The Silver Throne (18+) {historical romance}

18

Flashback...

Xander got off of his horse hearing the sound of his shoes hit the grass. The view from the mountain was perfect. Beautiful landscape of the kingdom, a place where he found peace. He chuckled and clapped his hands

"Nolan come on.. hop down I want you to see this!" Xander said with enthusiasm. As a prince he hadn't really gotten the chance to show his brother a lot of the things he wanted to because their father had him so busy in king training. So know that he was finally King, he had the chance and time to show Nolan things.

Nolan sighed and hopped down off of the horse not wanting to be there. His feet were still heeling from the last punishment he had received from their mother was not in the mood.

"What it is..?" Nolan asked walking up to where is brother was. Xander smiled and just pointed to the view.

"Look at Ashdom.. have you ever seen it from this perspective..?" Xander asked looking at his brother. Nolan looked at the view and was amazed at what he saw. The way the sky looked, the land, the far mountains, the trees.. villages from far away.

"..no" Nolan admitted "it's nice.." he said with a light smile. Xander chuckled and put his hand on his shoulder

"Exactly little brother.. I've wanted to show you this place for a long time. It helps me when I have a problem.. when I'm angry, sad, hurt or just plain lost. I come here and just look at our kingdom.. look at the beauty it is and it centers me.. I'm grounded as a man.. a king." Xander said to his brother hoping he could too gain solace from this view. He knew his little brother held a little bit of resentment towards him for not falling through on his promise and taking their mothers head. Xander wanted to but there were so many other matters and things he had to handle and his mother was the only person he knew who could help him with them. Xander hated himself for being like his father and turning his head when his mother became vicious but he told himself that Nolan was only one person compared to the masses he had to protect as well from outside forces. Being a king was difficult but Xander still loved his brother.

Nolan clenched his jaws trying to hold back his words to his brother, because he was his king as well.. he didn't want to risk death. Nolan had not usually feared his brothers decision against him but ever since he had been complacent in their mothers actions, Nolan didn't know what to think anymore. He used to trust his brother one hundred percent but now he only had faith in himself and Harrison, his fathers Courtier, who was like a father to him. Though nobody really protected him fully against his mothers wraith and the rage he was started to feel like the bottle he had been filling for years was about to pop.

"Like I said... it's nice." Nolan said plainly. Xander bit his lip nervously and sighed. He sat down on the edge with his legs hanging off of the cliff.

"I know you are upset with me Nolan and you have every right to be.. any man in your position would be. But I want you to know that I am truly sorry for the pain that I've allowed to continue to happen to you... I love you." Xander said and Nolan felt a thump in his throat.

".. my feet still bleed from the dried healed skin on my feet from when mother whips me. Ive called out for you.. and you never come." Nolan said feeling a tear run down his face. That wasn't even half of the things he endured. Nolan grew to hate baths though he took them for hygiene but every time he did his heart was on the outside of his chest. As a punishment for whatever his mother felt he needed discipline for, she would make him soak in the bath then make him stand in the freezing cold with his arms out. If he dropped them or attempted to warm himself up, he was locked in the tower for days without food and small amounts of water or forced to walk on hot coal. The hot coal had gotten to be to much of a healing process so she just whipped them instead.. her way of leaving his body unblemished. He was only ten years old and that was his reality, so whatever his brother said meant nothing to him without result.