The third gate of the capital was a sight to behold. It was filled with beauty and splendor beyond imagination. But as Kai, the princess of Ariel kingdom, and the other border princesses walked towards the throne room, he couldn't help but notice something off about this perfect place.
The nobles they passed had their noses in the air, looking down on everyone else. Kai could tell that the capital's third gate was a den of snakes and foxes, just from how people acted here. Their smiles were fake, and their eyes were always moving, looking for any advantage they could find.
'The North is better,' Kai thought as he followed along behind the princess. At least back home, people were honest about who they were.
As they got to the throne room's door, the princess turned to face them. Her face was serious, and her voice was quiet but firm. "Okay, we're going in. Let me do the talking," she said. Kai could see she was tense, her shoulders tight and her hands clasped tightly in front of her.
Kai wasn't interested in talking in the first place, so he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded. He was happy to follow quietly behind the princess and let her handle things.
Just before the throne room doors opened, the princess took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Kai watched in amazement as her whole presence seemed to change. It was like watching a caterpillar turn into a butterfly, but instead of fragile beauty, she became something strong and powerful.
The princess exchanged a few quick, quiet words with her golden guard. Kai couldn't hear what they said, but he saw the guard nod firmly, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Then, the princess walked into the throne room. Her purple dress flowed behind her as she moved, making her look like she was floating. Every step she took was full of grace and authority. Kai remembered how calm and quiet she had been during their dangerous journey through the hellplain. She hadn't fought any battles then, but now he could see that she was strong in her own way. She walked like a warrior queen going into battle.
The king's throne room was amazing. The floor was made of smooth, shiny marble. The ceiling was decorated with sparkling green emeralds. Even the chairs for the ministers, lined up on either side of the hall leading to the throne, were made of solid gold. Kai couldn't help but stare at how fancy everything was. It was more wealth than he had ever seen in one place.
When they reached the foot of the stairs leading up to the throne, the princess knelt down on one knee. "Your Highness, the king," she said in a clear, strong voice. The other princesses followed her lead, kneeling as well.
"Your Highness," Jessica, Mercedes, and Eva all said together as they knelt down on one knee too.
Kai was different, though. Instead of kneeling, he just bowed his head. "Your Highness," he said, just like the others.
The king sat on his emerald throne, looking down at them all. His eyes were mysterious, like deep pools that Kai couldn't see the bottom of. The king had one hand under his chin as he leaned to one side of his throne, studying them.
"Hmm," the king said, nodding his head. But his eyes were focused on Kai. The king's mouth turned up in a small smile, but it wasn't a friendly one. It was the kind of smile a cat might give a mouse it was about to eat.
"Why didn't you kneel like the others?" the king asked Kai.
Kai took a deep breath before answering. He was scared of the king, knowing that this powerful man could crush him with just a word. But Kai was from the North, and they did things differently there. The North was its own place, not really part of the king's lands, even if they worked together sometimes. Kai had a duty to his people to show their strength and pride.
"In the North, we only kneel to our General and our parents," Kai said honestly. His voice shook a little, but he kept his head high.
"How dare you!" the king shouted, slamming his fist down on the arm of his throne. Suddenly, the air felt heavy, like it was pushing down on everyone in the room. This was the king's power, his 'might,' and he was aiming it right at Kai.
Kai thought he would fall to his knees under the pressure, but something amazing happened. The armor his parents had given him started to glow. A see-through, dark bubble appeared around Kai, protecting him from the king's power.
The king saw this and made an angry sound. "You will obey the rules of my kingdom," he declared, his voice echoing through the big room.
Kai was about to argue back, to remind the king that he hadn't asked to come here. The king had ordered him to come to the capital. But then he saw the look on the princess's face. Her eyes were wide, and she was silently begging him not to make the king any angrier.
So instead, Kai tried to explain. "Your Majesty, in the North, we're brought up differently," he said carefully. "There's a saying that if you want to be safe in a pack of wolves, you need to please the alpha wolf. But you also need to know that where I'm from, I was taught different things. It would be disappointing if you heard all the stories about the North, and then saw the only son of Thorne doing the opposite of what those stories say."
Stories about the North's bravery and pride had spread all around the kingdom. Even though no one from the rest of the Ariel kingdom had ever been there, because the North and the rest of the kingdom didn't always get along, people still talked about how strong and proud the Northerners were.
The king was quiet for a moment, thinking about what Kai had said. Then he spoke, his voice calm but with a hard edge to it. "That might be true, but in my kingdom, everyone follows my rules. I don't care about you Northerners' ways, but you will obey the rules here, unless..."
The king grinned, and for the first time, Kai and the others realized they weren't alone with the king. Eyes appeared from the shadows all around the hall, staring at them intently. These were the king's famous 'shadows' - his secret guards and spies who were always watching, always ready to strike.
Kai felt a chill run down his spine. He had heard stories about the king's shadows, but he had never thought they were real. Now he could see them, or at least their eyes, glinting in the darkness. He wondered how many were there, and what they could do.
The princess stepped forward, her voice steady even though Kai could see her hands trembling slightly. "Father," she said, addressing the king directly, "perhaps we could discuss the reason for our guests' visit? They have traveled far and faced many dangers to be here."
The king's eyes moved from Kai to his daughter. His expression softened just a little, but there was still a hardness there that made Kai nervous.
"Very well," the king said after a long moment. "Speak, daughter. Tell me of your journey and why you have brought these... guests to our home."
As the princess began to speak, telling of their harrowing journey through the hellplain and the alliances they had formed with the border kingdoms, Kai found his mind wandering. He thought about home, about the wild beauty of the North and the straightforward ways of his people. Here in the capital, everything was hidden behind fancy words and fake smiles.
But as he listened to the princess speak, Kai realized something. She was walking a fine line, just like he was. She was trying to please her father the king while also standing up for what she believed was right. Maybe they weren't so different after all.
The king listened to his daughter's words, his face unreadable. When she finished, he was quiet for a long time. The whole room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for his response.
Finally, the king spoke. "You have shown bravery and wisdom beyond your years, my daughter," he said. His voice was still stern, but there was a note of pride in it too. "And your companions have proven their worth by surviving the hellplain."
He turned his gaze back to Kai. "As for you, Northerner, your honesty is... refreshing, if misplaced. You will learn our ways while you are here, but I will not demand you abandon your own entirely."
Kai felt relief wash over him, but he knew this was just the beginning. The king might have accepted them for now, but life in the capital would be full of challenges. As he looked around at the glittering throne room, the watching eyes of the shadows, and the tense faces of his companions, Kai knew that their real adventure was just starting.
The North might be his home, but for now, this glittering, dangerous capital was where he needed to be. And somehow, he would have to find a way to navigate its treacherous waters without losing himself in the process.