On the Dead Seas

Chapter 8: Competition and War

Felix set up the board again and once more they began to play. Felix charged his pirates at her king's treasure. The individual pirates were strong, but the king player received reinforcements every two turns. The pirate's goal was to steal the king's treasure and the king's goal was to protect it. Both players had a set amount of points to use on special advantages during the game and the player with the most points at the end of the game won. There were more rules, but Felix didn't use them.

Because he didn't need to.

"Ah, you won. I wasn't expecting you to charge with all of your units again." She giggled.

Manners check: Skill lvl 1. 1d10s7. roll: 7. 1 success.

"Thanks for trying to be nice, but please just play like normal," Felix said. He wanted her to stop lying, but he didn't need to be rude about it.

"I am playing like normal." Nia pouted.

"No, you aren't."

"Yes, I am." She started shaking.

"Stop lying."

"I'm not lying." Her face reddened.

"Yes, you are."

"NO. I'M. NOT." She yelled and a surge of red-white fire surged from her in an angry wave. It washed over Felix like a warm wave. The heat of the flames batted at his mind but failed to penetrate as she quickly put a hand over her mouth in shock.

"What's going on over here young miss." Noelle, Nia's mother, flew over from where she had been with surprising speed as her heels clacked on the floor.

"Sorry, mama," Nia whispered.

"Sorry for what?"

"Getting angry." She looked up at her mom, "He called me a liar." She said, quick to justify herself.

His mother looked at Felix with her brow raised and Felix felt a shudder pass through him. He knew that look. He had to salvage this quickly.

"Because she was lying!"

"And what makes you think that?"

"She said Kings and pirates was her favorite game, but she's so bad at it. How could it be her favorite?" Felix said.

"Felix, don't be rude."

"No-no its fine Katalina. The prince is right. Nia is good at that game. She was probably just being nice to him, isn't that right Nia?"

"Yes, mama. I just wanted him to have fun."

"Well, don't you get bored when you win without even trying?"

"...Yes, mama."

"Just do your best, Nia. I'm sure you will both have fun." Then deciding that the argument was over, she returned to her table. Felix's mother mouthed at him to 'behave' before following.

Two children returned to playing the game and the difference was one of night and day. Felix found his reckless charges foiled again and again as he tried to break the defenses of her king. What had seemed like such a soft defense before, suddenly became a seemingly impenetrable wall as she stalled the game out by sacrificing soldier after soldier. Then reinforcements arrived and Felix found himself surrounded.

"I lost." Felix Laughed.

"A-Are you having fun?" She asked as she returned his killed pieces.

"Yeah, but why did you pretend to be bad?" Felix asked as he took the pieces and set them up again.

"Because it's not fun to lose." She mumbled.

"I'm having a lot of fun now. Are you?"

"Yeah." She said and Felix heard no lie.

_

Felix's birthday passed and his father still hadn't returned home. The high lady of Keledor had decided to pick a war over Girokhan's bananas for her latest concubine. Felix didn't much like talk that had sprouted up in the court as of late about the high lady. He hated her for making his father miss his birthday, but there was something nasty about the way that the court was talking. Nasty and confusing. They said such horrible things about the high lady and her people and so much of it rang true to his senses. That she was a lustful devil and a whore. That her harem was evil and spoiled. That their people supported her hedonistic pleasures and were little more than savages themselves. And all of it rang as true to his ears.

Yet when Felix asked his mother about what he had heard she told him that was just the way the court was. That it was their way of showing support for the war and making themselves feel better about the fighting. And when she asked him if it was true she told him no. And her own words rang true as well.

It confused Felix to hear such contradictory things both ring true to his ears, but he decided to trust in his mother over the bitter nobles in the court.

The war changed things for Felix as well. Uncle Ferron couldn't make any time for him anymore and Secia came when she could, but it wasn't as often as he had wanted. He missed her lectures and the servant that now led him in his meditation was a cranky old man who Felix wasn't allowed to talk to without sign language. He wasn't very good at that yet.

Felix continued to have scheduled playdates with Nia, while she still lied to him constantly. Felix was starting to get an idea of the girl beneath the lies. Nia was someone who had a competitive streak larger than any warship Felix had ever seen and she loved to win. It didn't matter if it was an easy win or a hard win. To her, winning was winning.

And she won often. Nia was a very smart girl and had a tactical mind that Felix struggled to compete with. The few times Felix did win when she was legitimately trying her mood would quickly sour. She hid it pretty well, but she couldn't fool Felix's powers. Though he quickly learned to not call her out on that. Because Nia Anhedo enjoyed board games, but to her, the most important game seemed to be her desire to have everyone like her. Every one of her lies seemed to be angled to try and get people to like her.

All in all, Felix got to the point where he liked playing games against Nia, but he wasn't sure he liked the girl herself. Nor did she seem to like Felix too much in return. She appreciated Felix's desire for challenge, but she grew increasingly guarded around Felix as he continuously called her out on her lies, even though he only did it in private.

She must have said something to her mother eventually because they stopped playing together after a while. Felix's mother told him that he was going to meet other people who could be his companion and, once he had met them all, he would decide who he would like to be his companion. If their parents agreed then that would be that.

The next person mother wanted Felix to meet was a boy called Damaris who worked in the gardens. Felix knew of the gardens but he had never been there. It was the place where the nation created some of its most notable exports, namely Alchemical ingredients, exotic plants, and fruits. Felix hadn't learned a great deal of what exactly that meant specifically, but he did know that his mother was the owner of the gardens and that she often went to visit.

Mother told Felix that he would join Damaris in working in the outer gardens for their time together. However, Uncle Ferron and the queen had protested the idea, concerned that having royalty work what was seen as manual labor would offend the nobility for some reason that Felix couldn't follow. The rest of the argument happened behind closed doors, but the end result was that Damaris would give Felix a tour of the Facility. If Felix wanted to see how something was done in particular, then Damaris would do it for him. Such would be the nature of their relationship anyways, according to Ferron.

Felix's mother seemed angry after the meeting and her mood stayed sour as they prepared to go to the gardens. The Maids helped Felix get dressed in what they believed was appropriate attire. Felix didn't mind, It was lighter than his usual public attire because of how hot it was in most of the garden. When they left it was with the royal guard.

Felix expected it to be a quick trip to the gardens but was surprised to find it to be rather the opposite. The closer they got to the garden the more people crowded to the side of the road to see his mother and every so often his mother would stop to talk with this and that person. Her mood quickly brightened as she talked to the people. Felix had been out of the castle with his parents to meet foreign nobles before and the citizens had come out to gawk at them then, but they hadn't stopped to talk with them.

More strange than that though was the way people looked at his mother and talked with her. The adoration on their faces was a stark contrast to the coldness Felix had seen and felt when he had traveled with Tom to Colton's house. Their many words were an assault on Felix's senses as his powers interpreted the rush of information that his powers gave him. But he just did his best to tune it all out. He hung close to the guard and let his mother take the spotlight.

They made it to the garden eventually, but it took them much longer than Felix would have liked. The garden's entrance was a checkpoint placed in an iron fence that protected a variety of plants and trees. Even just looking through the fence as they approached, Felix wasn't sure that he had seen so many plants in his whole life. The entry point itself was a small and unassuming grey stone building with two booths and gates right next to each other.

One gate had a line in front of it with citizens that were all dressed up and excited to go in. The other line simply had what looked like a father and son duo. The man was tall, well dressed, and was showing his years in his hair. The Boy was taller than Felix but had his eyes hidden behind a mop of dark hair.

As the royal delegation approached the two bowed low, "Greetings Princess Katalina. It has been too long." The older man said.

and she curtsied in return, "Edgar, It is good to see you again. I would love to introduce you to my son, Prince Felix."

Felix stiffened as all eyes turned to him. He felt the eyes of the citizens keenly as he gave a slight bow in return, "Hello, thank you for having me today." Felix signed to the man and Felix heard the confusion in the crowd as he began signing. Felix felt himself begin to turn red as the commoners whispered.

The old man's eyes flickered from Felix's face to the scarf around his throat, "Ah, I see that the rumors were true. For such a tragedy to befall our prince at such a young age. Truly mother sky and father sea must have great things for him, to test him so harshly." The whispering of the crowd intensified as he spoke.

He then followed up by signing, "Welcome and," Felix couldn't tell the rest of what he said. The man's knowledge in signing outstripped his own. Though Felix's attention was redirected as his mother laid a hand on his shoulder,

"He has risen to the challenge with bravery. He has lost his voice due to a powerful alchemical curse, but all is not without hope. For he has been blessed with incredible talent in wordsmithing. And though it strains him, he can speak using wordsmithing and overcome the curse. If only for a bit." The interest of the crowd heightened and Felix even heard one person bless the sky mother.

"The gods take and they give in equal measure. Please, come rest in your garden, and let us ease your burdens."

The crowd they left behind as they entered all but exploded in conversation as the gate shut behind them.

_


The inside of the Garden was like Felix had stepped into another world. Trees in shapes and colors he had never seen towered over him and he could see fruit growing up on their branches. Vines and bushes filled the space between the trees as they lined the path inwards. Other citizens walked on the path and bowed as their party passed. Workers were present here and there as they picked fallen fruit off the ground and removed ripe berries.

"Is this your first time in the garden prince?" Edgar interrupted Felix's thoughts.

"Yes." Felix signed back.

"Well, I am glad to see that you are enjoying it and I am sure that Damaris is as well." The quiet boy at their side nodded, "Your mother and I have business to discuss. Damaris and two of your guard will escort you around the facility. You should be fine to speak to Damaris, but please try to not be overheard by the other workers or slaves. We don't want any accidents. Damaris knows how to sign if you would prefer to speak that way when others are around. Should you need me or your mother, Damaris or your guard know the way."

His mother gave Felix a hug and a kiss goodbye, before leaving him alone with Damaris and his two guards. The boy gave Felix's guards an assessing look before talking to the prince.

"The master wants me to show you round. Do you want the tour we give nobles or do you wanna look behind the scenes?" Damaris said flatly.


What kind of tour would you like of the garden?

You would like to know more about Damaris and the garden. While he seems willing to answer if you ask, he doesn't seem to intend to talk about himself. You may ask one to three questions depending on the vote


[] The nobles tour. (More pleasant. More fluff. You may ask Damaris three questions.)
-[] Your first question
-[] Your second question
-[] Your third question

[] A look behind the scenes. (More worldbuilding. Discover what it takes for your one of your nations greatest wonders to function. You may ask Damaris one question.)
-[] Your question.


Suggested questions:
Ask Damaris about where he comes from.
Ask Damaris about why he works here.
Ask Damaris about how he feels about X subject
Ask Damaris about his plans for the future
Ask Damaris about interesting customers he's seen here.
Ect.