Alix walked into his quarters, immediately sitting down on his desk and writing down what was discussed just moments ago. The king had gone ill and he had to go to the meeting completely unprepared, it was exhausting. The bows, handshakes and smiles were masks over the mockery and disdain the council felt for him, though he didn't really care, not as much as before at least.
Alix couldn't help but notice not a single one of them addressed him by your highness, though. Never once calling him a prince or even your grace. In front of the king they would, trying to please him and so in turn his majesty would take their advice. They'd get on their knees, kiss his feet and sing praises of Prince Alix, the cunning and wise, magically gifted with elven blood running through his veins, a strategist that would lead them to victory. With the king bedridden, they barely acknowledged him as more than a peasant, an orphan the king took pity on, undeserving to be a part of the royal family.
Alix knew he was a better person than any of them were, even if he was adopted most likely out of pity. He'd argue the best he could, trying to pass laws that would help others, the rich and poor, so no other children would have to go through the same things as him.
Though he was young, he remembers his real family, they weren't the most well off and didn't live in any of the villages. His mother, an elf curious of the human realm, died just some time after his birth, leaving only his father and his older brother. He saw his father die before his eyes, and his brother ran away from fear just the night before, despite his desperate cries for him to stay. Though Alix hoped for the best and searched the best he could, he never found his brother and he's presumed dead. It wouldn't have happened if he had a nice home and if criminals weren't a common place in the forests.
Ever since the king allowed him to have power in the court, against the council's protests, he's tried his hardest to put more enforcement in all the kingdom, visiting the villages, debating with the king as well as the council and trying to put more emphasis on crimes instead of making money.
When the king's sickness is healed, Alix plans to ask to go on an expedition south. Many villages down there didn't follow the rules put in place and due to that, got stolen from just a few days prior. The report had holes, all of them did, but just based on the information he had, he already knew who the thief was, The Serpent. While Alix worked on the documents and reports on what was previously discussed, his mind wandered to that criminal scum.
A cruel person with no respect for anyone, the rich or poor. They seem to be everywhere and nowhere all at once, and has somehow never been caught. The exact person that would kill a loving father leaving an innocent child orphaned. Of course, he knew The Serpent wasn't the one who did that, he speculated the thief was not much older than him, most likely a man in his early twenties. Even then he needed to stop him. He needed to bring justice to the common folk and to the poor, so children will never go through what he once went through. The Serpent was only the first obstacle.
(594 words)
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One month writing challenge!
Short StoryI'm writing a story everyday for the month of July, to see if giving myself a challenge to complete will stop me from procrastinating. If I miss a day hold me accountable and me what to write, and remember I'm always open to any feedback. Let's see...
