After all, with the Caretaker of a future King of Sand, would their Guild henceforth flourish upon this Sand Sea?
But ZXC was looking at Fang Hong; of course he understood on whose account this Prince His Highness was in fact acting.
The banquet's end arrived quietly amid a chorus of laughter and cheerful voices.
Just as in this world, there is no feast that does not disperse in the end—
...
Golden Starlight seemed to hang down from the curved Sky above, falling upon the brilliantly lit Kashan Palace, each reflecting the other.
In the pitch-black night, over the cold Sand Sea, the two of them were like a pair of Twin Stars, one in heaven and one on earth.
Points of torchlight flared to life.
The swaying firelight, dense and clustered, was like a Sea of Light in the color of flame—the firelight illuminated the stern face of King of Sand Barbaltan—in another world, one could not even say he was old; perhaps he would still be counted in the prime of life. But upon the deserts of Istania, the wind and sand seemed to have eroded time itself, and had blown white the temples of this Monarch; every wrinkle on his face had written down each time he had exhausted his heart and mind for the Kingdom upon this desert.
Fine wine and delicacies could no longer call back the Time that had slipped from this King; he could only, in silence, dwell in Remembrance of the past. Every flash of blade and Light Sword in Nogness, thinking back now, seemed like a dream; at times it chilled the heart, yet at times it drew one into Remembrance.
The Knights of Sand lay armored with weapons by their pillows, the courtiers had long since arrived as well; within the ranks were many servants and Guards, the mighty column stretching from the square all the way beyond the palace gates.
There were still seven hours until Liming.
The timekeeper had already reported the time for the third time.
The Vanguard Squad had already set out; the two great armies formed from the palace Imperial Guard were at this moment already waiting outside Quistack for the moment of the King's departure. In addition, another army had set out from Bain, to join them upon the Phantom Sea; this expedition had been fixed as early as two months ago.
The man in charge was none other than Governor of Bain, Count Nulman Ig Emer Ibn.
"Has everyone arrived?"
"Lord Seniman is still on the road."
"Huchak has not arrived either."
"Everyone else is here."
"Are all the things prepared?"
"Everything is prepared."
Questions and answers passed from mouth to mouth.
Only Saisheer, a little anxious, kept asking among the crowd.
"Where is His Highness the Prince?"
"Which Prince His Highness?"
"Naturally the present Crown Prince, Prince Aleph."
"His Highness the Prince seems not to be in the palace."
Barbaltan looked toward that direction and said, "Leave him be, Saisheer."
"But Your Majesty." The old Clan Leader looked at the King of Sand in some surprise; this was unlike the other's character: "His Highness the Prince, he…"
"He has gone to see his own friends," Barbaltan replied. "He will hurry back before dawn."
He lifted his head, his gaze cast into the distance: "Just as you and I each have our own affairs to attend to, so Aleph too has his own business. Just as a young lion will grow someday into a great lion, he too will grow his own henchmen and his own judgment."
"We cannot restrain him for a lifetime. This time, as I go to the Phantom Sea, you know there are some matters of my own I must deal with. The heart knot of ten years ago clings to my heart like a nightmare; for this Kingdom I have waited until today. As the Istania King, I know there are things I must sacrifice, yet when the moment came, I still decided to be willful once—"
"He," the King of Sand's voice paused slightly, "is just as we were in our youth. When I was young I often acted willfully as well, yet in old age I have grown timid; after she met with misfortune, I actually dared not risk everything on one throw… And Aleph, it is precisely his time now. Let him go. As for those friends of his, you also understand, in the future they may yet be of some use to Istania."
Saisheer opened his mouth, and in the end only nodded silently.
"Saisheer," Barbaltan went on, "we have known each other for twenty-five years now, have we not?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Saisheer lowered his head and answered softly. "When, under the guidance of the former Clan Leader, I moved to Istania with the others, the old Clan Leader appointed me as Caretaker of the Oathkeeper Clan. If not for Your Majesty's aid, it would have been hard for me to reach the position I hold today."
"When I first met Your Majesty, I was already no longer young, and today I am all the more on the verge of old age—"
"And who among us is not?" Barbaltan laughed. "Quistack I entrust to you. Watch over Aleph well."
The old man lifted his head, looked at the Monarch he served, and nodded lightly.
...
In the darkness, points of firelight Blinked.
Like Stars fallen upon the Horizon, flaring and dimming.
The young soldier held his spear in hand, standing upon the city wall, quietly watching in that direction.
"Is that His Majesty's field encampment?"
The veteran at his side only glanced once in that direction, then shook his head. "His Majesty has not yet left Kashan Palace. The Imperial Guard at his side are not allowed to show lights at this hour, and besides, they are to the north of the city; you cannot see them from this direction."
"...Then that Light is?"
In the veteran's pitch-dark eyes, the flickering glow was reflected; only after a good while did he answer in a low voice:
"Those are Sand Thieves."
"Sand Thieves?"
The young soldier's voice held some surprise. "Are they mad, coming to Quistack at a time like this?"
"Who knows," the veteran replied. "Perhaps they've come to scout the situation. They likely think that after His Majesty departs, the defenses of the Royal Capital will be somewhat thinner."
"Of course, those vultures of the desert… They are not necessarily coveting our city, but they may well seize the chance to raid the regions around Quistack."
"Has it gotten that serious?"
"Lately the Sand Thieves truly have been growing more and more numerous…"
The veteran looked toward that direction and murmured a line to himself.
...