Fire of the Forsaken

Chapter 1

"Yajirushi!" I sit up in a panic knocking over a vase with the family crest. Water and roses spill across the shiny marble tiles.

"Prince Aeroicz, everything alright on there?" My guard calls beyond the door.

"Yes I'm alright Inaka, I yell still sitting in bed. I rip the sheets off me and sit on the edge of the silk and silver bed. I rub my fingers along the burn stretches along the the left side of my face. The burn stings of the memory of my dead brother, the memory burned inside my head like a gasoline filled flame. I get out of bed and head for my wardrobe room. I take a long moment to look in the mirror. Studying myself in the mirror.

"Wow I didn't think you loved how you looked that much" Vex giggles.

"That's not-" I mumbled. Vex smiles at me and chuckles. I walk out of the room flustered and out into the hallway where my mother greets me.

"Good morning mother," I stay in a dead tone.

I'm confused why my mother would be here she's usually greetings her royal friends from nearby towns.

"I have some business to attend to in town, so I would like you to get prepared to meet the new guests that will be coming tomorrow."

"Do I make myself clear" she says in a commanding voice.

"Yes mother..." She turned around and left. I sighed. Inaka was standing by the door, looking amused.

"Mom's are hard," he said.

"Yeah, no kidding," I said.

"Well, don't lose your head over it."

"I won't," I replied, turning back into my room. I shut the heavy wood door behind me, leaning back.

"Another encounter with Her Majesty?" Vex asked, adding a drip of sarcasm at the last part. I smiled at that. Vex always had a way of making light of some of the bad things in my life. I nodded.

"She's going back into town today."

"What's new?" Vex said, looking back at his book. I shrugged. I don't even know why mother keeps telling me where she's going, she doesn't need to. She always goes to the same place. I sat down on the purple plush couch, sinking into it like a cloud. I have to admit, the best parts of being royalty are the food and furniture. All types of wines, fresh roasted meats, I'm making myself hungry just thinking about it all. Silks and linens, gold threads and jeweled pillows. This is the life. I went into the wardrobe and put on blue coat donned with gold lining and jewels. I put on my simple black pants and boots. Combing my hair with my fingers, I looked in the mirror.

"Looking sharp," Vex said, leaning over the couch to look at me. I smiled. I started to leave and Vex grabbed my coat tail.

"Don't forget my grape juice and sausages," he said.

"I won't," I replied. I opened the door and left to go down to breakfast. When I got there, I saw the long table filled with biscuits, juice, sausages, all kinds of eggs, scrambled, poached, and toast. The sad thing there were only two people at the table, my father and Koketa, my little brother. We couldn't finish all of this, it was kind of a waste of food. I sat down, ignored by father as per usual. Koketa smiled when I sat down.

"Hey, big brother," he said. For some reason, Koketa admires me. I smiled back.

"Morning," I replied. The maid set down a plate of eggs and toast in front of me. I smiled up at her.

"Thanks," I said. She smiled back. She then left to go get food for my brother. The servants liked me because I was nice to them. That's why I was able to get food for Vex, I could just walk into the kitchens and they would give me what I needed. Koketa is also nice to the maids, they like him as well. Father just sat, reading the newspaper. Ignoring the world around him. We all ate in silence, Koketa and I not wanting to interrupt father's reading. I ate quickly, wanting to return to Vex and my room.