Evermore

Chapter 3 - The Plan

       Later that week both groups had quickly settled into their roles and made their permanent spots for the foreseeable future. The separate sides had stuck to the training of their own soldiers and both had little interaction with on another. This division could be felt in the air around the camp. The dark and the light eager to jump on any chance to rile one another up or catch then with their guards down. The hundreds of years of history between the opposing sides was scarcely forgotten overnight.

     Donovan surveyed the soldiers setting up the training grounds in the valley below in the forest clearing. He turned back to the post he was slamming into the ground. They had worked diligently in the last week to ready the camp for living and training in the face of uncertainty. Donovan was eternally grateful for their loyalty, although his stoic features would never let them know it. However his subjects did not need a production. They knew the gratefulness of their prince. It was an unspoken bond between brothers. Donovan drove the piece of wood into the ground to create a corral to keep the horses both countries had brought in one spot. As Donovan went to get another post to pound into the rich soil he ran into a wall of flesh.

"Your highness," the manly voice offering no apology. The voice belonged to a tall, slender man whom looked like he had been plucked out of the sun. His very tanned skin had been sun kissed as well as his black hair. This was opposite of how it was in Actros. If he had lived in Actros, the hair would be a deep dirty color, but since he was a golden knight he shone like the sun. Donovan looked quizzically at this man, whom had disrespected him not once, but twice in the last 30 seconds.

"No offering of an apology to a royal member? I could have you beheaded glitter boy," said Donovan to the skinny man. "How does one yield a sword when his arm could fit in my hand?" Donovan dug into the man and smiled smugly after. Donovan knew that this man was of importance based on the robes he was wearing, but could not resit jabbing the man a peg lower. However, the man did not show any emotion besides defiance as he retorted to the prince.

"If you had me beheaded, the queen would use it as a just reason to invade your country" a smug smile crept up in his face "...again." His smile then displayed his shiny white teeth.
"I am Alaric, the queens high advisor and commander of the Golden Knights," He said "Plus I would enjoy it if you left my head on as we have much to discuss. This is why I came to find you. The queen requests your presence at dinner this evening."

The man turned to leave before he got an answer from Donovan. "The first meal will be served just after sundown, and may I advise you pay a visit to the bath before." He said with disgust as he eyed Donovan's dirty hair and body from the long grueling day of fencing. Donovan could feel the steam pour from his ears as he drove the next fence post into the ground more aggressively than before.

----

Donovan and Bowen approached the large tent that had been set up for the queen and her advisors. It was tan with flags draped down from the peaks. This tent was easily double the size of Donovan's tent. He tried to pretend it did not bother him, but his masculinity wanted to care about it.

"Enough room you think?" Bowen joked with Donovan.

"Not nearly enough room for all her concubines in my opinion." Donovan retorted.

It brought out a deep chuckle in both of them as they entered the monstrosity of the tent. The room was warm, not in temperature but in colors. It was almost overwhelming for Donovan, whom was used to and preferred the mundane colors of his homeland. The rooms was draped in reds, oranges, pinks and golds. He wondered how much it cost to furnish the lavish space and thought to himself how utterly unnecessary the display was. A long table greeted them, but there was only four chairs seated around it. A small servant girl came up to meet them.