As You Wish

Chapter 2: Prince Kurt

Three years later and the main square of Florin was filled as never before to hear the announcement of the great Prince Sebastian's groom-to-be.

A bugle fanfare echoed through the skies, and a young man with brown hair and green eyes stood atop the castle balcony with the king and queen.

"My people! A month from now, our country will have its 500th anniversary! On that sundown, I shall marry a man who was once a commoner like yourselves, but perhaps, you will not find him common now...would you like to meet him?!" He asked the townspeople, who all in unison said, "Yes!".

"My people...I give you, Prince Kurt!"

The fanfare sounded as Kurt walked towards the people, wearing a fancy tunic. Everyone bowed before him.

Kurt's emptiness consumed him. He never wished to marry a prince, he had dreamed of marrying Blaine.

Although the law of the land gave Sebastian the right to choose who he would marry, he did not love him.

Kurt returned to his room and changed into a bright red shirt with black pants and black riding boots.

"Going somewhere?" He was startled by the voice.

"Father? What are you doing here?" He asked, slipping on green leather gloves.

"I had a delivery to make, so I thought I'd see you while I was here; they said you'd most likely be here."

"Oh, well, I was just about to go for a ride. Walk with me to the stables?"

"Of course."

Kurt and his father walked to the stables, where his horse, Garland, awaited him.

"Be careful."

"I always am." He said and hugged his father before climbing onto his horse.

The only joy Kurt found in this world anymore was in his daily ride, to which he would be gone for hours, thinking of the past and his lost love.

He rode for hours, heading to where he and Blaine usually met but was stopped by a woman and two men.

"A word, my lord?" The short, brown-haired woman asked. "We are but poor lost performers. Is there a village nearby?"

"There is nothing nearby." Kurt informed the woman, "Not for miles."

The woman's face suddenly turned to a sinister smile.

"Then there will be no one to hear you scream." She said as a very tall man walked up to Kurt; he was about to scream when the man squeezed a pressure point on his neck, causing him to faint.

"We have the prince, perfect, Finn; carry him to the ship."

Finn nodded and scooped Kurt into his arms. The woman pulled a large piece of fabric from her skirt and ripped it.

"What is that, you're ripping?" A man with brown hair asked.

"It's fabric from an army officer of Guilder." She said

"Who's Guilder?" Finn asked.

"The country across the sea, the sworn enemy of Florin!" She attached the fabric to the horse and sent it away.

"Once the horse reaches the castle, the fabric will make the prince think the Guilderians have abducted his love. Once he finds his body on the Guilder frontier, his suspicions will be confirmed."

"You never said anything about killing anyone." Finn said, laying Kurt down.

"I've hired you to help me start a war. It's a prestigious line of work with a long and glorious tradition."

"I just don't think it's right. Killing someone innocent."

"Am I going mad? Or did the word "think'' escape your lips?! You were not hired for your brains!" She exclaimed

"I agree with Finn." The other man said, jumping onto the ship.

"Oh, the sot has spoken! What happens to him is none of your business; I will kill him! And remember this, never forget this! When I found you, you were so slobbering drunk you couldn't buy brandy!"

"And you..." The brown-haired woman said, walking to the tall man, "friendless, brainless, hopeless! Do you want me to send you back to where you were? Unemployed in Greenland!"

The man with the brown hair walked up to Finn.

"That Rachel, she can fuss."

"Yes, I think she likes to scream at us!"

"But I'm sure she means no, harm."

"Yes, she's really short...on charm!"

"You have a great gift for rhyme." The man said, patting Finn on the back.

"Yes, some other time."

"Enough of that!"

"Finn, are there rocks ahead?"

"If there are, we'll all be dead!"

"No more rhymes now; I mean it!"

"Anybody want a peanut?" Finn asked and smiled; Rachel grunted in frustration.