Disguised Vengeance

Chapter 2

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The sun was peeping from the horizon indicating a whole new day was about to begin. It had been three days since the devastating death of the monarchs of Esyria. The country was still mourning the loss of their wise leaders, the castle still decorated in black and the atmosphere was solemn. In two separate wings of the castle, two figures stood by two separate windows staring out at the rising sun. One was a young boy and the other an old woman. Both determined to leave their grief behind once the sun rose above the horizon.

Jase tightened his grip on the ring, his parents’ wedding ring. It was a simple band of gold with the phrase ‘forever and always’ inscribed on the inner surface. The simplicity of the ring was beautiful, a symbol of the conservative lifestyle his parents led despite being the monarchs of a kingdom. He blinked quickly before a tear could escape to leave a tell-tale trail on his cheek. “No more crying. Ever,” he told himself.

In another equally huge chamber, the old queen took a deep breath and exhaled slowly counting to ten. She was ready to bid farewell to her son and daughter-in-law. She adjusted the lengthy black mourning dress, clasped a pearl necklace around her neck and checked her reflection in the full length mirror by her vanity table. As regal as ever.

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A great crowd of mourners gathered in the royal cemetery for the burial of their king and queen. Most of them racked with grief. The coffins were left open, allowing the people a last view of the faces of their beloved sovereigns before the coffins were to be lowered into the sacred earth. The morticians in charge of the bodies had done a great job; however, all the powder in the world could not cover the blood stained wounds that decorated the king and queen’s body.

The priest gave an eloquent eulogy. He spoke of the king and queen’s bravery, honesty and fairness and praised their wise judgements, their firm ruling and their love for Esyria. By the time he finished, the already grief-stricken crowed was reduced to a sobbing, watery mess, with the Duke and Duchess of Lingrid leading the symphony of sobs.

Jase stayed true to his word and refused to give in to the tears. His throat was burning and his eyes stinging from unshed tears as he lifted his hands to shut the lids of the coffins that held his parents.

“Bye mommy. Bye daddy. I love you,” he whispered into the wind.

He was drowning in misery and did not notice a pair of eyes staring intently at his every move. The old queen’s eyes were filled with compassion and pain. He was forced to grow up too quickly, she thought silently.

A couple of days before the murder he was still a little boy who was afraid of the ‘scary monsters’ underneath his bed. Now, he was a young man capable of formulating his own decisions. His baby fat was gone, his jawline looked more prominent and his cheekbones sharper. His deep sockets held a pair of icy cold and unforgiving blue eyes. The light blonde hair, messy and unkept, was the only part of him that remained unchanged.

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“Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of Esyria according to the respective laws and customs? Will you to your power cause law and justice, in mercy, to be executed in all your judgements? Will you lead with fairness and promise to uphold the traditions and customs of Esyria? Will you promise to put the well-being of the people before anything else?” questioned the priest during the coronation service.

“I promise to do all of the above mentioned,” replied a kneeling Edward, as he went through with the coronation process.

Rising to his feet, Edward stood facing the crowd and announced, “the things which I have here promised, I will perform, and keep.”

“Long live the king,” the people of Esyria replied in unison.

This was it, thought Edward with hidden glee as he adjusted his crown. He was the crowned king of Esyria and would now be His Royal Highness King Edward Charles Chauntler. He scanned the crowd and found Jase. Jase had replaced his royally tailored tunic with a set of training clothes and a wooden sword hung loosely by his side. All ready for revenge, thought Edward. Well the least I can do to repay him for abdicating the throne is to help him settle the score, concluded Edward.

During his first meeting with the members of the king’s circle, Edward decided to address the matter that was at the forefront of everybody’s mind. Earlier that day, their spies had captured the hired murderers and managed to torture them into confessing. The hired murderers confirmed their suspicions. Bellerania was indeed responsible for the monarchs’ death.

According to their reports, King Damian of Bellerania had been eying Esyrian land for many years due to the abundance of natural resources and its strategic location ideal for trade. However, Damian was afraid of facing the Esyrian army on the battlefields. Instead of fighting fairly to extend his empire, he hoped that the murder of the royal family would leave Esyria in a mess, weakening the defence, and trashing the morale of the people and army. During which he would launch an attack on the weakened kingdom and conquer it.

“Prepare the army. We are going to war against Bellerania.”

Edward was over the moon. His first decision, the decision to go to war against Bellerania had been widely accepted and supported by all the members of the circle. Even his hard-to-please mother gave him a look of approval. All his life he hid behind the shadows of his oh-so-perfect brother. This was finally coming to an end now that he had replaced his brother as the King of Esyria. He was going to make his mark in the history of Esyria and his name would be passed on from generation to generation. All Esyrians will remember him as the greatest king Esyria had ever had. He would be praised as the king that conquered Bellerania and its great army.

While Edward was day dreaming, the old queen and Jase were arguing. Both grandmother and grandson were equally obstinate.

“I want to fight in the army!” shouted Jase. “I want revenge and I am going to kill the coward. Just watch me! Damian is going to die begging at my feet!”

“I forbid you,” stated the old queen simply.

“You promised –” The young boy was interrupted by his grandmother.

“I know what I promised Jase. Didn’t I prove myself by helping you abdicate the throne?” Jase was silent. He still found it hard to believe that his grandmother actually helped him give up the throne and his right to rule.

"You want revenge right? You will get it, all in good time. Patience is essential for your success. As it is, you can barely lift your father’s sword. How do you intend on making Damian beg for his life if you can’t do this simple action? If you were to join the army in attacking Bellerania, you would be bloodless and dead within seconds of the invasion. Moreover, I have a bad feeling about the invasion. Something doesn’t feel right. During my rule, I’ve fought Damian’s father. He was a man of integrity and honour and I am disappointed that his son was not brought up the same way.”

“You will train with me and the knights when they return. When you are well versed in the art of sparring and can use that sword like an extended arm, you will have your revenge. Do you promise to work hard and do as I say until that day comes?” continued the old queen.

“I promise,” replied Jase with force as strong as that of gravity.