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King Altair serveyed his kingdom with pride. He had been ruler of the Land of Mizar for many years now, and every time he looked down upon it from his balcony his chest swelled with pride and it never ceased to amaze him how much his land has matured. When he had first started ruling, the land was very infirtile for farming. The houses were run-down and the streets were unsafe. But he quickly had that changed and made new regulations and laws so that everything was fair for all. Not that the previous ruler had been a poor one. In fact the last king was a very wise man who knew how to handle things. But with wisdom, came age and he had gone mad. It was a poor site for anyone to see. He had to be slain to ensure the safety of the villiagers.
Altair looked down at the main street below. Early risers were already setting up stands and stalls, and some were buyers, looking for the best deals first. To his left were vast farmsteads and feilds. He had walls put up around the perimeter of the entire land so that looters and assasins not from here could not do harm to crops, livestock, and other things the people of Mizar had worked so hard to achieve. He returned to his quarters and closed the doors to the balcony. He strode over to one of his mirrors, which happened to be located near a window that showed the front courtyard. He was examining his handsome appearance when movement outside down in the courtyard caught his attention. The figure couldn't have gotten in unless he had killed the guards. It did not look like a hard task, for the man looked very masculine from this height even. He called to his servants to go down and seize the man, and bring him to his audience chamber. The King was infuriated when one servant reported that the infiltraitor had killed the rest of his guards and even his guard dogs.
"Who does this rogue think he is!?" Altair cried out with such anger the small servant boy crouched down as he expected to be struck. King Altair simply strode out furiously to the courtyard, where the man was waiting. As he passed by other servants on his way out, he knocked whatever the servants were holding out of their hand, causing them to crouch down and pick it up, in which he took advantage of them and kicked them aside. No one had ever seen him in such a rage. They had not seen him angry at all lately. This was certainly a change for the worse...
"I demand you leave at once!" King Altair cried as he stood in front of the masked man.
"Oh, but sire, do you not have any room to accomodate an old friend?" the man said slyly. King Altair lowered his raised arm and looked a bit frightened.
"Out with it!" he yelled, resuming his angry appearance,"Who do you think you are?!"
"I am Nicoriah, of the Kingdom of Benet." he said clamly, as if King Altair were not raising an arm about to strike, and as if he was not intruding upon someone else's courtyard. King Altair eyed him suspiciously and demanded,
"Remove the cloth that which covers your face and prove you are who you say." And so the stranger reached behind his head and untied the cloth that covered his nose and mouth. King Altair gasped, which he never does and said nervously,
"Ni-Nicoriah? It is you? It is! Blast it, don't scare me like that you fool!" King Altair laughed, but it quickly subsided when Nicoriah's face showed no sign of kidding around. King Altair's face quickly grew serious again. "What is it that brings you here, old friend? Is something troubling you?" That's when Altair noticed the bundle bound to Nicoriah's chest.
"Yes something troubles me greatly. I have been sent to see that you recieve this small bundle, and that you read this note." He handed a slightly crumpled piece of paper to Altair, which he read. His eyes widened. "S-so what's in that b-bundle?" Altair faltered. He looked terrified. Nicoriah unbound it, and very carefully, handed it to Altiar. He unwrapped it, to reveal an infant, about three weeks old, in only but rag clothes and shivering at the opening of his shelter.
"So this is him?" Altair asked.
"Aye. She said his name is to be Kianu, in honor of her brother." Nicoriah replied solemnly.
"How did she...?" King Altair didn't want to say die, as he thought he may be sick right there if he did.
"The blasted King of the north kingdom sent his men after her, claiming she stole something dear to him." Nicoriah said, replacing the mask over his face. He was preparing to leave again.
"Kianu..." Altair murmurred. "A fair name indeed. I shall see to it he is taken care of, fed, nurtured, all of that, to ensure that he survives." Altair said, covering the infant back up.
"A wise choice, sire. Forgive me, but I must be off once again. I wish to have been able to stay longer, but I have other duties to attend to. I bid you farewell, old friend, King Altair Mizar." Nicoriah bowed low to show honor. Altair bowed as well, but not as low as Nicoriah, to show he was deserving of more respect.
"Farewell, Nicoriah Benet. I hope fate allows us to meet again, old friend." Altair said as Nicoriah walked away. He looked down at the bundle again. His eyes showed a hint of regret, but mostly, they looked soft as the infant yawned widely. followed by a small sigh.
"Kianu, a fair name, child. I shall raise you as though you were my son," Altair said to the bundle as he began walking back to his castle, "You are a very special child indeed, to have been the son of her." When King Altair stood back in his castle, he quickly ordered a servant to take Kianu and see to it that he has a step-in mother to feed him. Altair's face still showed a bit of regret, as he looked outside at the, now burning fiercly, sun.
I hope this was really for the better...