Episode 2 – How it all began (1/2)
◈ Town of Beyd, Thursday, 23rd of August 1449 AW ◈
That fateful day, a large hazel blur could be seen flying skillfully between the canyon pillars The scales which adorned the creature glittered brightly under the desert sun, contrasting sharply with the black clothes worn by the rider The powerful sweeps of its wings rose soft red sand all around them, but Kiel Rroda didn'this face felt very refreshi+ng in the su an earthly sh his nose and mouth were covered by a scarf
It had been a cal, enjoyable ride What Kiel Rroda didn't know back then, was that this ride would be the last bit of real peace he would feel in a long, long time
Kiel pulled on the leather reins of the dragon, e house in the upper Beyd This part of toas filled with tidy ardens and whose roofs were covered with orderly rows of red brick
Upper Beyd stood still, covered by a veil of silence with no person or creature in sight Kiel looked at the se behind the vividabove the entrance to the house
Kiel pretended not to see the approaching figure and disles and scarf He breathed in the faint scent of roses spreading through the dry desert air and wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his glove The dragon puffed through its nostrils releasing hot air
His gaze unconsciously drifted to the high cliffs on the southern side of the canyon towering above the town His eyes focused on the distant figure sitting on the highest pillar of the canyon, next to the shest point in the entire town of Beyd
She was still there, staring right at hieneral direction - he doubted that she could actually see him as clearly as he could see her Her elibu eyes weren't capable of 'zooel eyes He could tell that she was an elibu because of the long pointy ears protruding through her hair
Beyd was an argel town There were no elibu in Beyd Consequently, she was by default an exotic creature to Kiel, who rarely left Beyd
Did she perhaps want to come to town, but was afraid that the townsfolk would be hostile to her? Was she raised in an elibu city and didn't feel coel? That was certainly possible, considering how only the big cities had residents of both races Many halneans lived their entire lives without contact with the other race
Kiel was not a people's person Showing genuine interest in others was not soirl, who sat in the sa until dusk, ed to pique his curiosity
Perhaps he felt intrigued because of his natural attraction towardsa solution to a probleed for so to break his everyday monotony
Or perhaps his innate sense of danger was trying to warn him that his life was about to take a sudden turn It could have been a preht have already been far beyond his reach, firmly in the hands of another
Either henever he stopped his work to take a rest, his gaze would drift towards the irl
”Kiel! Did you co hiaze back to the house
Piala aving her hand frantically, evidently delighted to see hily She flipped her long blonde hair with brown highlights seductively Or rather, in a h, the issuerather popular in the Beyd academy
Her father was a well-known her social status than everyone else She had been in the sarade as him so he knew her… well, as well as he could know so as much as possible
Kiel walked up to her with a package in hand ”I did come to see you… ” as much as it pains me - Of course, he left that last part unspoken
”Doing deliveries again? Poor Kiel, why do you need to start from the botto your tiless quests Leave quests to plebs!”
Kiel didn't expect a little pampered stuck up princess, that hadn't worked hard a day in her life, to understand that everyone did quests – lower social class and nobles alike
The entire economy of Halnea revolved around quests Whenever so done, they would put up a quest in the quest lodge Quest seekers, who met the skill requirements of the quest, could then take it and colory
Ironic how a middle-class nobody like herself could be so po He would have expected it from a noble like his father and brother – they had reasons to be arrogant and patronizing Piala, on the other hand, was full of hot air
Kiel had to exert extra effort to keep the scowl of disgust off his face and instead, s smile
”I don't want to take advantage of my father's influence to advance in quest seeker rank I want to do it with my power alone, just like everyone else” Kiel lied
He had no intention ofthat his father didn't approve of his life plan Hence, he offered no help in getting hie the 'fun' quests
”Besides, spending the whole day relaxing by the pool gets dull quickly”
She giggled and fluttered her eyelashes atte ”I would not let you be bored!”
Kiel sed down the bile silently, trying to ignore his gag reflex as he handed her the package addressed to her name
Piala, fronated Kiel as her prince char
He had shi+ny, straight yet slightly ht sky, the ends of which reached past his chin Thick locks of deep blue strands on the left side of his faceAll argel had multi-colored hair – a racial trait of which Kiel was no exception
She remembered how his eyes scanned the rooel were known for met her eyes, she felt her heart skip a beat She could swear his eyes lit up as well It hadn't occurred to her that it was the optical trick of light caused by the contrast between two black rings spreading around his pupil and the rest of his pale blue iris
She had never seen anyone as gorgeous as hieous, but still, she was sure that Kiel was stunning even by noble standards, since she couldn't possibly iht coinative
Later that day, when she caave out when she felt his pale, sainst her own
She thought that Kiel h she followed hih the academy like a mana wyrood mana source, it sticks around it until its depleted)
”Kiel, do you know that elibu?” Piala nodded her head towards the girl sitting on the cliff, her jealousy rearing its ugly head
”No, why do you ask?” He wondered,on his face
”She has been rudely staring at you for days!”
How do you know that? Have you been stalking ain? - hat he wanted to ask Instead, he kept this play of politeness and dignity ”Really? I haven't noticed!”
Kiel knew she had been staring at him a lot It was i at her just as much
Kiel knehat Piala was i it out loud Nonetheless, he didn't agree with her view He was used to all kinds of stares - adreed, jealousy or despise However, he did not recognize the stare that girl directed his way
”She has been stalking you for the whole week! You should report that creepy elibu to peacekeepers and have her arrested!” Piala shared her great 'wisdom'
As opposed to you, who has been stalking me for years - Kiel snorted inside his head – I'd take her over you any day!
Instead of saying what he honestly thought, he hid once again behind his lovely s to be sooodhere each day” He reasoned with a soft understanding smile
Though the calculating, selfish monster concealed behind his cold eyes would never say it in such a way, this ti lie Piala clasped her hands and looked at him with admiration
”As expected froentle!”
Kiel barely ed to mask his bitter smile
Yes, that's what is expected of him To be picture-perfect No one was to know the real him To everyone, he was a well-es from the noble bloodline A person who everyone liked, a person who had many friends
The sad truth was that while ht have considered themselves his friends, there were none he considered as friends It wasn't just because everyone had an ulteriorhim It wouldn't have mattered even if their intentions were pure because Kiel didn't like people People were selfish, noisy, tiring and complicated Kiel found the most joy in quiet solitude
Understanding and gentle! What a joke! – Kiel thought
He i Piala's scrawny little neck He hated her He despised pretending to be such a person And yet, all he ever did was bury that hate deep down and snature smile:
”You flatter me, Piala Take care I must continue my work”
Piala giggled and waved ”See you later! You are welcome to stop by anytime!”
He nodded and waved back in a friendlyinside that he would never, ever, take her up on that offer He straddled his dragon and high-tailed it out of there as fast as he could without revealing that he didn't want to stay there a second longer than he needed to