With that, I was left alone, but that was like every other day. As I reached inside my room, on my bed my clothes were laid out nicely. These gaudy kinds of clothes were the kind I hate the most. What’s the use of these yellow frills, and all these weird designs, they don’t even look good at all? My chiselled figure is much better than that. On top of that this dress was designed by an unskilled craftsman, the threads stick to my body and would definitely create rashes. Left with no choice I wore those clothes. If some accidentally spilled even a drop of water, I swear I will rip these clothes. Now I was waiting for someone to call me. It’s a pretty weird setting, if you come up a bit early people would think you are very leisure and if you come up a bit late they would think that you are being arrogant by wasting their time. And just like this we waste money by employing people solely for the purpose of calling us.
It wasn’t long before my door was knocked, I looked out of the window, it was still in the afternoon so it wouldn’t make sense for me to go down there at the banquet. The Door was knocked again. As I opened the door, tears ran down my eyes, standing right before me was my father it’s been two years ago last time I saw him. At that time, I felt as if I would lose him in the war. I hugged him tightly.
“To think you would cry like that after seeing me. It was worth coming back alive after all” Hearing that melted all what was still left in my heart. With great care he lifted me up in the air and embraced me.
I know. I know there was no need to cry. But that is from the point of view from someone who doesn’t knew the context.
Farlier Duchy segregated from most of the world, surrounded by the mountains from three sides, and ocean on the other, while simultaneously being blessed with a large amount of fresh water rivers was said to be heaven on earth, it’s one of the best strategic position, so the king usually bothers my father with other duties, well in return we do receive a lot of amount from the Kingdom. Unlike what usually happens in the world, our Farlier Duchy doesn’t pay the Kingdom of Thunderburn, in fact they pay us. It’s more of an alliance. On the other side of the mountains surrounding us is the Thunderburn empire, well we also come in Thunderburn empire, the thing is if we were to leave as an isolated country we could do so, but that would mean losing the standings in the world. So 5 generations back a deal was made announcing Farlier Duchy as a part of Thunderburn kingdom, but they can’t ask us for taxes and the laws imposed in our region will only be decided by us. Free trade will be allowed but in return of all of that, The Duchy would help the Thunderburn kingdom with the threats, at that time our great ancestors faired off the attack against the Nomadic Barbarians. These Beasts didn’t even hesitate to kill their own kind. The worst thing was that they breed like scaled rabbits, so although we would defend the region we would be attacked by the ever increasing generations. For two years the war against the barbarians have been continuing. Finally, it came to an end. We were victorious, I heard the news two days back.
“Father you won !!!” I said like a child as I was made to sit on my bed.
“Indeed, we won now finally we will have influence beyond just the mountain range” Father said with a brimming smile.
“On second note I have heard that my little boy reached the peak of a preparatory Knight” To that I nodded as if I wanted to say award me for my achievements. I don’t know usually I act mature but sometimes … sometimes it just happens. And well soon enough I received reward in terms of a little head brush.
“I am proud of you” he said affectionately. Naturally I couldn’t stop myself from grinning.
“When I had reached the peak strength possible for a preparatory Knight, my father gave me this. Now this is yours. “From his overcoat he took out a seemingly thick book and handed over to me. The title read, 13 ways to become an imperial Knight. Right after that he showed me a necklace which he drew out after opening a couple of buttons of his shirt.
“And the next thing is this !!! You will receive it when you will finally inherit this duchy. If I had more time I would have surely given it to you. I wish I could have been more of a present father to you, but believe me son I am trying my best.” with great regret he said that and left as he gently placed his hand on top of my head. Then he stopped for a second and turned back and shocked me.
“Be prepared you are to be the host of the Night.” Throwing that responsibility on my shoulders all of a sudden he left. Well fortunately for me I was experienced with this kind of stuff. It didn’t take me long to write a trite speech to address the night. The reason for that was simple, he just wanted the world to know his son is competent.
Since I wasn’t going to be called back anytime soon, I sat down on my table and began reading a book called. “Thirteen ways to become an Imperial Knight”. Imperial Knight were said to be an extension of the class called Knight, a class solely based on physical strength and that doesn’t involve mana at all. This was common knowledge, everyone was aware of that, but the Imperial Knights were a thing of the past, only selected few individuals are aware of the methods to reach such a higher stage. Well even becoming a Knight is very hard, to become a Knight one must reach the state of Life essence formation. And this state is not just the physical state but also the mental state. For its formation one must be pushed to his/her limits it is said the most effective method Is to have a near death experience. I believe I can become a Knight now; I am not saying this just because to please myself or because I view myself highly which I do. It is because I am evidently the strongest among those who haven’t been to the battlefield.
Just when I touched the book it emitted a faint orange light, which blinded me for a while. I think I passed out for a moment and when I opened my eyes, the thick book in my hands was replaced by a thin magazine. I was going to start reading the book when my door was suddenly knocked, I looked at the window and realized it was already evening. Immediately I changed into that tight fitting dress. Standing there was me cute little sister. To be fair this goldish white colour suited her.
“What took you so long” She looked rather pretty.
“You look good” I said in a dim voice completing ignoring the previous subject.
“what did you say? I didn’t hear it properly” She said while giggling to herself.
“I said The House of Bourbon is rather lucky”
“No you didn’t, you said I looked pretty” she said as she held her nose high.
“If you heard it earlier what was the use of asking it to me again”
“It wouldn’t hurt you to say I look pretty for once.”
“Would you become ugly if I said so, you are beautiful you have the blood of frailer nobility running in you. Be more proud of yourself”
“Puff- Ha-ha you” suddenly she started laughing for some reason she found it amusing. The scene of her laughing and wiping her tears due to laughter annoyed me.
“What’s so funny about it?”
“Why should I tell you?”
“You …” I held my anger I don’t know why but I felt that something really was funny So I started to laugh with her. Eventually the two of us left for the Banquet.
There weird things going on with the nobles, the first thing I have to do is to apologise for being late, even though it was just how they want the things to be. Well it really was nothing in front of the privilege I held.
As I entered all eyes were upon me and my sister. And she quickly ran downstairs, well I bowed down and apologised as I was supposed to.
“Apologies for the delay everyone. Tonight is especial, it is not just the celebration of my birthday, but rather the celebration of our victory over those vile nomadic barbarians which have disturbed our peace for generations. This could have not been possible if not for the sacrifice of the soldiers who lost their lives, the families who lost their loved ones. And of course those who lived through these wars through their sheer will. We have some great personalities here among us today who played the roles of immense importance in the war. This Banquet is dedicated to them too. The Pain of losing a loved one, a companion, a fellow or even a sub ordinate cannot be removed just by a simple banquet but I hope the news of victory can dilute it. Those who we lost in the war, will stay forever in our hearts.
I would also like to apologise on the behalf of the Farlier Household , that we couldn’t attend all of you personally. With enough said let’s enjoy ourselves to the fullest”
With those banal lines I came downstairs. Although I could be said to be pretty popular among the younger generation there weren’t many who were of my age whom I could call interesting. Most of them are wimpy kids who play some weird games. They were busy playing with fake swords while I was learning Swordplay, sword is a weapon not a toy. Sometimes the utter lack of intelligence within their tiny brains surprises me. How could you be 9 and be ignorant of the world. Well I don’t have much issues with them as long as they don’t stand in my way.
This doesn’t mean I wasn’t interested in anyone, Knight Curtis was there, he was someone who was hailed as the rising star of the Kingdom he reached the stage of Knighthood at the age of 17, which was considered fairly early. Now at the age of 25 he is considered one of the strongest Knight in the empire. There he was surrounded by foolish noble ladies, who know nothing but to seduce strong males. I approached him with a glass of apple juice, which looked like red wine.
“I have long heard of your name Lord Curtis.” I said as I took a small sip of the apple juice.
“You flatter me Master Farlier” he replied with an uninterested face. Obviously to him I am another one of those noble brats. Even so I must lower myself here, it was me who needed something from him not the opposite naturally I must lower myself.
“I have heard of your expedition to The Tombs of the Raging Queen” With this I definitely gained his attention.
“Indeed it was quite the Dangerous Expedition Fortunately we returned safely. It was said to be made up of a certain mineral that is lighter than a feather and stronger than steel”
“How could it be a dungeon, if all it has are minerals. With all those fierce monsters fighting just to protect some minerals wouldn’t that be uninteresting. Surely you must have found something? Something like an artefact. May be you could give me some news of such an artefact.”
“Master Aegis I am afraid …” I understood the expedition was made for a purpose, the whole expedition team knows that they shouldn’t be distributing this information to everyone. Would they still be called professionals if they were to sing songs about the results? Much less to a child, the kind of those who are infamous for distributing knowledge in the form of songs. Even so I must inquire.
“Are you perhaps hiding it because it was ordered by his highness to not talk about the nature of the artefact?” Although I tried to press further, instead of answering me he began to look for someone among the crowd.
“It seems you are looking for someone important. If so I shall excuse myself” How could I not understand it, he didn’t know how to deal with a child or rather he didn’t want to deal with me.
“My apologies I couldn’t entertain you any further” saying this he left as fast as he could have.
I looked for Sophia, well she was busy in her own group. Even though she acts all bratty in front of me she knows how to act like a refined lady. Looking at it, it was quite evident the relationship she held with the children in her group was not that of friends but rather of master and followers. It was about time my father entered. And I could feel it, everyone looking at my father with great respect, fear and jealousy, for he was holding a beautiful flower in each one of his hand. On his right was Duchess Alicia and on his left Duchess. As he came down Immediately some bootlickers surrounded my father as he walked down the stairs. Knowing the personality of my father he would surely use the bootlickers and then throw them away if he doesn’t have any use for them. While on the surface he would talk with them politely. If you were to be born with thousands years of history behind you, you are meant to have a thousand faces.
Since I wasn’t much into socialising I sat down, and enjoyed my apple juice, while simultaneously observing the situation of the banquet. While I was constantly being greeted happy birthday this and that by the guests. Some even sat by my side to have a little chat but after observing me for a while they had no choice but to leave.
Suddenly I heard a wild laughter. It was then that my attention was caught by Princess Thunderburn, she was quite the attention grabbing figure it wasn’t just about her beautiful figure, or her pale white skin, neither her golden hair, nor her blue eyes. It was the manner with which she carried herself. Bold, attention seeking, without the shackles of nobility. She carried herself the way I wanted to, yet was never able to. Even now I am wearing something I despised, attending some place I didn’t wanted to be a part of. I for some reason found her very attractive and I couldn’t help it.
The amount of time I had spent gazing at her was plenty enough to be noticed, I am sure she must have noticed even others must have noticed by now. But I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Finally, I was able to get myself out of her charm, but as soon as I got out of it, I fell into another one of her charm. Her smile, what a beautiful smile she has, no that couldn’t be termed as seductive, nor alluring, the smile has affection, brightness, innocence. Her smile could compete with Sophia’s. And before I noticed she was standing with in front of me with her hands on her waists and her face tilted towards me.
“Why were you looking me so intently?” she bended towards me as she said that. Her lips were only an inch away from my face.
“Not my fault, you are just too much beautiful to exist. Naturally my eyes were drawn towards you, not like I went out of my way to look at you” Hearing that she made a surprised face, although I was flustered I somehow maintained my composure.
“Really” she sat next to me and then continued to speak.
“Are you interested in Knights? I saw you talking to Curtis.”
“Naturally everyone is interested in becoming a Knight. By the way who were you looking at me or Sir Curtis”
“Obviously Knight Curtis, why would I be interested in you, you aren’t anything special. Just another son of a noble”
“Just another son of a noble” I repeated the phrase again, honestly no one has ever dared to call me like that. Not even adults at the level of marquises.
“Ha-ha I really like this honest personality of yours, you don’t believe in flattery at all.”
“What’s the use of that? Creating false impression. The Strong doesn’t need lowly things such as Flattery. Look at it, who can be discourteous to my father, that is because of his strength.” Well she wasn’t wrong her father was one of the strongest figure, but he certainly wasn’t the strongest. Even so I also agreed with her more or less.
“That is because he is the King because he isn’t going to serve anyone, he is the one who is being flattered.”
“Then I am the princess, I don’t need to do flattery, neither do I need to serve anyone” She said as she crossed her arms.
“Princess if you allow me to speak can I say something.”
“Speak” she replied in a rather proud manner.
“To the King his daughters are nothing but tools for political relationships. For your husband you are nothing but an ornament, how can you say that you need to do flattery. Even you as the princess cannot escape the shackles of nobility.” Well I was quite annoyed after observing how free she was. It was as if a feeling to restraint her grew in my heart. Hearing that she stood up. Perhaps she was aware of her situation. But then I saw frustration on her face.
“Tch- you talk too much, I cannot win with you in terms of these word battles, how about we fight for real Huh” saying that she stood up and punched me in the face although my lip started bleeding slightly I didn’t lose my temper. At first I was shaken, was there something wrong with her head. It was one thing for her to be free, but this looked as if she had a screw or two loose. But I must admit, she wasn’t frail she was strong, perhaps like me at the peak of preparatory Knight stage.
“Prince you know that even if you are the princess you cannot punch the grand duke’s heir like that.” Even so I was angry at her, I smiled in front of her. The Attention was now gathered at us More so at the rowdy princess.
“I just lightly touched your face. Not like I punched you hard. You want to fight or not. These noble brats are so boring.” Saying that she began to walk away. Perhaps she was aware of her situation she has garnered to much attention she needed to get pot the scene. But I couldn’t let her get away like that. So I threw in the bait she was looking for.
“What’s in it for me, if I win?” hearing that she immediately stopped, she turned backwards and her eyes were shining.
“Well what do you want?” And she was trapped.
“You” hearing that now focus of almost everyone presents there was gathered at us. Even so none had approached us till now. It was those inspecting eyes all over the place. Perhaps princess ignore those beneath her.
“Eh! Why?”
“Life would be a lot more interesting with you by my side.”
“But you aren’t very interesting. There is nothing in for me”
“Well loss is supposed to hurt you.”
“Fair Enough! But I will lose everything and you will lose nothing, a couple of broken bones at stupid. Not a fair deal.”
“Then state your side of the deal?”
“My side of the deal, huh let me think of the deal. I have everything what can you even give me?” After pondering for a while she finally replied.
“I will tell you after I win” saying that she threw a chair at my within that very banquet. At first I thought she would wait in for us to move in to training ground but she started at the banquet itself. I was really not on my guard, but I braced myself for the impact chair. The chair broke as it collided with my forearm. With the impact of the collision the chair turned into splinters. Naturally some of those splinters grazed my skin. If that wasn’t enough she already came forward to smack my head with the glass of wine. If not for the Knight she might have succeeded in her attack. But that wasn’t my concern, my concern was that it looked as if I was defeated in front of a full blown banquet, that hurt my ego as a prodigy.
Suddenly Knights surrounded her. And started rebuking her for her methods, and then she was asked to leave. While she was throwing her legs in the air in order to resist, she was unable to get herself out of the Knight’s hold
“Princess Do you even know what you just did? Is this the way you behave? Do you even have the slightest respect for the King or Thunderburn house? Ruining its name like that. Behave more like a lady How many times do I have to tell you. Do not think just because you are the daughter of the King you can go around throwing chairs beating future here to nobilities. Perhaps I should inform the Mistress to focus more on your Bridal training. Come princess we are leaving now. Apologies everyone” saying that the Knight bowed in front of everyone. But the look on her face suggested that she didn’t took a single word to her head.
“I won’t fight just let me down for a moment. I Promise, I will even go and Apologise to him. Just let me down for a moment.” she yelled a couple of time while throwing her hands around like a spoiled brat. While all of that drama was going on, my gaze was focused on my father, my only concern as of now was what would he think of me.? Will he think that I am weak enough to be beaten by a little girl.
“Uncle Marcus Please, listen to me, I won’t do this again. Please…” She screamed a couple of time only then did the knights let her go.
“Fine. But behave more like a princess” The Knight named Marcus finally let her down and as soon as she was let down, she rushed towards me, at first I thought she was coming to fight, I was ready to battle her. But then she held my hand and began to run towards the Banquets exit. For some reason I went along with her, perhaps that was because the princess wanted to get out of the banquet herself or it was because I couldn't ignore her. Naturally the Knights started following us.
“Where is the training ground?”
“Huh” I was surprised for a while.
“WHICH WAY IS THE TRAINING GROUND?”
“To the left.” I instinctively replied to her. And with that said the next thing I knew was that me and her were both in a training ground. She closed the doors to the Ground. While she was holding a wooden sword, I was holding a wooden spear.
“ARE YOU READY FOR THE BATTLE”
