1 Chapter 1

Naill walked out the door. The sun was shining brightly today. Unfortunate. Naill pulled his hood over his head and pulled down his veil. The fields were overwhelmingly green on this morning. A suitable day for the Reverence Ceremony. Naill walked through the small garden in the front of his home and opened the gate and began to run. He knew that if he was late again, he would have to endure another correction period. Lord Daelus's keep was not far, but there was always something to distract Niall. He just could not help doing something before arriving to work. This morning, his distraction was that of every day of the Reverence Ceremony: food. All the roast birds and tender meats made his mouth water and the looks of the pastries and creams were simply irresistible. Today though, was important. Not only was it the Day of Reverence, but also a new lord would be appointed at the keep. As a Civic Person, he was required to attend every appointment ceremony regardless of personal life. As Niall ran, the keep came into view. It was a tall building with large stone walls and wooden roofs. He could catch just a glimpse of the Main Hall through the gate. A large crowd gathered outside the walls, all wearing the ceremonial black and blue attire. They were all likely just as vexed as he was to be there. No one truly cared for the appointment ceremonies except for nobles and other citizens of high class. Truly, the lord has little power, the Emperor controls everything anyways. Niall stopped at the outskirts of the crowd and started looking for a way to get through it. He decided it was better just to go straight through. Niall pushed through the crowd against the curses and comments of rudeness. He finally reached the gate where he took out his emblem and showed it to the guard.

"You may want to hurry up, they have already begun organization." said the guard.

Niall put away his emblem and ran to the main hall. He burst through the kitchen door and ran to the closet. He opened the door and put his uniform on. It was just a red scarf pinned to his shirt.

Niall walked outside with the grace he was taught but pretended he had. He joined the line of other servants and assumed a respectable stance. The horns sounded. The large doors of the main hall slowly opened to reveal the new lord. He was accompanied by a small, young woman. She was quite pale and her gown was embroidered with images of fans and moons. Her veil was long enough to almost reach the ground. Her hair was pure white and was likely dyed to be so. Beside her were two small children. Both boys, with unruly hair and pale skin. They squinted their eyes as if this was their first time in the sun. Niall would not have been surprised if that was case. The new lord and his companions began walking down the path that had been made for them by the parting crowd. They took the steps on to the stage and halted. The lord looked around as if examining the crowd.

"My good citizens," he addressed the crowd, "my name is Laeche." The crowd whispered amongst themselves.

"I am here to replace the great Lord Daelus." The crowd applauded in relief. Lord Daelus had a reputation of taking that which was not his, usually food. For nearly ten years, he taxed his subjects for a portion of their produce and meats. The district abbot stood up and delivered the traditional Appointment Ceremony speech.

The ceremony dragged on to the late afternoon because of Lord Laeche's rambling speech. Before the Reverence Ceremony, all the people in the district joined together for a mid-afternoon feast. There were all sorts of things from around the nation. Quail from the west, cactus fruit from the deserts, and elk from the north. There were many pastries that were quickly taken by small children and the elders. Niall did not often participate in the feast, but on Reverence Day, his parents insisted. Niall sat next to his friend Saia. They had been friends since childhood and often ran off through the keep's gardens, taking small fruits home for their families. Her mother was a laborer and often worked with Niall's mother. Her father though, had no trade and often spent his

time within the confines of their home. Saia's father was not much different than Niall's, as his both their fathers were seldom present. Niall's father worked as a soldier in the Yendarian Army. He was often stationed at the border and sometimes sent on mission out of the nation. Niall worked as a servant of the keep. All elves below the age of fifty were required to spend five to ten years of service for their keep. If they do not fulfill their service, they are often fined or even imprisoned.

The crowd suddenly went into cheering and thunderous applause. The Pope walked onto the stage, his white cape trailing behind him. He was decorated with silver rings and symbols. His face was obscured by a black fan, a symbol of Yen. He raised his hand and slowly brought them down to quiet the crowd.

"Subjects of Yendar, Children of Yen, welcome to the Reverence Ceremony!" bellowed the Pope. There was a brief cheer before the crowd went silent again.

"Today, we will entertain you with the execution of abominations of this empire." declared the Pope. This time, the crowd went ballistic. Prisoners were walked onto the stage along with an executioner. The prisoners laid their head on wooden blocks.

"These few criminals have disgraced the Emperor," said the Pope, "and when we disgrace the Emperor…?"

"WE MUST BE PUNISHED!" yelled the crowd. The Executioner walked over to the first prisoner and pulled the bag off his head. The prisoner was as pale as any elf, he was also gaunt and his bright blue veins suggested he was infected with the Blue Plague.

"This man attempted to kill a Praetorian." exclaimed the Pope. The crowd filled with boos and curses. The Executioner raised his axe high over his head and slammed it down on the man's neck. The prisoner's head dropped and rolled across the stage.

"Up next: a woman who snuck into an army camp." proclaimed the Pope. Sneers rang through the air. The Executioner raised his axe and buried it into the woman's neck. The Executioner walked over to the last prisoner. The bag was pulled off his head. Niall gasped. His father was kneeling over a chopping block.