Red, of the Ruby Kingdom

Chapter 2

Heavy, swift footsteps echoed through the bare corridors. The silence was heavy, but the tall figure didn't seem to pay much attention to it. Living there his entire life had that effect. The figure wore formal black robes with gold embroidery. The only other hint of color was and a red cloak that was elegantly wrapped around his shoulders.

The light in the corridors was dim, but when the figure passed one of the few lamps present, the bony features, characteristic of a skeleton monster, could be glimpsed. He gave off a proud and composed air. Finally he seemed to reach his destination: a studio located in the most remote areas of the castle. With one hand he turned the brass knob of a heavy oak door and entered the room. He was greeted by the sound of a quill running across paper and the hum of the skeleton monster moving it. He was visibly older and wore a long white coat over a black suit. But what was most striking were the two craks that disfigured his face. They started from the eyes and stretched one up to the skull and the other down towards the mouth. A pair of rectangular glasses completed his look. He certainly looked like a mad scientist. He was actually the ruler of the Kingdom of Fell, King W.D. Gaster. A powerful warrior, strategist and scientist. Though he hadn't been on a battlefield in a long time now. He was no longer an energetic young man after all. However, his military successes were undeniable. The first skeleton was not intimidated by the threatening aura that the other emitted and approached the desk, being careful not to touch the piles of books and papers that litter the study floor. He was always so messy. The newcomer cleared his throat to get the other's attention. "Oh, Edge. You're here." Was his olny reply, the other never look up from his desk. "Indeed. Did you call me, father?" Edge retorted. "Yes, I did. In a week you will be attending a ball organised to choose the future king of the Ruby Kingdom." The statement was so unexpected that Edge was stunned and for several minutes he didn't know how to answer. When the meaning of those words fully registered in his mind, he was even more confused. And he couldn't help but voice the confusion with a loud "... WHAT?" Gaster sighed and finally looked his son in the eyes. "You turned eighteen three months ago. That's the appropriate age to start looking for a bride. I'm not saying you have to get married right away. But it sure might be helpful to start familiarizing yourself with this sort of thing. Ours is a nation of warriors. You are the best in this field and I am proud of you. On the other hand, you have to start thinking about the future and having heirs to whom you can pass on all these qualities. I thought this dance was a great opportunity to practice for when you want to get married. At the end of his speech, a tense silence fell in the room. Gaster waited patiently for an answer. "... I see ..." Edge gathered up his tumultuous thoughts and continued, "If that's what you want, I'll go ... Are there any other specifics for this mission that I should know?" Gaster ignored the fact that Edge treated that high-class event as a military mission, it wasn't as if he himself didn't favor a more formal and detached approach. "Yes, there are. I have gathered all the information I have in this fascicle. Knowing your opponent is the first thing a warrior has to do. You will be able to view them after lunch. Also I don't expect you to be able to get the princess's hand. Though, the Ruby Kingdom has many natural resources and a great strategic position ... Anyway, there are far too many contenders and the rivalry is high. Everyone wants to gain the riches of such a prosperous kingdom. My request therefore is to gain experience and make connections with other nobles. Having more allies always comes in hand. Well, that's all. You're free to go." Gaster dismissed him. The prince bowed his head slightly, took the file and left the room. He had too many thoughts on his mind. He needed to distract himself and what better way than to exercise? So he headed to the training ground. It was a large piece of land in the middle of the castle courtyard. At this time of the day it was deserted, exactly as he wanted it. He planted training dummies in the ground and went to situate himself at the other side of the field. He got into position, gathered his magic, and materialized dozen of bones behind himself. Each of them aimed its sharp point at the poor stuffed straw puppets. No bone missed its target. Edge concentrated all his emotions in his attacks, burst after burst, he tried to vent his confusion. In a fit of irritation his eyes flashed red and the training dummies were pulverized by a beam of blinding energy. He had subconsciously summoned a Blaster. He stared at the burn marks on the ground for a moment and then sighed. He was being immature. With a wave of his hand he dismissed the attack. It wasn't that big of a deal. He would go, look, chat for a while and then return home. Mission accomplished. Sure, he considered it a waste of time, but it could also become an opportunity to visit a new place. Maybe he could inspect their defenses and find their weak points. That was already something. A maid came to announce that lunch was ready and he left the training camp more serene.

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The afternoon sun filtered through the tree branches in the small inner courtyard. Edge was sitting at one of the benches with the Princess Red file in his hands. He was reading it slowly, taking care to separate between the truth and people's gossip. The file was divided into two parts: one about the princess and the other about the Ruby Kingdom in general. Apparently Princess Red of the Ruby Kingdom was a skeleton monster like himself and preferred to be addressed with male pronouns. Although descriptions of his physical appearance said he was very short, weak in build and even worse in health. It seemed that many expected him to die very soon. The most disconcerting things, however, were the talks of him having only 1 HP. Edge had to reread the sentence several times to make sure he got it right. 1 HP, God! How was he still alive? It had to be some kind of miracle. Had he been kept in cotton wool all his life? If not, he must have been some security freak with a baby-proof castle. Always with the fear of tripping over a stone and dust on the spot. Of course, those informations were not one hundred percent reliable. Their two kingdoms were divided by a large mountain range, which did not facilitate trade and therefore the circulation of informations. They were rumors of rumors. And everyone knows that people like to talk and magnify and enrich the facts. Yet, even turning to other sources, Edge always found the same thing: Princess Red was a weakling. In a kingdom like his, where all were valiant warriors, that fact disgusted Edge. There was more. The fail was filled with anecdotes of people running away from the castle after being attacked by the princess. A moody brat, then. Edge's opinion only got worse. And he had to go to a dance to choose Red future husband. He sighed. If this princess was even half of what the rumors were reporting, then the new king would probably have her executed as soon as he ascended to the throne. It was a little sad. Edge shook his head. There was nothing he could do for a person he didn't even know. He resumed reading from where he had left. There wasn't much else. The previous king, Crimson of the Ruby Kingdom, had died of illness three years earlier. Power had since passed to the princess, but with his poor health and aggressive attitude he was not considered fit for government. At least, that's what the nobility thought. If Edge went to look at the fails on the kingdom, he could see a completely different picture. The economy had experienced a large increase in sales. Not only that, but innovations had been introduced in agriculture that had generated an increase in available products. Despite the criticism and gossip of the nobles, the population seemed to have no particular problems with the politics of the princess. There was only concern that his poor health might push some neighboring country to invade their territory. Being seen as an easy target. Which, in fact, was more and more likely with the passage of time. If Red had managed to avoid this possibility and, at the same time, make his country prosper for three years, he shouldn't be too bad at ruling. That was if he hadn't put another in charge of his duties while he sat there drinking tea. Unable to confirm or deny his considerations Edge let them pass. He would find out in a week anyway. It was always best to ascertain for yourself what one was like. Gossips were the main cause of misunderstandings and quarrels. As the saying goes: trust is good, not to trust is better. Edge had been sitting there for three hours now and it was starting to get late. He still had to pack his bags for the trip. He would leave early in the morning and the road was long. He should get some rest. So he got up from the bench, stretched his sore limbs and walked to his rooms. He hoped to get something positive out of this whole thing.