Morning came with the soft light of dawn filtering through scattered clouds. Kael woke to find their mysterious noblewoman already awake, sitting by the rekindled campfire with Ripple curled beside her. She looked considerably better than the previous evening—the rest had done her good, and there was color in her cheeks now.
As Kael stirred, rousing his companions, he felt a particular mental presence press against their bond with unmistakable eagerness.
Training? Fulminus projected, already anticipating his morning session.
Kael glanced at their new traveling companion and made a decision. Actually, we need to pause the intensive training for now. The heal-and-repeat cycles, I mean.
Disappointment flooded through their bond, sharp and immediate. Why?
Because we have a guest now, Kael explained gently through their mental link. Someone we just met, someone who might have... complicated connections. I'd rather not reveal Divine Restoration to her yet. Not until we know more about who she is and what her situation involves.
Fulminus was silent for a moment, processing this. Then, reluctantly, acceptance came through. I understand. Protecting secrets is important. But can I still train normally? Without exhaustion?
Of course. Regular flight training, elemental exercises, whatever you want. Just not pushing to complete failure and needing healing. Can you work with that?
Yes. I don't like it, but I understand. The thunder eagle ruffled his feathers. When we reach the capital, after the tournament preparations begin, can we resume?
Absolutely. This is just temporary, until we part ways with our guest. Kael felt gratitude wash through their bond. Fulminus might be disappointed, but he understood the reasoning. That maturity, that ability to see beyond immediate desires to larger strategic concerns, was part of what made the small eagle so impressive.
As the camp stirred to life, they shared a simple breakfast—more dried meats and fruits, supplemented by some travel bread Lyssa had purchased before they'd left Thornhaven. The woman accepted her portion gratefully, Ripple eating his own meal with considerably more enthusiasm than he'd shown the previous evening.
They broke camp efficiently, loading everything back onto the cart. The woman watched with interest as Granite was hitched back up, the massive crystal ox rumbling contentedly.
"He's magnificent," she observed. "Crystal-type, isn't he? I've heard they're incredibly strong but also quite rare."
"That's Granite," Lyssa confirmed. "And yes, he's both strong and rare. Also, the gentlest creature you'll ever meet, despite his size."
"The best combinations often are," the woman said with a smile.
They set off down the King's Road, continuing their southward journey. The woman rode in the cart initially, giving her body time to fully recover from yesterday's accident. Ripple coiled beside her, ever protective but noticeably more relaxed now that his tamer was awake and safe.
After about an hour, the woman moved to walk alongside Kael and Lyssa, apparently having regained her strength enough that sitting still became boring.
"So," she said conversationally, "what was your journey like before you found me? Any adventures worth mentioning?"
"Pretty uneventful, honestly," Kael replied. "We left Thornhaven six days ago and made steady progress south. No bandit attacks, no dangerous wild mythbeasts, just smooth travel. Your accident was literally the first significant thing that happened."
"I'm sorry to have interrupted your peaceful journey."
"Don't be. Helping someone in trouble is more important than maintaining a schedule." Kael smiled. "Besides, you haven't been any trouble at all."
"Still, I feel guilty." She paused, then asked with genuine curiosity, "Why are you traveling to the capital? What brings two young tamers on such a long journey?"
"The tournament," Kael explained. "The Royal Tournament for tamers between Rank 2 and 8, ages fifteen to twenty-two. I registered back in Thornhaven, so we're traveling to compete."
Her eyes widened with obvious interest. "The Royal Tournament? That's quite an undertaking. The competition will be fierce—tamers from all across the kingdom, some of the most talented young fighters our country has to offer."
"So I've been told." Kael glanced at his companions walking alongside them. "But we've been training hard. We're as ready as we can be."
The woman's gaze swept across Vera, Ember, Fulminus, and Mushy, then over to Granite, pulling the cart. Her expression shifted to something between amazement and disbelief.
"Wait," she said slowly. "These four—excluding Granite, who's clearly bonded to Lyssa—they're all bonded to you?"
"They are," Kael confirmed.
"All four? You have four bonds?" She looked genuinely astonished. "I've only ever known of two other tamers with four mythbeast bonds. It's extraordinarily rare to bond with more than two companions—the mental strain alone is prohibitive for most people."
"It just... happened," Kael said, which was technically true if massively understating the role of his enhanced psychic capacity from Vera and his unique circumstances. "I met each of them at different times, and the bonds formed naturally. Vera first, then Ember, then Fulminus, and most recently Mushy."
"And you don't feel strained?" she pressed. "Four distinct mental connections, all active simultaneously? Most tamers with three bonds report constant headaches, difficulty concentrating, and a feeling of mental crowding."
Kael considered this. He'd never experienced those symptoms, but then again, his situation wasn't exactly normal. "Not really, no. I mean, I'm aware of all four bonds constantly, but it doesn't feel like a burden. It feels... right, I guess? Like they're all part of me, and I'm part of them."
Because you're special, Vera's mental voice chimed in with warm affection. Your capacity was enhanced from the moment we bonded. And each subsequent bond has only strengthened that capacity rather than straining it.
The woman shook her head in wonder. "Remarkable. You must have incredible psychic strength naturally. That's a rare gift in itself."
"I've been lucky," Kael said, deflecting. The last thing he wanted was to explain that his "natural" abilities were anything but.
Their conversation drifted to more mundane topics after that. Food preferences—the woman had a surprising fondness for spicy dishes, which Kael found endearing. Music—she played the harp, apparently, and missed having her instrument with her on the road. Books—she was an avid reader, particularly of historical accounts and strategic treatises.
"I want to become a strong tamer myself," she admitted as they walked. "A genuinely powerful one, not just someone who has a companion for show or status. But my family doesn't approve."
"Why not?" Lyssa asked, speaking up for the first time in a while.
"They think it's too dangerous, too unbecoming for someone of my... station." The woman's expression tightened with frustration. "They'd prefer I focus on more 'appropriate' pursuits. Music, art, courtly politics. Important things, certainly, but not what I want."
"That sounds frustrating," Kael said sympathetically.
"It was. It is." She smiled slightly. "But I managed to negotiate a condition with them. If I can meet certain requirements—which I'm keeping secret for now—they'll allow me to pursue taming seriously. Train properly, take on quests, actually develop my skills instead of just keeping Ripple as a companion."
"Sounds like you've got a goal then," Kael observed. "Something to work toward."
"Exactly. And I'm determined to meet those conditions, whatever it takes."
As they continued walking, Kael noticed Lyssa taking occasional glances at their companion. The looks weren't hostile, exactly, but there was something in them—assessment, maybe, or concern. He couldn't quite read it.
Vera, he projected privately. Is Lyssa okay? She seems... off.
The psychic tiger was silent for a moment, then her mental voice carried what sounded suspiciously like amusement. Why don't you ask her yourself?
But Vera apparently decided to do exactly that, because Kael sensed her reaching out to Lyssa with a mental probe. He couldn't hear the exact exchange, but he caught Lyssa's startled response through the emotional bleed of Vera's connection.
A moment later, Vera's presence carried smug satisfaction. She says she's fine. Not jealous at all. Probably.
Jealous? Kael blinked. Jealous of what?
Use that enhanced intelligence of yours to figure it out, Vera replied, and then withdrew from his mind with what could only be described as a mental laugh.
Kael glanced between Lyssa and their noble companion, suddenly aware of the dynamics he might have been missing. Lyssa had been his first real friend in this world, his partner and teammate. They'd grown close over weeks of questing and training together. And now there was this mysterious, beautiful noblewoman joining their journey, engaging Kael in long conversations about goals and dreams and interests.
Oh, he thought. That could be... complicated.
But he decided not to address it directly. Some things were better left to resolve naturally rather than forcing conversations that might make everything awkward.
---
The next three days of travel passed smoothly. Their noble companion—who still hadn't shared her name—proved to be pleasant company. She asked intelligent questions about their training methods, shared stories about the capital and court life (carefully edited to avoid revealing too much about her identity), and generally fit well into their traveling group.
Fulminus adapted to his modified training schedule with good grace, maintaining regular flight exercises and elemental practice without pushing to exhaustion. Ember explored the changing landscape as they drew closer to the capital, bringing back interesting rocks and flowers to show everyone. Vera and Mushy both seemed to enjoy the easier pace, taking time to simply experience the journey rather than constantly pushing for improvement.
Even Granite appeared content, his steady pulling rhythm never faltering despite the additional passenger in the cart during rest periods.
They made excellent time, covering the distance more quickly than the original estimate. By the evening of the third day after rescuing their companion, the capital finally came into view on the horizon.
And it was magnificent.
Even from miles away, the city's scale was apparent. Massive walls surrounded it—easily twice the height of Thornhaven's fortifications, constructed from pale stone that gleamed in the setting sun. Buildings rose within those walls, towers and spires reaching skyward in a density of architecture that Kael had never seen before.
And in the center of it all, dominating the skyline, was the palace.
It was enormous. Impossibly so. The central keep alone looked larger than Thornhaven's entire guild district, with multiple wings extending outward in a design that suggested both beauty and defensive capability. Towers rose at strategic points, banners flying from their peaks. The whole structure gleamed with what looked like white marble or similar stone, reflecting the dying sunlight in shades of gold and pink.
"That's incredible," Kael breathed. "How is it even structurally sound? A building that size should collapse under its own weight."
"Exotic materials," their companion explained. "And yes, construction assistance from incredibly powerful mythbeasts. The palace has stood for over three centuries, built during the reign of King Aldric the Second. They used stone from the southern mountains, reinforced with mythbeast-crafted metals, all assembled with the help of creatures strong enough to lift buildings into place."
"It defies physics," Kael muttered, then caught himself. That was too much of an Earth reference.
"Physics?" the woman asked curiously.
"Just an old word for... natural laws," Kael covered quickly. "The rules that govern how things work. Structure, weight, balance—that kind of thing."
"Ah. Yes, I suppose it does defy those natural laws somewhat. But that's the advantage of having mythbeast assistance and magical materials. The normal rules don't always apply."
They spent that night camped within sight of the city, too late to seek entry but close enough to fuel excitement for the next day. As Kael lay in his bedroll staring at the distant lights of the capital, he felt anticipation building. Tomorrow they'd enter. Tomorrow everything would begin.
---
Morning arrived with clear skies and cool air. They broke camp for what Kael realized would be the last time on this journey, packed the cart, and joined the steady stream of traffic heading toward the capital's northern gate.
The line was long. Carts laden with goods, travelers on foot, mounted riders with their mythbeast companions—everyone seeking entry to the kingdom's heart. They waited patiently as the queue slowly advanced, guards at the gate checking credentials and questioning arrivals about their business in the city.
After about thirty minutes, it was finally their turn.
Two guards approached, both wearing armor in the royal colors with well-trained mythbeasts at their sides. One guard had a wolf-like creature with grey fur and alert yellow eyes. The other's companion was a hawk-type that perched on his shoulder, scanning everything with predatory focus.
"Business in the capital?" the first guard asked formally.
"Tournament competitors," Kael replied, producing his bronze guild tablet. "Registered in Thornhaven."
Lyssa did the same, showing her own identification.
The guards examined both tablets carefully, comparing the information to some kind of list one of them carried. After a moment, the first guard nodded. "Everything seems in order. You'll want to head to the tournament district once you're inside—the eastern side of the city, near the arena. Can't miss it."
"Thank you," Kael said.
Then both guards' attention shifted to their noble companion. Their expressions changed instantly—eyes widening, postures straightening even further to rigid attention. The woman pulled back her traveling cloak's hood slightly, revealing her face more clearly.
One guard's mouth actually fell open before he caught himself. The other stammered, "P-Princess Seraphina! We weren't informed—that is, your return wasn't—"
"I arrived unexpectedly," the woman—Princess Seraphina, apparently—said calmly. "My carriage encountered difficulties on the road. These kind tamers rescued me and have been escorting me home."
The guards looked at Kael and Lyssa with new assessment, something between respect and wariness entering their expressions.
Kael kept his face carefully neutral, though internally he was processing this new information. Princess Seraphina. So she's not just nobility—she's actual royalty. That explains the protective brother and the royal emblem on the carriage.
"Of course, Your Highness," the first guard said quickly. "Please proceed. Shall we send word ahead to the palace?"
"Already arranged," Seraphina replied smoothly. "Just let us through, please."
The guards practically scrambled to wave them through, the massive gates swinging open to admit their group.
Once they were inside and moving through the city streets, Kael finally allowed himself to properly take in his surroundings.
The capital was overwhelming.
Buildings rose on all sides, averaging three stories but many reaching four or even five. The architecture was diverse—stone and timber, brick and plaster, some structures clearly ancient, while others looked recently constructed. Streets branched in every direction, some wide thoroughfares like the one they traveled, others narrow alleys barely visible between structures.
And the people. Thousands of them, maybe tens of thousands, moving through the streets in a constant flow of humanity. Merchants hawking wares from storefronts and carts. Children running through the crowds with laughter. Tamers with their companions—so many mythbeasts that Kael couldn't even begin to count them all.
The noise was incredible. Voices calling, carts rattling, mythbeasts roaring, chirping, or growling. Music from street performers. The general hubbub of urban life at a scale Kael had never experienced, even in his previous world.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Seraphina said with a knowing smile. "Thornhaven is a proper city, but the capital is... something else entirely."
"That's an understatement," Kael managed.
They continued through the streets, Seraphina providing quiet directions. Kael noticed they were gradually heading toward the palace—not in a straight line, but definitely moving in that general direction. Was she trying to be subtle about their destination? If so, it wasn't particularly effective.
After about twenty minutes of this indirect routing, Kael had confirmed his suspicion. Every turn brought them closer to that massive palace in the city's center. They were now roughly two-thirds of the way there, and the pattern was unmistakable.
He decided to just address it directly.
"So, Miss Seraphina," he said, emphasizing her name slightly, "are we going to the palace or not?"
She looked startled, then slightly embarrassed. "Oh, so you noticed?"
"The indirect route wasn't as subtle as you might have hoped," Kael said with a gentle smile. "Yes, we're heading to the palace. No need to hide it."
"I was worried you might... bail, as you say, when you realized where we were going. The palace can be intimidating for those not accustomed to it." She looked genuinely apologetic. "I should have just been direct from the start."
"Next time, don't worry and just say stuff like that directly," Kael advised. "We already agreed to escort you safely back. Finding out your destination is the palace doesn't change that promise."
"He's right," Lyssa chimed in, though her voice carried a slightly strained note. "We're seeing this through regardless of where it leads."
"Thank you," Seraphina said, relief evident in her expression. "Then let's head straight there. No more roundabout routing."
They adjusted their course, now making directly for the palace through the most efficient streets. As they drew closer, the buildings around them became progressively more elaborate—clearly wealthier districts, with estates and mansions replacing the more modest structures of the outer city.
The palace walls loomed ahead, even more impressive up close than from a distance. Guard towers at regular intervals, mythbeasts patrolling the ramparts, massive gates reinforced with what looked like solid steel.
When they reached the first set of gates, six guards stood at attention, each with a single powerful-looking mythbeast companion. Two had those wolf-like creatures Kael was starting to recognize as common among guards. One had a bear-type with dark fur and massive claws. Another had a falcon that made Fulminus look tiny by comparison. The last two guards had serpentine mythbeasts that coiled around their shoulders—some kind of constrictor species, but scaled up to threatening size.
The guards' eyes widened the moment they saw Seraphina.
"Princess Seraphina!" one called out, voice carrying both relief and concern. "Your Highness, thank the gods you're safe! We received word of the carriage accident. The Queen and the Duke have been—"
"I'm fine, Garrett," Seraphina interrupted gently. "These tamers rescued me and have been ensuring my safe return. Please let us through, and send word ahead that I'm here."
"Of course, Your Highness!" The guard—Garrett—immediately turned to one of his companions. "Marcus, send Swiftwind ahead. Alert the palace that Princess Seraphina has returned safely."
The guard with the falcon nodded, and the massive bird launched into the air with a powerful thrust of its wings, racing toward the palace proper at incredible speed.
"That's a beautiful name,by the way," Kael said honestly. "Seraphina. It suits you."
"Thank you," she replied with a genuine smile. "I've always been rather fond of it myself."
Kael noticed Lyssa's expression shift—something troubled entered her features, as if she'd just made a connection or remembered something important. Before he could ask what was wrong, she leaned close and whispered urgently.
"Kael. Princess Seraphina isn't just any princess. Her elder sister is Queen Elara—the current ruler of the kingdom. And her elder brother is Duke Hadrian, the most powerful and influential noble in the entire country aside from the Queen and King themselves. She's currently third in line for the throne."
Kael felt his eyebrows rise. That was... significantly more important than he'd realized. Not just a princess, but one of the most powerful individuals in the entire kingdom by virtue of family alone.
He looked over at Seraphina, who was chatting with Ripple through their mental bond. Should he treat her differently now? Start bowing and using formal titles?
"So," he said, drawing her attention back to him. "Should we call you Princess now? Or is Seraphina still okay?"
She smiled warmly. "Seraphina, please. Or just Sera if you prefer. Titles are for formal occasions and court politics. You saved my life and escorted me home safely—that earns you the privilege of using my actual name."
"Was already planning on it," Kael said with a grin.
They continued deeper into the palace grounds, following a paved path between meticulously maintained gardens. Fountains played in several locations, the water creating soothing sounds. Mythbeasts of various types roamed freely—clearly companions of palace residents, not wild creatures.
They reached a second set of gates, these even more impressive than the first. The guards here wore more elaborate armor, and their mythbeast companions were notably stronger-looking. One guard immediately dispatched his companion—a sleek, cat-like creature with impossible speed—toward the palace to announce Seraphina's arrival to her siblings.
"They know she's here," Lyssa murmured. "And they know she was supposed to arrive yesterday. They're going to want answers."
As if summoning them through prophecy, movement from the palace drew Kael's attention. Two figures emerged from the main entrance, moving with purpose and speed. They rode matching water-type mythbeasts—dragons, essentially, though smaller than the massive legends from Earth mythology. The creatures moved through the air about ten feet off the ground, their serpentine bodies undulating with fluid grace.
One rider was a woman who looked to be in her late twenties, with dark hair and a regal bearing that screamed authority even from a distance. The other was a man of similar age, his features sharp and his posture radiating barely controlled tension.
The Queen and the Duke, Kael realized. Seraphina's siblings.
"Sera!" the woman called out as they approached, her voice carrying both relief and exasperation.
Seraphina moved forward immediately, meeting her siblings as they dismounted from their water dragons. All three came together in a fierce embrace, the two dragons hanging back but clearly monitoring Seraphina for any sign of injury or distress.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Seraphina reassured them, though her voice was muffled against her sister's shoulder. "Just a carriage accident, nothing serious."
"Nothing serious?" The Duke—Hadrian—pulled back from the embrace, his hands on Seraphina's shoulders as he examined her with the intensity of a deeply concerned older brother. "Your carriage was found overturned, the horses returned to the stables without you, and we had no word for an entire day! We thought—" His voice caught slightly. "We feared the worst."
"I know, I know. I'm sorry for worrying you both." Seraphina gestured back toward Kael and Lyssa. "But these tamers found me and made sure I was safe. They waited until I woke up, let me travel with them, and escorted me all the way here."
The Queen's attention shifted to Kael and Lyssa for the first time. Her gaze was assessing, intelligent, missing nothing. She moved toward them with the same fluid grace she'd shown when dismounting, every movement speaking of power and authority.
"So you're the two who helped my sister when she was in trouble," she said. It wasn't quite a question.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Lyssa responded immediately, dropping to one knee in formal deference.
"Yes, ma'am," Kael said at the same time, remaining standing.
The Queen's eyebrow rose slightly at the difference in their responses. She looked at Kael with an expression that might have been amusement, or assessment, or both. "You may rise," she told Lyssa, then focused fully on Kael. "And you seem unfamiliar with proper court protocol."
"I'm more familiar with practical action than formal etiquette, Your Majesty," Kael replied honestly. "But I mean no disrespect."
"Clearly." The Queen's lips twitched into what might have been the beginning of a smile. "Lyssa Thornwood, yes? Rank 3 tamer from the Thornhaven branch. And you must be Kael Veyrin. Rank 2, also Thornhaven. Registered for the tournament."
She'd already looked up their information. Of course, she had—that's what the guard's falcon had been for. Alerting the palace and providing time to research who was arriving with the Princess.
"That's right," Kael confirmed.
The Queen's expression shifted, becoming more serious. The air around her seemed to cool slightly, and Kael felt the weight of her full attention like a physical pressure.
"So, Kael Veyrin," she said, her voice taking on a harder edge. "What happened to my sister? Exactly?"
The question hung in the air, loaded with implications. This was a test, Kael realized. She wanted to hear his version, compare it to whatever Seraphina had already told her through their mental bonds or brief exchanges. She was assessing whether he could be trusted, whether his story would hold up, and whether he posed any threat to her younger sister.
The air had gone frigid with tension.
And everyone was waiting for his answer.