The king in the shadows

The centaur army commander led them through the wide stone paths that led to the heart of the kingdom, where a massive castle rose in the middle of the city, surrounded by high walls and ornate towers that reflected the pale moonlight. The castle was built of dark stones, and reflected its strength and majesty in every detail, from the massive doors decorated with ancient symbols, to the finely carved statues of centaur warriors standing firm, as if protecting its entrance.

When they reached the main gate of the castle, the army commander ordered the guards to open it, and he entered with Yuno and they walked through a long corridor lit by torches fixed to the walls. The atmosphere inside the castle was warm in contrast to the outside, and the floor was smooth as if it had been carefully polished.

The army commander stood in one of the wide halls, where a large fireplace was burning, emitting a comfortable heat, which made Sara sigh with relief after the cold exhausted her. The commander sat on a wide stone bench, then motioned for them to sit on the opposite benches.

Now that he was close to them and under the torchlight, Yuno and Sara could clearly see his details. The commander of the army was a towering centaur, with a muscular human upper half, with bronze skin bearing the marks of old battles he had fought in the past. His face was strong-featured, with a sharp jaw and golden eyes that reflected wisdom and experience.

As for his lower half, it resembled the body of a huge horse, with dark fur tending towards black with light gray lines running along his legs. His feet were like those of a horse, strong and steady, making him appear as a solid entity that could not be easily shaken. He wore a metal armor on his upper body, finely crafted, with engravings representing the symbols of the kingdom, while a long sword hung at his side, signifying his high status as the commander of the army.

"𐍐𐌖 𐌗𐌛𐌚𐌘𐌙 𐍕𐌖𐌗𐌚𐌛𐍂𐌘 𐍐𐌘𐌠 𐍒𐍈 𐍙𐌘 𐍔𐍕𐌡𐍄𐍂

𐌘𐌖𐌗､ 𐍆𐌖𐍉 𐌠𐍃𐍄 𐍔𐌖𐍈𐍉､𐌠𐌘𐍈𐍉 𐍂𐌖 𐌠𐍆𐍄𐍔𐍃 ꓯ𐌖𐍄𐍃."

(You both will be summoned to the king soon, but before that, let us talk for a moment.) The commander said in his deep voice, looking at them with sharp eyes, but they did not carry hostility.

He placed one hand on his chest and bowed slightly, in a formal gesture that reflected his respect and military discipline, then said in his deep Using their colloquial language, confident voice:

"I am Garon, the commander of the centaur army and the protector of this kingdom. I have spent my life serving our king and protecting our lands from any external threat. Now, I would like to know who you two are, and what brought you here."

He looked up at Yuno and Sara, waiting for their response, while his golden eyes seemed sharp, as if they were evaluating every move they made.

Yuno looked at Sara for a moment, as if to reassure her, then returned his attention to the commander and said confidently:

"My name is Yuno, and I am an half elve, and I am just a wanderer who got lost in a mass disaster. I was looking for food and shelter with my mate, and we ended up here."

He then turned to Sara, encouraging her to speak. She was still a little nervous, but after catching her breath, she said in a low voice:

"I'm Sara, I'm an human… We were trying to survive the storm when we found ourselves surrounded by griffins, and we had no choice but to fight or run… If it weren't for you, I don't know what would have happened to us."

Garon nodded slowly, as if carefully analyzing their words, then said in a calm voice:

"I see… So you two are just survivors who lost their way."

He then looked directly at Yuno, and smiled slightly before adding:

"But it's interesting to me that you speak our language fluently, even though you're not from our people. That's very rare."

Yuno looked surprised for a moment, but then smiled calmly and said:

"I learned it a long time ago… I never expected to need it one day."

Garon remained silent for a moment, before looking at the door of the hall and saying:

"Well, let's see soon whether the king will agree to host you or not."

The atmosphere of the castle was still charged with mystery, and Sara couldn't hide her nervousness, while Yuno watched the commander warily, wondering what kind of test they might face in the presence of the king.

It wasn't long before the door to the hall opened, and one of the centaur guards entered with firm steps, bowing slightly to Garon and saying:

"Commander Garon, the king is ready to receive the two guests."

Garon nodded to the guard, then got up from his seat, and Yuno followed him and walked out of the hall through the wide corridors of the castle. The walls were covered with engravings and drawings telling the history of the centaurs, which aroused Yuno's curiosity, but there was no time to stop and contemplate.

Upon reaching the gate of the throne room, the guards opened the massive doors made of black wood and decorated with golden engravings, revealing a stunning royal scene before them.

The throne hall was vast beyond their imagination, with a high ceiling decorated with ancient paintings depicting centaurs in heroic battles. On either side stood huge stone columns, carved with the shapes of the heroic centaurs who made the history of the kingdom. At the end of the hall, on a raised platform, sat the king on his throne, his powerful body covered in a shining silver armor, his sharp eyes watching them steadfastly.

The Centaur King was huge even compared to Garon, and his lower half was covered in thick gray fur. Despite his imposing appearance, his face did not carry an expression of anger or suspicion, but rather a mixture of wisdom and caution.

Garon stepped forward and bowed slightly before the king, then said respectfully:

"Your Majesty King Gollans, I have brought the two guests as you commanded."

The king looked at them in silence for a few moments before speaking in a deep, resonant voice:

"Intruders rarely step foot on our land, and we rarely allow them to stay… But I have heard that you speak Rotana language, half elve boy."

Yuno took a step forward, bowed slightly in respect, and then said in the Centaur language fluently:

"𐌛𐌖 𐍕𐍄𐍃𐍉､ 𐌚𐌖𐌛 𐍒𐌖𐍈. 𐍖𐌖 𐌛𐌘𐌚𐍄𐍔 𐍃𐌘𐌠 𐌷𐍄𐍉 𐍖𐌖 𐌸𐍊𐍗 𐍒𐍑𐍄𐍔."

(That's right, Your Majesty. I learned it since I was young.)

The king raised his eyebrows with interest, then looked at Sara, who was feeling nervous but trying to hide it.

"What about you? little girl. Are you human?"

Sara swallowed her saliva, then answered in a calm voice0:

"I... yes, I am human, but I don't understand your language."

The king turned to Garon, who said to him in a calm voice:

"Yuno told me that his companion doesn't speak our language, and that's why she was asking him to speak for her."

The king remained silent for a few moments, then rose from his throne, slowly walking towards them, until he stood directly in front of Yuno, looking at him closely.

"So, tell me, Yuno…" the king said in a calm but dignified voice. "What brought you to the Centaur lands? And why should I allow you to stay here?"

Yuno stood firm, knowing that this question could determine their fate. He looked at Sara, who was feeling anxious, then looked back at the king and said in a confident voice:

"Everyone on the Plainmotton continent was banished, and unfortunately for us, my companion and I were banished to the Frozen Hell continent, and we came here by accident. We didn't know that we had entered your lands, but after saving the Centaurs from the griffins, we felt grateful, and we didn't want to be a burden or a threat. All we wanted was a place to take shelter until the storm subsided… So Lord Garon asked us to stay with you, we will leave if you ask us to."

The king and Garon exchanged brief glances, before the king turned to Yuno again, and said in a calm but meaningful tone:

"Your words are measured, but the decision is not that simple… Let's see what you do in the coming days, and then we will decide whether or not you two deserve to stay here. Also, I will summon you next time to talk about the banishment disaster."

Then he turned and returned to his throne, and said to the guards:

"Take them to one of the guest quarters. We will keep a close eye on them."

Yuno and Sara understood that their presence here would not be easy, but at least they were not immediately expelled. Now, they had to prove themselves in the Centaur Kingdom, or they might find themselves in an undesirable situation…

After the meeting with the king ended, one of the guards motioned for Yuno and Sara to follow him, while Garon exchanged a quick glance with Yuno, as if to hint that this was not the end, but only the beginning.

They walked out of the throne room into a long stone corridor lit by glowing blue torches, giving the place a mysterious and magical atmosphere. The centaur's heavy footsteps echoed clearly in the place, while Yuno and Sara remained silent, contemplating what the king had said.

Finally, they arrived at a small stone building connected to the castle, which seemed to be intended for guests or strangers. The guard opened the door and motioned for them to enter, before saying in a formal voice:

"You may stay here tonight, but do not stray too far from the castle. Commander Garon will inform you of any future decisions."

He then turned and left, leaving Yuno and Sara alone inside the room.

The room was spacious compared to their expectations, with a warm wooden floor, two thick fur beds, and a stone fireplace whose fire glowed an eerie blue.

Sara closed the door behind her and sighed in relief, then sat on one of the beds, placing her hands on her face:

"Oh my god… I can't believe we talked to the King of the Centaurs! I felt like he could read my mind with just a look!"

Yuno laughed lightly as he sat on the opposite bed, and said jokingly:

"At least he didn't order our heads cut off, that's a good development."

But Sara didn't find it funny, instead looking at him worriedly:

"Yuno… Do you really think they'll let us stay? I mean, it's clear they don't trust us yet."

Yuno looked at the fireplace for a moment, then said in a calm but firm voice:

"It's not just up to them… If we want to stay, we have to prove that we're not a threat to them. We're here now, and that's what matters."

Despite her anxiety, Sara felt some reassurance in his words. She got up and approached the window, looking out at the starry night sky, before saying quietly:

"You know… despite everything that happened today, I can't deny that this place is beautiful… I never imagined that I would see the Centaur Kingdom one day."

Yuno nodded in agreement, but he knew that the beauty of the place didn't mean it was safe. He knew that their true test had yet to begin…

As they were lost in their thoughts, they didn't know that Commander Garon was watching the room from afar, his eyes reflecting a hidden interest. Maybe Yuno and Sera were just passing guests… or maybe they were much more than that.

As the first rays of dawn broke, the dim sunlight streamed in through the small window in the guest room, waking Yuno from his sleep. He opened his eyes lazily, trying to adjust to the morning light, then turned to look at Sara, who was still asleep, wrapped in thick fur, breathing quietly.

He sat on the edge of the bed and stretched out a little, before he heard a loud knock on the door. His eyebrows rose in surprise, but he got up to open it, to find Commander Garon standing in front of him, his arms folded, and his sharp gaze fixed on him.

"Wake up, the king wants to see you again." Garon said in his deep voice.

Yuno looked at Sara, then looked back at the commander and asked, "Now?"

Garon nodded. "Yes, don't make the king wait."

Yuno sensed that something important was happening, so he gently closed the door and rushed to wake Sara.

"Sara, wake up."

She fidgeted a little before opening her half-open eyes and muttering sleepily, "Um… five more minutes…"

"We don't have five minutes, the king wants to see us now."

Sara was startled upon hearing that, and quickly sat up, her eyes wide with surprise, "What? Why?!"

"I don't know, but we have to go right away."

Sara jumped out of bed, quickly put on her coat, and then they followed Garon who was waiting for them outside the room.

The commander led them through the castle again, but this time, instead of heading to the throne room, he took them through a different corridor, where the walls were filled with mysterious drawings and engravings.

Finally, they arrived at a huge round room, in the middle of which was a stone table engraved with ancient symbols. The king was standing there, and beside him were a number of centaurs, who seemed to be his advisors.

The king turned to them as soon as they entered, and said in a calm yet dignified voice:

"I spent last night thinking about you two… and why you came here."

Yuno and Sara exchanged worried glances, before Yuno asked cautiously: "And have you come up with anything, Your Majesty?"

The king looked at Garon, who took a step forward, before saying:

"We have a test for you two."

Sara's eyes widened in worry: "A test?!"

The king nodded seriously: "If you want to stay here, you have to prove that you are worthy of it."

He then pointed to the map carved on the table, where there was an area marked with a red marker.

"In the Sacred Forest, there is an ancient spring that is said to have special water. We want you to go there and bring some of that water."

Yuno looked at the map, then asked curiously: "And what makes this spring so special?"

The king replied in a mysterious tone, "That you will find out for yourself when you get there."

Sara hesitated for a moment, but then asked in a low voice, "And does that mean… that we will be considered part of the kingdom if we succeed?"

The king smiled slightly, but his eyes remained serious.

"We will see."

It was clear that this mission was not just a simple test… but a gateway to something greater.

Yuno and Sara realized that their journey in the Centaur Kingdom was only the beginning…

After the meeting ended, Yuno and Sara walked out of the hall accompanied by Commander Garon, who remained silent as they walked through the stone corridors. He didn't need to say anything, the challenge was clear: if they wanted to survive, they had to prove themselves.

When they reached the castle gate, Garon stopped and turned to them, his stern expression unchanged.

"The Sacred Forest isn't a place humans usually go. It's said to be filled with ancient spirits, some of whom don't welcome outsiders."

Sara exchanged worried glances with Yuno, but swallowed her fear and asked, "Is there anything else we should know?"

Garon nodded slowly. "Yes, there is a creature called the Stone Guardian… It's said to guard the Sacred Spring. No one has ever survived an encounter with it, so don't try to provoke it."

Sara raised her eyebrows in concern, but Yuno remained silent for a moment, then said, "I see, we'll be careful."

Garon sighed, then threw a small bag to Yuno, who skillfully grabbed it. When he opened it, he found small pieces of dried meat and hard bread inside.

"That's all I can give you. I won't send anyone with you, so rely on each other."

Sara looked at Garon in surprise, but quickly smiled lightly: "Thanks… I didn't expect such kindness from you."

Garon laughed slightly mockingly: "Don't get used to it." Then he turned away.

A moment later, Sara looked at Yuno, who was examining the old map the king had given him.

"So… the Sacred Forest is located to the east of the kingdom, right?"

Yuno nodded as he looked at the path: "Yes, it doesn't seem far, but we have to be prepared for what we might encounter there."

Sara smiled confidently, though she wasn't entirely sure what awaited them. "Well, let's take this test together!"

And so, they set off into the unknown, not realizing that this journey would change their lives forever…