Nicolai enters into a competition against 50 other boys to win one of the 5 prestigious positions as 'Kingsmen', the close guards and advisors to the crown Prince. Unlike the other boys however Nicolai's motives for wanting this position are differe...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Author's note: Hey guys! So HSHS finally has a book trailer! It's posted at the top of the first chapter now if any of you want to watch it. The art at today is of Gani and the song at the top is what I imagine a good theme for him would be. I just get a kind of vibe for him from the song in addition to how it's about childhood love between two young boys. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, the next one is a pretty big one so get pumped for next Saturday!
I sat next to Gani in etiquette lessons as I struggled not to constantly drum my fingers over the surface of the table we sat at in boredom. In front of each of us was a place setting and we were currently having a 'mock meal'. I hated this. This counted as both 'training' and 'lunch'. We would be given a course and then we had to successfully pick out the right silverware and utensils to go with it and eat it in the right order. In front of me lay some kind of salad with bits of fruit and what looked like...goat cheese...maybe...scattered through it. Kahlil grabbed for a fork and I heard him let out a little yip when Orla brought down her fan hard on his knuckles.
"No. This is Kovonos an eastern dish from Starta. You air it first by tossing it with the smallest fork to your left before you eat." She said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Remember boys, we'll be putting your training to the test in two weeks time. You will all be attending a ball for the minor noble family Kivos that live on the outskirts of the kingdom. This will allow you to show us how much you've learned from these lessons in etiquette and if you'll be able to perform well at events with the prince. House Kivos resides in the farming city of Sheeren. I highly doubt they have ever seen a member of the royal family let alone even a real lord of the court. Speaking of which, Lord Vestari," she looked to Gerner. "Would you mind filling everyone in on how the Kivos were given their lands? You have been paying attention to your history lessons haven't you?"
"Uh...yes..." I could see Gerner struggling to remember. "The Kivos...they um...fought alongside King Jean II about one hundred fifty years ago...ish in the battle of uh..." he clearly couldn't remember the name. Everyone waited, watching him.
"The battle of Madok." A voice suddenly said. It was Kahlil. Orla nodded slowly, turning to him.
"Yes. That is correct. Go on."
"It was the great battle against the Dark Magics. The sorcerers had been using blood magic and sacrifice for their practices so the king banned it. The sorcerers came together and retaliated and the Kingdom wiped them all out. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the Kingdoms ever." Orla nodded slowly.
"Well done. For once lord Vestari it appears like you could actually learn something from this one." I could see Gerner fuming the rest of the lesson and when it was finally over he practically burst out of the room with Munny trailing beside him.
"How dare he? He just humiliated me in front of everyone!" He roared to Munny who was watching him with a surprisingly sympathetic gaze. "Imagine it, a little street rat knowing more about the Houses of the Kingdoms then a nobleman." He suddenly spotted Kahlil exiting and stepped forward to cut him off.
