50. The Saints
1636 Words
Moon almost took over Senere's room. It was close to Kaion's bedroom, and rumors said that they had a door opening in between the rooms, so they could spend the nights together and try to get an heir to the kingdom.
The succession was ensured anyway, now that the Crown prince was finally home, safe.
One day, Kaion entered Moon's room, without knocking.
-Get dressed, woman!
He took Moon by surprise, because she was not used to people barging in the room like that, without manners. At home, no one would disturb her, not even her little brothers and sisters.
-What? Why?
Moon was sitting on the bed, almost awake now, looking with half open eyes to check if there was light outside. What would make him come in like that, in a room that it was not his? He knew she did not like it. He knew she wanted her space.
-We need to register you.
-We need to what??
Moon opened her eyes in wonder. REGISTER her? Like a war criminal? Why? Did they change their minds about letting her live?
-We are going to register you with the Saints, in order to protect you.
Kaion looked rather serious. What was that all about?
-The Saints??
Who were these Saints? Why did she have to be registered there?
-Do you ever listen?? Kaion lost it. I said that is for your own protection!
-But why, all of a sudden do I need protection now?
He looked at her and she did not like that look on his face. It looked like he was thinking if he should share information with her. He set on her bed, close to her, looking at her with pleading eyes.
-Look... you know that, in this world... females are...
-Females... yes... I have noticed that we have no value here, she tried to help him out from his embarrassment showing in front of her.
-Yes. Well, these Saints, are a neutral organization that helps people out when... if they are ever in danger. We, I mean all the royals do register their females with them, in order to protect them in case of war. You know we are at war... right? And you, being of royal blood, you need to be registered with them. If anything will ever happen, they will step in and keep you safe.
-From whom? The Shadows Assassins?? Really? I am one of them!!
-You are not! This is not how we see things... You are a Warchild here... as long as they all know you have Warchild blood in your veins. If anyone would find out you have also Shadows Assassins' blood, the Warchild will see you as the enemy. So you will become an Assassin traitor. With them, is the same. You will be just a Warchild traitor. You need protection either way. So, get up, wash, get dressed and let's go!
Kaion gave her no other choice nor time. He got up from her bed and grabbed the blanket she had on, revealing her body and pointed to the washing water vessel.
She rolled up her eyes, disapproving, but she obeyed nonetheless. She was curious about these Saints Kaion spoke about.
So she was ready in no time.
Kaion took Moon to register her with the Saints.
The Saints territory was in the center of the four kingdoms that once were the Houses of the shadows.
The war of the kingdoms was still on.
For centuries, the four kingdoms were fighting amongst them, with many moments of treason and bad alliances.
In the beginning, there were four brothers, each of them, ruler of their own lands.
Until greed gripped each and every one of them and so, they have all tried to steal the power of the others. Once the northern kingdom attacked the eastern kingdom, the other two allied against the northern kingdom. But after conquering the east, the northern kingdom was not content with so little and began to meddle in the politics of others.
Brothers killed their brothers, kings killed their queens and children.
Nothing in the world made sense anymore.
Until the Saints rose.
It was rumored that the Saints bear the blood of the first kings, and the Altar was practically established by the second born of each royal house.
Thus, the "Altar" was a refuge and place of pilgrimage, and although few had really arrived there, it was said to be a neutral territory, in which no one has the right to kill.
They were always dressed in white, as a sign of purity of soul. Although they do not carry weapons, the Saints are not shy to kill. They can take lives even with their bare hands, and they have been training for this since they were little. Their body is ready to become a weapon, and every part of it can be used as one, in order to complete the mission.
Maybe that's why they don't even need to carry weapons like other people.
Or maybe that's why they hide so easily from the rest of the world.
Not many have reached the Saints' lands because people see them as being sacred. Their land is situated in the central area in between the four kingdoms, and no one knows how they had managed to keep themselves neutral all this time, when all the kingdoms forced themselves to take parts of one, or the other.
They had the best spies, they knew what was happening before any other would.
They had a good economical status, as somehow they were trading everywhere and with everyone and always winning while the others were fighting.
The leader of the Saints was called Lord, as they did not accept any other royal title.
Lord Timbo was ruling the Altar these days.
The four kingdoms at first they were spread according to cardinal points, the north was ruled by the House of the Assassins, and the West, who was known in ancient times as the Sun Kingdom. As the House of the Sun was mainly formed of erudite aristocracy, they could not oppose too much military force and they have been conquered by the Shadows Assassins, ruthless and wild people from the north.
At almost the same time, in the war of the South rose the kingdom of the Warchild, who had conquered the House of the Daggers, at North East, uniting it into the Warchild kingdom.
Therefore, in the world called Zicon, there were two war Houses left of the shadows world, the Assassins, and the Warchild House.
In the middle of all this vast territory, there was The Altar.
Moon figured out it must have been a neutral organization almost like their Monks.
Only... perhaps... a little more holy.
When they reached the Altar, Moon did not realize she was admiring the imposing architecture with her mouth open.
Everything was sparkling white, so unusual for Shadowlands, where shadows prefer darkness and dark colors.
The eyes of the shadows of the New World were not very accustomed to the sunlight which was still strong to them, and therefore the shadows were sensitive and preferred to hide rather in the dark.
While here in the world of Zicon, everything was an unreal bright white, almost ethereal. Moon's eyes were already sensitive to light, but the imposing columns that supported the construction of the Altar, the outer walls, were extraordinarily white. The columns were carved so beautifully that you felt sorry for touching them, lest you soil them with the filth of your soul.
Everything was white. The walls, the city gates, the roofs, the columns, the gravel of the streets, the clothes of the people on the street. It was as if, instead of shadows, they were all beings of light!
Their clothes, were almost just like hers, only of shiny white color! And their boots were white too, with white embroidery on them!
Everything was amazing in fact !! Moon was just as excited as a child in front of a gift, waiting to unwrap it.
They arrived in front of a room whose doors were wide open, and in the middle of the room were seated at a table about 8 older men. It looked like a kind of Council, probably exactly a Council of the Order of Monks, as she knew it at home. They all had long white beards, and the youngest was sitting at the head of the table. His beard couldn't reach his chest, but his eyes were already scanning the guests when Kaion grabbed Moon by the hand and ushered her into the room, and behind them, the doors closed.
At the sound of the doors closing, all eyes were on them, making Moon uncomfortable.
Those men scanned her from head to toe like a commodity.
-My lords!
Moon was surprised to find that Prince Kaion's arrogance has disappeared without a trace in front of these elders, who seemed authoritarian and royalty. Were they really that strong in this world?
-Lord of the Warchild House!
The elders had returned the greeting to Prince Kaion.
-I want to record Princess Silver Moon, from the New World, of the united Houses of Warchild and Shadows Assassins in the Altar records.
-The what ?? The old men could not believe their ears.
-The New World??
-What united houses??
-How is that even possible??
They wondered at each other, looking at each other and trying to see if they all understood well or if their hearing was playing tricks on them. What was this prince talking about?
Was he in every mind??
They all froze when the oldest Saint looked at her and asked her in a faint voice:
-Are you the second blood too?
And Moon answered simply and very sure of herself:
-That I am!
- Writer
