Jedin was returning from packing a few things, to meet Kassadea and Jerith at the palace stable so they could set off to find Moira and the Wand of Inheritance.

 

He still could not believe what had happened at the coronation, and what Moira had said about releasing the seals to the demon worlds and taking power over them. Why, thought Jedin to himself, would Moira do such things? She had always been kind and gentle before. True, she had been disappointed that she had lost the honor of being Mage to King and Queen, but it still confused him.

 

Jedin had hoped that perhaps there was some sort of explanation that he could accept for the mysterious circumstances that surrounded his sister, or that he could help her come back and overcome whatever she was facing. But every day, the events connected to her weighed on Jedin’s mind, and he lost hope. Now the threat to reopen the gates to the demon worlds… If what Moira said was true—if she was successful—Jedin feared the possible implications for the kingdom.

 

As Jedin thought on things, he arrived at the stable on the west side of the palace.

 

“Jedin it’s not like you to be so late,” said Jerith, who had been waiting there with Kassadea.

 

“Sorry, I had things to consider while packing,” said Jedin.

 

“Enough with waiting, the horses have been ready,” said Kassadea as she anxiously ran her hands through the skirt of her riding dress.

 

Jedin mounted his horse and the three of them left the stable. They went south through the small town of Kassadea that had grown around the new palace, and had become the new capital of Volerum—named for the new queen.

 

They continued on the road south for some time. They passed farm houses with some of the farmers out working to get the last of the chores done before dark. As they rode, Lake Laya came into view.  They were headed for the city at its south end which was also called Laya. They would stay the night in the old palace before heading to the woods further to the south the next morning.

 

Jerith rode ahead while Jedin and Kassadea rode back to talk to one another.

 

“Jedin do you really think that Moira could be opening the gates?” asked Kassadea.

 

“I hardly know what to think anymore. She said that she was going to and that she was going to take power over them,” said Jedin.

 

“How would she take power over demon worlds?” questioned Kassadea.

 

“Moira is a powerful mage, and has always been resourceful. She isn’t the same Moira we use to know,” said Jedin.

 

Jedin and Kassadea rode in silence for some time, and it began to be dark, so Jedin lit some colored lights that danced around the three of them.

 

The world seemed so peaceful despite the events that were taking place. So few of the people even knew what troubles where brewing and how their pleasant lives might soon be turned upside-down.

 

As Jedin pondered these matters, he looked up; the City of Laya had appeared around the edge of the lake. In the distance Jedin could also see the dim outline of the forest. The image seemed ominous to Jedin’s mind. That wood was the place where Moira was said to have been seen, and where the gates had been during the Demon War.

 

Jedin turned his mind from such dark thoughts to when he had been young.  He and Moira had been raised in Laya, with Kassadea. He remembered the games they played as children, mostly playing tricks on people with their magic. When they were caught, their father would tell them that “Magic is a tool that is not to be used to play tricks on people.”

 

He would usually add the, “Well not too often anyhow,” as bubbles of water would appear over them and drop on their heads.

 

Jedin began to laugh at his memories.

 

“What are you laughing at?” asked Kassadea in a puzzled tone.

 

“Oh just times too far away,” said Jedin

 

Kassadea didn’t know if Jedin had just tried to make a joke or not, and looked confused at Jedin’s remark. Jedin chuckled again and Kassadea gave up trying to understand.

 

The three of them came across to the bridge that led to the main gate of Laya.

 

“Who’s that we have there?” said the guard at the gate.

 

“It is I, Kassadea, Queen of Volerum,” said Kassadea in a commanding voice.

 

“Oh! ‘Queen’! I guess it is that now then. Go, go on in then,” said the gate guard with a hint of surprise.

 

The gate was unlocked and clanked open, and the three of them entered the city.

 

Laya was the largest city in Volerum, and was built on the South Eluthae River, that flowed from Lake Laya. To Jedin’s dismay, the city had began to decay and corrupt. His father always said that it was the power of The Dark Force that caused decay, corruption and evil to come into the hearts of men, while others believed that the darker deeds of mankind brought the Dark Force to feed on them.  For himself, Jedin didn’t understand what The Dark Force was except what was left in legends. He had thought that The Dark Force was dead, but others seemed to think that his powers lived on somehow. For the most part, Laya wasn’t such a bad place, but it did seem to see more decay and crime as the years went by.

 

The familiar city was, however, pleasant to Jedin’s eyes. The old palace towered in the center of the city. Its several spiring towers give it almost the appearance of some great mountain. Continuing though the town, they soon came to the market plaza that surrounded the palace walls. They went to a small back gate where they were let into the palace yard. The moon was bright overhead, and lit the meandering stone path that lead to the stables.

 

“Princess, it is good,” the man who greeted them in the stables paused to correct himself, “Queen as it is now? It is good to have you here tonight.”

 

“Thank you. We are quite tired and will soon be retiring. If you could please put up our horses,” said Kassadea.

 

“Yes Prin… My Queen!” said the man.

 

Jedin had to suppress a laugh at the poor man’s “Prin,” and his over emphasis on “Queen!”

 

As the man put up their horses, another man came to show them to their rooms.  They came out into the cool air of the palace yard and took the windy path that led them to the main entrance of the palace. The inside of the old palace was simpler than Kassadea’s palace, but still elegant.  The walls where made of white plaster with dark trim and dark polished wood doors. The magic orbs that lit this palace were a bit more obvious than in Kassadea’s as well.

 

The man brought them to some rooms and stopped.

 

“Tell the groom that we will be leaving early tomorrow, and to have our horses ready,” said Kassadea to the servant, who had been guiding them to their rooms.

 

“Good night,” said Kassadea to Jedin and Jerith, before entering her room.

 

“Good night, Kassadea,” said Jedin.

 

“Good night, my Queen! Kassadea,” Jerith had been sure to emphasis Kassadea’s proper title as he glanced sideways at Jedin as he said it. Jerith had never approved of Jedin’s lack of using Kassadea’s proper title.

 

Jedin chuckled to himself as he went into his own room.