Gemini Reges - A Prince and the Pauper Retelling

Mage Apprentice Felix

By the end of the day Felix was exhausted, he could not blame André for wanting a break. Somehow the prince was even more lonely than the Mage Apprentice, at least Felix had his master, albeit the terrible dinner companion he was to dine with. Once he had finished his lonely meal André's tutor came to fetch him and led him to a room with a big oak door where she respectfully stepped back.

"Your father's waiting your highness," the woman prompted as Felix stood there. Felix's breath hitched. He was about to come face to face with the King, the man who had put a bounty on his head for being born with magic. His hand shook as he pushed the door opened. The room was dimly lit, a massive four poster bed lay directly ahead of him. Swallowing his nerves Felix approached. He was startled by how weak and ill His Majesty looked. Placing his hand upon the King's clammy one, Felix knelt at his bedside. The King's unfocused eyes opened and rested on Felix. "Forgive me my son, I failed you and your mother. Forgive me Felix," the sick man murmured. Felix startled at the use of his name, jerking his hand away. The king's eyes closed again. Felix bolted from the room. His eyes burned from the dye, temporarily blinding him.

He ran into someone solid and fell to the floor. "Watch where you're going, boy," a man snarled. Felix's vision returned. His tutor helped him to his feet. "Are you alright your highness? You're shaking," the woman observed.
"Perhaps the young prince has taken ill like His Majesty." Felix looked up to find himself staring at the Regent. "Take him to his room and give him this," the Regent produced a small vial from his pocket, "it should help the poor prince sleep. I pray he will recover by morning." His tutor pocketed the vial then turned to the nearest guard who gently picked Felix up in his arms and carried him to André's room.

His tutor helped him dress for bed then gave him the vial. As soon as the liquid touched his lips, Felix was instantly aware of the strong presence of nightshade. He drank the liquid, careful not to swallow any of it, then began to cough. His tutor gave him a handkerchief which Felix used to subtly spit the liquid into. He muttered his thanks then began to yawn. His eyelids grew heavy, the small amount of nightshade in his system causing him to fall asleep.

The door to his room opened, waking Felix. He lay still listening to the intruder approach him. The soft scratching of metal on metal could be heard. Felix rolled away from the intruder and fired a spell that sent the intruder flying across the room, the knife his assassin was holding clattering across the floor. Felix muttered another spell turning the lights on in the room. On the floor was the Regent looking stupefied. Felix winced as the pain in his eyes rendered him blind once more. Felix heard the Regent quickly hide the knife before calling out to the guards. "You've done it now boy," the Regent whispered gleefully.

The guards appeared, alert for any attack. They helped the Regent to his feet. "Seize him," the Regent commanded, one long fat finger pointed at Felix. "André Twain William Tudor I hereby place you under arrest for the practice of sorcery. Take him away." The guards hesitated.
"Your grace, the prince is regularly checked for signs of sorcery on your order, he can't have magic," the guard protested. The Regent approached Felix and pressed his ring into Felix's exposed collarbone. Felix suppressed a wince as the iron in the ring burned his skin. "There's your proof gentlemen," the Regent exclaimed stepping back, the burn mark visible on Felix's skin. Felix's blindness returned making it impossible for him to flee. The guards grabbed him, placing iron shackles on his wrists causing Felix to hiss in pain, then led him away to the dungeon.