyed and Cael immediately burst out into laughter.
'It's not my first time hearing someone asserting to that; about easterners doing too much' he said amidst mirth and the gentlemen joined him for a moment.
'See? They do too much, talk too much and dress too much' the gentleman affirmed on and they continued laughing.
The large pendulum clock at the center of the lodging house began to sound, announcing that everyone ought to crawfish out of bed or whatsoever they were engaged in, and report to the dining hall for brunch. Even though a morning meal had been served earlier on, but many of the young men could not make it mostly due to exhaustion, just like Cael himself, therefore, a brunch was arranged for those who couldn't make it and also to make each and every one aware that after the late morning meal, there was going to be an assembly. According to what Cael had heard, an assembly would be held for them and also consequently held in the Main Palace for the princes, to disclose the final part of the Bid. But what interested Cael the most was the fact that the Emperor and the King's Court were also going to be present at the palace assembly, he had overheard this from some other young men while he was at the bathhouse earlier this morning, and just as Zaza had said, places like that were the surest places to get valid and off the bat information.
Cael strolled calmly to the dining hall, he had his mind preoccupied with what he should do with such valid info he has just received; the Emperor would be present. And just then, a younger man, probably 16 or 17, and with his rowdy and obviously trouble-seeking group of friends, came jumping upon Cael's shoulders, making him shudder with fright. Then they all began to laugh and snigger annoyingly at Cael's sudden show of cowardice, clapping and high-fiving themselves for instigating it.
'So, you're the Mountainer everyone's being whispering non-stop about' the fellow who had his arms round Cael's shoulder, observed crudely to Cael with his face almost kissing Cael's cheeks.
'Whoa, I thought you would be some big shot or something, you know, having them muscles and biceps from all those mountain climbing' one of his friends put in and cackled to the rest of his friends.
'I thought you'd be a giant!' another cried and the rest all busted into another round of snorting laughter.
'So, tell us mate? Where did all your muscles go? You did cut down trees with your bare hands and rooted out mountains too, so where's the power you used in doing all that? Or were you just some lazy bum who wanted to run away from the tribe so as not to do all the heavy-lifting?' the fellow on his shoulders said again and this time, Cael could feel his breath in his mouth.
Well, they continued with the petty gags and infuriating laughter until they reached the dining hall. And as soon as they came facing the rest of the young men who were already seated in their respective seat and mussitating all over the hall, the annoying young fellows immediately left off from mocking Cael, and moved briskly to their seats. They did not want to be seen with a Mountainer by the others, it was like something huge and degrading, one they couldn't afford.
Cael looked at the young fellows as they immediately left him alone and walked to their seats, and he began longing for his little obedient and well-mannered Zaza. The little boy he and the rest of the boys had watched grow before their eyes.
Then he turned to see if there was a place suited for him to sit on. He couldn't see Haniel nor Jorai, the northern and the eastern guy from the previous day, as the matter of fact, he has not seen them since they got separated into different rooms yesterday. He sighed as he immediately knew that the only place suited for him right now, was the empty bench at the far corner of the room. He started for the empty bench in the room after getting his own portion of food from the kitchenette and he could feel the heavy gazes of the people upon him. He sat and began devouring his meal; he could care about their consuming glares later, because right now, he was utterly beaten with hunger. As he kept downing his food, a sudden small figure of a young man appeared beside him and he turned his head sharply to look at the young fellow. The young fellow had a very meek and amiable appearance that for a moment, Cael thought him to be Zaza who had come all the way from the mountains to see him in the Highlands. But as Cael stared closely at the young man's face and saw the slight distinctive features he had, both in size, hair texture and eye color, he then knew that it was someone different; someone who nearly looked like the older version of Zaza.
'Hi…' Cael replied to the young man's low greeting and the young man moved opposite him in the bench.
'Mind if I sit with you?' the young fellow asked courteously and Cael nodded and he sat down. He placed his own tray of food on the table and then picked up his spoon.
'Why were you looking at me like that? It was as if you had seen someone you were longing to see' the young fellow put in and chuckled tenderly, not expecting a reply from Cael.
Then the young man quietly began to dig into his food, and the etiquette with which he ate immediately told Cael of how barbarously he must have been eating all this while. He looked over to the faces of the other young men who were watching them and could now see how some of them were gazing with bewilderment at his own table manners.
He slowly turned his head back into his food, almost burying it into the dish in shame. And just then, before he could sink himself in his shame, a familiar voice came behind, and the gentleman who he shared a room with, appeared and patted him gently at his back.
'How inimical of you to leave me behind without taking me along for brunch' he said and as soon as he sat down and placed his own food on the table, he noticed the young man opposite them and his eyes widened with surprise.
'Oh, it must really be a great honor to have the son of a Lord sitting at meat with us' he continued and the other young man before them instantly paused from eating and straightly turned red on his face.
'Oh, come on, I am not one of those people who spread dirty rumors about that. I said that because you seemed familiar to me, that's all' he continued and the young fellow turned to look at him questioningly.
'I seem familiar to you? How?' he asked.
'Your brother, Eshek, we attended the same Academy in the Southland' he replied and the young fellow's face returned to normal as he was now gazing at Cael's roommate curiously.
'You know my brother? You're a Southerner?' he quizzed on and the gentleman nodded swiftly while Cael was just where he was, watching both of them cluelessly.
'By the way, I'm Mikneiah, call me Mik' the gentleman introduced.
'I'm Unni, nice to meet you' the young fellow rejoined and they both suddenly turned to look at Cael who was still looking dense.
'Oh, I'm Cael!' he put forth and Mikneiah stared at him bemusedly.
'Cael? That's…that's not a name you hear every day' he observed.
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