|🌴| Shipwrecked Princess |🌺| A Novel |🌺| Complete |🌴|

🌴 Chapter Eighteen 🌴

While Rosalya had taken Essa and her animal family to the private beach, William was fencing with Chandler. To get out of his wedding duties, he offered to teach his younger brother's lessons while the fencing instructor recovered from a minor accident. His father only permitted it because he did not want his son to miss any of his lessons.

The brothers chose to spar in the outer courtyard, which was more or so a garden with many trees and plants, with pathways, stone benches, pavilions, and gazebos. It was a particularly warm day, a gentle breeze lifted the scents of the flowers and carried them through the air.

A butler walked through the open glass doors with a silver tray in his hands. A pitcher of water with two glasses that were upside down. He silently set it down on a stone bench, a little letter half-folded and propped up on the glasses from their mother. She was always making sure in this hot weather that her sons were hydrated. He turned around and nodded to the queen, who was watching from inside the indoor tea room.

Chandler lunged at William, jabbing his sword then quickly moving it in an upward manner, locking swords. "Haha, you're too slow." He teased with a grin, beads of sweat running down his forehead under the blazing hot sun. His movements were fluid and quick, he had practiced perfecting his movements.

William parried his jab with his sword as it clashed against his younger brothers. "You've gotten better since I last sparred with you before I left for my adventure." He spoke through gritted teeth, struggling to push back against Chandler's sword. He was stronger than he had been.

Chandler twisted his body, allowing his sword to squeal against his brothers, successfully using enough force to make his brother take a few steps back. "That is because while you were gone, father extended my weekend lessons to three hours and the daily lessons by two hours. It was grueling no doubt, however, I accepted it and never said a word. He was in a foul mood." He grumbled at the mere thought of his foul-mood father, as he lunged at him.

William parried his brother's blade only for Chandler to counterattack with a riposte, ever so gracefully. "Goodness, that sounds awful. I am truly sorry if my leave caused that." He then added. "Arrêt." Both he and his brother stopped their match and stood back in their respective positions. "Good job, that concludes our match."

Chandler took a deep breath and handed the rapier blade to a butler who was standing by. "It wasn't you, I promise. He was already planning on raising the lesson hours. it isn't so bad though, at least I didn't have to get yelled at for the smallest thing." He pivoted and walked over to the tray. He poured himself a glass of water and sat down, downing it in a matter of minutes.

William handed off his blade and walked over to his brother, sitting down beside him with a sigh. "You can see why I wanted to leave. I sometimes can't understand his logic, no matter how hard I try. I just wish he was more lenient. That was one thing I always envied Janessa's father, he allowed her to do whatever she wishes. Ladylike or not." He reached for a glass and poured some water into it.

Chandler leaned back, placing one hand on the bench and putting his body weight on it. "I think we all wish that." He had always wondered how different his life would have been if Raymond hadn't been so strict. "Can't dwell on what is or isn't. To a certain extent, I wouldn't be who I am today without all the angst my father has put me through." He chose to look on the bright side.

William nodded, he couldn't deny he was right. He brought the glass up to his lips and took a sip from it. "On the bright side, in three years maybe a father will allow you to travel the world? I wish I could join you, but alas I will be king and have royal duties." He sighed, setting the glass down beside him.

Chandler huffed, tipping his head back and watching the puffy white clouds float by. "Why can't our kingdom be like the rest? Why does father, because he was orphaned at a young age, have to pass the throne off to you on your birthday but you can't pass it off when your heir becomes of age because you have to die or fall ill." He mused, kicking his feet around in the air.