They Were Born Upon Ashes by Kenneth Champion Page A

streets. She was still worried about her safety but to her surprise nothing alarming had happened so far. She still saw children running in the streets and families buying food at the market.
    The only unfavorable thing she experienced numerous times was the eyes of old creepy men that stayed fixated on her while she walked by. It was not something that was entirely new to her, but it was rather worrisome considering the state the city was in.
    She began to feel more and more that Nick may had left the city. The only area she had not checked yet was Castle Teon’s courtyard. She left it for last because she had seen the king die with her very eyes there and she felt that the castle was now the exact representation of evil.
    She arrived at the courtyard as the sun dropped behind it. The massive castle and grand staircase set the courtyard in shadow.
    She witnessed men and women Reza arrive at the bottom of the staircase without their gloves on. They met with two Refect at the stairs before being allowed to go up to the castle. Soon there was a line that formed as the Reza eagerly awaited to receive their gifts had Vicon talked about. Paplon and a few human men and women stood across the courtyard by the outside walls of a tavern and watched as the Reza walked up the stairs.
    Penny stood by herself next to a fruit cart. The man selling the fruit was an old Reza man with his gloves still on.
    She took the few steps it took to stand by the man and said, “We live in crazy times.”
    “That we do, young lady,” said the man. “What can I get for you?”
    “Oh, I am not hungry, sir,” replied Penny. “I was actually wondering if you know where the king’s men have gone. You are always here at the courtyard so I just assumed you might have seen something or heard something.”
    “Take this apple,” said the man. “It is on me.”
    He tossed her an apple and stood in silence.
    “Thank you, sir. But do you know where they might be? I only ask because the man I love was with them yesterday. I only seek to know if he is safe or not.”
    “I have lived many years, dear,” said the man. “I have learned one thing as a professional observer. Those who talk about things that they should not receive the harshest of penalties. Although I believe it in your voice that you love him. I heard from someone that the king’s men lead the march to Ralton. It would be safe to assume the man you love is on his way there as we speak.”
    “I should have gone with them last night,” Penny said as she shook her head.
    “Now what could be stranger than this?” said the man.
    “What is it?”
    “I do believe there are two king’s men walking down the castle stairs right now,” said the man.
    Penny looked up and she saw the king’s men herself. They were layered head to toe with the notorious golden armor of the king’s men.
    “Looks like they stayed after all,” said Penny. “Thank you so much, sir. I’m going to go ask them.”
    Penny took a few steps forward before being grabbed by her arm. She quickly turned around to find that the man had a firm grip on her arm.
    “Let go,” she said. “What in the world are you doing?”
    “Wait a minute, girl,” said the man. “Something is not right here.”
    One king’s man pulled out his long steel sword. The other clenched both of his blue fists. They walked straight over to the crowd of Paplon and humans.
    “The wall behind us,” said the man. “Quickly, the last sets of planks on the left there come off.” He pointed his finger in the direction. “Go hide in there and do not come out.”
    Penny heard screams coming from the opposite end of the courtyard. She looked over to see the king’s men attacking the civilians. She ran over to the corner and took off the wooden panel. There was a hole just about the size of her body. She rolled into the hole and pulled the wooden plank back up against the wall, concealing herself.
    She propped up her head a bit to look through a