Sentria: The Knight Prince (Book 1)

Chapter Seven: Cinnai's Reckoning

After dessert, we went to the domed Grand Auditorium and watched their production of the Trials of Lunaire, their play that celebrated the change from summer to autumn. In Cordath, they reenacted when the God of Death, Molmont, killed the Goddess of nature, Rena, for it to be restored, newer and stronger than before. We held a celebration for Lunaire in Sentria, but it was done in the form of a festival. There was dancing and merriment, but we didn't fashion a play of any kind....and our revelry took place earlier in the day, not after dinner when people wanted to rest off their heavy meals.

The host came on stage, dressed as a jester in a green and white checker-patterned leotard and tights, and I could tell this wasn't his true profession. He would have made a bigger scene, done cartwheels and told crude jokes. Instead, he waited patiently for the crowd to silence before speaking.

"Welcome, one and all!" he said, lifting both his hands into the air. "For you viewing pleasure, we will be doing something a little different. Since it is the time of change, we should make like the seasons and embrace the transformation within ourselves. Instead of the Trials of Lunaire, we will be performing Cinnai's Reckoning in honor of our Sentrian guests. Prince Darren, I hope you enjoy. On with the show!"

I smiled and clapped to play along, but I didn't want to see a reenactment of the God of Greed. In my eyes, this was blasphemous.

The production began with Cinnai portrayed by a man on stilts in a giant red and orange costume with a monstrously large, smiling face. A fireball come to life. He had been kept frozen on the crystal beach by some magical curse, for which they used blue-burning torches. He laid there for millions of years as the world grew around him, then a burning rock from beyond the sky landed nearby and brought him to life, for which they turned back to red. Thus creating  the mountains of Meren, the unforgiving flatlands of Rainn, The Dark Dunes, and the stony Kilgore. The Northern Realm.

Cinnai, freed from his icy prison, searched the land over gathering stones to build a fortress that protected him. He wanted to make sure that he was never imprisoned again, so he took more than enough to protect himself against anything that might come. He took wheat, fruit, vegetables, animals of all kinds, gold, silver, bronze, and made hundreds of weapons. He even created the Ancient Temple to harness the powers of the stars in eastern Askeran on the border of Rainn. 

Cinnai went southward and found Muros, dressed in blue and wearing a far angrier expression than the delighted God of Greed. Muros judged Cinnai and misunderstood his excessiveness. He attacked him for his selfish methods, but Cinnai was strong and wouldn't go down so easily. Isla, the Goddess of Peace, arrived and joined Muros in defeating the God of Greed. Cinnai returned to the north and rebuilt his home from nothing, hammering home the theme of change like a nail to the head.

Eldwyn and I returned to our quarters directly after its end. I told King Solice that I was still tired from my journey, and he excused us too graciously. I couldn't wait to be away from all of them and that sham of a performance. They were taunting me with their lies.

I clapped along, but I hated every moment of that charade.

"That was quite a show," said Eldwyn, once we were in the privacy of our room. "And the food was glorious, but there wasn't enough salad. The smell of cooked meat makes my stomach churn. There was so much of it." He rubbed his stomach and turned his head away.

"That's because they are greedy, relic," I said, pacing the room back and forth. "They are manipulators. Changing the truth to suit their narrative. They didn't even mention Danos! He's the one that thwarted Cinnai. It was Valor that did it, not just Peace and War. They ruined the story!"

"There are multiple sides to every story, knight." He shrugged as if my anger wasn't justified.

I paced around faster. "No, there isn't. There is the truth and only that. Cinnai is a villain and any other definition of him is a lie. They would be hung in Sentria."

"Why does this bother you so?" asked Eldwyn.

"Are you blind?" I stopped pacing and stared at Eldwyn. "That display was meant to insult us, not entertain us. That was a threat. Two guards are stationed outside of our door as we speak and it isn't for our protection, it's to keep us in."

"I think that living in a castle has sheltered you from understanding. Not everyone is out to get you."

"How would you know? You've never experienced the dynamics of politics firsthand. It is a ruthless game that most don't survive. He will want something from me and he'll hold it over my family's head like a guillotine blade to get exactly what he wants unless we escape."

"And how do we do that?"

I paused. "I don't know. If it was just the guards to worry about it would be easy. I've slipped out of my own quarters many a time, but this is different. What worries me is the dark wizard. Who knows what kind of ill magicks he has at his disposal?"

"Not all magicks are bad, knight," he said as if I needed reminding.

"I know that, but if he's consulting with this king, then he must be evil too."

"People can change," Eldwyn said. "You must remember that."

"Sometimes, hearts are too drenched in darkness to ever be pulled back." I sighed and looked at the bed. "It does us no good to discuss this now. It's late and I need a full night's rest to think clearly."

"Shall I sleep on the floor?" asked Eldwyn. I wanted Eldwyn in my chambers to ensure his safety, but our sleeping arrangement had never crossed my mind until now. "I've slept on the forest's floor, so it's not a problem for me." Eldwyn smiled to reassure me.

"That won't be necessary. You can sleep next to me, just stay on your side."

I changed into blue nightwear in the washroom and Eldwyn changed into white nightwear in the main chamber. When I came back out, he was looking out of the window at the dark blue night sky as if he could see the fine details of the stars beyond.  I watched him for a moment and wondered what it must have looked like through his eyes. I was glad to have him with me in this stressful time. At least I wasn't alone.

I couldn't get to sleep immediately when I laid down in bed. My mind was racing with thoughts of all the plots that King Solice could devise and I broke out in a cold sweat.

"Are you fine, knight?" asked Eldwyn. I thought he had fallen asleep.

"Yes." An obvious lie.

Eldwyn turned and faced me and said, "Your breathing is uneven, which means your mind is out of sorts."

"There's a lot on my mind."

"I can help," said Eldwyn.

"Did your magicks return?"

"No. There are skills that anyone can implement. Here."

He placed his hand on my chest and I flinched. He didn't move it.

"Now breathe with me," he said and inhaled deeply to show me.

We breathed together and at first, I wanted to tell him how foolish this was, but then I relaxed into it. I looked into his hazel eyes reflecting the moonlight and I transported away to a serene place. We were drifting upon clouds as soft as silence and a warm wind swam over us. I felt at one with him at that moment and despite our dangerous surroundings, I was at peace.

"Better?" He smiled at me and searched my face for an answer.

I almost smiled back, but instead I turned my head and closed my eyes. Now, there were more things on my mind than our predicament in Cordath.