Royal

I see London I see France

I watch my father hand a bag of coins to one of his men. He says something before patting his shoulder and walking off. I sneak around the corner and follow the man with the golden coins now in his pocket. I hide behind one if the barrels and watch him load a wagon with chains and attach one of the horses to the wagon.

I wish I could follow him but as the wagon passes by the gate it slides closed behind him. Being only 9 I wouldnt be able to leave without an escort and they would want to know why I want to follow the wagon man.

So I wait.

The summer day is hot so I sit under the shade of the tree at the top of the hill in the garden. I crinkle my nose as the smell from the stables wafts up carried by the only cool breeze.

I chew absently at the apple I stole from the kitchen and jump slightly when I hear the men laughing at the gate.

" Whats with the scrawny bugga' at the back?" They laugh. I watch as the gate opens and the wagon man rides in.

Only this time there are people attached to the back with chains on their wrists. I watch as the men stumble past the stable gates and they almost slam closed on the last person in line.

My eyes widen as I take in the young boy. I can tell because he is so much smaller than the rest of the men in the line up. He can't be much older then 13.

I take in his features and feel as if the summer day just got a little hotter. I pull at my sweaty collar as I watch as the wagon man detaches the chained men from the wagon and walks away with them towing behind him.

I suck in a quick breath when the boy at the end of the line looks at me. His eyes are wide and hold within them a feeling I had never known.

Fear.

That was the day I had first saw the stable boy. As I got older I always wondred why he was sold so young. I wondered why the man driving the wagon had bought him.

I shrug it off as I eat in the large dining hall alone. A servant stands off against the wall holding a pitcher of water. I glance at them accidentally and they scramble forward to refill my cup.

I smile and take a sip when they are finished. I wasn't a mean and harsh ruler like my father. But simply because these people knew him they feared I would be the same way.

Sure I had a temper but it was nothing to fret over. I wipe my mouth on my napkin and push away from the table. I walk upstairs and decide to head into the library. I flop onto one of the plush chairs and flip open the closest book.

I spend hours in there until my stomach grumbles. I stand up and walk back toward the kitchen. I note that it is dark outside so I must have spent longer in the library then I thought. Which is too bad considering the cooks probably have gone to bed and I wont be able to have a snacking of fresh bread.

I continue to the kitchen anyway figuring there is always something to eat. I near the kitchen doors when I hear a crashing from within.

I crack one open slightly and squint in the dim light. I can make out a figure in the kitchen.  Considering no intruders could ever breach the castle I know this has to be one of the dwellers of this castle.

I push open the door and see that this person is stuffing bread slices into their pants. I take a deep breath ready to yell at this person for stealing what isnt theirs.

"What do you think your doing?" I say firmly my voice carrying strong and resounding threw out the room.

The person freezes and turns to face me. I feel my anger dissolve into embarrassment when I see it is the stable boy. His face is filled with fear and he drops to his knees infront of me the bread falling to the floor.

"My king I am so sorry. I didnt mean. I was just so hungry. They have not fed us properly in weeks. Months. Please your highness I beg for your forgiveness please do not kill me." I stare in shock as the man begs at my feet and at that moment I feel like a terrible person. 

"What do you mean they havent fed you properly? I see the cooks send out bags filled with bread and cheese everyday." I say I see him look at his hand and then at my feet.

"The stable gaurds eat most of it sir and then feed us their scraps." He says quietly.

"What is your name?" I ask excitement bubbling in my chest.

"Peter, your highness."