The Lone Call: Quill and Steel (Arc III) [First draft]

Siblings (Mustafa) (H)

Not for the first time, the first prince of Hospodia felt like finding another good target for his sword. Why could his lord father not see that he was almost a man now, telling him off like someone half his age?

Perhaps Urdin was just being protective to his first heir... but with someone like him, one could never be sure.

Gradually, as he navigated the citadel's inner corridors, his first younger sister Leia's advice came to Mustafa's mind.

'Such are the responsibilities of first-borns, Fratele meu,' she had said after a supper, using her habitual respectful nickname for him, taken up already by their younger siblings down the line. 'For often doing the toughest share of work, they accrued the greatest respect. Wouldn't you agree?'

'There is Vlos,' he had offered. 'He is son to the previous Lord Hospodia. His is the better claim.'

Leia had laughed. 'Once dead, king or no king, a person's worldly claims and titles are all forfeit, fit only to be inherited and divided according to the prevailing laws--so I've read. Vlos cannot claim what is not his to begin with. Besides, our cousin is already doing his best at Dad's side, and loyally. Soon it will be your turn.'

Pondering over the advice at present, Mustafa frowned.

"That might be the case for possessions like money and houses," he murmured, "but Uncle Ingeras had also been a ruler. What happens to the domains he had left behind, then..?"

Those domains, the prince knew, had fractured into two halves, east and west. Each had been brought together again, in that order, by Vlos and Urdin; and because Urdin's sphere was way closer to the capital, Mustafa surmised, he had gotten to rule. Vlos, meanwhile, had opted to surrender whatever he had gained. The domains were all Urdin's now... and he was seeing to their inevitable expansion.

Someday, these expanded domains would pass to him, Mustafa, as Urdin's first male heir. What, then, the prince wondered, had he himself earned to deserve it?

Would all these trainings be sufficient?

"Fratele meu!" someone called. The prince looked up to see Leia grinning as she approached him, the hems of her magenta dress sweeping the stone floor.

"Not so often to see you daydreaming like this, and here of all places. Something bothering you?"

"Was thinking of what you said."

"Eh, I said so many things, can't afford to remember them all. Have you heard of Cousin's arrival, perchance?"

"Met him in person, talking with Dad."

"Is that so?! Where?"

"The training yard."

"Nice! I'll go see him and pay my respects, better get Kyna as well... oh, and Mom's been looking for you."

"She has?"

"Told me to pass it on. She's seeing to Rashid's schooling now, but would appreciate it if you could go meet her. Then, see you!"

"Thought you wanted to ask Kynara." He pointed at one of the forks. "Her room is that way."

"Ehh, on second thought, she could do so herself later... or deal with Dad's displeasure. Besides, she's acting weird again, feeding the horses and all..."

Mustafa could not help smiling. "Dressed as a pretty boy, I guess?"

Leia put her hands on her small hips, pouting. "How else could she do that? Dresses like what I'm wearing here are too delicate for such tasks anyway, and Mom would not like to see them ruined."