The Boy in the Witches Tower

Episode 5: King Leon

  Third person PoV

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  "I see you have returned"
  

  All eyes turn to the voice and while everyone bowed to the King, Phillip was the only one to stand at attention while staring directly into his gray steely eyes, 

  Marcus and his brother panicked, scared he would be reprimanded, however when they looked at their father, they saw him looking at the boy...in awe?...

  Phillip on the other hand wasn't in awe he was...how could he describe this?...as he stared into the very tall man's eyes, he felt drawn to this person, so without even thinking he stepped forward and stood face to face with him,

  "Hello?"

  snapping out of his momentary daze the King looked down into shining green eyes, he says nothing but asks,

  "Do you know who I am?"

  Phillip ponders for a second, trying to see in his memory if he has seen this face in a book,

  "no, I have read many books and I have never seen you before, are you very important? you are very handsome, what is your name?"

  the usually stoic King cracks a rare smile shocking everyone around except Phillip of course, he found that smile heart-stuttering,

  "hm?... I'd like to think I am important, My name is King Leon Aavender, and yours?"

  Phillip honestly wasn't listening, watching the man's lips move was captivating enough, well until he heard the man's- no- Kings name,

    "huh?, you are the king?, ...their father?"

  he points behind him to the two princes and never stops looking into the king's eyes, even after showing his disappointment, although he had no idea why he was down,

  "Yes, and you are?"  

  Phillip smiled and stuck out his hand,

  "Phillip Zarcos, although that might not be my real name, I go by that currently"

  still smiling at the small boy another question pops up in his mind, Phillip looks almost like a child,

    "How old are you?"

  Phillip was just happy he could continue talking with the King, to Phillip he was captivating,

  "I am twenty years old, turning twenty-one this year, and you?"

  without thinking he asked, just as he was about to apologize the king answered,

  "I am thirty-four as of a month ago"

  Phillip unconsciously did the calculation

  "huh?...so the princes are younger than me?"  

  he looked back in surprise and then looked forward again,

  chuckling the king turned away,

  "yes, and if you want to know more why don't you follow"

  Phillip hurriedly walked to the King's side and questioned him further,  

  "How old was your wife, their mother?"

  the King looked at the beaming boy in amusement

  "at the time she was twenty like you, but now she is thirty-nine"

  Phillip frowned, and looked back at the Princes,

  "she is so much older, my mothe- I mean, Amiira, she told me that as long as I am over eighteen I can court whichever lady I wished, it was strictly forbidden if I was any younger, if I ever left the tower or met with a lady before eighteen she would hex me, cursing me from ever having the ability to reproduce"

  he unbuttoned his collar and showed him a six-pointed star mark on his chest below his collarbone, it was like a red burn stamp, shocking the King,  

  "When did you get this? who did this to you?"

  still smiling, Phillip unbuttoned his shirt and explained,

  "since I was thirteen, she had placed the hex but it doesn't work, I left the castle months after, she tried to understand why it doesn't work but left it"

  the King listened intently then stopped walking altogether

  "Who is the 'she' you talk about?"  

  "Oh, the rogue witch maiden who is supposed to be my mother, but since your sons' guards found me, I began to question that"

  before the king could rebut loud clacking could be heard and a beautiful lady came bursting in between the two going straight to the Princes

  "Oh!, my love you finally returned! How come you didn't come straight to your worried mother, do you not care for me anymore?"

   the older looking lady, the Queen, Jasmine, after assessing her sons turns glaringly at her husband,

"how come you never warned me of their return?"

her tone was neither whining nor playful, she just seemed completely infuriated, and when her gaze found Phillip he immediately shrank away behind the King, seeing this Marcus came forward and took Phillip's hand, 

Marcus could feel Phillip's apprehension as his eyes glanced at his father to see him looking at Phillip with a look he has never seen before, but it was only for a second, it was almost like it was never there

"Jasmine, I also, had no idea they would be returning."

the Queen rolled her eyes and looked back this time curiously at Phillip, she smiled sweetly and reached for his hand,

"Hello dear, and you are?"

Phillip stared at her hand for a while before slowly taking it into a handshake,

"My name is Phillip Zarcos, your Highness"

she smiled tightly at his rudeness before commenting,

"Well Phillip, I do not know why you were so rude not to acknowledge me beforehand, but I won't let it go, Husband, what is the punishment for apprehension in the presence of the royal family?"

The King's eyes jumped as he quickly looked to Marcus who took the hint and explained,

"Mother, no!, I mean...he was locked in a tower since he was a child raised by a rogue witch, he knows nothing of the proper etiquette, please spare him on our behalf"

the queen gazed at her son with pursed lips and the looks over Phillip one more time,

"fine, but if it ever happens again you will not be excused" she walks ahead before stopping again "and never! ever look me in the eyes, we do NOT equal"

she struts away, Marcus gazes down to where Phillip's hands were squeezing his, the smaller hand shaking,

"it is alright Phillip, she was only upset that we never went to her first, don't be afraid"

Phillip looked down at their hands and hastily released the prince's hand if only he knew it was not out of fear but infuriation his hands were shaking,

Phillip only smiled slightly to hide his thoughts ...who does she think she is?...so rude and bossy, I know she is a queen but her attitude is that of a miserable peasant wife, humph!

the king's lips twitched knowing Phillip's thoughts, he turns to the group,

"Well, it was nice meeting you Phillip, Harella and Myren will settle you in"

he gazes at his sons with stern eyes,

"And you two, come to my study now, and report everything that has led up to your return"

with one more fleeting glance at Phillip, he turns and leaves quickly with his guards,

everyone else releases the breath they were holding while Phillip just looks at them confused,

Why were they holding their breath?

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