3 more days passed, with time showing no intention of slowing down for the city that was without a leader, and quickly crumbling back to its old crumbling state.
When Fishy was absent, Clara became the leader, but who would be the leader if both Fishy and Clara were gone?
It didn't matter, because the city was already on its last legs.
The days got colder as winter approached. Harsh days continued as they brought storms and earthquakes that were still present from Fishy's magic that was redirected into the ground.
It was unknown how long the city would be without a leader. Ziu attempted to take control but nothing he could do would help. Almost all travellers and adventurers left for Va when they found out they would not be fed this winter. They needed a miracle to survive, but that miracle was about to happen.
"It's rather cold…" Fishy's first words as he opened the door leading out of his house, stepping on the cold concrete path in front. He looked the same as when he entered. Although he never left, his plain clothes were in perfect condition, as was his pale skin and white hair. It was as if time never moved in his room.
He looked around at the empty windy streets and then to an almost somewhat random rooftop. But it wasn't random.
A small magic presence jumped from the top of the roof after being discovered, a presence trained in hiding, someone from Ziu's spy team who had been ordered to monitor Fishy's house until the doors opened.
"Master Fishy." A person in a dark blue cloak wrapped around their body and head said as they bowed. "Master Ziu has already been informed of your return. He should be on his way here—"
"Fishy!" Ziu's booming voice called out, to Fishy's annoyance.
"Thanks…" Fishy said to the spy who turned back invisible and retreated.
"Is everything ok?" Was the first thing Ziu said as he tried to smile for Fishy.
"Everything's fine. I just had to take a few days out to understand something."
"I don't understand?"
"Call a meeting." Fishy started to walk towards the meeting hall, "This is an emergency. I have something to discuss."
"Ah…" Ziu was about to speak but figured it was better for Fishy to find out with everyone else, as he didn't want to have to deal with him should he be upset. "No… nevermind."
The hall was exactly as Fishy remembered it. Perfectly cut log beams supported the roof above their head as they all gathered around the centre table. All the executives gathered with gloomy faces. Silmor and Tin couldn't look Fishy in the eyes, whilst Ziu pretended to talk to The Elder in hopes he wouldn't have to bring it up.
"Someone is missing," Fishy said as he looked at the empty seat next to his. "Where is Clara?"
The room turned sour as eyes ran. As if a teacher was telling off the entire class, no one wanted to look as if they were involved.
"This letter arrived this morning." The elder slid a small piece of paper across the table to Fishy who read the contents of the letter out loud.
"You are formally invited to the wedding of Prince Sebastian and soon to be Princess Clara..." Fishy stopped reading out loud as he continued to himself, he felt no need to carry on talking.
Everyone looked at him as he read it, but for some reason, they had trouble making eye contact, as if the person in front of them wasn't the usual Fishy they were used to. As if he was still covered in a wave of tame well-fought-back anger.
"I see…" He put down the paper and saw the sorry filled looks on everyone's face.
"Why is it that there are some many different royal families?" A strange question that Fishy asked as he scratched the back of his head. A question that helped the room lighten up as Fishy's mood became more relaxed.
"It's because anyone can set up a kingdom meaning anyone can become royalty." The Elder explained, "The world is big and still fully unexplored, we have no knowledge of how many kingdoms exist and how many died trying to set up one."
"I see… and this marriage, does Clara love the prince?"
"No, it's all for the sake of this city… we need the trade deal that comes with the marriage."
"I see…" Fishy looked around the room and sighed loudly before explaining the plan he quickly came up with.
"Very well, I guess we shall do all we can then to stop the wedding."
The others looked at Fishy with surprise, worried about the outcome, but once they heard Fishy speak, hope entered their eyes.
"Tin, you are to check all the documents regarding the city, figure out what we do and don't have. The old and children get food and water first. We were receiving vegetables from the Druids, what happened to that?"
"The change in the weather has hurt their crop yields," Tin explained. "Our own crops were unable to grow due to soil that had been ruined by the Destroyer nest, but while you were gone, many earthquakes seemed to have destroyed part of their forest. Even the Cowsaur's that we used to hunt have moved on."
"I see… so it's my fault." Fishy whispered to himself before continuing.
"Very well, we'll just ration until this new deal is sorted. Elder, you are to rest, only help with tiny jobs, you look awful." The Elder nodded, almost like a tiny bow to someone he respected.
"Silmor, there should be blueprints in my room for a prison, you are to build it as quickly as possible and also build a large room with a furnace in the middle, that should help during winter. Ziu, send half the spy unit around the city to arrest anyone that commits any crimes, lack of food will mean an increase in theft, send the other half to this Kingdom, figure out everything about them."
"But, Master Fishy, I fear spying on them may start a war."
Ziu's concern only stopped Fishy from speaking, as his mind reminded him of what happened back in Va.
"We are weak." Fishy began to speak as he lifted his head to look at those around him, a group that will always support him. "All of us around this table would have died. Even if we worked together we couldn't have saved them. I'm done thinking this world is peaceful. We need to fight to protect those we care about. We need to be strong. These last few days when I've been locked in my room, I was depressed, but I learnt a lot. I had a person speak to me and help me. They told me to get stronger and fight back. I made a promise to protect them and I almost caused both our deaths. From now on, we do things differently. No more blissful ignorance. Kingdoms need to be harsh."
The others didn't fully understand the speech, but they didn't need to. They understood Fishy's resolve and knew he could take the city to new heights.
"I agree!" Ziu was the first to stand. "We will fight back and we will have Fintan City, no, The Kingdom of Fintan in the history books."
"I'm with you!" Tin and Silmor stood up as they cheered along with Ziu, the elder wanted to join but was sadly unable due to his decaying bones.
"Thank you, all." A melancholy smile washed over Fishy.
"Ziu, send over a few spies to the Rynad kingdom. Don't have them do anything until I say, just have them watch."
"Understood. I have trained them personally, there is no threat they won't be able to take out."
"I shall have my triplets prepare a horse for you, Fishy, they've loved working at the stables, that was one thing Clara did in fact make during her short time as leader," said Tin, wanting to join in on the conversation.
"A stables… Something so simple, but I suppose that is like her. We've never really had any need for such a space, but I suppose we would need such a space eventually, just a shame about our food situation. With the druids as our only allies, we've relied purely on our own resources plus some vegetables from them. We'll need to work on the soil..."
"I have a plan for that." Tin stood up to speak. "The druids may be able to help us, I've spoken to the druids recently, the current princess, Ivy, possesses magic that may be able to fix the soil. She should be arriving tomorrow with Elmaris escorting her."
"Perfect. I'll leave that to you. Tomorrow, I'll leave early morning and go get Clara back."