Immediately after the legalization of Argyle's ascension as Protector, he troubled himself with the ways by which he can help solve the dilemma of the missing squire and phoenix. He wondered about it for several days until he found it inappropriate to delay the process.
One night, the courtier, who was then the highest official of the kingdom, called for Acolyte Jiro. He demanded the young man to see him personally in the Octagon Hall for he was to disclose a very important matter.
Jiro, without the patriarch's consent, responded positively to the call. He left the Patriarch's Palace beyond the knowing of any other but Dmitri, his most trusted accomplice. He came into the royal residence with Rian as his escort.
The moment he entered the Octagon Hall, which contained no one but Lord Argyle seated on his lordly seat, the master requested for the closure of the hall. Rian immediately obeyed. He closed the door behind the acolyte and guarded the entrance from the outside.
The worried stares of the courtier confirmed the vitality of the meet. Jiro knew such was something very significant. He was aware that the time of his trial has come. He had openly released himself from the vivacity of youths his age for he was certain that then he stood to prove his manliness.
"The foremost reason behind why I called you over, acolyte," this Argyle told Jiro in a moderate voice, "is in connection with the incident that occurred to Lord Xavier's faithful squire and Ethyr's most treasured pet. We cannot delay the process any longer, young man, this with due respect to the patriarch's view. I fear that if we do not do anything the soonest time possible; we may be too late. Thus, I personally called for a meet with you aiming for your cooperation in my proposition. You might wonder why I did not include the others who are, in a way, familiar with this condition but put your questions aside. What matters now is for the two of us to talk over the next step we both think is necessary. I suppose you are well aware that if there are many of us here, we do not usually end up with a laudable answer regarding the question, since our thoughts never seem to meet. Now that there are only two of us, I assume we will be able to formulate a solution sooner."
The acolyte did not make any comment about the privatization of the talk; however, he broke his silence to deliver an inquiry. "What propositions do you raise, my lord?"
"Ten days from now an army will cadence to the feet of the Candis; you will be going with them. However, your task will not require you to follow them to the post against Uxx. What I will request of you is to discover, through the journey, any signs that can help us identify the present location of the squire and the phoenix. I cannot lend the duty over to anybody else, which is why I thought of granting it over to you. While you proceed westward, however, there must be an expedition uncovering what may be disclosed on the northern division of our kingdom. This is by now my dilemma. I only have you and I am aiming for two ventures."
"Sir," Jiro spoke up intervening the elder's statement, "I know another young man who can help. He is by no means suspicious and I am very assured he is capable for this venture."
In actuality, the acolyte was not assured about what he had disclosed. His adrenalins were rushing and there was nothing else he wished to convey, but that which came from the tip of his tongue.
The courtier replied, "If there is any, bring him to me the soonest time possible. If it would be now, then let it be."
As soon as the Protector concluded his words, Jiro said, "Allow me to leave for a moment and call him over. It is not hard reaching out to him but I will very much appreciate any help you can lend."
Smilingly, Argyle stood from his seat and accompanied Jiro towards the door saying, "There is much I can give if it would be regarding transportation and security. Come over."
As they exit the hall, the courtier requested his squire to call for a carriage that will suffice for the need of the acolyte. Rian left immediately while the elder and the cassocked teen moderately headed to the other direction.
As they traversed the silent halls of the palace towards the side entry, they mingled about the boy whom Jiro referred to as 'trustworthy'. In actuality, the boy was Riordan Svein, the baker's assistant from Solatrix, which has not yet left the domination of Mia since the funeral of King Troy. He described the other's abilities and gradually impressed the courtier. Regardless however the confident assurance he presented the Protector, Jiro was aware that his propositions could not be too conclusive. He had not spoken about such to the baker's assistant and the sudden intention only made its way to suffice for the courtier's critical question.
"He is no doubt a boy who grew on the streets," Argyle commented as they walked out of the palace door. Then while they waited for the carriage, he added, "That is the sort of character we need."
While the carriage led by a Solatrixian squire progressed towards the domicile that housed the baker's assistant, Jiro, who occupied its interior with the squire named Rian, troubled himself about the pandemonium upon which he involved himself and his new friend. Thinking how peacefully the young man sojourned with his master within the unsafe walls of the city, the acolyte could not stop but think again regarding his proposal. He was confident that Riordan was perfectly suited for the situation but he was also doubtful if he must allow the participation of the boy. He himself left behind his pacific existence by becoming a part of such strange endeavors and he knew such would also come upon Riordan if he pursues his goal.
More than once, he wished to uncover the dilemma before Rian but the squire always caught Jiro in the midst of his incomplete thoughts. The acolyte would motion for attention and then disregard his actions. The obnoxious and uneasy gestures of his companion were enough for Rian to conclude that there was something wrong. He waited for the next improper action before he agreed to question the acolyte about what troubled him. However, the opportunity did not come anymore. The carriage came to a stop.
Mia was closing the front door of her house when she spotted one of the royal carriages approaching. Like any other commoner in their street, she wondered where the vehicle was headed and for what reason it passed by there. It is very uncommon for such a sight to make its way through such a crowded road of the city.
While she glued her eyes on the richly ornate stagecoach, it made a stop right in front of her. The chauffer, who undeniably was a schooled young man, jumped off his seat and reached out to open the door.
Out of the stagecoach came Rian, who was an unfamiliar face to the woman, followed by Jiro whom she immediately recognized. She stared as he approached.
"Is the baker's assistant in?" the acolyte politely questioned the elder.
Surprised by the gallantry of the vehicle that stood before her and the posture of the acolyte's company, Mia remained speechless. However, she responded with nodding her head and pointing towards the interior of her humble domicile.
Jiro interpreted the gesture as a form of agreement and welcome. Thus, he told her, "Thank you very much," and then slipped inside the half-closed door.
Within, he found Riordan chatting with Bartoc on the kitchen table. He approached the two with the expected Ethyrian greeting. Almost immediately, the two men looked back and welcomingly received their guest.
"I shall wait no longer since I am here for a significant purpose," he told the two. "Riordan, the courtiers have heard of you since you mockingly kidnapped me days before. They further heard of your kindness when I retold how you aided me that day when I was found helpless on the roads outside Gobhy. Thus, since they are currently on a task that demands for additional labor, they requested me to call you over. They wanted to employ you for a feat they are about to execute. Your abilities will be of great help to this beneficial action. Thus, if it will be no worry, I would like to borrow you from your master since the kingdom needs somebody like you at this very moment."
The straightforward and sudden exposition garnered a shocked response from the two listeners. Jiro's words registered slowly in their brains causing them to delay their reactions. They remained quiet for a while before the elder braved to utter these words, "What sort of task will require a character such as that of my aide?"
"Their task is not for me to disclose, sir," the acolyte replied. "Nevertheless, I assure that it is for the welfare of the kingdom. I know very well since I myself am a part of this feat." Then he bowed his head as if in humility but actually in shame.
Then Riordan said, "If that is so, I do not refuse the offer; however, as he is my master, I must seek the approval of the baker who claimed me his son for years."
At this, the acolyte, who wished that the young man responded otherwise, appended with his voice low, "The kingdom will not take you away from him. You will only be borrowed for service of a more complicated master which is Ethyr itself."
Bartoc declared, "I am your master, Riordan however we both bow to the banner of Ethyr. Now our mother needs your aid and so, with all due respect to your individual decision, I shall not hinder whatever you wish."
The baker and the acolyte then stared gently at Riordan waiting for his own answer. Jiro was hoping he would refuse since he cannot think of further ideas by which he can spare the young man from the crucial task.
"I shall go," the young man declared after he silently pondered over the thought for quite a while. He looked at his master and addressed him: "As the faithful acolyte has disclosed, you will not lose me, I will only be away for some time but I will be back to take my post as your aide."
The elder smiled and said: "Please do come back. It is not a trouble for me to look for other assistants, however there will be no other who can take the throne of the prince of breads."
The acolyte was surprised but he refused to express his emotion. He was guilty but he did not present his remorse. The confusion was still within him and he cannot decide how to manage the incidences. Snorting, he agreed to allow fate to direct. He gestured for Riordan to hurry since it was getting late.
Immediately then, the lads got ready to leave. Riordan packed his things, but Jiro refused to bring it with them since he was yet not sure whether the courtier and his own self will finally consider the proposal.
Thus, after a few moments, the two lads made their exit from Mia's humble house and bade goodbye to the homeowner who, through the entire time that Jiro was inside the house, entertained herself with a conversation with Rian and the chauffer.
As the stagecoach proceeded through the darkened streets of the sleepless city, along the tent built to accommodate the gypsy, Euri, and her customers, the three passengers who occupy the interior of the vehicle heard a loud thud on its roof. Immediately, Rian poke his head out of the window and cried out to the chauffer, "What was that sound?"
The young man who continued to administer the noble steeds responded: "Nothing Rian, it was just a cat."
Contented with the reply, the squire arranged himself back in the interior of the coach. For a moment there was silence, only the rattling sound of the rolling wheels and the horses' shoes enveloped them.
None of the young men dared to disturb the callous tranquility.
Suddenly, through the window, a little boy went inside the coach. He appeared as if he was from above the roof. His sudden revelation surprised the three lads inside the stage-coach. Rian pulled out his sword and pointed it at the boy. There was an explosion of interjections that caused the chauffer to stop the vehicle.
When they realized that they have stopped, Rian intended to push the child out of the coach.
"Wait!" Jiro exclaimed, "Do not do it, Rian." The acolyte eyed the child keenly while the latter responded with innocent stares. "He was the cause of the noise we heard a while ago."
"But our chauffer said he did not see anyone," Riordan confirmed.
Then the child said in his boyish articulations, "Don't fear me, I will say something."
Wondering, Jiro held his head low to level that of the boy's and asked, "Tell us first information about yourself and prove to us that you mean no wrong. Only then will we allow you to speak whatever is your intention."
The boy, who was around seven summers, wiped his hands before he said, "My name is Jericho and I am with the gypsy who met you some nights ago. She is my lady and we have been journeying for long. We are here because we need to tell you something very important."
The child's ability to deliver such an answer even in his youthful pronunciations shocked the four teens. Then again, "My lady needs to talk to you, if only you will give her a chance."
Jiro, who was the first to recover from shock, interrogated, "What is her business about?" He remembered the short argument with the woman that night. "Will it be about the potency of fortunetelling again?"
The child shook his head. "Should you come, I will bring you to her that you may hear what she intends to deliver," Jericho responded.
"But we are in a hurry," Jiro said. "If it will not disappoint your lady, please do see her and bring the message that we cannot come over now since we have important business to attend to. Maybe we can see her tomorrow, or whenever we will be free. I presume you will not be leaving Gobhy yet."
The boy wiped his lips with the back of his hand and told: "The courtier can wait. His business is, by no means, weightier than that of my lady. Your lord grants you questions while my lady brings you answers. Thus, if you wish to please your lord and so the entire kingdom, see first my lady for she tried to reach you the other night but you responded negatively. Heed her call for we had labored long only to see you here."
Those words delivered by the seven-year-old boy captured Jiro's attention. The rest of the lads in the group may not have understood them but Jiro did. The foremost question that flashed in his thoughts and so made their way out of his lips were, "How did you know about the courtier or his business?" By then, his sweat started to wet his face while he waited for the answer.
"I saw what had transpired," then the boy asked, "Will you come? We cannot delay."
The four young men looked at each other trying to understand the statement behind every company's stare. They remained like that until the child asked again. Then when the rest did not seem to make any gesture of disagreement, the acolyte, who was the only person brave enough to entertain the mysterious boy, declared, "Bring us to her."
"I will bring you directions," the boy assured; then he and the chauffer, whose name was Philip, took their posts on the driver's seat. A moment later, only after Jiro was able to neatly arrange his robe, did the stagecoach start to move.
Contrary to the belief of the boys inside the carriage, their vehicle headed away from the gypsy's tent. They noticed that they were making their way towards the southern city gate.
Feared by this verity, Rian popped his head out of the window once more trying to check if their chauffer is still present. Recognizing the other squire's voice mingling with the little boy, he breathed deep and returned inside. "I do not think we are lost," he told the two who affirmed that they were moving in a wrong way.
The boys cannot do anything else. Thus, confident that the Philip cannot be lost inside the city, they observed the sight of the busy streets that they come across. After sometime, they reached the southern gate – that which was guarded by two guards and was half-closed.
On the other side of the gate, visible through the opening, their stood a noble figure wrapped in purple linen from head to feet. It stood under the shadow of the gate-towers thus the face was not clear.
The stagecoach proceeded outside the gate and stopped when it was alongside the creepy figure. The person, who does not seem to move, opened the door. Rian got hold of his sword ready to strike.
"Halt sir," the voice of the boy was heard as he carefully slipped from the driver's seat to the side of the open door. Then he addressed the three men who were inside the carriage, "Honorable youths of Gobhy, this is my lady, the infamous gypsy and fortuneteller, Euri Adamar."
There was surprise evident in the expression of the young men. They are quite assured that the gypsy was inside her tent entertaining her customers a few moments ago, and even after they have left for the gate.
"Will you let me in?" the gentle female voice from her who was wrapped all in cloth disturbed the tranquility among the lads.
Rian spoke, not knowing what he was doing, "Please do come in."
Immediately after he disclosed their agreement, the woman made her way into the coach. She sat on the empty part of the bench next to Rian. Jericho closed the door behind her and returned to his post next to Philip. The stagecoach moved again.
While the journey progressed in average speed, the woman removed the long cloth around her, which was actually a hooded cloak. Under the upper garment, she wore a green-colored silken blouse and a brightly patterned skirt wrapped around her waist. Over her lengthy gold-dyed hair was a gleaming band of gemstones that prevent the hair from falling in front of her face. She wore no make-ups but her lips were cherry-red.
After she arranged herself and folded the cloak neatly over her lap, she moved her eyes around the young men; she stopped at Rian and addressed him, "Have you also known about the courtiers' feat? I do not think I see all three of you."
Perfectly ignorant about what was mentioned, the squire shook his head.
"Ah…" the woman uttered, "that explains it."
"Your child gave us word that you have very important business," Jiro told the woman. "May we please know this as soon as could be? We still aim to meet with the Protector."
"Do not hasten, I will be going with you as you see him. And please mark that he is not my son."
"But…but you are not any invited guest in the palace," the stuttering Rian inter-vened. The disclosure disturbed him and his thoughts of Argyle's security. "Had you arranged any visit with my lord?"
"My seeing him is a necessity, squire, and it does not need to run through any due process as is required with the rest. I bring in my hands the answers to all his questions and if he wishes to supply a brightened future for his kingdom, then he must not ignore my request."
"May we please know exactly what you are intending to do, lady?" Jiro asked after Rian seemed to run out of ideas.
"I am from a foreign land and I come as was requested by our authorities for a special purpose. I have a mission to accomplish even if I saw the goal gradually ebb away. There is no reason for me to stop even if I tell you now that there is a hindrance so powerful I cannot destroy it myself." The boys remained speechless. It was obvious however that their silence was not caused by shame but by the fact that they did not understand most of what Euri had said. "Yet before I proceed, I would like to request the young man clad in the gold-plated mail to swear that he will keep the secrecy of my exposition," the woman said while staring straight at Rian. "Otherwise, I will keep my lips zipped until the moment I stand before the presence of the courtier."
Rian, disturbed in every logical way he might be, replied: "I am a squire, dear lady, and if it is beyond your knowing, lads of our bearing adhere to a code of conducts which stresses positive virtues. I am aware of the significance of faithfulness; you must not doubt my capacity."
"I do not doubt any of you," the woman responded, "however I find it difficult to discern your role in the upcoming occurrence which too is the purpose of my coming."
"What occurrence?" the acolyte interrogated.
"You are most aware, servant of heaven, since you are perhaps the only one who yet understands me. I can tell it as I look into your eyes." Jiro did not make any reply. In the silence of the young men, the gypsy continued: "Squire, if it will not dishonor the name you bear, please swear upon your sword that you shall not speak of what you will hear tonight otherwise misfortune will befall your future."
Almost threatened, Rian supplied what was requested. He shook as he took his sword and positioned it before him. He continued to shake as he held the weapon straight in front of his face. His voice trembled as he recited the oath-upon-a-sword. The execution of such ritual did not so much surprise Jiro but made Riordan wonder.
After the squire returned his sword to its place, the golden-haired woman posted a mysterious smile and addressed, "By now you must all be aware of the great danger that threatens your land. You must have recognized the ascending suspense that lingers at the very gates of this kingdom. By now, you should be prepared enough to battle a remarkable alteration in history."
"Pardon me for the disturbance, lady," Riordan interrupted, "but I too do not have any idea about what you are relating of. Please do not assume that I know better than the squire since I am but a baker's assistant who lived a commoner's life."
"For that very reason, I recognize your awareness," she told him. Realizing that further clarifications will trigger the conversation to become more complicated, the boys remained quiet and listened as the woman continued, "Ethyr is currently in the brink of falling into the hands of Uxx. The land of brutes has established a strong offense against your kingdom and all these is because of the long-kept secret of your kings." Jiro's eyes widened, as he finally understood where the conversation was headed. He intended to disturb the narration, but, considering that the woman must at least be aware of what she was doing, chose to remain passive. Thus Euri furthered, "The time has come when the secret will no more be kept and that the whole of this kingdom must learn the very reasons behind the cruel ambitions of the West. It is then fitting that I must now expose the secrets of my background, since this will become the basis over which we will gradually establish facts to result to the ascertaining of the truth."
She breathed deep then appended, "You may not find any fortuneteller as skillful as I however you venture through the lands around this kingdom because my abilities are not as corruptible as any other's. More than reading the future, I am a spell caster. My knowledge of and ability to control what are beyond human competencies was bestowed upon me by my master who, by any way, is not human." The revelation garnered a stunned response from the bewildered audience; nonetheless, their interest to hear more precluded their drive to interfere and highlighted a desire to listen more attentively.
Disturbing sounds caused by the rattling wheels and running horses did not overpower the voice of the gypsy who continued to deliver: "I am human, but once, in my desire to attain fullness of superficial pursuit, I ventured north to prove the existence of a place wonderfully described in long-forgotten pages. My hard work was justly rewarded when, after a period of determination, I stepped on the land of Faia – the land of the mysterious fairies. There upon, I was assumed a spy and held prisoner by the ethnarch of Omar. I remained under his custody until a fairy so wise and understanding read my thoughts and proved me innocent. I was freed and lived with that wise fairy named Kalcifer. Kalcifer is one among the few remaining Adepts of Faia and it is by his faith that he schooled me with magic. Such explains the incomprehensibility of my acclaimed capacities. This however is not the purpose of my narration."
She wet her lips and appended: "Recognized to be one among the youngest, wisest and best spell casters in history, my master was appointed by the council of fairy adepts to overlook the status of the emerald phoenix – that which resided in Ethyr since its establishment. I never thought the fairies still find ways to supervise possessions beyond their dominion but such verity proved me incorrect. Thus, with such role played, Kalcifer dedicated his life to the continued supervision of the Ethyrian phoenix. He secretly made contacts with the Ethyrian kings and lately, he discovered that the West recovered from the ashes of yesterday's evil and is plotting to take the mysterious bird from the hands of this kingdom. Thus, my master and your late king decided to agree on the return of the phoenix to Faia, a task your monarch entrusted upon the selected courtiers who entrusted such upon you. On Kalcifer's side however, he sent me to help carry out such plan. In short, my colleague and I were sent here to fetch the phoenix and its bearer and personally bring them to the land of fairies – a journey no ordinary mortal can do."
Almost immediately, Jiro intervened, "Bearer?"
"I suppose you are yet unaware about the verity of the Phoenix Bearers," the woman made mention. Jiro nodded in reply.
"Well then, allow me to tell you about it. This is knowledge that my master handed down to me with regard to my present expedition. The phoenixes are not wild animals, they are tamed birds, literally, pets. Therefore, they must belong to somebody who shall take care of them. The right however to choose its bearer is innate in the phoenix itself. Justified by the fact that the pet is immortal and the bearers, corporeal, the phoenix holds the duty to point its temporal owner regardless the fact that the two had or had not yet met.
"In the very beginning, when there was yet an abundance of these pets, they were considered family heirlooms in Faia, but as time went on and many of them were abused, the few remaining were passed from a person to another. By this time, there are two identified phoenixes – one there in Faia which bearer is the Royal Adept and one here in Ethyr, which formerly identified King Troy as its bearer. Now the king is dead and the emerald phoenix is beginning to adapt to its next bearer."
"Are there any known qualifications for the selection of such bearers?" asked the curious acolyte.
"None in my knowing," the gypsy answered.
The conversation was obviously undone yet when the stagecoach made its stop. It was beyond the consciousness of the preoccupied passengers that their vehicle had reached its destination. Philip descended his seat alongside with Jericho and opened the door of the coach. There, before the three young men and the beautiful gypsy was the rear entrance of the palace where the eager courtier stood.