Nethermost Realm: Prisoner of Arlunn

Chapter 10

Please note: I am updating this draft of The Prisoner of Arlunn. The most important change is that the main character's name has been changed from Philip to Rian.

10

The following day, Anya couldn't forget the dark-haired prince. The hours of reading in the tower with Merewyn drug by with interminable slowness. She made an excuse to Leeza that she wanted to walk in the garden and spent an hour there before she finally saw the object of her desire: Shaz.

This time, the handsome prince had a huge ... dog? The beast looked almost like a small bear. She stopped, rather than approach, put off by the size of the animal. Only one of Shaz's bodyguards accompanied him and he stayed back giving the prince some privacy.

"Hello!" called Shaz with a smile.
 "Hello!" responded Anya, still afraid to come closer. To make it worse, the animal snarled and barked at her.

"Frinz, shush!" commanded the prince. The dog quieted down.

"Is that a dog?" she asked in wonder.

Shaz laughed. "Yes. Doesn't he look like one?"

"He's so ... big!" she said, wide-eyed.

"Are dogs much smaller on your world?" asked Shaz.

"Usually."

"I heard that, a thousand years ago, King Cambert Yarlson rounded up all but the largest dogs and had them killed."

She looked at him, horrified. "Why?"

"To preserve only the strongest bloodlines. There are smaller dogs than Frinz, but not much smaller. What use would such a small dog be anyway—they'd be more of a pest, I would think."

For a moment, Anya could think of nothing to say. She wasn't a dog lover, but this struck her as very cruel.

He smiled at her. "I'm glad of a chance to speak with you again, though. I have to leave today to go back to Arlunn. The Challenge will start soon and I have my studies, you see."

She nodded, sadly. "I'm sorry."

They walked together in the garden. "Well, I don't mind my work at the college. I'm determined to better myself in any way I can, to be the best king of Cathal possible."

"What if Rian wins?" she asked.

He considered this. "Then, I'll make the best King of Chuness that I can. Do you want Rian to win?"

"I don't know. I didn't realize until last night that it was a contest."

"It is the ultimate contest, both of skill and wits," he said sternly. "I hope you won't be angry with me if I defeat Rian."

She shook her head. "I guess as long as you fight fair."

"The Arlunni wouldn't have it any other way," he grinned. She smiled back at him, though the idea of them competing against each other, or worse—dueling each other disturbed her.

"I have to leave before dinner, in fact," he said. Then suddenly, he turned to her with a twinkle in his eye. "Have you sailed up the Kenadrew River yet?"

"No!" she said, enthusiastic at the thought. She'd seen the boats on the river, which ran right next to the Palace.

"Let's go. I can spare an hour!" he said. She laughed as she hurried after him.