The young

Playing the Game

It is thursday, the 2nd of June. Cain is in a dimly lit cell. The would be usurper has spent less time than week in his confinement. The sun is shining, it only reaches a fraction of the area. Cain's clothing resembles more of tattered bedsheet than regal furs he had recently been acquainted with. There is an empty bowl and cup next to him. 

For nights and days, for some amusement at all he bangs the cup against the bowl and instruments against the floor. Guards come by and tell him to stop with their fists.  Every time, Cain smiles and begins tapping again. 

But today, the guards grow restless. The first guard, a darker complexion than most, tries to hit the cup out Cain's hands. Cain moves the cup from within the reach. The dark guard with low hair says, "If you weren't Lord Nero's brother I would have my way with you." Cain continues tapping. 

The  second guard of slightly shorter stature joins the conversation, "He won't be here much longer." 

The  taller guard says, "I don't care. I've had it up to here with him." He shoves the shorter and more handsome guard out of the way with a single movement. The guard opens the door and approaches Cain. Cain gets to his feet and throws the cup at the guard's face. The guard stumble back. Cain kicks the guard in the stomach and puts the guard on his back. Cain seizes his opportunity and jumps on top of the guard and begins to pummel the boy. 

The second guard rushes in and tackles Cain to ground. He begins to restrain the former right hand of Nero. The first guard stands up and begins to kick Cain. In between kicks the guard says, "You're a traitor."  "I'm glad you're going to the Burling Region." "Your presence sickens me." 

While the guards are beating on Cain, Cain lets loose a smile. The shorter and more naive guard says," What are you smiling for?" He stops beating Cain. He moves his stronger hand over the chest over his companion and halts the taller boy's attacks. 

"Why? He was begging for it." 

The shorter guard points to the bloody body, "Look at him man. He's smiling. Something isn't right." Both guards retreat from the cell and leave Cain on the floor writhing in pain and blood.

-----

NIt appears no one would know the boyish lord had walked in and witnessed the beating of his brother. No one seemed to notice, or if they did, they acted as if they were oblivious to the sound of the creaking door swinging open. Nero was watching the beating. He nearly gasped when Cain started beating the first guard. He grinned in delight when the tables turned, and Cain was on the opposite end of the punishment.

The first guard, the taller and darker skinned of the two boys playing dress-up,"You see this? He's insane. He wanted to surrender and give everything we have to Mari. He was going to kill his brother and take the throne."

The second guard dozes off in the middle of the taller one's speech. His eyes wander the room, and his body turns so he can examine the stones in all their modesty. Hard to say how his eyes didn't explode when he noticed the onlooker leaning against the wall. Even harder to say how he ran out of the room without a second thought, leaving his short sword behind him on the floor.

The taller guard squirms his face to take in the sight of his fellow comrade running out of the room. Startled does not do the boy justice as he surmises who is there in that room. Hard to blame the boy when he stuttered in front of Nero, "I-I-I lost my temper sir. He wouldn't stop." The guard kneeled in front of the Lord and would not dare to look at his liege.

Nero straightens himself out and gets off the wall. He approaches the kneeling boy and taps him on the shoulder, "You have my trust soldier. Please leave us." And with a swift movement, the guard rises from his knees and walks out of the room. Unlike his predecessor, his weapon was still attached to his person. don't stop on my occasion.