Ashes of Lost Love

A challenged king

                     The two Palace  guards dragged Edwyn and Alys through the grassy meadow with ease, not in the slightest disconcerted with the resistance the children were putting up. Edwyn kicked his guard in the shins and the guard responded by twisting his arm behind his back which made Edwyn gasp in pain and shock. He rose his head and spoke with indignation at such treatment. "How dare you, a lowly guard treat me, a prince of the Royal blood, in such a rough manner! To even raise a hand against me... Your audacity astounds me!" Without any change in expression, the guard replied in a monotone. "My audacity is not nearly as shocking as your unprincely behaviour. As for this 'rough' treatment, His Grace has authorised the use of force in this extreme case. Alys lifted her head, adding her voice to Edwyn's in hopes of release. " Where are you taking us? You mentioned His Grace the king, surely he would not allow such cruelty to his own son? And why are you treating us as if we were criminals, despicable scum?" The guard holding Alys, tall and flaxen haired barked out a laugh as the portcullis rose to admit them into the castle.

" Little lady likes talking but has no idea of what she says, poor child.If you really were criminals, we would've bundled you into a potato sack, throw you onto a horse-cart before throwing the sack into the river." Alys recoiled at such a description and momentarily stopped resisting as she imagined how painful drowning in a river whilst being in a potato sack would be. They had reentered the castle and the servants preparing for a jousting tournament watched the guards and children with narrowed eyes. A solemn young man shook his head quietly and a stout washerwoman clucked her tongue disapprovingly at the sight. While Edwyn lowered his head in defeat and sulked, Alys held her head up high, unwilling to be cowed by the stares directed at her and Edwyn. Their two guards began conversing quite amicably about the joust that would take place in a few days. 

          The youngsters were hauled into the castle entrance hall. Alys stared at the beautiful stained glass windows that had awed her when she first arrived at the palace. The scene depicted the earnest king and  serene queen sitting on their thrones, coolly regarding visitors. Her face was regal and otherworldly, her fair hair and queenly features the epitome of beauty.  Yet when Alys saw the piece of art now, she began seeing flaws that had not existed when she saw it the first time. The queen's expression was too cold and unwelcoming. Instead of giving off radiance, her smile seemed terribly unnatural, her lips curving to form what looked more like a sneer. Her crown was too big for her and the painted queen looked as if she were staring into your soul and knew how pathetic and beneath her you were. While being unceremoniously taken to the king, she suddenly remembered Edwyn's description of the late queen mother and how unlike her this representation was. If this art was created to honour the present king and his deceased wife, Alys thought the artist clearly had not done well.

            Edwyn had been brooding after being stared at by the crowd, no longer putting up a resistance as he realised how futile it would be. He resigned himself to his fate of being humiliated  by his elder brother in front of the father he had tried so hard to please. Perhaps even the great courtiers would be there to witness Edwyn's shame. He felt his misery grow as he pictured them laughing contemptuously at him as his father rebuked him like a misbehaving child, unworthy of the royal blood he possessed. His spirits plummeted and he could almost see his mother's spirit shaking her head in sorrow at her son's indignity. He barely noticed Alys, too consumed with his thoughts to pay her any mind. It wouldn't be like she would even be punished as severely as he. She would be admonished by his father and sent away from court for a week or two. After that she would be allowed to return and it would be as if nothing had happened. He would be disgraced in front of court and though he would receive no corporal punishment, the thought of having his father disgusted with him and his court laughing unabashedly made him feel as if being beaten was a better fate.