Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 19262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 96(@200wpm)___ 77(@250wpm)___ 64(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 96(@200wpm)___ 77(@250wpm)___ 64(@300wpm)
No. It was all too vivid; too real. I had no wounds any longer; only dried blood on my clothes and scars on my skin. And I had the cloak, hand-delivered to me by Thayla herself.
But most importantly, I had a fated one waiting for me some time in the future. A love which I only knew as forbidden; filthy, but was deemed blessed by the Goddess. Now that I knew it was possible, I wanted him; needed him more with each passing moment, but Thayla’s words repeated in my mind. Be patient. Be vigilant.
For now, I needed to inform the king of the foiled attack. He was a good man, and I knew that he would give proper burials of respect to the soldiers who fought to protect him.
With a deep breath, I pulled the hood of my cloak over my head and began my journey to the castle, with daydreams of my fated one keeping me company.
Chapter One
Leo
I sighed as I looked between the bars on my window to gaze upon the starry sky. It was a beautiful night; not a cloud in sight, and a full moon illuminating the courtyard below. A cool breeze floated into my room in the tower, teasing me with perfect exploration weather.
I loved to explore. As a child, I would stroll through the castle corridors, delighting in discovering new rooms. And while there were many rooms, I eventually found them all and grew tired of the view.
I craved more; something new, so I asked my parents, the king and queen, to let me outside the castle walls. But they forbade it. I didn't understand; I was the prince, and I believed I should see the kingdom and the people who would be my subjects one day, but my parents would not budge on their decision.
It didn't quash my desire, however. So, when I got old enough to make a plan, I snuck outside during the night hours when my parents would be asleep. I knew the castle and its passages well, and where I could stay hidden from the guards who stood watch.
I managed to stay undetected while climbing out through a window on the first floor. It was risky, but the moment my feet touched the ground, I had no regrets.
I loved everything, from the softness of the grass beneath my toes, to the sweet scent of the flowers in the courtyard, to the way the moonlight danced on my skin.
I went back night after night, venturing out a little further each time. It took about a month for my courage to grow, but I finally gave in to my deepest desire; to see what lay beyond the castle grounds.
I don't know what happened; whether a guard saw my thin body sneak out between the bars of the fence, or he heard my gasp of delight when I saw the cobbled road and many cottages lining it, but I was captured within moments of my escape.
I was dragged back inside and my parents were awoken from their slumber. They were furious with me, and told me that I was never to go outdoors again. I argued that as an heir to the throne, it was my duty to know the kingdom. That was the first time my father struck me, calling me an insolent child.
The ordeal scared me enough to keep me within the walls. Even if I became brave again, it would be for naught, as all the windows were barred and the number of guards working at the castle had been doubled.
When I asked the guards why I was being treated like a prisoner, they only answered that it was “for my protection,” but that didn’t seem right. My parents weren’t the nurturing type; they rarely even spoke to me.
After my ‘escape attempt’, they even appointed an older man named Fagen to keep an eye on me and make sure I didn’t try to leave the castle. I think it was meant as a punishment, but it turned out to be the best thing I could have dreamed of.
Fagen was everything that my parents weren’t; kind, caring, and attentive. He told me stories, and then even taught me to read to keep my mind entertained so the view of my interior walls wouldn’t drive me mad. I didn’t care about my bloodline; Fagen was my father as far as I was concerned. He was the only person in my life who had ever cared for me.
He’d visited me earlier in the day to celebrate what should have been a momentous occasion; my eighteenth birthday. Officially a man, I should have been honored with a coronation; introduced to my future subjects, and paraded throughout the town.
I didn’t care about a party or parade (though being outside would have been incredible). I didn’t need to be celebrated or honored, but a kind word from my parents would have been nice. I hadn’t laid eyes on them all day.