Read Online Kingdoms Away 1: Jorian Cluster Archives by S. V. Brown - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: S. V. Brown
Tags: Science-Fiction, SciFi, Aliens, space war, political science fiction, human genetic engineering, science fiction genetic tampering, science fiction space travel
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and agility of the airvehicle Celer, the honor of being
carried by live animals was exciting. In the Joiran Cluster one was
not permitted to simply harness animals for transport or labor
without the prior consent of the animal. How that consent was given
Edrik did not yet know. This knowledge would be imparted to him
when he turned anywhere from between ten to fifteen years of
age.
His mother had a special relationship with
the Noble Pintos. She also had a helmet associated with her days of
professional riding that she kept tucked away in her closet. She
had shown Eddie just once a few months ago. His father had made an
awful comment about her love of the beasts and a confused Eddie
asked her what he had meant. She smiled at him and when they were
alone took him up to her chambers. He rarely entered into her
private rooms, attached to his fathers. In the closet lay a large
carved box and Eddie had run his hands over the carvings. He fell
in love with the intricate design of horses and mountains.
She told him that she had competed many times
in the Conglomerate Games when she was younger and still lived on
Apis. Her father had been the Port Master at Dragon’s Eye. Her
mother had been the champion of the horse events and a strong
contestant in jousting and mock battles in both the local and the
Conglomerate Games. One year a group of local rebels had staged an
actual attack on their home planet, not satisfied with their
previous result on certain issues during or after the games. Her
mother had led her only daughter and a group of horse riders into
the fight and had won the day. The daughter had excelled in battle
and was rewarded with a special helmet, the helmet of Kara.
“That was you, Mum,” Ed had exclaimed,
wide-eyed. “Why don’t you play in the games now?”
“I have many responsibilities, Eddie. One
day, though, I plan to play again.”
That was enough for Edrik but he was so busy
touching the grooves in the helmet that he missed the sadness in
her eyes. When he looked back at her she had quickly hid the look
behind her custom smile.
They travelled in silence but sat close to
one another. A temporary canopy had been drawn over them. The rain
stopped and a cool breeze gently pushed the spring clouds away. The
journey from the castle to the capital took over two hours by
carriage. The castle was the main home of the sovereigns;
occasionally the council met there but most of the business was
held in Darcerus at Sovereignty House. As they approached Darcerus
they passed a sparsely populated housing area. Most people lived
out on farms or in thinly spaced villages. The roads were spread
out in a series of concentric circles from a huge park dedicated to
the Elysians. They turned into one of the connecting roads that led
to another circular road closer to the park
Many people looked or waved at the two in the
carriage. Most other people were walking, had different models of
the airvehicle, were on cycles or rode different animals. There
were no traffic lights on Darcerus; they used round-a-bouts
everywhere. Edrik liked this city; he hadn’t visited any off-world
cities but had seen 3D visions of them. Darcerus had trees, flowers
and lawns all over the place. Flowering vines grew on many of the
buildings, scenting the streets during spring. Ed breathed in
deeply, laughing as he realized his mother had done the same thing
at the same time. They turned right at an intersection and then
stopped.
They arrived at the grand building; it was a
huge grey stone structure with massive pillars on each corner, as
well as one on either side of the wooden doors. He and his mother
stood in front of the open entrance, dwarfed by the gigantic doors
that had been swept outward in welcome. Their shoes click-clacked
as they walked on the smooth, marble floor down the great hall.
The curator rushed over to them and received
them warmly. The tall, thin man leaned down to shake Edrik’s hand.
He remembered the firm grasp from
carried by live animals was exciting. In the Joiran Cluster one was
not permitted to simply harness animals for transport or labor
without the prior consent of the animal. How that consent was given
Edrik did not yet know. This knowledge would be imparted to him
when he turned anywhere from between ten to fifteen years of
age.
His mother had a special relationship with
the Noble Pintos. She also had a helmet associated with her days of
professional riding that she kept tucked away in her closet. She
had shown Eddie just once a few months ago. His father had made an
awful comment about her love of the beasts and a confused Eddie
asked her what he had meant. She smiled at him and when they were
alone took him up to her chambers. He rarely entered into her
private rooms, attached to his fathers. In the closet lay a large
carved box and Eddie had run his hands over the carvings. He fell
in love with the intricate design of horses and mountains.
She told him that she had competed many times
in the Conglomerate Games when she was younger and still lived on
Apis. Her father had been the Port Master at Dragon’s Eye. Her
mother had been the champion of the horse events and a strong
contestant in jousting and mock battles in both the local and the
Conglomerate Games. One year a group of local rebels had staged an
actual attack on their home planet, not satisfied with their
previous result on certain issues during or after the games. Her
mother had led her only daughter and a group of horse riders into
the fight and had won the day. The daughter had excelled in battle
and was rewarded with a special helmet, the helmet of Kara.
“That was you, Mum,” Ed had exclaimed,
wide-eyed. “Why don’t you play in the games now?”
“I have many responsibilities, Eddie. One
day, though, I plan to play again.”
That was enough for Edrik but he was so busy
touching the grooves in the helmet that he missed the sadness in
her eyes. When he looked back at her she had quickly hid the look
behind her custom smile.
They travelled in silence but sat close to
one another. A temporary canopy had been drawn over them. The rain
stopped and a cool breeze gently pushed the spring clouds away. The
journey from the castle to the capital took over two hours by
carriage. The castle was the main home of the sovereigns;
occasionally the council met there but most of the business was
held in Darcerus at Sovereignty House. As they approached Darcerus
they passed a sparsely populated housing area. Most people lived
out on farms or in thinly spaced villages. The roads were spread
out in a series of concentric circles from a huge park dedicated to
the Elysians. They turned into one of the connecting roads that led
to another circular road closer to the park
Many people looked or waved at the two in the
carriage. Most other people were walking, had different models of
the airvehicle, were on cycles or rode different animals. There
were no traffic lights on Darcerus; they used round-a-bouts
everywhere. Edrik liked this city; he hadn’t visited any off-world
cities but had seen 3D visions of them. Darcerus had trees, flowers
and lawns all over the place. Flowering vines grew on many of the
buildings, scenting the streets during spring. Ed breathed in
deeply, laughing as he realized his mother had done the same thing
at the same time. They turned right at an intersection and then
stopped.
They arrived at the grand building; it was a
huge grey stone structure with massive pillars on each corner, as
well as one on either side of the wooden doors. He and his mother
stood in front of the open entrance, dwarfed by the gigantic doors
that had been swept outward in welcome. Their shoes click-clacked
as they walked on the smooth, marble floor down the great hall.
The curator rushed over to them and received
them warmly. The tall, thin man leaned down to shake Edrik’s hand.
He remembered the firm grasp from
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