Vessel Kingdom

Naajim

Naajim could only gasp at the amount of food that was hoarded on top of Sapphire's arms while she chewed on pastry that dripped honey from the corners of her mouth. Archie, as he preferred himself to be called, rolled his eyes in disgust.

'Why don't you try some,' said the girl with her mouth still full, 'It's good.'

'Where did you grow up?' the boy retorted.

'The palace. Why? Got a problem with that.'

'I doubt it your claim.'

Sapphire stuffed her face with another pastry and tried to pull out her tongue at him. Instead, she turned to Naajim and said, 'Want one?'

Naajim had to admit that he was hungry. He picked up one from her arm with a bow. The pastry was thick, yet honey pooled into his tongue when he bit into it.

'It's good,' he said.

'See?' said Sapphire, turning to Archie.

'Are we done here,' said Gentetsu. 'We should get back.'

The children nodded. Archie noticed Naajim holding a dagger and gave him a questioning look. Naajim handed it over, only to have Archie raise an eyebrow at it and give it back.

'Impressive,' said Archie.

But unfortunately, Naajim could only guess the meaning of the word. He followed the children back to the palace and back to their passage. Tashara seemed to be enjoying the view since she looked at every wide eyed. She trotted next to him, absorbing the view with her hazel eyes.

'So lively,' she said.

Naajim nodded. If Artaria during the market season could force a few words out of Tashara, then it was worth its praise. Neither the palace guards nor the city guard bothered about four cloaked figures wandering around in the city. Only Gentetsu stood out in his black attire. It seemed the boy was well known, everywhere.

When they made it back towards the Earic's secret office, there was a commotion going on inside. It was an unfamiliar voice. Gentetsu frowned and knocked in the door. When no one replied, he burst in.

'My prince! I mean... my king. Er... Earic?'

Earic was found sitting on his chair with a scroll in his hand. All the over scrolls were sprawled around in the floor while Prince Tyler, as Naajim remembered, stood with his arms crossed. Gentetsu, glared at the prince to which the young man gulped, 'Hay, I did nothing to your precious king.'

'It's okay, Gen,' said Earic. 'We just got some... shocking news. Close the door. Sir Leonard will join us shortly.'

'Wait,' said Prince Tyler eyeing both Naajim and Tashara, 'Who is that two?'

'None of your concern.'

'Of course it's my concern when you involve foreigners into internal affairs.'

'It's not internal; actually, they deserve to hear this. It's about their home.'

Just then, someone knocked the door and the burly general squeezed into the already compact room.

'Your highness, you summoned me?'

'Yes. I did,' said Earic. He stood up and looked around at everyone. 'Oblivion became a vessel kingdom of Shokra.'

The announcement was followed by silence. Some faces retorted into disbelief. Some faces looked confused, like Naajim, who leaned towards Gentetsu and asked, 'What does that mean?'

'It means,' Earic sighed, 'That means your sultan has agreed to hand over the kingdom to Shokra. He will rule the land but the monarch of Artaria will be his superior.'

Naajim still was confused. Sapphire cleared her throat, 'It means the queen of Artaria became the sultan's queen as well.'

'Oh,' said Naajim. It took a while for the news to sink in. He then looked up and asked, 'How?'

'Precisely the question I wanted answers to,' said Earic.

'She might have invaded,' said Prince Tyler.

'Oblivion is a kingdom which does not lack in military strength. They also have mercenary guilds and very enthusiastic fighters. The sultan could gather them all for an invasion if he wanted to. Also, they seem very patriotic.'

'Still_'

'Shokra does not have the ability,' interrupted Archie.

'How can you be sure?'

'He's a noble from Shokra,' said Earic.

'Huh?' said Prince Tyler, 'No wonder you talk funny.'

Sapphire could not help but giggle, earning a scowl from the boy.

'Still,' said Earic. He walked other to the wall at the side of his office and drew away the curtains, revealing the world map plastered on the wall. In its center was a landmass colored in faded yellow and outlined by thick brown strokes with letters etched over it. Naajim knew the landmass was Oblivion. It was as big as its neighbor; Tolleron. And it was big, bigger than the both Shokra and Artaria combined. Oblivion was situated directly below Shokra, separated by a stretch of the ocean to the left. It was easy to access Oblivion from Shokra. Naajim understood that. Maybe it was not that impossible.

But he knew his people.

Oblivion was never invaded for the past thousand years. Even if it were, it was never conquered. Never completely. The desert protected the land from all sides, also by all the beasts that lived under the dunes. Only an Oblivion could survive the heat and sand.

'So,' said Earic. 'It was definitely not an invasion.' He looked down at the letter, confused, 'It says an omen appeared in the sky over the city of Dhahabi and the queen promised sanctuary if they became a vessel kingdom.'

'Well, that's ridiculous,' sneered the second prince. 'Who knew the sultan was into superstition.'

'It has to mean something else, sire,' said Sir Leonard. 'Can you trust your sources?'

'Yeah, and since when did you have spies in other kingdoms?' said Prince Tyler, this time leaning over the pale silver haired boy. 'What were you doing all these years after you chased me away?'

'Now is not the time, Tyler!'

Naajim looked back at the map while Sapphire and Prince Tyler got into a heated argument with Sir Leonard.

'Maybe someone read the stars and predicted something bad,' said Sapphire.

'Sure. And a sultan will give away his throne just for that,' retorted Prince Tyler.

'Surely it does not mean an omen. The person must have meant something else,' said Sir Leonard.

'But it's over a city...' Sapphire reminded. 'Maybe it's a big storm.'

'What can a queen do against a storm?' Prince Tyler huffed.

'Maybe she promised good weather without droughts?'

'Over one city? Sacrifice a whole kingdom for a city which isn't the capital? This is getting even crazier by the hour!'

Tashara looked up at Naajim, trying to read what was going on in his head. Archie had a very bored look while Gentetsu was yet glaring daggers at Prince Tyler.

'So...,' said Sapphire. 'What... do we do?'

'Nothing!' said Prince Tyler. 'What else do we do? Let that deranged queen have her way as long as she doesn't bother us! Women! I knew they were trouble. And how come one of them causes this much disturbance.'

'I can cause a lot of disturbance, and ruin your face in the process,' said Sapphire with her arms folded at the prince.

'Tyler, just get out,' said Earic.

'Oh no, I really want to see what "his majesty" will decide to do.'

'Fine then,' said Earic with a grin. Naajim recognized that grin. It was the grin he gave when he had a very villainous idea in mind. Even Gentetsu noticed it. Prince Tyler seemed to have got a feeling that he had dug his own grave.

'You, dear brother, may go and investigate the phenomenon,' said Earic.

'Me?'

'Yes,' said Earic. 'You are one of our brave generals. Lack of anything to do seemed to have made you rather grumpy. Don't fret, you will be accompanied my Naajim, Sapphire and Ar-Archer... here.'

'Archie.'

'Archie... Okay.'

'Why us,' said Sapphire.

'I cannot leave the kingdom,' said Earic. 'So someone else must go. Sapphire and Ar-Archie are well trained. Naajim lived in Oblivion. You cannot cross the desert without a local. You will be provided all the provisions but only you can go. No one must know that we are poking out fingers into this.'

'Why are we poking out fingers into this in the first place... It's not like it can affect out kingdom_'

Earic gave out a very exhausted sigh, 'Tyler. Think for a minute. We are their neighbors. We are weak at the moment. But for some reason, she is stalling from taking over Artaria. We need to know what is going on.'

'But, your highness,' said Sir Leonard, 'You are not clearly suspecting that the Queen is trying to... unite all kingdoms?'

'I don't know,' said Earic.

'You are obsessed about what she will do,' said Sir Leonard.

'Because she is planning something!'

'How can you be so sure, brother?'

'It's just_'

'You got to meet her to understand,' said Archie.

Everyone silenced.

'What do you mean?' said Gentetsu.

'There is something about her that makes you feel like, she is above us. It's true, considering who she is. But there is this feeling that she is waiting anxiously for something. Something big, and you are just a pawn of it.'

'She is planning something,' said Sapphire. 'For years... I thought it may have been only for Shokra. But that does not seem to be the case.'

No one spoke for a while. Instead, they all turned their heads to the boy king at the front of the desk. The boy sat down and read the scroll again, deep in thought. He looked up.

'We need to know. I cannot contact my spies. They only send me news when something significant happens.'

'You are just trying to get rid of me,' muttered Prince Tyler.

'I am sending by best resources with you!'

'Wait? You mean these kids?'

'You will leave tomorrow. This is an order, brother.'