Chapter 2 (part 1)
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Daninlei: the journey begins
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The kingdom of Daninlei was shy of its one-thousand year anniversary by just a few decades, making it about three hundred years older than Ellizea. Its culture was quite different from Ellizea's as well. Where Ellizea prided itself on the ability to make structures efficient yet very elegant, Daninlei's structures were as practical and efficient as they could get. This approach to making things was reflected in every aspect of their culture. They weren't concerned with being artistic about things, they just wanted them to work well.
Their main concern was the art of waging war. It truly was the military power of Aleige. It had survived three continental wars and quite a few of their own.
Upon approaching its capital, Danin City, all knew what was at stake, no one more than Cecealye. If one person recognized her as the queen of Ellizea she could very well lose her life. Since she did not know who her enemy was, it would be practically impossible to see it coming.
The sun was somewhere in the middle of the sky as the group approached the city gates. Looking upon the city, it came off as quite unwelcoming. Its gray stone walls stood towering, encompassing the city. Atop them were sheltered areas were many an archer had shot their bows from. It was a city built upon war, although now it was not at war with any nation, that is, that anyone knew of.
Ean's head turned over his shoulder. "I'll do all the talking, okay. Just follow my lead." Everyone nodded in agreement.
Supreany's eyes locked onto the outside wall of the city. She'd never been to Danin City. She wondered what it would be like inside the walls. 'Well, the only way to find out is to see for one's self.'
Some guards stopped them, asked to see their bags, and began to rummage through them. "What brings you to Danin City?"
"We're just stopping by to see a couple of friends of ours, get some food, maybe a drink at one of your fine pubs, and be on our merry way," Ean stated.
"What's with all the weaponry?"
"Well, sir, you know as well as I do that it's folly to travel the wild without such. There are robbers and wild beasts beyond count that would sooner kill and eat you before they'd let food pass them by. Not to mention we've got to have food."
"All right. One last question. Where are you coming from?"
"We traveled from a small village right off of Theslon's River."
The guard was silent for a moment as he looked back over the group, eyeballing each of them as he handed their bags back to them. "Well, you all are ready to go. You stay out of trouble and enjoy that drink."
"Thank you, sir." With that, they began to walk off into the city.
They would have been lying if they'd said that encounter had not made them extremely nervous. However, it had passed, and they now walked upon the dirty, worn stone streets, brushing shoulders with all sorts of people. The people of Daninlei were a bit rough around the edges. However, most had relatively good hearts.
With Ean leading the way, they began to approach a medium-size residence. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door. Not a moment later, a petite woman answered the door.
"Ean?"
"Hey, Julicia. Got a place for your brother-in-law and a few friends?"
"Yes. Come right in."
They all piled in and shut the door behind them. As they were taking off their outer robes, Julicia's eyes swelled.
"Queen Cecealye, is that you?"
Ean looked over at Cecealye then back at Julicia. "Where's Brundin? I need to talk to you both right away."
"He's just in the other room."
So, they all gathered in the dining room. Ean explained their predicament to his younger brother and his wife and stressed how important it was that Cecealye's presence stay a secret to all. Neither of them seemed to think that Daninlei had had anything to do with the attack but said that if they wanted to look into it themselves, the best place to go was Bardo's Pub.
"If there's anything to be found out in this city you can find it out there," Brundin stated. It was almost dark, so they began to head that way.
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Drumming her fingers on the wooden table, Cecealye stared off into the distance blankly. 'Whose' idea was this?' She looked over to the counter of the bar. 'That's right it; was Ean's brother.'
Neither Ean nor Supreany seem to have had any problems mingling. As for Orckle, well, he had come in, found the darkest corner with a table, and taken a seat. Wrapped as he was in his black robe one could barely see him. 'But perhaps that was his intention,' she thought.
As for Cecealye, this place was completely out of her realm. She had never been in a public pub and by all rights, she did not belong in one. Flattening her hand out and lifting it ever so slightly she glared in aggravation at her dirty fingernails. 'I have a feeling I'm going to see a lot of this.'
"Hello there, pretty lady. What brings you to such a place like this?" The husky voice seemed to have come from nowhere.
"A drink," she replied as she lifted her otherwise untouched mug of cheap ale.
"Mind if I join you?"
"By all means." She gestured for him to sit in the seat across from her. The man truly was not much to look at. He must have been in his forties. His dirty clothing was only matched by his unshaven face. But, such was not uncommon for the working class of Danin City.
"I reckon you're not from around here."
"Why do you say that?" She wasn't particularly interested in having a conversation with a drunk, smelly man.
"Oh, by the way you're sitting there. And besides, I haven't seen you around here."
"I lived in a village on the outskirts of Ellizea and fled for my life when my village was seized," she quickly inserted, hoping that would sate his curiosity.
"Oh, indeed? It seems I heard about that. Funny thing is, no one can figure out who attacked 'em and a rumor has spread that the queen's dead. Sure is awful. I heard so many speak so highly of her."
She felt she should say something to that but thought it a bit awkward to talk about herself that way.
He hunched forward. "You want to hear a secret?"
She lifted her eyebrows in response.
"I heard that the attack was the fulfillin' of a prophecy."
Now he had caught her attention. "A prophecy?"
"Yeah. Some guy named Cardin Farris prophesied it some hundred years ago. They still have a record of it at the National Quezeta Library. But good luck gettin' in there."
She leaned back and looked away. "Sophiapolis ...nothing but a rotten house of leaderless mutts. They would sooner spit in your face than lend you some knowledge all just because …" looking at the man she stopped herself, "because they have that stupid library."
"You got that right missy. Well, I'm startin' to see the bottom of my glass so I'll be departin'. It was mighty nice talkin to you."
"And the same to you." She lifted her glass once more as he stood and walked away. Bringing her drink back down to, she looked at it hard. 'Looks questionable. But why not?' She took the slightest drink. 'Oha, this tastes the way it smells.' She instantly sat it down and pushed it to the center of the table.