The inn was as busy as always. The men couldn't get enough of ale and incoming noise from one another. How could you, when your mind was elsewhere?
Today, a new maiden had joined the inn as an apprentice of the old hag Bengha, who owned the place. And she was young! So, how could they miss out on a new view? To the old hag Bengha, the amount of patrons and income was worth it.
"GET OUTTA HER'! YA KIDDO!" She harshly swung a cloth at the youngling that had broken, or most likely, sneaked into the inn through the noise of clinking goblets on wooden tables and laughter of burly men who had nothing to do for the evening except drink and drool at the maidens that worked.
The boy ran as fast as a duckling on water, enough to flee the old hag. Of course, he had brushed past rough men and fell over a few times, but he continued fleeing by crawling before getting back up. Eventually, he made it to a corner table and hid behind the men there, sitting and munching on the bread he had picked up during the chase.
All men were loud, but if he listened closer, he could hear a storyteller speak even louder than them. Or, at least he tried to. He lifted his head up, and once he was sure the coast was clear, he tried crawling closer to the storyteller.
"This... story of..." His voice eventually echoed loud and clear in the boy's ears. "When two brothers ruled the nation of Ignavia. The beautiful place it was. Now, only misfortune lays upon it. Xie Fang, the current king of Ignavia, who breathes not -"
"What of the two brothers?" They boy's voice rang sweet as honey as he had moved closer to the storyteller, right at his legs, sitting legs criss-crossed as he stared at the tall man before him.
"The two brothers, you ask? Well, I, we still have time to get to that point. To the point before King Xie Fang took the throne and sat upon it, to the time before the two bothers still ruled by one another's side." One thing was clear. This storyteller was an absolute tease. The man at the table behind the boy groaned.
"This old haggard is still going at it." One sipped onto his ale.
"Indeed, he still can't stop enlarging Xie Fang and his rule. Even when he doesn't even have it!" The other laughed. And the other two men at the table laughed alongside him, while the clearly more serious one laid down on the laughter.
"But... Are you saying the storyteller is lying?" The boy stood up, brows furrowed.
"When did you get here?!"
"No, we're not saying he's lying. Never mentioned that he did. But we are too familiar with his words, and he does tend to null over half of the main course of the story. He adds too much fallacy. He drags it on and on without getting to the point." The serious one intervened, not minding the boy's presence.
"If you're so much as curious about the story of Ignavia's kings, then..." He looked at his friends who were smiling, agreeing. "We can start with the former king of Ignavia. His wife had given birth to two sons. One, of course, came a few years later than the other. Xie Huo and Xie Fang."
"You can only guess that the two grew up inseparable..." The story continued, the man raising his head up to the ceiling. It was already raining. And it felt as though he was back in that moment again, after all these years. Ironic, truly.
꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂
The halls were filled with laughter. The laughter of children, of innocence. Except, there were no more children in the palace. It was Xie Fang, standing in front of one out of the many portraits of his ancestors. Emperors, they were. And today, his brother was becoming one, too. A bittersweet event. But, he was happy nonetheless. Xie Huo would still be his brother, even if he would become occupied by duty.
"A happy occasion, isn't it, my lord?" An advisor spoke. Haoran. He has been with the two ever since. So, he was well trusted. He stood at Xie Fang's right.
On the left stood Wei Jin, a needlewoman. She made most of the royal attire. Knew, which outfits her Lord's should wear when meeting with other tribes and dynasties. "Perhaps some tea, my lord?"
"Nothing. I'd prefer nothing now. There is no time left." Indeed, soon, he was called by the guards. It was time.
꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂
The procession went smoothly. No hiccups. And, just like that, Xie Huo was now Emperor of Ignavia. A King by other nations.
What surprised others most was that rather than wearing the ceremonial headpiece, his crown, he got his father's helmet. He stood tall and proud.
"You and your difference, brother. You manage to surprise the elders."Xie Fang muttered as the two walked away from the celebration feast. It was time to take a short break and finally speak to one another after two weeks of little communication.
"And yet, not merely enough to wake that empty skull of our father. He wasn't surprised... Know that a King doesn't wear a crown. He wears a helmet. But, I'm sure it's too much for your tiny head to comprehend my words." He teased, knowing just the words to rile his younger brother up.
"Stop that." His brows furrowed. "You shouldn't tease me, I'm not that young, you know..." Suddenly, he smiled, remembering something, most likely. It didn't go unnoticed by Xie Huo. "Memories are important when you think about it. If it feels as though just yesterday we were children. Remember how we used to train? Oh, those days. Wooden swords, a river and a lake, nature and hunting. And now? You're an emperor."
"Memories can be pleasant, but they could also be embarrassing and bad one's, too. I remember, Xie Fang. Our childhood was a good one, but... don't dwell on them every day, you might just drown in these memories. The present is what's important. With the past and these memories, we build our future, but we can't forget what is just a memory, and what is the truth. You should savour every moment while alive."
This shut Xie Fang up. His brother was right, always was. The two continued their walk, but this time in silence. At least, until Xie Huo brought up his duties.
꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂
Morning had come, marking the end of events from last night.
The sound of a liquid getting poured into a porcelain cup rippled through the room like the river in the morning. Calm and graceful.
"Everything went well last night, my Lord. I am sure you are as proud as a father can be. Your son finally became the emperor." It was a handmaid that spoke. She served under the now former emperor, but there was no need to be formal with him behind closed doors. At least, that's how Qing Shang wanted it. He was old, his time depleting each moment spent alive. If he wasn't withering, then his life was getting drained out of him, just like from the land across the ocean, Avaritia Harenae.
He had passed down his royal life to his son now. He was finally free.
He took the cup offered, holding back on his long, silver beard. It was knee length now. He looked more like a mentor, a teacher of martial arts rather than a royal.
His eyes had become hollow over time, skin dry and cracked. No longer able to be an emperor. "My son is indeed a gem. But, I only gave him a burden. I freed myself, and it cost my own son's freedom." He kept quiet for quite a while, just sipping at his herb tea.
"The time has come where time is restless. The lands are restless. Everything is moving, yet nothing changes. But now, I feel it, I feel it in my old bones that something is going to change. Ignavia will soon be drained of its power, I know it." He closed his eyes, contemplating whether to continue, or not... "I left behind a mess, a mess that Xie Huo will have to deal with himself. Within these years that I couldn't do anything, the tribes, the clansmen, have gone restless, asking for more and more each day... Freedom. Freedom to not depend on a lord any longer, to be their own. Yet, I was doing them well by not allowing them to have that freedom. The world is a darker place when you wander the streets so freely...."
"I'm sure your son will do a- a splendid job. Xue Huo is talented and has been since a young age, I've seen it with my own two eyes. And the weapon he wields is a perfect testimony to that." The handmaid started fumbling, not even daring to face her lord anymore.
"No. You don't need a weapon to rule. At least, that's not it. A double-bladed halberd. Rare and an intriguing choice of weapon. Yet, an outlander's weapon, too. A foreign blade. But, it won't quelch the thirst the tribes have. It is simply not enough..."