Saving Kai

Chapter 8

Kai shivered, pulling his cloak tighter about his thin form as he crossed the courtyard, headed, as always, for the great library.

He had resided here for over four months, and there had been no sign of what they were all hoping-the attack.

Still, it was winter, the snows had been deep, the storms harsh. The enemies of Askara could simply be biding their time.

Kai hoped so. Somehow, the matter of capturing one of the generals had become important to him, a small sort of redemption. He had learned so much here, of what had happened in Askara, of her royal family and the fall of the country. If he was able, in some way, help free these people, then he would do so no matter what's the cost.

Because it would gave him purpose.

He could hear the footsteps behind him, a guard never far away, and he shivered again. The hostility had lessened somewhat over time, but still, the coldness of the men around him, the distance, was beginning to wear upon him.

He had never known true friendship, but the emptiness within him made him wonder if that was what he sought. He read about such things, pondered them, dreamed of having a friend. He just knew he wanted more than this stark, empty existence. If what Ezekiel said was true, than perhaps he would find a place here in Askara if his actions were noble enough.

If only he were still worth something to those who had raised him, who wished to name him prince. He hoped each night for them to come for him, but they never did, and without such events, the likelihood of gaining sanctuary within Askara was going slim as time passes by.

The danger he was in did not truly occur to him. He felt no fear of being taken, for in his heart, he trusted General Nikolaus to be there, to prevent harm from coming to him. It was odd, the faith he had in the man he had known for such a short time, but then Nikolaus had the ability to inspire others, as was evident by the devotion of his own troops. So it's not surprising that he would also feel the same.

Kai was simply another soul in the vast legion of admirers.

He flushed a little at his thoughts. He did admire the general, just perhaps more than was wise.

He did not know why he felt so warm when Nikolaus was present, why his breath seemed short, his whole body tense in a strange and faintly pleasant way. He only knew that the General affected him deeply.

He wrestled with the massive doors of the entryway of the great hall, quietly thanking his guard as the man stepped forward to aid him. Once within, Kai stomped his feet free of clinging snow, pushing back the cloak as he made his way further within the rich corridors.

The library always seemed to welcome him, and he passed into its embrace with a sigh of relief, his tension fading away in its warm recesses. He had been granted access to even the more ancient texts, after he had demonstrated his ability to treat every book with a careful respect.

Such a thing seemed to gain the trust of the old man, Ryvas, who governed the library with an iron hand.

Kai hung his cloak near the fireplace to dry, nodding to Ryvas and receiving the customary grunt in reply. He smiled to himself as he made his way to a particular section of books. It was almost comforting, the old man's behavior. It seemed the old man had accepted him.

Any other who invaded the sanctuary was often barked at, and certainly viewed with suspicion. The fact that he let Kai wander freely was a compliment of no small degree.

He gently pulled down a volume, carrying it carefully to one of the many tables scattered about the vast library. He sat there for some time, running his fingers over the lush leather binding before opening the book and beginning his search. When he found what he wanted, he bent his head closer, reading with rapt absorption.

This was a history of Askara, and he drank everything in, trying to understand these people, and what life had been like before the invasion. What was described seemed familiar, and yet not.

Perhaps where he had been born, traditions were similar. Perhaps every country in this part of the world was similar.

He grimaced at his own pathetic determination to find his roots. The possibility of tracing his past seemed impossible. Only his guardians knew where he had come from, and it seemed unlikely they would divulge the information now, when they had made sure to keep it from him all his life.

But a part of him still wished… that he knew...

He shook his head. Even if Melville and Gerald came for him, it was doubtful he could appeal to anything within them to give him a gift of such immensity. Their behavior up to his escape had been anything but kind.

He stilled, staring blindly. But if he offered them cooperation… Was that not what they wanted most?

He squeezed his eyes shut. He could not betray Askara and Nikolaus. That sounds unexpected, if he deeply delve into it. Because really, what loyalty did he owe a country he had never known?

If betrayal meant he could discover who he was?

But at the cost of lives? His conscience jabbed at him, and he sighed, opening his eyes to watch the dust motes floating in the sun beams streaming through one of the ornate windows.

He was not even the prince they wanted, and yet his sense of duty was as strong as any royal’s. Was this what they had ensured with their training and indoctrination?

Gently, he closed the book, standing to return it carefully to its place. The questions buzzing in his head would not allow him to study further, and he needed space, needed—something. Air perhaps?

He smiled at Ryvas as he passed, wondering if the gesture looked as stiff as it felt. He swung the heavy cloak over his shoulders, nodding as his guard opened the stubborn door.

The air outside was crisp, the sun beginning to slide toward the horizon. Within an hour or two, it would be dark, the temperature plummeting.

He wandered across the courtyard, then ascended the worn stone steps that led up to the battlements. The guards there eyed him for a brief moment, then resumed their measured pace, eyes fixed on the winterscape outside the walls.

Kai leaned on one of the embrasures, staring out at the swirling snow. How long would he have to endure here, caught in a half life? Neither friend nor foe, what was his place within Nikolaus’ world?

He shivered, clutching the cloak tighter, a weary despondency settling upon him. It seemed that happiness, if such a thing were even possible, was just as far as it had ever been.

One of the guards came closer on his route, and Kai envied him his role, knowing what he was, and what he was needed for…

The guard passed behind him, close to his own guard, and then there was a muffled sound that made Kai turn in curiosity.

He only had time to draw breath, then his assailant was on him, propelling him backward toward the edge of the battlements.

Kai cried out once, tried to brace himself, but the attacker was too strong, too big.

They plunged over the edge. And before Kai knew it, they're already falling...

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