The Palace.

~King Wealene and Kie~

"Go bring the retarded fool!"

Wealene barked an order at Jaith who hurried away, out of the Palace. He took a turn at the left side of the palace building and turned at the end of that block. He strode towards the wooden gate behind the Palace building into the lone garden where all hideous pits and hides were located. Pits which held the dark secrets of the king's pasts.

There was a pit which contained several wild animals that fed on themselves whenever the king refused to provide them meals. And one of the numerous pits held the skulls of all the people he had ordered killed with tags of their names hanging over them. Including the bones of the great Soothsayer, Ama et Azholophased.

"Fools, rise."

Jaith called, getting to Kie's and the pale faced's pit. He had grabbed a gallon of water and had turned in into the pit as soon as he got there.

"Pray to the gods that Wealene spare your lives."

"Can you say that to his face?"

The pale faced challenged Jaith. Jaith scorned,

"Do yourself a favor of telling him I said that, and see who he believes."

He threw down a rope and the pale faced grabbed it first. He was pulled out with it. Kie took the same turn and the both of them were out of the pit.

"You can do yourself a favor of running away. But know well that, to the North of this place is a rill choked on crocodiles, to the East is a disguised den of wild animals. Well, I'll leave you to find out what's to the West. Or you could follow me through the South back to your fate."

He pushed at their backs and they began to walk towards the wooden gate. No sooner than later, they made their way into the Palace. They could hear the clamoring and chatters of the people, coming out of the gate of the palace's fence; the king's building was surrounded by a mighty fence exclusive to only the royal family and guards. Guards were constantly positioned on the ramparts and would slaughter anyone straying within the building who has no royal tie.

"Can you hear that? They are cheering for your blood. Your heads on the platter."

Jaith shot as they walked through the aisle towards the throne. He was behind the two of them, nudging them forward, with his hand to the sheath of his sword, ready to draw if the need arises.

Kie turned sideways to him, without turning his neck, somewhat looking at the pale faced while his attention was on the Jaith behind,

"Worry about yourself and quit washing my nape with your saliva."

Jaith punched him in the nape and he trotted forward.

"His Greatness."

He bowed as he pushed both men to their knees.

"Get the princess, she should watch every hope of her being with this bozo dwindle before her eyes."

Jaith left to bring the princess in. Standing before the throne of the king to the left and right in no precise order were a group old men whom he had chosen as his advisers. They were just figureheads. On most cases, he would hurl their thoughts away and make do with whatever Jaith tells him, or whatever he though best himself.

"If I may speak, His Greatness."

The pale faced started as soon as Jaith left. Wealene tossed his head,

"Have a will to read before your death?!"

The pale faced shook his head roughly,

"No, His Greatness. It's about the man who just left."

Kie glared at him at that but the pale faced didn't care.

"The commander of my army you mean?"

The king asked, the pale nodded.

"He called you by your name at the pit. Which means nothing but a huge disrespect to your honor."

Kie turned to him and landed a fist in his face, which broke a couple cartilage in his nose. The guards hurried to Kie and restrained him.

Wealene stepped off the throne,

"And what do you want in return of this unnecessary loyalty?"

The pale faced made to move forward but the guards wouldn't him. Wealene got to him,

"But do I need to remind you that you don't get to ask for a right over your properties after your death? As you know, everyone condemned to die automatically passes his belongings and properties to the king for the benefit of the masses. If he has a wife and children, all become slaves in the palace. And bless the gods, several works are needed to be done."

The pale faced stuttered,

"Of course not, His Greatness. I wouldn't be stupid to ask for that. All I ask for is to touch the hem of the Princess' gown before I kiss the dust."

"You have it."

The king nodded as Kie struggled to move to him. But point in time, Jaith returned with the Princess, her maid, Samantha and few other guards who had been standing watch at her door.

Malisa made to run towards Kie who was stinking and covered in dried oil and some wet part of his body from the water. But she was restrained by the guards.

Kie looked towards her in contempt while Samantha glared at Kie. Kie gritted his teeth at Samantha who bulged her pupils at him in the come-do-your-worst manner.

"Marci, go inform the guards to let the people in into the square and tell the guards outside to set the pyres on fire. Show's about to begin. Jaith owes me a favor."

Marci, the second in command to Jaith hurried away to do as bade. Wealene to Jaith said,

"Tell me, Jaith. We have just few seconds. Do you want your tongue cut or your left wrist. But as a soldier, I'm sure you'd choose wisely."

Jaith stuttered, looking around, at almost all faces. There was a quick pity pacing Kie's indifferent gaze.

"His Greatness, what are you talking ab--"

Suddenly, Kie sprung to him feet, hitting the guards off as he made for Wealene and knocked him down, yelling,

"Fucking Wealene, I'll have your guts for killing my uncle."

Jaith rushed to the aid of the King and pushed Kie away. He tried helping the king up but the King pushed him away. Malisa gasped, her both palms over her mouth. She knew that that was the end of her impromptu one-sided love story.

The king stood up, raging like a wounded beast. His eyes red like a mad dog's, yet Kie Azholophased kept the indifferent face, trained by courage and pain.

The king rushed to him and planted punches in his face, blood spilling, his lips bursted. Wealene turned in rage to his daughter, pointing,

"Have you seen your groom? The groom for whose sake you wouldn't eat since yesterday. Your groom would kill your father."

He looked away,

"It's done! Take him out and have him beheaded with no rites. I meant for him to be the last, but he owes me no favor."

He barked as Kie was taken away. Malisa hurried to her father and fell on her knees,

"Make him your slave, father. Beat him to pulp, but do not behead him. He is --"

Wealene pushed her away and strutted away. The pale faced called at the king,

"His Greatness, you gave me your words."

Wealene halted and turned to the pale faced. He nodded as he walked to him. As he got to him, he put his left palm to the fellow's cheek,

"Of course."

But then he drew out the hunting knife in the side of one of the guards holding the pale faced, and drove it up the pale faced neck. Making him choke on it. He fell down dead.

"Now I'll have to wash again."

Wealene grunted and walked away as the guards cleaned the mess.

After few moments, King Wealene stepped out to the chatters and bickers of the public. He was standing at an elevated porch with borders on its three sides. Malisa was standing away from him, looking through the window of the Palace. Another pyre was already burning the corpse of the pale faced.

Kie was already kneeling on the elevated pyre, his head on the arranged logs. There was a square-like spot at the front of the palace which housed such event.

"With no further ado, I'll have his head. Then we can talk about the offense of a man who wants his king dead!"

No sooner he was done speaking than a wailing voice interrupted,

"You will kill our son, Wealene? You will?"

That was Mara's, Kie's mother. But Wealene shot,

"Guards, restrain that mad woman. Her type shouldn't be in the street."

And at those words, he signalled the sword bearer who raised up his word and brought it down. But he missed.

A thick darkness enveloped the square and palace. Suddenly, there came a screeching from the distance in the clouds. And in the twitch of an eye, there appeared a flying creature towards the square, a woman, with the head and wings of a dragon.

Just like the wind would pass, did the creature swoop into the midst of the Pyre and picked up Kie. And away, she left with him.

The crowd gasped and gathering scattered.