Fate's Woven Thread

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

      Zayn had been feeling uneasy all morn. Despite that, he had heard news of a bunch of his father's knights making targets of the people and had taken with him what few loyal men he had to capture the heartless bunch, putting an end to their foolery driven by ego and delusional self importance.

        There were fifteen of them, none able to escape as they were pitifully weak and only knew to growl in the face of people weaker than them. Pathetic cowards. He really did wonder how his father must have thought any of them particularly useful, but then again there were times when he felt the man revelled in their cruelty.

        The sun was high in the sky and so hot, it practically made his skin singe. He was dripping with sweat as he alighted his horse and watched as his men led the captured knights to the dungeon -not without them swearing and cursing in the name of the king. Again, pathetic.

        He ran the back of his palm across his forehead to swipe what little sweat he could as he kept on staring at the space now empty of the disgraceful knights. His father would most probably send one of his lap dogs to have them released the very next day. Justice never really meant much around here. He sighed bitterly and walked into the castle.

        He had Brien prepare a bath for him and declined the incoming attendants, he needed peace and quiet. When he finally sunk into the tub filled with steaming milky water, he sighed in comfort. He watched as the water formed waves around him and allowed his mind free reign to wander.

        He thought back to the expressions of the people he had rescued today and shook his head in utter desolation. Once they were free from the knights, they all stared warily at him. Most probably wondering if he wanted to take the place of the knights himself.

        He had once wondered why the people would stare at him like that, even when he'd gone out to give them supplies with his identity as prince, they accepted with gratitude but always stared at him with a strong sense of caution.

         At first, he felt it was all due to the fact that they lived in harsh conditions -courtesy of his father and while that was true, he knew now that it wasn't the main reason. They stared at him in caution because he was his father's son, the usurper's son. No matter how good he was to them, they would never let down their guard around him.

         He thought back to Arg's words as he dunked his head under the water. He was every bit as much of an imposter as his father. He had no right to demand their goodwill.

        He remained in the bath tub for a while more, only stepping out and wrapping a robe around himself when the water became cold and uncomfortable -just like he felt in his guts. He'd thought the bath would erase his inexplicable uneasiness and while he felt refreshed, he still felt uneasy.

        A while later, he was properly dressed and stood, poised, before the window in his chambers. The castle was teeming with people and he stared with a thoughtful frown before recalling the 'servant selection.'

        They were more than enough servants in the castle, not to mention that he saw a large number of young men being led across the grounds. What was his father playing at?

        He watched on as one of his father's most prized knights, Calis, strode across the grounds and he frowned even deeper. They never really got along -well he never really got along with any of his father's obnoxious bunch of lap dogs but it was even more obvious with Calis.

         Something about the man's loud, grating voice and ever present sleazy grin just rubbed him off the wrong way. Also, the fact that he was known for constantly harassing maidens who were unfortunate enough to catch his eyes and was never really punished seriously for it could have encouraged the poor opinion he had of him.