Royal Pains

Chapter 19 (part two)

I silently pick up a few books around Julian, feeling compelled to do something nice for my lost friend. These books were his life, and I want to respect my friend by respecting his things.

Once I tidy up a little, even though it doesn't make me feel any better, I reluctantly set out to find what I came for. I'll notify my father of Julian's death as soon as I find the building schematics. If I wait until after I tell him what I found, I might not be able to come back up here to find my answer.

He's another casualty in this war. It's a war that many think has ended, but the rest know that something big is yet to come. I can feel it in my bones; in the center of my being. I don't know who exactly understands and I certainly don't know why this is happening. My family has ruled our lands for generations and never once before has there been so many problems in such a short amount of time.

I remember his voice as Julian once told me the story of how our kingdom was formed. I had caused a bit of trouble and was hiding from my parents.

"Whatever you've done, can and will be forgiven. Children are meant to learn from their mistakes."

"But you don't understand! Mother was so angry with me." My twelve year old self says, trying to get him to see things my way. He simply smiles.

"Everyone makes mistakes princess." I frown and cross my arms over my chest.

"Don't call me princess. It's Terra. T-e-r-r-a." I spell and he chuckles.

"Very well, Terra. Do you want to hear a story?" I hastily nod my head. His stories are always the best.

"A long time ago, there were many small kingdoms that made up our entire population. Things were better in some places than others, but everyone lived in peace. Your ancestors ruled the smallest, most looked over, and unappreciated kingdom." I gasp.

"Then how did we end up ruling over everybody?" He shushes me.

"Be patient, I'm getting there. So your family's land wasn't the richest or the prettiest, but the people were of the kindest hearts. Being raised to appreciate everything you already have and only ask for what you need is something people today didn't understand. Other places always had something someone else coveted, thus, trading began. Without anything to offer, the King's pack became poorer and overlooked. Eventually, they were forgotten altogether." I open my mouth to ask a question, but he silences me with his hand. "Years pass and the Kings have completely been forgotten, but in those years, instead of giving up and resenting the rest of the world, your great great great great great great grandfather trained his people in the art of combat. You see, he had been keeping tabs on the other packs, quietly observing what was going on around him and noticed before anyone else that the strongest pack at the time, the Lybellio pack, was planning to rise and take over the others. The training he did was to both protect his people and the other packs."

"Why would they fight for the other packs when everyone treated my ancestors so badly?"

"Because your many greats of a grandfather believed that everyone made mistakes and if given the chance, it will be righted. It did eventually come down to a gruesome battle. Many of the packs banded together, but without the proper training they were quickly losing their numbers. The Lybellio pack were the fiercest fighters of everyone, losing only one warrior for every twenty wolves the other packs had. People were fleeing for their lives and it looked like the Lybellio's pack was about to win." Julian pauses, looking down at me. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat, hanging on to every word he says. When he doesn't continue right away, I frown.