Chapter Three - An Unexpected Guest

31 3 0
                                    



  Espen gave a sigh of relief as he collapsed onto his bed, glad it was the weekend. Usually tired at the end of a week, the 'report' with Rosalind left him absolutely exhausted.


  As his mom was still at work tending the animals at their neighbor's farm, it was Espen's duty to take care of the house while she was away. He made himself a large mug of green tea before setting to work wiping down the counter tops and washing the remaining dishes from breakfast. Just as he was sitting down to enjoy his tea more thoroughly, there was a loud knock at the door.


  At first, Espen thought it might be his mom, since it wasn't unusual for her to forget her keys when she went out and have to be let in. But as he glanced towards the decorative key hook nailed next to the refrigerator, she seemed to have remembered it. He paused for a moment. Finally, he shrugged off his worries and opened the weathered wooden door with a creak.


  Standing in the door frame was a man who immediately set Espen on edge. The visitor's clothes were tattered and his locks were unkempt – looking as if he had been running through twigs and brambles all day. However, he conducted himself with a degree of poise not exhibited by most vagrants, and his manner was formal and polite. Not to mention the extremely expensive-looking quill pen in his hand. Espen quickly brushed away the suspicion that this stranger would ask if he could hide out in his house, and instead managed a tentative smile.


  "Um... can I help you?"

  "Good afternoon, Estevan," the man greeted with little emotion, and yet his eyes were bright as he stared at the teenager.

  Espen gave a start, wondering how this stranger knew his name.

  "I have come to inform you of the need for your presence in the Kingdom of Noitcif."

  "Excuse me..?"

  "Our beloved king's time is near, and so also is your destiny as leader over the land. I have come to personally escort you there, Prince Estevan."

  "Prince?! What are you talking about?"

  "Lee Rose has been very good to keep everything in order until you arrive, but of course, time is short. She is waiting on you."


  At this point, Espen held up his hands in a gesture of both surrender and confusion. "Sir, sir!" he nearly shouted, making the disheveled man close his mouth. "I think you have the wrong guy, Sir... er... um..."

  "Tarquin," the dark haired man replied. "Just call me Tarquin."

  "All right then, 'Tarquin'. I believe you have the wrong kid. My name is Estevan and all, but I'm not born from a royal family - as you can see from the house - and I'm certainly not a prince. Maybe the boy you're looking for is located closer to your kingdom? What was it called? ... Noteichiff?"

  "It is called Noitcif, Prince Estevan," Tarquin replied, pocketing his quill pen and folding his arms against his chest. "And no, I do not have the wrong boy. When the duke sends me out on an errand, he makes it very clear when and where he wants me to go and who to see, and I have never known him to make a mistake."


  Espen was trying very hard to figure this all out. "Well, what exactly did the duke say?" The messenger raised an eyebrow at him, so Espen hastily added, "I just want to know so I can redirect you to the right person."

The Kingdom of NoitcifWhere stories live. Discover now