The Kingdom of Liticea: The Sorcerer Prince

Chapter Two: Trust in Family

"Father, why do you choose me to command this army? I've no experience leading men!" the sudden responsibility thrown at Prince Taurone weighed on his shoulders like a sack of rocks.

            "I figured you would jump at the chance to assist Lord Ryden," the king turned to his son, "And I have been waiting for an opportunity like this for you to prove  yourself."

            Theodora gripped her husband's arm and he turned to her, "But Austin, it is the Westland, an area far too dangerous for one so inexperienced as Tauron!"         

  Austin smiled at his Queen, "You always worried about him," he took her hand and kissed it. Tauron's life was difficult, even with the comforts that come with being a Prince. Theodora was rarely far away from her son. She paid him more attention than most queens pay their children.

"But our son is no longer a boy. He will someday sit in my place, and he will have to face all the dangers that I have," he brought his hand to his left leg, "And, unfortunately the people do not have the confidence in him that they had in me or my father. If I were to die tomorrow, there would be little faith in the monarchy, from both noble and commoner. And many of our historic rivals have not lost their ambition."

"You don't mean Lord Amos,?" Austin's words astounded the Prince. He never heard his father speak of the Archduke in this way, "Lord Amos is our friend, father! He's been an ally of the crown for years!"

"He has served the Crown and the kingdom loyally for many years. He was by my side at the Battle of Brother's Crossing. I would trust Amos with my life, Tauron," the King's eyes turned to the floor, hiding some deep-felt sadness, "But I would never trust him with yours. Our Dynasty is still young, and there are those who, behind doors speak of claims other than ours. We must be as gentle as we are forceful. And the Morcar threat provides an excellent opportunity for you to secure your place."

"You would think this of Amos?"

"I would, Tauron. We both would," it has always saddened Austin that he must be so wary of Amos. They bled together on the field and with their combined efforts led Liticea into a time of plenty. But powerful friends could quickly turn into terrible enemies.

"But surely Amos is not that one! Nor are any of his sons! Helg Velrock and I have been friends since we were children!"

"That is true, but in our kingdom's history not even the bonds of friendship could hold some back from treachery."

          "But the threat is not rogue nobles, Austin. They are not the threat," Theodora interjected, "The threat is the Morcars. Have you heard half the stories people tell of them? Even back home in Theyola, we shiver at the very mention of their name."

            "I have heard them, my love. Every person in Liticea and on this side of Gariel's Wall has been told the tales. They make me as apprehensive to sending our son into the fray as you, but I'm getting old and my leg impedes me more and more. There must be another to take my place when the battlefield become inaccessible to me. There is no other besides Tauron. That is, if he accepts the responsibility," Austin looked to his son. He saw the same nervous eyes he saw in the mirror when he first took the throne.

King Aidin, Austin's father died after eleven years on the throne, and Austin inherited a kingdom ripe with tension. It had been just over three decades since the Heflite Family took the crown after the fall of the Lanrays, the previous dynasty. All eyes turned to the throne and the young king sitting on it. At that time, the Heflite family was small. It was just Austin, his brother Arnos and his three female cousins born to his uncle. The throne also attracted attention from outside Liticea's borders. Despite the difficulties, Austin and his allies managed to hold it all together. He turned his rival, the Velrocks, the Dukes of the Royal Lands into close allies, and he united the Liticean peoples against a an invasion from the north. Now there was a new threat, but he could not allow himself to become too beloved. Often the most beloved kings are followed by the most reviled.