Prompt Me Hard - 11. 263 - Princeling

“And you thought not telling me was better than the truth?” Ivanhoff stamped one hoof angrily, leaving a cloven imprint in the smooth wet sand, “When exactly did you decide that was going to be a smart idea?”

I stared at the lapping edge of the sea, not wanting to be involved, wanting to be anywhere but here. Ivanhoff was glowering at my older brother, angry, flat bovine teeth chewing at his thick lip. Tony, a teenager I had always associated with sticking his hands in his pockets and shuffling about, stood proud and tall. I was still finding it hard to see him for what he was, here in Araleigah, a king.

“Ivan…” Tony even sounded like a king, mature, strong, knowledgeable, “I am not leaving you without guidance. But I do have to leave.”

“I won’t argue that,” Ivanhoff practically growled, “But there are others much better qualified to run things while you are away than this, this…” He turned his great raven feathered antlered head towards me, “…This princeling!”

“Sir!” Tony inhaled with force and spoke with hard tight words. They would have fallen out of the air like tiny little marble tombstones, the graves of European soldiers as seen from a long way away, “Might I remind you that you are speaking to the fifteenth monarch about his brother! He,” And here he pointed to me with one gloved hand, “Is your ruling sovereign as of about two hours ago! Whether you like it or not you will show respect.” Ivanhoff grumbled and scraped his hooves in the sand again, his short tail flicking from side to side, “Or does the First Duke of Seldale have other plans?”

“No sire,” Ivanhoff shot me a black look and snorted, his wide nostrils flaring. He looked not unlike an angry bucking bull, “We will still pay fealty to this… I mean, to our Prince.” The big feathered beast stepped back, his stag-like hooves making deep imprints in the sand that began to fill with water. The tide was coming in.

I was still surprised to see the sea. The sea was hundreds of miles from home. Hundreds. But Araleigah was a kingdom thirty miles long and about six miles across. And now my brother was preparing to leave me in it. I was petrified.

The First Duke of Seldale bowed his head to Tony and inclined his neck very slightly towards me before turning away. There were people waiting for us. Over the last two days my definition of what the word ‘people’ encompassed had grown exponentially, and I thought it might just continue doing so. My brother and I were not the only people who walked upright on two legs, or had skin and ten toes, but we were few in number to the variety of others. Some were do unlike anything I’d ever imagined, I almost didn’t want to think about it. Ivanhoff and his clan fitted into that category. He must’ve weighed a ton, how I was ever supposed to control him with words was simply beyond me.

I shuffled in my new clothes and stuffed my hands in my pockets. Tony clipped my around the ear.

“Will you quit that? You’re a new prince, stand like one would you?”

“Fuck off Tone,” I side stepped out of his reach quickly, “You do realise that I don’t want this right?”

“It’s done now.” Tony crossed his arms and scowled, “I asked you before and you said it was exciting.”

“That was before a giant feathered bull with fucking antlers showed up wanting me to roll over and die. Ivanhoff clearly thinks someone else should be in charge. Probably himself.”

“The Seldale’s will calm down, you’ll see.” Tony laid a soft hand on my shoulder, “Ivanhoff makes a big deal out of everything. Apart from Avery, I didn’t tell anyone on the council about you ahead of time.”

I fiddled with the belt of my tunic. It was unlike anything I’d ever worn, totally different from the jeans, t-shirts and bum-freezer flying jacket combo I usually preferred. I picked at the knotted cord and sighed.

“Why couldn’t you just leave the council in charge while your away?”

“I don’t know how long I’m going to be gone for Aiden.”

“I thought you college course was four years?” I arched an eyebrow at my brother in confusion, not liking the tone of his voice.

“But… why do you think there’s such a big gap between kings here? Not every generation can get in. Not everyone has the right combination of genes and magic to be able to ‘see’ the way in over the river. Our kids might not be able to come through.”

“But… you and Danika can both get in? I thought you said she had the magic and you had the genes?”

“It doesn’t always work out like that. Forget your science lesson little brother, in Araleigah, magic is king.”

“Except you.” I muttered.

“Yeah, except me. Now come on, Avery’s gonna give you a tour of the castle.”

“Castle?” I stared at him.

“You remember when Dani and I built a tree house in the woods?”

“Yeah…”

“Well on this side of things, it’s a bit more than just a tree house…”