25Chapter 2
"Wait," I called out.
My cry seemed to make no impact on the fleeing maiden. For a moment I considered riding after her but I knew that would not be the right thing to do. She clearly had not wanted to be seen even though I didn't know why. I stared off at the far off tree line that she had already disappeared through. I wondered why she had been out so early. The sun had barely risen and even roosters hadn't begun to crow yet. It was a time of day that I thought was reserved only for me. A time where I could ride wherever I wanted and did not have to worry about lesson's, or my schedule, or my father's demands. I could be alone with my thought's right now. Now I knew however that I was not alone after all. I couldn't imagine who that girl was. Most girls from our town wouldn't stray this far out of town alone. Especially at this time of day. I started to think up who she could be. She could be a runaway servant from one of the richer houses, or she could be a lost princess faraway from home. She could be a fairy or some other magical creature, or she could very well have been a figment of my imagination. I was after all quite sleepy for I had had a restless night and for all I knew I had drifted off for a few moments and completely dreamed her up. I shook my head. What did it matter anyway? I would most likely never see her again. In all likelihood that fact was probably the most true.
My horse Frost pawed at the ground nervously.
"What's wrong with you Frost old boy?" I asked not expecting an answer, "O, I know! You want to get back to the stables so that you can have your breakfast! Well I guess that sounds alright, I'm rather hungry myself!" I usually talked to Frost like this when I was alone. It made me feel somehow closer to him. It was as well a great comfort to be able to tell someone something and not have to worry about hearing their opinion!
With that I turned Frost swiftly around and rode back towards town. The cold, crisp morning air wiped against my face as I rode swiftly through the vast green fields. Frost probably was the fastest horse in the entire kingdom, so we were upon the town in only a matter of minutes.
The cobblestone streets stretched silently out in front of me. It was so quiet I heard every clatter of Frost's hooves on the bare stones. The sound made me almost nervous, like everyone in town could hear me even though I knew most were still sleeping. I passed though the village square and felt the Hanging post loom over me like a dark cloud on a sunny day. Then I passed though the new site where they were building a church. I myself had never been concerned with religion and even more so now that I was being taught it. I had asked my father one time why I was wasting my time learning all that rubbish and he had gotten very angry and told me never to object to his decisions again. I knew that he wished that my mother had had my younger brother before me. My younger brother, admare, had always been what people thought a prince should be. He never objected to my father's orders, did well in all his lesson's and really was perfect. Where I preferred to do what I thought was best even if that meant going against what I was taught and told to do. I was really more of my mother's son and admare being my father's son.
My mother was a very kind hearted soul who loved adventure and excitement. She loved nature and hate being cooped up inside that castle. When I was very young my mother and I would play game after game outside. I loved being with her! It was probably the happiest time of my life. Then my father decided that frolics through the garden were unfitting for a future king and both my mother and I were required to take lessons. I think my mother changed then. She stopped laughing as much and I could tell that a part of her was dying. I'm sure apart of me died as well.
When my brother was born he was immediately my father's shadow. He did everything my father did and I constantly was told to be more like him. I could tell admare hated me. Even though he knew that he bettered me in everything in my father's opinion, I knew he wished he were the older son. There were times where I wished I could just hand the title over to him but my father was very strict about tradition and was going to make me king if I liked it or not!
I came upon the castle gates and pasted right by a sleepy guard who tried to bow but just ended up almost falling over. Then Frost picked up speed and I knew he was really hungry. I hoped of his back and led him into the stables. The stable boy slowly got up from a heap of hay and looked at me through half closed eyes.
"Good morning your highness." He said sleepily while doing a sort of half stumble, half bow, "I'll take your horse from you if you'd like."
"That alright," I said noting how sleepy he looked, "I think I'll take care of frost myself today!"
The stable boy did another clumsy bow and then stumbled back to his pile of hay and quickly fell asleep. I then started on my taste of cleaning Frost up and giving him his breakfast. After 20 minutes of work I trudged back to the palace to get my own breakfast.
Since it was so early I had to go directly to the kitchens to get some breakfast. Just as I opened the heavy wooden doors to the kitchen I heard a faint scuffling behind me.
"Your Highness what do you think your doing?" said the voice behind me.
I slowly turned around feeling as if I was a criminal being caught. I already knew who it was. Lord Carlson, my chief, advisor was briskly walking down the corridor with a slight scowl on his face.
"Your Highness I am appalled that you're up a such a horrendous hour! Don't you know that you need your rest! Why when a servant informed me that you had left I was stricken with grief! You know you are always to leave the palace with at least two royal guards and never at this hour unless you have good reason to do so; which I'm sure you do not! You should know better than that! When will you stop sneaking out of the palace without telling anyone! You are acting like a child and not like the future king! I never had these problems with your brother, Prince Admar! Why can't you be more like him? You are disgracing your family and this kingdom with your thoughtless actions!" Lord Carlson preached while looking completely red and chaotic.
I groaned! I had not even managed to eat breakfast before having to listen to my advisor's bias advice. I wouldn't be surprised he had all the servant's keeping tabs on me! I was completely positive that he was another person who wished my brother had been born first!
"Lord Carlson I believe you have not right to question my reason's for leaving the palace. I am a grown man and I do not need to be babysitted by palace guards! I am also like you said future king and I will not be dictated to anymore by a pompous as well as arrogant lord who doesn't seem to know his place! I am not disgracing my family nor my kingdom. I would also hope that in the future you would care to remember not to compare me to my brother or tell me to be more like him!" I snapped knowing full well that it was really complete bull, but hey I had been taught to be diplomatic and royal. It was also fun watching Lord Carlson cower.
"Your Highness you know I didn't mean what I said in any disrespect but you still must refrain from leaving the palace at ungodly hours." Lord Carlson gulped.
"I promise," I said knowing that I wouldn't stick to it, "Now may I please go and have my breakfast?"
"Of coarse your majesty, of coarse." Said Lord Carlson.
And so I proceeded into the kitchens while listening to my advisor recite my schedule. Another day of royal drivel stretched before me.
(A/N anyway how was that? I would like to give thanks to my beta reader wicked one a.k.a. Carmen! Without her this chapter would have been yucky! Any ways please review and tell your friends about my great story cause right now no ones reading it!)