EMRYSA

Chapter Two (I)

The following morning, Mrs. Hampton called the children to the breakfast table. Ciara assisted Hunith in setting up the table, arranging plates and utensils. "Boys, would you like to accompany me to the castle today?" Gaius asked, directing his question to the Ickies."Yes!" the Ickies replied unison. Ciara glanced at Dicky, her curiosity piqued.

"I told him about Emma's cousin," Micky said to Ciara. "But it's not just Emma's cousin, you know. I'm after all the ladies in Askia. Age doesn't matter. You catch my drift?" Dicky grinned, trying to impress Morgana. Morgana smiled as she ran her hand through his hair, “You’re cute, stop before I make you eat your own hair.”

Suddenly, loud stomping noises echoed from the staircase, capturing everyone's attention. Gaius furrowed his brow and inquired, "What's that noise?" Ciara had a hunch about its source. It was the afac, which had now grown significantly larger. The sight of it made everyone stand up in surprise. "Is that an afac?" Gaius questioned, astonished by the creature's presence.

"Apparently so," Mordecai replied. "I thought the king had captured every single afac alive," Morgana added, expressing her confusion.

Ciara took charge and commanded the afac, "Stompy! Bad Stompy! Shrink down now." The afac whimpered and obediently shrank to the size of Ciara's shoe. She gently picked it up. "Good boy," Ciara praised, cradling the tiny afac in her hands. "Why do you have it with you?" Morgana asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. Ciara replied, "It was injured when I found it. Why did Baltimore capture the afacs?" she inquired, seeking answers from Gaius.

"I found it injured. I couldn't leave it behind. But why did Baltimore capture the afacs in the first place?" Ciara inquired. Gaius chimed in, "No one knows."

"Finish your breakfast," Hunith urged, serving them more soup. "I can't, the forge won't open itself," Mordecai said, rushing. "Make sure to attend the contest and show Ciara your support," Hunith reminded him. "Will do," Mordecai replied, making his way toward the door. "Ciara, come with me, and you can bring the afac too," Gaius instructed. "We don't want it wandering around on its own." They halted in front of Gaius' room.

"Myway orkshopway," Gaius chanted and rapped on the door three times. "Did you just cast a spell?" Ciara asked, taken aback. Gaius stepped into the room, which had been transformed into his workshop. "Come in and close the door behind you," he beckoned.

Ciara entered, her eyes widening at the sight before her. Several shelves adorned the stone walls, displaying ingredients, bottles emitting wisps of smoke, a cauldron nestled in the corner, and a bookshelf filled with what she presumed were magic-related books.

"Touch nothing," Gaius warned firmly. Ciara halted her attempt to open a large, ancient-looking book on the central table in the workshop. "I thought magic and all its practices were banned in Askia, punishable by death," she voiced her surprise. “It is. Now, no more questions.” said Gaius.“How much do you know about the Tale of the Two Brothers?

"The Nicholas and Baltimore story? My father used to tell it to me every night before bed when I was younger," Ciara replied. "People always said it was just a fictional tale, made up."

"The story is real, very real. I was there when it happened," Gaius revealed, his voice tinged with a sense of nostalgia. He took a seat and motioned for Ciara to join him, inviting her into the extraordinary secrets of Askia's past. "It happened before magic was banned in this kingdom," Gaius began, his voice carrying a weight of history. "It was on Baltimore's coronation day. As he was being crowned king, an old wizard suddenly appeared out of thin air. The wizard confronted Baltimore with chilling words: 'I know what you did in the Forest of Nimueh, you evil and greedy man.'"

"Baltimore, enraged by the accusation, ordered his guards to seize the wizard. But before they could even react, the wizard unleashed a powerful blast from the tip of his staff, sending the guards flying. ‘A girl will be born on the thirteenth day of the third month of your second reign,’ the old man proclaimed. ‘She will be of Askian birth. She will be your doom and reduce you to nothing but ashes.’ With a poof of smoke, the wizard vanished, leaving behind only his laughter."

"Thirteenth day of the third month? That's Aries 13th," Ciara interjected. Gaius nodded, affirming her observation, and continued his account. "After being crowned king, Baltimore ordered his guards to closely monitor all pregnant women with the likelihood of giving birth that year. Eventually, a farmer's wife did give birth to a girl, just as the wizard had predicted."

"This part only Baltimore and I know," Gaius confided, his voice tinged with sorrow. "He forcefully took the child from her parents and burned their house down. The poor child's parents perished in that fire. Baltimore chose to raise the girl. Can you guess why?"

"To prove his invincibility and power, and to satisfy his ego," Ciara replied, her voice filled with a mix of understanding and disgust.

"Correct," Gaius confirmed, appreciating Ciara's insight. "Unbeknownst to him, however, two female children were born on that fateful day, both of Askian birth. The second was Princess Sage, and the first was you."

Ciara tightened her grip on Stompy, her mind racing with the weight of the revelations. "How old are you?" Gaius inquired, his tone holding a purpose. "Nineteen," Ciara answered, her voice steady but curiosity building within her. "It's almost time," Gaius mused to himself, a hint of anticipation in his words. "During your stay here, it is crucial that you keep your distance from the Askian royal family. Do not divulge your birthdate to anyone," he warned her, his tone filled with concern.

"Okay," Ciara replied, her mind buzzing with questions. Why was Gaius sharing all this information with her? What was the impending event he mentioned? And most importantly, how did her father and Gaius know each other?

The next morning, as the sun began to rise, the contestants gathered in the newly constructed contest arena, which was teeming with thousands of spectators from various kingdoms and backgrounds. The anticipation in the air was palpable; this contest was the first of its kind. Silence fell over the arena as King Baltimore rose from his seat and approached the podium. With his imposing stature, bald head, and raspy voice, his presence commanded attention. "Welcome, one and all, to the grandest contest of the year. We, the people of Askia, are honored to host participants from other kingdoms," he declared, prompting the crowd to erupt in applause.

Among the crowd, Morgana, Prudy, Mordecai, and the Ickies managed to find seats and listened attentively to Baltimore's words. Meanwhile, Ciara observed Baltimore from the contestants' area, her nerves and curiosity intertwining, Gaius's words echoed in her mind.

Continuing his address, Baltimore announced the arrival of King Johnwick of Chamelor and his sons—Prince Arcwick, Prince Warwick, and Prince Fizzwick. King Johnwick, an average-heighted blonde man with silver streaks, and a musketeer beard, entered with his sons, the two princes looking almost identical, save for their different hairstyles. Prince Fizzwick, about the same age as the Ickies, completed the royal entourage, all of them sporting mesmerizing blue eyes.

Morgana whispered to Prudy, "I thought I heard his name somewhere. The guy Ciara met, that’s him, Prince Arcwick." Prudy gasped, unable to contain her astonishment. "Ciara has managed to snag herself a prince!"

The Chamelor royal family acknowledged the crowd's adoration and took their seats, ready to witness the contest unfold.

“The contest will last for five rounds; each round will be more difficult than the last. For the first round, the two hundred contestants will have to fight, tame or kill an afac.” Baltimore continued. “Or at least get injured trying.” He added in a way he thought was humorous.

"So that's why he captured the afacs! To use them for the contest," Prudy exclaimed, sharing her thoughts with the others. "Let's hope your sister brought her little pet." Morgana added.

Emphasizing the strict regulations, Baltimore reminded everyone that there would be no deaths, weapons were prohibited, and the use of magic was strictly f*******n in his kingdom. With his final words, he authorized the contestants to begin the competition and took his seat, prepared to watch the spectacle unfold.

The first round proved to be grueling, with many contestants failing to tame the afacs and ending up injured instead. As the number of failures accumulated, the first hundred contestants were eliminated from the competition. Only a select few, including Contestants 110, 121, 129, 134, and 140, managed to advance to the next round.

Finally, it was Ciara's turn. The announcer called out, "Contestant one hundred and fifty, step forward!" Nervously, Ciara left the safety of the contestants' area and confronted the afac, their gazes locking onto each other—or at least what she believed to be the afac's eyes.