Chapter 1

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      I woke when another bump was stirred and my body jolted as the carriage continued on. I'd been in this carriage for three days and my body was restless; sore from the constant jolt and metal that crashed against me. Another jolt of the carriage, metal cold on my burning skin I felt the carriage halt in a fast paced motion and my body carelessly pushed against the wood walls. The back opened to reveal a tall man with pasty skin and dark eyes, he helped me to stand before grabbing my belongings. He didn't look like a guard but easily a townsfolk, a peasant as my father called them. We walked to the gold crested doors almost everything made from pure marble as most lower kingdoms were. The king was told to be nice and often took in those without a home. He pitied us and so I stood on his marble floors etching closer to the throne room. The man beside me said nothing nor did I, it was a comfortable silence that neither of dared to disturb.

Upon getting to the throne room I found a lanky nine year old sitting in the king's place. The prince I assumed; a dark skinned boy with dark hair who was known for his inability to fight. Father had me taught to fight tirelessly day after day, yet I wasn't kept. What made this prince so special he could relax upon his fathers throne as if it was a normal chair? He lolled his eyes at me and my eyes sank to my feet in embarrassment. Here I was making fun of this prince who was now in a higher power than I was. To him I was just another random kid. He was smiling when I looked back up and got off the throne towards me. He said something to the man beside me and he disappeared with my things.

"Hello, what's your name?" I watched his hand extend toward me, but I didn't move. He frowned slightly before repeating the same question. I wasn't sure why this prince even cared.

"JJ" I mumbled in an easy lie, the kid put down his hand at the tone of my voice and instead replied gently, "I'm Pope."

Another word and the boy walked away and a guard directed me to my room. As suspected it held five other boys. There was one bed empty, assumably for me their stares dug into my back as I sat on the freshly made bed. One boy sat next to me and introduced himself with ease. His name was John but everyone called him by his last name, Routledge.

I found myself easily talking to him and sat beside him at dinner that night. It was an elongated table with many chairs amongst it. The King was seated at the head with his son who gracefully talked to the boy sitting beside him. The dinner was short and before I knew it I found myself lying restless in the bed. I found myself thinking upon my father and the bruises that stretched from my calves to my ribcage, not all from the journey to this kingdom. My brain flooded with images I'd wished I could've left with him. The boy Routledge had yet to know why I was here, nor did the prince know, only the King. They'd know soon and I'd be left to rot in a dark corner by myself. As much as my brain forced me awake I soon found myself asleep.

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That is what a real prince is

He told me this at the age of five where I stood after losing in a race. He pulled my tunic as a warning and to not cause a scene in public, but his eyes showed the growing anger at the lack of medal around my neck. I regarded his eyes for a moment but soon found myself staring at another child. He sat on the bench watching me with sharp attentive eyes. I waved and he flushed looking away in embarrassment, my father was glaring when I looked back at him and he whispered to me a short offensive word I wasn't aware of at the time but my body shook in fear when he raised his hand to pull me away.

Later that night I found myself with a black eye on the floor of the palace hallways. My mother who hadn't left yet cradled me into her side with reassurance he didn't mean to hurt me, and I believed her. Years passed as seconds in my brain and then it was only me and my father. This memory was from only four days ago. The smell of iron filled my lungs as I stared at the floor, it wasn't his nor mine, It was the blood that now stained my tunic. I fell to my knees against the harsh slap to the head. He spoke, no he screamed yet I didn't hear a single word. Bathed that night I slept in the comfort of my room one last time and as soon as the sun rose I was in a carriage.

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I woke in a puddle of sweat and tears sticky on my cheeks. None of the boys had woken and I emptied my stomach onto the concrete floor. Gripping a blanket thrown around my shoulders I eased my way out of the room and into the cold hallways.

I wasn't sure how long I walked before finding myself in a completely different wing but I no longer cared and slumped to the floor in defeat. My eyes heavy with much needed sleep kept me chained to my place even as I heard footsteps come forth. 




958 words 

I'm going to make longer chapters probably, chapter 2 has a longer word count :) 

also if this is moving fast then idk but I feel like it's moving fast or maybe just doesn't have a lot of detail eh 

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