A voice — was it his father's voice? Never had he heard his father speaking with such anger...
"You failed! You fell asleep and allowed enemies for walk right past you in the forest! You continued to sleep while they climbed the castle walls and entered our very courtyards, killing as they rampaged on into what should have been our sanctuary.
"You are no longer to be called my son! You, Fredrik, are hereby untitled! No 'prince' is to be added to your name! I call upon my counselors to pronounce the duration of your punishment."
Fredrik felt himself to be in chains. He bowed his head, knowing he was guilty. He had slept on guard duty.
Condemning voices of his father's advisers swam in his head like venomous snakes...
He could see them, feel them, hear them...
The verdict came...
"You shall hereby walk on all fours; you shall be like the chittering, chattering creatures of the forest... you shall be the color of burning red! Do you have anything to say before you go to your punishment?"
"How long, Father?"
"I am no longer to be called 'Father' by you! You are Untitled! Your name is Untitled..."
Fredrik cried out, "Oh, Sire, forgive me; is there anything I can do to redeem myself?"
The king turned to his counselors asking "What say you, my most wise men?"
Drawing together in a circle, the advisers discussed whether there should be an allowance for Fredrik to redeem himself, what the conditions of his redemption should be...
After what seemed a long time, the chief adviser spoke, "We hereby declare that if the young creature to be known as 'Untitled' can prove himself to be brave, diligent, loyal and worthy of his title, worthy to be called the son of our revered king, then he shall be restored to his position of Crown Prince. We give this creature, twenty days to redeem himself or he will forever remain the foolish fox of the forest!"
The king spoke, "Go now, and work to undo all that you have caused and all that you have done! The king has spoken."
Fredrik felt fastened to the floor; unable to move.
Beckoning a quad of guards, the king said, "Send him on his way, out into the forest."
The guards each took a torch from the wall and pointed them at Fredrik who backed away. As the guards advanced closer, he wriggled backwards until he found himself at the open doors of the throne room. Turning, he yelped as one of the guards set his tail on fire.
How fast he ran! —how quickly he arrived at a stream in the forest, jumping in to quench his burning red fur.
Paddling downstream in the cool waters, he wondered how, when and where would it be possible to achieve bravery, diligence, loyalty and worthiness. Was it even possible?
YOU ARE READING
Untitled Prince
RandomCrown Prince Fredrik is judged "untitled" due to his continued laziness and reckless pranks - he has just twenty-one days to change and become worthy from bravery and diligence. In the form he is changed into, will this be possible? This work is d...
