Fairyfly II - 3. A New Journey

A grand royal carriage stood on the cobblestone path on the grounds in front of the royal castle of King Theodore. The outside of it was decorated with tasteful ornaments, while on the inside, it was lined with the finest green materials, the color of the Kingdom of Thorodan. Several guards stood at the ready with their horses, already prepared to get going.

To the dozen of servants that moved about, busy carrying out their duties, the scene might have looked all too familiar, like the one that occurred over a year ago. Only this time, it was not Prince Terryn who was preparing for a trip to Alduin, but his younger brother, Prince Wilton.

“Where is the prince?” a rough-looking, muscular man asked as he approached two servant boys loading luggage into the carriage. He glanced over at the castle, his stern expression showing clear signs of impatience.

“I’m afraid his highness hasn’t came out yet, Lord Marshall. Shall I go and fetch him?” one of the young men replied.

“Yes, since we’re only waiting for him. If it were up to me, we’d have set off last night.”

“Very well, I’ll go and see why he got held up,” the servant nodded before scurrying off in the direction of the castle. He was barely halfway there when the main door opened. The men guarding it stepped aside, letting Prince Wilton himself come through, accompanied by his personal servant girl.

“Ah, what a lovely day it is!” the young lad exclaimed, looking up and raising a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. His mouth spread into a bright smile, dimples appearing in his cheeks.

It was the beginning of spring, the prince’s favorite time of the year, and he was about to embark on the longest trip he had ever taken. Having just turned nineteen, he had never left the borders of the kingdom, always being told his time would come. However, that certainly did not stop him from finding other ways to have fun. Adored by the common people of Thorodan, Prince Wilton was known to enjoy cracking jokes, visiting inns in the capital and drinking with people no matter their class or age.

“This will be a trip to remember, I just know it!”

“I sure hope so, your highness,” the servant girl replied shyly.

“We’ll make the most of it, Osma, I promise you.”

In high spirits, the prince strode over to where Lord Marshall Dane was standing, giving orders and making sure his men were fully prepared for the long journey ahead.

“There will be minimal stops along the way, so I don’t want to hear any complaints, is that clear?! We will only stop to sleep, and that’s it. No tours in the countryside and no quick trips to a tavern to get refreshments.”

“Lord Marshall Dane, running a tight ship as always, huh?” Prince Wilton smiled at the old man, ignoring his disgruntled demeanor. “I do feel better knowing I’ll have you guarding me the whole way.”

“Not how I would have chosen to spend my time, but it’s what the king ordered,” the veteran soldier replied matter-of-factly. “As long as I’m here, you can be sure you’ll be well protected, your highness.”

Dane had been the right-hand man of King Theodore for decades, and reached the rank of Lord Marshall over ten years ago, besting many who competed for the position. Aside from being a respected commander and fierce soldier, he was also a tiger shifter. This made him appear even more imposing in the eyes of his subordinates, as well as his enemies.

“How enthusiastic of you, you’re almost as thrilled as Osma here,” the prince said, gesturing at the girl standing behind him. She opened her mouth as if to protest, but promptly closed it when she saw the Prince shoot her a grin. “At least it seems the weather will serve us well. Aren’t you glad now that we didn’t set out yesterday like you wanted to?”

“Yes, I’m thrilled,” Dane grunted in reply, observing as the driver took his place at the front of the carriage. The horses were ready, the luggage and food supplies were packed, and the soldiers that would accompany them were already on their horses, standing nearby.

“One would think you were going to battle rather than a party,” Prince Wilton teased. He seemed to be the only person not intimitaded by the Lord Marshall. “I’d wager you’ll find a way to let loose once we get there.”

“We’re not going to a party, your highness,” the other man replied as they all filed into the carriage. “It’s a royal ball, where you’re expected to compete for Princess Amelia’s hand in marriage.”

Prince Wilton rolled his eyes, leaning over to look through the window. He already knew all that, but whatever old Dane wanted to call it, it was still a party. Only this one would be the most extravagant one yet. All the rumors about the princess’ beauty only made him want to attend even more.

“And since your brother so cavalierly decided to abandon his duties toward the kingdom...”

“Father wanted you to make sure I don’t do the same, I know,” the young man finished his sentence. “You can relax, I’m not going to run away like Terryn did. I fancy being a prince far too much. Not that I can blame my brother, he seems to be enjoying travelling the continent greatly!”

“Do you still receive letters from Prince Terryn, your highness?” Osma asked, her first words since they left the castle. She was a girl of few words, focused on work and proper etiquette, but being in the company of the happy-go-lucky prince always seemed to make her feel more relaxed.

“Of course, every now and then! I’ve come to look forward to them so much,” he replied. “I do miss Terr, though. You know, he might be far more fun than I gave him credit for. I only wish he’d have shown that side of him while he was still living with us.”

“I bet you can’t wait to see him again,” the girl asked.

“Oh, very well, I’ll admit it. But don’t tell him that, alright?” the prince replied with a mischievous grin. “Perhaps he’ll come back home once he’s finished travelling through Amaret.”

“We can only hope so,” Dane stated, hoping to put an end to the tedious conversation about the irresponsible older prince. “Your highness, have you thought about what you will gift Princess Amelia?”

“Isn’t my charming presence enough of a gift?” the prince tried to make a joke, but the Lord Marshall was clearly not the right audience for it, judging by his unflinching face. “Yes, as a matter of fact, mother and father have prepared a pair of emerald earrings for the princess.”

“How lovely, I’m sure she’ll like it,” Osma said.

“Mmm,” the old man nodded in approval. “The king has put much hope in this… Even though he is less than happy about you having to compete in the first place, especially considering the recent events.”

“Well, I’m sure that is something both sides would very much like to forget,” Prince Wilton replied. “Anyway, whatever happens, happens. I intend to enjoy myself on this trip, and by Gods, so will the two of you! That is my order as your prince.”

Osma couldn’t help but giggle as the conversation continued, mostly due to efforts of the young prince. Followed by several guards on their horses, the group continued on their way toward Alduin, as the royal castle disappeared in the distance behind them.

~~

The night was still young when Quinn and Norius found themselves in the guard’s underground lair, a little further away from his own neighborhood. Unlike the abandoned house they were hiding in previously, this place was at least equipped with some basic furniture - a bed, a small cupboard, two armchairs and a table. Most importantly, there was a furnace. Quinn promptly lit the fire and put some wood in it to keep it going.

“You can sit over here if you want to warm up,” he told Norius, moving one of the armchairs next to the fire. The older man found his way to it and sat down, rubbing his hands all over his arms and shoulders in an attempt to get warm.

“Those were my... well, Loreena’s guards, I take it?”

“Yes.”

“What happened back there, what did you to them?”

“I suppose I forgot to mention it, I’m a shifter,” Quinn replied casually, holding his sword and looking it over from all sides. He regretted having to injure Falk, and not just because the guy was actually an alright character. He was hoping to keep his shifting ability hidden, but now his enemies knew his secret.

“What are you then?” Norius asked.

“A blazetongue.”

“I’ve heard of them, lizards that can breathe fire. I’ve never actually seen any,” the king replied, seemingly indifferent.

“First time for everything,” Quinn shrugged. “I’ve never seen any others besides myself.”

“They’re going to come even harder after us now,” Norius frowned. He admired Quinn’s tenacity, but he still had his concerns. They were outnumbered.

“They won’t find us here. Remember, they haven’t recognized me, so they don’t know who to look for. As long as you stay hidden, we don’t have to worry.”

“And how long do you plan to keep me here?” the former king was getting agitated. “Don’t you have some kind of a plan?”

“Of course I have a bloody plan. Do you think I’m just rushing into this blindly?” the guard replied, his tone far calmer than Norius’. It made the king even angrier.

“Then what is it, pray tell? How are we to deal with all the soldiers at Loreena’s command?”

Quinn observed the older man with a mixture of pity and amusement. “Being in that dungeon really crushed your spirits, didn’t it? It’s almost as if you’ve forgotten what a great king you were. You’ve ruled for decades, Norius. Surely you’re not so quick to declare defeat.”

“What are you saying?” the former king asked, his breathing finally slowing down.

“I’m saying that we’ll have to be clever. Yes, Loreena has guards on her side, but if we can’t fight them, we’ll just have to avoid them. I’ve already snuck into the castle once and set you free, didn’t I? We’ll simply have to find a way to do it again and dispose of the queen. Besides, I’m not the only one on your side. There are other soldiers still loyal to you - people who’ve worked for you for years, decades even. They’re not used to a woman commanding them. I just have to make them see they’ll be supporting the winning side if they joined us.”

“Hmm… Perhaps you are more resourceful than I thought,” Norius replied. “But what am I to do in the meantime? Sit here and hide? I can’t do anything with this thing on my head! We need to get that bloody sorcerer to undo the curse!”

Quinn sat down and took a swig from a bottle on the table, watching the other man struggle with the blindfold yet again. He poured some of the ale in a mug and handed it to Norius to calm him down.

“You know him better than I do. As far as I’ve heard, he’s the best out there. Me and my blades aren’t gonna do much against him,” Quinn said, rolling his eyes at the old man’s burning hatred toward Esthor. As far as the guard was concerned, all he needed the sorcerer for was to lift the spell so Norius could become king again. Then, Amelia and he could finally marry. After that, whatever happens to the sorcerer will no longer be of his concern.

“You can say that again. And he’s a shifter to boot,” Norius started unbuttoning his jacket, getting warm from the booze and the fire. “We can’t fight the bastard, much as I want to poke those eyes out of his skull again. No, we need to be smarter than that. We must catch him off guard, strike when he least expects it.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do,” Quinn said, a plan slowly coming together in his head. Of course, he would have to do everything by himself, as the king was useless for the time being.

He got up and opened the old wooden cabinet on the other side of the room. He rummaged through it, finding the items he needed for his mission. It was a simple plan, but hopefully it would get the job done. He would just have to be quick and choose the right moment to attack.

~~

It was early the following morning when the young guard rode off to his parents’ farm, leaving Norius in his basement hideout, hidden below an abandoned storage. His father was too old to still be doing physical work, but he couldn’t help himself. Working in the fields was all he’d ever known, and he was too set in his ways to change. Even though they didn’t make much money from the corn and wheat they produced, they kept doing it year after year. The old couple also raised chickens, ducks and pigs, meaning that they always had their hands full.

When Quinn entered the farm, he immediately spotted his mother working in the garden. It was early spring, so the woman was planting the first vegetables. When she heard the horse neighing, she looked up and saw her only son approaching. Wiping sweat off her forehead, she stood up straight and let out a sigh, feeling pain in her lower back.

“Darling, you’re home. I thought you’d come last night,” the old woman smiled, wiping her hands off her already dirty clothes so she could hug her son.

“Mother, I missed you,” Quinn hugged her back tightly, smiling into her neck. “I’m sorry, I got held up at the barracks. I had a lot of work to do,” he lied. There was no way he would involve them in his plans and risk their lives. Also, he didn’t want them to worry. They had enough problems as it is.

“How long will you stay?”

“Not long, I just came to get the cart, I’ll be needing it today,” the young man replied. “Here, I brought you this,” he fished a small leather pouch out of his pocket and handed it to his mother. It had several coins inside – a week’s salary, which would be enough to cover all of his parents’ expenses for a whole month. Working for the queen, as tiring and sometimes dangerous as it was, certainly had its benefits. Still, it was nothing compared to what the nobility had. What he could have.

“Sweetheart, you shouldn’t have. You’ll need it more than we will,” the woman pushed his hand back, but Quinn placed the pouch in her hand and squeezed it gently.

“Don’t worry, I can manage just fine,” he smiled. “Where’s dad?”

“Inside, he had to go lie down,” his mother said, looking with concern toward the house.

“Headache again?”

“Yes. He’s not as strong as he used to be. I keep telling him to take it easy, but I may as well be talking to a wall. Yesterday, he spent all day outside in that cold. It was freezing, but he went out without a hat on. He just won’t listen to reason.”

“I know… I’ll try talking to him, but you know it won’t do any good. If he won’t listen to you, he sure as hell won’t listen to me.”

“Uh, I don’t know what I’m gonna do with him…” she shook her head. “Come on, I bet you’re hungry. Let’s go inside and I’ll pour you some stew,” the woman insisted, taking him by the hand and walking with him toward the house.

It was a simple wooden cottage with several smaller sheds attached. The roof and some of the walls had been repaired several times, which was painfully obvious. Ducks and chickens walked around in a fenced enclosure behind the house, while five pigs slept peacefully in their makeshift pigsty. Quinn looked around with fondness and nostalgia. When he was a child, the farm and its animals were everything to him. He had so many happy moments and memories of playing with other kids from the neighborhood, chasing the easily frightened poultry and climbing trees to pick fruit.

That was long ago, though, and he was ready to move on. He had been ready for quite some time. Having seen his parents work themselves to the bone for minimal rewards, Quinn knew that was not the life for him. He did not want to spend decades growing wheat and raising animals and have nothing but a crumbling house to show for it. No, he would rise above it and get himself and his parents the life of luxury they deserved.

Once he is wed to Princess Amelia, he would have wealth, power, luxuries – he would have everything. He knew the princess would never seriously consider him, no matter how much he tried to get her attention. Queen Loreena would also never deem him good enough for her daughter because of his background, no matter how hard he worked and tried to prove himself. Well, if she wouldn’t give him a chance, Norius would have no choice. The two of them would have to move fast if they were to prevent the ball Loreena was planning. In a matter of weeks, Amelia was to pick a suitor among the many wealthy, despicable weaklings who haven’t worked a day in their life, and Quinn was determined to do everything he could to stop it and become the princess’ husband instead.

Prince Quinn sounded so good in his head. And then one day… King Quinn.