By the Sword

01 | Two Problem Children

Father was far from amused.

Amidst the silence so thick it suffocated him inside out, chills flashed through Aspen's spine at the aggressive way he pressed his quill as he jotted down through the scrolls. Playing with his fingers on his lap, he pulled his lips in a straight line, the corners twitched the moment he confronted his father's piercing and hardened gaze.

He would have said something by now, but he had been dead still for what seemed to be hours; he just filled up papers piling on his desk. Why is he not saying anything? Is he going to get me grounded again?

Aspen could not stop himself from swallowing his breath, while his best friend leaned back on the couch and placed his arms behind his head. Of course, Rey was never bothered at all.

"Third." As if on cue, Father, at last, uttered his first ever word since he entered the room, startling the boy. "This marks the third time you're truant, Aspen... and that's for this month only. The professors did not even bother checking in on you anymore, as though they have accepted the fact you're just going to disappear."

I guess they have given up looking for me.

"As always, perfect attendance in every other class but court lessons... and even stirred some trouble." With a sigh slipping out of his flaring nostrils, Father pushed his papers aside, before he folded his arms and gripped his jaw. "Have you not learned from before? When you both dressed up as the princes, the palace workers thought Prince Ace skipped his lessons to play with his brother? You almost caused a catastrophe if not for your mother and I."

Yeah well, about that... Aspen remembered how much lectures he had to endure from Mother, and Father straight up forced him to help up with his work as punishment.

"For them to mistake us as the real princes, means we successfully impersonate them," Rey had the need to comment. "Isn't that impressive?"

"Reynard, you are not excused," Father said with a stern voice. While his friend did not reply—thankfully—back, he simply shrugged.

Meanwhile, Aspen found the golden star brooch attached on Father's cloak more interesting to observe. It gleamed majestically underneath the sunlight seeping from the windows. If he remembered correctly, the king himself was the one who had bestowed Father that badge as some sort of commendation. Makes sense since he works closely with him.

"Can't believe I'm dealing with not just one, but two problem children," Father grunted, rubbing one of his temples and narrowed his eyes. "Listen, Aspen. Being a knight does not mean they only tend their combat skills, weaponry and swordsmanship, but they also need to—"

"To have ample knowledge of the Elysian laws and understand how the royal court functions," Aspen breathed, completing that sentence he would repeat so many times it was basically stuck to his brain. "Yes, yes, I hear you clearly and well..."

Was it the fortieth time he said that? Aspen had lost count, so it did not matter anyway.

"If you truly did, you'll deem these lessons equally as important," he said as he clasped his fingers together.

"Those are not even mandatory for knights, but you still enrolled me in. They are exclusive to the royal court members like you," Aspen protested, finding himself bolting out of his chair and walking right into his desk. Father jolted his brows, and even Rey shot up from his slumped posture.

Now that he finally brought this up, this was the chance; the chance to uncover everything Father was hiding. A deep breath was all he needed, especially with all of the burst of emotions bubbling up inside of him.