Chapter Forty - One Kingdom...Two Different Worlds

Ailith held Nassandra's hand and expertly guided her through the Kingdom, avoiding the budding crowds that paved the streets. A rich and diverse assortment of people surrounded the Princess. Her eyes darted all over, fascinated with every new detail of the world she discovered.

There was hardly any time for respite so that she could catch her breath. Ailith was determined to show her every inch of the Kingdom, even if the warrior wasn't too familiar with the layout of the inner city.

''Do you know where we're going?'' Nassandra inquired.

''Not a clue.'' Ailith smiled.

''Do you have to treat everything like an adventure?''

''Why shouldn't I? It's like my Mama used to say...have the heart of an adventure, but the mind of a scholar.''

Nassandra arched her brow. ''Do you have the latter?''

Giggling at the cheeky jab, Ailith winked. ''I'm working on it. But, maybe that's why I'm glad to have you with me.''

Nassandra turned away to hide the glowing red over her cheeks. In doing so, her nose picked up a delightful smell coming from a small bakery nearby. Licking her lips, her eyes found a jiggling cheesecake sitting on the stand, a spiral of dripping cream on top beckoning her as if it had not already won her over.

She turned to where Ailith was standing. ''Shall we...'' she stopped upon noticing the warrior's absence. ''Ailith?''

Her heart jumped, fearing she had lost her one and only companion.

''Hey,'' Ailith called from behind, causing the Princess to jump. ''Sorry, I had to buy this before someone else did.''

Nassandra stared to find Ailith holding the cheesecake she had been eyeing a moment ago. Relieved and amused, Nassandra laughed. ''Prompt as ever when it comes to food.''

The two shared half of the pastry, savouring every soft bite that embraced their taste buds as they ventured onwards, stopping to admire whatever caught their attention.

Grand buildings standing so tall they seemed to make the world tip off its axis cast colossal shadows over them. Their architecture was otherworldly to Ailith, giving Nassandra the opportunity to step forward. ''They're accommodations commissioned during my grandfather's reign. Foreign investors aided in the constructions so that Arsalan could house the brightest from overseas to help the Kingdom prosper.''

''Are they still being built?''

''The interior is still under construction,'' Nassandra nodded. ''My father is seeing to the final stage, making sure everything is completed to perfection. I imagine that when I study abroad, I will be housed in something similar.''

''It almost looks like a museum. Not that I've ever been in one to know how-,''

Ailith failed to finish her sentence as Nassandra turned sharply to face her. ''You've never been to a museum?''

''No, I-,''

''Come with me.'' Once again, Ailith didn't get far before the motivated monarch took her hand and began to lead her away. The warrior stumbled at the sudden burst of energy and nearly dropped what was left of her cheesecake. Noticing Ailith almost crumble to the floor, Nassandra released her grip and froze. ''I-I'm sorry. That was too bold-,''

''No, no,'' Ailith grinned and extended her free hand to Nassandra. ''Be bold. Lead the way.''

Hesitant, Nassandra carefully took Ailith's hand but didn't move. Murmurs in the back of her mind gradually turned into harsh whispers, causing her to loosen her grip. The contact would have been lost had Ailith not tightened her hold, silently encouraging the Princess. Glancing up to meet the warrior's eyes, Nassandra was greeted with a warm smile that swept her worries aside for the time being. With her enthusiasm restored, they hurried towards their next destination.

It took a little longer than expected to reach the museum of Nassandra's choice, as Ailith wasn't content until she had become acquainted with stray cats that crossed their path.

''I am Ailith Natia! Chainbreaker and mother of kittens!'' the warrior cried out triumphantly whilst being smothered by a dozen balls of fur and claws, much to Nassandra's amusement.

After reaching the Arsalan History Museum and paying for entry, the two wandered around to their heart's content. Ailith had to be careful not to drag her lower jaw along the floor as she marvelled at the exhibits. Monolithic marble statues of the known Gods carved to perfection and rising above all over displays, set her imagination on fire. Their physique was different from any of the world's races or discovered creatures. Despite their lethargic state, she could still feel their divine power.

Clearly, she wasn't alone. Many people of different races kneeled around the numerous statues to pray, blessing their hands in shimmering liquid and cupping their faces with it. Their quiet voices, spoken in a variety of languages, hummed throughout the halls and creating chills over Ailith's body.

Nassandra glanced at her gawking friend. She thought about keeping quiet but felt confident enough for some witticism. ''No, you cannot fight a God.''

''I wouldn't do that...'' Ailith replied. She pursed her lips. ''I might ask for a friendly spar.''

''I'm afraid there's only one way that would end, and it would not be pleasant for you.'' They shared a small laugh between themselves, respecting others walking around the museum.

A curious thought tugged at the back of Ailith's mind. ''Do you think they're still out there?''

Nassandra turned to Ailith, surprised by the simple yet complex question. ''I believe so.'' She paused. ''I'll try to answer your question with one of my own. Do you think that the Gods bestowed magic onto the world? Or was the world already imbued with magic?''

Ailith's brow furrowed as she stood in puzzled silence. ''I don't know.''

''No one really knows for sure,'' Nassandra continued. ''But, uncovered texts from philosophers thousands of years ago theorised that the Gods were linked to magic. They might have used magic to form the world we know today or perhaps found a way to take the magic from the living things around us and become something celestial. Either way, they understood magic more than we do today, despite all the years that scholars and the Parliament of Magic have spent trying.''

Resting her voice, the Princess stared upwards and waited for Ailith to do the same. For a second, Ailith thought she was gazing at the most beautiful night sky she had ever seen. The ceiling was a flowing black ocean with stars shimmering in its waves, shifting flawlessly between countless constellations, living and breathing like the space beyond their world. Its display was so bewitching that Ailith reached her arm out in an effort to touch the stars.

Nassandra sighed dreamily. ''I believe there's truth to what people say about the stars. They inspired the Gods to wield magic, to create and control whatever they imagined. If they wanted to learn all of magic's secrets, they would have to journey to them. That's why I think the Gods are still out there. There's also an old saying that you might enjoy; behind every star, there is a warrior-,''

''A warrior who has passed on, leaving behind another chapter of our world's history to read when we stare out towards the universe. Spoken by Gallanderson from The Book of a Thousand and One Gods.'' Ailith finished, much to Nassandra's astonishment. ''I can read a philosophical book sometimes...if adventuring is involved.''

The shine in the Princess's smile rivalled that of the synthetic stars above. ''It looks as if when we return to the castle I shall have more reading material to lend you.''

They returned to a mutual silence, left alone in their respective thoughts as they walked around the museum for a brief period longer. Throughout their trip, Nassandra contemplating apologising to her friend for rambling, fearing that she was becoming a bore...or worse, an annoyance. However, every time she looked into Ailith's eyes, she saw the brightest little spark that encouraged her to speak louder and longer. The dread that lingered in the pit of her stomach was persistent but never swept over her as it would normally.

Fearing that their time was short, they found another way to cover more ground and see what else the Kingdom had to offer them.

Ailith became giddy once she discovered they would be taking a trip on one of the many Horseless Carriages that operated throughout the inner city. The transport held twenty other individuals inside, each with enough space to sit comfortably. Finding their own seats, Ailith and Nassandra gazed out of the window to watch the passing buildings and roads. The warrior became quite entertained by a puppet show on display. Worked by a Majan with hundreds of strings tied to his fingers, the puppeteer controlled a large variety of models across a huge set, enthralling children and adults with an epic tale.

Nassandra's eyes focused higher, over the rooftops of houses and in the direction of her own home. The castle was no longer in sight. Before she could wonder if they had reached past the inner portion of the Kingdom, a strange scent churned her nose. She then felt a presence close by. Keeping her head bowed and hood up, she turned to see a man in dirt-ridden clothes hastily stitched together standing next to her. The man held out his hat, the inside facing upwards. ''Would you be able to spare an Ark or two? Please?''

Nassandra felt the back of her neck begin to sweat, confused by what the man was asking of her.

''Hold on,'' Ailith suddenly spoke up, retrieving a few coins from her pocket. ''We still have enough for the trip back, so it's fine.''

The man gasped seeing Ailith drop six or seven gold and silver coins into his hat. ''Bless you, kind maiden. Have a nice day.'' He bowed before shuffling over to beg to the others occupying the carriage.

Ailith was about to sit back when she noticed the perplexed look plastered over the Princess's face. ''Are you okay?''

''Why would that man need to ask for coin? If he is unemployed, he should be looked after at one of the shelters.'' Nassandra stated, the worry in her voice growing.

''He probably was. But, there aren't many shelters left that haven't already been demolished.''

At that moment, the carriage came to a stop, dropping off passengers and receiving new ones.

Wanting to see things with her own eyes, Nassandra hastily got up and hurried out of the carriage, dashing down the pavement. Ailith followed behind, careful not to accidentally call out the Princess's name.

Instantly, Nassandra noticed the difference in her surroundings. She could find the cracks in the structures. She could feel the unevenness in the road beneath her feet. The air itself was thick with dirt, causing her to cover her mouth with the hem of her hood. Fewer people walked the streets. Their attire drowned of colour and finesse. That wasn't including the people sat within the corners of alleyways and hiding under whatever they could for shade.

''This is wrong,'' Nassandra whispered, folding her arms over her chest and clutching her arms. ''My father sought to improve the lives of everyone in the Kingdom after my grandfather passed. He proposed more shelters. More schools. Were they not built?''

Ailith flinched at the pain she heard in Nassandra's voice. ''We got letters saying they would. But, nothing was ever built. We were just forgotten.''

Nassandra shook her head. ''My father would never do that.''

''Maybe he didn't mean to.'' Ailith half-heartedly defended. ''Maybe...he put more focus on those closer to the castle?''

A cold breeze brushed against Nassandra's skin, causing her to shiver. Her eyes darted back in the direction of her home. The cobblestone smoothed itself into a flat surface, and the detail and purity of the buildings were evident. Even the people seemed to keep themselves separate, refusing to step on the wrong side of the line.

One Kingdom...two different worlds.

''Lord Bricen was right.'' Nassandra sighed. ''I keep my distance when I should know more about my Kingdom and the state it's in.''

Ailith placed a comforting hand on Nassandra's arm. ''Well, you know now. That means you can work towards helping.''

''Ailith, how am I expected to fix half a Kingdom when I can't even fix mysel-,'' she stopped herself, gritting her teeth and staring at anything other than Ailith.

The warrior rattled her brain, trying to think of something helpful to say. ''I'm not a political person, so I don't really have an answer to this,'' she gestured towards the downtrodden people and their homes. ''All I do know is that you don't complete a journey with one leap. It takes a lot of little steps before you reach where you need to get be.''

Nassandra locked eyes with her. ''But, what if I find myself lost on that journey?''

''I don't think you can ever be lost. You just find yourself in someplace different with a new path that might lead to something better. Not perfect, but better.''

Despite the guilt and frustration gnawing at her from the inside, Nassandra couldn't help but smile, glad to hear at least one voice that didn't force her to look at the worst-case scenario. ''We should return before we are discovered. It's approaching dusk, and the carriages don't run during the night.''

Ailith nodded and looked outwards. The longer she stared, the more something compelled her to stay. A memory clutched her and guided her attention past the buildings...the familiar buildings that caused a warm glow to flicker in her chest. ''I think I know this place...''

''You do?''

Ailith pointed at a particularly tall building. ''That's the church where my school used to visit before it was demolished. After that, there should be Lewis's Lamppost and Liquor Store. Then, there's the field where I used to play Dragons and Vreapers. And...'' her throat tightened. ''Mama and Papa.''

Her voice was so quiet that Nassandra almost missed what she said. Hearing the warrior speak so softly tugged at the Princess's heart. ''Have you not spoken with them since the tournament?''

''No.'' Ailith turned, trying to wear a brave face.

Holding back a gasp, Nassandra stepped forward. ''Do you...I mean...would you want to see them?''

Ailith's brow disappeared into her hairline. ''Really?''

Nassandra replied with a simple nod. The thought of being torn away from her father frightened her to no end. It was already painful enough that her mother was...

She nearly fell back when she felt Ailith leap forward and wrap her strong arms around her. Too startled to move, it wasn't until the warrior swiftly retreated before they separated. ''I'm sorry!'' Ailith apologised and bowed. ''I don't think I'm allowed to do that, am I?''

''It...it is n-not usually customary, no.'' Adjusting her cloak and hiding her blush, Nassandra cleared her throat. Though Ailith's actions knocked her off guard, she couldn't stop herself from smiling. ''But, for you, it can be an exception.''

~X~

''I think you'll get along with Papa well. He's a bit timid sometimes, but he can open up once you get to know him. Mama seems intimidating at first. It's nothing you should worry about...''

Nassandra listened to Ailith's continuing chatter, hoping to keep her mind preoccupied so that it wouldn't scold her for the decision she made.

Was this the right call? The day was coming to an end and Fethawi could only stall for so long. What if news spread of her absence from the castle spread? The White Sword would surely take this as an opportunity to stalk the streets until they found her.

''What's going on?'' Ailith's question dragged her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see a quaint building in front of her. No doubt it was the inn that belonged to Ailith's parents.

And, judging by yelling, there seemed to be an intense commotion happening inside.

A/N: Hello guys, girls and everyone else. I am so sorry that this chapter took so long. I was on holiday and, admittedly, had a little crisis of confidence. I won't go into details, but rest assured, I am back and will be updating this story regularly from now on until it is finished. Maybe every day, or at least once every two days unless something comes up. I want to thank everyone who has enjoyed this story so far and asked for more.

This chapter wasn't actually meant to be this long. I had too much fun writing Ailith and Nassandra's trip around the Kingdom. I actually could have written more but I didn't want to drag this out much longer. Are you looking forward to the next chapter? What is happening at the inn? Will Ailith and Nassandra be discovered? All these questions and more will be answered soon. Until next time, take care and thank you.