TKATP: A Coronation of Blood

Chapter IV: Benedict

No one was in the lounge hall at the time. It was early in the morning and everyone was at the training grounds, either sparring or watching the sparring. Most of the time, Benedict would join them, but today he was reading The Tale of the End. Already, he was seven hundred pages into the riveting novel, but it was over two-thousand pages in total, so what he had read was barely a dent. No one would come looking for him, they never did when he wasn't there.

The Tale of the End was perhaps the most well-preserved text from before the Sundering. Gogo Gerassun wrote the book using firsthand experience during the Third Daemon War. He was a scribe to Umkoda Dhirama Manu of the Umkodan Empire, an ancient West Corphegian kingdom that dissolved during the Daemon Wars. He also lived during the same time as Octovanius delle Seraselv, the Daemonsbane.

"Benedict!" bellowed someone from the entrance of the lounge hall. Unfortunately, their voice had not yet escaped the grasp of adolescence and proceeded to rise two pitches before sharply falling. A wisp of a smile touched Benedict's lips, but it was soon dispelled as the source of the voice revealed itself.

Oswaldo delle Salay, second son of Samu delle Salay, the viscount to Count Lorenscio delle Gildaz of Valderos. Oswaldo was currently a squire to the Knight of Prudence, Tavaris the Forthright, captain of the Angelic Guard. He was not particularly gifted with height, but he had a stocky build. His brown skin was complemented by curly, soft black hair and stark amber eyes.

"Sieur Tavaris wants you at the training grounds!" the squire shouted.

Benedict waved a hand in frustration. "I'm right here! No need to shout!"

Oswaldo went on, unfazed. "He's said it's most urgent that you go there immediately!"

"Sieur Tavaris isn't the king," Benedict mumbled to himself.

"What?" Oswaldo asked very loudly.

"Quiet down, Oswaldo!" Benedict whisper-shouted. "What's does Tavaris want to tell me?"

Oswaldo raised an eyebrow. "I might be brawny, but I'm not that stupid. Me telling you would defeat the purpose of you going."

He got me there.

"Plus," Oswaldo continued, "he didn't tell me. Just told me to come and get you."

Benedict sighed and closed his book. He debated leaving it here, but he didn't know how long he would have to stay at the training grounds so he just took the book with him.

Oswaldo grinned and pinched Benedict's cheek. "Don't look so gloomy. There have already been two duels! It'll be exciting!"

Benedict shook his head. "The duels are just unnecessary violence over superficial matters.

Oswaldo gave him an exasperated look. "You'd be a real downer to bring to a festivity, you know." Sersalvonian festivities amongst the highborn were usually rife with duels.

Benedict nodded. "I know, I know."

Oswaldo laughed. "Get some self-esteem, Your Highness. You're a prince, Redeemer's sake!"

"A thirdborn prince," Benedict noted.

"But a prince nonetheless."

They made their way to the training grounds by going through the Great Atrium and the Outer Gardens. The sounds of macaws, parrots, cuckoos, and doves filled the air whilst the ground teemed with the tremors of nesophontes, mice, and the ocelots who hunted them. The smell of coconut, mango, and papaya trees comforted Benedict as they approached the din of sparring coming from the training grounds. They followed the travertine pathway to the training grounds, where half the palace seemed to be.