The King's Artist

Ch 14: Competitiveness

Henry and Adelaide's competition would have to wait. The two, having briefly forgotten the weather, vowed to test their horseback riding skills as soon as the sky cleared. In the mean time, though, the two gathered together for a meal consisting of bread and water and settled themselves in the dinning hall. The room by far was one of the largest of the castle with two fireplaces opposite one another burning away the chilling wind. Aside from the two of them the room was empty.

They ate in silence contemplating different things. Henry raked through his head for ideas on campaigning to allies for support against King Edward while Adelaide imaged painting with the new pigments she received from Asia, a gift from Henry's uncle.

"Arthur," Henry said through a mouthful of bread. "Do you think people would rally behind me more willingly if I had stronger connections than just Duke Francis?"

"Most likely," Adelaide said coolly as she flipped through the pages of her sketchbook. She took several sips of water as she nostalgically relived the paintings and drawings she had crafted.  

"Any ideas on how I could get more allies?" Henry pushed, slightly annoyed Adelaide wasn't paying more attention.

"Not sure," Adelaide responded with a yawn.

"You know," Henry began in irritation. "You could at least pretend to care about my endeavors to reclaim England."

"Too much work," Adelaide said with another yawn. "I'm too content living here to want to fathom a war that'll only lead be back to a country that I care nothing for. This battle is all yours Henry. Besides, I know nothing of battles and alliances so you really should be having this conversation with your uncle."

"Did someone mention me?" A voice said from the opposite side of the dinning hall. Henry and Adelaide both turned to see Jasper swaggering into the room with a large grin on his face. They both stood in greeting and made room for him to sit. Adelaide moved to sit by Henry while Jasper sat across from them. "So what have my favorite nephews been plotting?"

Adelaide smiled at the plural use of nephews while Henry was sighing loudly.

"I'm trying to get Arthur a bit more involved in our plans of retaking England, but he seems entirely uninterested," Henry said motioning to Adelaide with an annoyed expression. Jasper laughed while Adelaide scowled.

"Well, Henry, Arthur not being involved is probably for the better. You and I have already been branded traitors by King Edward and if Arthur should ever desire a return to England, it would be easier for him if he wasn't targeted by the monarchy," Jasper said with a smile.

"Like Arthur wants to go back to England," Henry noted in irritation, not looking at Adelaide. She rolled her eyes and took another bite of bread before directing her attention back to Jasper.

"Have you happened to hear anything from the Duke lately?" Adelaide questioned. Jasper shook his head solemnly. "Do you think something has happened to him?"

"It's hard to say. We haven't had a messenger arrive in quite sometime, but I do not think it's something too serious to worry about. It is likely the Duke just didn't wish to risk a man's life delivering a letter in this sort of weather." On cue, a powerful gust of wind beat against the winds of the dinning hall causing Adelaide to jump. Henry burst into fits of laughter at Adelaide's temporary startlement while Jasper smiled in amusement. 

"Oh, and Uncle Jasper," Adelaide said over Henry's laughter. "Who do you believe is a better horseback rider out of Henry and I?"

"Oh, I would have to say you Arthur," Jasper responded. Henry's laughter immediately ceased and he glared in betrayal at his uncle.

"He is not better than me," Henry defiantly refused. "I have been riding a horse since I was a child. There is no way someone with less than, what, six years of experience, would be better than I."  

It was Adelaide's turn to start laughing now.

"I would have to disagree, Henry," Jasper said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Certain people are just more talented than others. Arthur has a natural proclivity for horseback riding. It is the same thing with his talent in painting. Your strengths lie elsewhere, I'm afraid."

"Hear that, Henry?" Adelaide baited, her eyes taking on a mischievous quality. "Everyone has their talents."

"You are not better than me," Henry practically growled at Adelaide. The action should have been intimidating, but Adelaide found the whole situation rather amusing and broke out into fits of obnoxious laughter once again. Henry's face was slightly red as he tried to control his temper. Standing angrily, Henry grabbed his bread and stormed form the dinning hall with his back hunched. A laughing Adelaide said goodbye to Jasper before hurrying after Henry.

"Does it really bother you that much?" Adelaide asked, finally having got her laughter under control and having caught up to Henry successfully.

"Well, think of it this way," Henry said moodily. "What if someone came up to you and told you that I'm a better artist than you? That my pictures are loads better than yours. How would you feel about that?"

"I would probably feel annoyed," Adelaide said with a small smirk as she watched Henry. "But it's not really that deep, Henry, I think you're taking it too seriously."

"I can't help it," Henry stated stubbornly. "I'm competitive."

"Now that's an understatement," Adelaide whispered to herself, still smirking.

"I'm telling you, as soon as this weather lightens up, you and I are going horseback riding and I'm gonna prove to you and my uncle that I'm better at it," Henry promised, pointing a hand at Adelaide.

"Whatever you say, Henry," Adelaide said trailing behind him.

Henry didn't notice the adoration and love in Adelaide's eyes as she looked at his back, following him with a soft smile on her face. Adelaide, too, didn't notice how lovingly she was gazing after Henry.

Kayden, however, did.