Love and War

1: Jonah

Jonah's POV:
The paintbrushes sat together in a cup by the blank canvas. They sat there waiting for me to use as I sat at the stool.

I had a secret room in my bedroom. It faced the ocean and here is where I paint. Nobody has been here before besides me, not even the maids.

I like it that way. It's personal and secret. It's only mine.

I picked up the brush and let it take me where it wanted. My soul, my mind and my feelings were spread bare on the canvas before me.

It's the only place that I could be myself and where nobody would ever judge me.

Art was my safe haven.

***
"Dimitri. Jonah. Come inside and shut the door." My father said as we came inside his study. He sat behind his mahogany desk and leaned forward on his forearms.

Dimitri and I stood in front of his desk neither of us making a move to sit down.

"So I've received some news... a war is coming." I stayed quiet but my surprise must've shown all over my face because my father nodded. "Dimitri. You must start training the soldiers every day more than you are now. Jonah. You will be in charge of organizing a meeting with the other kings. You're to be king soon so I need you at the front of this."

I nodded. "I will."

Dimitri nodded too. "I will Father."

I glanced at Dimitri who wore his usual face. No emotion. The scars on both of his eyes only made him look more serious and deadly. He wore his fighting leathers with a sword strapped to his back. His lips in a tight line, his silver eyes like silver daggers.

"King Santiago is building his army and he will fight ferociously. We need to proceed with caution and these alliances with the other kings are vital, especially King Ian."

I nodded again.

Many years ago when I was just a little baby, our world was peaceful. I have no memories of the time but my mother would tell me stories.

War was something that belonged in story books.

All 5 kingdoms got along perfectly. Our kingdom: Sura.

King Ian's Kingdom: Itubet.

King Rafael's Kingdom: Butus.

King Dominic who passed away last year and his son Nicholas has taken over but at the time he was ruling. Their kingdom is called Sadel.

King Santiago's kingdom: Ashugary.

But King Santiago wanted all the power to him. He wanted to be the one and only ruler. It was impossible, so much power to only one person...

So the rest of the kingdoms refused and he rebelled and turned his people against the rest of us. His people have grown sour and with resentment.

For many years his kingdom's been declared as our enemies.

It is no surprise that he's now declared war. But he won't know what hit him because we aren't letting him take over.
***

I'm not scared to die.

I've come close before, in other wars. But this one is the biggest.

It'd probably be a good thing if I die...

I looked around the sitting room at my brothers.

Maddox was talking to a maid about all of the things he needs packed since he is leaving tomorrow on a trip. Only Maddox travels in the middle of a war.

He's an idiot.

He's probably going off to party and be with random women. Maddox never stays with just one woman. He's always partying and fucking around that's why my parents gave up on arranged marriages for him, he always found a way to ruin it.

Dimitri was sitting by the window and reading a book. He was at ease and leaning back in his chair. His black curls looked like obsidian in the sunlight. He just like Maddox is also a womanizer, however he only sleeps with higher class women. His ego can't handle sleeping with anyone "below" him.

However Trojan was the only one who was tense and looked worried. He was writing in a journal. What he was writing I don't know but he was the only one of us who actually cared.

By the look of it, the rest of us are so calm that it makes it seem like yesterday was just a dream.