Of Fury & Shadow

Chapter 5

Kade rushed around his rooms with a flurry of servants running after him.

"Has anyone seen my left boot?" he asked as he knelt beside his bed to look underneath.

"Please Sire, if you would sit still the servants could look for the boot and I could shave you." Said a small man holding a foam-covered shave brush and razor. His face was a blotchy red color from chasing after the king.

"I don't have time to shave, Stephan. The Amazons are here already and I was supposed to meet them when they arrived." Kade sat up and pushed himself up off of the ground.

"Yes, of course, Sir. Just think how they would like to see you clean shaven for the first time." Stephan said in a pleading tone.

"I doubt the Amazons would care if I am freshly shaven. I am more concerned about them seeing the king of Durin with only one boot! Now put those down and help me look.

"If your majesty would just let the servants care for your belongings as I have asked you to, then the boots would be where they should be." Stephan said putting down the razor and brush with a huff. The old servant was more like a scolding grandmother to Kade. At times forgetting the lines between servant and master. Kade didn't mind, the absence of his mother and his father's coldness had left a hole in his childhood that Stephan had filled.

"Stephan, I have told you several times. I am not used to servants touching my things. You know better than most that father treated me as a soldier and as such I have been here at the castle very rarely. Therefore, I have become accustomed to taking care of my own things. From my point of view if the servants would stop trying to take care of my things then I would be able to find my damned boot!" Kade looked around the room in growing frustration. Stephan calmly walked over to a large wooden wardrobe pulled the doors open and picked up the much-sought after left boot.

"Finally." Kade grabbed the boot thrust his foot inside and made for the door.

"Wait Sire!"

"What now, Stephan?"

"You cannot go to meet them in only a shirt and britches. You've no rings, no belt, no surcoat."

"Stephan, the Amazons live in tents, in the forest. They value strength above wealth. I am not going to cover myself in jewels to try and impress them."

"At least take a surcoat, Sire, it is cold out."

"Fine, but make it a plain one." Stephan smiled broadly and returned to the wardrobe. Kade sighed in exasperation. He knew that things would most likely have gone faster if he had just let Stephan do his job but he also knew that he would have been overly dressed, perfumed and weighed down with jewels that meant nothing to him. Stephan held up a coat of the brightest blue and embroidered with sweeping gold and silver flowers. Stephan's meaning of simple was far from his own. Kade put his arms through the sleeves.

"Thank you, Stephan." He said flatly. As he made his way out the door he heard Stephan gasp.

"Wait, Sire, your crown!" Kade began to walk faster.

He had been crowned King only two years ago and since then he made it a point to wear the crown as little as possible. The memory of that same crown resting on his father's head turned his stomach every time he laid eyes on it. The former king had worn the crown every day of his life. Even when his mind had been taken by his illness, he still remembered to wear his crown. Kade made it a priority to be as little like his father as possible. The crown brought Kade no comfort.

As he made his way to the inner courtyard he passed advisors and lords who all had some 'important' thing that had to be discussed immediately. With each one he was as polite as he could be. It seemed to him that no one valued the idea of peace as he did.