Kingdom Fallen

Volume 1 Part 6: The Banquet

The rest of the day seemed to go by quickly as we continued with our daily activities. By the time it was nightfall we sat in the parlor, Mister had taken out the bronze earned for that day and was dividing it into what needed to be paid. It was one hundred and fifty bronze coins (150 b). 50 were stashed in a pouch that Mister always walked with and remaining 100 were putting in a chest

"Hey Mister," I said

"What is it, Boy?" he asked

"What do you do with the bronze with the chest?"

"Savings," he replied still counting the bronze

"Are you giving that to the bank?" I asked

"I'd rather not line the pockets of Esterian nobles with more than I have to," he said monotonously

"Okay, but what about the fifty bronze you separated?" I asked

"Five bronze a day to pay up for taxes for the end of the month and forty-five for daily use," he replied

"Daily use?"

"You eat bread, don't you?" he gave me a side eye

"It's just one loaf," I pouted

"That one loaf costs ten bronze coins and juneberry jam costs twenty-five," he said dropping the thirty-five coins on the wooden table. "That's for the morning,"

"Wait, what about the remaining five bronze?" I asked

"Discarded wires for the bows," he said

"Wait, you're only paying five bronzes for the wire?" I said, tilting my head in confusion

"Discarded wire, it is just waste that I buy and straighten out until it's actually usable," he detailed

"When do you do that?" I asked

"While you sleep?" he responded

"So when do you sleep?" I asked

"Why are you asking all these questions?" he suddenly said putting down the final coin

"Well....no reason. I'm just curious," I said

"After five years, you are suddenly interested?"

"Um...."

"Does this have to do with the banquet?" he asked

"Um....um," I faltered

"You're not going and that's final. Now go prepare for bed," he said, getting up with the crest and leaving me with my pent-up frustration. I marched up the stairs in silent fury. I sat by the windowsill of the cabin and looked out.

Out in the distance of the night sky there was a bright light. The multicolored explosion lit up the sky in the distance in vary patterns that drew your eyes to them

I wanted...no I needed to know what was happening. What games were those kids playing? What food were they eating? I needed to know, instead of being couped up in this little cabin all night I wanted to see what was happening. I wanted to be a part of the city's banquet. So, I made up my mind. I waited for a bit and laid in the bed comfortable until Mister opened the door. He walked in and sat beside me

"Boy, I know you're not sleeping?" he asked. I didn't respond, despite being blatantly called out

"I'm guessing you won't speak with me," he sighed

"That is probably for the best. About that banquet....." he said before freezing

"I can't risk you going there. I'm sure one day you will understand me. I can't allow you to get hurt. I promised him I'd take care of you. For now, I think you should get some rest. There's no hunt tomorrow so I'll try not to wake you too early" he said getting up and putting out the candle by the nightstand before leaving..

This had been the first time in the five-year that I had been with Mister that he made any comment like this. Though it was touching, my curiosity wouldn't allow me to remain in this bed. So, a few minutes after Mister had returned out to the parlor, I rose from the bed and went over to the window and slowly cracked it out opened. I tried be as careful as possible because the window creaked as it opened. This was something I had suspected that Mister purposely refused to fix. Once it was opened just enough to allow me to go out, I slipped out.

The cabin was two stories high so I looked down at the rather frightening fall and teetered on the edge of the window that was barely large enough to hold my small nine-year-old feet. I only gulped as now the fear of landing filled my mind. Mister had taught me that fear did not make you weak, it was running from the fear that made someone a coward. Not wanting to be a coward, I gulped once more and jumped from the window aiming for the bushes below

The landing was rough, but it was covered by the bushes below so I did not hurt myself too much. I looked around silently hoping my fall had not alerted Mister and once I realized the coast was clear, I made my way to the shed. In the shed was Mister's cracked bow and the few unused arrows from the hunt and Mister's practice . I decided that to ensure my protection I would carry at least this. Mister had never actually taught me how to use the bow, mainly because of how small my body was in comparison to the object. Still, I was confident in my right eye's ability to remember the stance and in my own strength.

After getting everything I needed I tiptoed through the yard and made my daring escape. I followed our lonesome passage back into town. As soon as I was close, I could hear the sounds of music. It was rhythmic beating of drums; the sound of flutes and melodious chimes filling the air. There also the stomping of feet and the hollers and cheers of the citizens that grew louder the closer I got. Then just as I was about to make it to the banquet, I saw that the jovial crowd dancing and eating merrily in the streets; above their heads were lanterns and inside were the luminous flowers shinning a blue light reminiscent of the moon . On closer inspection I noticed it was a light blue five petaled flower that was giving off a bioluminescent glow. This was the Moon-Bloom Flower, a flower that was said to be all over Silverwing City. It is native to Eldoria and commonly used the lighting as it glows in the dark, though it also hung in high places because overexposure often caused drowsy due the spores it emits once it is plucked.

"Wow," I gasped as I looked up in wonder. These were plants that I had only ever read about in books so it had felt surreal seeing them for myself.

While I was distracted by the lanterns, I felt a hard brush against my shoulder knocking me to the side

"Hey watch it!" a belligerent man turned to me. It was clearly he that had bounced into me though.

"Don't you know how to use your own two feet," he said. Up on closer inspection of the man was having a difficult time standing straight and his face was flushed. I looked at the clearly inebriated man and noticed the mug of what I assumed to be beer in his hand

"I apologize," I said, seeing no point in arguing with the man

"It's a good thing you're just a brat," he said before suddenly someone threw their arms around the man

"Hey ya drunk bastard, what's taken ya so long?" the stranger said with a bright smile

"I was looking for you, ya ole bat. Where'd ya go" the first chuckled

"For more booze of course," he said thrusting the mug of beer into his chest splashing some on him

"Good man," he laughed taking the beer

"DIONAR!!" they yelled slamming the mugs together spilling a bit more before chugging the rest. Seeing that I had clearly been forgotten, I decided to walk away. Again, making my way through the lively crowd. I continued to explore until I noticed a barmaid from the local tavern walking around with a large tray balancing on her hand comfortably.

Though the tray was too high for me to see, I only needed to smell the air to know what it was. Herb roasted boar with fresh baked bread and juneberry jam dip. I looked at the woman opening to catch her attention. Mister had told me that begging was something I should never do, but I had no coin on me.

"Maybe, I should have taken some bronze from the chest," I thought to myself, before completely brushing that thought aside. Taking Mister's money without permission would be stealing and I doubt he would be forgiving or lenient with the punishment when he found out. Having no choice, I decided to just ignore the sensual smell of that herb roasted boar and the sweet buttery taste of the juneberry jam as well the mind-numbing smell of the warm freshly baked bread.

"Um little boy," a soft feminine voice snapped me out of my food induced trance

_______________________________________

Published November 22, 2026