Chapter 11: You Wouldn’t Wanna Know
A pang of disappointment hit Noah. He had assumed Alatair would escort them to the palace. The man might have been eccentric, but his presence at least offered them a reassuring sense of security.
He and Sophie stood off to the side, waiting for the adults to finish their business. The conversations were winding down, and they knew their time with Alatair was coming to an end.
Alatair addressed them. "We will be heading to another part of the market to gather some crops before we depart. It’s a bit farther from here, so Franco will be guiding you the rest of the way. And remember—the walls may protect you, but it is the unseen barriers that will test you. Until next time, when the hands of our fate again intertwine.”
Noah sighed. Again with the riddles?
Still, he was thankful for all the support that the Elder had provided. Without him and the help of his villagers, who knew where he and Sophie would’ve ended up?
“Thank you for your help!” he called.
Alatair gave a small nod of acknowledgement and his group headed off, leaving Noah and Sophie to follow their new guide.
Franco turned to them with a warm smile. “I haven’t yet properly introduced myself. I’m Franco Rossi, resident of Mytharus, the crown jewel of the Mytharean Kingdom. As Sir Alatair requested, I’ll be assisting you on your journey to meet Anna Aurevella. This way, please.”
“How long have you known Alatair?” Sophie asked, raising her voice over the bustle of the market.
Franco laughed. “25 years, maybe? I’ve known him since I was a small child.”
“Wow, that’s long. I can see why he trusts you so much.”
“He is a wise man, with wise words. Though I imagine he may seem imposing to some.”
“I don’t know. He’s weird, but somehow I feel comfortable around him,” Sophie added thoughtfully.
They stepped onto a bridge, the sound of children’s laughter ringing from the river below.
“This city looks pretty happy,” Noah observed, peering over the ledge. A few kids were frolicking about in the shallows, while the adults lounged by the riverbank nearby. Despite the afternoon sun bearing down on them, the weather was still cool and breezy enough for people to walk without breaking a sweat.
“It’s not perfect, but I’d say we’re better than most,” Franco stated. “There may be segregation and even some prejudice among citizens within the city, but overall, I’d say life here is pretty good. Especially if we compare it to the neighbouring kingdom of Vyndamas…”
“Is it bad there?”
Franco shook his head. “You wouldn’t wanna know.”
The road they were travelling on merged into a wider main street, lined with even larger, more important-looking buildings. The traffic here was denser, with carriages and carts weaving between the crowds.
Up ahead, Noah spotted the second wall, also with a guard booth stationed by the entrance. Now that he was closer, the buildings inside it appeared more refined, and he could only guess that they belonged to the city’s wealthier residents.
Franco walked up to the booth and took something out of his pocket. Noah guessed it was a badge of some sort.
"Good afternoon. We're here on Sir Alatair's orders and seek permission to meet Anna Aurevella."
The guard gazed at them curiously. “You mentioned Anna Aurevella? Not His Majesty Antova Aurevella?”Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
“That’s right.”
“For what purpose?”
“We have been instructed to keep things confidential.”
The guard looked amused. “Unfortunately, as much as we respect Sir Alatair, we cannot allow you, nor these two suspicious-looking people behind you, entry into the Grand Palace."
Franco met his eyes. “This has to do with the Prophecy of Heroes”.
That was enough to wipe the smile off the guard's face. He stepped out of the booth, intending to examine them more closely. Noah regretted leaving his school uniform back in Kamaru Village—the clothing would have been undeniable proof that they were not from this era.
“It’s true that you two don’t seem to be from around here. I wonder…” the guard began.
Noah held his breath in anticipation, waiting for his verdict.
“Very well. You may pass, but I shall be assigning another guard to escort you in.”
Noah exhaled. That was fine, as long as they got through.
Another guard soon marched up to them, and the heavy gate slowly creaked open. “Let’s go,” he said gruffly.
As they stepped through, the change in scenery was immediate. The streets were noticeably cleaner and more organised, with larger, well-maintained houses on either side. There were fewer people, but those who walked these roads were sharply dressed, their attire exuding their wealthy status.
Noah tried to ignore a few stares in their direction. It seemed that a commoner traversing the streets of nobility wasn’t very common in this city. While it seemed that most of the nobles were minding their own business, it was still hard not to feel self-conscious.
“Just don’t stare back, and they won’t bother you,” Franco advised.
They wandered past what looked like an academy, where multiple teenagers clad in school uniforms were practising swordplay in a field.
“People still use swords when magic exists?” Noah asked.
“It’s a valuable skill to have,” Franco replied. “Most nobles still pick it up despite having a Talent.”
“Are commoners more likely to be given an F-Rank?”
“That’s right. Most of the commoners here are Talentless.”
“I hope you don’t mind me asking, but do you have a Talent?” Sophie wondered.
Franco chuckled. “Yeah, but it’s nothing much. I can manipulate the earth a little, but this isn’t exactly the place to show it.”
Eventually, they finally arrived at the innermost wall. The security gate here was much more imposing, nearly 3 meters tall and made of solid iron.
Noah’s escort exchanged a few words with the guards on duty. From the way they interacted, Noah inferred that the guards stationed here must have held higher authority. After a while, their escort returned.
“We apologise, but Miss Anna is currently not present.”
Noah felt his stomach drop. “Do you know where she is or when she’ll be back?”
“She is expected to be away for a few days.”
A few days?! They didn’t have time to wait for a few days. They had no money for food, and nowhere to stay.
The guard continued, “If you wish, I can leave a message for Miss Anna on your behalf. Do you have a specific request for her?”
Noah nodded. “Yeah, but we’ll have to speak to her directly.”
If he and Sophie had been disposed of because their Ranks weren’t befitting of the Prophecy of Heroes, there was no guarantee the guards wouldn’t do the same. For all he knew, they could be thrown back into the cave again. Besides, they had only come to ask Anna if she could return them to their world, which to the guards, seemed like it would only inconvenience her. Getting more people involved would only complicate things.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” the guard said firmly. “This is a high-security compound. All visitors, especially commoners, must state their full name and reason for entry. So far, you have provided us with neither.”
Alatair’s presence would have been invaluable now. Noah had no idea how to respond. He couldn’t exactly admit that Anna had once sentenced them to death. He glanced at Franco for support, but the man seemed unsurprised, as if he had expected this.
“I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this, but the guards are right. I had raised potential issues like this to Sir Alatair earlier, but he told me to just proceed anyway,” he apologised.
Noah didn’t have a backup plan. They had ignorantly assumed that Anna would have been in the palace, waiting for their arrival. She had seemed eager to meet again, even hinting at her location before their conversation had been cut off.
Wait. If she had been hoping they would come, wouldn’t she have notified the guards to look out for them? Noah pushed away the thought. No, her father wouldn’t have allowed her. They had heard him refuse her pleas through the portal window.
Then why had Alatair been so confident? Surely a man of his wisdom would have anticipated this? “The walls may protect you, but it is the unseen barriers that will test you.” Those were his parting words. Was this what he had meant?
Before Noah could further dwell on it, Sophie spoke up. “We can’t share much, but just tell her… her kittens are waiting. She’ll get the message.”
Kittens! That was the word Anna had used to address them after their escape from the cave. Nice one, Sophie!
The guard narrowed his eyes. “I suppose I can relay that. Sir Alatair is a respected member of our community, so I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt…for now.”
He straightened up. “Alright then, I won’t ask any further questions, but understand that this is all I can do for you. However, at this point in time, you are not permitted entry to the Palace. Please proceed back to the Outer Zone immediately.”