The Soldier, the Poet and the King. (HC au)

Prologue: The castle

As I walked along the empty halls of the castle, I traced my fingers against the cold hard walls. Feeling each of the bumps and cracks on the surface of the bricks. My shoes made a rhythmic tap on the polished floor.

My fingers catch on a frame. I look up to see a large picture; it had an ash demon on it that is holding a sword. The background had firey colors all blended together. I'm pretty sure it was about one of the older rulers, one of the ones that had risked everything just to protect the kingdom.

My dad probably would have scolded me about forgetting our ancestors, something about how unhonorable it was, and that if they were here they would be offended because of my forgetfullness. Something like that anyway.

I sighed, and continued down the hall, shoving my other hand into a pocket.

My father had dismissed me after today's quote unquote lesson. He was teaching me all there was to being a good king, but to be honest he wasn't the best either.

He held grudges that could last for a long time, and they're pretty heavy grudges as well. A good portion of the prisoners in the dungeon were there all because he held grudges against them. Even for small things.

Luckily he married a reasonable and kind queen who could sometimes get him out of a few grudges. I think I lean on her personality more. Then again I've been accused of having a backbone of a chocolate eclair. I can't even ask my father a simple question without freezing up and stuttering.

What was I doing?...
Going to my room, right. I turned the corner my room in sight. Soon I'll be able to lay on my bed and take a nap or tinker with that one device I was working on.

Suddenly a hand comes out of another room I was just passing. A hand is put over my mouth and I pulled into the room.

I'm sat down on a stone floor still trying to catch my breath. I look forward one of my sisters, Rhyme.

"One of these days I swear-" I sighed putting a hand on my head, Rhyme sat down in front of me with a notepad and pencil.

"Tell me what dad taught you today, and what about one of these days?" She flipped to an empty page.

"One of these days a guard might see me get pulled into this room and think I have been kidnapped," I said looking at the door.

"Oh please that would never happen." She waved it off, "Now enough of this. What did dad teach you today?" She asked.

"Politics," I said blatantly.

"Yes, yes, continue," she gestured for me to go on.

~~later~~

I turned off the light in my bathroom and walked over to my bed. I flopped down on it and ran a hand through my damp hair, making sure to avoid my horns.

It's dark out now and its almost lights out. In the next few minutes a guard will look in my room and turn off the lights if I haven't already.

I pull a blanket over me, and reached over to pull the strings of my lamp. As the lamp turns off the hidden mechanism around my room turn the main light off and I am plunged into darkness. The only light is from the moon which seeps in from the window over my bed.

I am very proud that the mechanism still works it is not fully automated, and I have to reset it in the morning but its better then having to get up turn it off and then trying to find my bed in darkness.

I sighed dragging my hand over the blanket. Tomorrow will probably be the same.