It was a whole week until Debubae said that Zentik and the guards could leave. The dawn of their departure was a busy one. Stara was helping Debubae bring warm coats downstairs to distribute among the people. Bell and Kaink were packing up food that Debubae had made the night before to help them on their journey. The eldest guard - Sonag - was sparring with the youngest guard - Kulel - in front of the cabin. Kulel was only two years older than Zentik, and the two were close friends before society's pressure to separate the classes forced them into an awkward guard-and-guarded relationship.
"Prince, are you ready?" Noka asked, walking downstairs. They had hints of tears in their eyes, but Zentik decided not to question it, and simply nodded in response to the guard's question. "Good. You will ride with me, because the others still have to stay hidden."
Debubae handed Zentik a coat, which he could easily put on. It was buttoning the coat that proved difficult.
He used his palm to make it look like it had been buttoned, then walked outside. Sonag and Kulel stopped sparring to give Zentik a quick but deep bow. Kulel tilted his head, then pointed to Zentik's coat, which had already decided to open.
"It's fine," Zentik said as Kulel stepped forward to help him.
Kulel was still a new guard - and thus low-ranked - so he didn't try to argue. He went to return to sparring, but halted to quickly bow again, then turned to face Sonag again.
Zentik didn't feel uncomfortable when people his age treated him with high respect, but he certainly wished they were less awkward about it.
"You know, it's okay to ask for help."
Zentik jumped. A middle-aged man with Noka's eyes was next to him.
"Hello?" Zentik asked.
"I am Noka's father, Bentum."
"I'm Second Prince Zentik."
Bentum smiled.
"I know."
"I know you know. I'm just trying to be respectful."
"You're the royalty here. I'm just a cabin man of the north - I should be more respectful to you."
"'Cabin Man of the North.' That has a ring to it."
Bentum laughed.
"It does."
Zentik nodded and - hoping to not have the man give him a life lesson - looked around to see if he could help anyone.
Nobody looked like they needed help.
"They won't judge you if you ask them to help," Bentum said. Great. A life lesson. "Their job is to keep you safe, and helping you in the tasks you can no longer do might now be part of that job."
"It's dishonorable, though. What royal relies on servants to button a coat? We're not like the far-away royals, who can't even dress themselves."
"There is no dishonor in weakness."
Zentik raised an eyebrow in question.
"Honor is not a lack of dishonor, because no person is perfect. What makes a person honorable is the way they treat others and themselves. Self-respect and respect for others, Prince. Respect yourself by admitting your need for help. Respect others by allowing them to help. It will make life far easier."
With that, Bentum nodded at Zentik and went to stop Kaink from dropping a burning log onto the cabin. How ze got a random log to catch on fire, Zentik would never know.
----
The guards - used to packing in and out quickly - had finished preparing to leave before the sun was fully up. Zentik was sitting in front of Noka on their horse - his own horse walking closely by.
By noon, they had reached Ekitabae Tari. Long before then, the other guards had disappeared.
At the gate to the walled city, the guards had them pay a toll and put their horse in a stable.
"Why can't we bring them in?" Zentik asked as Noka helped him off the horse.
"It's a crowded city. These people want as much traffic as possible, because that's how they get their money. A horse would only block that, I guess."
Zentik followed Noka down a hallway that ran along the inside of the city's walls. They reached the gate entrance and turned left, where they were met with a bustling city. People shouted - some in anger, some in greeting. People ran - some towards friends, some away from soldiers. People poured in and out of every building on the crooked street. The cobblestone roads were worn with footprints.
"Whoah," was all that Zentik could say.
"Stay close," Noka said. "Zadu's building is far down this street, and there's pickpockets everywhere."
Zentik nodded and snaked through the crowds with Noka as a guide.
They eventually reached a tall stone building with intricate designs on the stained glass. The double sliding door had golden snake-shaped handles. Above the door was a wooden sign that had been filled with gold to say the words "Lonen un Snekbae" - House of Snakes.
"That's threatening," Zentik said.
Noka nodded and pushed open the door. Instantly, the smell of coins filled Zentik's nose. As he walked into the dimly-lit building, he coughed at the air of smoke from countless people's pipes. A desk at the front - where workers wearing coats with snake-head buttons handed papers to guests - was lit up by the sunlight shining through the stained glass. Zentik caught a glimpse of Kaink in the corner of his eye, but did nothing to acknowledge zir.
Noka walked up to a worker and handed them a paper signed by Lonek. The worker lifted their eyebrow as they read it.
"They don't like visitors, but who am I to deny a King's request?" the worker muttered, taking a stamp and pressing it on the top part of the paper. They handed it back to Noka. "Show this to the people watching the backrooms."
Noka nodded and took it.
"Why did we have to get it stamped?" Zentik asked as he followed Noka further into the casino.
"This is a casino that specializes in fortune-telling. You have to buy a paper at least a week before and get it stamped up front so you can have the time to think about whether or not you want to gamble away your money for the chance of getting a good future. Most of the 'fortune-tellers' here are nothing more than wannabes. The real divinors are in the backroom, and you need a special paper for that."
"I'm sure my brother's own letter is enough of a special paper."
"Exactly. It's also better."
"Why?"
"Because we got it for free."
Zentik and Noka laughed, but stopped when they saw the entrance to the backrooms. Unlike the workers that wandered around the casino, these workers held swords. Each sliding door had a lock on it, and the guards had the key well-hidden.
Noka handed one of the guards the letter. The guard nodded, then slid off one of their buttons. Turns out, the snake-head of that button was just a button cover, and the cover had a key carved into the area where it slipped between button and coat.
"That's genius," Zentik said as the guard unlocked the door. They pushed the button onto an intricately-carved handle, then turned it to the left. They pulled the button towards them, revealing a handle, then slid open the door. The guard watched carefully as Zentik walked inside.
They stopped Noka.
"Why can't they come?" Zentik asked.
"Only you have been given permission to see Zadu, Your Highness," the guard said. "Your guard must wait outside."
"Just take the paper, and you'll be fine," Noka said, holding the paper out to Zentik.
Zentik nodded and turned around. The door closed behind him.
"Follow me, Your Highness," a worker said, bowing to Zentik.
The worker led Zentik to a circular table with a half-open curtain wall. At the table, a person with the black hair and monolids common to Shezon sat. They held a pipe idly in their hands.
"Hello," Zentik said, sitting at the table. The worker closed the curtains around the table. "Uh, here."
Zadu took the paper that Zentik held out to them. As they read, they put their pipe to the side. They went to talk, but began to cough.
"Are you okay?"
"Oh, I'm fine," Zadu said, clearing their throat. They straightened their back and stared at Zentik with all-white eyes. "I hate smoking."
"Why do you smoke if you don't want to?"
"It adds to the mystery. Makes me sexier. Anyway, what do you want?"
"Uh, well, I had a few dreams."
"Ooh! And?"
"In the most recent one, there was a boy drowning in blood. A man sat on a throne made of glowing red strings, just watching. Next to the throne was another boy - around the same age as the first - and his eyes were red. He was controlling the strings of the throne. He was also using strings to hold the first boy in the water."
"What were the others?"
Zadu's face had shifted from a childlike, fun expression to one of solemn interest.
"A woman stole a gemstone from a vault in one. In another, the boy with the strings ripped apart the Unity Castle with his strings. It faded, then suddenly I was the boy. I was on a throne made of bones."
Zadu nodded. They took Zentik's hands in their own and their eyes began to glow. A chill settled in Zentik's bones as they closed their eyes.
"Great trial and greater victory is on the horizon. You will find both healing and destruction. A war is coming, but it is not among nations. It is among people."
Zadu let go of Zentik's hand. Their eyes still glowed as they opened them, but the shine quickly faded.
"Your young brother is not dead," they said, tears glistening in their eyes.
Zentik felt tears in his own eyes.
"Thank you," he said, handing money to Zadu.
"Be careful, Your Highness," Zadu said as Zentik opened the curtain to stand. "Be bold, but remember: there is bravery in retreat."
Zentik nodded at them, then walked out.
"Did you get the answer?" Noka asked as the pair went to exit the casino.
Zentik nodded.
"It's best that I describe it when we're back home."
Noka looked around.
"Agreed."