The King & The Prince

Bellicus Castle                     The courtyard was unusually quiet today except for a light breeze that would blow the leaves from the old elms and the labored breathing of Prince Kane and his young squire Adam; they had been training with the short sword for hours.   “Your eyes show your next move Adam, don’t glance in the direction you mean to aim!” Prince Kane commanded.   “Yes Your Grace.” Adam groaned this was taking its toll on him. Both of their bodies were coated in sweat, Adam’s lanky figure was bent over trying to catch his breath. He looked like a bean pole compared to Prince Kane’s sculpted muscular physique, he stood well over six feet in height with wavy brown hair and brooding hazel eyes. Adam lunged at Kane but the Prince was older and much faster in a flash his sword was pressed against Adam’s throat.   “Yield! I yield!”Adam squealed. Satisfied Kane released his squire patting his back.   “You did well today Adam, tomorrow we will do hand to hand combat.”   “Thank you your Grace.” He replied still trying to catch his breath.  A stable boy came running up to the men falling on his knees at the Prince’s feet.   “Your Grace, your Grace… a raven came from Northwood, General Samuel is dying.” His words were muffled but his last words struck Kane right in his chest. General Sam had been more of a father to him than his own, he trained him in combat and molded him into the man he was today. He had spent years under Sam’s supervision; the late King Gerald needed Kane to be a fierce warrior, to put aside the idea of love and do whatever necessary to protect the crown and he made sure that was instilled into his second born son.   “Adam go get the horses ready, and send a raven to Lord Harlow informing him of our arrival.” Kane barked his order out.   “Yes your Grace.” With a nod he was off.   Kane headed towards the castle to inform King Roland of his journey, his older brother would surely give his blessing, and Roland knew how much Kane loved and admired General Sam.     King Roland It was late in the afternoon and now all of the candles lit the stone halls of the Bellicus Castle, the gold and crème banners hung on every pillar. Kane made his way towards the throne room, where the King sat on his golden throne at the end of the long aisle way of benches for the commoners to sit.  King Roland was just as handsome as his younger brother; they both had their father’s thick brown hair and their mothers deep hazel eyes. Both men were well over six feet tall, Roland was a muscular man but not nearly as muscular as his younger brother. Kane had spent years in training to become the royal armies general while Roland trained to become King. He spent his years in his grandfather Andrew, the previous king’s shadow, attending meetings and balls, learning the odds and ends of what it meant to be king. “A good King should be fair and just.”  His grandfather’s words still stuck with him to this day, he would never be the vile King that his father had been. King Gerald spent his days drinking and sleeping with w****s in front of his mother, the people of Bellicus despised him so did Roland. He would kill anyone who dared to question him; the kingdom had been suffering financially for years at his recklessness.    “A king can do what the hell he wishes boy!” he could still hear his father’s evil voice as if he were standing in this throne room. He had been dead three years and they have been the best three years that the Kingdom of Bellicus has ever seen. Crops were abundant, merchants came from all around to sell their furs and oils, even the inns seemed to stay packed with travelers. His death truly was an answer to everyone’s prayers, if only his mother had been alive to witness the kingdom thriving after years of despair. The sight of his brother grabbed him from his day dream.   Kane walked up to the throne and bowed “Your Highness”.  Something was wrong; Kane was never this formal with me even if the room was filled with guards and several common people.   “You are all dismissed; I must speak with the Prince alone.” They all began to file out of the throne room. His normally stoic face looked almost pained, in all of his 26 years I had never seen my little brother like this not even when our mother died.   “What’s with the formalities Kane? What’s going on?”   “I received a raven from Lord Harlow in Northwood, General Samuel is dying. I need to go see his final days are peaceful.” Kane all but whispered sadness evident in his voice.   “Go see that he is at peace I know he would want you at his side. Take Adam and at least twenty of your best men for the road.” The trip to Northwood is a dangerous one full of thieves hidden within its dense forest. I had no doubt of my brother’s fighting abilities but he wasn’t exactly acting his normal self.   “Thank you brother.” He was about to run out of the room before I could get his attention.   “Kane!! Have Adam keep an eye on Lady Carissa for me, I will be down in a months’ time to court her after Lady Daniella leaves.” Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later. She had been here for nearly three months whining constantly to her handmaidens about every little thing.   For the first time today Kane smirked at the displeasure obviously written on my face at the mention of Lady Daniella, he too had to deal with the winches bickering.   “Of course brother.” And with that he was gone. I followed his leave and found the head maiden of the castle to prepare his baggage.   “Rhonda go to the Prince’s chamber and ready his bags for at least six months in Northwood.”   “Yes your highness and Lady Daniella is awaiting your arrival in the dining room.” She bowed and left headed up the stairway to Kane’s chamber. s**t… now I have to deal with this little brat. But first I need to write her father and tell him the news of Samuel maybe that can be my reasoning for her making her way home.       Now I have to just avoid her for the remainder of the afternoon, she could never be my Queen. She was far to childish and bland to look at, she had milky white skin with mouse brown hair, her nose was too large for her face ugh and her high pitched voice made me want to cut my ears off! Daniella was one of the kingdom’s four chosen ladies for me to court as she was the eldest daughter of Lord Anderson of Lakeview. She was the second lady to come to the castle in the past six months, the first Lady Eileen eldest daughter of Lord Walder of Southbridge was very pretty but couldn’t or wouldn’t speak once I entered the room. I tried everything to make her feel welcome but to no avail she was simply mute around me. She stayed for two months before I had to send her home, hell it would do me no good to have a mute as a queen. Eileen would have been perfect, Rhonda spoke of how kind she was to everyone even Kane became used to her presence around the castle.      ‘Two down and two more to go’, I have heard nothing but negative things about Lady Sasha, Lord Abraham’s only living child the rest had been sickly and either died at birth or never made it to age ten. Sasha had just turned nineteen but rumor has it she wasn’t in the best health and could not make the long journey to the castle from Savanna. Savanna was far west of Bellicus it takes a month on horseback to reach in good weather, but a single sand storm can postpone the journey for another month or so. Abraham and I had been exchanging ravens and I had planned on sending Kane to retrieve her but he is needed in Northwood so she will have to stay put for now. Very well she may be too sickly to become Queen of Bellicus, the journey here could kill her.       Then there was Lady Carissa, eldest daughter of Lord Harlow in Northwood, she was a beauty. I had seen her once before about twelve years ago after her mother died in childbirth with twins, she was only a child maybe ten but beautiful none the less. Perfect golden hair with eyes as blue as a summer sky, I hope all these years have been good to her. Carissa looked to be my only option at the moment considering Lady Sasha’s predicament, would she be suitable enough to become the queen? Kane should be able to discover what type of woman she had grown to be, he is very good judge of character, determining every little aspect about a person in a short while. It was probably due to the fact that he was so intimidating his stare could make a person confess all of their sins to him in minutes. He once made a grown man piss himself before beheading him for treason; even as King I must admit he was terrifying. Prince Kane was the General of the Royal Army of Bellicus, respected and feared by all; thankfully he was my baby brother.’ Knock’ knock’.    “Your Highness?” Daniella’s screechy voice came from the other side of my chamber door shaking me from my thoughts. Gods what does this woman want? I opened the door only to be embraced by her clammy little body.   “I have been waiting for well over an hour my sweet King, what have you been doing?” she whined.   “I am sorry to have kept you waiting my lady. Would you like to walk to the gardens?” I managed to put on some kingly charm for the little winch though I was groaning internally. Her face beamed with delight at my offer.   “Oh I would love to King Roland! I have been so bored with those silly little handmaidens of mine!” her voice even higher. We began our stroll towards the gardens could this day get any worse?