chapter one

 

Chapter One

 

I waited outside the door to my father’s bed chamber. Waiting and twiddling my thumbs together nervously. He had been gone for weeks due to the war going on and had been injured during battle with Dakin Wraith and his army of traitors. He had been in his bed chamber unseen by everyone ever since. I hadn’t even seen him for the weeks that he had returned. I sat remembering some of the servants that took care of his wounds whispering yesterday that things weren’t looking good for my father. I severely hoped that they would be wrong.

The giant wooden doors opened and a servant girl came out and signaled me in to see my father. As I walked through the familiar doors I felt my mouth go dry. My stomach did a flip as my eyes fell upon where I my father lay in his bed. His normally round smiling face was thin and smile- less. It seemed as if he had grown years older in the weeks he had been gone. He had bruises of every size and shade and half healed cuts and scrapes. The servants had been right. I put on my best smile and walked towards his bed trying to seem like everything was normal even though we both knew that during war normalcy was always a thing of the past.

“Come on in son” my dad’s voice was rusty and weak. I quickly walked over to his side to keep him from straining himself any more than necessary.

“Vincent” he mumbled. “I need you to do something for me. Something very important”

“Yes father anything.”

“I’m not going to be around much longer son. I need you to take my place. I need you to fight for our kingdom.”

I looked at him shocked the pleasant smile wiped away from my face for a moment. “What are you trying to say father? What do you mean you’re not going to be here much longer? The kingdom needs you, we need you, I need you.” I mumbled the last part quietly embarrassed and angry at myself for showing any weakness in the presence of my father.

“Son I’m dying. I’m asking you to protect our family and our kingdom.”

“But father I… I can’t do this I need your help… I” I looked down ashamed for showing weakness again building on to my self anger.

“No. I can not help you. Please son fined the strength and courage to take my place. You are almost a man now being 15 years of age. I wouldn’t leave such an important job to anyone else.”

“I understand father. I will do everything in my power to save the kingdom.” I stood up and turned to leave trying to hold back tears that were threatening to spill and roll down my cheeks and trying to walk confidently out of the room with my challenge in mind. How could he be so casual about it? He must have known his time was up for while but I was still in shock. All of these thoughts were swirling through my mind when my father stopped me in my tracks.

“You didn’t think I was going to let you go on this mission alone did you?” I let out an internal sigh of relive thinking that it would be a strong elder knight willing to help me on my quest, but my father got rid of that thought when he called my aid to his side and out of the dark shadows.

“Annabel. You can come in now.” I stood staring at a girl about an inch shorter than me with brown long hair come from out of the corner. I felt embarrassed and angry that my dad thought that I needed a girls help.

“Hello. My name is Annabel Mavis. I am going to help you on your journey.”

I looked at the girl who was supposed to fight by my side and couldn’t help scoffing.

“Hello.” I said back with out any emotion at all. I knew it wasn’t polite but my father had just told me he was going to die and my only help was a silly girl!?! All I wanted to do was turn around and cry but I couldn’t I was a man and to cry in front of a girl would shame me more than anything in the world. I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep the tears back to much longer so I turned away from the girl  bidding my father one final good bye and briskly walked out of the room before any one could see the hot tears rolling down my red cheeks. I stayed hidden in my favorite secret passage. Hidden away from my troubles and the war. It was something that had made it through all wars and troubles of the past kings and queens and it gave me hope that like these walls and ancestors I would survive this too.

 By dinner my father was dead. I had found out that a few moments after I left he had passed. When I found out the news a guilty wave hit me. I wished I could have stayed and told him everything and that he would be ok and that I was sorry and scared, but I had left rudely, which I was now regretting, for I had been insulted that he had asked a girl, a girl to help me. But as if the guilt wasn’t bad enough the pain of losing a father and king and the feeling of knowing that I was our kingdoms last hope made me feel sick to my stomach. I swallowed deeply forcing myself to keep my breakfast down. I decided that from that moment on I would kill Dakin Wraith myself with my sword. I would slay him and kill him. I would avenge my father if it took my entire life. Even if it took help from a girl. I was going to be one of the greatest kings of my time and nothing was going to stop me. My hunger caught up to me so I got up to go to the kitchen. Maybe I could find something left over from supper to eat. To make up for skipping lunch while I was hidden away. I had some stew and decided to go to sleep or at least as close to slumber as I could get. I closed my eyes slowly my promise to kill Dakin wraith on my mind.