Ragged Royals: Gwenwyn

Chapter 12 _ Gaining Control

"You are King Griggory's personal guest for the Champions' Ball. He dotes on you, praises you, and you stay by his side ever so dutifully." 

His words were painful to hear, but part of her was glad that he didn't hold them back. 

"Tell me, Princess if you can't stand being what you are, then why do you play the part so well?"

"You have no right to-"

He let out half a laugh. "I have no right?" He opened his arms and looked around the clearing. "You see, Highness, you have no issues with being royalty. You spout your orders, and you command others with an instinctive ease. I'm sure that your title is all you truly care about. It's probably why your here."

She held her tongue.

He scoffed. 

"That's it isn't it? You are after Queen Rebekah's crown. It is rather obvious now. Is that why you run? Why you feel trapped? What's the problem Princess, didn't like the appearance of your would be husband?"

"I'm doing as I was told." She threw back. Gwen hadn't meant to confess that, but he didn't give her time to take it back.

"I'm sure you find it a great sacrifice."

"Why should I?" She mocked, matching his tone. "Obeying orders is all I've ever done. Why should this one be any different?"

"You want to talk about obeying orders, Highness?" He let out another half laugh, "Take another look at who you're arguing with. One word from you, one command, one order, and I have to do exactly as you tell me. That's the price of the title you hate so much."

It was her turn to laugh. "You're a Royal Terrafein Guard. A First. I may be a Princess, but I am still Rramnon born. Your position, makes our current stations equal for as long as I remain on Terrafeuw soil."

"That would be true Princess, were you so candidly speaking with any other member of First."

"So you're special, are you?" Gwen could now physically feel the tension between them. "What could possibly make you so different?"

"Two names, Highness." 

She stopped short.

Gwen saw the realization of his confession register in his eyes. He looked away quickly before any other emotion could betray him.

Silence hung between them.

His words hadn't been harsh, but their truth held the power to hold her tongue at bay. She wanted to say something, anything, but the thought of speaking seemed impossible at the moment. 

What could she have said?

He scoffed again, and when he spoke she had to strain to listen. "Flint Jenkins is the entirety of my name." He admitted.

Gwen's mind raced. His words couldn't be true. Having only two names meant that he had been born into servitude, but a servant couldn't be a Royal Guard, and as far as she knew every Terrafein First was a high member of Society. Even if he'd been born a commoner, like a few of the other Royal Guards, he should have three names. Yet he had two. "How-?" She wondered to herself.

"Think."

She looked back towards him, and noticed that he had visibly deflated. 

Flint Jenkins.

Two names.

He only had two names-

-and yet he held one of the highest positions a Terrafein Guard could have.