"HA! HA! HA! That was a rather clever move from you Duke Shamus! I knew you were a great warrior, but you would make an imposing politician as well!"
Lights from hovering orbs brighted an elaborate conference room. The gaudy place reeked of haughty nobles. Heavy scents of perfume perforated in the air. The light reflected on the expensive artwork of majestic Phoenixes, penned to the deep burgundy satin walls, imprinted with outlined patterns of the legendary creature. The edges of the walls were lined with shimmering gold. Tables and the furniture inside were all made from the fibers of expensive and magical Lumdar trees. Ornate and classy vases and art pieces were placed all around the room.
The light flickered off refined marble statues of strapping and dignified men, who looked similar to Duke Shamus. Plaques of precious metals anchored beneath the statues were etched with names of the figures ending with "of the East, Master of Fire." The statues were all the previous Dukes of the East.
A lone statue stood out in the middle, in front and apart from the others. In much grandeur and slight exaggeration, stood a statue of Duke Shamus of the East, Master of Fire.
A group of men from the same family and in refined military suits sat around a round table discussing matters of the Fire Faction of the Mage Council's newly conquered plane.
They had convinced the other Fire Families and used many votes the Fire Faction had been accumulating to control this new plane. It was one of the worlds home to the legendary Phoenix and was desired to be obtained by Duke Shamus's family.
"Those lowly peasants used the frontier decrees and took over those lands and refused to sell them to us! They had nerve messing with us! HA! HA! HA! Did they think they could last, defying our demands?!"
"We merely couldn't make it in time to save them, is all, Iliad. Those poor farmers." Duke Shamus faked his sympathy with sarcasm.
A chuckle started from one and spread to the 5 men sitting around the round table, turning into full blown scorning laughter.
"Idiots! What could a farmer possibly provide? Food?! We can import that! Did they think we needed them? Any of them? HAHAHA!"
"They should have taken our offer. We even were willing to pay them and have them relocated. They can't blame anyone, but themselves for their greed and idiotic willfulness."
"Father, I only pity we couldn't have them turned to slaves instead. At least that way they could have been of some other use."
"HAHAHA! Still can't forget that slave of Wendell's can you Evans, boy?"
Evans belted a complaint back at Duke Shamus. "Don't start father! You should have made the Baron gift that slave to you! That way we would have him even now!"
Evans's father laughed and smirked, making a joke at his son.
"Don't be greedy son, you're already so smitten with that beautiful siren! You're even going to get married next month! Now you're smitten with that slave as well?! She'll turn into her mother, full of jealousy and get revenge on you!"
The group of men laughed. They heard the story from the Duke about the irresistible slave that took on a group of men, satisfying them deep into ecstasy that they still recall their sensuous encounter.
They continued their chatter and discussed further plans for their newly acquired plane. Towards the end Duke Shamus ordered his son on a mission.
"Alright! We have a plan! I want this finalized and on a written decree for every head of each branch of the family! We will take back our ancestor's loss and redeem their honor. Evans! We are giving you the prestige of capturing and taming the mythical Phoenix! Depart immediately! Glory to the East! Masters of Fire!"
Everyone shouted in unison. "Glory to the East! Masters of Fire!"
Back in the quiet alley, Seth and his slaves were debating amongst themselves while a poor tearful girl looked on in dismay.
"I must find my parents! Please master! I know you want to aid the helpless girl, but please! I must find my parents!"
Seth was in a pickle. The girl was crying thinking there would be no one to help her. Her last hope was standing before her, possibly leaving her alone with her difficult ordeal.
"I'm sorry! Hic… I have no one else. Mommy will die… No one will help me…hic… Everyone else turned me away. They wouldn't even talk to me…hic… You're the first for days to hear my request. Please help me...hic…" The girl had trouble speaking as she broke down, bawling.
Seth never knew the love of parents. He couldn't truly understand the girl, but he too wanted his father's and step mother's love and care. He recalled the days he desperately tried to get their attention.
Seth had labored until the afternoon sun, dirty and sweaty from weeding and watering the fields. He was hungry, but he went to the nearby forest to gather some herbs he had seen his father sell before to a merchant at a stall in the town bazaar. He hurried home wanting to impress his father with his foraging.
"Dad! I finished the field work! Look, I even got all these herbs from the forest for you!"
Seth entered the house smiling and wanting praise.
Seth's father was eating lunch with Seth's step mother and step siblings. He scowled at him, looking at his dirty clothing. He got out of his chair and stomped his way to Seth. He grabbed the hard-found herbs and smacked his son's head, knocking Seth to his knees.
"Stupid brat! You're making the house dirty! Get out!"
"Why can't you ever learn Seth! Look at the mess you made for me to clean!"
A loud rumble from his empty stomach made his step-siblings laugh and point at him, calling him names.
"Get your bowl on the floor by the door and eat by yourself outside! Make sure you go back and finish the fields!" Seth's father reprimanded.
"Wash your own bowl too! You're old enough to take care of small things like that! I'll beat you if I find that you left anything unclean!" Seth's step-mother shouted at him.
Seth nodded his head and got up. Picking his bowl of watered down porridge, he looked back at the full bowls of food placed around the warm table of laughter of his family.
"What are you looking at, you dirty pig!" One of his step-sisters shouted.
"Go on boy! Get!" His father shooed him away.
Seth had no fond memories of his family. He longed for the day they would accept him, but that day never came. He looked at the weeping girl, jealous of her relations with her mother. Still, he wanted to do something for the poor girl. He was not in such a bad situation now.
"Silver, you go with the girl and help heal her mother. I don't know if I will be capable enough. Eli, I will go along with you to look for you parents and give them the money they are due for you becoming my slave."
"Is this even necessary, master? You don't even know her! She could be swindling you!"
Seth looked at Silver, listening to his complaints. "That may be true, Silver, but I want to help her. She is in need. I wished I had someone to help me when I was no longer able to do anything about my troubles. Think about this. Is there something that you went through that you could not do anything about by yourself? Had you not wished for someone to help you?"
Seth's question brought a bad memory to Silver's mind. HIs mother was one of many concubines of his father, the King of the Flood Dragons. She had passed away from the underhanded politics played behind the cold walls of his father's underwater castle. As a young prince with no mother, there was no one to protect him.
Silver recalled the times when he was at his weakest and most vulnerable. He hated those times. He hated everyone in the castle. He hated himself for being powerless. He vowed he would become powerful. He vowed to make everyone want him.
However, the times when he lost his mother were some of his most difficult. He cried when he was alone and put up an emotionless face in front of others. He would be beaten and treated horribly by everyone in the palace. Many attempts were made for his life, but he got away sometimes with a hair length from death.
His father looked down upon his outcries for help.
No one would help him.
He learned and played dumb while laying low. He closed off his heart to the world. He quietly learned and absorbed himself in his studies. He grew powerful and did now as he pleased and sometimes terrorized others, but looking at the helpless girl reminded Silver of himself at his weakest.
He didn't like her because she reminded him of his lowest point, but something inside him wanted to help her. He understood his master's question and was reminded of the soft fluffy feelings when he looked at his master.
Silver eyes softened and nodded his head to his master. A tickle to his heart made him uncomfortable. He looked back at his master, and he felt a warmth in his cheeks. Silver attempted to get the strange feelings out of him by slapping his face.
"Fine. She's so weak and pathetic, the great Silver shall show her mercy…And since you asked nicely master. The great me shall help this poor girl.' Silver looked at the girl. "Be grateful you little human!"
The girl wiped her tears and showed a heartfilled smile. She nodded and muffled,"Mmhff," in thanks.
"Thanks Silver. Alright, let's split up." Seth pointed to an older building at the edge of town on a dead end road. "We'll meet back at that inn over there. It's called the Sleeping Hour. I'll give everyone here enough money to book a room for three and dinner for us. The first person will book a room under my name. They know me well. Ask the person at the counter to see if any of us is there first. Understood?"
His slave noded in understanding, and Seth handed them 2 silver tickets each. It was more than enough to book a room and a meal for the three of them and still be left over with a decent amount of smaller tickets.
"Lead the way, squirt!" Silver ordered the girl. She quickly ran off into the alley and Silver followed before winking at Seth. "See you later in bed, master!"
"..." Seth was starting to get used to Silver's random suggestive comments. Focusing his thoughts, Seth motioned to Eli. "I think we should find someone who might better know what's going on. She would most likely know where any survivors are in town. Follow me Eli."
"Yes Master!" Eli hurriedly followed Seth, desperately wanting to find his parents.
They walked through the side of the busy cobblestone street. It was as if everyone in town was oblivious to the attack on the outskirts. The laughing and playing children running around on the sides of the road. Men and women went about their lives entering the different stone buildings.
The main street was clean and well built. The surrounding buildings were also well designed and made from better quality materials.
A rumbling of many carriages stopped and broke the bustling crowd.
LInes of carriages and a stream of heavy steps from the escorting Guardians, composed of knights and mages, drew everyone's attention. The deep burgundy and pristine carriages were finished in gold trim with a large emblem of a Phoenix engraved on both doors. Every carriage was pulled by two enormous bird creatures covered in reflective hues of blue feathers.
Evans sat bored and motionless inside the head carriage. He felt it was beneath him to look at the peasants staring from outside. Seth caught a glimpse of one of the perpetrators from that horrid night.
Seeing Evans, Seth crouched lower to hide his tall figure amongst the crowd. Seth was screaming inside his head. "Why is that bastard noble here?!"
Eli looked confused at his master and looked at the long line of nobles in carriages and the many Guardians escorting them. He voiced an angry complaint, but the clamor drowned out his outrage. "With so many, they could have wiped out the Mokai many times over! Why the hell are they simply walking around with nothing to do? So many farmers died!"
Seth didn't hear the complaint from Eli, not that he couldn't hear Eli. But because he was engrossed in fear at the presence of one of his tormentors, meeting him on the roads, narrowed by the dense crowd of people.