Solsae Kingdom - Part 10

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Episode 4: "When Wise Men Speak"
~Demonix

“Thank you for coming to talk with us!” Amami beams beside me, offering a hand across the table that the two guests shake in turn. “My name is Amami, and this is my friend, The Devil Hood!” I elbow her lightly under the table. It would have been better to not tell them that, but I guess it can't be helped now. She ignores me and keeps speaking,

“Well I just recently become Rex’s aid. I guess I'm pretty much the mayor. I help the people and the town's development.” She finishes her introduction.

“Itsh a pleashure, missh” the man in the scruffy green jacket adds. He tips his straw hat with a bony hand, then places it upon the backrest of his chair, brushing through his whispy mint-green locks with his other hand. He’s an unkempt old fellow with bushy brows and a scraggly beard. His clothes look like rags too.

“Would you care for a drink?” He asks, calling over a wench.

The lady scurries over, pen and pad in hand, almost tumbling over her own shoes. She recomposes herself, and asks us our order.

“Dry martini pleashe, missh” he orders. And a brandy for the lassh”, Amami stops him there and instead requests only an ice water. The other elder, a short, stumpy tortoise-shell cat of a man takes the pipe from his mouth with a stubby paw and growls “bitter fer’ me, lassie”.

“Just ice water for me” I add to the queue last. The wench turns on her heels and scurries away, almost tripping again on the way. “Do they only hire clowns here?” I smirk.

“Aight, I'm Azulesh Brewgin. I’m shure you’ve heard of me? The leader of Red Lead Roulette - Sholshae’s largesht and greatesht Gambling and Entertainment guild.

“Only by name” Amami says. “It's such a pleasure to meet you in person!”

“Huhuhu! You honor me, lassh” he teases, reclining back in his chair, using his arms as a headrest. “Well how about I give you a tour shometime?” He asks, With a twinkle in his eye and a soft smile on his thin lips.

“Quit flirting with th’lass, Brewgin! Yer scarin’ her.” The cat growls, puffing a pink cloud of whatever he was smoking.

“that jusht ain’t cricket, hombre” Azules jokes. He slaps the cat-mans broad shoulders aggressively laughing as he does so,

“Well thish here ish my old friend Korin” he introduced the cat.

“Ahr, bout’ time yer got to me. Th’name’s Korin Kandler Kompaqutier! Quite a mouth full, ehy? Don’worry - Just Korin’s fine.”

“I’ve heard of you.” I interject.

“Y’have?” He asks gruffly.

“Yeah. From the man who saved me. From Kite. He told me that you refused to sell to the people of the Darkside. That you were one of the Kings stooges!”

“Calm yerself, Lad. It's not like that at all.” I don't believe him. Excuses. All of it. I can tell a liar when I see one. I clench my fists beneath the table. Somehow, Amami notices that and takes my hand into her own, comforting me. My anger subsides just a fraction.

“Devil, he’s telling the truth. None of the guilds are affiliated with the Solsae kingdom. I’ve checked all of the logs and ledgers and everything. Korin is just a traveling merchant.” She informs me.

“Now, here me out will yer? Th’three treasures donate heartily to the people of the slums three times a year. We bring foods and medicines and clean water, and hand it all out fer free. But then Kite sent us an envoy--”

“Nero! An envoy who you killed!”

“S’at what he told you?” Korin enquires.

“Don't pretend…!” I spit.

“Devil, please… Calm down! Let him tell his story!” Amami pleads.

“Anyhoo, th’envoy brought a letter from Kite asking us to trade weapons, armaments and information with him. In not so many words, it was a declaration of war against Solsae, and blackmail against my caravan. My crew. My own family! That Kite, men like him only know black an’ white. T’him, we were black. We refused his offer so he concluded that we conspired w’Rex. Tha's all there is to it.”

“No.. Kite is a great man. He’s suffered tragedy after tragedy, but stands strong for the people who need him. I’ve seen it with my own eyes! If… if you were truly peaceful, then why did Nero have to die?!”

Korin paused briefly. His words caught in his throat. I knew what he wanted to say. I just didn't want to believe it…

“Nero was killed by Kite…” he growled.

“No… NOOOOO!”

“Ahr have no proof. But Kite is a man who would do whatever he needs to achieve his end. An’ that end is war!”

“And his Sister… what of Myrrh? He cares for her more than anything else. Everything changed when she fell sick. When you people refused to help her. You drove him this way by refusing her doctors and medicine!” I cry in desperation.

“That ain’t right. Y’know we deliver medicine t’the slums. Lots of it too. We offer to transport to Solsae to help immigration and the sick. But a sister… tha’s news to me. If she’s sick, it's because’r him. Not us. She’s just another pawn in his game.”

“Myrrh… I’ve got to save her…!” I insist, leaping from my bark stool in fury. Something stops me… that familiar scent of fresh grass fills my nostrils. Amami embraces me tightly from behind. I don't struggle.

“Devil… Not yet. We have to hear them out. Then we can save her. Together.” She whispers gently into my ear.

I'm livid. Absolutely furious. I didn't even want to think it - but if Abyss is the one who let Myrrh get this way. I think back to the dogs bollocks. What he said, about weapons being more important than medicine that could save her. Could he really not care? Amami takes her seat again. I throw a clenched fist into the wooden table in outrage, causing the other patrons to all look our way in fear and disgust. Azules tries to calm them, apologising on my behalf. I take my seat again.

“It’sh alright shon, you’ll shave her.” Azules tries to comfort me. Korin reaches into a pouch on his belt and takes out two things. A letter, and a phial. A quantity of pink fluid is stored inside. He passes both to me.

“The letter is the threat he made to my people. When yer’ ready, read it. The man you think he is… that very letter will shatter your dillusions. But the phial? Thats Panacea. Very rare. If anyone needs this right now, it's you. Yer’ got a fire in yer’ belly and a dame t’save! Nothin’ more a man needs, ey’ Brewgin? Harharhar!” He laughs, slapping his rotund belly. “Have the girl drink it - the whole thing. Any known poison or treatable ailment will be cured within seven days.”

I take it from him with a shaking hand and clutch it as though this tiny bottle is more precious than life itself. He leaves the letter on the table before me.

“I know yer got a lot on yer plate, but before you charge off, let us tell you what the lil’ lassie asked us to tell yer. How Rex’s Solsae come to be.”

I nod vacantly.

“Please listen to their story with me. I'm sure that Rex is a good man! He wants to help the people. Just like you! So please listen…” Amami pleads.

I look right into her soulful eyes, and take a deep breath, composing myself. “Please, tell me your story.” I ask, turning to face the two elders.

“Heh heh, that's more like it kid. Now, th’lil’ lady here wanted us to spin yer a yarn of th’days o’yore. Reckon may’ an ol’ Brewgin ere’r the best ones in th’whole’o Solsae fer that task.

Amami grabs my thigh from beneath the table and gives me a stern look. “Try to keep an open mind okay?” She asks fiercely. I nod. Korin takes a swig from his beer. Amami herself is so focused on the elders its like nothing else matters to her. Korin clears his throat, but Azules has his say before the cat can start,

“Whatsh there to even shay? The old days were shit.” He complains gulping his drink. “If it wash back then that you arrived here, lassh, you’d turn that floofy tail right around and get the hell on outta here, shi?”

“Harharhar, ain't that the truth!” Korin laughs. “Awright then, I guess I gotta start right from th’very beginin’ eh?…” he asks rhetorically, taking a gulp and then continuing his exposition, “Well y’see, our world was bigger once. Had a different name too - ma grandpappy told me we called it ‘Terraia’.”

“Terraia… Yes, that's what we know this world as where I am from.” I answer, intrigued in how both this world and my own refer to here as ‘Terraia’.

“Yesh, it meansh, the world of worldsh. Like shaying ‘home shweet home’.” Azules adds. Him and the cat swig their drinks with perfect synchronicity, and then Azules continues,

“The Terransh were a shavage bunch. Always fighting. Conshtantly warring. I hear one day the fighting eshcalated, and then shuddenly, kaboom! No more Terraia. The planet got 1\3 shmaller that day, and the land we have left is shaid to be less than 1/10 of what it wash in the old daysh.” Korin continues in time with Azules reaching for his drink,

“Now it might sound all doom’n gloom, but a miracle protected us here. Solsae was once a peaceful land devout to their goddess, Xian. She were an amazing lass. Shame she went…” he dropped his head and removed his hat as though in a small prayer. I notice Amami gasp suddenly.

“What is it?” I ask her.

“I… I know that name.” She replies. Korin continues,

“Xian saved us all an’protected just this one land with all th’strength she had, shielding us from th’poison an’death an’darkness alike. But the carnage was unstoppable and everything our forefathers built… It all come t’ruin. It took three generations of people to get to what we have today.”

“Ah, yesh, that ish right. the firsht generation - the original Sholan, were driven to madnessh. Many died of shtarvation or killed themshelves rather than brave the new world.

The shecond generation took this new badlandsh and looted, plundered and terrorished their fellow man to make endsh meet. If the goddessh could shee us then, she surely would have condemned our shavagery to the darkesht pitsh of hell!"

“No, I think she would have guided you out of that darkness”, Amami said, eyes filled with desperation. “I just know that she would!”

How can she be so passionate about this fairy tail goddess? I can't help but wonder.

“Well… you're probably right. It ish the magnamity of our great goddesh” Azules conceded.

The third generation - lead by Rexh, finally established a short of order. The ruins of Sholshae were evacuated and the people eshtablished a New Sholshae. A land of hope. Xian was shmiling on ush that day, I remember jusht how the shun blared down for the firsht time shinch I wash a lad!” Azules finished the tale.

“Well tha’s how this here city come to be. What d’yer think, Lad? Still hate the king?” Korin asks.

Demonix looks conflicted. Korin changes the subject. “There was one more thing… This is just my thinking, mind you, but I reckon Rex thought even the badlands could be saved. They just needed time. Before he left old Solsae, him and another man, Abyss were thick as thieves. But Abyss disagreed with Rex. Whilst Rex wanted to create something new from the ashes of ruin, Abyss clung to what was already established… even if it was a mere shell of its former self. The two parted paths on bad terms, but I reckon Rex didn't try to persuade Abyss because he thought that if anyone could save those who fell to madness and corruption, it was Abyss.”

“So… that's what happened…” I let the story sink in. “What happened to Abyss?”

“Ain’t got a clue. We haven't heard ead’ nor tail of him since we left the old capital behind. Maybe he’s dead now too? I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he died in that hell hole.” Korin finishes. He takes one last massive gulp of beer and slams down his empty glass.

“Time for ush be off, Korin” Azules says, rising from his stump and tossing his straw hat back atop his head

“Ahh, ah’spose so.” Korin answers. He too rises, giving a hasty wave. He grabs his walking stick and waddles off like a three legged penguin along side his shambling drunk drinking buddy.

I take the letter from the table and stuff it hastily into my pocket. My heart is racing and my breathing is shot. A bead of cold sweat drips down my face. Amami says nothing. She must be worried about me. I bite my tongue to snap my self from this downward spiral and I get back to my feet.

“Amami… Help me save Kites sister! Help me save Myrrh, before it really is to late!”

“Of course!” She answers eagerly.

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