Love and War

4: Jonah

Jonah's POV:

"It's final!" My father shouted across the table.

My mother was sitting beside him staring at us all quietly. In front of her sat Dimitri who just seemed annoyed and bored.

Trojan was angry and frustrated as he stood next to Dimitri. I sat in front of him next to my mother, next to me would be Maddox but he's gone now.

Lucky him...

Trojan was still arguing about fighting in the war alongside us. Why doesn't he realize my father's relieving him from a huge duty and sacrifice?

Why would you want to go out there and kill people and have to live with that burden for the rest of your life?

Trojan is the baby of the family, that's probably where this all comes from, he doesn't want to be coddled. But it's always been this way.

I'm the future king, Dimitri will be my right-hand man and do all the dirty work as he does now, Maddox traveling and doing as he wishes, and Trojan...

The little prince kept in a glass case away from the world because he's too precious to my parents.

If we mattered that much to them we wouldn't be so screwed up.

We weren't always this way until one day,

I had just turned 15. Dimitri was only 11. We were at a public execution. Probably the worst one I'd ever witnessed. My father had to kill one of the prisoners on the stand as usual except this time Dimitri and I had to kill one each.

I remember feeling sick to my stomach and refusing. I suffered the consequences for that after, but Dimitri did it. He knew there'd be consequences and he'd rather not receive them like I was going to later on.

10 whip lashes.

So he took the blade and stabbed the man as many times as my father said to. I watched with horror as my little brother wasn't so little anymore. His childhood innocence was stolen from him.

He had blood on his hands and on his clothes. He looked like he might cry but didn't. He knew if he did my father wouldn't let him live it down.

I remember that after that day he hasn't been able to sleep peacefully. Even now he suffers from night terrors.

I came back from my memories and saw Trojan leave the dining room. My father followed him slamming the door behind him. I wasn't too worried knowing he'd never lay a hand on Trojan.

Dimitri was about to stand but my mother held up a hand. "Please stay and finish your food son."

Dimitri hesitated but he sat down and finished as did I. My mother never got denied anything.

***

My butler carried my suitcases to the carriage and Cameron put them inside. My mother and Trojan came outside to say goodbye. My father was still angry with Trojan and Dimitri... who knows where he is.

"Son take care please." My mother said taking my hands in hers.

"Yes, Mother," I said slightly annoyed at how worried she was. She sensed the tone and let out a small chuckle.

Trojan gave me a sad sort of smile. "Be careful out there."

I nodded. "Are you going to cry like mom now?"

He rolled his eyes. "I can't worry about you?"

I shrugged. "I'll be fine."

"Alright. Go then." He said patting my shoulder. "If you encounter any of the soldiers from King Santiago's kill them because if not they'll kill you first."

I ignored him and got into the carriage with Landon. "Goodbye, Your Majesties," Landon said waving.

Trojan waved back and so did my mother. "Goodbye to you too Landon." She leaned in and kissed my cheek and then we were off. I shut the curtains and rested my head back against the wall of the carriage. It started going really fast Landon and I thought we'd fall right out.

Landon chuckled and opened the curtains that faced Cameron. "I'm starting to think you want to kill us Cam!" He shouted at him.

Cameron's blonde ponytail swung in the wind. He apologized and slowed us down.

Landon shut the curtains again and gave me a look saying he was annoyed at Cameron. He's never liked Cameron, neither have I but he's my driver so we'll have to put up with him for now.