< - L u c a - >
"That's it, men," I announce in attempts to encourage them. They are the soldiers of the kingdom. They are our only line of defense and so, must be perfect in every possible execution. They must work well together and trust each other. "Right! Left!" I call, as they each maneuver away from oncoming attacks, defending themselves from the invisible threat.
I notice Poe's footwork, faltering. He is one of my newest recruits from, Killan, one of the smaller villages in the Kingdom of Irales. He came strongly recommended, by his mentor and, the once right hand to my father, Lucian, so who was I to refuse.
I continue to guide my instruction, but give Poe and actual attacker, being myself, as I easily kick under his leg, sending him straight to the ground. "Strength your stance or it will be your downfall." Poe gives me a firm nod, eager to learn, and I help him up. "Remeber apart we fall-"
"Together we stand!" Shouts my men in unison, and I can't help the pride I feel.
After training is over, James, one of the older and most trusted of my knights, takes Poe to work on his technique. I nod my thanks to him, but he doesn't need it. James will do anything to help keep the unit. He knows like the rest if there were to be an attack our survival lies on the person fighting beside us.
I hearing booming laughter and see Conrad trying to hustle some of the others out of the little coin they have, in a game of daggers. "Oy, your highness," he shouts to me, but I can hear the patronizing tone in his voice. My father would have had his head for that, but it simply causes a chuckle out of me. "Care to go a round," he smiles, brightly because he knows I would never bet anything against him. The man can hit a moving target a hundred feet away blindfolded.
"I would but I think you have enough contenders to steal from today," I reply motioning to the rest of the men lining up to go against him. Poor fools.
He chuckles lightly, "Ah too true, till 'morrow." Before turning back to his audience.
I can't help the smile that greets my face, as I turn back to the place my training weapons away. That's when I see, Davis, my most loyal servant, walking over to me; a cheeky smile plastered across his face.
"What's gotten into you?" I ask when he is close enough to collect my sword and armor.
"Oh, nothing," he remarks, trying his hardest to rid his face of the smile.
"Remind me never to bet my life on your ability to lie. Now, out with it," I command, knowing he cannot say 'no' to a command. It's my turn to smile as he rolls his eyes.
"I heard some news regarding you and a certain lady," he began.
"I swear, you servants are worse than--well, to be honest, I don't know of anyone that gossips as much as servants. I have no stories to tell about any woman," I correct, moving past him towards the stables.
"It's not news from you. It's new for you. Keep up, Luca," he adds, still smiling.
"Well, spit it out!" I shout becoming frustrated with his ongoing game.
He doesn't cower from my outburst like any other would, which is one of the reasons I keep him around. Instead, Davis begins to ramble trying to cover his arse. "You'll have my head if you hear it from me. The King should be the one to tell you. It's his doing, after all. Besides, you would be furious with the news, but it is so damn unbelievable. You are going to go mad, but the King was the one. Yes. He did this. Not me. So he needs to tell you. It's really just gossip from me, but truth from him. That's how you should hear it, anyway. Forget I said anything."
"I'll have your head now, if you don't relinquish the information," I threaten, but we both know it's empty. Davis has been at my side for the past three years. He's saved my life on more than one occasion, and I his. I like to think of us as being more like friends, but if I were to speak that it would be treason.
"Fine," he huffs, but I can see the excitement in his eyes about being the one forced into telling me whatever this news is. "The King has created an alliance, and you are to be married," he starts laughing, but I, on the other hand, have a different reaction. "You." Laughing, he points a lanky finger at me. "Married. We haven't even found a woman, who will stick around long enough for you to smile at her!" I smack him in the stomach, and at last, he shuts off his obnoxious outburst. However, a smile is very well intact.
"Don't," I add, changing direction completely and walking towards my father's royal court. What was he thinking? I'm not even ready to be King yet, and now I am to be married. Wait. To whom?
I try to think back to any of the women he could possibly try to set me up with. Eralibaen as a Princess, but she's barely of age. Cornteus has no true heir, yet, unless there is a child I don't know off. Porteus has Prince George, so no. Andoren has Princess Angelica, but she grew up with my father! Not that it's not unheard of. The island of Harendall is filled with wild beasts, and my father would sooner die before he made an alliance with them. Wait. No. Oh, tell me it's not Francesca of Ramila. "Father," I call upon entering the courtroom, I bow to him and stand. "What is this I hear of a marriage?"
My father simply smiles. "Aw, so you have heard. Good, yes. Tomorrow you will meet your new bride and in one weeks time you shall be wed!" He announces, as though is it is the best news in the Kingdom. But I instantly feel the dread.
"Father, what is the purpose of this?" I inquire.
"King Sendes of Ramila is growing tiresome of the treaty. He seeks to move alliances, so we must keep him in check the only way how." So, it is Francesca of Ramila. That awful woman is to be by my side for the rest of my days. No!
"Why can't you just send me and my men to talk with the King. We would have him praising the treaty before the nightfall," I remark to which he smirks, amused by my words.
"You are young my boy that is not always the best way to go about it. Besides, you are to marry sooner or later. Why not sooner? Your Kingdom needs you. Irales needs you, son" he adds, knowing well enough I would do just about anything for my kingdom. I let out an exasperated sigh, before nodding my head and leaving, for my chambers.
"So, I take it that went," Davis started, before taking one look at my face, "bad, very bad. Awful even."
"Thank you, Davis, for your powers of observation. I'm to be married to Francesca of Ramila in only one weeks time. By God's nails! Do you remember her?" I ask, trying to get a bit more perspective.
"No, I can't say I do." He scratches his head, but then, I watch as realization crosses his face, "Wait, was she the one, who snored?" He asked, smiling, so I knew he was being daft to make me laugh, and unfortunately, it worked. "Well, whatever happens, you'll always have me," he chuckles.
"Gee, thanks, Davis. You really know how to cheer a guy up," I shake my head and think about tomorrow. "I need you to ready my best attire. If I am to meet my bride, I will look good doing it."
"Right away," Davis states, heading to the dresser to pull the garments out for him to ready, while I go to bed. "Good night, your highness"
"Good night, Davis," I say before he scurries out of the room.
The next morning, I wake to the sound of footsteps pounding against the floor panels. "Zounds! "What are you doing?" I ask upon seeing Davis stomping by my bed.
"You didn't get up. It's was either this or pots from the kitchen," he let out a chuckle, while I yawn and fall back into to bed. "I thought you'd prefer this. Oh no, you don't," he exclaimed, grabbing my arms and pulling me back up. "You have a bride to get ready for," he reminds me.
"Davis, let go of my arm," I order, but the sleep is still heavy in my voice, so I'm sure there was no authority in my words.
"I don't think so. Now, come on the Princess will be here any minute, and you are supposed to greet her," he informs me, clapping his hands together in an annoying manner.
"If you're so excited you go meet her." But after he begins tugging on my warm sheets. I cave. "Fine. I am up," I groan, removing the silk sheets. Once, Davis has me dressed, I make my way through the corridor and towards the entrance, where I find my father standing, primped and ready for Francesca's arrival.
"You'd think it was him getting the bride," Davis, snickers reading my thoughts exactly, but I hush him, trying to hide my own laughter. A carriage with the colors of Ramilia flying, approaches and a man dressed as a servant steps off a horse and opens the door, clumsily.
"You have one job and that is it!" I hear the voice of a squealing gull, before my eyes land on Francesca. Before my eyes, her face morphs form a look of disgust to a look of elegance, as if trying to act as though it wasn't just her, who made that awful sound. "Oh, hello. My that was such a fast trip. I hardly even realized we were here," she giggled to herself. I felt as if I could see fangs behind those pearly white teeth. Her long brown hair is swiped up into some sort of a braid, but it is just sitting atop her head. Is that a trend, I am not familiar with? Her cheeks are far too rosy to be normal and her lips are practically begging for mercy from whatever tonic she used to color those.
"Prince Luca, may I introduce, Princess Francesca," a member of the royal staff proclaimed.
Francesca smiles at me with a slight curtsy, sure enough, I can see more than my share when she leans forward. I feel Davis, chuckle beside me. "My lady," I say, taking her hand and a giving her, what I hope is, a welcoming smile. "Welcome, may I show you around," I ask, knowing it is what I must.
"Certainly, I would love to see my new home," she cackles to herself, taking my arm. I cringe at the very sound of her calling my kingdom hers. I swallow the bile that rises and begin. Showing her the Kingdom. After nearly two hours of walking through the town, we stop at the stables, so she may see my horse, but like everything else she has seen it is unimpressive and stinks. When I asked if she would like to try some of the fruit from the market, she scuffed at the Smiths, who handed her an orange. When I asked if she would like some water, she laughed when I took her to the well. When I attempted to have her meet some of the children playing, she practically ran from them.
"It's disgusting in here! Who in their right mind would want to be in here all day?" Francesca asked, looking around the stables with a look of pure horror.
"Me," said a voice from the back. "I would and I do. Have you got a problem with the condition of the horses, miss?" The voice spoke again becoming louder and more annoyed with each word, but it is still not attached to a face.
"Now, you've done it," Davis says, backing away slowly. I'm beginning to think he has the right idea, but then I remember, I'm the bloody Prince.
"Yes, I do," Francesca remarks, pulling her shoulders back and sticking her nose high into the air.
Suddenly a stable door swings wide open, and a woman with a glare on her face is standing dead in the center, waiting to take aim.
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Hey, fellow Bookworms!
So, I really hope you liked the chapter. I have revised the storyline, so it is more coherent with the chapters later in the book. I am hoping to do a little more character development with the story, so stay tuned because Conrad and James are going to be in more places.
|| Picture || The relationship between Davis and Luca is inspired by the BBC show Merlin. If you are a fan, I hope you can appreciate the story. The image of Andrew Garfield up top is how I see Davis. What do you think?
|| Music || World Without You by Hudson Taylor
|| Historical Goodies || In medieval times bad curse words had to do with using Gods body, such as "By God's nails", "By God's arm", "By God's toes", etc. Another popular curse word one was "By God's wounds", which was shorted to just "Zounds".
|| Fun Fact || If you read The Lost Princess this book does exist in the same world, just ten laters after it in another Kingdom. Prince Luca also hints to other Kingdoms and characters that might come along later in some other books I am working on.
★ I would love to hear your thoughts feel free to drop a comment below. If you did enjoy the chapter, be to make my day and click that star! Thank you for reading! ★
You are loved!
Love,
Yerd213