Chapter 59

 Leorin and Sara stood in the wings and watched as the audience streamed into the theater and began to take their seats. Although they would not be on stage for this performance, their paws were sweaty and their hearts pounding from stage-fright and with good reason. After all, the play that was being put on this evening was not just any play, but their play; the one they had written, and it was  in this theater, one of many in Zafol, that it would have its premiere.

It was in Leorin's head that the idea of writing a play had first taken form. He had shared his ambition with Sara, who had asked if she could help out. Leorin accepted, but only on the terms that they would both stand as co-authors and so, their collaboration began. Their first object was to decide what the play would be about. After some discussion and throwing ideas back and forth, before Sara came up with the idea to let the play be based on real-life. Not ancient history, but something that had happened fairly recently. Leorin understood immediately what she meant and the two of them started working on their project in earnest. They kept on working on the play whenever they had some free time and, after nearly a month of intense labor, the cat and the porcupine decided that it was time to present their opus to Eramus.

At the time, the troupe was staying at a hotel in a town whose role in our narrative is so minor that it's not worth mentioning here. Having first checked that Eramus had not gone out, Sara and Leorin went to his room and knocked on the door. It opened and Eramus appeared in the doorway.

"What can I do for you, my young friends?" The Faun asked, with a jovial smile on his face.

"We have written a play" Sara announced, taking the lead. "Show him, Leo" she added, giving her boyfriend a light nudge.

At his girlfriend's prompting, Leorin took out the notebook he had held behind his back, the notebook which contained the fruits of his and Sara's efforts and showed it to Eramus.

"We would like for you to tell us what you think" he said.

"Gladly" Eramus replied. "I can't read it at the moment I'm afraid, but I promise to get to it as soon as I'm alone."

Sara and Leorin looked past the faun's shoulder and saw that Eramus was not alone in his room; Rufus and Griselda were there as well, alongside two persons neither of them recognized: One of them was a feline with corkscrew-shaped whiskers, the other was a bulldog wearing a monocle.

Having taken the notebook out of Leorin's paws, Eramus gave the young playwrights a nod each and closed the door. 

"Who do you think that was?" Leorin asked, as they walked down the corridor.

"No idea" Sara replied, "but I have a feeling that we'll find out soon enough."

The Porcupine's feeling turned out to be correct. In the evening, just as everyone was seated for dinner, Eramus suddenly tapped the side of his glass with his knife, asking for everyone's attention. He then revealed to them that he had been visited by two persons hailing from the Kingdom of Zafol.

"That's on the Eastern Continent", one actor remarked.

"Correct" Eramus said, raising his glass to the actor's geographical knowledge. "They are the co-owners of a theater there, which they want us to perform at." 

The Faun paused, letting his words sink in. Then, having taken a sip of wine, he continued.

"At any rate, I have decided to accept their offer."

This announcement gave away to a buzz of excitement around the table. Although the majority of the actors had visited most of the countries on the Western Continent, very few of them had set foot on its eastern counterpart.

"So, when do we leave?" Another actor asked. 

It was Rufus who answered.

"The Day after tomorrow"  the fox said. "That is, if things go as planned. We need to look over the ship and refill our provisions."

"Another thing" said Eramus. "We will have a brand new play to perform at the theater."

This was big news, perhaps even bigger then travelling to another continent. It had been many years since the troupe had added a new play to its repertoire.

"What kind of play is it?" Someone asked.

"Its a drama" replied the troupe-leader, stroking his tiny beard. "Based on real events, I believe. As a matter of fact, its authors are present among us, at this very moment." 

And that, to make a long story short, was why Sara and Leorin were currently waiting with bated breath for their play to begin. Leorin moved his gaze up towards the balconies and as he did, he let out a gasp of surprise.

"What is it, Leo?" Sara whispered.

"Up there, on the balcony!" Leorin whispered back, his voice trembling with emotion. 

Sara followed the direction Leorin's finger was pointing in, until her eyes reached its target. There, seated in one of the balconies, wearing a blue dress and talking to someone Sara did not recognize, was a person that neither she nor Leorin had seen in five years. 

"Incredible" the porcupine whispered, shaking her head in disbelief (something which prompted a sudden yelp from Leorin as her quills pricked him). "It really is her. What are the odds?

She did not get more time to ponder this question, for in that moment , the curtain rose and Eramus stepped out on stage. The Play was about to begin.

*****

The Tragic Death of King Narash of Livoni, told the tale of a wise and just King who was murdered along with the rest of his family, by his favored daughter. Who wanted his throne for herself and had tired of waiting for the old fool to expire from natural causes. The Traitorous Princess then took control of the Kingdom and began oppressing its people. However, all was not lost; another of the King's daughters, had managed to escape the massacre, having been warned by the children of the country's foremost General. Together, the surviving Princess and the siblings managed to sneak out of the palace and board a ship bound for distant lands.

After he had finished reading the play, Eramus had showed it to Rufus and Griselda, with the latter commenting that they had better be careful not to perform it on Vinolian soil, since it was bound to arouse the ire of that nation's head of state.

"And I for one, do not intend to end my days in some roach-filled dungeon, dahling" the sow had informed Eramus. He, in turn had assured her that he would make sure that such a thing would never take place, even though he had always been of the opinion that an actor's mission should be not merely to entertain people, but to shake them up as well and put a tack on the seats of those in power. 

For the moment, however, Vinoli was far away and all the actors gave their utmost to bring the story penned by Sara and Leorin to life. About an hour later, the curtain fell on the first act and the director announced that there would be a ten minute intermission, to give the audience a chance to stretch their legs.

"A fine play" Kiros remarked, with the air of a seasoned theater-goer. "Perhaps the dialogue is a bit stilted in certain places, but the performances sell it. Its a shame that the others weren't interested in coming with us."

"Indeed" Risha agreed. She rose from her seat. "Will you excuse me? I need to...powder my nose."

Shortly afterwards, the female lynx was about to return to her seat, business taken care of, when a voice called out to her:

"Risha! Is that really you?"

It was a voice that, although somewhat altered by the years gone by, was instantly recognizable to Risha and although she had come to the theater expecting to hear it and had even intended to seek out its owner, she was not prepared for the emotions that welled up in her at this moment. 

Tears were obscuring her vision. She wiped them away and turned around. 

"Yes, Leo" she said, and smiled. "Its me."

Golden Kamuy

 Well, dear reader(s), a new year is upon us and I thought I'd start this year of blogging on a positive note; by writing about something I really like. That something being (obviously) Golden Kamuy.

Golden Kamuy (or Kamui) is a Japanese comic written and drawn by Satoru Noda, which began serialization in 2015, with the manga being adapted into an anime (as they are wont to do), in 2018. Having recently caught up with the English language release of the manga and the third season of the anime, I decided that it was high time I dedicated a post to this series.

Golden Kamuy's story  takes place in Hokkaido, shortly after  Japan's war with Russia. Saichi Sugimoto, a war-veteran whose ability to survive almost every injury earned him monicker 'immortal', learns about a fortune in gold hidden away by Ainu separatists, who were all killed by a traitor afterwards. Said traitor then ended up in the heavily guarded Abashiri prison, where he shared his secret about the gold with the other inmates and arranged for them to have the location to the treasure tattooed on their skins. Now, the inmates have all broken out of prison and spread out across Hokkaido. 

Being in need of money, not for himself but for an eye-operation for his best friend's widow (whom he is in love with), Sugimoto, accompanied by a young Ainu-girl named Asirpa, sets out to find all the tattooed skins and with them, the treasure. On their quest, the duo soon encounters Yoshitake Shiraishi; one of the escaped convicts, whose tattoo they copy. Shiraishi then joins up with Sugimoto and Asirpa, becoming the series primary source of comedic relief.

During their quest to find all the tattooed skins and learn the location of the gold, the trio comes into conflict with other groups who seek the gold, each for their own purpose. One group is led by Hijikata Toshizo; the aging former vice-commander of the Shinsengumi, whose skills with the blade have not been dulled by his many years in prison. Another consists of war-veterans from the Japanese army's fifth division, led by the brilliant and charismatic, but utterly deranged First-Lieutenant Tokushiro Tsurumi. 

As with so many stories, Golden Kamuy's chief appeal comes from its characters and how they interact with each other, in both humorous and serious ways. The Most important relationship in the comic being the one between Sugimoto and Asirpa. At first, the two of them join forces mostly out of convenience, but of course, as their journey continues, the bond between them grows stronger. 

Sugimoto is our ostensible lead character. A battle-scarred ex-soldier, he has no problems killing to protect himself and those he cares about. He's also clearly traumatised by his experiences during the war and knows first hand the effect of being killer can have on somone, which is why he is so protective of Asirpa and determinded to spare her from such a fate.

If Sugimoto is the lead, then Asirpa can be considered Golden Kamuy's true hero. In some ways, she reminds me of one of Miyazaki's heroines, with her strong-willed personality and connection to nature. Later in the comic, we learn that Asirpa's father, Wilk, who taught her how to survive in the wild, also intended for his daughter to be a leader of the Ainu, ensuring their survival. Asirpa is resourceful and brave, as well as mature for her age. That said, she does have moments that remind the reader that she's still, ultimately, a child.

Last, but not least, we have Shiraishi. A master escape-artist, who has broken out of every prison he's been put in. Shiraishi's main role is to be the clown of the group, as well as its butt-monkey. Most characters have their comedic moments, but Shiraishi is the most frequent victim of slapstick or comical mishappens. At times, one can't help but feel a bit bad for the guy, since even when he is genuinely useful, he rarely gets any respect from anyone in the comic.

Surrounding these three are a large and colorful cast of soldiers, spies, thieves, gang-members and serial killers, and while not all of them can be said to be incredibly well-developed characters, the vast majority of them are memorable and do their part to keep the reader engaged in the story that unfolds.

One thing that must be mentioned in the same breath as the characters is their designs. Like many great comic artists (or manga-ka, if you prefer), Satoru Noda has a talent for giving each character a distinct look, one that gives the reader an idea of what their personality will be like from just a look.

The Plot of Golden Kamuy is a thrilling one, filled with twists and turns, with alliances being formed and broken, as the various groups try their best to out-race and/or out-wit each other in their search for the gold. The Various mini-arcs/sub-plots can vary in quality, but so far, there has only been one that I didn't really care for.

Noda also deserves praise for the amount of reserarch he's put into his work, especially regarding the Ainu. Facts about their culture and the various customs are woven into the narrative and I found them fascinating. So, Golden Kamuy is not just an entertaining comic, but an educational one as well. 

Golden Kamuy is not going to be for everyone (than again, what is?). If you have a problem with say, graphic violence,male nudity and some occasionally juvenile humor, then you might want to give this one a pass. If you don't, or if you are willing to overlook these parts of it, then Golden Kamuy comes highly recommended. Personally, I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

That's the manga. So, how about the anime adaptation? Is it worth watching? Personally, I'd have to say yes. Admitttedly, the first season is a bit rough around the edges visually, with all the animals being depicted in pretty jarring CGI, but it gets better. If you are interested in experiencing this story yourself, than the original manga is your best option, since the adaptation either condenses or cuts out certain parts and characters entirely. Still, the anime is worth watching. 

Hina, hina.

In the Afterlife

 The Dragon looked around. He was standing in a vast plain, which seemed to stretch out infinitely in all directions.  Turning his gaze upwards, the Dragon saw that the sky above was the darkest black he had ever seen, with no moon or stars and yet, somehow, his surroundings were perfectly visible as though it was the middle of the day.

What was this place? The Dragon wondered and how had he come to be here? The Last thing he remembered he was at a feast, and then...

"Thekros."

Upon hearing his name, the dragon turned around. Standing In front of him was a figure wearing a white cloak and a hood which obscured its features. The Figure's sudden appearance had startled the dragon, at first, but it only took a moment for his surprise to turn into anger: How dare this individual sneak up on him like that? Not to mention using his name without any honorifics? The Dragon gave the figure a look, the kind that made his servants back home cover in fear.

"I am Prince Thekros" he said, in a voice that could give a penguin frostbite. "Soon to be King, Thekros. Fail to address me properly and you'll regret it and remove that hood. How dare you cover your head when addressing one of your betters?"

Angrily, Thekros reached out to pull the hood down, only for his arm to pass through the figure, as if it wasn't even there. 

"G-Ghost!" The Second Prince of Vinoli exclaimed,staggering backwards, his eyes wide with fright.

"No, Prince Thekros" said the figure and for a moment, Thekros thought he could detect a hint of amusement in its voice. "I am no restless spirit and neither are you for that matter. Although, your guess is not completely off the mark."

Thekros stared at the figure, then he looked down at his hands. He could see right through them.

"I..I'm dead" he said and his voice, as he made this observation, was small. 

"How did I die?" He asked, raising his head and looking at the figure. As soon as he had asked this question, memories of his death came rushing back. He remembered the quick and painful way in which his life had ended and he knew at once who had orchestrated his demise:

"You bitch!" He screamed, falling to his knees and smashing the ground with transparent fists, as tears of self-pity streamed down his face, as he cursed his killer in every foul word he could remember, which was quite a lot. 

Then, all of a sudden an idea came into his brain. No, she had not won yet! There had to be a way out of this and if it meant he had to debase himself in order to find it, so be it. Still on his knees, he crawled over to the figure, took hold off its robe and kissed it.

"Please" he begged. "Let me return to the land of the living! I'll do everything you want!"

The Figure remained silent, showing no indication that it had heard the Prince's words. Then, it spoke.

"Rise," it said. "It is time for us to go."

Realizing that pleading had no effect and threatening probably wouldn't either, Thekros rose, dried his tears and began to, reluctantly, follow the mysterious being. Soon they came to beach, where hundreds of other souls were waiting, each accompanied by a hooded guide of their own.

Thekros gazed out over the dark waters. He could see land, shrouded in mist, in the far distance. Was that where he was going? But how? There was no ship in sight. Was he and the others perhaps supposed swim across?

"It is here" his guide observed. Thekros looked up and saw that a huge ship had somehow appeared close to the beach. No crew could be seen, but a gangplank was lowered down and the dead began to climb aboard.

"Go ahead" the figure said. "Climb aboard."

Thekros was about to set foot on the gangplank, when he hesitated. He thought about all the people he had sent this way in the past, whether indirectly or by his own hand. People like his half-brother, Argeron. Would they be waiting for him on the other side? It was not a pleasant thought to consider.

Then, there was the matter of eternal punishment, which seemed to be a part of almost every religion. When he was alive, Thekros had been openly dismissive of such talk. Of course, it had been easy to scoff when you were alive and well; sitting at a brothel with a girl on one arm and a boy on the other and a newly opened bottle in front of you, certain that you'd still live for many centuries yet to come. 

Thekros turned around and looked at the figure.

"Could I not stay here?" He asked. "Or go back to the plain?"

The Figure did not reply, but merely shook its head.

Thekros was about to ask why, but then the souls behind him, who had grown anxious to get aboard, pushed him onto the crowded deck of the ship. The Gangplank was hauled in, a wind filled the sails and the seemingly crew-less vessel began its voyage into eternity.

Standing by the rail, Thekros saw that the shore was still close enough for a good swimmer to swim back there. He had almost made up his mind to risk it, when a voice cried out:

"I can't take this! I can't face what may wait for me over there! I'm going back!"

The Voice belonged to a toad, whom Thekros recognized as a fellow countryman. In life, he had been involved in various highly profitable, but less than ethical moneymaking schemes. He had met his fate at the end of a dagger, wielded by one of the people he had ruined. 

Another soul, that of a dog, tried to reason with the toad, telling him not to be a fool. He,however, would would have none of it and pushed the canine aside. The Toad then climbed up on the railing and flung himself into the air.

If those aboard had still been alive, they would have held their breaths. Instead, they simply watched in amazement, as the toad's soul, rather than landing in the water, remained in the air. At first, the toad was as surprised as everybody else. Then, he began to swim through the air, making his way back towards the beach, laughing triumphantly.

Emboldened by this, others, whose conscience weighed heavily on their minds and who had not had time nor cared to repent their wrongdoings in life, soon joined him. Thekros considered doing the same, but something made him hesitate. Though he could not say why, something told him that it was best to remain on the ship. He soon realized how right he had been, as the toad and his followers, soon began to drop out of the sky, down towards the waters below. 

The Moment one of them came into contact with the sea, they sank like a rock. Everyone waited to see if any of them would resurface, but no such thing happened. With a shudder, Thekros moved as far away from the railing as he could. Whatever awaited him at the end of this journey, he doubted that it could be worse than being forever trapped in that ink-black darkness on whose surface they were currently sailing.

Turning around, Thekros decided to take a closer look at his fellow passengers. Perhaps there was someone among them he knew? An old acquaintance or supporter, maybe? That's when the Prince noticed him. Of course, he would be here. He had eaten of the same poisoned cake, after all.

What is going through your head at the moment, Father? Thekros asked himself, as he looked at King Sharan. Have you realized who killed you? That must have been quite a shock. I bet you thought if one of your children would be the cause of your death, it would be me, am I right? You were wrong, there were others whose undoing I coveted but never yours. Sure, I wanted your throne, the throne that was rightfully mine, but I was perfectly willing to wait until after you were entombed, before I took it. Apparently, your perfect daughter did not feel the same way.

While thinking these thoughts, a cruel smirk began to distort Thekros' features. Then, King Sharan raised his head and looked right at him and the look on his father's face was so full of sadness that for a brief moment, an emotion Thekros had not felt in centuries stirred inside him. Troubled by this, the dragon quickly turned his head away and closed his eyes.

Soon afterwards, the ship arrived at its destination and all the souls began to disembark into the fog. 

Why Do I Write?

 There are times when I ask myself that very question, (especially these days). Or to be more precise; why do I write fiction? 

The Answer, dear reader, is remarkably simple: I write, because I need to.  Throughout my life I have always been compelled to not only consume (and occasionally write about) other people's stories, but to create stories of my own; to make my own mark within the annals of fiction, no matter how small that mark may be. 

Of course, this ambition is without its drawbacks.  I am my own harshest critic and there are times, particularly when working on a new chapter, that my lack of ability as a writer makes me want to scream out loud.

This scene was great when I pictured it in my head, I think, grinding my teeth. Why does it not turn out the way I want it? Why is the dialogue so stiff and awkward? Fuck! Shit! Gaah!!

Its during these moments that I am compelled to just give up. After all, its not like my blog is swarmed with comments wondering when the next chapter of Tales of Vinoli is coming out, so why even bother?

Because contrary to what I stated above, there are times when I look at what I've written and am filled with a sense of accomplishment, even (gasp!) pride. I am no great author and I am well aware of my limitations, sometimes almost painfully so. That said, I do think my writing has grown  better over the years (at least, it has not become worse) and I do (if you'll forgive me honking my own horn) think that I've managed to create at least a few engaging characters.

Finally, while this may well be my vanity talking, I like to think that there are at least a few people out there on the Internet, who see some merit in my story and keep coming back to it, regardless of its shortcomings. 

True, I have no proof they exist, but people believe in lots of things of whose existence they have no real proof, so why shouldn't I do the same?

If you are one of my regular readers (I almost wrote 'loyal' but that seems to arrogant, even for me), then you have my most sincere gratitude and I hope that my writing will continue to be a source of entertainment for you in the future. 

And if you are not of one of them, if you only read a few chapters and decided that it was not for you. Then you still have my thanks, you gave it a fair shot and that too deserves recognition. 

Chapter 58

 Merees woke with a gasp. She sat up, her body slick with cold sweat and her heart pounding against her ribs. Taking a few deep breaths, the Princess looked around the room. The Familiarity of her surroundings made her feel a bit more at ease.

Next to Merees, Risha was waking up as well. The Lynx sat up, yawned and turned to the dragon.

"Something the matter, hon?" She asked, concernedly. "You don't look well. Are you getting sick?"

Merees shook her head.

"No, I just had a nightmare. Sorry if I woke you."

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Risha asked, as she inched herself closer to Merees, laying a compassionate paw on her lover's shoulder. 

"Remember when we first came here to, Tiraliros? Your brother was kidnapped by  Cerewan and his crew."

"I remember" Risha replied.. "But, Mer, everything turned out well in the end: We managed to rescue Leo and the kidnappers were all arrested."

"In my nightmare things ended differently" Merees said, with a grim look on her face. "In it, you and I were both taken aboard Cerewans' ship and then sold into slavery. We...we never saw each other again..."

As she spoke, tears began to stream down Merees' face. Then, she felt Risha's arms around her body.

"It was just a nightmare" the lynx said, soothing the dragon with words and caresses. "It was not real."

"I know, but during the time it lasted it felt real. So real that I was beginning to worry that our happy life together was the dream, not my nightmare."

*****

Zevedo the six-fingered  gazed down at the figure lying on the bed in front of him, with a satisfied smirk on his face.The Figure showed no sign of life, but Zevedo knew that she was not dead, merely in a coma brought about by the potion he had forced down her throat five years ago. 

It had been a challenge, even for a seasoned dream-walker like Zevedo to break down his property's mental defenses. There had been times, when he had emerged from their battles, feeling week as a kitten, but in the end, the superior mind had triumphed. Now, her mind was trapped in a false reality, one made out of her memories and wishes of how her life could have been and there it would remain. At least for another six months. By then, the planets would be in alignment, allowing Zevedo to perform the spell which would allow him to take complete control of this body. The Lemur could hardly wait to cast off his own aging form and step into a new body, one that was still young and would remain young for many, many years to come. Already, he could see himself tearing through the sky on her - no -his - wings, setting fire to his enemies with his breath. 

Of course, he would have preferred it if his new body had belonged to a male dragon, but beggars can't be choosers.

Chapter 57

 On the same day that Miriam and Haku tied the knot, another wedding took place, one continent away and although this wedding was not as joyful as the one that brought the two long separate lovers together, it outshone that one in terms of splendor. For it was a royal wedding, binding two separate kingdoms together.

When King Faljan announced that he was going to wed the Queen of Vinoli, his declaration was met with shock and outrage from almost everyone who heard it; foreigners and Guanacans alike. For as long anyone could remember, it had been tradition for the Kings of Guanaca to marry only local women, in order to ensure that their kingdom retained its neutrality. The Other nations of the Western Continent knew this and so, they had come together and agreed to not send any envoys to ask the Guanacan Kings for their paw in marriage, on behalf of their own Queens and Princesses. This, to make sure that no single nation would gain control over the desert-Kingdom and thereby all the trade coming from and going to the East.

This agreement had been made almost two centuries ago. As a matter of fact, it was King Sharan who had suggested it and now, his own daughter had basically trampled all over it. Not that anyone had excepted Argath to help Faljan regain his throne out of the goodness of her heart, but they had assumed that the reward for her assistance would come in the form of all goods coming to, or from Vinoli, would be exempt from the usual tolls and taxes for a set period of time, or something similar. But marriage? Was there no end to this woman's audacity? They asked themselves. 

Of course, many of those who now gnashed their teeth in dismay upon receiving this piece of news, secretly wished that King Faljan had come to one of their nations for help. Particularly those whose royal houses still counted unwed princesses among their numbers.

Still, the wedding-day arrived, regardless of anyone's opinion. On the day, the flags of both Guanaca and Vinoli waved from the battlements. The King and Queen traveled through the streets in an open carriage, waving to their subjects, whose loud cheers were encouraged by the presence of the Vinolian soldiers in their midst.

The Carriage made halt outside the temple dedicated to the royal family's patron-deity. Inside, five-hundred of the most prominent people living in Guanaca, including foreign diplomats and merchants, were waiting for the ceremony to begin. Argath and Faljan stepped out of the carriage and climbed the stairs, from somewhere within the temple, music began to play.

Among those present at the wedding ceremony were Felix and Lucinda. The Two of them had travelled to Guanaca in the Queen's company and had arrived one day after her, along with the rest of her entourage. It should be mentioned that the Councillor and his wife were not just there for the wedding: Felix had been chosen by Argath to be the Queen's representative in Guanca, once she had returned home to Vinoli. 

"The Posting will last for five years and may be extended, depending on how the Queen feels about how I've carried out my tasks," Felix had told Lucinda on the day he had been informed of his newly appointed position. "I should like to have you by my side,during that time, but I understand if you do not wish to leave Vinoli and everyone we know behind for so long."

"Of course I'll come with you" Lucinda had replied. "Although, there is one thing that I'm wondering about."

"What is it?"

"Well, Guanaca is where your father died. Are you sure that going there won't bring back sorrowful memories?"

"That is one of the reasons I decided to accept this assignment" Felix had said. "I feel that I need to see the place where he spent his final hours with my own eyes."

That was the reason Felix had given to his spouse, but the truth was that he had another motive for taking on this job, as well. One that he had not shared with anyone, not even Lucinda. For some time now, the iguana had felt an increasingly stronger desire to get away from the royal court and especially from the person who ruled over it. 

All his life, Felix had believed what he had been told regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of his father, Manfred; that it had been an unfortunate accident, nothing more. Lately, however, feelings of doubt had begun to make cracks in this version of events. It had been told by the current Queen, after all. 

Felix did not want to believe that Argath had had anything to do with his father's death, since he was a child, she had always shown him considerate kindness. In fact, when Felix first got his seat on the King's Council, wicked tongues had whispered that he owed his position primarily to his mother being the Crown-Princess' lover. Later, when he got a family of his own, that kindness had extended to them. Still, when he looked at the way she had run her kingdom since she came to power, not to mention anything else she may or may not have had a hand in, Felix had to ask himself: Would Argath be capable of assassinating someone she saw as romantic rival? And he had to admit to himself that the answer to that question was most likely a 'yes'.

Had he been the hero of a melodramatic play or novel, Felix would not have hesitated to avenge the murder of his father. But of course, he was not and besides real life was generally more messy and complicated.Felix had only been a small child when his father had died and while he remembered being sad when he realized he would never see his 'papa' again, that sadness had gradually faded over the years, only returning on certain occasions; such as when the twins were born and Felix had realized that his children would never meet their grand-father. If he was honest with himself, Felix had been more broken up about his mother's passing, which had happened during his adult years. 

Besides, the possibility existed that the Queen had told the truth. Maja, Felix' mother had believed in her version of the events and surely, not even Argath would lie to the one person she had claimed to love romantically? Such were the thoughts that swirled through Felix' brain, and with this in mind, its not surprising that he did not pay as much attention to the main event.

The Wedding ceremony had almost reached its conclusion. The Vows had been said and now the groom and the High-Priest, a sad-faced basset, were looking at the bride; waiting for her to make the excepted gesture.

It was tradition that a Guanacan wedding ceremony would conclude with the bride kneeling in front of the groom, as a sign of submission. In return, the groom would place his paw on her head and tell her to rise. Argath had known about this custom and although she had shrugged it off at first (after all, she had bowed plenty of times to her father, without meaning it), now that the time had come to perform this act though,  her ego rebelled against the idea. Why should she, the older and more accomplished ruler, kneel before Faljan? If it had not been for her, he would not even be King. He should be the one getting down on his knees.

Argath looked at Faljan.In his paws he held a silver tiara, signifying her status as his Queen-Consort, which he was to put on her head. The Look in his eyes was almost pathetic. Please, it seemed to plead. My people are watching, let me have this. 

To those assembled, it seemed at first that the Queen had swallowed her pride and the Vinolian guests watched in astonishment, as their monarch began to, with almost deliberate slowness, lower her massive body to the floor. Then, just before her knee touched the stones, Argath rose and with one quick gesture, snatched the tiara from Faljan's hands and crowned herself with it.

The Guanacans in the audience were astonished; they had never seen anything like this before and it was then, that it truly dawned on most of them, that Guanaca's days as a sovereign kingdom had come to an end. That foreign soldiers currently marching through its streets were here to stay. True, most of them would go away, but they would never disappear entirely. 

For a moment, they could do nothing but stare in silence and then, from among them, a voice could be heard, singing. It was faint at first, but gradually grew in strength. Then, it was joined by another voice and another, until the temple was filled with the sound of Guanaca's national anthem.

Naturally, the Vinolians were not about to let such an act of defiance go unchallenged and soon, there were two anthems battling for supremacy. As he stood up singing with his fellow countrymen, Felix noticed that there were two among them that had not joined in: One was Nasari, who was standing a bit further away, with the Queen's bridesmaids. The Other was her husband, Jeraddin remained seated, arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face.

Chapter 56

 Bilibi is one of the smallest nations found on the Eastern Continent, its population being about a third of Vinoli's. Bilibi has no centralized government; instead, each of its many villages, all of which are named after a color, is governed by a chieftain, elected by the locals. At first, the new chieftain has a trial period that lasts four years and if people are happy with how he has handled things, he will retain his position until the day of his death. If not, new elections are held and he is replaced with another candidate. The Position of chief is not hereditary, though nothing forbids the children of a previous chief to candidate for their father's title. 

Aside from a chief, each village also has a healer, whose job it is to look after the sick, and a bard, who also functions as the teacher. 

In every village, all the males are trained from an early age in the use of weapons, so that they can defend their home and families, should it be necessary. The Ones who show the most prowess in this field are selected to be part of the chief's guard, whose job it is to maintain order. 

Every year, all the village chiefs gather together, at a place known only to them and the warriors that escort them there. At this meeting, alliances are made and unmade and grievances are aired. Sometimes, these grievances turn into declarations of war, the largest such war occurred a century before this chronicle, in which sixty villages battled; thirty on each side. However, while the Bilibians occasionally spill each other's blood, in the face of an outside threat, they will put all grievances on-hold and unite to combat the invader.

Risha knew all this from a book about the known countries of the World that had been in the family library. She had been no more than five years old when she had read it. It had been a large volume and her father had helped her get it down from the shelf and she had lied on the soft carpet in the library, turning the pages, pausing occasionally to let her eyes linger on a particularly interesting sentence or illustration. And now, here she was; travelling through a country that she had previously only known as letters on a page.On its third day on Bilibian soil, the caravan reached Miriam's village, having passed through a deep forest. While in the woods, those with weapons had kept them ready; listening keenly for any kind of suspicious noise, but all that could be heard was the sound of birds singing in the treetops and insects buzzing. 

The Village, like many of its kind. was protected by a high, wooden palisade, whose gates were guarded by a lone sentry. At the time of the caravan's arrival, the guard on duty was a young lemur, holding a spear in a firm grip in his left paw.

"Halt" the lemur called out, as the caravan approached. Before you lies the Blue village. Please, state your name and your reason for travelling on our land."

"These are travelling merchants, under the protection of me and my men" Kiros replied, stepping forward. "They have come here hoping to sell, or trade their goods in your village. Kindly, inform your chief of our arrival."

The Mountain Lion's voice was calm but firm and that, combined with the fine sword by his side made the lemur give in.

"Very well" he said. "Wait here and I shall go tell my father, but if he says no, you'll have to leave."

"We shall" Kiros said. "I don't think he will though."

The Lemur was just about to head back into the village, when Kiros' remark caused him to stop and turn around. 

"Oh? And what makes you so sure?" He asked, one eyebrow raised skeptically.

Kiros was about to answer, when Miriam stepped forward. The Lemur stared at her, the spear slipped out of his fingers and hit the ground with a clattering noise.

"Yes, Haku, my love." Miriam said. "I have come back to you."

****

Upon entering the village, the travelers soon found themselves surrounded by villagers, who had stopped their work outside, or come out of their homes, to take a look at the strangers. While the merchants unpacked their wares, Kiros presented his respects to the village-chief. Suddenly, a female voice cried out:

"Miriam? Is it really you?"

Making their way through the crowd was a male and female antelope, followed by three children; a boy whom Risha guessed was about the same age as her brother and two little girls. 

"Yes, Mother" Miriam said, with tears in her eyes. "I have come back."

"We thought you were dead" the woman said, tearfully. She reached out and touched Miriam's cheek, as though to make sure that what was standing before her was not just a cruel figment of her imagination. 

"Mother, Father" Miriam said, after having embraced her parents and siblings, the youngest being completely new to her. "This is my friend, Risha. Its thanks to her that I am here now."

Miriam's father turned to Risha.

"For this, young lady" he said. "You have our eternal gratitude. Consider our home to be yours for as long as you wish."

He then reached out to touch Risha's shoulder, as is the Bilibian way of greeting someone, when a brief flash in the lynx's eyes made him decide that this might not be a good idea. Withdrawing his arm, he bowed instead.

Risha relaxed; she knew that the man standing before her did not mean her any harm. Still, after Bashar, the thought of having any physical contact with a male; excluding her father and brother, made every strand of hair on her body stand on end.

That evening, a feast was held in the village, with everyone eating, drinking and making merry, underneath the night-sky. It was a feast that also doubled as a wedding ceremony, with Miriam and Haku becoming husband and wife.

Risha knew the story. Miriam had told it to her one evening back in Guanaca, when they had become close enough to share their pasts with each other: 

As children, Miriam and Haku had played together often, and as the two of them grew older, their friendship evolved into something more intimate. Once their parents found out, they had been engaged and it was decided that they would be wed, once they had both reached mature age. However, a few weeks after the engagement, tragedy struck: Miriam had went out into the forest to look for mushrooms and had never returned.

Until now, Risha thought. The Sight of Miriam surrounded by friends and family, her horns decorated with flowers, made the lynx feel warm inside. She smiled at the newly-weds, who upon noticing it, smiled back.

"They do look beautiful together" Miriam's mother, who was sitting next to Risha, remarked. "This is the happiest day of my life." 

She wiped a tear from her eye, then turned with a confidential air to the younger woman.

"Tell me, my dear" she said, lowering her voice slightly. "Do you have anyone special in your life? Because if not...well, I know that my son may be a bit young, but he's a good boy and he'll reach the age of marriage soon enough."

Risha hesitated. Should she tell the truth? She had no way of knowing what this village's stance on homosexuality was and even though Miriam was well aware of her preferences and accepted them, she could not be sure that her family would do the same.

"Thank you for the offer" She replied. "I appreciate it, but I'm afraid I already have someone."

*****

On the evening that preceded the day of the caravan's departure, Risha and Kiros met up under an oak-tree.

"So" Kiros said, "have you thought about my offer?"

"I have and I am willing to join your group. I do have one condition though. You can refuse it, but if you do, I will only travel with you until we leave Bilibi and after that, we'll go our separate ways."

"Very well, tell me what it is you want me to do and I'll see if its in my power to help."

"I'm looking for a certain person. A female dragon."

Risha had then proceeded to give a detailed description of what Merees looked like, figuring that she had most likely not changed in the past half-decade. At least not physically.

"And you want me to keep an eye out for any information regarding this person" Kiros had said, once Risha was finished. "That should not be a problem."

"I guess we have a deal then."

"I guess so. Welcome aboard."

*****

The Next morning, the whole village had gathered to see their guests off.

"Do you think we'll see each other again?" Miriam asked.

"Who knows? Risha said. "After all, the future is not ours to see."

The Two friends of the past five years then hugged tightly. As they embraced, Miriam whispered something in Risha's ear that momentarily caused her to blush.

"Th...That's really too much" she stuttered. "I'm honored."

"Its the least we can do" Miriam replied, smiling.

"Farewell, Miriam! And you too Haku!" Risha shouted, waving to them as the caravan moved out. "I hope that from here on out, your life is a happy one!"

That evening, as they laid together in bed, Haku turned to his wife.

"What was it you whispered to her?" He asked.

Miriam snuggled up close to her husband, her fingers running through the fur on his chest.

"Only that if our first child is a girl, we would name it after her."

Becoming silent, Haku gazed up at the ceiling. Miriam was just about to start wondering if she had not been presumptuous in making this decision on her own, when the lemur spoke:

"Risha, huh?" He said, rolling the foreign-sounding name around on his tongue. "You know, I kind of like it."