PL.)
MINGOLD
Mingold Castle was the very thing one would imagine. Built with massive stones, housed a royal family, filled with expert cooks, top of the line cleaners, exemplary maids, immaculate butlers, esteemed knights, and eons of rich history.
Mingold Castle was the very diamond at the center of a lavious town, but even its sharp edges could be softened.
The kingdom of Mingold had always been prosperous- with luxury from native mines, an economic boost of upgrades and updates to keep up with a world constantly evolving, and plenty of money for extravagance. Mingold knew none of the poor, dirt-soaked skin most commoners scraped through.
King Chamridge fought tooth and nail to establish Mingold high above the rest of the world- a kingdom where money was almost as common as wings on a bird. Building a rich economy provided little time for the expansion of the king's armada.
Little aspired to pick up a sword and risk death for Mingold when life was so divine.
In a kingdom where money practically grew on trees, few raised their hands to serve as protection; a detail King Chamridge overlooked, a detail that would cost him everything.
King Chamridge assumed the throne on his twentieth birthday as was expected of every crown prince. He met the lovely Princess Anastasia two years after his ascension and married her two months later: Queen Anastasia of Mingold rose.
The king and queen were just and kind, fair and polite, loved and admired, but- even still- neglected adding onto the number of knights ready to defend the throne.
Queen Anastasia gave birth to a beautiful baby boy a year after her coronation. He was everything King Chamridge wanted for an heir. Kylander, his son, was a perfect combination of his parents.
He had his dad's straight golden blonde hair, both of their intensely blue eyes- with a spec of gold in his left-, his mom's creamy skin, the king's sharp features, and the queen's pure heart.
His charming looks and radiant personality did well when it came to acquainting the staff; he was quickly loved and adored. The head cook, Chef Nix, concocted special brownies every week for the prince, since the boy loved them so much.
The stablehands frequently let him ride on the backs of the most pristine stallions and desired mares; even the royal advisor cracked a smile when the boy smiled his toothless grin. Kylander was the kingdom's pride and joy for two years. He had Mingold wrapped around his little stubby finger, that is, until Queen Anastasia became pregnant again.
A precious baby girl was born with many of the same traits Kylander inherited. She had golden blonde hair- but wavy like the queen's-, crystal clear blue eyes, skin the color of cream, soft lips, her mom's button nose, her dad's strong jawline, and her mom's high cheekbones.
The kingdom waded on the girl's hand and foot- she was delicate, innocent, and her eyes glittered like stars in the night. She was given the beautiful name of Cathleen, though her parents often referred to her as 'their angel.'
Kylander, no longer the center of attention, spent more time with Chef Nix and, if he could slip out of the castle, with the stablehands. He enjoyed talking to them because, unlike his parents, they listened. Mingold had resided in peace and tranquility for six quiet years, until the eve of Cathleen's first birthday.
The kingdom wasn't ready for an attack, not only was King Chamridge and Queen Anastasia focused on their daughter's celebration, but they desperately lacked knights to defend their home. It was almost midnight, ten minutes 'till, when a man named Crone led his five thousand person army into Mingold.
His knights outnumbered King Chamridge's three to one. The once polished floors of Mingold Castle were stained with blood, it was a massacre of death, a tragedy the king and queen never foresaw- and a price they paid for it.
King Chamridge gave his life to aid his wife's escape, but her safety was a worry she never pondered on. As the king stayed behind to slay as many knights as he could, she sprinted down the hall to her son's room. Kylander had been sitting on his bed, playing with a horse stuffed animal Chef Nix had gifted him.
Queen Anastasia grabbed her son's hand and ran to Cathleen's room. Kylander was just three at the time, but he understood something was gravely wrong. When they turned a corner to Cathleen's room, the queen abruptly stopped, holding her son as close to her as she could.
Her eyes were soaked with tears, and her voice trembled as she whispered, "remember the secret pathway you always take to sneak outside to the stables?" Kylander nodded, lips quivering as he did so.
She took a breath, calming herself for him, "I need you to be brave, Kyah, can you be brave?" Never had she seen such a young child transform into a man, but that's exactly what Kylander did.
His breathing slowed down, his scared eyes showed a fierce determination, and suddenly he seemed wise beyond his age. "Go to the tunnel and run as fast as you can, okay? Run fast baby, run fast for Mommy." And just like that, the small three year old ran.
His feet smacked against the floor, it stung, but he never stopped. He located the massive painting of the royal family created a year ago, Cathleen had been a newborn wrapped in a silk pink blanket. Only then did Kylander stop. He stared up at the painting, his eyes looking over every detail of his family.
The king's trimmed facial hair, the queen's glistening kind blue eyes, and the princess's delicate body. It was like he was caught, he couldn't move, he couldn't look away, and he couldn't silence the throb in his heart.
Shouts and yells rang from the other end of the hall, bringing the boy back to reality. He swiftly nudged the painting to the right, revealing a tunnel where he climbed through, taking care to quietly slide the painting back.
Once inside, it was dark and Kylander could hear the thrum of his heart. A scream penetrated his ears and he ran. He ran, not out of fear, but because he recognized the scream- it was his mother's. He kept going, even when he emerged from the tunnel covered in horse hay.
"Kyah?" A voice he knew. The boy turned his head, relief flooded his chest when he came face to face with Chef Nix. "Climb on," the man cried urgently, he was astride a lean bay Thoroughbred, Astoria.
The prince jumped and the chef caught him, pulling him to sit in the front of the saddle. "Hang on," Chef Nix commanded, making a smooching sound with his mouth, Astoria galloped out of the stables. The mare's hard breathing fell in rhythm with Kylander's heartbeat.
He kept his tiny hands locked onto the saddle horn, tears streaking across his cheeks as they rode away from the castle. For three years, Mingold had been his home, his world, but his home was gone now. His family was dead, and he was alone. He cried, noises he had never heard before mixed with his tears, never again would the boy prince be the same.
A/N-
Yeahhh... sooo, what better way to start of a story than with a tragic opening scene? It's uh... it's 'investing...?'
Fun fact:
Cathleen is almost an identical copy of Queen Anastasia.
Kylander is a perfect mixture of both King Chamridge and Queen Anastasia.
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UNDER SIEGE |COMPLETED|
FantasyCOMPLETED Mingold was a kingdom of great riches and prosperity... until the king was assassinated and the crown prince fled the castle. Years later, the prince has lost all memory of his royal status and previous family. It isn't until he's in the...
