Revenge // Midnight Rose Trilogy #1

F O U R // K I E R A N

        I sit deep in the saddle, rocking back and forth. With inner thighs stinging, I spur on the silver gelding. He gives a little crow hop, but continues, breaking into a large-strided gallop.

      The spruce woods encase us in. Fifteen or so Beagles run alongside our royal fox hunt. They follow their little noses., every so often, their excited barks echo through the spruce trees, alerting us of some sort of prey. Father leads the hunt with his five finest men, and myself. Their red blazers rest atop the saddle back. Each man Carrie's a hand crafted bow from the heart of Raveryn - a fine wooden grip and string webbed from an Losje Spider. The rarest, largest type of arachnid. Eight inches long and durable silky webbing for building their homes.

      Grrrre! Rarf! Rarf!

      The smallest of the Beagle pack, Fiona, a tricolor female, goes berserk over a trail leading left. It's her "there's a turkey" bark. Who is going to take the kill this time? My father has already collected a deer and his men a few squirrels, a chunky boar, and a variety of game.

       "Kieran, my boy, I believe this one is up to you!" The gruff voice of my father calls out.

       A smile tugs at my lips. Finally some game of my own. His men quietly chant my name. I urge Ryuu on, guiding his muscular body along. We follow little Fiona. She leads us astray. No living thing is near, except for us three. She grows silent, hackles raised. A low growling bark exits her. I glance around, up and down the tree line. Lush greens of vines, plants, and other unknown species are overgrown, but no huntable species are near. What a waste. I shift the weight in my seat bones, naturally curving Ryuu's body back around the way we came.

       Fiona's growl grows deeper. Normally I'd just walk away, but every instinct in my body says to do otherwise. I can feel the presence of something... or someone behind me. I whip Ryuu around. He rears at the sight of a cloaked form. The being  hastily pulls out a blade. I clutch the coarse mane of my draft horse cross, using every muscle to stay glued on to his back. Kidnappers and Assasins coming for me aren't unusual, but typically six royal guards stand to surround me. Maybe it's a good thing I can finally use my own training this time.

       The person lowers the Hunter green clock hood, revealing the head of an older man - green eyes and a wrinkly forehead. What an easy opponent.

       I quickly dismount Ryuu, landing heavily on my leather booted feet. I draw a a sword of obsidian and ash from its sheath.Twirling it around in my fingers, the old man and I circle each other, trying to read each other's motives. I've been trained for battle since the day I came into the world, but never have I actually gotten to use those skills in combat outside of practice. Our swords clink together. His force tries pushing me backwards, but utterly fails. I stumble a bit, but this man is too elderly to do too much damage to me. I spit at him. He just grins back and releases the sword pressure.

       "Not bad Prince Kieran." He mutters.

        Warily, I take a few steps back. I shouldn't be here. This is stupid - why did I allow myself to be roped into the woods with some strange man. If anything happens to the throne's only heir-

      "The name is Julian. May I ask you a question?"

         I consider mounting Ryuu and galloping off towards the hunt, but that would show weakness. I can't show weakness to any civilian of my future kingdom. Father would be so disappointed with me if I made that decision.

      I gulp. "Yes sir, but make it quick." My sword stays lifted.

       "As a young, inexperienced prince, I expect the answer to this to fail, but would you say your father is a manipulator? That he has forced you to become someone who you aren't?"

      Excuse me? Did some stranger just try to tell me my father is a manipulator? Like he even knows anything about the family life of royalty. King Atticus is hard on me for good reasons. The intense training methods, harsh punishments, stressful lessons are all here for a reason. This man has no right to make such assumptions. "First of all, that's two questions. And to answer one of them, I am who I want to be. If I were my Father, I would exicute you for those assumptions, but lucky for you, I'm going to let you get away this once. If I see you spreading such lies again, I will make sure you receive the punishment you deserve." Then, I gallop away through the bramble - leaving the strange man behind.