Kapitel 7: A New Friend.
There are three Empires in the land of Eral.
The Golden Empire, the most powerful. The Silver Empire, the second most powerful, and the Bronze Empire, the least powerful.
All empires have three kingdoms, and Xeldia is the second kingdom of the second Empire, which means it is supposed to have the most even flow of silver currency. Each kingdom has a main mine divided into sections producing the mineral metal for the people's use and to signify levels of authority. Since the mines are guarded and maintained by Benders, only pure Silver is produced, refined, and released to the people.
Which is what my parents are trying to explain to my sister at the table right now.
"Father, with all due respect I feel this is a matter of utmost importance!"
Father sighed for what felt like the millionth time. "Freya I understand why this seems like something to panic about-"
"And it is. Fake silver? In a Silver Kingdom? Something needs to be done. There should be an inspection!" She slammed her hand on the table for effect and I just slouched in my seat. Whenever she wanted something, well, something reasonable, she could be very demanding and determined. Emphasising determined.
"Talk to your daughter, Olivia." Father pushed his chair back and began massaging his temples.
I don't even know why I was still here. Freya dragged me out of the workshop when I was trying to make a new box to hold my collections. As well as her gift.
Mother leaned further onto the table. "Dear, you do realise it is close to if not impossible for fake silver to be produced from the mines right?"
"Yes."
"And what you're saying is that the Benders might have something to do with this?"
"No."
"Well it's the middle of the day and it's quite a journey to the mines. Don't you know that?"
"Yes."
Oh no.
I groaned impatiently, loud enough for everyone except Freya who frowned in my direction, to turn towards me. I flashed an awkward smile and a double thumbs up to her before she faced mother again with that determined look in her eyes.
"Psst."
I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I looked to find a steaming cup of tea being offered to me.
"Thanks Maria." I blew and took a little sip. "I needed that."
She tucked a curly stray strand behind her ear.
"What happened?"
"Oh I don't really know." I took another sip. "Freya called for an emergency family meeting and then started talking about fake silver found somewhere in the castle."
"Oh..."
We watched the scene of my mother trying to reason with my sister go on for a while before she piped up again.
"How did she find the fake silver?"
"I don't know. I just want to get back to the workshop."
Mother seemed to be losing patience. "Sweetheart, if you did find fake silver, where was it?" Another sip.
"In Fern's room!"
Spit take.
"Excuse me," I said after wiping the tea from my chin and Maria began wiping the table. "In who's room now?"
"Oh so now you're paying attention?" Freya huffed at me.
"Well I have to now that my safe haven is involved." I turned to mother. "We have to check the mines."
"Not you too..." Now mother had started massaging her temples.
"Ahem." Maria cleared her throat and dusted her apron. "If your majesties permit me, I could go check the mines. I'll be back by this evening with feedback."
"Oh thank you Maria. We would be very grateful. I'll send an escort of guards to go with you." Father straightened up in his seat.
"No need your majesty. I have close friends monitoring the mines in the city. They'll do."
"Are you sure? A carriage would get you to the far end faster though."
"Don't worry. We know a few ways that are quicker, and I'm afraid a carriage won't do. As her young majesty said, if this is indeed as serious as it sounds, then it should be a discreet investigation. Am I right?"
Freya gave an approving nod, and Maria gave a courtesy and left. I heaved a relieved sigh.
Glad that's over.
Both of us stood at the same time.
"Oh no you don't. You've had you're time, now it's our time to talk." He snapped his fingers. "Sit."
We sat. Mentally, I blamed my sister for roping us into a day spent at the table talking. I hate sitting still. Unless it's to fall asleep of course. Otherwise I hate sitting still. Yet I secretly admire my sister's ability to sit or stand for so long while drawing. Drawing... I prefer things with a little more action, though I guess blacksmithing is a kind of art-
"Fernando? Pay attention!"
A little snapping of my father's fingers brought me out of my thoughts. Once again, everyone stared at me and I nervously ran my hand through my hair that was already in different directions. "Hehehe... Sorry?"
"Who knows where your hand wanders off to in there?" Freya stared at my head.
"What about you?" I nodded at the long length of white hair flowing down her back.
"Just because my hair isn't tied, doesn't mean it's not orderly. At least I am in control, your hair is practically sticking out like a navigation pole deciding where to go. North? East? West? South? What shall it be today?" She gestured wildly with her hands.
"Children!"
"Sorry..." We ducked our heads and chorused, our full attention back on our parents.
"Now. We've decided that since your birthday is in three days, there's still time to add a few things." Father stated.
I raised my hand.
"No, we aren't changing your main plans for the party." He answered.
Freya raised her hand.
"Yes you still get to wear your special birthday clothes." Mother answered. "Is that all?"
We nodded, and she continued. "Since you're turning thirteen, we were wondering if you would like to make your party a bit more... extravagant?"
"Extravagant?" I asked.
"Well maybe not so extravagant, but there will be guests from here, a few from the Bronze Empire and a few extra special guests, from the Golden Empire."
"What do you mean by 'extra special guests'?" Freya mimicked mother.
"We mean people that have children around your age. You could have new friends!" Father's enthusiasm was not contagious. We were anything but excited about making more friends, and that's really something coming from me, since I am way more social than my sister at parties. She isn't rude, neither antisocial. Just only talks when necessary otherwise, she's in one spot by herself or with me, being quiet. The process of making friends seems too much for her to bear.
"But we already have friends." She complained. "Don't we Fern?" She turned to me for back up.
"If by friends you mean Ronald who's been proposing to you for over six months and Ursula who's disgusted by my very presence, then yes. We already have friends."
I got a kick to my shins.
I shouldn't have underestimated the power of someone who stands for so long. Luckily for her our parents didn't quite catch what I said.
"I mean, I'm with Freya on this one."
"So no need for special guests. Just you two, us two, the staff of the castle a few citizens, Aunt Genevieve-"
"Oh no. No. No. No." Father cut her off. "Genevieve is not coming."
Mother perked up at his tone. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that she's always causing some kind of... scene whenever she comes to the castle!"
"Meaning?"
"I-... she-What do you mean 'meaning?' She turned everyone's hair pink the last time she was here!"
"Except us." I added.
"Not to mention on the Silver Cotillion when every form of silverware and furniture went for a night-time ride through the sky! With some guests still on the furniture might I add."
"Except ours." Freya pointed out.
"Well I'm sorry you don't like heights or the colour pink, but she's my sister, and we have to invite her."
"But-"
"Sergio."
"No."
"Sergio."
"I said no."
"Please?"
"Fine." He gave in. Just like every other time mother uses that six letter word, he just couldn't say no.
"So no special guests?" I squeaked.
"Yes, special guests dear. Trust us when we say it's for your own good. You need to socialise a little more with other kingdom's heirs as you all will be in the same generation of power once you grow up." She spoke.
"But-"
"No."
"But-"
"Children."
"But-"
"Please?"
We both let out a low grumble before saying, "Fine..."
So my father isn't the only one who can't resist when she says please.
"Wonderful!" She clasped her hands together. "I'm so happy that you're all so compliant with my ideas."
We all groaned in response.
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"Freya stop walking so fast."
"I need to check something really quick."
"Then why are you taking me with you?"
"Because this involves you too."
She dragged me down a hallway to an open window. "Look." She pointed to the gates below. A figure talked with the guards stationed there before being heading out.
"So what? Maria is going to check the mines like she said she would." I faced her with a quizzical look on my face.
"I know that already." She looked outside the window, then back at me. "But I think she's hiding something."
"What do you mean?"
"Whenever Maria's gone for a long time she always wears this scarf thingy on her shoulders." She touched her shoulders to emphasise, but the only thing I got was...
"I'm sorry. 'Scarf thingy'?" I visibly bit back a laugh. She frowned at this.
"I'm serious! I bet she's going to be gone for a lot longer than a few hours."
"The silver mines are literally at the edge of this kingdom, Freya."
"I just-"
"She's only doing this to make you and me satisfied, which is what she's been doing since we were born. What could possibly make you think she has something to hide?"
She folded her arms and looked to the ground. "Maybe you're right. I guess it's just that fake silver thing that has me like this."
"Right. Now that we've established you're crazy, I'm off to continue what I was doing." I turned and started to walk. I was almost done with her gift but it needed a little more detailing, and that meeting took a while but it's going to be a wonderful surpri-
"Let me come with you." She walked up to me.
"Uh, why?"
"I just want to come with. Is that bad?"
"No, but you don't like blacksmithing, you don't even like watching it, and you hate the workshop. You said it's a disaster on it's own waiting to happen."
"Pfft. I also said it was a fire hazard." She scoffed.
"See?"
"Oh please." She rolled her eyes. I had to find a way to keep her out of there. It wouldn't be a surprise if she saw her gift before the party.
"Look you can't go in there because... I... haven't finished redrawing the portrait you asked me to."
She stopped walking. "What portrait-oh right! The one you knocked over the other day."
"Yup." I clasped my hands together because of gathering sweat and started walking backwards. "That's the one. And you know how you hate seeing things being done for you before they're completed."
"Well I do..." She placed a hand under her chin, then looked at me with a question in her eyes. "But why are you redrawing it in the workshop? Why not in your room?"
"Oh. Uh..." Freya and her suspicious mind! Just when I thought I had been caught, my back hit a wooden surface. The workshop's door! "Whoops can't talk now have a nice day!" I slammed the door before she had a chance to react and let out a long relieved breath. I took in the warm dimly lit room bustling with several workers all carrying out their leader's instructions.
"That was close." I said to myself.
"G'day mate!"
"Gaah!" I jumped a few feet away from the boy.
He was dressed in dirty and torn work clothes. Dirtier and more torn than usual ones. He had wild dark brown hair sticking out everywhere, and was a lot taller than me.
"Crikey. Aren't you on an edgy little bloke." He quirked an eyebrow, then offered a hand. "I'm Devin. Big guy told me to partner up with you for the rest of the day."
He grinned and gestured to the head of the workshop, busy at a workbench. I took his hand and shook it with uncertainty. "I'm guessing you're new?"
"Yeah. He told the guards I would work here under him."
"Guards?"
A thought came to my mind but I dismissed it and decided I shouldn't ask him now since we barely knew eachother.
I let go of his hand. "I'm Fernando."
He paused and a look of pure wonder overcame his face. "Fernando Vestine? You're the prince?" He had some kind of accent that I wasn't familiar with.
"Well ye-"
"Well what in the blazes are you doing here mate? This is like, the last place you'd want to be! It's smelly, it's hot, it's-"
"One of my hobbies, thank you very much." I laughed at how all over the place he was. "Let's just get to work, yeah?"
"Your highness." He bowed.
"How old are you?"
"Sixteen."
"Call me Fernando."
"Fernando. Got it." He walked quickly to an empty bench while I got changed to simple work clothes and joined him. I taught him the rules here and how not to offend Marc, the head of this place. He didn't seem very concerned about that part though. I tried to teach him the basics of forging the metal with high temperature but he was once again, all over the place and began speed talking while carrying out a few instructions I gave.
"Hey, be careful with that." He played with a huge hammer in his hands.
"Oh relax, it's not like I don't know what I'm doing."
"Isn't that why you were assigned to someone on your first day?"
He stopped playing with the hammer, then gave a nonchalant shake of the head, "Oh well, can't all be perfect." And began to pound the metal. I just stepped back to give him room, since he didn't look like he wanted or needed guidance.
I watched as he buried himself into the work. From time to time the short sleeve of his shirt would move up and I could see the beginning of a strange marking. I really wanted to confirm my earlier thought but it was a touchy subject and not something to just ask outright. I guess I could wait.
Evening rolled by quickly and Marc started barking orders to pack up and close down for the night.
"I guess I'll be seeing you soon, aye mate?" He held the handle of the hammer, which I wondered why he brought outside with him, in the crook of his elbow. We were outside and as the last people to leave, we had to lock up. Except I didn't know what key went to the lock so Devin was doing most of the work.
"Depends on how willing you are to actually listen next time." I watched as he fumbled with the lock while struggling to balance the hammer.
"Doubt it." He snorted and fought with the lock some more. "Why won't it fit?"
"Here let me help you with that." I took the hammer and examined it in my hands. The initials, M.C, were scratched onto the wooden handle.
Marc Cross.
This only added to my suspicions about where Devin came from.
"If you want the hammer, I'm afraid it's not mine to give." He stuck his hand out and I handed it to to him.
"Right, sorry."
He smiled again, and was about to say something but got interrupted by a loud yell from down the corridor.
"Oy lad! Quit wasting me time and get over here!" Marc yelled and turned to leave.
"Well I guess that's my queue. See you later?"
"Yeah. Later."
While I watched him drag the hammer behind himself, I really wanted to ask the one big question that had been on my mind.
He suddenly stopped and turned around to face me. "Need something?" I wondered if he could read my mind.
"Why would you say that?"
"Because you're standing stiffer than an iron rod mate." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and leaned on the handle of the hammer. "If you wanna talk, just talk. That's what I always do."
"So I've seen." I shifted from one foot to the other. "I wanted to ask..." Come on, just spit it out!
"Why do you call me 'mate' all the time?" I chickened out. "I mean technically we're in same age group but not age mates."
Devin stood still for a moment. The eager expression on his face changed to a blank one, as if he had been expecting a different question. Just as it came it left and he quickly replaced it with that easygoing grin of his and somehow easily swung the heavy tool onto his shoulder. "Where I come from, it's what you call a friend. Does it bug you?"
"Nope. Not at all."
He gave a weak salute. "Alright then. See ya."
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Hey guys! It's me, the author, and I just want to say thank you for giving my book a chance and reading this far. Have a purple heart cuz purple's my favourite colour!
Aw heck, why not have a whole bunch?
Oh yeah, Devin is supposed to be of Australian descent, so I did a little research on the native slangs and manner of speech. Hope I did okay...
Marc is supposed to talk like Mr. Krabs
Baiiiiiiiii!
Geschenke
-- Geschenk
erhalten Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein