How To Train Royalty

Two

In the Kingdom of Aurea, approximately 6 hours ago, Alaric stood in the middle of the royal cemetery where his parents' graves stood. It had been five years since his mother had left the land of the living, and only a month since his father had followed, leaving Alaric's oldest brother—the wise and kind Alagor—to take over the throne.

Alaric sat on the grass at the foot of their graves and looked up at the clear, blue sky. He had just finished training the new set of guards in combat, so his arms were a little sore, and if he was being honest, he had to take a bath. Aside from that, he didn’t have much to do that day. After all, his only main duty as the third child was to maintain the kingdom's defenses—which didn’t really require much work due to the relatively peaceful nature of the land.

It was like any other peaceful afternoon, providing no indication of the turn his life was about to take.

“Alaric,” a woman's voice called.

“Almina,” Alaric replied, keeping his eyes up at the sky. “Care to join me, sister?”

He could hear the sound of footsteps lightly treading the grass as his older sister—the second oldest child of the late King—walked closer.

“I’d love to, but the King is asking for you,” she said, which made Alaric finally look at her. She had dark gray hair and a deep shade of purple in her eyes—much like Alaric and the rest of their siblings. Those were physical features that ran strongly in the royal bloodline, much like a visible proof of their claim to the throne.

“You smell like a warrior,” Almina commented as they began their walk back to the castle.

“It’s because I am one, and because I have just finished combat training with the new guards,” Alaric said in his defense.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “But do you have to smell like one?”

“I was planning to—” he stopped when a couple of guards greeted them. As they passed, he leaned in and continued in a whisper, “planning to bathe before you appeared.”

Almina scoffed at his excuse. “You were lying on the ground.”

“I was only—” Alaric sighed as they stopped in front of the King's bedroom. “That doesn't matter. How is he?”

“His condition remains the same, if not worsening,” she replied with worry. “The medicine barely works.”

He placed a hand on her shoulder. “He is a strong-willed man, sister. I’m certain he will be fine,” he assured her, even though his worries were the same. “He is typically busy at this time of Day. Why did he call for me?”

“Probably because of the scandal you caused in town,” Almina shrugged as she proceeded to knock on the large wooden doors.

“I was not the one who caused the scandal. It was the women!” Alaric hissed. “If anything I am the only innocent party here. It isn’t my fault if people find me desirable!”

“Come in!” they heard someone inside the room say.

“Honestly, Alaric. What do those women see in you?” Almina asked with a sigh as she disapprovingly looked at her brother from head to toe.

“My dazzling princely personality, perhaps?” Alaric said as a joke, while Almina pushed open the doors after rolling her eyes at him.

“Alagor!” Alaric greeted with a huge smile on his face as he strode through the room towards his brother.

“Alaric, Almina, join me,” King Alagor gestured towards the chairs next to him. He was seated on the table, a fork in hand, eating what looked to be pie.

“A dessert at this hour? You must be getting some of your strength back,” Alaric commented as they sat, even though he could clearly see that his brother remained to look pale.

“Hardly,” Alagor chuckled, “but I’m trying to remain optimistic, therefore, this pie.”

“I have a creeping suspicion that it’s the sweets' fault for your health’s downfall.”

“Too much of anything is poison, Alagor,” Almina warned as her oldest brother happily ate another bite.

“Or maybe the chefs are poisoning you since you make them cook so much pie,” Alaric suggested.

“Poison?” Alagor laughed. “This isn’t the early ages anymore. If one wishes to dispose of me, there are much better ways to do so.”

“I hardly think anyone would wish that. What would they gain when your command makes the Kingdom prosper?” Almina asked.

“Maybe someone who wishes to take the throne, then?” the King whispered in jest, narrowing his eyes at her and Alaric.

Almina looked at him with a flat expression. “Alagor, if you have to live for a thousand years to ensure that I would never have to step up, then so be it.”

“Don’t look at me,” Alaric replied. “Do you really think I want to give up my freedom for that job? No offense, but being born as the third child is much more of a privilege than being first in line.”

Alagor smiled. “No offense taken as I like the duty I am given. In line with that, I wanted to ask you about yours. How are the new guards-in-training?”

“A little rough around the edges, but they can take it,” he yawned.

“Have you been merciless to them again, Alaric? You complain about having less applicants every year, but how would people want to join when they hear of your iron fist?”

Alaric sat up and protested, “I am not merciless! If anything, I am merciful. The knights are the ones who are harsh in training!”

“And where do you think they learned that? Surely not their prince?” Almina muttered.

“I teach everyone with love and kindness, mind you.”

“If anything, he uses too much love on everyone,” Alagor remarked. “I’ve heard about what happened in town. You really have to sort your romantic life, Alaric, and I’m not talking as your King, but rather a concerned older brother.”

“You’re the only one who doesn’t have a partner,” Almina stated the obvious. ‘Alagor has a wife and child and I have a husband.”

At that moment, their youngest brother, Aldin, knocked on the door and peeked in. “Oh, are we talking about Alaric's womanizing ways?” he asked with amusement as he stepped into the room, followed by his newly betrothed—who, unlike the siblings, had beautiful golden hair and eyes to match.

“See? Even Aldin has managed to maintain a stable relationship,” Almina said.

“Even Aldin?” Aldin echoed in disbelief. “It’s hard not to take offense, sister. Ask Klaire, and she will tell you how wonderful I have been as a betrothed. It is Alaric here who has really been keen on taking on many romances at a time.”

Alaric sighed. “My romantic life is very much sorted, thank you all for your concern.”

“Is it?” Aldin playfully asked. “Even kind Klaire doesn’t think so, and she doesn’t lie.’

“Take your time, Alaric,” Klaire said with a soft smile, which effectively lit up the room. “You shouldn’t rush or you might end up with someone you would only dislike in the future. I have a few friends I could introduce you too, if you’d like.”

“Unless you want to keep them as friends, my love, you should steer them away from Alaric,” Aldin pretended to whisper.

Having had enough of the blatant attacks on his way of romancing, Alaric groaned and stood up. “Alright, alright, what is all this, anyway? A family meeting about my life?”

Aldin chuckled and patted Alaric’s back to comfort. “Actually, we are here to return this.” He handed a set of keys to the King. “Klaire found it lying around in one of the displays. You must have dropped it somewhere while strolling.”

“That’s odd. I rarely go out with these,” Alagor replied as he placed the keys onto the table.

“Did you lose your keys, Alagor? You must be getting old,” Alaric teased, slightly feeling triumphant for the conversation steering away from him.

‘I am only 5 years your senior. If I am getting old, then so are you,” he told Alaric before turning to Klaire. “Thank you, Klaire, for returning this to me. It is a relief it wasn’t stolen.”

“Who would dare steal anything here?” Aldin asked with confidence.

Just then, a guard who had obviously been running appeared by the door and hastily knocked. “I apologize for the intrusion. Prince Alaric, you must come quick. We think we have found your family's lost treasures.”

Alaric wasted no time and walked towards the man. “Grandfather’s? The ones taken 3 decades ago? Where?”

“In the woods, just near our southern border. One of the guards patrolling the area was given information.”

“Southern border. There must be a nest of rogues by that area,” Alaric thoughtfully muttered before turning back to his siblings and Klaire. “I have to go, please excuse me.” He slightly bowed his head and rushed out of the room.

“Be careful!” he heard Almina call out after him.

"Where did the information come from?" Alaric whispered as they walked away from the King's room.

'The sources are unclear, sir," the guard replied. "Even the patrol guard did not mention who it was that gave him the location."

"But are you certain that the ones found are the lost treasures of the late King Anubis?"

"Also not, Prince Alaric," the guard apologetically said. "All we know is that the treasures have the family seal."

Alaric continued his pace as he thought about his next step, the guard following closely behind him. "Suit up in complete armor and gather three knights, four other guards, the horses and supplies for a few hours' journey. We will all meet by the gate in no less than 10 minutes," Alaric commanded as he entered his chambers. "Get them and yourself ready for a battle."

"Yes, sir," the guard bowed down and rushed off to do the prince's bidding. Meanwhile, Alaric prepared his own armor with his eyebrows meeting in the middle. Something about the entire operation seemed odd. There was a high possibility that it was a trap. Nevertheless, Alaric donned his suit of armor and brought his sword.