To Battle

Chapter one

My father was a tall man with a big beard, he was very strong and one of the most important kings of this time. I, his only son, was going to take his place later and inherit the throne; but everyone in the kingdom knew that I would never become him. I wasn't strong, I wasn't fast and I could not sing or play an instrument. My father was very distant from me, and every time he saw me you could see the disappointment in his eyes. My father tried very hard to make me as strong as the knights, but the spear in my hands became too heavy too fast and the other knights made it seem like it was as light as a feather for them.

The kingdom got a lot of visitors, heroes from all over the world who came to see the biggest and strongest realm there is. They would train in our fields and I would look at them amazed, they were everything I wanted to become - strong, fast and with defined muscles. When visitors came father made sure that I would be off the fields so that no one could see me train and know that the kingdom will fall when I become king.

I was training on the fields feeling my fathers piercing gaze on me. I looked up at the balcony where he stood as a royal should. He signalled for me to go off the fields, I obeyed and gave my sword to a servant. I walked to my chambers wanting a bath and while entering my chambers a servant stood there waiting for me. 'The king has asked for your presence.' I nodded and the servant bowed and walked away. I changed my clothes and freshened up then left my chambers to go to the balcony.

I stood next to my father in complete silence, both of us looking down at the training fields. I noticed someone I didn't recognize was fighting on the fields with a sword. He was slim with a lot of muscels and short brown hair. You could see he was a good fighter for his age. He looked like he was around 8 or 9 years old, so he was around my age. My father broke the silence while still watching the boy fighting. 'That's Prince Azur from a kingdom far away. His family is visiting and they brought a lot of gold, don't disappoint me.' 'I won't father.' We still hadn't made eye contact and were looking at the prince. 'His father has requested that you show him around the kingdom, he wants for you boys to have a bond, he thinks that that will be useful for later.' I agreed of course. 'So after his training, you're going to show him around. Don't make me regret this decision.' Azur had defeated his opponent. I looked at my father and saw a proud look in his eye. 'That is what a son should be Merlin.', and with that, he walked away, leaving me alone on the balcony.

I arrived at the fields and walked up to Azur, who was sitting on the ground exhausted from the training. Now I was closer, I could see him better. He had dark skin with hazel eyes. I stuck out my hand in his direction, and it looked like he had just noticed me. He took my hand and helped himself up. His hand was strong and it hurt my hand but I didn't let that show. 'I'm Merlin, Prince of Makuria. You must be Azur.' He looked a bit shocked and eyed me up and down. 'I'm Azur, I'm sorry I just didn't expect for you to be the prince of Makuria.' My smile dropped, but I knew I couldn't be rude to him. 'I'm supposed to give you a tour of the kingdom and show you the guest chambers you will be staying in. 'Alright', he said. He walked away and bumped my shoulder making me grunt in pain, he was stronger than expected.

We finished the tour back on the training fields again. It was awful spending time with him, he was arrogant and rude. A servant came up to us signalling that dinner was ready and that we had to come. The grand doors opened and I saw my father sitting at a big table covered with expensive foods from all over the world. On the other side of the table sat a man and a woman. Azur resembled them and I assumed they were his parents. We both bowed and took a seat next to our fathers. It was a quiet dinner where only the two kings were allowed to talk unless you got asked a question. After dinner was over I went back to the fields to play with my dice. It was the dice of my mother. It is one of the only things I got from her. She died two years after I was born from an illness no one could cure.

Azur walked up to me and saw the dice in my hand. 'Let me see them.', he demanded. I didn't want to give him my dice. 'No.' It was my dice and I was a prince too. He wasn't better than me. He got a shocked expression that turned to an angry one. 'Give them to me.' I knew I had to obey my father and give them to him, but I couldn't. This is my dice and he doesn't have the right to take them. He was in my kingdom. He took a step forward 'Give them.' I shoved him away and he stumbled a bit. He looked like he could murder me now and walked towards me. Against my will, I took a step back. I had hurt his honour and if I defeated him his reputation would be ruined. He knew this so he was prepared to take my dice with force. He couldn't be known to lose from a prince like me. He scoffed seeing I had taken a step back. 'Weakling, everyone knows it. Even your father thinks you are one. I heard him say it to my father. He is just as disappointed in you as the rest of the kingdom.' That struck a nerve but I knew I couldn't back down. 'It's mine you can't have it.' He balled his fist and I knew he was going to fight me. He swung his arm and I ducked. I threw my body against him, pushing him with all my strength. We both fell and I landed with a grunt. I pushed myself off his body and looked at him.

He wasn't moving. And then I saw it, the blood. His head was crushed open against a rock. blood was pouring out of it and you could see his skull. I leaned over him, shaking him hoping he would wake up. Tears were streaming down my face and I felt nauseous. 'Please don't be dead, please don't be dead. I will give you my dice, but please wake up. I begged. I prayed to the gods for him to wake up, but he didn't and he lay there completely still. I looked at my hands, they were covered in blood. Blood was everywhere.

My knees were on the ground before the king. Usually, this hurt, but I didn't feel anything right now. I was still covered in his blood. The king looked down on me. I killed a prince, that was an act of war. The father and mother of Azur wanted me dead or to be exiled. They wouldn't start a war knowing they would lose. I looked at my father's eyes, I had never seen them like this, they were cold. Everyone knew the rules: I would be killed or exiled. My father has worked hard on this kingdom and he wouldn't lose it on a son like me. I also knew I wasn't worth a funeral. I wasn't worth the amount of gold they were going to spend on that so that left with one choice. I was going to be exiled. And the last thing my father ever said to me was: ' You aren't my son anymore.'

That is how I became an orphan at the age of 8 and was sent to the kingdom of Camelot to serve there as a servant.