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Tranquil Waters: The Lead Crown Prologue (The Story of Kesst)

The rigors of road were far worse than anything Kesst could have imagined. While most travelers had the luxury of relying on the safety and comfort of the numerous cities and towns along the highway, the lone dragon knew he would be unable to risk it. Instead, Kesst chose to pick his camping spots where the foliage was most dense and he would be easily missed by any nighttime traveler; the dappled green and brown bed roll he'd managed to 'appropriate' from a merchant near the beginning of his journey helped keep him undetected, but remaining unseen meant that he didn't have the comfort of a warm fire.

It seemed almost ludicrous for the young dragon to think about cities at that point considering that he had spent the last two weeks deep in the unsettled wilds. Not once in his seventeen years had he ever thought he'd find himself in the stretch of land separating his destination from the main body of the kingdoms. Lehsunia, he had heard, was the furthest point in the known world from the Mehnzil Cathedral, seat of power of the Church... and that's what attracted him to it. Life so close to the circle of power of the divine order was hard... so hard in fact that it was worth braving the dangers of the unsettled lands and the tribes which dwelt there.

Kesst's journey had taken him nearly five months and all except for the most recent fortnight saw him traveling through three kingdoms, each as stressful and heart-poundingly dangerous as the last. Several times he had been forced to backtrack to avoid even a rumor of the Inquisition and, even though he traveled incognito he couldn't risk anyone discovering him... not when his freedom had cost his parents their lives. Adjusting the straps on his back, the young dragon continued onward down the cart path traders used to traverse the wilds, hoping that he would be able to get safely through the Tribe Lands without event. Unfortunately, luck was not on his side.

The sound of travelers behind him on the road grew louder with each passing moment and, once Kesst realized that he was being rapidly overtaken, he chose to stand off to the side of the path. There was always a possibility that whomever was on the road with him could mean him harm-- bandits and highwaymen weren't unknown in the areas where no kingdom policed, but the traveler realized that he would prefer to see whomever was approaching rather than trying to flee from pursuit. The fact that those sharing the road with him were obviously mounted only made his decision easier, and he reflexively widened his stance, preparing to run into the forest where their mounts would hopefully have a harder time following.

The trees framing the road made it difficult to see the mounted travelers until they rounded the nearest bend, eight in total, riding two abreast. As Kesst had anticipated, each of them were astride a horse but, as they drew closer, he was much relieved to see that they were riding Soyrian Whites, a very rare, very expensive breed of horse that would certainly not be found among any highwaymen. His relief was destroyed mere moments later when he realized that their saddle bags all had the stamp of the Church.

The first three in line had leather armor with metal chain, identifying them as guards. The second of the next two riders in the group wore the black robes of Monks but, as they slowed, his eyes were quickly drawn to the third set of men; Kesst's heart was clenched in an icy grasp of fear: wine red robes and cloaks identifying them as Priests. Although he couldn't figure out how, he somehow managed to maintain his composure... right until he saw the two gray-hooded figures following at the back of the train; they were Inquisitors.

Despite being unable to see beneath their robes, Kesst was certain that both men (they had to be men, as women never served as Inquisitors) were likely Hunters-- Inquisitors wouldn't have traveled so far south without good reason. The young dragon listened to the sound of his heart beat desperately within his chest, as if it were hoping to escape from his body and flee on its own. Somehow, however, he managed to keep his composure and remained where he was... or perhaps he was too paralyzed with fear to move. Either way, he stood his ground as the convoy's guardsmen passed him without event... right until one of the monks called a halt to the procession.

"God bless you in your travels." Kesst lowered his head, hoping that the folds of his hood would do a decent job of hiding as much of his face as possible. "I was worried that you might be bandits." He was careful to keep his voice light and higher pitched than was normal, having perfected what he considered to be a feminine tone. Since spending several months on the road, Kesst found that most mammals had enough trouble telling the difference between a male dragon and a female dragon, and used that confusion to good effect-- if the Church was looking for a boy then he'd make it that much harder for them."And for good cause, child." the monk responded. The man was an older baboon, graying fur obvious on his muzzle, but his voice was strong from what Kesst expected was a life time of reciting passages from the holy book, "Tell me, young lady, what imbalance of humors would warrant you traveling alone through these dangerous lands?"

Kesst had hoped to provide a respectful greeting and be done with it, but the monk who spoke had decidedly taken an inconvenient interest in him. Quickly running through the collection of stories he had invented during his journey, the young dragon settled on one, "I had no choice, Sir." he responded, keeping his tone both high and feminine, "My mother and I were separated from a wagon train. She fell down a ravine and I--"

"And, pray tell, my daughter..." an icy, emotionless, deep voice spoke up from further down the line of holy men, "Where were you headed?" One of the priests, a large brown bear drew his horse closer to Kesst, "and where is your mother now?"

"Brother." Kesst bowed his head graciously, allowing him to further keep his face from being clearly seen; he was young enough that his horns wouldn't be that obvious beneath his cowl, but he didn't want to take the chance in any of the clergy seeing that he was anything other than a helpless young female dragon alone and afraid, "She fell down a ravine and twisted her ankle... I went to find aid."

"And found your way back to the road, I see." the patient-looking monk nearest her acknowledged with a nod, "Tell me, child," he crossed his hands on the saddle in front of him, "How long have you been walking the road looking for--"

"Perhaps we should hear how she and her mother became separated from the wagon train." the ursine priest spoke up, "It is not wise to leave the road in these pagan lands."

"Yes, Brother." Kesst acknowledged, damning his luck that the holy men had taken an interest in him, "That is why we were separated... the wagon train was attacked by wild men." he managed to create what he thought to be a believable half-sob, "...they... they fell upon us from the trees before we knew what was happening... my mother took me and ran to the woods."

"Phillip." the monkey spoke up, motioning to one of the armored men at the front of the convoy, "Give me your water skin." The graven-faced mastiff complied without comment, turning his horse around to trot up next to the baboon and handed the old monk the requested item, "Here, child... you must be exhausted." the monk offered the water skin to Kesst, "Drink, and be at ease... you are safe now."

"Friar Juun," the bear spoke up, a hint of displeasure in his voice, "We are on church business and cannot pick up stragglers from--"

"We will do no such thing." the monkey waved the bear's concern away, "I will send Phillip back with her to find her mother and see to her safety. Once they are both back on the road he can easily catch up with us." the monk then turned to look at Kesst, "It is God's will to help those in need." he spoke aside to the bear before addressing the young dragon, "And we will help you, child."

"Thank you, kind sir, but the Brother is right." Kesst made a point of handing the water skin back to the monkey without drinking a thing, "It would not be right of me to interrupt a pilgrimage, or an envoy or a--"

"A hunt." one of the Inquisitors spoke up; during the conversation, Kesst didn't even realize that the cloaked figure had urged his horse closer. The man's voice was deeper than the bear's, and it sent a shiver up the young dragon's spine-- the Inquisitor knew something.

"A... a hunt, your Excellency?" Kesst spoke up, forcing a hint of confusion into his tone in an attempt to overpower the fear that threatened to creep into it.

"Yes." the Inquisitor acknowledged, "We are looking for a young dragon."

"A boy." one of the guards spoke up.

"Oh." Kesst bobbed his head in what he hoped came across as an empathic confirmation, "I was the only dragon traveling in the caravan, so I'm sorry, I couldn't--"

"Other than your mother." the Inquisitor interrupted him.

"Pardon, your Excellency?" the young dragon questioned, feeling as if the Inquisitor's comment held some hidden meaning he couldn't decipher.

"You were the only dragon traveling in the caravan other than your mother." the Inquisitor clarified.

"Oh, well... yes, your Excellency, other than my mother... we were the only two dragons in the caravan."

"Brother Joseph," the Inquisitor turned to face the bear, "Get some blankets for our little wanderer here..." and then turned straight back to face Kesst, who kept his face down and out of direct view, "And how long ago was it that your mother fell into the river, my son?"

"Two... maybe three hours ago." the young dragon responded, "After we ran into--" but his words gradually faltered, giving out when he realized the Inquisitor had not fallen for his female ruse. Kesst slowly raised his eyes to look up.

The Inquisitor raised a gloved talon to slowly sweep back his own gray cowl, revealing the critical gaze of a fellow dragon; he was not fooled, "And tell me, my son... would this river have been at the bottom of the ravine the two of you fall into, or has your duplicity finally given way to reveal a lack of truth in your story."

Kesst was so focused on avoiding the gaze of the Inquisitor that he hadn't thought to keep an eye on the others; he felt the tight grip of the mastiff clamp down on his shoulder and only then did he realize that he had been surrounded. He'd come so far, only to be caught now? "Come quietly, lad." the dog suggested, pulling him by his cloak closer to the horse.

"NO!" Kesst shouted. Pulling with all his might, the dragon tore himself free of his cloak and robe, falling away from the mastiff's grasp. He lost his backpack in the process... which gave him that much less of a problem spreading his wings.

"It's him!" shouted Brother Joseph, pointing straight at the young dragon.

"Of course it is." acknowledge the Inquisitor. Kesst didn't stop to see what it was the cloaked dragon was up to; he quickly spread his wings and jumped for the opening in the canopy... only to find himself denied flight as a pair of bolas wrapped around his chest, both weighted balls slamming into his sternum and knocking the air out of his lungs, "Few who turn from the Grace of God speak the truth willingly, but they all flee before their lies when called to face them."

Rasping for breath, Kesst could barely struggle as Phillip the mastiff, having dismounted, pulled the young dragon to his feet. The rest of the hunting party closed in around the tangled boy. His arms and wings were both pinned to his body so he could do little more that wriggle in the armored dog's grasp... until he grew desperate, and did the one thing he'd promised his mother he never would: he Breathed.

Although he had little experience in it, the action came out almost as a reflex. Keest could sense the tingling sensation reminiscent of having eaten something sour. He could feel the unmistakable tightness of the glans near the back of his throat, and then, parting his maw with a roar, he ejected the two different kinds of spittle that clashed together in the air, igniting in unison and sending a spray of liquid fire... right into face of his assailant.

Phillip rasped, his scream cut off as the fire burned its way into his lungs. By the time the dog had fallen to his knees he was already convulsing; when he collapsed on the ground he could scarcely make a feeble attempt at rolling; the Breath was far stronger than normal fire, and it stole the man's life from him in seconds. Turning to face the rest of the hunting party, Kesst struggled against the cords of the bola, noticing that they all took a step back... except for the two Inquisitors, who each drew a short spear from its place on their saddles and approached him.

"Before the eyes of man and God, you are guilty of heresy." the second Inquisitor, who had not yet spoken finally spoke judgment. "You are an abomination."

"I was born this way!" Kesst shouted in defiance, backing away from the approaching gray robed hunters, "If God didn't want me this way He should have made me different!"

"You have the touch of the Dark One on you, Kesst of Altenburrough." the first Inquisitor spoke up, "Your parents did not submit to the will of the Church, and now their vanity and hubris has caused unwarranted suffering."

"The CHURCH did that, not me!" Kesst objected, still backing away as he fought to pull his small belt knife, a feeble defense against the two Inquisitors' spears. He managed to get the weapon out of its sheath, and snapped the cord of the bola, freeing his arms, though his wings were still horribly entangled.

"You are profane in possessing His gift of Flight and the Breath of God." the first stated with blatant disgust, "Your existence is a blight."

"I didn't ask for these 'gifts'!" the young dragon countered, tongue lashing at the remnants of searing fluid that still dripped from his lips. He didn't miss the fact that the lead Inquisitor had the volatile liquid dribbling at the end of his muzzle as well; a faint blue flame had already begun flickering between his teeth.

"And yet you are still willing to use them on the pious." stated the second, pausing only long enough to raise a talon pulling back his cowl and revealing a ravaged, scarred face, "I have hunted your kind over the decades, Kesst of Altenburrough... you create chaos and havoc... you do the Dark One's own deeds merely by existing." The second Inquisitor's breath was accompanied by little dancing motes of flame.

Kesst raised his knife up and out defensively, having no response for the severe judgment leveled against him. He had promised his mother he would never use the Breath, and, suddenly, he found a man dead because he could not keep that promise. That was his fault, after all... it was something he couldn't deny: he had killed a man.

"Lower your weapon and be cleansed." ordered the first Inquisitor, "You have run for too long, and God's will shall be done."

"Lower YOURS." came a loud, commanding voice from behind and above Kesst. The young dragon didn't recognize the accent. "You no have power here." Although Kesst dared not turn around he could hear the distinctive sound of claws on a tree branch; whomever had spoken was up amidst the forest canopy.

"Ah... but God has power everywhere." the baboon offered, "Even among those who do not see what He can accomplish."

Another voice spoke from the other side of the road, likewise from a tree. "Leave now. We no say it more times. Go." Like the first, it was halting and heavily accented.

The first Inquisitor sneered, liquid flame dribbling from between his teeth, "You have no right to grant this mockery asylum." he hissed, "We are men of GOD! There is no power, mortal or political that can keep this abomination from us!"

A new voice from the forest joined the discussion, and its unique lack of savage bluntness surprised Kesst. "Your Excellency... if I may?" a large gray and brown timber wolf emerged from the brush. Although he wore the rough-treated leather loin cloth, carried the rough-cut bow and was adorned in the bone-bead jewelery of savages, he walked with all the grace of a nobleman at court, and his tone was no less than the obvious self-importance of a highborn, "You now find yourself in a very sensitive situation, as the rules of the Church hold no sway in the Tribe Lands and your authority--"

The bear, Brother Joseph was quick to shout, "The will of GOD holds sway EVERYWHE--"

The wolf countered the interruption, shouting even louder, "YOURS IS THE WILL OF MEN!" and the words were accompanied by a feral snarl.

Silence prevailed for several seconds as the church procession took a moment to assess the situation. Friar Juun was the first to speak, "Gentlemen, please... if we cannot be civil then there is no hope for either of our people."

"The monk speaks great wisdom, your Excellency." the wolf's orange eyes narrowed with a promise of thinly veiled violence.

"There is no reasoning with savages." responded the first Inquisitor, "God is on our side." he took a step closer to Kesst, raising his spear, "If they interfere, kill them all." In response to the order, the remaining guards drew their swords and the two priests each pulled a cudgel from where they hung from the saddles.

"Perhaps the poorest decision you could have made." the regal wolf responded. Kesst jumped in surprise as an arrow sailed past the side of his face to strike the Inquisitor in his spear arm. "Leave, and you may live longer to do God's work in more productive ways." the wolf lowered his bow from its firing position, the attack having happened so fast that the young dragon hadn't even had time to register it. Of all the things that held his attention afterward, however, was the amulet the wolf wore: a finely polished stone woven into a fiber necklace.

"They struck a man of God!" roared the scarred Inquisitor, "The penalty is death!" and, at that, he turned and launched his short spear right at the Tribal people's lupine representative. In one fluid motion, the distinctive bearing of the wolf dissolved and he leaned backward, not stopping until his paws touched the ground; the spear flew harmlessly over him mere inches from his arched abdomen.

The wolf used the momentum of his falling back to go into a handstand, and then from there continued the rotation until his feet were on the ground again. He growled out something in a harsh, guttural language, and fell back, disappearing into the bushes. The sounds of feral roars, snarls, and howls rose around the church caravan and, in the blink of an eye they were set upon by a dozen animals. Jaguars, bears, wild dogs, a tiger, a hyena, a lion-- they overran the hunting party in a wave of ferocity. Kesst would have continued watching, but the sudden impact of a spear-butt to his forehead knocked him flat.

Although he was certain he must have lost consciousness it couldn't have been for more than a split second. As he fought vertigo and double-vision, Kesst attempted to sit up, sliding back on the ground to get away from the Inquisitor, but he realized quickly enough that it was a needless concern: his assailant was attempting to fight off a large gray-and-brown feral wolf which was savagely grinding its teeth into his neck. While the young dragon found the animals' coloration to be eerily similar to the tribe's spokesman, the coincidence was far too unbelievable when he noticed the fiber necklace inset with a polished stone.

Sitting up, Kesst had a hard time believing his eyes. Though his vision was decidedly blurry from the harsh impact of the spear butt, he was unable to deny the scene before him; the same one dozen attackers remained, they were no longer all feral animals-- many fought with spear or club. He slowly closed his eyes, steadying his breath and his vision before opening them but, by that time, the combat had ended-- of the six men in the church caravan only Friar Juun remained alive. The monkey stood passively amidst a circle of Tribal and feral animals, calm, collected, and as passive as he had been throughout the entirety of the fight.

A loud, barking command sounded from beside Kesst, and the young dragon turned his head to regard the gray-and-brown wolf, once again standing beside him on two legs, looking none the less refined and courtly despite his savage raiments. The wolf spoke to the assembled men, women, and animals in the guttural, primal tongue, and they all slowly slipped away into the brush, leaving Kesst and Friar Juun alone with only the lupine savage presiding over them.

Of all the things the baboon could have said, Kesst was surprised when it was, "May I provide these men their last rights?"

"You may." the wolf replied with a faint nod of his head; everything about the gesture spoke of reserved indifference with a strange sense of deferral and... appreciation?

"Thank you, Prince Malcom." the friar acknowledged, and went to see to his former traveling companions. The title struck Kesst soundly after the few seconds it took to sink in. The young dragon turned, wide eyed to regard the wolf... who was already gone.

A split-second later, Kesst realized that the friar was still there and spun to face him defensively; the baboon was staring back, but without any hint of threat, "I mean you no harm, child." the old monkey acknowledged, wincing as he leaned down to kneel beside one of the priests, a middle-aged, slightly portly long-furred house cat.

"You..." Kesst slowly circled around the friar toward the road leading south, "You were with the hunting party."

"The wilderness is not a safe place to travel alone, my son." the holy man replied, covering the house cat's torn face with a shredded section of robe.

"Then..." the dragon gazed at the monkey critically, "...you're letting me go?"

"You are not mine to hold in the first place... Kesst-- of Alder Row, is it?" the baboon glanced his way before moving to tend to the next fallen holy man.

"Altenburrough." the young man replied, slowly sheathing his knife once the monkey looked back to the body he was tending.

"My apologies." Friar Juun bowed his head slightly, "But, as I said, your freedom is not mine to give any more than it is my place to tell you what God makes of you." and began seeing to the last corpse.

Kesst raised an eye ridge, "Are you sure you're from the Church?"

The monkey chuckled softly, and grunted as he got back to his feet, moving to the charred remains of the guard named Phillip, "Quite certain."

"I've never had someone from the Church know what I was without trying to kill me." the dragon responded flatly, still keeping his distance from the monk.

"Then, sadly, you have met the worst the Church has to offer." the monkey gingerly laid a piece of cloth over the corpse's blackened skull, "Do you wish to be absolved of your sins, my child?"

"....what?"

"You regret having killed this man." Friar Juun motioned to the blackened skeleton, "You have killed, and you feel the pain of having done wrong."

"I had to!" Kesst objected, "He--"

"There is no need to explain, Kesst." the monkey offered in a calming voice, turning to regard him, "I was here, and I witnessed what happened." he slowly stood and approached the dragon, who took a tentative step backward. "But what the brain knows and what the heart feels are not always the same."

"I had to." Kesst repeated.

"I know you did, child..." Friar Juun held out an arm to the young dragon, "and you need not hold the guilt of that within you."

"I..." the run away paused, slowly kneeling down as he accepted the offered hand, "...I haven't confessed in a long time."

"That is the Church's failing," the monkey rested his other hand atop the young dragon's head, "not yours."

Kesst confessed... he confessed to everything. He laid himself bare before the old monkey, telling him about his parents trying to hide him from the Church, of their escape from the Mehnzil Cathedral and about being forced to leave them behind to stop his pursuit. He told Friar Juun about stealing to survive, and about lying to and deceiving others, about not keeping his promise to his mother-- about killing Phillip.

"We are but mortal, made of imperfect flesh." the monk responded, "Mistakes and missteps will happen. We learn from them and grow, and in so doing, we are following God's plan for us." the old monkey slowly helped Kesst rise.

"Then... I'm forgiven?" he asked, wiping the tears from his scaled cheeks.

"Do you feel better, child?" the monkey asked warmly.

"I..." Kesst faltered as he considered his condition, "I think so."

"Then you must be forgiven." the monk smiled amiably, "God will not let a pious man suffer if he is truly repentant."

"But..." the dragon paused, confused at the monkey's casual and calm demeanor, "...the Church says that I'm an abomination... I can't be... pious."

Friar Juun chuckled and slowly moved to collect the horses, who had finally come mulling back to the road since the chaos had died down, "The Church is not God, child... it may speak for Him from time to time, but the words of the Church are spoken by mortal voices, and therefore may be imperfect."

"But..." Kesst paused, "isn't that... heresy?"

The monk's chuckle turned into a laugh as he climbed onto one of the Soyrian Whites, "What a picture be we-- a heretical monk and a pious abomination..." Holding onto a spare set of reins, he wheeled his horse around and offered them to Kesst, "Do you know how to ride?"

The young dragon was completely stunned, "I... think?"

"I was not lying then I said the unsettled lands are dangerous to travel alone." Friar Juun noted, offering the reins anew, "If your fear of the Church has not completely overwhelmed your capacity to see past titles, then I pray that God helps you see it in your heart to help an old man safely on his journey."

Kesst had been exposed to numerous forms of duplicity, none of which he could equate to what the monkey was saying. Reluctantly, the young dragon accepted the lead and slowly climbed onto the horse. "You're not going to turn me into the Church when we arrive?"

The monk smiled, "I have already told you, Kesst of Altenburrough, it is not my place to be God's judgment." he gave the horse a little bit of heel and began riding off down the road, "Besides... based on the events today, I would say He is more on your side than those who hunt you."

Kesst was quiet for several seconds, delaying just a moment before urging his horse to follow the monkey, "I was lucky."

"We are still two days from the Lehsunian border." Friar Juun offered with a light-hearted air, "Whether luck or God's favor, we'll simply have to hope that your saving grace continues to provide us with safe passage."

"What happens when we reach the border?" Kesst asked, urging his steed to catch up to the monkey's so they could travel side-by-side.

"I suppose at that point we will be out of the Tribe Lands and into Lehsunia." the monk replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I mean what happens between us?" the dragon questioned warily.

"That is something we will have to decide on together, child." Friar Juun responded casually, "I do not plan to make any presumptions for you, and so your future is your own to determine. What I know for certain is that I look forward to reaching Vallara-- it is a beautiful town rich with history, and it will be my first stop in Lehsunia." and the monk left it at that.

For the first time in months Kesst had a traveling companion and, despite his concerns for the church, the dragon had to admit that the old monkey was welcome company. The third member of their party remained conveniently out of sight, paws treading silently on the ground, tongue lolling out the side of his muzzle, polished stone amulet bouncing in counter-point to his four-legged trot.