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Chapter 6 - Cultivation
Metheus
It was a long, arduous journey by sea. However, Razuku, Cora, Emir, Eli, and I were all used to working hard, bearing the sun’s heat. Our bodies had been primed for toiling, hands rough from tilling the soil. Still, it did not spare our youngest, Eli, from the undulating movements of our boat. He was sick for most of the trip. Only fifteen summers old, he wanted adventure. He was also one of my best farmers, and I could not imagine not having him work for me.
“I never could understand why Father let you go with us,” I said, glaring at Cora, who had Eli lying down on her lap.
“Eli is my brother. You know that I won’t let him go on his own,” she said innocently, caressing her brother’s sweaty forehead. He had finally fallen asleep after moaning, groaning, and vomiting.
Of course, she batted her lashes, which she knew had no effect on me. For years, damn, Cora had still not learned anything. I saw her as one of my closest friends, but I could not see her beyond that. It might be more my fault than hers, though. Sometimes, I wondered why I never even just gave in. Out of curiosity? Out of pity? I cared for her so much to use her like that. However, we could probably benefit from her tenacity and hospitality. She could cook very well. It would be certainly valuable, especially if Mogochislenians did not know how to please us with their meals.
“He is more than capable of taking care of himself, and you know that,” I still growled at her, even as I felt some gratitude for her presence. She was very stubborn, but so was I. So, what was Father thinking, sending a woman who always found an opportunity to throw herself at me? In the Prozeus fields, it was merely annoying. But out there in Queenspell when I was supposed to be presented to a princess? I shook my head in frustration. Cora would be the death of me, and she was not even my lover.
True, I had no desire to be of any romantic use to the fire princess, but I valued our honor. What would Queen Soraya think of my father and myself if Cora could not behave herself?
As we neared the edge of the continent, my breath hitched. It was beautiful, and it was magical that we were witnessing it as the sun rose. I could still see forests, probably more stunning during their best years. The fringes had turned brown, and the bushes looked dried up even from where we were. There was a certain sadness to them, like the feeling I often got when I ventured into the middle of a desert. I could feel it should have been something more, but it turned out not to be.
When we reached the shore, we were amazed by the smell of smoke and ruin. The first place that we landed on was supposed to be Leiderman. We had to find horses here, or we would have to walk all the way to Queenspell. From what I had read about the Mogochislenian domains, royalty often arrived announced with much fanfare. There would be several knights, guards, and other entourage. Trumpets would be sounded, and the horses’ hooves would announce the arrival from kilometers away.
“I am sorry to disappoint you, Princess Luella, but your groom might be coming on foot with three rough men and one persistent woman,” I muttered.
We were ready for any fight, armed with bows and arrows, each with a dagger and even a sword. We each had a bag of belongings. I made sure the pouch of jewels was secured around my belt.
Razuku and Emir brought bags of some of our farming tools. We only brought a few, knowing that, more likely, Mogochislenia had everything we needed. What they really needed was what they perceived to be my knowledge. Only my father and mother knew about my secret, and I was not yet ready to tell anyone about it – how I could “heal” dry lands.
“Your Highness, you should have taken your father’s offer and taken the large boat. We could have carried the horses,” Razuku panted.
As my best friend, he knew he could get away with telling me what I should have done. I knew I was supposed to do that, but I willfully refused my father.
“The prince wants to play the pauper,” jeered Cora. “But he has rubies and diamonds for the princess!”
They were right, of course. I did not think about it properly. Still, my sense of adventure had longed for this. Anyway, I will soon be going back to Prozeus with Emir, Cora, Razuku, and Eli would start a settlement for the farmers to prepare for my return.
We walked through the village of Leiderman. People watched us strangely, even backed away from us.
“They prepared the way for us, Your Highness,” laughed Razuku.
“Of course, idiot. They would not want to be tainted by our touch. We are barbarians to them,” Cora grumbled at him.
I could tell Cora was not pleased. She had always been one of the most beautiful in Prozeus, and now people were ogling her dress, looking at her with undisguised distaste. It was not the fashion in Mogochislenia, with its short, puffed sleeves. As for us men, the Leiderman citizens were not too happy with us wearing open vests, revealing our chests. I did not care much for what they were thinking, but it somehow confirmed what I thought about the people of Mogochislenia. Or about most of them, I added to put in a bit of fairness.
We still had a long way to go. So, I had to do something. As we passed the market square, I saw a man holding the bridles of three white horses.
“How much are your horses?” I asked in the common tongue.
He wrinkled his nose at me in what seemed like disgust – or perhaps disbelief. I could tell he did not believe I could pay for the horses. He named his price, and I shoved gold coins into his palm.
“M-my lord, I still have another horse in another market stall,” he stuttered as he saw that I had paid him three times the actual price.
“They will do,” I said, inwardly amused at how he practically called my gold his lord.
Emir and Razuku shared a horse, while Cora shared with her brother. They knew I could not be bothered with anyone sharing mine. So, we set off.
Before midday, we arrived at the castle. Thankfully, there were no looks of disgust or snide remarks. We were expected, and the guards had let us in without any issue.
“Your Highness, Prince Metheus, you can leave your horses here. They are waiting at the Great Hall. Philip will bring you there.”
We dismounted our horses, which were promptly collected by a stable hand. The young man, perhaps a squire named Phillip, waited on us.
