The Ambition to Reign

Epilogue: The New Hope

Eighteen years later...

He rode along the path in the countryside. It was vast, large and practically empty of any signs of life. He found it odd that very few people dwelled the farms. What seemed stranger was that the fields were devastated and seemed to have been burnt.

"Come on, boy. Let's move along," he called to his horse. He held his cloak in place and kept his sword at his side as he moved along the road.

He then spotted an old man working on a field at a distance. "Excuse me, kind sir."

The old man looked up. There was a worried expression on his face. "A traveler?" he asked himself.

"Sir, do you know the way to get to the kingdom of Harringdale?"

The old man was shocked. "Young man, you best not go there! You would be better off going back from where you came from."

The boy laughed. "I traveled many weeks to get here. I'm not going back." He looked around the ruined fields. "What happened to these fields?"

"They were burned. Some soldiers from the kingdom were sent to burn our crops and now we are left with nothing. They killed my son and took my daughter and then they..." he sobbed. He was unable to say the words.

He stopped picking crops and gestured to the fields. "Do you see why I'm telling you not to go? This is what they do. Now if you will just turn back and - "

" - Is that it right there?" He pointed at a structure in the distance. It was the castle, resting upon a huge hill, surrounded by a large city.

The old man sighed. "Yes, but I have warned you. If only you listened to what I said earlier..."

"Oh, but I did... That's why I'm going. Thank you, kind sir." And with that, he left with his horse.

"Good God, the young ones these days..." The old man mumbled to himself as he shook his head in disbelief.

The boy strolled towards the direction of the castle. Fields after fields there were ruined crops and land. He sighed in pity as he became closer to his destination. When he was in front of the entrance gates to the city, he was confronted by two soldiers.

"Halt! Who dares come hither?" One of the soldiers called out.

The boy dismounted his horse. He pulled his hood back to reveal his light sunkissed brown hair, tanned beige skin and his sapphire blue eyes. He approached them with pride and dignity.

"My name is Alexander; son of Alyssia Heyworth, Queen of Harringdale and Edwin Valdez, Prince of Enasia..."

He took a step forward.

"I have come to claim the throne."

~ End ~