Chapter 5: Royal Meeting

Hunter, Luck and Taina simultaneously rushed out of bed and ran toward the stairs, but stopped right before heading to the first floor, ducking to the side to avoid being seen by people downstairs. They poked their heads through the wide balustrade and peered below.

In the vestibule, Alexis appeared to be in a heated argument with a man wearing a similar uniform to the one she had on when the trio met her in Coalot, except his had two silver stars attached, meaning he outranked her.

He was of average height, but his strong build gave him a more threatening appearance. He was bald, the only hair on his face concentrated in two oversized rectangular eyebrows sitting right above his small black eyes.

“I know you have them!” shouted the man in a deep voice.

“I already told you that I don’t! Leave my property at once!” retaliated Alexis on the same angry tone.

 “You can’t fool me, woman. You’re hiding them, and I know it. Your refusal to cooperate says all I need to know.”

“You know damn well the reason I won’t let you step a foot farther in my house.”

“Excuses, excuses. Typical, from you. As commander, I outrank you, and I demand by the will of His Majesty the King, Bartholomew Soffle, that you let me pass. Refuse, and things might get ugly.”

“They will,” agreed Alexis, staring daggers at him.

“You don’t want to do this.”

“Neither do you. Right here, in broad daylight, in front of the whole neighbourhood? And for what, a suspicion you have?”

“More than a suspicion. According to an eye-witness account, a group of three teenagers likely containing the Reas boys was spotted going toward your house at night. Strange, don’t you think?”

“There’s no one here except us.”

“Yes, you’ve told me that before, and I know you’re lying.”

“And you’re not gonna do a damned thing about it.”

The man stood still, tossing his eyes behind Alexis to scan the house. “Not yet, luckily for you. But only because there have been no orders to capture those brats yet. However, the clock is ticking for them, and consequently, it is for you as well. When the order comes down, I will not hesitate to destroy everything in your house to find them.”

“We’re done here.”

“For now.”

As the man walked out of the house, Alexis gave him a shove and slammed the door shut. “Damn that fucking pig!”

“I-is he gone…?” asked a trembling Elesia, peaking over a corner.

Alexis went to her sister and took her in her arms. “Yes, Elesia. I will never let him get near you, I swear it.”

“T-thank you, big sis,” nearly cried Elesia.

“What’s going on?” asked Luck as he and the others joined the sisters downstairs.

“That guy, he mentioned us,” said Hunter in disbelief. “I knew it. We’re not safe, here.”

Alexis turned to look at him. “The closer you get to Silvers, the more danger you’ll be in. Bearing the Reas name is a curse in this kingdom.”

“But how did people know it was us?”

“Information spreads quickly, especially in the capital. You’re in the king’s domain, now.”

“Thank you for protecting us back there,” said Luck.

“It isn’t you I was protecting. You just happened to be the reason of his visit.”

“Oh, well thanks anyways. Speaking of, who was he?”

Alexis’ face contorted into a pained grimace. “Desmond Blacke, also known as Commander Iron Fists. He’s a commander in the Royal Army, and a ruthless one at that.”

“You seem to have a bone to pick with him.”

“Quite frankly, it’s none of your business.”

“That’s fair enough. I won’t push you to say things you don’t want to. But are you all okay?”

“We will be. Tough I can’t speak for you. It seems your presence in the capital is already being noticed by those who have your father.”

“The Royal Army took him,” said Hunter, a blank stare on his face. “You’re part of the Royal Army. You may not have been there when it happened, but you’re guilty all the same.”

Luck gave his cousin a slight push, urging him to apologize, but to no avail.

Alexis tsked and tossed her head aside. “If it were up to me, I would quit this institution and leave far away, trust me. You’re not the only one with a cursed name.”

“And what does that mean?”

“The Kareese family only became nobility through military service and endless devotion to the royal family. The royal family grew accustomed to this adoration and made sure it would last forever. For generations now, every Kareese who turns sixteen must join the Royal Army to continue the tradition our family started long ago.”

“Why don’t you just refuse?” asked Luck, perplexed.

“Do you have any semblance of a brain in that dumb head of yours? Do you seriously believe no one’s ever tried? Believe it or not, we’re not born worshipping the king. We become the soldiers we’re meant to be, lest we want to die.”

“So… If you refuse, they kill you?”

“That is what I said, yes.”

“That doesn’t explain why you don’t run away. There are other lands, other kingdoms, where the influence of the king of this kingdom doesn’t reach,” said Hunter. “The bottom line is you chose to be soldiers. You chose to be the king’s dogs. You know what your role implies, and yet you do it fervently. Or don’t you remember in Coalot the way you treated us like garbage? You didn’t seem to be bothered at all, back then.”

Alexis got up in a spurt and slammed Hunter against the wall, taking him by surprise. “Do you honestly believe I can afford to be complacent in my duties, that I can afford to look weak in front of other soldiers!?” She pointed at her little sister, small and frail, shaking in fear, tears welling up in her eyes. “Look at her! Look at her and tell me she’s a soldier! She was thrown in the arena naked, inexperienced, unaware, weak! They will eat her alive if I don’t stand up and protect her!” She tossed Hunter on the ground. “Never again presume to know anything about me or my family.”

Hunter stayed on the ground, gritting his teeth, unable to counter any point Alexis had just made very clear. She may have been right, but the ever-burning hatred he felt against the Royal Army was too great to be washed away.

Alexis waltzed out of the vestibule, Elesia following closely behind. Luck and Taina on the other hand, helped Hunter back up, unable to hide their disappointment in his outburst.

“Seriously, Hunter, you need to realise you’re not the only one with problems,” tried to reason Luck.

“Oh, shut up,” retorted his cousin. “Of course, you would sympathize with Royal Army dogs just because they fed you a sob story.”

“Hunter!” Luck grabbed him by the shoulders. “Get over your hatred! She took us in when she could have very well turned us in. She fed us, gave us beds, saved us from that bald dude!”

“Get over my hatred? Do you hear yourself! Praising the enemy for showing the bare minimum of human decency. Unbelievable. If I had known this adventure was going to turn into such a shitshow, I would have stayed home.”

“How can you say that! Dad is still being held hostage!”

“It doesn’t look like you give much of a shit anymore, anyway! You’d rather frolic around the city solving petty crimes and feeling good about your wannabe heroism than saving Silvers! He could be put to death any day and you wouldn’t even know it! You wanna help everyone? You wanna save everyone? You can’t save anyone!”

Luck pushed Hunter away. He wanted to say something back, to prove to him that he was wrong, but no words came out. It took all his strength just to remain on his feet and not cry. “Fine… If that’s how you really feel…”

Luck hastily walked out of the vestibule. Taina, who had been standing in the middle of their fight until now without saying a word, made the quick decision to go after Luck, leaving Hunter alone with his thoughts.

Taina found Luck crouching in the gardens in the backyard, his head stuffed in his arms. She approached him and sat down next to him, gently putting her hand on his back. “Luck…”

“He can be so mean, sometimes…” said Luck with a dry voice.

“He doesn’t mean it. Or at least, I don’t think he does… You’re the only family he has left. He’s scared, scared that he’ll lose you too. He speaks from the heart. It’s the only way he knows how.”

“But he’s not wrong, you know…”

“What are you talking about, of course he is.”

“But he isn’t. I can’t help everyone. Nobody can. It’s true, I’m being childish. We don’t live in a story. I don’t know if I’ll even be able to save dad.”

“Luck…!” she sadly exclaimed in disbelief. “You shouldn’t let his negativity affect you so much.”

“Be honest, Taina… What chance do we have to save my dad? We made it to Winrol, sure, but what now? Do we infiltrate the dungeon and break him out? With what resources and allies? How do we know he’s even there?”

“Well, now I have had it up to here with you two always fighting since we left! We can’t be sure of anything, Luck, and we knew that when we left home! We took to sea with nothing but hope and each other, and in less than a day, it all vanished! Every time either of you opens your mouth, the other has something to complain about or something to contradict. How can you hope to rescue your father when you and Hunter can’t even talk to each other without causing a scene!”

“Taina…”

“You want to explore the world and find the treasure of the stars, right? You want to rescue your father? None of that will happen if things between you and Hunter don’t get settled immediately. Now get off your ass and go talk to your cousin!” As soon as she finished her sentence, she took a deep breath, fell to her knees and hugged Luck. “I’m sorry I yelled at you, but it was the only way I could think of to make you listen.”

“Taina, I… Don’t worry about it. It worked. I didn’t even know you could sound so scary.”

“What! I’m not scary…”

Luck jumped to his feet, almost as if he had reset his emotions, now fully determined again. “I’m off to go see him!”

As Luck sprinted back inside, Taina let out a huge sigh of relief and let herself fall on her back. The morning sun shone on her face, drying the tears welling up in her eyes.

Alexis came and sat next to her. “I think they’re both idiots,” she bluntly said.

Taina was taken by surprise and scrambled back up. “Oh, hello, ma’am. I hadn’t noticed you.”

Alexis winced. “Don’t call me ma’am, I’m barely older than you!”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.”

“No matter. Those boys are fools, for completely different reasons.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hunter and Luck were their names, yes? Hunter, as you said, is far too deeply buried in his own negative emotions. He holds them forward as a shield to the outside world, believing it makes him impervious to its horrors. In reality, it’ll only make him more susceptible to succumb to despair. Luck, on the other hand, is too hopeful and naïve for this world. His smile carries his faith for the future, but the longer he holds his romantic expectations so high and with such pride, the faster he’ll be crushed by the real world.”

“Oh. You’re not giving me much confidence.”

“They are vastly different but are nevertheless two sides of the same coin. They are cousins, family. There is no greater bond in the universe than that of family. They need to realise that if they are to save Silvers Reas.”

“Family. That’s why you do the things you do, isn’t it? It’s why you’re a captain in the army, it’s why you act so coldly toward others. You’re only protecting your family.”

“Jim and Elesia mean everything to me. As their older sister, it befalls me to protect them from the life they were born to fulfill. They’re too young and pure for it.”

“What about your other siblings? Jim mentioned there were five of you, if I recall.”

“Yes. I have two older siblings: one brother and one sister. I’m only the middle child.”

“They’re in the army, too, I presume?”

“My brother Bradley is. He’s a captain, just like me, currently stationed in Fort Kingsley with a general.”

“And what about your sister?”

Alexis’ face grew dim.

Taina instantly felt the uncomfortableness of her question ring through the air. “I-I’m sorry if it’s too personal!”

“No, it’s okay. I actually quite enjoy having someone to talk to. I don’t get to make many friends. My older sister, Catherine, was in the army, until she quit.”

“I thought you couldn’t just quit.”

“You can’t. She’s forever an enemy of the kingdom for abandoning her birth given position. A warrant for her arrest was made public when she left eight years ago. She’s to be brought back to the citadel, dead or alive, as per the king’s orders.”

“That’s terrible…”

“We rarely hear from her anymore. She ran away, to only the gods know where. If we’re lucky, a crow will deliver a message every few months, but that’s all. No one knows where she went or what she’s up to, now. To be frank, I don’t blame her. I wish I could do the same. If I didn’t have Jim and Elesia to take care of, I would try to disappear as well. I just… I wish I could see her again. It’s been so long.”

“You still love her after all these years, after she left you all behind. Family truly does mean everything to you.”

“It’s all I have. It’s all we all have. Each other.”

Inside the house, Luck decidedly walked back to the vestibule, where Hunter was crouched on the floor, picking up pieces of a broken vase which had been broken during Alexis and Desmond’s interaction earlier.

“I don’t have the energy to argue,” said Hunter without looking back.

“I’m not here to argue. I’m here to apologize. I let my emotions get the better of me and I’m sorry for snapping at you the way I did. You know, Hunter, you’re not wrong about everything. I am kind of stupid, me and my unrealistic dreams. I know I can’t help every person in need of helping, but I can try to help as many as I can. I know I probably can’t change the world, but I can help pave the way for change. And I know I can’t save dad on my own. It’s already a crazy thing, to go up against the will of the king, but I just have to do it. I would never forgive myself for letting him die if there’s anything at all I could have done to prevent it. I know they captured him to draw out your dad, but I don’t trust them. My conscience won’t rest easy until dad is back home, safe and sound. Hunter, I want us to stop fighting over every little thing. I want us to get inside the citadel, rescue my dad, leave the capital, then we can sail the seas together like we always dreamed of. We can find the treasure of the stars. So please, forgive me, and come with me to the citadel.”

Hunter finished picking up the shattered glass and continued facing away from his cousin. “I don’t have much to say to you, but you know I’m not letting Silvers die. It was never my intention to leave you behind.”

Luck sighed of relief. “Thanks, Hunter.”

***

~Winrol Citadel, Kingdom of Vasilosse~

Inside the royal tower, in a room right above the throne room, the king, his three sons, as well as two of the kingdom’s generals and two of its admirals, all sat around a pointlessly long oval table made of the highest quality wood, polished enough to see the thoughts of someone’s reflection.

The generals and admirals, the highest-ranking officers in the Royal Army, were all imposing men who commanded authority and fear among their peers. Their mere presence made the air in the room heavier.

King Bartholomew clasped his hands and leaned forward on the table, raising his voice to be heard clearly by all in attendance. “I have summoned you here today to discuss important matters regarding a recent development in the Reas situation.”

Already, only one sentence in, and Windfrey felt his skin crawl with irritation.

His father ignored him and continued speaking. “Recently, as I’m certain you’re all well aware, we managed to bring Silvers Reas in our custody. He is currently being held in the dungeon under the citadel. I hope to be able to lure his brother out of hiding by detaining him.”

One of the generals, Jean-Pierre Roche, raised his hand slightly above his head. “Pardon, Your Grace, but how do we know for certain that Travis Reas is still alive? There have been only rumours regarding him for the past decade. No trustable information as to his whereabouts have surfaced in that time.”

Jean-Pierre was a well-built man in his late thirties, muscular but slim, with long limbs and wide shoulders. His hair was light brown, and spiraled down the back of his neck, falling right above a green scarf loosely wrapped around his shoulders and neck. Three silver stars adorned his uniform, among the other silver decorations on his gloves and boots.

“It is true there has been no word of Travis Reas for many long years,” said the king. “However, there is one information we can know beyond the shadow of a doubt, and that is whether or not he is alive. Were he dead, the most notorious treasure hunter in the kingdom, nay, in the world, word of his demise would have travelled the Five Kingdoms overnight.”

“I see. Would that not mean others are in the know about his current location?”

“Most likely. We do not, however, know of any of those people. As far as we know, his own brother is equally in the dark as we are.”

“Hm. And that is why we are using him as bait instead of having him lead us to his brother.”

“Precisely. Now, to get to the main reason I requested your presence today. Shortly after Vice Admiral Brock brought Silvers Reas back to the citadel, there have been reports by civilians and soldiers alike, that a group of three teenagers likely composed of the Reas brothers’ sons and a girl, has been spotted in the city. Though it might only be conjecture for now, it should not be ruled out that they are here in an attempt to liberate our prisoner.”

Another general, Isaac Ferne, joined the conversation. “Apologies if my question offends Your Grace, but why was the order to capture only Travis Reas’ brother. Why not his son and nephew as well? Would the desired reaction not be more expected had we his entire family hostage?”

General Isaac Ferne was the youngest general in the Royal Army, at only thirty-one years of age. His great leadership, authority, his high noble blood, as well as his innate combat abilities, allowed him to rise through the ranks from a young age. He had a smaller build than his contemporaries but was just as physically capable. His round eyes, charming smile and perky features gave him a falsely friendly air, only reinforced by his upbeat voice.

“Travis Reas has a long history of comradery with his brother. The two used to be in the same treasure hunting crew back in the day. Tales of the Reas brothers reached far and wide, across the Five Kingdoms. The boys, however, mean little to him. He abandoned his very own son to go live out his dreams of becoming a treasure hunter, and we can only assume how little he cares about his nephew.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be more logical to have captured them all? No one wants to have their entire family held hostage. Imagine if we could use the threat of nearly ending the Reas name. I’m sure he’d be more inclined to cooperate then.”

One of the admirals, Frankrick Zube, slammed his large fists on the table. “You dare question His Grace!” he yelled at his colleague.

Frankrick was a devoted man, one fully ready to die for the king if he so wished it. He was burly and strong, capable of slamming his fist right through the table had he put more strength behind his swing. His head was balding, but his braded black beard was thick as murky waters. His eyes, as opposed to Isaac’s, were unnaturally long and pleated, constantly angry, matching his unpleasant temperament.

Isaac looked at Frankrick with big round eyes, pouting his lips in a mocking manner.

“I will obliterate you!” screamed Frankrick.

“Enough!” spoke the king even louder than his officer. “I have not brought you all here so you could fight among yourselves.”

Like a well-trained dog, Frankrick straightened himself in his chair and assumed a subservient posture.

The king took a breath and continued speaking. “The question to capture the Reas boys was deemed unimportant at first, when compared to Silvers’ importance. Now, however, as they make their way toward us, it warrants rethinking. What should we do with them?” King Bartholomew turned to face the only admiral who had not spoken yet. “You, what do you think? As someone who knows Silvers Reas on a personal level, and who has met the Reas boys in the past, what do you think? Should their presence in our city be of concern? What do you think they are likely to attempt?”

The admiral, Eska Gunn, was a tall, stoical man. His eyes were tired but sharp, his face wrinkled and experienced. He wore a long black and gray cape on top of his uniform, underneath which shone the three golden stars given to admirals to signal their rank.

Eska looked at the ceiling and groaned. “It’s been many years. I only met the boys when they were young children, still hiding under their mothers’ skirts. If they are anything like Silvers, we should expect them to be on a rescue mission. It’s what he would do if they were the ones to have been captured.”

“And do you think we should capture them, now? Or should we instead just execute them?”

Windfrey leaned forward in shock, practically crawling on the table. “Father! Why would the thought to execute them even cross your mind?”

“I would not expect one as foolish as you to understand the implications of letting the family of a prisoner run loose in the city with what is at stake, here.”

William tossed his eyes at his brother and laughed mockingly. “Really, brother, how can you be so blind?”

“They’ve done nothing wrong!” exclaimed Windfrey.

“It matters not, whether they are guilty of a crime or not. They carry the Reas name and are here to free our most important prisoner. We cannot let them carry out their little quest.”

“Precisely,” agreed the king.

“You took the only family they had left,” said Windfrey. “You’ve already taken much from them in the past. It’s only natural they would want Silvers back.”

“Are you sympathizing with scum?” asked William, disgusted.

“They are not scum. They are innocent boys being tormented by their family name.”

General Jean-Pierre once more raised his hand. “Actually, one of my subordinates affiliated with the mining operation in Coalot communicated with me earlier today. He had information I’m sure will prove useful to this meeting.”

The king shifted his attention to him. “Speak.”

“Apparently, the Reas boys have caused trouble in Coalot. The report states they disrupted military activities in the mining town and got in an altercation with soldiers there. It does not explicitly name them, but the description matches what we know of them so far. Two boys with many similar traits and a girl, all teenagers.”

William turned to his younger brother again. “So, it would appear they are not as innocent as you would wish, brother.” A tasteless smile spread across his face.

“What’s more, according to Commander Desmond Blacke, who’s in charge of the lower district of the high town, the Reas boys and the girl, if it’s really them, were seen going to the abode of the captain in charge of the mining operation in Coalot.”

The king’s eyes sharpened. “Which captain is in charge?”

“Captain Alexis Kareese, Your Grace.”

“A Kareese… She’s your subordinate, is she not?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Summon her immediately. I wish to speak with her. You will stay until she arrives.”

“As you wish.”

“The rest of you are dismissed.”

Every officer except General Jean-Pierre got up, simultaneously scraping their chair on the carpet protecting the lustrous marble floor. William and Wren were the next ones up, both giving their younger brother a look, though Wren’s eyes conveyed more sympathy, whereas William’s were filled with contempt and satisfaction at his brother’s predicament.

Windfrey was the last one to stand up, never letting go of his father’s gaze. “You are making a mistake, father.”

“Countless people have been telling me as such for decades, yet I still rule the Vasilosse Kingdom,” rejoindered the king.

“Perhaps, then, it is time you start listening to those countless people.”

“Leave, Windfrey. Your presence is no longer needed.”

Fed up with his father’s stubbornness, Windfrey did as he was told, passing his older brothers on the way out, without stopping to humour whatever remarks they would have to say.