Page 25 of Vicious Princess
I have no clue what the Ezkai training entails, but if I have to guess based on the Decarios training in Wetra…it’s going to be less than pleasant and extremely taxing on the mind and the body.
I need a temporary place to reside.
Instead of trying other inns here in Bussek, I choose to give another part of the city a go. Maybe people there will be kinder to foreigners. With my head high, I march through the city streets towards Spuleb.
My intuition is right about Spuleb. Here the streets and buildings are much humbler and less colorful and flashy.
So is the crowd.
It’s definitely not as run-down and dodgy as Kozem. But it’s definitely close enough.
Every face I pass carries the signs of hardship, of a life that’s less than kind. The clothes most folks wear are worn, made from a simple muslin cloth. These are hardworking folks whose shoulders carry the burden of running the city, the whole country.
The invisible folks.
I wander the streets here for a while. The first inn turns me away the moment I open my mouth.Sure, I have an accent. But I still speak fluent Ekiosh.
“These fucking fae,” I muter to myself as I leave.
To my luck, the second inn I enter is run by a Wetran man. I’m so relieved to see another human, to hear my mother tongue, I almost cry out of joy and embrace the old man in a tight hug. The stench of tobacco clinging to him and the few missing front teeth stop me.
This inn is very humble compared to Kazh’s inn, with creaking wooden floors underneath my feet, and moldy walls and ceilings. The old man offers no breakfast nor hot water. But I have a single bed in a small room with tiny window above it and a door with a lock.
With a sigh, I fall onto the bed, facing upwards. The sheets are dusty and soaked with all sorts of scents I don’t want to think about. The mattress is firm under me. But it makes no difference as sleeps drags me under.
One more day.
II. SUNRISE
CHAPTER TEN
Throughout the night, I keep waking up. I’m terrified of oversleeping and missing my first day.
Just as the first rays of early-morning sun breach the sky, I roll out of bed with a sigh and get dressed. My stomach is in knots, so I don’t even try to find breakfast or a coffee. Adrenaline fuels me.
I arrive at Ezkai Castle an hour early.
The sun sleepily hangs just above the mountaintops, illuminating the clear sky in the most beautiful shade of pink. I don’t enter the castle grounds, pacing along the tall stone wall while I watch the sun rise above the mountains and the city.
A familiar roar pierces the sky. My heart picks up the pace, but this time around I know exactly what to search for. I crane my head to the sky above me, searching for the beautiful creatures.
Three dragons soar towards the castle. The one in the middle is larger than the others, its scales shimmering brighter. I’m closer this time, have a better view. The Ezkai sit tall and regal in the saddles atop their dragons.
I marvel at the sight, my chest swelling with desire so strong, I find it hard to breathe. Only when the dragons land on the roofof the castle one by one do I finally look away. I can’t believe there are dragons in Ekios.
Soon, young fae Decarios start to arrive, filtering through the large iron gate at the front into the castle grounds. Some are confident and dressed in fine clothing. While others wear simple work clothes.
So not all fae Decarios are born into prominent families here.In Wetra, human Decarios are so rare, every family line belongs to the higher society. It seems that Ekios has no shortage of fae Decarios and being gifted by the gods doesn’t secure a cushy life.
At the gate, four Ezkai guard the entrance. I offer them the official greeting, then make my way up the stone paved path that leads to the castle. At the entrance to the castle, two more Ezkai stand guard. These two eye me and gesture for me to stop.
The petite fae jerks her chin at me. “What business, human?”
Assertively, I say, “I’m here for the Ezkai Academy. It’s my first day.”
She eyes me skeptically as if she doesn’t believe a human could attend.
“Go inside and turn to the left. They’ll tell you which group you’ll be assigned to,” the other Ezkai finally tells me.
