Chapter V - A Bittersweet Victory

...5 years Earlier…

On the outskirts of Sicaria, an old large tavern was planted in the middle of golden wheat Fields on one side and a forest on the other, the trees scattered burning orange leaves across the valley. As if embers were drifting off from the wood. A hooded figure opened the tavern door, music burst through the air with people dancing around a fire, two bards were singing in harmony with each other as the well lit tavern revealed this man's face, it was William, yet more youthful. He walked among the edge of the room, spectating the joyful fun in front of him. He pulled down his hood to order from the barmaid. "Kraken Wine" William charmingly asked. "Of course" the barmaid continues with a soft tone, "that will be…" William dropped a pouch of coins onto the counter "Leave the bottle if you'd be so kind" he said with a smile on his face with a touch of cockyness. She smiled,, took the coin and moved on to collecting tankards. "Strong stuff" A mysterious voice announced. There was no one at the bar apart from him and this woman, swirling the drink in her hand. Taking a glimpse to see the person she was talking to. Her beauty was the first thing that caught his eye, then her sense of dress. A dark red velvet dress that goes down to her ankles, her hair resting on only one of her shoulders. On her arms she had embroidered leather braces. He approaches this strange lady in front of him. "Sorry? I didn't seem to catch your name?" William asked her with such intrigue. "Ingrette" she replied "And who may be asking?" . William smiled, poured himself a glass and downed it all in one. "I am William, William of V aleria" . Ingrette slightly gazed at this man with interest, "Valeria is gone, It has been gone for 77 years. Ever since the great war". William let out a slight chuckle, " Ingrette? Beautiful name. This wouldn't be Ingrette of Sicaria, Daughter of King Ferald by any chance would it?". She instantly blushed, let out a smile and persisted with questioning this mystery man infront of her, "Valeria is gone". William took a deep breath and answered Ingrettes' inquiries, "Not gone, just lost" He waved his hand in a wave motion as if to hint to her something mysterious happened . He continued to laugh and poured more of his wine into his cup. Ingrette looked at him with such wonder and confusion, as if he was an enigma which she was curious to crack. "So, what brings you here?" she asked. He stopped smiling and looked into her eyes and replied to her with one simple word, "you". Her intriguement slowly turned to caution as she questioned why he would be searching for her. She slowly reached for her thigh where a silver dagger was mounted on with a strap of cloth . "And why may that be William of Valeria'' she questioned. Inching closer and closer to her weapon. He took a swig of his drink and smiled innocently at her, "your father has been gone for two months now, know one knows where he has ventured off to. King Thesus recruited me and sent me off to try and find the location of your father. And who better to find Ferald than Ferald's Daughter ….Ingrette '' he took off his navy gauntlets and extended out to her to hold hers. Her eyes started to water as she inched away from her concealed dagger and placed her hands upon his. "I'm not his only daughter" she replied with such sadness, remembering her tough upbringing of a cold, distant father and competing with her fellow sibling to prove her worth.

"I know" William spoke softly, " but you seem like the only one who isnt as thick as a log so, i rather talk to someone up to my speed" she laughed loudly, William did not expect such a burst of laughter that he was caught by surprise. He laughed along with her as the bards sang in the background.

The two kings sat staring at the board, looking at the detail on each individual piece. "So" Ferald took a short pause before asking with intrigue "How did you find me then? Five years i have exiled myself from the world; and you were the person who finally found me" Thesus smiled, looked at ferald, tapped the kings head ask he responded to the question " There was a man that came to me, a Valerian boy if i recall. Said he will find your location for the price of a knight hood. i accepted of course provided he came back with evidence . A Year later, he arrived at Salus with his newly wedded bride, your Daughter….Inbreed was it?" Feralds smile turned sour, his pupils began to swell up. A vain surfaced on his forehead. "You mean...Ingrette?" his voice was deeper and somehow darker. Thesus mockingly laughed "Yes! That's the one!" Feralds hands were clenched into a fist. As the laughing king continued "they suited each other! And besides, she did well in choosing a Valerian Firefly!"

Ferald was furious, he didn't care that Thesus was mocking him, all he could think about is the impurity of his future bloodline " A Valerian Firefly?! Those fire mages?! Give me strength. So you're telling me that my own kin betrayed me for a freak of nature?! I had to earn my magic with sacrifice! And time! They gave nothing to get the power given to them, they are nature's abomination!" `

Thesus sat back in his chair, spectating the theatrical performance happening before his eyes. "Well…" he calmly spoke, "their marriage announcement was not the only thing they came to me with'' Thesus looked deep into Thesus's eyes as his pupils grew even bigger. " Speak clearly man!" Ferald was confused. The first time he has ever felt confusion in the past five years. Thesus was dying inside with happiness, he lavished every moment of his suffering. Thesus simply explained "I asked for evidence of your location, and my oh my did that Valerian boy did succeed my expectations. Your attachment to sentimentality was indeed your downfall. You left a map in the care of your most loyal daughter: Ingrette. She only kept it for sentimental value, not knowing the true importance of your final gift to her. As the young king soaked up everything Thesus was lecturing him about, he slowly began to realise how blind he has became after all these years."Fuck" he said with such sadness. Thesus quoted his words of despair "Fuck indeed, come let us play! It's your move". Ferald felt his sadness and anger slowly consuming him. However, he knew the importance of this battle omung minds. He picked up his knight and knocked over Thesus's pawn, a bittersweet small victory to compensate for Thesus's poor manners.

The cold wind of the north blows as time goes on in the realm. A streamline path of gravel paved the way, the trees blew at either side of this long trail. The clopping of horses scattered the gravel as it trod along, the sound of wheels followed; an old wooden carriage led by two horses moved onward. William sat steering the vehicle as Ingrette was laid back looking at the sky and rubbing her wrist. William felt cold, not physically but as if his heart was stolen and replaced with a stone instead. He looked onward at the road ahead. "I can't believe that you bartered my bracelet for a peasants cart!" Ingerette blurted out with frustration. William continued to look on, choosing not to acknowledge her outburst. Annoyed at his response, She continued to heckle him, "It was my mother's!" as she was looking down at her wrist, trying to erase the discomfort she felt from it not being on her person. She continued "people said she died a martyr, fighting for the right to practice magic freely. I was only a babe when she was killed". She felt accustomed to the feeling of sadness, William heard about the tragedy once before. none-the -less, no matter how hurt he was from her cruelty. He still felt her pain.

Ingrette looked up with confusion and intrigue. She smelt something that was familiar to her yet it has been so long since she has encountered it for the first time. It was sweet, calming. She realised what it was and under her breath she muttered "Honeysuckle"...

Williams' ears perked up, he looked around him to notice anything unusual. Suddenly a smell hit his nose, different from Ingrette's. It was Earthier, strong with a hint of something different.The scent of smoke and hints of oranges, the same aromas that surrounded him throughout his childhood, he wondered what was happening, puzzled at this anomaly until he realised what was creating such smells. "Sacarouse Trees" He said with a calm deep voice. Ingrette questioned what William was on about. He turned his head round at her and answered "These trees are known for releasing scents that trigger our minds to think about the past. I often wondered if I encountered their effect. Now i can say i have" he smiled, forgetting about her crimes for a second, which turned into a minute, until it slowly slipped his mind.

Ingrette looked around her to see what's giving her such wonderful scents. She turns back to William wondering where it is he's taking her, "where are we going?" she asked. William looked onward and replied "to King Thesus". Questioning his motives she asked "where is King Thesus?" He glanced back at her, and said "The Black Mountain, to Venderaal". This Stunned Ingrette, that was a location on the map handed down to her. "Of All places, why there?". William finally opened up the truth about the map, That parchment you were given by your father was a guide to where he disappeared too. That's why King Thesus wanted it so badly, it contained the key to finding your Father." Ingrette was getting upset "So you lied to me? How could you?!". William replied with a calm and gentle voice "i just didn't tell you the whole truth, that's all. Don't be upset, it was a long time ago." Ingrette swallowed her anger to suppress it for another time, "so how far do we need to go?" she asked with no tremor in her voice, as if it was as stern as his voice. He took a breath and simply put "a place far away from here".She grew nervous from the thought of a perilous road ahead. "Surely you're not possibly insinuating that we will do this just the two of us right?" She spoke with a slight tremor of caution. William whipped the horses to go faster, " of course not, that's why we are off to Salus. I have a few friends that owe me.

Ferald sat upon the waterfall, his legs dangled from the edge, mist reached his waist created by the water. His head was down, contemplating to himself. Thesus was still in his chair. Rocking back and forth with boredom, checking his fingernails for dirt. "What are you doing?" he called at Ferald. He sat motionless, looking down at the pool below him "i'm thinking" he replied. "Thinking?!" he said, "there's nothing to think about haha its part of history now". "It's nothing about that," he responded. Still looking deeply into the crystal pool". Thesus was intrigued. "Oh? So what may that be". Ferald looked up at the forest and surroundings and began to open up "Immortality comes with a great cost...i hear them" he points towards the Grove of trees around them. "I hear their thoughts, hopes, cries all at once, constantly, never ending, never dying." he began to turn red with torment, the souls of the forest were all trapped channeling through him.

Thesus interjected his moment of madness and simply proposed "ever thought about running yourself threw?".

Ferald looked at him with annoyance and disgust on his face. "what?!" he replied furiously. "Well…" Thesus began " ever thought about impaling yourself on a branch or smashing a rock against your skull?" Ferald looked at him like he would an arrogant child "you think I haven't tried that?... I attempted for months… No no years to end my suffering. Alas I end up waking washed up from the pool."

"Ah" Thesus simply put "Well what about escaping?". Ferald sat on the floor, stroking his chin as his stubble was irritating him.``The Doors are sealed, You can enter but you can't escape. This is a place grown from concentrated, raw magic. Not even the Highcourt could break that seal. " He lied back and looked at the cyan blue sky. Thesus stood up and started looking all around him.``You mean to tell me I'm Trapped here too?!" He said with a panicked voice. Ferald just laughed and simply said "no, not yet" he chuckled to himself "once the first wanderer is trapped in those endless halls, you will be bound to this place". There was a stern silence, the news hit Thesus unexpectedly. His pulse was getting slower and slower as it sunk In that he was to possibly remain in this realm indefinitely. Ferald leaped up from where he was laying, rubbed his hands together and said "so, shall we carry on with our game?". He pointed at the board as his charming smile turned sour.