A Choice

Chapter Five

I got home right at dinner time. Jasper was freezing when I got him from outside, so he went right to the fireplace by the table. This time at dinner I was actually allowed to eat at the formal table. Usually I'm too busy doing the many chores I've been assigned, but there were no chores to do. Dinner was silent mostly, broken by Jaspers purrs by the fireplace. Finally Vladmire spoke.
"I need you to find something for me," he said suddenly.
"Another thing," I said, rolling my eyes, "What is it?"
"A sword that only the purest of hearts can touch. It will help me defeat the royals once and for all and rule the kingdom. It is stronger than diamond and more powerful than any beast alive," Vladmire told me.
"Why do you need me? To recruit someone to get this sword for you?"
"No, you are the purest of heart."
"I can't be. I've lied countless times, how is that pure?"
"I don't know exactly, but you are the purest. I need you to find the sword. This will take seven nights. When you finally find the sword, go to a bridge near the location of the sword, I will be waiting there for you. Best of luck my dear. I will supply you with a map to the location of the sword, now you must hurry. Go now."
"Oh and," Vladmire added with a sly grin, "If you do this for me, your freedom may come."
With a flash, Jasper and I were suddenly just outside of the kingdom. Out here, it seemed so peaceful. It doesn't seem like a place to have an evil wizard.
"Well, we better get going," I called to Jasper. Reaching into a backpack Vladmire poofed with me, I found a map with an X on a spot seven days away, just like Vladmire had told me.
"Well, X marks the spot. What do you say, can we just ditch this whole mission and disappear forever. There's a town nearby I've heard of, seems lovely there," Jasper said, daydreaming about his cat fantasy land.
"We can't, Vladmire is watching our every move. We have to do exactly what he says or there's going to be some kind of punishment," I told Jasper. On that note we set off. Around us were farms growing crops of everything imaginable. Vladmire had supplied us with everything, but with little food. There wasn't enough for a seven day trip so to save what we were given, I stole food from the nearby fields. I was careful to make sure a farmer wasn't nearby as they would be mad to find out that their last surviving winter crops were being stolen.
The farmland soon faded away to rolling hills. You could see for miles. Up ahead was a forest, littered with pine trees. We walked for a while longer and then stopped. It was getting darker, so it was the end of our first night. We cuddled up into a small blanket Vladmire gave us and fell asleep.
Barric ~~~~~~~~~
​Evangeline was like a star in the night that showed you the way. I trusted her with everything and I'm sure she feels the same way. She's beautiful and kind and understanding. One of the assignments for becoming king is to get a queen and I wanted to ask her to be mine. I was all prepared for her to come in the next day and smile that big smile. I was surprised when she didn't. I waited all day for that shining face to walk through the doors, instantly warming the place up more, but that never happened. Was it something I said? Was she mad that I'm going to be king? Did she think that I wouldn't want to be her friend anymore since I was royalty? I wish I had gotten where she lived so I could come see her there.