The Questing Game

"Such single-mindedness isn't a good thing, Kerri."

"Maybe not, but we do have craftsmen and workers, same as any other nation, Zak. Actually, we're a bit more advanced than the human kingdoms, but we don't trade or transport our technology off of Wikuna. Well, except for our pact to trade gunpowder to Shace in exchange for the sulphur they mine from their volcano. We have gunpowder and ca

"Wouldn't be a bad idea," the human agreed, looking at the land. "Pretty coastline. What's it like there?"

"Hot," she replied. "The hurricane's wind has cooled things down, but it gets hot down here. The main staples of this region of Wikuna is rice, sugar cane, and they also have good ship-quality timber."

"How big is Wikuna?"

"Well, the island is more like a continent, Zak," she replied. "Wikuna is just about the size of western Se

"Wow. A single kingdom owns as much land as the entire West."

"Alot of it is uninhabited, though," she admitted. "Wilderness dominates the i

"Guess there are no seas there," he chuckled.

"I think that may be part of it," she agreed with a grin.

"It would be fun to explore it," he said dreamily. "To brave the unknown, to trek into dark lands and find out what's there."

"Why Zak, you sound like you have the soul of an adventurer."

"When I was a slave, I used to dream of ru

The Princess cozied up to the huge human, grabbing his massive arm in her delicate hands and leaning against it. "Someday, Zak. Maybe some day, you'll get that chance."

"Maybe someday," he agreed. "But for right now, I'm content to stand with you."

"I'm glad to have you. So is Miranda. She really likes you."

"She's a bit wild, but I can deal with her."

"Both of us are a bit wild," she winked. "She's just wild in different ways, that's all. I have a temper, but Miranda loves to play games with men. She's a born heartbreaker."

"Don't you ever think of playing games with men?"

"Maybe later," she smiled. "Right now, I have more important things on my mind."

Though little was read into their conversation, the gist of it spread through the ship quickly. It wasn't often that the sailors heard the Princess speaking in such an informal and calm ma

The ten days in sight of land passed quickly, until the massive city of Wikuna appeared on the horizon. It was the oldest of all Wikuni cities, said to be the first city of their kind, full of old stone buildings of ancient appearance mingled in with newer architectural designs. The jewel of the city was the huge Royal Palace, built on top of a hill at the center of the city, allowing the golden dome of the main structure rise above all and amaze the spectator with its majestic might and power. The city was far to the north, and the steeply sloped roofs of the city's buildings demonstrated the need to have buildings capable of shunting off the weight of snow. The hightlight of the city was the huge, deep harbor, protected by three massive coastal fortresses and with a single large island right at the center of the outside edge, allowing the two cha

The sailors assembled on deck when the ship docked at a private quay used only by the Royal Family. It stood at the end of a wide avenue that ran straight through the city, straight to the Palace itself. Fifty mounted Marines waited at the end of the quay with a large covered carriage. A footservant stood by the carriage, waiting for the High Princess to take her leave of the ship and return to her former life.

There was little fanfare in it. The Princess and her four companions walked down the gangplank, across the quay, and entered the large carriage, a carriage brought with the Vendari in mind. And then it and its escort trotted away.

The sailors had no idea what had just occurred. They had no inkling of the significance of the event when Keritanima's feet stepped back onto Wikuni soil. They went back to their duties, relieved beyond measure to have the volatile Princess off Sailor's Pride and out of their fur.

They had no idea that her dainty feet setting foot on Wikuni soil would create shockwaves that would shake the world.

It was all so strange, yet so familiar.

Keritanima walked along extravagantly decorated hallways, wide and spacious, the hallways of the Royal Palace. She never dreamed that she'd be there again, to stand in the hallways where she used to play as a child, hallways that had lost their i

Five hundred years. Five hundred long bloody years, five centuries that degenerated Wikuna from a monarchy to a totalitarian state. There was no longer a king in Wikuna, there was an overlord. Damon Eram was the master of this land, and he ruled it with an iron fist, with no regards to the people he destroyed or the lives he a

There was quite a bit of pain wrapped up in that simple portrait. And not all of it was just hers. The house of Eram was responsible for the slaughter of thousands, from nobles to workers to i