It Started with Slime - Part 1

Interlude XXXI - Boren, Escape Plan

After only a few weeks of his mother's training regiment, where he felt scrapped to the bone every day, Boren could really feel the difference in his body. With the incredible power and muscle he had put on in his limbs, both arms and legs felt and moved differently. It was like he was lighter and more comfortable in his own skin.

The problem was that Boren was bored. He was committed to the process and would continue to do the training eagerly. No one should doubt that about him. He needed to get away and do something adventurous, take his new body out for a spin, so to speak.

"These four walls are starting to feel like they are closing in." He said into the quiet of his room. "I need to get out for a few hours and return refreshed." And he needed to do that without the fanfare of being the King's son. It was irritating to be out in the city but not interact with any people there. There remained this barrier between him and the people in the capital. They all seemed happy, but how did he know with the filter of palace guards and his parent's protection?

No, I need to get out there by myself and really feel the city's heart. Father says it is vital to know your people's wants and needs. The thought bolstered Boren's confidence, and he redoubled his conviction on the actions he was to take. But before that, Boren would need to head to training. He had a morning session with Lori and her second Baldwin. If Boren was honest, the man scared him a little with his switching personality and casual attitude towards killing.

It was hard to get the man straight in his head even though he had grown up around him. No point in dwelling on it. They will not wait around patiently if I waste their time.

Rushing out of his room, he had made it a habit to run whenever possible. He quickly made his way to the underground training room. It was a special place for more obscure and secret training his mother conducted. Boren now suspected that his mother ran a spy operation, controlling people all over the continent, maybe even the world. Boren had no idea of the extent or even if it was true, but suspicions abound.

"Well, I see someone decided to sleep in! Sorry to call you Princeling!" Boren winced at the sharp tone of mocking in the voice. Lori really didn't pull her punches with people that wasted her time. Except with the King and Queen.

"Sorry, Captain! I promise I will work on getting better. I was sore yesterday, so it was hard to get my body moving again." Nothing but the truth, but it would still be unacceptable. Enemies were rarely considerate enough to wait for you to be at your peak condition. In fact, if they were smart, they would catch you ill and asleep.

"Captain, what say we teach the boy a lesson in timekeeping?" Second-in-command Baldwin Gunther said as he unsheathed wooden practice swords, tossing them onto Boren and then running a hand through his hair. Did it have a sheen to it? The man seemed to play with that hair a lot, Boren had seen him on the ground beaten, but he would take the time to run a comb through his hair. Complete nutcase, that one. It seemed he had come to play today. "Get ready, Boren!"

With only that warning, Boren snatched the sword from the air as it soared towards him just in time to parry a slash from his demented mentor. It felt like he was on the back foot already, and Boren hadn't even had a chance to stretch and warm up yet. Thank god he jogged here. Although not ideal, it served to warm him up and extend his tired muscles.

When Baldwin got the momentum going, he was like a bull, unstoppable. Again and again, the two wooden blades clashed, the older long-haired man bringing his formidable size and weight to bear and attacking all out. If there was anyone Boren might consider had Berserker in them, it was this mad man. It would be a while before he eased up, and he would do so only to change weapons. Who goes all out on a child? He didn't like considering himself a child, but he wouldn't mind the person across from him going a little easier when his life was on the line.