Kingdom Fallen

Volume 1 Part 9: My First Friend

"Why are you laughing. They say he is a Valerian mercenary in hiding after having a major battle with the Eldorian Knights and that is why he is missing an eye," she said and again I burst out in laughter

"I'm serious," she pouted

"I know you are. I'm sorry, but you have Mister Jacob all wrong. He's not like what you said. He is the gentlest person I have ever met. He wouldn't harm a fly, in fact he doesn't even hunt the animal he butchers," I said

"Huh really? Are you sure? I heard he became a butcher because he likes the cry of the helpless animals as he kills them as slowly as possible"

"Of course, I am. Mister and I are the ones that catch them after all," I said puffing my chest with pride

"Really? Is this why you are carrying that broken bow? And were so gallantly about to protect me?" she asked

"Um....we should probably go back to watching the parade," I quickly changed the topic as a bit of crimson spread on my cheeks before we resumed looking down at the parade.

The crowd of people had left and the galloping of horses could barely be heard over the festivities of the parade. Riding through the crowd of cheering townsfolk was a group of knights on top of horses alongside them was a large open carriage. In the carriage was group of people dressed in fancy clothing and expensive jewelry.

There were six people in the carriage: a pair of twins, a boy and a girl, they each had brown hair and green eyes dressed in lavish clothing and jewels and slivers that sparkled in light, a more mature woman she had black hair like the others and is quite beautiful and had what Miss Mary called an hourglass figure, another was a middle aged man who sat regally in the center he had brown hair and a beard that had sprinkles of grey in it, behind him was an older man who was the sole person standing and the last and most interesting person was the youngest on the carriage. He had blonde hair and crystal blue eyes that made him stand out from the rest of his family

"So that's the genius everyone has been raving about," I said with a smile.

"Yeah, the boss said that this whole parade is for him," she said

"According to Mister, he made quite the achievement that I guess any father would be excited about," I said

"Really. Though I have heard that he is a bastard,"

"A bastard?" I c****d my head in confusion

"Never mind, I forgot I was talking to a kid. Just know that our city lord is truly a man of great compassion for raising that child" she sighed

I refocused my attention to the parade and made a more astute examination

The female twin sat in the outermost right seat dressed in a beautiful bright blue dress and had her tall straight brown hair flowing down. She had the bright smile on her face and she waved to everyone. Beside of her was the male twin, he sat upright and tried his best to look stone faced , though he would destroy that image as he snuck glances at his father and crossed his legs in hopes of imitating him. The father, who most probably the lord of the land, sat in the center, he was stone faced as he stared out into the crowd with his legs crossed and his hands placed firmly on the armrest. His chair was a little more to the front than the others and slightly raised allowing him to be the first thing people in the crowd would see. He had on the fanciest articles of clothes and wore the most expensive pieces of jewelry. To his left was the beautiful woman which was his wife, she had on a beautiful dress similar to that of her daughter's. She had a smile on her face, though it seemed like it was forced to me. Her eyes had no traces of joy unlike her husband's that were brimming with pride. Behind her husband was an elderly man dressed in a fancy suit that bore a special insignia on the crest. He looked bored and uninterested in happenings of the parade. His gaze often ignored the lord and the rest of the family, and often only seemed interested in the youngest who sat to the right of his mother.

Said child didn't seem the least bit interested in the parade, despite that he kept up a smile and waved ever so slightly to the people. I couldn't help sizing him up as I compared the two of us

"Wow, he's actually pretty cute. I love his hair," Bethany complimented

Taking a look at him, he was actually rather good looking, for a guy at least. He had fair skin, sparkling blue eyes and smooth shinning blonde hair stretched down to his neck. Through his fake smile you could see his pearly white teeth. The clothes he wore were pleasant looking, but not gaudy like his siblings. Also, unlike them, he did not have on much jewelry. I had little to no interest in his appearance however and was more interested in his performance in the Nobility Trails. My eyes wondered and soon refocused the knights that riding outside of the carriage

They were in pristine sliver armor riding skillfully a top of their horses. Up on closer inspection of their armor I soon noticed a purple eagle insignia edged into their sparkling sliver breastplate. It did not take long for me to recognize that squad.

My mind remembered the sound of the blade being drawn. My body seemed to move on its own forcing me to quickly dip down for cover so they wouldn't be able to see me

"What are you doing?" she said

"Hiding," I innocently responded

"I can see that. Why though?" she asked

"Those knights attacked me," I said before she busted out into manic laughter

"No way, that's impossible. These are Eldorian knights. They are the good guys," she reassured

"Good guys, huh?" I said thinking back to Eric almost attacking me with his sword and I couldn't bring myself to ever consider him good

"Yeah, they're nothing like those Valerian knights,"

"You've met Valerian knight?" I asked

"Well....no. But the owner has told me stories about that," she said

"So, the owner has met Valerian knights?"

"Well...no, but he knows someone that fought against them," she declared

"Oh, okay," I had no experience with the Valerian knights at the time so it could be likely that they were as horrid as the townsfolk had believed

"Either way, you can get up. They've already passed," she informed me

Still wary, I slowly got up from off the roof and looked down at the crowd once more. The knights were slowly vanishing into the distance and only then did I let out a sigh of relief

"Well, the parade is over. What would you like to do now?" Bethany asked me

"Um...I don't know. What do people normally do at banquets?"

"Well kids your age typically just play with their friends or get dragged around by their parents"

"Well neither is an option for me," I sheepishly said

"What? You have no friends?" she jokingly said

"How did you know?" I asked

"Are you serious?" she asked

"Mister does not let me have friends," I said

"I'm sorry to say this, but Mister sounds horrible," she said

"Mister might be a little stoic, but he has raised me and taught me everything I know ever since I was four," I said

"Since you were four?"

"Yes," I nodded

"Were you staying with your parents before that?" she asked

"No, I don't think I stayed with anyone before Mister," I said

"What about your parents?" she asked

"I already told you. I don't have parents," I reminded

"Actually no, you haven't told me that," she said

"I guess it must have not gotten the chance to mention it," I said

"Azrael, do you really not remember anything about your parents?" She inquired

"Unfortunately I don't remember anything before the age of four," I explained

"Oh my. Azrael, you poor thing," she sympathized

"Oh, is it really that bad?" I nonchalantly shrugged

"Every child needs their parents to look after them, Azrael" she said

"Why? I had plenty of people looking after me. I had Mister, Mister Jacob and Miss Mary. What is the difference?" I listed off

"I mean I guess with so many people you wouldn't truly notice that you're alone," she had a sad smile as she looked down at the floor

"What about you Bethany?" I asked

"What do you mean?" she asked

"Why aren't you with your friends?" I asked

"Well, I don't really have many friends myself,"

"Why?" I asked

"Well, the boys my age got enlisted in the war and the girl got married off. I'm also at work majority of the day so it doesn't leave much time for friends. I guess we are more alike than you thought," she said with an awkward smile

"What do you mean?" I asked

"I mean we both don't have any friends," she said

"That's not true," I said

"Huh?" she asked confused

"I'm your friend, aren't I?" I asked with a bright smile.

She looked at me for a moment before once again bursting into manic laughter

"By the gods, you're so cute," she laughed for a bit before looking down at me

"Friends huh?" she pondered with a smile

"Huh-uh," I excitedly nodded still smiling brightly

"I guess we are," she said smiling back at me.