Testament

Author: Seth

"Just as servants who have no faith in their sovereign have no right to be his subjects, a king who cannot believe in his people has no right to be their ruler."

"Hmmm? That's an odd ring, Kitsuno. Where did you get it?"

Kitsuno glanced up at Naebi, a small smile on his face.

"Oh, this?" He held up his right hand which bore a small, plain ring crafted of wood on its index finger. "It's from back home." He fingered the worn wood pensively. "It's presented to all of our soldiers who get raised to the Elite Guard. All the members of my family have one too but," his smile turned a touch rueful. "They usually don't wear them all that often, if ever."

"But a ring made of wood?" The Bean tilted her head curiously. "That's a bit of an odd choice for the Hiwa Sector, isn't it?"

"Yeah, you could say that." The royal heir replied. "But that's what makes this ring so special. It's kind of a lesson, and a reminder." He raised the finger with the ring on it and an intense flame burst into existence around the wooden hoop. "A reminder that not everything is ever as it seems, and to never look down on the weak because appearances can be deceiving." The concentrated inferno raged around the ring, yet the wood didn't catch, didn't even darken in the slightest. "And a lesson that victory is always within your grasp, and that no disadvantage was ever an excuse for failure."

Kitsuno let the fire wink out and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"It's kinda ironic. It's supposed to represent who we are, and where we came from; a testament to our history." He let out a cynical chuckle, slightly at odds with the genuinely amused expression on his face. "And yet my father hates it, and he tried to get us to hate it too because it underlines the fact that our power isn't absolute, even among our own people."

Naebi's eyes flicked from the pocket his ring bearing hand was hidden in to the circlet that stood out in sharp contrast against the black headband that also graced his brow.

"So that's how it is, is it?" She asked.

"Just about." He nodded. "I told you I'd do it, didn't I? You should learn to trust me more." He laughed. "Since when have I ever failed to carry through with my promises?"

"Never." The half-blooded girl whispered in reply. "You've never broken any of your promises. Any of them." She smiled. Maybe things were going to be all right.