There's always a catch to everything. I thought that all of Kilvas' problems were cleared up. I figured that leading a small nation of ravens would be easy, and that soon we'd emerge into a power to be reckoned with. I forgot how cruel the senators of Begnion were. The blood pact had already triggered an obstacle in my path, and it would only continue to do so for many years.

Chapter 11 -- Hopelessly Trapped

It took a few days for Naesala to get used to his new position. For one thing, he was so accustomed to answering to "Naesala" or "Nestling" that he kept forgetting that when someone said "King" or "Your Majesty," they were also talking to him. Another was the fact that he got to move into the luxurious king's bedroom with a balcony that had a spectacular view of Kilvas. For the most part, soldiers were all right with answering to him, since he had been somewhat in charge of the army while the plague was going on. Captain Seeker seemed a little wary at first, since the new raven king was much younger than him. The people were very hopeful, and they seemed to trust him. During the whole first week of his kingship, Naesala started to feel that this might actually work.

I know the rebuilding process will be slow, but maybe... just maybe, Kilvas will rise again. He was sitting on his balcony, taking a break one afternoon and thinking about everything that had happened recently. I guess once things settle down a little, I'll be able to visit Reyson in Phoenicis. I bet he's shocked right now, knowing I'm king of Kilvas. He grinned. The only problem now is dealing with the other countries. The hawks are... tolerable, I guess. But then there are the beast tribes in Gallia... I've heard King Caineghis is not one to mess with. And the dragons... then again, no one's really heard from the dragons for a while. I'd like to avoid them as much as possible.

Being king also meant that he got to choose which ships to raid. Anyone from Begnion is automatically a target, he thought. I guess I could leave the Crimeans alone... Ah, hell, let's just raid anyone without feathers or fur. Those humans deserve it, anyway. We could use the money, too. We'll build up Kilvas' army and treasury, and then try to get some land. Then Begnion won't want to mess with us anymore. Or Phoenicis, for that matter. He nodded as several plans and dreams began popping into his head. I guess this whole being king thing isn't so bad, after all. He then looked down and realized that he had been absentmindedly scratching a spot on his left wrist for a while now. Glancing at it, he noticed that it was getting red.

Dry skin, maybe. Or a flea bite. Ugh, we need to get the fleas off of Kilvas. Clean this place up a little. He watched the waves crashing down below. There was something exciting about all of this new power. Even though he had been dreading it at first, since it was his fault that the previous king was dead, Naesala was starting to feel a rush every time reality hit him.

Yet a little voice inside of him continued to whisper, so softly: "It's not this easy."

The rest of the week was spent trying to negotiate with the neighboring countries, mainly Phoenicis. Since he was now king, Naesala had to know about which territories he was allowed to order raids in. Nealuchi accompanied him to the hawk kingdom to meet with a bewildered Tibarn.

"This is all very... sudden..." Tibarn remarked as he eyed Naesala over upon his arrival. "Well, welcome to kinghood."

"Can we just get this over with?" Naesala muttered. "I have a lot to take care of back home, too." He heard Nealuchi suck in his breath in shock. The old crow has no idea how much I can't stand this hawk... I don't need to have any fancy manners around him.

Tibarn seemed to be expecting bad manners from the raven. He shrugged his shoulders. "I just don't like having unnecessary competition. Your border lies about twenty leagues outside of Kilvas' shores. If the ship passes that border, it's mine. You got that?"

"I'll try my best, but if my men get greedy, I can't make any promises." He smirked.

Tibarn crossed his arms and returned the smirk. "You forget, King Kilvas, that I've been in power longer than you have. If we were to spar right now, I'd easily defeat you."

"Why would I even bother sparring against you?" Naesala replied. "I have much better things to do with my time."

"S-sirs, please!" Nealuchi stuttered. "This is no time to argue about who's stronger! We're just here to settle any possible border disputes."

Naesala groaned. "Right, right. I can't go outside twenty leagues of our shores. I got it. What else is there to discuss?"

"Well, for starters... who exactly do you plan on raiding?"

"Is that even a question? I'm willing to raid any ships with treasure."

Tibarn narrowed his eyes. "I was thinking of only focusing on Begnion ships. After what they did to our heron kin... They need to be punished!"

Naesala thought for a moment. That sounds good... Then again, we could make a ton more money if we stole from anyone... "Well, you can focus on Begnion. I'll steal from anyone."

"Suit yourself," Tibarn replied. "Just don't think about--"

"Getting into your territory. Seriously, hawk king, I'm not stupid..." Naesala wanted to find some ways to further insult Tibarn, but then he noticed something white approaching him from the side and turned to see Reyson. The young heron was talking with Janaff and Ulki. He grinned and called out to him. "Reyson!"

Reyson turned to him and nodded, smiling.

"King Kilvas, can we stick with the business at hand, here? Reyson is busy with his language lessons." Tibarn frowned.

"He doesn't seem too busy to me." Naesala began walking toward his friend. "Besides, there isn't much else to discuss." He could hear Nealuchi frantically apologizing behind him. If you can have my friend stay here, then I think I should at least be allowed to speak with him on the rare occasions that I can actually visit!

"Naesala, I heard that you have become the new king of Kilvas," Reyson remarked in the new tongue.

Naesala jumped in shock. "Reyson? You're speaking the new tongue so fluently! How did that happen?"

"I have been studying a lot," he replied. "It has been over a year since I last saw you, remember?"

"True... Time certainly flies..." He glanced over at Janaff and Ulki, who were standing on either side of Reyson. "Are these your escorts?"

"Oh, Janaff and Ulki are just helping me learn the new tongue." Reyson smiled. "They have been a great help!"

"Thanks, Prince!" Janaff replied happily. Then he eyed Naesala over. "So, you're the new king of Kilvas... Kinda young, isn't he?"

"Not much younger than King Tibarn, I'm sure," Ulki noted. "I do hope that the bond between our two nations will remain strong, King Kilvas."

"Yeah... Hopefully..." Naesala forced a smile. Ugh, I hate these hawks so much... Trying to be all friendly and such when they know we're in competition as pirates. He turned to Reyson again. "So, how are they treating you here? They're not letting you go hungry or anything, are they?"

Reyson's eyes widened. "No no, of course not! The hawks have been more than kind." Then he sighed. "Wow, Naesala... I still cannot imagine you as a king."

"What, you think I'm not qualified?" Naesala made a mock frown. "Reyson, you wound me so!"

"Well... I would hope you are qualified, Naesala! I'm only saying that it is just... strange, I guess," he mumbled. "You have never exactly been the... er, kingly type."

Naesala laughed. "I guess it's time to break the stereotypes, then! You know, Reyson, our shores are always open to you. And your father, when he gets better."

Reyson's eyes darkened. "Father still has not improved... I do not know if he ever will, at this rate."

"Reyson..." Naesala patted his friend on the shoulder. "He will get better. I know it. Someday."

Reyson smiled. "Thank you. I only hope you are right..."

That night, after he had returned to Kilvas, Naesala went back to his room right after dinner to get some rest. He also knew he had to work out some of the country's finances. However, as soon as he shut the door, the itching spot on his arm started to burn again.

Not again... This is so annoying...

He scratched it and went over to his dresser, but the irritation in his arm soon turned into a burning pain. Then, all of a sudden, a sharper pain exploded in his arm. He gasped from the shock of it and grabbed onto his arm, only to notice that he felt something wet coming through his sleeve. Frantically shoving back his sleeve, he looked at his arm and saw blood gushing out of what was now a curiously-shaped wound on his wrist.

What... what the hell is this?

He ripped off a scrap of fabric from the hem of his shirt to wipe off the blood. Steadily the pain grew stronger and seemed to travel in a pattern around the wound. Something about it seemed so familiar. Naesala looked at the wound again, gritting his teeth. Visions of a dark corridor came to his mind, along with those of the symbol on another arm, a horrible deal being made, two beorc men in white smiling maliciously...

"No!" Naesala stumbled back against the wall, clutching onto his left wrist. Terror shot through his veins, creeping through his body with an icy crawl and numbing everything except for the fiery pain in his wrist. Time had stalled to a halt, while Naesala wished with every ounce of his being that he was only dreaming, that it was only some horrible kind of nightmare. But the pulsing fire in his wrist kept him grounded in reality. He glanced down at the wound again. Sure enough, it was the same symbol he had seen on the king's wrist several years ago, back when all of Kilvas' trouble began. The blood pact.

"No... no no no..." He sank to the floor, trembling. But how? The signer of the contract is dead! How can it possibly still be in effect?

As if to answer his questions, a flash appeared in the center of the room, and suddenly one of the two senators from Begnion appeared, the one who had smiled at him in Serenes Forest all those years ago. For the first time, Naesala was able to get a good look at his face. He was blonde, with a thick moustache, and was slightly heavyset. Part of him wanted to jump at him and rip him apart, but the other part was completely terrified. The senator smiled at him coldly.

"So, you are the new king of Kilvas. We had heard that the previous one died quite suddenly and mysteriously." He glanced down at Naesala's quivering arm and nodded. "It looks like you've already inherited the former king's little deal. I would have come to you sooner, but there have been other pressing issues in Begnion, what with the assassination of the Apostle by your kin."

This caused the fear in Naesala to dissolve instantly. "The herons didn't do it! You know that! They're a peaceful tribe!" he shouted.

The senator shook his head. "You subhumans are still so primitive... at any rate, I believe we should introduce each other, since we will be business partners for the remainder of your kingship."

Naesala glared at him. "I already know what this is. It's a blood pact, and you tricked the king into signing it. Well, I refuse to accept! Kilvas can get along just fine without your help!"

"Oh, I'm afraid it doesn't work that way," he replied. "The contract will be in effect as long as Kilvas remains a country. The death of the king means nothing. The pact will be passed down from king to king forever. It's in the contract that your former king signed."

Naesala felt his stomach drop. Kilvas is still... cursed... we're still trapped... oh, that bastard! Why the hell would he do this to us?

"My, my, you certainly are a young one... I suppose you killed your king and took over, thinking you could save your raven friends?" The senator chuckled, as though he was amused. "How charming."

Naesala stood up, enraged. "You bastard! What more do you want?"

"Now, now, no need to get angry. Remember, from now on, you must fulfill our demands." He flashed a sickeningly sweet smile. "Look on the bright side, King Kilvas. Your country will be protected. Your people will always be safe."

"But not from you," Naesala muttered. Suddenly, the pain shot up his entire arm. He winced but forced himself to remain standing. He refused to bow down to one of the humans who had allowed the killing of Reyson's family.

"That pain will serve as a warning," the senator explained. "It gives you another chance to fulfill our request. If you still refuse, then the ravens will slowly start to die off. Now, you don't want that, do you?"

Dammit... Naesala realized that he had no choice. He didn't want another "mysterious plague" to hit his beloved country. "Fine." He shook off the pain for a moment and faced the senator. "I... accept."

The senator nodded. "Excellent. I am sure we will work very well together. My name is Lekain."

He treats this like it's just a normal business partnership, Naesala thought bitterly. "Naesala," he grunted.

"I am looking forward to your cooperation," Lekain remarked. "Until next time, King Kilvas, farewell."

He lifted up his staff, and with another flash he was gone. Naesala waited another minute before collapsing onto the floor again, putting his head in his hands.

That's it. We're done for. If I can't meet their demands, Kilvas is ruined. We can't take another widespread death spree... and we need the money. We're stuck. I have to do everything they tell me... Why the hell did I agree to become king?

"It will be all right." The memory of little Leanne looking so innocently hopeful flashed inside his mind.

Leanne... you're gone, and yet you're still trying to cheer me up? Naesala sighed and leaned back against the wall. The pain in his wrist had lessened to only a dull, occasional throb. No... I can't give up this easily. That's what the last king did, and it destroyed him. I won't be destroyed. There has to be a way out of this... He felt a small smile come to his face. For Leanne... for Rafiel, for Lillia, for Reyson... for Kilvas... I have to stay strong. He stood up and quickly bandaged his wound and changed his shirt.

Now, how to proceed... I have to keep this a secret. The less people involved, the better. But he knew there was one raven whom he could never keep secrets from. Someone who knew everything else about him. He checked himself in the mirror to make sure he at least looked somewhat normal and stepped out into the hallway to look for Nealuchi.

The old crow was on his way to the records room. Naesala's heart was still pounding heavily from the shock of everything that had just happened.

"Ah, Nealuchi? I have to... discuss something with you. Privately." He tried to keep his voice as calm as possible, but he could tell from Nealuchi's raised eyebrows that his caretaker already suspected that something was wrong. He took Nealuchi into the records room and locked the door tight. Then he took a deep breath and pulled back his sleeve.

"Look." He unwrapped the bandages.

Nealuchi gasped. "That's... no, it can't be!"

"It is. The blood pact." Naesala kept his voice low. "It gets passed on from king to king. I have no choice." He went on to explain how the senator visited and told him everything.

After hearing it, Nealuchi pulled over a chair and sat down, shaking his head. "We're doomed..."

"I think there's a way," Naesala whispered. "There has to be. We just have to stay calm and do what he says, no matter how ridiculous it seems. I don't want to end up becoming a wreck like the last king, and I won't let Kilvas die out."

Nealuchi sighed. "Nestling... you're right. I know you won't end up like the last king. You're much stronger."

"I hope you're right... Anyway, you can't tell anyone about this. I only told you because you already know about the blood pact."

The old crow nodded gravely. "I promise, Nestling. I won't tell a soul."

Naesala rewrapped his bandage. The pain in his wrist was now completely gone. The raven clan won't die. Not while I'm king.


Yes, I just stuck the note in there about the fleas as a reference to Two Weeks. I promise that I will have a more light-hearted chapter soon...