The Crown of the Thunder King

CHAPTER TEN

"Ah... That's nice..."

Elke's satisfied voice caught Adlai's attention as she walked out of the inn behind him, adjusting her shawl and peering into the sky. Her face was a drastic change from what it had been for the past few days; a broad smile graced her features, and the usual sardonic glint to her eyes was nowhere to be seen.

"Feeling good?" Adlai asked, half-amused. He could relate, honestly, but Elke's sudden change of demeanor was beyond anything you'd see out of him.

Elke opened an eye to gaze at him, cheerful expression still intact.

"What kind of question is that? Who wouldn't be feeling refreshed after a good night's rest in civilization?"

Adlai refrained from making a joke, even though he could feel it form at the back of his mind. It was best to keep her good mood intact for as long as possible. It wasn't like he wasn't feeling pretty great himself, anyway. The warmth of Maxorien's sun was a very welcome change from the early, bitter autumn that was present further north in the country.

Gradually, the rest of his companions exited the inn as well, each blinking at the sudden brightness that assailed their eyes. While the city had been pale in a ghostly way during the evening, the white buildings caught and reflected the light of the sun during the day, so that the city was almost blinding to look at. It reminded Adlai of the white-sanded beaches on the far coast of Tevyne.

"What's the plan for today, Sanja?" Adlai asked as his friend came to stand beside him. In response, the other man tugged out a crease in his military shirt and pointed to the courtyards further down the streets, beyond the cliff and crowded alleys.

"I have a few places in mind," Sanja said. "Landmarks, historical homes, locations said to have been of great significance to the mythological figure that was the Thunder King."

"Wha-" Kolohe started, seemingly shaken out of the remnants of sleep-induced stupor. "Are you serious? I thought we were hitting the beaches! Come oonn, maa-"

"Don't 'man' me," Sanja cut him off, letting the briefest irritation show through his otherwise straight-cut attitude. "I believe I've told you time and time again-"

"What, you weren't just saving face?" Kolohe interrupted in turn, grinning sarcastically. "Admit it, you want to ditch this stuff as soon as you can, right? We might as well just take the day off."

"If you want to get this over with," Sanja said icily, "Then I suggest you work hard."

With that, he set off down the road, leaving Kolohe standing stock-still with his mouth hanging open in shock, and beckoned for the rest to follow.

"I can't believe it," he muttered to Adlai, who'd hung back with him. "Here we are, in one of the nicest cities outside of the Capital, and we're not allowed to take a small break? The hell is wrong with him?"

"I can't say I wasn't expecting it," Adlai shrugged, nudging his friend into walking. "Good luck getting Sanja of all people to let loose."

"Hah," Kolohe said bitterly. "Good luck, right?"

"Sanja," Lily said, trotting just to keep up with the tall man. "Why are there so many statues of the Thunder King to begin with? There aren't many outside of Maxorien, as far as I can tell. Does it have something to do with its history?"

Sanja glanced down perfunctorily before affixing his gaze to the narrow, bustling street ahead of him.

"There are several old fables about Maxorien's foundation. His palace itself is said to have been built on the largest stretch of sand."