How about now?

Fine, fine... I will get on with it. I would figure by this point you'd already be used to my rambling considering we are on the 7th book.

But oh well, what am I to do?

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Even though I showed intelligence at such a young age I was only treated a little better than any other lowborn kid. Sure, they didn't worry that I would eat the pages of the books in our library or anything. But I had no real privileges either.

In fact, I hadn't even been given a name yet, kinda crazy right?

But there is a reason for that. You could say that for the majority of the populace, a child isn't even a person until after their naming day. Which if you were wondering, that just so happens to be when you turn five.

The naming day is this mystical ceremony where children from all over a county head to the capital on their fifth birthday to be recognized by the world. It's kind of like a rite of passage so to speak.

Oh and yes, I said by the world. Not by the gods but the world. You might also be wondering just how many kids that is too. Would be kinda crazy trying to usher 20 thousand dumb as a bag of rocks children through an altar every week right?

Call it a balance or something, I don't know. But birth rate is not very high on Ardtús and children are more susceptible to disease before they turn 5. So the number is actually much less.

It also helps that the population of humans on the planet happens to be much less than on Earth. Not to mention that Ardtús is huge. In fact, only 35% of the planet had been roughly mapped and that's only an estimate.

I only said roughly mapped too! That's not even mentioning how only about 8% of that is frequented by the general populace.

So yeah, pretty crazy huh and from what Felicity said; that's my mother. Tomorrow is my fifth birth day. Pretty nice time skip right? Who needed all that boring detail about how I learned the language or figured out their stupid, cryptic hieroglyphic lettering system. Fucking bastards.....

Nope, much more fun to get the show on the road. At least you all will get to know what my name is. Or at least one of them, right?

Speaking of roads, that's where we are now. My mom Felicity, Peter my father and of course, me.

My mother knowing about the trip ahead of time packed clothes for me and waited till the last moment to surprise me. I don't really know why, I knew it was coming up but the gesture was endearing none the less. What was a surprise though was that Peter could make it.

An odd way to speak of ones father yes? Well I don't really ever see him. He works as an official for the local government in the town I spent the last 5 years, Náth. He works so often that he often doesn't even come home at night and just sleeps there. I know I should be grateful, and I am. But still, seeing how sad Felicity is at times. It's really hard to not want to be angry with him.

The fact though that he cared enough to take time off to be with me and Felicity though? Maybe I thought wrong of him, perhaps he worked such long hours so he'd have the opportunity to be in our lives more later.

Anyways, enough of the heavy stuff. This is about to be my special day! Yup, mine! Well.. And all the other kids that will be there, but it shouldn't be more than 50. So there will be more than enough time to get through everyone. Which is great, Peter mentioned after I asked, that if there was to many kids they have to do the ceremony in mass.

----

So, I said there's plot advancement in this chapter yeah? But all that's changed is I skipped ahead 5 years, told you my parents names and then hit the road with them to travel to the capital. Don't worry, there's more in this chapter. It's just longer because there's more ground to cover. We have the whole way to the capital after all.

----

When we left the house my mother told me to not be frightened by the Cos Ceithe. That they were docile creatures. But even then, how could you ready someone for the sight of this? In fact, how do you explain a four legged green flamingo like creature that has a tail? Well, I guess kinda like that... Did I mention it only has one giant eye too?

Felicity was right though, as odd as it might look I knew that it wouldn't hurt me. Walking up to it the first thing it did was cradle it's head against my neck lovingly. Touched, I couldn't help but hug the big creature. It's fur, or is it feathers, like I said, odd. It's fur was super soft too.

Stepping back and giving it a second look, I couldn't help but notice how powerful the Cos Ceithe looked. It's no wonder they use it to pull carriages. Speaking of, in comparison to my fluffy friend the carriage wasn't really much to talk about. Just black with slight golden accents to denote my father's rank. And that's it, if there was anything else to mention, which is actually pretty significant. It would be the first real thing I have seen that was in any way magical.

I had heard of it, Felicity told me as much often when she read me stories. But seeing it?

The carriage isn't so much a carriage and more like a hovering box, which I suppose is still a carriage but still! No wheels or anything, just a slight red hue coming from the bottom. That and a box with a pipe on the back of the carriage running into it.

You can imagine that after noticing that I was a bit enthralled, but after a few moments I forcefully composed my self. Well, after thoroughly inspecting every inch. I did grow up with technology that could emulate it, but this? It's magic!

So yeah, back to the actual riding. Because we've been on the road for about 7 hours now. Which just goes to show how impressive the Cos Ceithe is too. Especially considering the distance we've traveled as well. Peter said that we would be able to see the cathedral and castle of the capital soon.

Speaking of the capital, and speaking of speaking. I haven't done any actual dialogue between characters have I? Probably should start that. can't very well be explaining every interaction I have huh.

Turning to Peter I ask. "Hey, Pet, I mean dad? You mentioned we were going to the capital. But I don't think I ever heard you mention it's name?"

"No, no I didn't did I?" He begins. " It's called Mór Baile. We live in a mid grade county under a larger state called Ion'Tach."

mumbling thank you, I go back to staring out the window. wondering when we will see the capital.

Moments later I finally seeing the peak of a spire in the distance and I can't help but show a grin on my face.

"Hey, mom? are we there yet?"