NOBLEMAN ADVENTURER

The Missing Heir Returns

When I opened my eyes, my mother, Lady Bromwell said, "Finally, you've woken up."

"Mother?" I asked blankly.

Although I knew she was my mother, but something deep within me told me she was not. Without knowing why, I simply put up my guard against this beautiful woman.

"Hurry up," she said, breaking me from my thought. "Your father, His Majesty, is waiting for you at court. You can't keep the king waiting; it's discourteous."

I rubbed my bleary eyes and obediently got out of bed.

From what I remember, I had been missing, stolen by rebels. It was only recently, my mother found me and today, she planned to present me for the first time to my royal father.

A swarm of ladies-in-waiting along with some male servants hovered around me. They moved me towards a large standing mirror.

I looked into the mirror as the servants dressed me in a suit of fine brocade. I felt a though these clothes did not suit me. I felt a pair of leather walking boots would suit me better than these satin high heels. A thick wool coat would be better than the gold thread embroidered brocade.. Somehow, I had a strange urge to walk outside and see where the road would take me.

The mirror reflected my stern, yet handsome face. However, I had a nagging thought this wasn't how I was supposed to look. My facial features should be less square and my eyes less beady.

The face I saw reflected in the mirror was all wrong. However, once I entered the court and saw His Majesty's appearance, it appeared I was mistaken.

His Majesty stared at me with an ardent glee in his eyes.

"Lady Bromwell, this is the child?" His Majesty asked my mother.

With a lovely gentle smile, Lady Bromwell answered, "Yes, this is our child."

The subtle word, "our" made everything clear. The courtiers erupted in hushed whispers. An edgy nervousness pervaded all my senses.

"Step forward," His Majesty addressed me.

I did as His Majesty said. A nagging feeling that I did not belong here continued to hound me.

Those senior courtiers near His Majesty swirled around me, examining me with their probing eyes. It was difficult for me to maintain my composure. Being so carefully scrutinized, beads of sweat embellished my forehead.

Finally, a courtier with a tall white wig and a thickly powdered face stepped back towards His Majesty and announced, "He looks very much like Your Augustness when you were around his age."

"We thought the same," His Majesty concurred.

Overjoyed, the king laughed loudly. And the courtiers followed His Majesty's lead and erupted in cheerful laughing. The cacophony seemed quite dreadful despite how celebratory it was supposed to sound.

After a length of time, His Majesty stopped laughing abruptly. He used his finger to beckon me towards him. Paralyzed, I couldn't move forward. Lady Bromwell, who stood behind me, moved forward to give me a slight shove towards His Majesty.