Disguised Vengeance

Chapter 3

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Jase sat cross-legged on the hard packed earth before his parents' tombstone. The large marble headstone displayed their epitaphs.

King Edmund, beloved king, son and father. A friend to his people.

Queen Talia, beloved queen and mother, with a big heart and a kind soul.

Two bouquets of hand-picked wild flowers rested at the foot of the large headstone. It was the 6th year death anniversary of his parents. Jase woke up at the crack of dawn to spend some time with his parents before the royal cemetery was crowded with other mourners.

"I'm almost ready to avenge your deaths," he murmured out loud.

Jase's eyes began to darken and a shadow fell upon his face as he recalled what happened six years ago. Not only had the Esyrian army failed to conquer Bellerania, they had also lost a significant amount of land area to King Damian. The army was thoroughly defeated and suffered heavy casualties. However, King Damian suffered similar losses. The Belleranian army was reduced to half its size after gaining a mere few acres of Esyrian land. The battle lasted for more than five months and ended with both sides agreeing to an armistice. Since then, the two kingdoms lived in relative harmony.

His blonde hair fell into his eyes as Jase shook his head to clear his mind. The past is the past he reminded himself.

"I wrote a song for the both of you. I hope you like it," said Jase, his voice rough with emotion. He fished the silver flute out from the back pocket of his pyjama bottom and lifted it to his lips. The air was instantly filled with the sound of music so sweet and delicate that it would have brought tears to the eyes of another living soul. Jase repeated the song over and over again, pouring his heart, mind and soul into the melody. Each note was filled with his never ending love for his parents. Each note screamed 'I miss you' so loud and clear that it vibrated through the morning air.

While playing, Jase relived the many memories he had with his parents. He remembered: kissing his parents good night, swimming in the lake during the summer, riding with his father and listening raptly as his mother told him a bedtime story about how a prince met a princess and they lived happily ever after. He remembered the slap across his right cheek for talking back to his father as well as sulking in his bedroom after being forced to practice ballroom dancing with his mother.

Absorbed in his music and memories, Jase did not notice the rising sun. Sunlight hit his bare chest and reflected off the shiny surface of his parents' wedding ring, which he always wore on a chain around his neck.

A shift in the movement of the air behind him caused his body to tense and his abdominal muscles to become more noticeable than it already was when he was relaxed. He rolled over on the ground just in time to dodge a perfect butterfly sweep from his opponent. His opponent was unrelenting, striking out again with a swift forward lunge even before he had time to rise to his feet. Jase reached out for his fallen flute and managed to block the strike just in time. He twisted the flute and disarmed his opponent. His opponent's sword fell to the hard packed ground with a silent thud.

"Good morning to you too," said Jase with a roll of his perfect blue eyes.

"Not bad for an 'apple-head'," remarked Liam, the knight commander and head of the royal army. He was also Jase's only close friend who taught him everything he knew to date.