The Thorn in My Side

Intro

"Your highness, the king would like to speak with you." The prince let out a heavy sigh and begrudgingly left the comfort of his room. As the maid led him through the halls of the marble castle, past the countless paintings of his ancestors and the many doors leading to various rooms, his thoughts wandered.

Why do I need to be escorted through my own castle? I know these halls like the back of my blade. And what does my father need now? To tell me another story of how going past the river is dangerous? They stepped through a grand set of golden, engraved doors. The room was lined with copper statues of past rulers who stood with dignity and honor, lit by the sunlight leaking past the windows' glass. His hazel eyes took in the bright light shining through the tall windows causing him to grimace.

"My king, I have brought Prince Alex," the voice broke his trail of thoughts. The small woman bowed and nervously scurried from the room. Alex's eyes trailed down the red carpet trimmed with gold and stopped at the glorious throne at the other end atop a set of stairs. A dark figure sat menacingly with his finger resting on his temple, his right leg crossed over his left knee. The silence that filled the room could be cut neatly with a kitchen knife.

After what seemed like ages, the figure stood and started down the steps. His height easily reached over six feet. He stepped into the light, which revealed his clean beard lined with gray and matching dark brown hair. The swishing of fabric followed the king as he approached the boy. He stopped and stared straight at him. Alex stared back, not moving an inch. Out of fear or out of bravery, he did not know. A loc of dirty blond hair fell in front of his eyes, impairing his vision. The staring match continued until the king's eyes grew teary. He shouted and threw his arms around his son, spinning him in circles.

"MY BOY! YOU'RE SO GROWN UP! WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE SUCH A SON!" The king sobbed as he continued to spin.

"Dad-," Alex tried to start but was cut off by another wave of pressure on his ribcage.

"Sebastian, cut it out. You are going to make the poor boy sick." The angelic voice was followed by a beautiful, green-eyed woman who stepped out from behind the throne. Her long ginger hair was braided past her waist. The locs complimented her emerald green gown. Her shoes created small taps as she approached her son and husband. She carefully hugged Alex before placing her hands on his broad shoulders.

"Are you okay? Are you sick? Do you need the nurse? I can send for her right this minute-" The concern in her voice did nothing but make Alex smile softly. He grabbed his mother's hands and replied. "No, mom. I am perfectly fine. Maybe a little dizzy," he chuckled before releasing her hands.

"See, Rosa? He's perfectly fine. I mean, I am his father after all," Sebastian stated proudly throwing an arm around Alex's shoulders, causing him to stumble. He then retreated to his wife, wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her softly. "And you are his mother and my lovely wife." His smile was contagious as Rosa could not help but smile back. They kissed once more before Alex interjected.

"Can't you two do that on your own time? And not in front of me," Alex looked away, embarrassed. "Father, you called me here to discuss something?" Sebastian cleared his throat and reluctantly released Rosa.

"Yes, I wanted to talk to you about your upcoming birthday. I figured we should discuss the details regarding your attire." The three conversed on the matter before excusing Alex.

I should visit Atlas. He strolled through the halls and soon reached the back doors. The sun shone through the clouded sky, causing the greenery to shimmer like diamonds. Roses and Asters colored one pathway leading to an oak gazebo. Vines climbed the posts while buttercups and poppies surrounded it. A set of an oak table and chairs was placed within the gazebo. Beautiful engravings covered the wood including the official crest of Ezaelon. The second path, lined with irises and bluebells, led to a large elegant stable that grew more and more detailed as Alex came closer.

A boy around the age of 16 came running up to Alex. Behind him followed his assistant, who tripped and stumbled right in front of him. The prince helped him back to his feet and smiled kindly, before heading into the stable. Many beautiful horses were contained in comfortable stalls. Small engravings lined the doors and walls, similar to the ones on the gazebo. The smell of dried grass and mud filled the air as he made his way towards a Dapple Gray in the back.

"Hey, buddy," Alex spoke softly so as not to frighten him. The horse turned towards him and snorted just as quietly. He placed his muzzle in Alex's hand, allowing him to stroke his fur. "Hey, Atlas, you want some treats?" He smiled before grabbing a bucket of fruit from the corner. He sat there feeding Atlas and spilling his thoughts. It didn't take long before he rested his head against the boards and drifted to sleep.

Alex dreamt of a large clearing in a serene forest, surrounded by beautiful redwoods and clear ponds. Frogs' cries echoed in time with the crickets chirps. Sunrays peaked through the leaves and branches, creating splashes of bright green among the ground. Small mushrooms sprouted from a fresh tree trunk accompanied by patches of moss. The rest of the tree laid on its side in the middle of the clearing. He stood on the edge and peered into the dark on the other side.

Two women rushed into the clearing, giggling as they took a seat on the log. One had long wavy hair that matched the color of the shadows with equally dark eyes to match. Her skin was bronzed, most likely from working in the sun. She wore a slightly dirtied tunic paired with leather trousers. Her boots reached her knees and her belt carried a sheath filled with a decorated dagger. The other seemed to be a polar opposite, with her snow-white hair and pale skin. She wore an evening dress made of tool and decorated with what looked like real daisies. Her feet were bare but her head was adorned with a wreath of petunias.

They stared into each other's eyes with something he could not quite place. It seemed familiar, something he may have read about. They held each other's gaze before the dark-haired girl placed her hand gently on the other's cheek. She said something Alex could not quite catch before she leaned in. She kissed the white-haired girl gently, who's hands moved to wrap around her neck. The dark-haired girl pushed a strand of chalky hair away, revealing pointed ears.

An elf! And that look. A look of love... He stared in awe. Alex had read about both elves and love many times before. His thoughts were interrupted instantly when the two girls whipped their heads towards him. They started repeating his name quietly over and over while growing louder. The forest closed in on him, swallowing him in darkness.

He awoke to the apprentice shaking him gently. "Apologies, your majesty, but it is growing late and cold. You should most certainly head back to the castle to avoid becoming sick." After rubbing away the last bits of sleep from his eyes, he said farewell and made his way back to the castle and from there, to his room. He rested his head on his mountain of pillows and thought back to the two girls. If only he could experience what those two had..