Finding a Prince

Chapter 10

"I haven't got all day kid, you coming or what?" Dan nodded quickly and followed the guard out. He contemplated running but quickly dismissed the idea. The tunnels were dark and cramped, there was nowhere for him to run to. The guard looked back a scowled at him, as though he could read Dan's thoughts.

"Don't even try running, it won't work. I don't care if the prince in fond of you, you are my prisoner and if I want to hurt you I will." He sneered. Dan gulped and let out a shaky 'yes sir'.

He hadn't been awake when he was taken into the dungeon so was quite surprised to find that past the guard room the tunnels widened out and lead up to a vast marble staircase. The steps glittered in the orange torchlight and the ornate banisters cast shadows of flowers and landscapes across them. It seemed unfitting for such a beautiful thing to be leading down to somewhere so cold and hopeless.

"One day these steps will be the last you'll ever climb, well apart from the ones up to the gallows of course." The guard hissed.

"And what a relief it will be, there's no room here for your lot."

It seemed odd to Dan that every single one of the guards here hated Serultria so much. In the palace, hardly any of the guard knew about the war, they were only ever told if the royal family was in direct danger from an attack. Here it seemed everybody knew. Even the maid who came down to give him some dinner had shot dirty glances at him, muttering foul things about his race under her breath. It was clear that here the prejudice against their opposing country was far more deep rooted than back at home. He didn't thing there had been many attacks in Solmorta in the last few years. Had the army been running missions without the royal family's permission? No, they wouldn't dare, right? Dan thought back to all of the long boring meetings he had been forced to endure where his father and the military generals discussed tactics and knowledge against and about the opposing kingdom but that had all changed since Captain Arden had been assassinated it was never quite the same. The new captain of the guard, Captain Pieta, could never really live up to his predecessors. Dan had always thought it was because he was reluctant to continue with the war or simply couldn't be bothered sending soldiers over the border, but what if it was more than that?

"Why do you hate Serultria so much?" Dan asked the guard as he was lead up yet another set of stairs (Seriously how far underground were they?). the ringing of the bells could still be heard faintly in the background but had faded significantly. The noise must be seeping through the air shafts leading down snorted,

"Is that even a question? You of all people should know spy. You burn our crops and threaten our villages, you attack our merchant carts and trading posts. All the time we must tell the people its bandits or unlucky accidents just so we aren't put out by the treaty. Your people have caused famine and fear for years and all the time it goes back to the royal family, they are good and fair but if they want to survive much longer they will have to call of this stupid war or it will kill us all. It is not like me to admit defeat but we have lost and we need to acknowledge that. Your friend the prince made a smart move when he left, soon the people will revolt and every one of the Lester's will end up with their head to the chopping block." He said gravely. Dan reeled back in shock. No, it wasn't his kingdom doing that, his kingdom was playing fair, this stupid guard was obviously just trying to get him riled up, or else he was deeply misinformed.

"Your lying, my kingdom would never do such a thing!" Dan stated firmly. The guard let out a dry laugh.

"I'm Sorry to tell you but your leaders have been lying to you for quite some time or else your concept of 'playing fair' is a lot different from mine." Dan opened to his mouth to protest only for a hand to clasp around his throat, "Don't you dare defend your pathetic little country! I've seen what they have done, who they have killed. I had my son taken away from me when one of your raiding parties crossed the border. They decided they needed food, obviously to naive to bother taking some from their own homes, so decided they would take some from mine. I wasn't home but my wife and son were, they tried to protest so their leader drew his bloodied sword and slaughtered my son where he stood and force my wife to watch. You are nothing but a bunch of self-centred cowards and if I had it my way I would slit your throat as they did his right here." He snarled, dropping Dan to the floor. The young prince brought his hand to his throat, tears welling up from a mixture of what he had just been told and lack of oxygen.