Shadows in the Trees: Book 1

Chapter 10

Julian woke to his brother shaking him awake yet again. He rolled over, burying his face in his pillows. 

"This is really getting old, Damon," he said, his voice muffled through the pillows. 

"Something terrible has happened," Damon said. 

Julian rolled over, the tone of his brother's voice eliciting a pang of fear in his stomach. 

"What is it?" he asked. 

"Your bride has been ousted by her sister. Burned her chambers to dust," Damon said, throwing him a shirt. Julian put it on quickly. "Killed King Aytigen too. Venira is now the sovereign of Khepri." 

"By the One God," Julian said. "Well, I suppose it's for the best. Now I can have a more traditional bride. Perhaps the Duchess of Alsvin? She looked quite fetching at the ceremony. Do you think she would participate in threesomes?" Julian looked up from tying his breeches when his brother didn't answer. "Damon?" 

"Father wants to see you immediately," he said. "Quickly now, get your coat on." 

"What's the hurry? Is Father looking to marry me today?" Frustrated with his brother's evasiveness, he hit his fist against his bed. "Damon, tell me what is happening." 

Damon dropped the shoes he had been holding. "I don't know! I don't know what Father wants, alright?" Julian was stunned into silence, as his brother rarely raised his voice. "Just please, but your shoes on." 

Julian complied and allowed his brother to pull him across the castle to the large wooden doors of the study. Damon's strange mood worried him, and he decided that doing what he wanted and staying silent for now was the easiest thing to do. 

Before they entered, Damon hugged his brother tightly.

"What was that for?" Julian asked when Damon finally let go.

"Hurry. Father is waiting for you," Damon said. Julian looked at him a moment before entering the study.

His father was standing at the large window behind his desk, staring at the sky above his kingdom. Julian walked in cautiously, not daring to get too close.

"I'm sure you've heard the news," King Wilhelm said finally. He kept his eyes on the sky, like he was searching for something.

"Damon told me. The King and Queen-to-be, killed! Can you believe her sister nearly burned down her entire castle just to take down -- "

"Go get her."

"I beg your pardon?" Julian said, huffing a laugh. His father stood so still, Julian imagined he was made of stone.

"Go to Khepri," the King said simply, "And get her."

"Father, she's probably dead," Julian said. "What point would there be in -- "

"There was no body," King Wilhelm said calmly. "Go and request an audience with Queen Venira. Negotiate with her. I'm sure she has Rhiannon locked up somewhere, awaiting execution. Retrieve your bride."

"Why me?" Julian asked, bewildered. "Send a guard, or servants, or a messenger, or-"

"No, Julian," his father said, turning towards him and looking him in the eye. "You. You must go. You have been a disappointment to me for years. You and I both know that you are not ready to be king." Julian shrank back, cursing himself for the heat that rose to his cheeks and the tears that pricked in his eyes. "So, I am giving you a chance to prove yourself. A chance to deserve your throne." His father turned back to the window. "Do not disappoint me."

Julian swallowed. "Yes, Father." He turned to leave. "Father, which guards can I take with me?"

"No guards," King Wilhelm said. "You must do this on your own."

"No guards? But -- " Julian stopped himself. "Fine. Have it your way. And just how do you expect me to get to Khepri?" 

"Figure it out." 

"But Father!" 

"If you do not know enough of the world outside of this castle to get to Khepri, then you are more incompetent than I thought," King Wilhelm said. 

Julian stared at his father, trying to remember a time where he loved him, or at least thought fondly of him. He deserved his throne, it was his birthright. But his father, damn him, had the power to take it away from him. If this is what I need to do to prove my worthiness, then so be it, he thought, cursing his father. There was no arguing with King Wilhelm once he had made up his mind.  

He stormed out to pack his things, pushing past Damon, who had been listening at the door. Once in his room, he found his sturdiest cloak and tied it around his shoulders. He fetched a servant to bring him a rucksack, and he stuffed it with clothes and goodies and a bottle of rum. He examined the rucksack, his lip curling back in disgust. It was just so . . . provincial. But, he couldn't take any of his finer luggage, so this would have to do. He sighed and slung it over his back.

I suppose I'm off, he thought. But what about guards? Julian had never ventured outside the castle without the protection of the Royal Guard.

After some wrong turns and mindless wandering, Julian found the guard tower. He knocked on the door and asked a dumbfounded sentry to speak to the Chief Guard. He was led up quite a few stairs to his office.

"Hello Chief . . . Chief Guard," Julian said, doing his best to imitate the cool authority that pervaded his father's voice. The Chief Guard attempted a smile, but the effort produced more of a grimace.

"What can I do for you, Prince Julian?" the Chief asked.

"Right, yes, well...I need a few of your guards for my protection while I travel to Khepri," Julian said.

"I am sorry, my prince," the Chief said, not sounding the least bit sorry in Julian's opinion, "But I cannot fulfill that request. The king has ordered that no guards are to be spared for your quest."

Julian blinked. "Ah yes . . . I see. And this was a . . . firm order?"

He frowned. "Yes, my Prince."

"How unfortunate," Julian said. "Well I don't suppose you, well, um, need any . . . "

"There is nothing you can offer me that would be worth turning against my king," the Chief Guard said, smiling at Julian politely.

"I see. Well, then, good, good day, Chief, um . . . Chief Guard."

"Of course, my prince," the Chief said.

Julian left the guard tower, unsure how to proceed. He certainly couldn't travel alone; he knew nothing about travel, or protection, or . . . well, he didn't know a lot of things. 

He sighed. What was possibly more dangerous than a Royal Guard? Then, it came to him. He smiled triumphantly and set off to find his companions. Like an adventure book, he thought to himself. Yes, that's what this was. An adventure.