The Kingship

Chapter 5

Leaving the home I had always known was both the hardest and easiest thing I had ever done. On the one hand, I was shaking off the life of living under my Father's roof suffering at both his hands and the hands of my brother. I was away from the place that housed bad memories of Mother's suffering and my own. On the other hand, I knew very little of life outside the Ice Palace. I could not pass the time in doing whatever I pleased as I was so used to doing. Instead, I now had to earn my way in the world. Doing what? To be familiar with a trade, you have to be raised in it, something that had never been done with me. I didn't have anything to start out with, either. I had no money or food. Would I be forced to kill my own horse before my journey was over?

I wondered then, as I often do now, if Lieydan had not been looking out for me the entire time. It was getting late as I reached the docks of Millcou, but the kind, perhaps, naïve captain gave me free lodgings and food for both my horse and myself and would take me as far as the island, Millween. Millween would not do me a whole lot of good considering I would still be in the Snow Islands, but at least I would be safely out of the Ice Palace and perhaps Nociv would get the impression that I had run out of the Snow Islands completely. There one thing for certain however, wherever I went, I would most certainly have to keep an eye on my brother. And at least I would have food and drink and a bed for both my horse and myself that night.

When we reached Millween the next morning, I bid farewell to the captain and the sailors, saddled Rindon again, and rode towards the opposite end of the island, where I knew I would have no choice but to sell my horse and either pay for a cheap ticket for a passage on a barge or ask for a position as a cabin boy to pay for my fare. I knew my prince hood could not define who I was any longer. The farther I was away from Nociv, the safer I felt. There was no way I could possibly go back. He would only need to utter that weird spell thing and he could easily run me through. Yes, there was no way I was going back.

"I like your horse, Sir."

I was abruptly brought out of my musings by the sound of a girl's voice. I looked to my left and saw her, a female snow person judging by her blue hair, purple skin, and black eyes, walking alongside Rindon. She was dressed in a simple satin dress the color of burgundy and her stained fingers and overflowing basket were a tell-tale sign that she had been berry-picking. It took a minute to realize that of course she liked my horse because she, being a Snow Person, didn't see horses very often. They use polar bears to ride on!

"Would you like to pet him?" asked I.

"May I, really?" the girl said with a glow jumping into her eyes.

"Of course." With a smile I pulled Rindon to a halt. She went straight to his head and began to gently stroke his neck and face. In return, Rindon tried to fish a few of the blue raspberries in the basket out for himself. Silly horse. The girl merely laughed with delight and I immediately wondered if that could be my own daughter someday- to which I shook my head knowing that I would have no children.

"What is his name?" the girl asked bringing my mind back to the present.

"Rindon."

"What a regal name."

"Thank you. He is after all a regal horse."

"The most regal horses in all the kingdom are those that come from the king's stables - perhaps they are the only regal things that have come out of his whole reign."

"He was not a good man but Father would not have any horses but the finest ones."

"Father?"