S-1: Friend or Foe
In a land, far far away, Prince Belldigras received a report from one if his trusted huntsmen, who the southern kingdom’s mad queen had hired to slay their own princess. The huntsman had cut the girl loose in the wilderness, but how long would she last out there on her own? And how long until the mad queen discovered the deception?
Belldigras departed their kingdom’s western gate at dusk, wearing a dark green cloak—the symbol of his royal huntsmen. He rode atop his gray Shire horse, Winny, and worried they would arrive too late to be of any help to the young princess.
“Snow-white,” Belldigras said, solomnly. “This all might be but a fool’s chance, but if my arrival can be of some help, my help you shall have.”
Winny did what she did best. Wrehehe.
“We haven’t even departed yet, and already, you’re complaining?”
They continued away from the outer wall, the setting sun in their eyes. When they turned south along the stone roadway, he could see smoke rising from within the town—a fire somewhere in the southern sector. He drew them to a stop, hearing a great commotion. Is it a fire or—
Boom! The sound rang out from a distance.
The prince turned them around and the two thundered back through the city. It wasn’t long until they encountered citizens fleeing north towards the castle. The second floor of adjacent buildings had an overhang, crowding him as he rode atop Winny, who was in turn crowded by the sea of people flowing around her.
Some of the locals recognized him and reached for him to aid.
“Have you any news of what’s happening?” he asked.
“Invaders, Your Highness,” a man replied. “Mad man eaters. And they just started appearing from the air.”
“And their number?”
“Too many to count,” replied another.
The prince nodded. “Take care and retreat to the courtyard. You’ll be safe there.”
He continued southward, slowing as he approached a main east-west roadway. A series of concussive blasts rang out ahead of him and just around a next corner. He dismounted, pulling his cloak clear of a long sword sheathed at his hip as he glanced north. Troops are no doubt on the way.
Whinny nickered and nudged him with her snout.
“Quiet, you,” he whispered. “I’m only scouting.”
Belldigras looked around the corner and finally found what everyone was running from—chaos.
The row of buildings opposite him was masked by growing flames as heat and haze wafted back over the street. Air distortions were opened along the roadway, invaders stumbling out from them. Their visage was ghastly—their skin marked by decay, their bodies clothed in tattered garments.
What on earth? Is this the mad queen’s doing? Some sort of witchcraft, perhaps?
The decaying forms emerged, seeming to orient on whoever was closest. Amidst the fleeing locals and pursuing monsters was a dervish---a girl, a billowing cloak of red, and the sheening sounds of a blade passing through the air. Stilled bodies fell all around her as she weaved attacks through the crowd. When she slowed, she slouched and panted, her shoulders rounding as if holding a weapon much heavier.
A bearded man accompanied her and carried a woodcutter’s axe. He attacked the intruders at her flank, delivering single axe strikes to their head and occasionally shoving forms away with the handle held across his body.
“Jack,” she called, voice small as she pointed along the street. “Push ahead. Tell them.” She clutched at her throat, her voice cracking and nearly gone. “Tell them to get to the castle!”
“No, Mioko,” he replied. “You need me here. I’m not leaving you.”
“Just go! You said you would help!” She oriented on approaching forms, cutting them down in quick succession, then returned to him to slug him in the shoulder. “You’re supposed to help! You said you’d help!”
A sob broke free, she doubled over, then straightened to slug him again. “I saved your stupid wolf. Now, do your part! Save them, Jack. You hav...” She covered her mouth as the words stopped coming, collapsing to her knees as mute sobs poured into the hand.
Jack knelt in front of her and clasped her arms. “We have to keep moving. We can’t stay here. You know that.”
Mioko glanced at him, her gaze hardening before shoving him away. She stood with effort and reoriented on the approaching horde.
Belldigras tugged at Winny’s reigns, attempting to lead her around the corner but she wasn’t having it.
“Enough,” he chided. “They’re allies. And we won’t see them wanting while trying to lend us aid.”
On leaving the side street, Belldigras was met by Mioko’s glare, behind which he saw desperation.
Jack hastily approached raising his hands and axe for them to halt. “It’s too dangerous this way. Get to the castle and we’ll get you all out from there.”
“I’m here to help,” Belldigras replied.
Jack shook his head. “You’ll just be another concern that we have to deal with. If any of these things bite you, you become one of them. And there’s no cure.”
Belldigras removed his cloak, revealing a green tunic and brown slacks beneath. He bawled up the cloak, then tossed it towards Mioko, who stepped aside so that it landed on the ground. He nodded to it. “That’s the mark of me and my royal huntsmen. It’s plain that you’re trying to help my people. And any friend to my people has the support of their prince. Wear this and they’ll see you as one of mine. From there, you need only gesture and they should follow your guidance.”
Mioko looked at the heap of dark green, then to her cloak of red. She removed her own with effort, revealing a torso wrapped in what looked to be a red bandage. A distortion opened beside her, and she tossed her cloak through before donning the green.
The prince nodded to her. “I’ll sweep along the western half of the city and herd everyone to the castle courtyard. Can I count on the two of you to handle the east?”
Mioko affirmed and turned to clear a path back to their north and east.
“We appreciate it,” Jack said. “We’ll meet you there. But remember. No bites. We can’t take anyone that’s been infected.”
“I’ll see to it. Safe travels to you and your partner.”
“Same to you.”
They departed.
S-2: Memories—Bitter and Sweet
Belldigras turned his face into the oceanside wind, its chill having minimal effect on his agitation. He sat on a hill just outside Vindheim’s western perimeter, wearing a cloak the color of Hawkes Blue, while scrubbing his knuckles in his short dark-brown hair. Hostile takeover? Are they mad?
What remained of his kingdom’s nobility were attempting to persuade him to take control of Vindheim.
‘Most of Vindheim’s population is made up of our kingdom’s citizens. So, it should be us leading.’
‘Better reestablish our kingdom before someone else decides to establish theirs.’*
They weren’t wrong, he knew. But they were misguided. Like it or not, we’re all in the same position here. We’re one people. And a civil war would be the downfall of us all.
“Hey, you,” someone called from behind.
Belldigras glanced over his shoulder to find a girl in green and a horse of gray. He shot upright on recognizing them and bolted down the hill. “Winny!” he proclaimed, collapsing on her with a hug.
Winny stamped her foot and met his embrace, her forehead meeting his.
“How are you, old girl?”
She bit his cloak, then pulled at it.
“Yeah, yeah. Winter is approaching and I’ll see to you having a matching blanket.”
Mioko chuckled. “It’s good to see you again too.”
He met her gaze with disbelief in his eyes. “I don’t understand. I didn’t think she could fit through the portals. How did you manage it?”
“Well, for starters...I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”
The prince chuckled. “Apologies. It’s good to see you again too, old friend. And I’m happy to hear you are well. Now, out with it.”
“Testy. I don’t remember you being so feisty. Anyways. I’ve been making trips back. Back to all of the old...kingdoms. Now, that I’ve put an end to that invasion, I can actually spend more time searching.” She reached to pet Winny’s shoulder, who turned and nuzzled her. “I came across this familiar beauty and well...let’s just say I’ve gained a few new tricks and can move larger objects.”
“Well, I owe you. Winny and I were nearly inseparable back then. So, this means more to me than you can know.”
“No. We are less than even. And it’s not you that owes anything.”
Belldigras arched his brow. “I can only assume you’re referring to back in my...former kingdom. And you were helping my people, so aiding you was aiding myself. There’s no debt in that.”
Mioko looked towards the ocean, squinting into the breeze. “That all seems like a lifetime ago. But it was more than that.” She patted her torso. “I hope you don’t mind my hanging onto your cloak. Its proved invaluable, even after we left.”
“No, not at all. Besides. We huntsmen like to blend in with our environment. And with winter approaching, my present cloak will be in season soon enough.”
“Well, I have one more thing for you. Do you trust me?”
The prince’s expression flattened. “You don’t owe me anything for the cloak. And of course I trust you. We owe you our lives.”
Mioko nodded and a reflective dome sprang up around them. The image twisting across the surface was of Vindheim, then it changed, a snowy tree-strewn wilderness stretching away from them. When the dome fell away, they were in a valley, snow covered mountains to each side, and a perfectly round patch of green grass beneath them---a section of ground that had accompanied them.
Belldigras drew in air through his nose, then exhaled. The air’s thinner—a higher elevation. “Where are we?”
“Maybe a couple hundred miles north of Vindheim. I wanted you to see this.”
“A valley?”
Mioko thumbed over her shoulder, gesturing towards a point where the valley floor rose to meet the horizon, the mountains funneling towards an apex silhouette against the sky—a castle.
The prince squinted, the castle sitting nearly a mile away. It had a great many points adorning its roof and somehow seemed aggressive. “Do I have to ask?”
“I’d like you to have it,” Mioko replied. “When I’m done with it, I mean. It still needs a lot of work, not to mention the monsters that Jack and I are still clearing.”
“And will you be gifting castles to the other kingdom’s?”
“No. This castle’s a special case, same as you. I’m trying to stay out of everyone’s affairs and let y’all carve out your own way of life. That means not helping or intervening. But this castle... It’s an invader. When I first brought you all here, this world was underpowered. And your sudden presence strained its reality, allowing cracks to form. So, this castle is something that seeped in through the cracks.”
“I had no idea we were causing such trouble.”
Mioko shook her head. “It’s not your fault. I didn’t know any of this at the time. But this castle is here now. And the way I see it, clearing it and making it inhabitable is better than outright destroying it or leaving it vacant for something else to move into. And if I’m going to allow someone to take care of this place... Well, there’s no one here more deserving than you.”
“I—I’m at a loss for words.”
Wrehehe, Winny interjected.
Belldigras glanced at her sideways. “ Don’t be silly. Of course you’d come too.”
Mioko smiled at the two of them. “Everything else will be on you, though. There are monsters in this world, and there’s no telling what all seeped through the cracks I mentioned. So, you and your people will likely need to focus on exterior defenses above all else. And only venture out in parties.”
“Do you think this advice counts as intervening?”
Mioko huffed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m only thinking out loud. It’s not my fault you’re being rude and eavesdropping.”
“How inconsiderate of me.”
“So. Will you take it?”
Belldigras surveyed the area, looking back down the valley where a charred frame caught his eye. Some sort of old house? The trees behind it were skeletons coated with snow, the fire having reached them too. Now, that he was looking for it, he saw other patches of burned trees nestled in amongst those with foliage.
Finally, he nodded. “I’d be a fool to turn you down, not to mention the rioting should my people ever find out. But this would be a good home for them, I think. In time, it’d make for a fine kingdom.”
“Well, I’ll make sure you know when it’s clear. Maybe you can arrange an expedition that just happens to explore this direction. Sure will be lucky for you to find and claim a vacant castle. Plus, that’ll squash any grumbling about favoritism and unfair treatment.”
The prince smirked and pointed to the valley walls. “What do you suppose happened here? To make burns like that without catching fire to the other trees around them?”
Mioko followed his gesturing, then moved to the scorched building nearby. “Don’t have a clue. That is weird.”
They walked into the former building’s scorched frame. Corner posts were held upright by horizontal beams, the prince standing taller than the frame around him. “This place was small. If it was a house, it was tiny.”
Mioko crouched beside a mound near the center. It was snow covered with various protrusions erected around the pile. She knocked snow away from one of them, finding a small charred hand. She gasped and retreated, departing the structure with her hand over her mouth.
Belldigras followed, watching as she searched the surrounding valley. “What’s the matter? Did you figure something out?”
She nodded, tears threatening to emerge from her eyes. “Yes. I killed them.”
“Who?”
“The Dwarfs.” She hung her head. “But I had no choice. The infection had gotten to them and they had already turned.”
“So, this was something like what happened in my Kingdom?”
“Belldigras, this is from your world. The place your kingdom exists. When I first visited, I was looking to evacuate a princess—a Snow-white. But zombies were already present when I arrived. I set fire to the house and the forest to kill as many of them as possible. When I found Winny, I was actually looking for Snow-white again.” She shook her head. “But the Dwarfs’ home was gone. And there were patches of green trees spread amongst the scorched forest. I didn’t understand what it meant.”
“And you do now?
Mioko was biting her thumbnail, but suddenly met his gaze. “She could be alive.”
“Is this the same princess that the mad queen tried to kill?”
“Yes. And you were going to rescue her. And then y’all would have married.”
“Uh, what?” Belldigras rubbed his head. “What is that supposed to mean? How could you possibly know something like that?”
Mioko smooshed her face together between her palms. “Just hold your horses. I’ve got to think. My thoughts are all jumbled up right now.”
Winny nudged his arm, then nickered.
“No,” Belldigras replied. “I don’t think you’re the ‘horses’ she was talking about holding.”
“Okay,” Mioko said. “We need to search this valley. She should be sleeping in a glass box and she may very well be here some place.”
“If she was in a glass box...in the middle of a forest fire...I’m not certain we’ll like what we find.”
“It may only be a fool’s chance, Belldigras. But I have to know. Besides, not all of the forest had burned. There were fire breaks. And she may have been in an untouched part of the forest.”
“Well, it’s a lot of ground to cover even before arriving here to begin our search. If you’ll provide us with a quicker way here, I’ll gather up those I trust and set to searching. Unless. This is something you’d like to see to personally?”
“No. You’re right. It should be you. You find her for us, and I’ll work on clearing the castle.”
“Then we have an accord.”
“Thank you, Prince Belldigras.”
S-3: 1+1=7
Snow-white felt like she was falling. She heard a crash, then—thump—her forehead bounced off whatever she had fallen into. She choked, coughed, and spit up a glob of something before clutching the side of her face. Monday, she thought with a scowl as eye searing white shined back at her. Lovely. But why is everything so bright? “Oh, heavens, where am I?”
“Are you alright, Princess?” asked a man from nearby.
Snow-white oriented her blurred gaze in the voice’s direction, scuddling sideways to find something at her back as her hand smooshed into something. Something sticky. Her face scrunched even before referencing her palm to find mucus streaming from it. She pouted, pulling her knees up and rubbing her hand on the skirt of her red-linen dress. Cool air reached underneath her, causing her to shiver and pull at the flaps of her royal blue shrug before burying her face against her knees. Why do Mondays have to keep coming around so often?
“Are you hurt?” the man asked.
Snow-white didn’t acknowledge him. Why is it freezing in here? Did he leave the door open?
“The slope is slippery,” he continued. “There was a stump and one of my men—rather, I slipped, stepping over the stump. We didn’t mean to drop you like that.”
Snow-white blinked. What? She lifted her head, turning towards the stranger. He was a dark haired man, garbed in what looked like a white cloak. “Dropped me?” she asked.
The man nodded. “We’re here to rescue you.”
Rescue? Oh good. Because, I’d hate to see what murdering would’ve looked like. “Why? What was I needing to be rescued from? My sleep?”
“Your mother, actually.”
Snow-white narrowed her eyes at him, the details of his face finally becoming clear. He had broad shoulders to go with his square jawline. His cloak had a slight blue tint, grays and charcoals coloring his tunic, trousers, and boots. He’s handsome, she thought. But he’s got blue eyes. Behind which was the easiest place to hide a lie.
Her own eyes were amber and she thought they allowed her to see the truth in all things. But her step-mother had managed to keep tricking her. So, maybe her eyes allowed her to see the good in others, rather than the truth. “Step-mother,” she corrected.
“Forgive me, Princess. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Prince Beldigras. I hail from the kingdom north of your own, and in the past, my father was happy to call yours an ally.”
She rubbed her forehead, a central warm spot, easily found by a lump there, acting as an origin for her blossoming headache. The northern kingdom. Didn’t the king die? “I thought your father died of illness. Wouldn’t that make you the king?”
Beldigras drew his lips into a thin line.
“I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “That was insensitive of me.”
“No, no. It’s alright.” He grew distant, crossing his arms and seeming to contemplate. “I’ve been fortunate. My father had given concessions—land, title and the like—to several families he knew and respected. When he passed, they returned to my side to offer counsel. If I were to find a worthy queen, I might consider taking the throne. But until then, I think my people have more to gain from the collective minds in my council.”
Snow-white nodded, knowingly. “I’ve seen first hand, the result of a kingdom led by an ill-fitting queen.” She stared across a tree strewn, snow covered slope stretching away from her, the sun reflecting from its white blanket. She shivered again, then looked to her seat, finding an elongated glass box under her posterior, its interior bottom along her back.
She caught a glimpse of her reflection, her blood red lips and ebony black hair seeming to adorn a ghost as the snow opposite the glass washed out the depiction of her pale white skin.
“Wait, why am I outside? And what’s this glass box?”
“We weren’t sure about the box. Your name and title were painted on it. I can’t say how long you’ve been in there, but I assumed the box to have some sort of preservation magic. We opened it long enough to attempt waking you. But you showed no sign of stirring, so we decided to return with you and the box. And I don’t want to alarm you, but your box strongly resembles a coffin.”
Snow-white shook her head. “You keep saying we. Who’s we?” She followed his gesturing as several downslope figures stood and turned to regard her. Her hand shot over her mouth. There were eight of them wearing cloaks like his own, each nodding to her. “Have they been here the whole time?”
“Yes. This wilderness isn’t safe, so they’re keeping watch for us. If you will accompany us, we’ll return you to Vindheim. You’ll be safe there.”
“Alright. Let us be off then,” she replied, pushing herself to stand. But her gaze fell on the mucus puddle alongside her, the place where someone else had come along and threw-up before departing again. She stared at a red speckled wad of green, then her eyes widened. The apple. That’s right. There was the old woman. And an apple. The seven dwarfs told me not to— “The dwarfs! My friends! Why had I not recalled them sooner? If I am to go into town, we must return and let them know. I’d hate to cause them worry.”
Beldigras opened his mouth but hesitated. “I am sorry, Snow-white. But the dwarfs have departed.”
Snow-white nodded and stood. “Yes, yes. They are out mining for ores. They’ll be back in the evening. Oh, and perhaps I should make their dinner before we set off. They’ll be expecting it.”
The prince sighed. “Forgive my being overly direct, Princess. But the dwarfs are no more. They have passed on and won’t be returning.”
“No. You are mistaken.” She looked about her surroundings. “It’s definitely colder than I remember, but we’re still in the seven mountains, right? Come. Their cottage should be in the valley below. They let me stay there, you know?”
The huntsmen looked at prince Beldigras, who didn’t offer a response. His gaze trailed after Snow-white as she tried to maintain her footing while making her way down the mountain.
“Come along,” she said, beckoning. “It should be this way.”
They reached the valley floor, where she set eyes on a burned building. She rushed towards it, lifting her knees to clear her feet from the snow. Panic gripped her chest as the building’s frame expressed a familiar shape. She stopped at its perimeter, clasping her skirt and holding the bottom hem aloft.
The charred building had a snow covered mound inside with protrusions sticking up at various angles. One of them was bare and she realized it was a...stick. Yes, saplings. Someone must’ve planted young trees there.
Snow-white searched about and found tracks in the snow nearby. “The dwarfs were here,” she said, gesturing. “But they left. You see?” The tracks stopped a short distance away but she drew a mental line from the cottage, to the tracks, to a castle at the end of the valley. “Oh, no. Was my kingdom really so close? They must’ve thought I had been kidnapped and made their way to the castle to confront my step-mother. We have to do something!”
Beldigras studied her, her anxiety continuing to build. “I know someone that may be able to help. The evening is fast approaching, so I fear there’s little else we can do this day. If you accompany us back to town, I’ll make it my priority to find her and ask for her help in this.”
“Her? Shouldn’t we get some soldiers? Maybe an army? My step-mother is a witch, after all.”
The prince nodded. “Mioko. And I get the feeling she’ll be of more help than an army. Besides. She has her own magic.”
“Okay. To Mioko. Then, to save the dwarfs.”
S-4: Unexpected Ask
Prince Beldigras climbed to the top of Vindheim’s central hill, where he surveyed his surroundings. The windmill there towered over him and elicited a dull cog-work groan as its four sails strolled along their path. He had never searched for Mioko, because he had never needed to find her. But now that he did, he wasn’t sure how to go about it.
To the south lay mostly farmlands, along with the families and homes of those tending fields and livestock. The ocean bracketed them to the west, the coast occupied by a small group of fisherfolk. Nearer the hill was where most of the migrated nobility had established residences. To the north was the market, the new tavern, some military facilities, and a sizable portion of Vindheim’s middle and lower class residents. And to the east was largely unbroken wilderness.
What do you do between your times dropping by unannounced? I don’t see you having anything to do with farming or fishing. And you aren’t fond of nobility. So, I suspect that you’d most likely be in the northern quadrant... If you’re here at all.
A commotion grew from the market’s western edge, people shrieking and fleeing as shafts of timber burst from the ground. Dirt and dust soon shrouded the area as wooden beams locked into place to form a frame.
At the epicenter, he could see a lone figure—a silhouette—that was quickly shrouded by the turmoil. The creaking sound of wood scraping against itself drew a crowd, everyone remaining outside of the dust plume.
Beldigras ran down the hill, pathing through the gathering residents. By the time he reached the settling dust, the sounds had ceased. He shielded his face with his cloak and pressed on. Soon, he reached the outer wall of an elongated building with a pitched roof, then circled, finding an entrance on the market side.
Beldigras expected it to be dark inside but found the opposite to be true as unnatural lighting shone from overhead. The sound of his boots against a hardwood floor surprised him, and he followed an entrance corridor into a central grand chamber, where Mioko stood on a recessed level, her hand raised and an orb of light ascending to meld with the ceiling.
“Hey, you,” Beldigras said.
Mioko glanced his direction. “Oh, hey. I was wondering who that was skulking about. Don’t you have anything better to do than stalking? I expected you’d be busy with something more important. You know, like having grapes fed to you?”
Beldigras folded his arms. “I’ll have you know that grape feeding is on Tuesdays and Fridays. And that means I’ve got another day and a half to stalk as much as I’d like.
Mioko shook her head, smiling, while she lifted another light and sent it to the ceiling.
The prince gestured to the new building. “How does this fit into your whole ‘trying to stay out of everyone’s affairs’ thing?”
“Yeah, I’d rather not talk about that. That’s a bit of a touchy subject.”
“Oh. Well, uh... I don’t suppose I could convince you to postpone your progress for another day, could I?”
Mioko froze, then turned back to him. “What’s going on? I didn’t expect you’d be one to ask for... well, anything. Could you not find Snow-white?”
Beldigras forcefully exhaled through his nose. “No, we found her. And that’s the problem. She seems...confused. She asked about the dwarfs and insisted on visiting them to inform them of her departure. I tried to tell her they were gone, but she wouldn’t listen. Even after making her way to their house and seeing their bodies, she’s still suggesting they’re alive, only now, they’re being held hostage by her mother and she needs someone to go save them. So, I’m at a loss on how to help her.”
Mioko scowled, then sighed. “I was afraid she might be distorted somehow. This is actually my fault.”
The prince descended a set of steps to reach the lower floor, then took a seat on them. “Why would you think that? I can’t imagine you’d intentionally do something to her.”
She walked over and lowered into a cross-legged seat on the floor near him, pulling her draping cloak into her lap. “No, it wasn’t intentional. When I realized that she may have been brought over, I worried about the shape she’d be in. Because, she’s more like the castle than she is any of you.”
“Meaning what? She’s got some monsters in her that you need to clear out?”
“No, it’s more like she’s a copy. Sure, she’s real but she’s not the actual Snow-white from your world. With all of you, I brought you directly into my world with a portal—a world that is part of my mind. Remember how I told you that this world was underpowered and how there were cracks that things were getting through? Well, those things were my memories and their emergence was distorted.
“A little while back, I made a mistake. I caused a large power dip from the world’s already underpowered reserves. It caused a catastrophe. While, I took care of the biggest threat, I have no way of knowing what else was changed. And Snow-white ending up here is just one of those unknown things, caused when those cracks were allowed to open their widest.”
Beldigras leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees. “So, what do you suggest we do? Can we help her? And should we be worried about other things showing up from these cracks?”
Mioko shrugged. “I can talk to her, but worrying about the unknowns isn’t going to do anyone any good. If something shows up, my friends and I can take care of it.”
He smirked and set his chin against his fist. “That’s a lot of commitment for someone remaining uninvolved.”
“Yeah, and you can tell you’re not practiced at asking for things. Typically, you don’t want to discourage the person from doing the very thing you need.”
“Oh? That sounds like an offer to provide instruction. Or perhaps you could just do some more thinking out loud, so that I could eves drop?”
Mioko’s hint of a grin fell away, her mouth dropping open in mock-injury. She threw a punch at his leg, which moved beyond reach. “Well, as far as thinking out loud goes...a man should never postpone a woman’s wrath by dodging a blow, because subsequent revenge plots are all the more devastating.”
“Well, while you’re planning, there’s one other thing...”
“Uh, no, sir. Sorry, but you’re goodwill is spent. Thank you. And have a nice day.”
Beldigras chuckled. “Alright, well let me do some thinking out loud of my own.” He pinched his thumb and forefinger together, then focused on their joint. When he began pulling them apart, an electric arc leaped between the two points. He pressed them together again and the arc bowed upward, finally popping with a loud crack as his thumb and finger met. “So, I wonder what Mioko will make of this.”
Her expression was flat and she just shook her head. “Why do you guys keep getting all the cool shit?”
S-5: Life Debt
Snow-white explored Vindheim, moving through the market square which was alive with the sounds of chatter, vendors hailing passersby to peruse their wares. The bartered goods varied from one stall to the next, merchants selling apples, breads, linen garments, animal hides, and all manner of tools and ceramic dishes. But she gave her attention to none of them, instead transfixing on the massive sails turning about the windmill on the hill. How is such a grand thing even possible? Magic, perhaps?
She drifted its direction, stopping at the market’s outer edge. Across a main thoroughfare sat a cluster of homes. A dwarf emerged from among them, peeking around corners—searching high and low. He wore a grimy linen tunic, his nose and cheeks smudged with a dark substance.
Snow-white beamed and rushed to his side. “There you are!” She smiled profusely, the skirt of her red-linen dress melding with the dirt as she collapsed to her knees to become his equal. “And just where have you been? I’ve been searching everywhere for you all. Where are the others?”
The dwarf squinted at her, shook his head and chuckled. “But you’re not it,” he replied, his voice’s pitch higher than she expected. “It’s my turn to find them.”
“Oh, so everyone is out playing hooky, I see.” She continued smiling, observing his large nose and tiny ears which she found endearing. “You should have told me. I’ve been so worried. Will you all still come home in time for dinner?”
His eyes grew wide, his mouth falling open. “You’re making us dinner?”
“Well, of course, silly. That is what we agreed. After all, I owe the lot of you my life. If not for your generosity, I would have surely succumbed to either hunger or some hungry predator.”
The dwarf clapped and danced in place. “I’ll go tell everyone.”
“Snow-white?” called a girl from behind.
Snow-white turned to find Beldigras approaching alongside a girl in a green cloak. Her skin was the color of olive, her braided hair the color of ebony. And her eyes...they were an intense blue, which she was drawn into as if she were looking into a fire. “Is this the one you mentioned?” she asked, glancing to Beldigras.
He nodded. “Allow me to introduce you to our own witch—Mioko.”
Mioko glared at him, receiving a shrug in response. She shook her head and returned her attention to Snow-white. “Who’s your new friend?”
Snow-white beamed, turning to make the introduction, but her smile fell away. The dwarf was gone and in his place stood a young girl in tattered clothing. She became confused, and started searching beyond the girl. “But he was just here. Where did he go?” she asked, her question a plea.
“Don’t cry,” said the girl. “I’ll go find everyone for you.”
“But how can I fix their dinner if I don’t know when they’ll be coming home?”
“Run along, child,” said Beldigras. “We’ll be sure to take care of her.”
The child quickly departed, Mioko and Beldigras kneeling to either side of Snow-white, while she hugged herself and sobbed.
“What’s the story with that kid?” Mioko asked.
“Homeless,” the prince responded. “There are a lot of them. A lot of people that made it over here to Vindheim had to be sent back due to bites and injuries. Most of them were parents, injured while protecting their children, who were happy to stay behind with the thought that their kids would be safe in the new world.”
“Fuck,” Mioko droned. “Why haven’t they been taken care of?”
“We simply don’t have the means. Most things accomplished around here have been by the adults in families, who have then taken to some method of producing or securing food. People are struggling to feed themselves, let alone others.”
Mioko sighed. “Well, why wasn’t I told about any of this?”
“You can’t keep straddling the fence, Mioko. You say you don’t want to get involved, yet you keep insisting on helping whenever you become aware of something new. There’s a lot of problems here. But folks have mostly focused on the solvable ones right in front of them. People just don’t have the luxury of worrying about unmet needs elsewhere. And no one’s expecting you to fix everything. Or anything for that matter.”
“I’m not on the fence. It’s just that everything I give reduces its value to zero. People just can’t appreciate things they haven’t earned. And the more I give, the more they’ll expect. But that’s not what we’re dealing with here. I have responsibilities, and I’m only helping with the things I discover I’ve taken responsibility for. And those kids’ circumstances are a result of my actions—”
“As are all of our circumstances. Those circumstances being a continued chance at life. But that’s all any of this is, Mioko. A chance. With or without your help, there are no guarantees.”
“We’ll take care of them,” Snow-white interjected, sniffling. “I’ll tell the dwarfs about what has happened. I don’t know how we’ll make ends meet. But they are kind. I know they’ll want to help too. And they can do it. I know they can.”
Mioko shook her head. “Snow-white,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, but you need to understand. The dwarfs. They’re gone. They died. And they’re never coming back.”
Snow-white drew her lips into a line, her gaze hardening.
Kish!
She slapped Mioko, whose head didn’t move with the blow as she just stared back, her eyes pitiful. Before Mioko could retaliate, she got to her feet and ran, holding her skirt aloft as to not trip. It’s not true. They’ve only gone to work. They’re not gone gone. Or else, how would I be able to fulfill my side of our bargain.
Snow-white brushed past several residents in her haste, glancing up to the windmill as she rounded the base of its hill. She became aware of the sting in her hand and slowed to focus on it. What’s going on with my hand? She looked around, then glanced up to the windmill. Where was I going?
Mioko and Beldigras emerged from a portal nearby, Snow-white turning to orient on them. “Oh,” she said, nursing her tingly hand. “It was Mioko, wasn’t it?”
Mioko approached and wrapped her arms around her, Snow-white’s eyes growing wide at the sudden contact. “You’ve got people here that care about you, Snow-white. Whatever you need. Whether it’s time or something else. I’ll see that it’s taken care of.”
Something broke in her then, her eyes welling up for reasons she couldn’t understand. She settled her head against Mioko’s shoulder and began to sob. “I just want everything to be okay.”
“I know. I want that too. It may not be today or tomorrow. But eventually. We’ll get it all sorted out.”
S-6: Not a Witch
Snow-white found herself in the market square again. The surrounding barter eliciting a dull murmur as she focused on her thoughts. She was torn, her attention occasionally cycling to the nearby fabric stall as her gaze elongated on a stall of bread. There has to be a way to fix this, she thought, biting on the tip of her thumb. How can I make any difference at all?
A voice over her shoulder broke her from her reverie. “Are they not feeding you?”
Snow-white turned, finding the green-cloaked girl behind her. “Oh, Mioko. It’s you.”
Mioko coughed abruptly while looking around, then leaned closer. “It’s best you don’t call me by that name around others. I’m not on the best of terms with the locals.”
Snow-white nodded, knowingly. “Witchcraft tends to have that effect on folks.”
“Yeah, us girls need to have a talk. How about you follow me to my office? That way, we both stay out of trouble.”
“Oh? Okay.” She followed, approaching the tavern where a dead man hung upside-down in his underwear. The shock of his presence had worn off as the residents went on about their day. A sign read, ‘Gang Activity Not Tolerated.’
His body was severely bruised and deformed all over. He looks like he fell down a lot of stairs. Perhaps, repeatedly. How else could someone be injured so thoroughly? “What happened with this guy?”
Mioko glanced to the corpse, then back to her and shrugged. “Play stupid games; win stupid prizes.”
They reached Vindheim’s perimeter, then crossed through a portal to emerge at the base of the windmill overlooking the town. “Was there a point to leaving town when we could have just used your portal where we were?”
“Yeah,” Mioko said, folding her arms. “It was so I didn’t have to string someone else up near the market. And it’s what we need to discuss. Most of the people here didn’t come willingly. And my forcing them caused a lot of resentment.”
“But wasn’t there some kind of disaster that everyone had to be evacuated for?”
“Zombies. They’re basically dead people who’ve come back to life and if they bite you, you become one of them. So, there were a lot of families that were split up because we couldn’t chance bringing anyone over that had injuries. What’s worse is that most of those people stayed willingly, sending there children over without them, thinking they’d done right by them. Only for me to fuck it up in the most spectacular way imaginable.”
Mioko looked away, her voice becoming a whisper. “Sometimes I think we left most of the good ones behind.”
Snow-white started to reply but hesitated, instead looking to the ground. Why would they hate you for saving them? “Maybe...maybe, they thought you created those things since they think you’re a witch?”
“Yeah. I’m sure some do. But most of the resentment comes from the people we evacuated before an actual attack. Those shit-birds didn’t know they were in danger, so all they saw was me herding them into an unknown wilderness. And it’s why my friend was stabbed for simply being my friend.”
“They were stabbed because they were your friend? What?” Snow-white shook her head, her brows creasing. “How does that make any sense?”
“It doesn’t. And it’s why their dead boss is displayed near the market.”
“Oh, maybe, they thought your friend was a familiar.”
Mioko groaned. “Look, I’m not a witch. So, let’s pump the brakes on throwing that around.”
Pump the what? She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off.
“Just stop calling me a witch. That’s not what I am.”
“Then what are you?”
“I’m... Well, I don’t really know anymore. I’ve got magic, sure. But I’m not a witch. Nor a god for that matter.”
“Okay... So, you’ve got magic...and you’re not a witch?”
“Exactly. You see? I knew you’d get it. So, what was up with you in the market? Are you hungry? Not getting enough food? Or maybe not getting enough sleep?”
“No, no. It’s nothing like that... I was just thinking about the dwarfs—err, the children, I mean. A few nights ago... one of them didn’t wake up.”
Mioko closed her eyes, shaking her head, and forcefully exhaled through her nose. “Well, shit.”
Snow-white lowered to sit on the grass, tucking her legs to one side as she leaned upslope. They were facing the farms to the south, adults busy in large fields while children ran around their perimeter. “You really care about them, don’t you?” She glanced to Mioko, who looked elsewhere and didn’t respond.
“I keep thinking,” Snow-white continued, “about how that could have been me. If the dwarfs hadn’t taken me in, I wouldn’t be here right now. For the briefest moment, I wondered what they’d do if they were here in my place, but I already knew the answer. They would’ve helped. And it’s what I want to do too, I just don’t know how.
“I can take care of a household, but I don’t know the first thing about fishing or farming. And if I learned, wouldn’t it be too late? Plus, it feels like winter’s approaching... and I’m not sure it’s something they’ll survive.”
“Can you keep a secret?”
Snow-white turned to meet her gaze. “When I need to.”
A portal opened nearby, Mioko removing her green cloak and tossing it through before it closed. The shed cloak revealed a red-breasted coat with black sleeves and a red waist cape. Another portal opened, displaying snow as wind whistled through to their side. “Come with me.”
Snow-white hastily stood and followed, hugging herself as she crossed. They emerged among snow-capped mountains, their own seeming to have its top chopped off to form flat ground. Before them sat a lone cabin, which seemed abandon. How did someone even get that here?
A wall erupted from the ground, rising to the height of the cabin and expanding until the wind no longer reached them. She glanced to Mioko, who was facing the wall. Is she doing this?
The snow started melting around them, a sphere that increased in size with Mioko at its center. She walked closer to the cabin, the front steps and door clearing as water drained through the porch.
Suddenly, Snow-white realized she was no longer cold. You’ve got magic. But you’re not a witch?
Mioko looked back to her. “Remember. You can’t tell anyone about this.”
“Oh, no. I saw nothing.”
“Yeah...because I haven’t showed you yet. What I want you to see is inside.”
Snow-white looked at the cabin’s door reluctantly. “I’m not about to become a sacrifice, am I?”
“What? No. Just look in the damn cabin.”
“Uh, huh. Well, I’ve been tricked enough, and I’m sure that’s what you’d say if I actually was a sacrifice.”
Mioko rolled her eyes and looked back to the cabin as its door burst open.
Snow-white flinched, orienting on the sound. Light bloomed inside and she could see shelves. Her breath caught. Is that? She ran to the door and found rows of shelves, each stocked with fish, meat, cheese, and too many other things for her to process.
She glanced back to find Mioko standing in the same place with her arms crossed. “Is this real? How is this here? Do you have any idea how many we could feed with this?”
“Uh, yeah. That’s kind of the point. This is basically a freezer—a place where you can keep food preserved for longer.”
“Wait. You did this?”
“Have you not been paying attention? This is for the homeless kids. I just didn’t know how to distribute it until now.”
“Well, I could help. I’d love to. It’s just...I don’t know how I’d get back here.”
“And that’s what has to be secret. If I give you access to this place, you’ve got to make me a promise.”
“Yes. Whatever it is, I don’t care. I’ll do anything.”
Mioko smirked. “Even if you have to become my cat familiar after a year has passed.”
Snow-white shook her head. “These aren’t the actions of a witch, Mioko. I can’t say what you are, but that’s not something I care about. So, even if becoming a cat is the price, I still accept.”
“The promise is to simply keep this place a secret. Don’t tell anyone. Don’t show anyone. Not even Prince Beldigras. I’m not sure if you heard him talking about people being hungry. But, if someone is starving, they may attack you for your food. It’s not personal; it’s primal. And it’s what people sometimes become.
“I’ll set you up with a house with access to this place. It’ll basically be a portal in a closet. But whatever food you leave your house with needs to be pre-divided into portions. So, if you were to take a loaf of bread—which you’ll find in a warmer in the back—don’t take it out of your house unless you’ve already cut it into slices. You will be attacked if you expect a starving person to patiently wait while you separate their share.”
Snow-white stared, waiting. “Okay, but what do I have to do to get access to this?”
Mioko sighed. “I just told you. All you have to do is keep it a secret and be smart about giving it out. That’s it. I already wanted to distribute this, I just didn’t know how to go about doing it. So, your wanting to actually solves a problem of my own.”
“That still leaves one thing unaccounted for.”
“And what’s that?”
“These sort of secrets and promises...it sounds like the sort that are kept between friends. So, is that something I can call you? Friend?”
Mioko grinned. “As long as you don’t go dumping a lot of boy drama in my lap. And don’t mind dodging literal knives in the back... Yeah, I’d like that. Also... Yeah, you shouldn’t come to me about boy stuff at all. It’s just not something I’m equipped to help with.”
“Oh,” Snow-white replied with a giggle. “Well, that sounds like exactly the sort of thing we should work on.”
“And, I’m already regretting this.”
S-7: For the Good of All
Beldigras and Whinny were returning from their trek along the western coast, when he dismounted and became distracted by a gathering at the base of what had come to be known as Windmill Hill. Most of the forms took a seat along the hillside while another stood before them, wearing a royal blue dress and a red shrug. She might have secured some more clothes, but there’s no mistaking that ebony colored hair.
The prince stopped abruptly near a building’s corner, not realizing he had continued walking her direction. There looked to be around twelve children sitting along the hillside, which was more than she had a few days ago. Little by little, others began showing up.
Beldigras glanced to Whinny. “You see that? That’s what bribery will get you. When you feel like giving things away, people will always show up, enabling that side of you to express itself. But those connections aren’t friends; they’re more like mercenaries—only around so long as you’re paying their fee.”
Whinny nickered.
“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. I just worry she’ll be confronted with faces in her crowd who are only attending her for what they can gain. Still. You have to admire the work she’s putting in. But where do you suppose she gained this surplus of food?”
He glanced to her again, her snout swiveling his direction. “You want to know what I think? This smells of ‘Mioko not getting involved.’
“Wrehehe!” she exclaimed, then bumped him with her nose.
“What do you mean, go talk to her? She’s in the middle of a class, so it’s got nothing to do with being shy.” He shook his head and gave her the side eye. “Besides. Something tells me this princess isn’t looking to become queen anytime soon. It’s her priorities. She’s adamant about helping a small group of people, where a queen has to consider the wellbeing of her kingdom as a whole.”
“I thought that was Whinny, I heard,” said someone from behind.
Beldigras turned to find Mioko approaching in her green cloak. “Oh, it’s you.”
“I see it’s not a grape feeding day.”
“Yeah, well... This isn’t what it looks like.”
“Is that so?” She made a deliberate show of leaning to look around him. “Because it looks like you’re snooping and spying on Snow-white.”
“Okay, so it’s exactly what it looks like. But Winny and I were only—
Winny nudged him, and he prodded her away with his elbow.
“Uh huh,” Mioko replied, smirking and folding her arms. “Seems like your would-be accomplice isn’t too fond of being used in your alibi.”
“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with admiring her effort or acknowledging the progress she’s made.” He watched as Winny moved to stand behind Mioko, turning to gaze back over Mioko’s shoulder. “Wait. This is deliberate. You two are teaming up on me.”
“Dang, Winny,” Mioko complained, tossing her hands in the air. “You changed sides too soon. I’ll bet we could have kept that going for a long time.”
Beldigras sighed and rubbed his forehead. “You two are awful.”
“Awfully amazing, I agree.”
“Speaking of delusions. I was just telling Winny about how far Snow-white had come. Her mysterious food bank aside...”
Mioko coughed and looked away.
“...I can’t help but notice that several of the children are wearing new brightly-colored clothes.”
“I didn’t have a hand in the clothes. She did that on her own. She’s been bartering in the market, trading food for material so that she could make clothes for them. Quite industrious, that one.”
“Has she had anymore episodes?”
“Nothing that I’d consider problematic. She’s had a few spells when calling roll, counting the number of kids present and either zoning out once she reached seven or continuing on to another subject even though there were more children to count.”
“Hey!” called Snow-white.
They looked her direction to find her holding her skirt aloft as she jogged closer.
“Welp,” Mioko said. “Here comes your girlfriend.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. I’m not certain she considers me a friend. You on the other hand—
Mioko slugged him in the shoulder, her cheeks reddening.
“Hey! What’s that about?”
“You can’t just go saying something like that.”
Beldigras’ brow scrunched, studying her face as she looked away. “Are we not friends? Surely, I thought that was well established.”
“Wait,” she replied, fixating on him with narrowing eyes. “You’re being literal.”
Snow-white stopped next to them, placing her hands on her hips as she panted. “Whew. I’m out of shape. I should really do some more... Oh...is something going on?”
Beldigras rubbed his arm and rolled his shoulder, Mioko avoiding eye contact with both of them. “Damned if I know,” he replied.
“Should I come back later? I wanted to ask about something.”
“No, it’s fine. Just be mindful using ‘friend’ in conversation. That seems to be the trigger for an attack.” He nodded to himself as he recalled their conversation. “Actually, I have something to ask you as well, so this saves me a trip.”
“A question for me? What is it?”
“My old kingdom. We’ll be moving into a castle up north. We’re just waiting for it to be ready. I know all of this is still very new to you, but I wanted to offer you the opportunity to come with us. You’ll have a safe place to call home should you choose to join us.”
“I see.” Snow-white clasped her hands and averted her gaze. “That’s a generous offer, really. It’s just...I had in mind something else. And I can’t leave the children behind. This is their home, after all. It may not be much, but it’s what they have.”
Beldigras nodded. “I understand. I just wanted to extend the invitation. Now. What was it you needed?”
“Actually. My question was for Mio—was for her.”
Mioko met her gaze. “Is everything alright?”
“Oh, yes. It’s great, really. It’s just...”
Mioko rolled her eyes. “Out with it before I die of old age.”
“I want to start an orphanage!” Snow-white shouted, then squeezed her eyes shut. After a time, she peeked, finding Mioko standing with her arms crossed.
“Yeah? So? That’s not a question.”
“Yeah, well... I don’t have a building.”
“Holy shit! You’re worse at asking for stuff than he is.”
The prince chuckled, but choked when they both glared at him.
After a time, Snow-white swung her attention back to Mioko, who tapped impatiently at her elbow. “Mioko,” she said in monotone. “Will you create me a building, so that I can start an orphanage? Please and thank you.”
Mioko smiled but quickly discarded it. “Why? Why would you want to do such a thing? And are you sure this isn’t just some sort of distraction?”
She sighed. “This is why I didn’t want to ask. But no, it’s not a distraction. I know the dwa—that they are gone. But the same can’t be said for what they gave me. And since I can’t repay them... All I can do is pass it on to someone else.”
“Paying it forward,” Mioko said with a nod. “Look, I said I’d get you whatever you need, so if this is one of those things, then you’ll have it. I just needed to make sure you weren’t running from your problems. Because that’s the worst thing you could do.”
“I know. And I’m not.”
Beldigras arched an eyebrow when Mioko looked to him. He shrugged. “I’m not sure what you’d expect me to add. This won’t be my kingdom. Any idea where you’d put it?”
Mioko tapped her lip. “Well, I don’t see why it can’t be right next to her house on the hill opposite Windmill Hill. What do you think?”
“Yes!” Snow-white exclaimed. “That would be perfect. And we could still have our lessons by the windmill.”
“Or you could just teach them in the classroom that I create for you... But,” she interjected with a raised finger, Snow-white’s mouth snapping closed. “You have to permit all of Vindheim’s children to attend. You can bring in more teachers if you have to. Just don’t turn anyone away. Making sure that everyone can at least read, write, and count will be beneficial for all of Vindheim and perhaps even all of Innangard when it comes to working with other nations.”
Snow-white finally released her excitement, clasping arms with Mioko and causing the two of them to bounce in a circle.
Beldigras just nodded appreciatively, then turned to leave with Winny’s reins in tow. “We’ll leave you to it then,” he said, waving farewell. ‘Beneficial for all of Vindheim and Innangard’ indeed, he thought with a nod. Considering the good of all. It’s a foundation trait for all great queens.
“He said, what?” Snow-white exclaimed.
The prince flinched at the sudden outburst, a primal response as if his body expected something to be airborne and headed his direction. He glanced to Winny, who was walking farther from him than he expected—the maximum length of her reins. “Perhaps, we should walk faster?”
S-8: Pursuing the Horizon
The sun was settling into the ocean-sky horizon. In the distance, waves could be heard alongside the circling call of gulls as fisherfolk returned ashore with their day’s haul. The wind smelled of salt, and Beldigras—with a raised wooden goblet in hand—stood on his balcony with his eyes closed.
At last, he inhaled, breathing in the aroma from the cups dark liquid. It smells sweet. He nodded. Well, here’s to the future, he thought, raising a toast to the sunset. He drew in a mouthful, held it within his cheeks, arched an eyebrow, then swallowed. “Dreadful.”
Beldigras wore a loose fitting tunic and trousers of hawkes blue, tucking one hand behind his back as he studied the liquids texture. He drank the remainder in short order and nodded to himself. “But not bad, all things considered. For some things, time is the only element able to make improvements, and it’s exactly the sort of element we find ourselves in now. Will our new kingdom grow stronger with age? Only time will tell.”
A knock sounded on a closed door behind him.
“Yes?”
The door cracked to frame the face of a balding man with a full beard of white. “Your highness, we’re ready for you.”
“Thank you. I’ll be right there.”
The prince took a last look inside his cup, turned it upside down on the railing, and nodded to the horizon before heading inside. The interior room was occupied by a large square table, three men seated along each side with two more on the opposite end—all the heads of his kingdom’s noble houses. He took his own chair and pulled it away, leaning on the table to study a recurve bow set before him.
“The kingdom’s ceremonial bow,” said a council member. “Was his highness planning to signal the beginning of a royal hunt?”
Beldigras met his gaze and smiled. “In a manner of speaking.” But this is more than a ceremonial bow. Whatever material was used in its construction, at a minimum, it’s heat resistant.
He traced his finger along the engravings set into the black riser—the section that comprised the grip and arrow rest, which held the limbs in place. The engraving was mirrored on each limb and depicted two hawks, their claws aimed at one another as they battled in the air. This bow is for war, not ceremony.
The prince finally met their gaze, turning to face each of them. “Pray, forgive the hour of my calling this meeting. I have much to discuss and it will be of interest to all of you.”
“What of the princess?” asked a chair. “Did the expedition not go well?”
“That’s part of my update, but we need to discuss the direction and purpose of our kingdom. What we stand for. In our last meeting, you all voiced concerns about the survival of our kingdom and proposed we take Vindheim by force. At the time, I didn’t want to resort to infighting, and now there will be no need for it”
A noble with a dark brown beard leaned forward, interlacing his fingers. “If you’re suggesting we move out and start over... We’ve all put too much time and resources into this place. Starting over would be suicide. Not to mention the head start that Vindheim would have on infrastructure should they decide to wage war on us.”
Beldigras smiled, nodding along as he spoke. “I hear you. Those would be appropriate concerns were we to start over, but they aren’t warranted. Our people have gained access to a cliffside castle of stone. The cliff and sea protect it on one front and with mountains to either side, the only possible method of attack would be a frontal assault.”
“How did we acquire a castle?” asked another chair. “And when?”
“I was getting to that. But regarding our previous discussion, these last few weeks have made plain a flaw which I hadn’t previously cared to consider. Which is to say, I’ve hindered you all. Your earlier counsel to seize power by force my have caused damage in the interim, but it likely would have eased suffering in the long term.
“Each of you are a testament to the respect and loyalty that my father garnered. And my father’s father. And his father before him. You’ve all earned the respect of my forefathers and thus have inherited my own. And the respect owed to you is plain in your returning to my side to guide me after my father passed.
“Truly, this kingdom is all the better with you all as part of it. And while I’ve given you my trust, I’ve been reluctant to part with my faith. Your decision to take control of Vindheim was the right one, and if not for me, the people here would have been on a much better path.”
The prince looked around the room, no one seeming to have an argument. The sullen atmosphere was proof enough that his words were truer than any cared to admit.
“My problem isn’t with experience alone; it’s with granting your families the same level of faith that my father had. I fear I failed you in this regard and thus aim to do better. And the best way I see to do that is by getting out of your way.”
The room came alive, council members arguing, some hammering the point of their index finger against the table, others waggling it in the air as they each made their case.
Beldigras raised his palm. “Gentlemen, please. I ask that you lend me your ears as fast as you do your arguments. I’m not abdicating. You old goats won’t be rid of me that easily.” He smiled wryly, meeting the gaze of each of his guests. “But I will be taking a leave of absence—a much needed one so that the lot of you can put things in their proper order.”
“But what of your betrothal to the princess? Did the expedition not go as expected?”
“I won’t be courting Snow-white.” He raised his hand to quiet the whispers passed between chairs. “I know what you all hoped, but our hopes don’t change the circumstances for another. The simple truth is that the princess has endured a great loss and seeks redemption. I’d like to aid her in that, but I haven’t more to offer beyond what I already have. And the lack of a queen also contributed to my decision to step aside.”
“His highness can’t be serious,” a chair protested. “We can find you a queen. She doesn’t have to be noble born.”
“The kingdom needs a strong leader,” said another.
“You don’t need a queen to take the throne,” offered another.
Beldigras nodded, again looking to each of them. “I hear you. I hear all of you. But we all know this is what’s best for our people. And speaking of people, I’d need to speak with you all on the monster. The witch. And to some, the god. But regardless of what you call her, too few refer to her by friend. Or her name—Mioko. Would any of you care to guess how we obtained the castle?”
“Highness, no. Pray, tell us you did not trade yourself for our new home.”
The prince blinked. Then, blinked again, remaining silent until a neighboring chair elbowed the offender, eliciting chuckles from the rest of the council.
Beldigras sighed. “I had hoped the worst of our superstitions ran amok outside of our meetings. But, no. You are mistaken.
“She gifted us a castle, because we helped her evacuate our own people,” he said, shaking his head. “And I know that you all hear what I hear in such a statement. Whatever she’s been through, she was met with such resistance that our modicum of assistance was extremely valuable to her. And is that all we have to offer our allies? A pittance? When we’re the ones benefiting from said help?
“I saw her in action the day we all evacuated, and I’ve seen her at work since. And she’s nothing of what the people claim her to be. So, before I step away, I have two decrees.”
The nobles straightened, noticeably becoming more attentive.
“The first is that we shall never wage war against Vindheim. With Snow-white’s efforts alone, I see this kingdom becoming a valuable ally for our children. We are to support them, and expect a reasonable amount of support in kind.”
The table collective nodded along. “In light of our new position, highness, I think this is most agreeable.”
Beldigras drew his lips into a line. “The second you’ll likely find less so. As for the other, our kingdom, our people will treat and engage with Mioko as an equal. As one of our own. She is to be shown nothing less than our full support. If she asks for anything, it is to be granted. If she reports anything, it is to be treated as a certainty.”
The dark bearded noble cleared his throat. “Your highness, if I may—”
Beldigras shook his head. “I’m afraid, in this, you may not. I offer no concessions. Unless, of course, any of you have first hand experience working with her. Or have seen her do anything with your own eyes?”
A chair nodded. “I saw the dust that was kicked up near the market. We’ve received reliable reports that she disturbed so much of it that several food vendors lost a portion of their merchandise.”
“And if she had heard the same report, I have no doubt that she would have replaced all of it. Anything else?”
Silence.
“As I thought. Believe it or not, gentlemen, the largest factor in our prosperity is Mioko. I’ve heard it mentioned that this world belongs to her somehow and I believe it. Given the things I’ve seen her do, opposing her in any way would be at our own peril. And I don’t mean that to reinforce the belief of her as a monster.
“You needn’t fear our resources becoming overly taxed. I highly doubt she’d ever ask anything of us, but if she does, know that it’s an earnest need and a call we shall answer.”
“Highness, that still begs the question... Where will you be during this time away?”
Beldigras grinned and took up the bow, all council members standing. “My family is where it is because of our steadfast attention in honoring our debts. Each of your families an example in your possessing land and title for your roles in aiding my forefathers.
“This new world, our new castle, our new home... It’s a debt now set before me, and I’d be a poor heir to dismiss it. And so, I make myself available, lending my bow and spear to Innangard in whatever way proves to be for the good of all its people.
The prince turned and opened the door to the balcony, revealing a night’s sky, the horizon burning orange.
“Highness?” a chair called with a finger raised. “Should we send for an arrow?”
Beldigras glanced over his shoulder. “No. That won’t be necessary.” He assumed a wider stance, gripping the riser’s handhold and pointing it to the ground as he rested the tips of his fingers against the bowstring. He steadied his breathing, focusing on a distant star above the horizon.
In one fluid motion, he raised the bow’s sight, aligning it with the star as he drew back the string, a long shaft of dull lightning crackling into existence in an arrow’s place. Let the hunt begin, he thought, releasing the shot. The shaft’s sound and light intensified, becoming a bolt of lightning to streak across the sky before descending into the horizon.
‘In pursuit of the horizon.’