December 23, 2111
Catharine Darcrose
Catharine Darcrose comes from a family engrained in war throughout human history. Up until the year 2069, history recorded that Charlotte Carter Lee had died at seven weeks old as a result of premature birth and sickly health. She even had a grave marked in what was once known as Shockoe Hill Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. This was wrong. Fact was, the family doctor of Charlotte Georgiana Wickham and William Henry Fitzhugh Lee stole the child at birth and faked the Lees' newborn daughter's death. This, of course, meant Charlotte Carter Lee was the grandchild of General-in-Chief Robert Edward Lee, commander of the Confederate States army for the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War, and great-granddaughter of Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee, the Lieutenant Colonel in the Continental Army and Governor of Virginia. The doctor who stole her, whose name was lost in history, raised Charlotte Carter Lee, and she lived to a healthy age of seventy-one under the name of Anna Wallace Darcrose before she passed. She was never made aware of her heritage. Her legacy carried on, generation after generation. And the true linage of Anna Darcrose wasn't discovered until Cathy's grandfather, Sir Hearty Darcrose, made a name for himself in World War III. His first-born daughter and Cathy's mother, Elizabeth Darcrose, followed in his footsteps. Elizabeth Darcrose is the current chief admiral representing the humans in the ARW military - the highest rank achievable. Thus, war runs in blood of the Darcrose family. It always has.
Cathy had spent ten hours a day researching with Kaizerious for six straight days after her arrival. She was tired, her mind was tired. Cathy had turned into her quarters for the night, lying in her bed with Skolla, the warwolf, beside her. Warwolves are genetically altered wolves; twice as strong, twice as large, and smart enough to understand ARW soldiers on a basic level. In 2062, the Order of Aegis first began experimentation on genetic therapies and manipulation. Decades later, the process of breeding warwolves was perfected - a process that was slow and took years to complete. Once warwolves are bred, they are placed in training simulations with their designated wolf-pack unit.
Just as she was settling in for the night, there was a knock on the door. Cathy answered, albeit slowly.
"The king would like a word. Follow me," said a royal knight.
Hesitantly, Cathy followed and signaled for Skolla to stay. After leaving one tower, the knight led her into another tower, down some stairs, across a small sunken courtyard, and along a deserted corridor where empty suits of armor stood sentinel along the walls. They were relics of House Drayfus - black steel with snake scales cresting their helms now dusty and forgotten.
Cathy was led to a door in a high tower. Inside, there were a few bookshelves filled with books, some luxurious chairs surrounded by lavish decorations; statues and paintings among other things. The room was carpeted, bright in color, to match the walls and ceiling. There was an open double-door leading to a balcony, with a telescope angled to the stars.
The royal knight gestured for her to go inside, and then he left. From another door in the room, King Kaydon entered. He was rubbing his hands when he noticed Cathy. "My apologies. I just came from the privy." He grinned.
"You summoned me, your Grace?" Cathy put herself on one knee and bowed.
He gestured for her to rise. "Like I said earlier, no need for all of that." He tapped his finger to his chin in interest. "It does surprise me to see that you're so familiar with our customs."
"Simply due to training, really. Nothing more."
King Kaydon nodded toward the balcony, heading there himself. "Come."
Cathy followed. The king put his arms over the parapet walls of the balcony and stared at the stars. Cathy mirrored him, not too sure what to make of this situation. She had never been alone with someone of royal lineage before. It's hard to know exactly how to act.
After a minute of silence, Kaydon asked, "What's it like out there?"
"Empty. Vastly empty. But then, not so much, if you know where to go." Cathy answered.
"I've often wondered. No room for a king who would abandon his people to travel among the stars. You wouldn't often think it of a king, but it can often feel like you're trapped."
Cathy waited in silence.
King Kaydon turned to face her, leaving one arm on the wall. "Trapped for all eternity to live in the same place."
"You're the king here. I'm sure you can travel if you so choose."
"And you'd be right to a degree. Only, it would be rather irresponsible for me to do so. But there is a better option."
"What option?"
He smiled. "Unite our world under one king. If I were to accomplish such a goal, there would be a lot more time for leisure such as travel."
"Sounds like an impossible task in the World Unknowing Peace."
"Yes, it does. The kingdom directly west of us is run by a backstabbing usurper who once was part of the Tolkran Kingdom. To the east is even worse… might as well call that kingdom a kakistocracy. And those are just two of the Grand Thirteen Kingdoms. But those who dream little accomplish little. But I don't. I don't dream little. I want to unite our world."
Cathy felt for that particular sentimentality. She knew all too well of war running in the blood of a family. That very thing is commonality on this planet. Never-ending conflicts of kingdoms fighting for the upper hand surely meant that war ran in just about every creature here. "You'd be a very powerful man if you were able to unite Omulice."
"That's way too much responsibility and work for me," Kaydon said, with a guffaw. As he laughed, he found his way off the balcony and onto one of his couches. When he sat, he pressed a button on the table next to him.
A servant came through the door. "Wine, please," he said to the servant. "Want any?" he asked Cathy.
Cathy took a seat on another couch. "I don't drink. Never liked the taste."
"Fair enough."
The servant left and returned very shortly with a glass full of red wine. She then let herself out of the room.
Kaydon took a sip. "In truth, Lord Mauga would be a better king than myself. He was the one who ruled in my stead until I came of age, which was not too long ago. We have him to thank for the turnaround of the kingdom."
This was only recent knowledge to her. Before her trip here, she understood the Tolkran Kingdom was nowhere near the giant it was centuries ago. But she had been under the impression the kingdom was still on the decline. Interested, Cathy asked, "He sounds quite impressive. How did he turn it around?"
"The story is a long one, but I'll give you the short version."
"We have time," Cathy insisted.
Kaydon half-smiled. "Once upon a time, the Tolkran Kingdom was one of the greatest and largest kingdoms in the world. At its height, during the reign of King Kaylob." He hesitated for a moment. "Then it wasn't. Our luck turned sour, and our kingdom declined all the way, even through my father's reign. My father, King Garrol - he died when I was too young to remember him - and was killed by my sister, Erryn Wolph, who incidentally also murdered my uncle Bearon Wolph."
"That's a lot of family bloodshed to bear. I'm sorry," Cathy offered her condolences.
"No need. If my father was left in charge, our kingdom might already have been gone. But his death lead to Lord Mauga, who was the Warden of Northpoint and First Under-Reign, becoming acting king. Lord Mauga has always been a gentle and forward-thinking man. It was him, after all, that vastly progressed women's rights in our kingdom. Now women can become just about anything they ambition and train towards. All that was because of Lord Mauga, and it wasn't easy on him. It took him many years to do what he did with just as many years of backlash and resentment."
Cathy was silent.
"He did something I don't think I would've ever thought of. Now today, due to Mauga's foresight, the Tolkran Kingdom is on the rise for the first time in centuries. Who knew women could make such a difference?"
"Everyone else in the galaxy," Cathy joked, with a dry tone.
The king laughed. "You're probably right. The logic does seem simple, doesn't it? If a kingdom constantly suppresses half of its population, like so many kingdoms do this day and age, it suppresses half its potential."
Cathy held back a response. After all, she didn't want to offend a king.
"Of course, we still have a ways to go," Kaydon admitted. "Anyway, tomorrow we are celebrating the anniversary of my coronation. I want to invite you as an honored guest. What say you?"
Cathy wasn't too keen on the idea of wasting a day that she could otherwise spend productively. She was still in search of answers to the Brotherhood of Relics. Yet it would be bad manners to refuse a king. "I'd be honored of course," she said.
"Glad to hear it. I'll have someone escort you back to your chambers." Kaydon pressed the button, and someone entered the room. "I enjoyed our talk."
Cathy stood up. "Before I go, I would be remiss if I didn't ask about what you knew about the Brotherhood of Relics."
Kaydon smiled. "When I was informed we would have guests wishing to study that folktale, I didn't believe it at first. But here you are."
"Sounds to me like you know nothing."
"Sorry to say, I only know them as a myth. In time, I believe you will come to that conclusion yourself."
"Thanks for your time." Cathy bowed before following the lead of the king's servant. If the king himself knew nothing, Cathy wondered if she truly was wasting her time here. Alas, it was her mission, and she planned to see it through.