A̸̢͠cr̷͘os͜҉s ̢T͟͝͡h̀́͝e͞ ̶͠͡S̸͠ķy̷͘: Book One

4.The Beginning of War (Virgil)

As soon as I got back to my room, I immediately pulled out my headphones and just crashed. The problem was the bed was too soft. The light was too bright. And there was a man standing in the corner of my room watching me. I couldn't relax with them just staring. Who does that? Why do that?

"Prince Asher, I believe there are matters to which you must attend to." God that ridiculous way of talking. Why do people have to talk like that? It hard and it's a waste of time and energy. A very simple way to speak...

"No." One word responses are the best. Of course, that won't work in public. Alex is just going to have to get used to me being me. Trying to be someone else all the time is just draining.

"But,  As a prince, I am sure Your Highness is aware of the..."

"Oh god just drop the prince crap!" I said as I threw my arms in the air. "Rule number one, my room is strictly no royal bullshit. It's the only place I can get away from all that. AND CALL ME ASH, I don't want to hear Asher or Prince Asher or anything. What kind of a name is Asher anyway?"

"I think it's a very nice name. Elegant..." My cheeks began to burn with embarrassment and I had to press my face against a pillow just to hide it. It's not blush... not like that. Get your heads out of the gutter... Wait, who am I even talking to?  "...Unlike Maudit. What is that anyway?"

"It's French for cursed... or damned... or both." Quite a name to have. I guess I shouldn't judge my new name so harshly. I also guess learning several different languages wasn't a waste. I did it so I could understand the shows I was watching but also the songs I listen to. Now I'm a prince so... yeah, it works out.

"So there are rules now? You know besides the laws your father put in place." I glared at him and he just smiled. 

"Yes, there are. If you're going to be working for... like that, then there are going to be rules, boundaries, got it." He just nodded and I went back to laying sprawled out on the bed.  "Rule number two, I don't care what people say servitude is wrong. Your not my servant you're my employee. This is your job. You will get paid, so none of that standing around in the corner waiting for an order. Your not a slave."

"I have a part to play and I intend on playing to perfection. Practically perfect in every way..."

"What did you just say?!" I bolted up off my bed and practically grabbed Alex by the shirt. All he did was stutter and backtrack. Maybe he just said it out of pure coincidence. It not like he knew that was a line from Mary Poppins. They don't even have tv's here, so no Disney either. I had to lie through my teeth just to get suspicions off my iPod. Don't know why I have it... But I'm not complaining either. "Never mind, rule three..." I said as I let go of him and brushed my hands on my clothes. "No physical contact. I don't like it, plain and simple. Understand?"

"Of course. No physical contact..." He looked off the side and smirked as if remembering something funny. "... within reason. If you permit. There may be circumstances in which I must assist and..."

"I got it. Fine whatever." I said as I smiled a little. This was the first time I actually genuinely smiled since I arrived. It's nice. Or at least it was until I heard the crash. Both I and Alex ran from my bedroom into the throne room, where I found my father sitting in his throne...

...an arrow through his chest.

It was nice while it lasted. Alex immediately went to work, getting the guards and all that shit he needed to do. I just stood there. I was upset, after all, I had no emotional ties to this man. I never knew him before coming here. Sure I'm pissed. But I'm pissed because now I have to be king! I'm the only son of the now late King. Meaning I ascend to the throne. Being a prince was hard enough now I have...

"Sir, Maybe you should go... It's never a good thing to see." Alex... He looked at me with sympathy. He actually cares about how I feel? 

"I'm fine Alex. He's gone, taking some time to get away and feel won't change that fact. Right now we need to determine what happened here."

"When you lose someone you love, they never really leave you. They move into a special place in your heart." Again with the Disney quotes?! I looked at him and he just smiled sympathetically. I can't deal with this right now. I have to...

"SIR!" I looked over at the guard that was walking over. He handed me the arrow with a very solemn look on his face. "It's from the Naeles Kingdom." Shit. Father was trying to get them as an ally in the coming war. I guess he was too late. Wait war?! Double shit. "I believe it to be a declaration of war, sir."

"Find me Patton Starring!" I think it's time I get some advice here. I watched as everyone but us two left. Some went to find Patton. Others escorted the king's body out. The rest went to search the grounds for the assailant.   I looked over at Alex something snapped. It was like all the tension and anxiety I have felt since coming here finally broke me. I started to cry. "Alex..." He looked over at me and his eyes went wide. He stood there stiff as a wall, unsure what to do to help. "Rule number four..." I pulled him into a hug and just let out all the frustrations. I cried into his shoulder and finally felt myself relax a little. I don't like contact that's true, but Patton's hugs always helped. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. "Don't tell anyone about this, or else."

"Wouldn't dream of it... Ash."