Stalemate | A Rise To Power

𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭

⋘ ──── ∗ ⋅ ◈ ⋅ ∗ ──── ⋙

Will was woken by hands shaking him gently. He swatted them away, curling deeper into his blankets and trying to reach for his dream again.

"Let me have my beauty sleep," Will grumbled, not opening his eyes.

"It's the king, sir," the reply came. "He wants to see you in the Great Hall."

Will's eyes flickered open. Ulysses had paid little heed to Will, spending most of his time speaking with commanders or his barons. Lately, Ulysses had devoted lots of time trying to get into contact with Damek Westerling or the living Silverlings, knowing that the two families consisted of much power. The rest of the time was spent managing the attacks on the ports, sending ships out to various sea battles. A few Northern ships still slipped through to raid the coastal villages, however, and many people had evacuated to go further inland. Trade with the Free Isles had dropped as a result, and the fishing economy had come to an almost complete standstill.

"Do you know why?" Will asked the maid as he sat up.

"No, sir."

"Please, I am no sir. It's just Will," he told her.

He noticed her blush as she turned and hurried away. Lots of the young maids or ladies of the castle seemed to do that whenever they saw him. Giggles often followed him down the corridor and it made him feel slightly uncomfortable, especially with the staring. Even while training with the guards, he felt them watching and sometimes saluted them just to watch them giggle and turn around to whisper among themselves.

The only other time he had spoken to Audrey, excluding the time when they had watched the archers together, had been when he had approached her in a corridor to ask if she would walk in the gardens with him. Audrey had not responded, walking straight up to a group of ogling maids and whispering something to them before walking off.

Will sighed as he stood from his pile of blankets on the windowsill, dressing in garments fit for a guard. Josiah, the head guard, had visited him the other day with the clothing and armour. He had asked to be moved to the barracks and Josiah had taken him there, the smell of lingering smoke and sweat that seemed to stay no matter what lying on the air. He had been willing to stay there, but Ulysses had insisted otherwise and he had his own small chambers as a guest of honour for saving the king's cousin.

He was careful to be quiet as he crept out, heading out to where the dining room was. It was early in the morning and the castle slept, leaving the corridors empty except for a few guards taking night shifts and the coats-of-armour and busts lining the long corridors. Candles lit his way as he walked, only coming to a stop in front of a huge door with a lion's head brass knob. He gently pushed the door open to find Audrey sitting at the long table already, a cup of warm tea clasped between her hands. She didn't look happy to be there so early either, judging by the weary look on her face. Annalee was there too, her head on the table and her blonde hair almost spilling onto a bowl of bread.

"Morning, milady," Will said, sliding into the seat next to Audrey.

"Morning, archer," Audrey mumbled back.

He grinned at her and leaned over to take a piece of bread from the bowl. Annalee frowned as she moved her head to face him, jolted by the movement of the bowl.

"Why... why are you eating bread before sunrise?" Annalee grumbled, her head not leaving the wood of the table.

"What? I'm hungry," Will replied. "There is no way I'm getting back to sleep after this, so I might as well just eat my breakfast now. Food means energy, right?"