85 Are You Having Fun?

ɪғ ɪ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴍᴘʟᴏʏ ᴍʏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴘɪᴠᴏᴛᴀʟ ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ sᴏ ᴀssɪᴅᴜᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʟᴘᴀʙʟᴇ ᴄᴏᴡᴀʀᴅs ᴡʜᴏ ᴛʀᴜᴅɢᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ʟᴏᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴡᴀʏs ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴍʏ ʟɪғᴇ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʜᴀʀᴅᴇʀ, ɪ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴅɪᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɢᴇ ᴏғ ᴛᴡᴇʟᴠᴇ. ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴄʀᴀғᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴀsᴛᴇʀғᴜʟ ᴇxᴄᴜsᴇs, sᴏᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴀsᴛᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴘᴀɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴇᴡ ʏᴇᴀʀs ɪ ʟɪᴠᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴘɪᴛᴀʟ.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴘɪᴛᴀʟ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇғɪᴇʟᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴇᴘʟᴏʏᴇᴅ ᴀs ᴀ ᴅɪsᴛʀᴀᴄᴛɪɴɢ ʟᴀᴍʙ, ʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ sʟᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴍʏ ғᴇᴇᴛ sᴛᴇᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴏɴᴛᴏ ɪᴛs ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅs. ᴀs ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ 'ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴊᴜɢᴅᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ', ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇ ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟ, sʟɪᴘᴘᴇʀʏ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀɴ ɪʟʟᴜsɪᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪᴇғ, ᴡᴀs ᴏғ ᴜᴛᴍᴏsᴛ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴅ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇᴅ sᴀɪᴅ ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ, ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜɴɢʀʏ ʜʏᴇɴᴀs ᴏғ ᴡᴇᴀʟᴛʜʏ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀs, ɴᴏʙʟᴇ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴠᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʀʀᴏɢᴀɴᴛ sᴄɪᴏɴs ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴇʟɪsʜ ɪɴ ᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ, ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏʀᴍ ᴏғ ᴇxᴀɢɢᴇʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɢᴏssɪᴘ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀʟᴀᴄᴇ.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴍᴇsᴛɪᴄ sᴄᴇɴᴇʀʏ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴇ ᴀɴʏ ɴᴏsᴛᴀʟɢɪᴀ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ. ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ, ɪᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʟᴇss ᴛʜᴀɴ ʜᴀʟғ ᴀ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜ sɪɴᴄᴇ ɪ ʟᴇғᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡʀᴇᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴊᴀɪʟ, ᴅɪsɢᴜɪsᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏʀɴᴀᴍᴇɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ғᴀᴋᴇ ɢᴏʟᴅ—ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ, ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ: ɪɴ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ʀᴇsɪᴅᴇᴅ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ғᴇsᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ ʜᴀᴛʀᴇᴅ ᴀʙsᴏʀʙᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ sᴀᴛ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ, ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɪᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ sʜᴀʀᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ sᴡᴏʀᴅ ɪ ɴᴏᴡ ᴡɪᴇʟᴅᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ ᴡᴀs ʙʏ ᴍʏ sɪᴅᴇ! ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅɪᴅ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ғᴇᴀʀ—ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛᴇʀʀɪғʏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ? ɪ ɢᴜᴇss, ғᴏʀ ɴᴏᴡ, ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴡɪʟʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴇɴᴅᴜʀᴇ ʜɪs ᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴄᴇ.

"All right, lady, calm down." I rolled my eyes. Why did she have to speak in such strange way? It was like she didn't want anyone to understand her. All these books must have gotten to her head.

"Huh, I am calm," Raya butted in from behind.

"I wasn't talking to you."

She tilted her head. "Then who are you talking to?"

"Myself."

"Oh, okay."

"ɪ ᴀᴘᴏʟᴏɢɪᴢᴇ. ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʜᴏʟᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋ, ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴀʀᴅ ʜᴀʙɪᴛs sᴛᴀʏ ʟᴏɴɢ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ? ᴀʟsᴏ, ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴍɪʟɪᴀʀ sᴄᴇɴᴇʀʏ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ," Agnes said, "ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪsʜ ғᴏʀ ɪᴛ, ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ᴏғғᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀ ᴋɪss ᴀs ᴀɴ ᴀᴘᴏʟᴏɢʏ"

"Stop it with your jokes."

"ᴡʜʏ, ɪᴛ ɪs ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴀ ᴋɪss. ᴍʏ sᴜᴘᴘʟʏ ɪs ɴᴇᴀʀ ᴇɴᴅʟᴇss."

I decided to not engage with Agnes' childish mockery by simply ignoring her.

As her magic grew stronger—a factor which I hadn't decided as being a good or bad thing yet—she grew more complacent. The whole journey, she floated behind us—an action that was as easy as breathing for her now, even though she couldn't even control her speed in the beginning.

For half the travel, she had been sleeping, unperturbed by everything around her. I knew she was just waiting to get her body back, and I also knew that she would not bat an eye to kill me if necessary. So the more comfortable she grew, the less comfortable I was.

"Oh," Raya lifted her head, "there's someone in front."

As we got closer to the capital, more and more people surfaced. The person walking the same road as us was an older man, wearing simple clothes and carrying a hoe over his shoulder. His hands were full of blisters and he had an uneven gait.

The moment we noticed him, he noticed us too.

He twisted his neck—I imagined it cracking from his sudden movement—and then observed Raya and I from head to toe. His face was as rough as his hands, and in his mouth he held a small stick, occasionally chewing it with his yellow teeth.

"Two dames traveling. Ya ain't seeing this all day," he commented. "I guess times really are changing." The man stopped walking and waited for us to catch up.

"Nice to meet you," I said.

The man came closer and looked at me and Raya, he squinted his eyes, apparently deep in thought. "Aye, sisters, right?"

I nodded. "Yes, also cousins."

"What, don't deceive me. I don't know much, I might believe you."

"It's the truth."

"Your parents must'a been busy then." He smirked and we traveled side be side.

"Hey, what did you mean with times are changing?"

"Can't you feel it? Even a simpleminded fool like me can. It is like we are living in the calm before the storm. All these recent occurrences, it must be Gods warning. Something big is about to happen, and I ain't talking 'bout a simple war. Maybe it really is 'the day of the Lord'." He laughed out loud.

"What is that supposed to mean? Like the festival?"

"ʏᴏᴜ ᴜɴᴄᴜʟᴛᴜʀᴇᴅ sᴡɪɴᴇ, ʜᴇ ᴏʙᴠɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ɪs ʀᴇғᴇʀᴇɴᴄɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪʙʟᴇ. 'ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏʀᴅ' ɪs ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ғᴏʀ 'ʟᴀsᴛ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴍᴇɴᴛ', ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴀ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ ᴋɴᴏᴡs ᴛʜᴀᴛ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ᴡᴇ ᴀʟʟ sᴛᴀɴᴅ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ɢᴏᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪɴᴀʟ ᴅᴀʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ. ʜᴇ's ʙᴀsɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ sᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ ɪs ɴᴇᴀʀ."

"Ah, I get it. That is kinda funny."

"Enough," Raya interrupted me, "there is no point talking to a commoner. Since their brains are filled with mud, it will only dirten your mind." She pressed on my back, pushing me forward.

"You know, I will never get used to your drastic views. Even though you are usually so nice." She had these nausea-inducingly kind eyes too, so it always broke my immersion whenever she spoke about all those below her as if they were trash.

"Nice?" Her eyebrows shot up. "You do remember you are basically forcing me to be so, right? If it were up to me I-, because I—"

"Yes, yes, you hate me. I get it. If you use that word too often, it will lose its meaning." I shrugged her off. "You are just like another girl I know."

"ɢᴇᴇ, ɪ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀ ᴡʜᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ʙᴇ ʀᴇғᴇʀʀɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ."

"It don't matter," the man said as he closely followed us. "Aren't we all in the same pot anyway?"

"Hmm, why," I asked—of course I did, you didn't think it was Raya, right?

"Not trying to pry, but in my age, women weren't exactly known for their status."

"How rude."

He laughed. "I was joking. But, my dames, I see you may have a horse, but there's not much else on you. You clothes seem high-class, but there's no guard accompanying you. I've walked this road many times, but I never have seen a particular couple like you. Could you entertain me with the reason you are here?"

"Would you believe me if I said I am here to meet the king?"

He scratched his chin. "That certainly is an entertaining answer."

The closer we got, the more I got to see of the capital. The first thing I saw was a tall dome dwarfing over its neighbors. I could see even from afar, the impenetrable thick walls out of chiseled stone. The already small windows in comparison, looked even smaller, like the eyes of an oversized person, making anyone looking at it feel a sense of stuffiness. The glass panels were tinted and everything was pure white. It was probably a cathe—

"ɪᴛ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ᴄᴀᴛʜᴇᴅʀᴀʟ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ."

"The house of magic? What's that?"

"ɪ ᴀᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ǫᴜɪᴛᴇ sᴜʀᴇ ᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʜᴏᴡ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ, ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪs sᴏ ɪʟʟᴜsɪᴠᴇ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ sɪɴᴄᴇ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ's ᴏɴʟʏ ᴏɴᴇ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ɪs ᴀʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ɴᴇᴀʀ ɪᴛs ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇs."

I stared at it again. "Is there no origin of that thing?"

"ɪ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ɪᴛ's ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅ. ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀᴍʙᴀssʏ, ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ɪ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ sᴀᴡ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ᴏʀ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀ, sᴏ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴄʟᴏsᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴍʏᴛʜɪᴄᴀʟ ʀᴇʟɪᴄ ɪ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ."

"The Cloud again, huh?" I noted the info in my mind. I should pay it a visit if I ever find the time.

"ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ."

As we got even closer, I saw another magnificent building. What it lacked in height, it made up with width. The building looked less heavy and the windows were a lot bigger. Surrounding it were numerous churches—recognizable by their pointy arches—standing ready like little soldiers around their general.

I leaned forward, cupping my hand above my eyes, and focused. "This time it's the cathedral, I am sure of it." I drew a sharp breath. "The capital sure is different."

Seeing me admire the scenery, the man asked me, "could it be that you are not from here?"

"Well, I . . . no, not really."

"Then I hope you enjoy your stay then. This place truly is one of a kind."

"Everything is so big, I am not sure if there's enough time for me to do so."

"Lady, you ain't seen nothing yet." He placed his arms on his hips and held his head high. "It's a bit too far, but his majesty's manor is just as imposing, if not more. O, but us commoner can't do anything but simply admire it from afar."

"Do you never get jealous, seeing all that glamour on one person?"

"Why?" The man chewed on his stick. "His majesty is the king isn't it just natural for him to reside there?"

"Hmm, I guess so."

"I want to see the Enderian bridge," Raya shoved herself into the conversation. "I hear it is really long, spanning across the chapel to the market! Oh and the Statue of Origin too, so I can offer some prayers." She looked at me and shook her hands in excitement.

"I thought you don't wanna talk to these filthy commoners?"

Raya shrunk back. "Urgh, but you seem like you are having fun."

"You should know that I always have fun." I wrapped my arm around her neck and rubbed her head. "If there is time, let's pay it a visit. Don't forget our arrangements in the evening."

She nodded vigorously.

I saw more and more people, the closer we got to the capital. Many characters, from merchants, farmers, clergies and travelers gathered towards the big looming gates, enclosed by two high towers marked with a crest. There, the guards stood, in their hands a sword or spear, ready to provide order if necessary.

Along the border, piles of trash—animal entrails, rotten food and excrement—was strewn around by groups of men carrying barrels full over their shoulders. But more than anything, the rich green grass with vibrant flowers, much unlike in my old world in the city, decorated the city banks.

"What a colorful city."

"It is all because of his majesty that we can live such a life," the man said. "It has been a lifelong dream for me to meet the person that turned this country into what it is today." He stared to the sky. "His majesty sees us all as equal, he won't ever give you up just because of your status."

"Hmm." I looked at him and saw his carefree smile. "I too wish to meet that man."

From the distance, I saw two boys approach, their faces dirty and hair unkempt. "My fair ladies, Sir, are you perhaps lacking a stay? Need a bed for tonight?" It was like an ambush, before I knew it, one was grasping the reins from the side, while another person cut off our path.

"No, we are good, thank you," I told them.

"No need to reject so swiftly. Are you Enderians? Or did you come from another country? Perhaps, is the lady behind you from Randes, since she has short hair and all that. Or maybe it's the Land of Passion, Erdsburg?"

"None, and we don't need help." I glanced at the man following us. "I guess it is a bit too lively."

He rested his hands on the sickle and simply said, "doesn't that just show the city is doing well?"

"Lady, would you please reconsider? Are you from far away? If so, you might not know about the culture here."

Raya who had been sitting right behind me shouted, "Scram you filth, can't you see we are busy?" She lifted her dress, revealing her long, bare legs, and kicked the boys face holding the reins.

"That's not very ladylike of you, Raya."

"You are the last one I want to hear that from."

After a while, when the scene had gotten rowdier (mostly due to Raya), we caught the attention of a some guards who came rushing over. "Excuse me, what is you going on?"

"We seem to have gathered quite the group," I exclaimed.

One of the boys said, "I am glad you are here, we were just showing basic hospitality when those ladies over there got rambunctious."

"That is not true at all," Raya shouted, right into my ear.

One of the guards stepped forward and said, "the maidens over there, I will have to ask you to get off that horse and follow me for further questioning."

"What? How annoying," I complained, and when I did, I saw the cheeky smiles on those two boy's faces. "Wait, I remember grandfather giving me something for these types of situations." I reached into my dress.

"What are you doing?" The guard asked, vigilant.

Even the man who has been following us urged me to comply, but I did not listen, as always. I reached around, until I got my hand on a piece of paper.

"Oh, here it is." I took it out and unfolded it.

The guard grabbed my hand and said, "there's no point in arguing—uhh—huh," but he did not manage to finish his sentence before he trailed off. He jumped back, his hands almost flying away and fell into a prostrating position.

"Captain, what is wrong?"

"You idiots, lower your heads!" He shouted, "look at the crest on that paper!"

Another guard stepped forward and as his eyes fell upon my letters they opened wide, almost building "it's the royal crest!"

His voice was like a wake up call, and the few other guards immediately stiffened.

"I apologize for my rudeness!" The prostrating captain said, "even though the possession of such crest is equal to talking with his majesty, I made a blunder like that. I cannot atone for my failure!"

"It's not that big of a deal." I swung the paper around. It was the letter the king had written to my grandfather to ascertain that I was to receive the title of an Archduke. He gave it to me, as he knew I had lost the previous one.

"Please, let the humble me guide the royal ladies into the kingdom," the captain said, so fast, he almost bit his tongue.

"Sure," I said, and made the horse move again. The boy holding the reins gave way without any resistance. It was like all strength had faded away. His companion turned ashen with his jaw slackening.

The man who had been following us, fell to his knees and mumbled, "who are you?" His voice was feeble, and he was struck still but shock.

I turned around, shoved Rayas face away and said, "I told ya', I am here to meet the king."

Ah, I wondered, what fun things awaited me in this capital?