Love and War

2: Jonah

Jonah's POV:

I grabbed a quill and dipped it into the ink bottle. I cleared my throat and started.

Dear King Ian,
I am writing to you because of the upcoming war. I presume you are aware of everything King Santiago is up to.
We all must meet and discuss this thoroughly. It is vital for everyone to be allies.
Meeting place:

Where do we meet?

I'd have to use a code so no one could know where it is in case it falls into the wrong hands.

Where the sun meets the ocean at IX.

That's code for King Ian's kingdom. Their sun sets at 9 pm an hour after the sun sets here. The kingdom's far away but we've never set a meeting there because King Ian's wife hates having people in their palace so King Santiago would never expect it.

But his wife will have to put up with it for now because the situation calls for us meeting there.

King Ian is the ruler of the strongest kingdom of all 5. We come in a close second but their armies and riches surpass ours.

Then there's King Rafael and King Nicholas.

King Rafael is an old and stupid man. He's king but he doesn't actually rule he's just the face of the operation. In reality, it's his wife Queen Serena who rules and makes all the decisions. I understand because she's brilliant. She's the only reason their kingdom didn't sink years ago. But she's hard to convince and a bit of a wildcard so we'll have to see if they even choose to show up.

King Nicholas is my age and recently took over because his father was killed. He's young and strong and a smart man, I don't doubt he will join us. It's a shame that in his first few years of ruling a war had to start.

***
I felt the warm grass beneath me as I sat down on a small hill. I was facing the training ring watching Dimitri spar with other warriors. Every movement he made was graceful yet strong. Precise and thought out. I'm a good fighter but not that good. That's why he's going to become the general someday.

I took out my sketchbook and charcoal and started drawing.

I drew everything from the sunset, Dimitri's training, and the animals that ran past me.

I heard some footsteps behind me and froze. I never liked people seeing my drawings, they were too personal. I closed the book and set it down on my lap.

My mother came into view and sat down next to me. Her long brown hair was in a braided crown on her head and she wore a long golden gown. She wore elegant white gloves and sat down with perfect posture.

She was the perfect picture of a queen. She may not be my biological mother but she raised me and always treated me well.

She turned to me with a small smile on her thin lips, and small wrinkles around her eyes, showing her age, but besides that, she always looked youthful. "I wish none of you had to go fight..." she said in a low soft voice.

"We don't have a choice."

"I know Jonah..." she said. "You and your father are the same. Just like Maddox and Dimitri, you don't care if something happens to you, but I do. I don't want my family to suffer."

I nodded. "Mother we will all try to come back to you but... I can't promise you anything. This war will be..." I looked back at her tear-filled eyes. "Trojan will always be here for you and you must help him if nobody returns because he will have to take over the throne."

She nodded. "Yes. Trojan." She said his name as if she just remembered he existed.

He won't be fighting because our father needs an heir in case we don't come back. Our parents haven't told him that he's staying here yet because he won't be happy about it but it doesn't matter what he wants, my father will never risk anything happening to him.