Glory in Our Defiance • Zarry

1. - Fate in Their Stars

PART ONE

1478 - Windsor Castle, England

"Your Highness! Your Highness, please get back to the castle!"

Of course Zayn doesn't stop his horse and keeps galloping away, the squire helplessly running after him. He laughs to himself, ready to hide himself away from the court for the rest of the day. Whatever his mother has to say, it can wait. The words "Your Highness, your Mother wants to see you." have been too frequent lately and what comes after them is never pleasant.

With a self-satisfied smile, Zayn looks back over his shoulder, seeing the squire miserably standing far behind him.

Suddenly, Zayn nearly gets thrown off of his horse, after the animal stops abruptly and neighs. After gaining his composure, Zayn is faced with the unpleasant sight of his uncle, sitting on his horse right in front of him, wearing an armor that once upon a time used to be shiny but now was splattered with mud and blood.

"Uncle," Zayn gasps, clutching the reins of hus horse so tight his knuckles turn white. "What are you doing here?"

"Why are you disobeying your mother? Are you trying to cause her any more hardship?" Zayn's uncle says, his voice a hostile disruption of the field's peace.

"No, no! Of course not!" Zayn stutters.

"You need to go talk to your mother, boy."

Zayn takes a deep breath. "Why are you here so soon? What happened?"

Zayn's uncle, ever the resilient and brave man, drops his gaze to the ground. "The battle did not go according to plan. We had to leave prematurely in order to prevent our surrender or loss."

"What happened?"

"Go to your mother, boy. She will tell you."

"Why won't you, Uncle?" Zayn shakes his head softly.

"I am not the one who should be delivering the news. Now go. Quickly before she sends the guards to search for you."

Without any more words, Zayn's uncle turns his horse around and gallops away, heading towards the city. Zayn, confused and mildly distressed, takes his own horse towards the castle.

His mind is muddled, swarmed with thoughts and queries about the battle. It's been just five days since his father and uncles left the castle, the sprawling army marching behind them. They've left Windsor like that many times before, always returning after weeks either victorious or defeated. Zayn's teachers have been telling him that they're winning the war but Zayn isn't so sure anymore. The grim look on his father's face has been appearing more often than it should on the face of a winner.

Zayn is lead to his Mother's chambers by a servant. He walks in, the door shutting loudly behind him. He doesn't notice her at first but then he sees her, standing by the window, looking out into the gardens, a handkerchief crumpled in her hand.

"Mother? You wanted to see me?" Zayn asks, still standing by the door.

She turns her head, sighing in relief when she sees her son. Walking to a sofa, she motions for him to join her. "Come sit with me, son."

Zayn complies, sitting down next to his mother. "Why did you want to see me?"

She takes a deep breath, taking Zayn's hands into hers. "The war... it is not going as we expected. Your father...," she gulps, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Your father is dead."

Zayn's heart starts beating loudly in his chest. This cannot be happening. His father was the best warrior in England, how come he got killed in a battle? He was untouchable, unbeatable. And now... he can't be gone, not right now. Not when there are vultures circling around the throne.