3The very first thing that Kieran remembered about his father, before everything had changed, was of the kindness and caring that his father had shown him. He remembered outings into the forest on a good sunny day. His father, the King of Chresto, would teach him how to do things. From how to shoot a bow to how to dress a dear.
The earliest was when he was three. He had been put in the nursery, out of his father's way due to the meeting he had with all of his counselors regarding a pressing matter. What, he did not know as he had been very small then and did not have a care for adult matters. But there he was, sitting on the floor of the nursery, his nursemaid sitting on the rocking chair and his toys strewn all over the floor.
Over to one corner, there were a battalion of soldiers, standing at the ready for whenever Kieran wanted to deploy them. At the opposite corner, Kieran had gathered all of his magical stuffed creatures and set them up in a line. He was in his own little world of make belief where the kingdom was being invaded by the creatures.
A dragon swooped down on the soldiers and destroyed the entire left flank of it. "Rowr!" Kieran shouted.
He was so into his little world that he did not notice the nursery room doors open and close silently. So he was taken by surprise when big, soft and warm hands picked him up at the waist and swung him up in the air. Kieran shouted out in surprise and fear.
"There, my little one," His Father's voice came from behind him as he was turned to face his father. "Do you remember what today is?"
Kieran smiled and nodded emphatically. The man laughed delightedly. "And what is it then?"
"My Bir'day!" Kieran said in his three year old voice. "I 'urn 'his many!" And he held up three fingers for his father to see.
"Yes. And what do you want to do today?"
"Horsie!" Kieran squeeled. "wan' 'o go sit horsie!"
His father laughed. "Alright then, my little prince."
And he and his father trooped out of the nursery and down to the stables, seen by courtiers and servants alike, and caring not a whit in the world.
Kieran watched as his father saddled Darkmoon. Darkmoon was a purebred black stallion from the Silvertongue realm and he would only let the King sit on him and guide him. All others he had unseated. Darkmoon also loved Kieran. At the moment, he was allowing Kieran to pet his mane.
"Papa, wher' we goin'?" little Kieran asked his father.
"You will have to see now. It's a little secret," the King told him.
When Darkmoon was saddled, Coulan, his father, sat Kieran at the front of the saddle first, before he got on the saddle himself. Coulan took hold of the stirrups and squeezed the horse's sides.
They were off on an adventure.