sinceriously
Member
Raziel and Dillan finally arrived after the trip, which was nearly a two-month long voyage across the Grey Sea. The only ship willing to take them was a merchant ship, The Golden Maiden it was called. It surely wasn’t a shoddy ship, but Raziel had to trade away his horse, along with every gold coin he had to pay for their fare. And there weren’t even rooms in it. Over a month and a half, they spent sleeping among sailors and crates.
When they got down, the locals informed them that walking to the Royal City would take another three days. At least, that was if you had a horse. Unfortunately, Raziel and Dillan didn’t have a horse, or the money to buy one, or the time to earn the money to buy one. So they settled with the five day walk all the way from Greygate harbor to the Royal City.
It would’ve taken regular travelers five days to get there, but Raziel and Dillan had no time to waste. Nearly a year of traveling and they were here, their goal was so damn close, they couldn’t let up, they couldn’t slow down. They traveled at a grueling pace, eating on the move, stopping only to sleep and sleeping only when their bodies begged for it. It was almost the end of their third day traveling when the walls of the Royal City came into view.
Dillan felt a wave of relief, washing away the tension and anxiety of the past year. All the worries he had melted away at the sight of his home city that he hadn’t seen in so long. “This is it,” he said, smiling from ear to ear, “We’re home!”
“You’re home,” Raziel corrected him, still smiling nonetheless. “Been great working with you, kid. Was a journey like nothing else in this world.”
It was nearly midnight, so the gates of the City were closed, something Raziel hadn’t quite anticipated. He also didn’t anticipate to be stopped by the four guards who were stationed at the gate.
“Halt,” one of them said, raising a hand. But Raziel was unfazed. He continued to march onward, intent on getting into the City. His younger companion hesitated, the guards, he knew, didn’t mean any harm.
“I said halt!” the guard repeated, in a louder tone, drawing his sword. His three companions followed suit. Raziel didn’t slow down as he too drew his sword. Guards, he thought to himself, Nothing close to a challenge.
Just as one of the guards prepared to take the first strike, Dillan ran between them. “No! No, no, no, don’t fight!” He shouted, “We don’t mean any harm, we just want passage into the city.” Dillan was the diplomat as always, or at least compared to his sellsword companion. With that, Raziel sheathed his sword and stopped walking. The guards, however, were hesitant to follow, simply lowering their swords to a less threatening stance.
“State your business,” said the guard, eyeing Raziel.
“Are you daft?” Raziel said, clearly exasperated at having to deal with this guard after their most exhausting travel. “I’m returning your long lost prince!”
--
The dealings were discreet, at first. After all, it was so late in the night and it would do no good if too many found out of the prince’s return at once. After the King was informed of the man who claimed to have returned the lost prince, they were led up to the King’s study, so the King himself would be the first one to determine if it was truly his son returning.
The odd pair were silent during their walk to the study, but as soon as Dillan caught sight of his father, the silence was broken with a heartwarming cry, “Father!” he said, bolting towards the King, jumping up and wrapping his arms around him. The King was hardly able to see Dillan’s face, but the joy in his voice, the warmth of his embrace, it was enough to tell him that it was indeed his son.
When they finally broke their embrace, the King looked closely at his son, hands planted firmly on his shoulders. Dillan was a child when his father saw him last, but now he had grown so much. He was much taller, and his childish features were replaced by the angles of adulthood. His voice was lower, and his complexion darker from his journeys. But his eyes still held that fire, his smile still shone like the stars.
“You’re back,” the King said, “You’re truly back.” He turned to the servants who had witnessed the touching reunion. “Hurry! Call for the Princesses-- The Prince as well! They’ll be overjoyed. Their long lost brother has finally returned.”
When they got down, the locals informed them that walking to the Royal City would take another three days. At least, that was if you had a horse. Unfortunately, Raziel and Dillan didn’t have a horse, or the money to buy one, or the time to earn the money to buy one. So they settled with the five day walk all the way from Greygate harbor to the Royal City.
It would’ve taken regular travelers five days to get there, but Raziel and Dillan had no time to waste. Nearly a year of traveling and they were here, their goal was so damn close, they couldn’t let up, they couldn’t slow down. They traveled at a grueling pace, eating on the move, stopping only to sleep and sleeping only when their bodies begged for it. It was almost the end of their third day traveling when the walls of the Royal City came into view.
Dillan felt a wave of relief, washing away the tension and anxiety of the past year. All the worries he had melted away at the sight of his home city that he hadn’t seen in so long. “This is it,” he said, smiling from ear to ear, “We’re home!”
“You’re home,” Raziel corrected him, still smiling nonetheless. “Been great working with you, kid. Was a journey like nothing else in this world.”
It was nearly midnight, so the gates of the City were closed, something Raziel hadn’t quite anticipated. He also didn’t anticipate to be stopped by the four guards who were stationed at the gate.
“Halt,” one of them said, raising a hand. But Raziel was unfazed. He continued to march onward, intent on getting into the City. His younger companion hesitated, the guards, he knew, didn’t mean any harm.
“I said halt!” the guard repeated, in a louder tone, drawing his sword. His three companions followed suit. Raziel didn’t slow down as he too drew his sword. Guards, he thought to himself, Nothing close to a challenge.
Just as one of the guards prepared to take the first strike, Dillan ran between them. “No! No, no, no, don’t fight!” He shouted, “We don’t mean any harm, we just want passage into the city.” Dillan was the diplomat as always, or at least compared to his sellsword companion. With that, Raziel sheathed his sword and stopped walking. The guards, however, were hesitant to follow, simply lowering their swords to a less threatening stance.
“State your business,” said the guard, eyeing Raziel.
“Are you daft?” Raziel said, clearly exasperated at having to deal with this guard after their most exhausting travel. “I’m returning your long lost prince!”
--
The dealings were discreet, at first. After all, it was so late in the night and it would do no good if too many found out of the prince’s return at once. After the King was informed of the man who claimed to have returned the lost prince, they were led up to the King’s study, so the King himself would be the first one to determine if it was truly his son returning.
The odd pair were silent during their walk to the study, but as soon as Dillan caught sight of his father, the silence was broken with a heartwarming cry, “Father!” he said, bolting towards the King, jumping up and wrapping his arms around him. The King was hardly able to see Dillan’s face, but the joy in his voice, the warmth of his embrace, it was enough to tell him that it was indeed his son.
When they finally broke their embrace, the King looked closely at his son, hands planted firmly on his shoulders. Dillan was a child when his father saw him last, but now he had grown so much. He was much taller, and his childish features were replaced by the angles of adulthood. His voice was lower, and his complexion darker from his journeys. But his eyes still held that fire, his smile still shone like the stars.
“You’re back,” the King said, “You’re truly back.” He turned to the servants who had witnessed the touching reunion. “Hurry! Call for the Princesses-- The Prince as well! They’ll be overjoyed. Their long lost brother has finally returned.”
