We The Kings: Book Two

Chapter 5

"What do you mean?" I clenched my fist.

"You mean, you don't know?"

"Tell me."

"In the past months, your kingdom had fell. Everyone thought you were dead. You and your parents, along with the Queen. The king of Vendov announced himself as the king. That Lafayette was his now. There were many loyal to you, myself included. We fought and fought. But they had a dragon. There is a man who rides the dragon for the Vendov king. He  torched our towns, and anyone who defied the Vendov king. Many died protecting Lafayette. Some fled. I managed to get away. He's also getting other kingdom's to surrender to his will." She explained.

"They're creating an empire." I said.

"Pretty soon with enough of an army and a dragon, they'll take over everything. One, massive kingdom under his rule. Four of the nine kingdoms have already joined his empire. Salkon, Lafayette, the Mullis Islands, and Vendov himself. He's coming for the rest I'm sure. There's no one to stop him."

"He's awful! He uses fear to control people. Other kingdoms just bowed down to him?"

"No, some tried to resist. He just used his dragon to persuade them otherwise. The good rulers spared their people and just surrendered. The brave rulers tried to fight, and had failed."

"I'm going to take back my kingdom. I have to. He can't take over the entire world!" I slammed my fist down on the wooden table.

"Your majesty, with all due respect, they have a dragon."

"They do have a dragon. I will find something stronger. I need you to train me. I believe that's the first step. Teach me how to fight."

"I know people who fled, people who will follow you into battle once they learn their king lives. But I will only get them when you are ready. Doing otherwise could would get them killed."

"So you'll do it?"

"I can't deny my king." She said.

"Thank you." I said appreciatively.

"I planned on leaving tomorrow to Naporia, my sister lives there, and Vendov hasn't claimed it yet. It will be safer there for both of us, especially now that I'm going to train you."

I agreed. We rode out in the morning. She took what she could with her before abandoning her home. She was at great risk being who she is, let alone helping me.

The ride around a week. But we ended up in Naporia, it was neighbors to Lafayette. It was small, but well protected. They knew the Vendov king was coming. Johnny's sister went to the wall and granted us access. The town was a decent size. Several taverns and stores filled the town square. Her sister was very kind to me. She lived in the middle of the town. Johnny took me away from town in a field for training immediately.

"First, we'll start with weaponless fighting." She tossed the swords and bows aside.

"You think we should start without weapons?" I said.

"Yes. Fighting without weapons is the very last resort, but you need to know how to do it. So put it down."

I set my weapons down on the ground. She began to teach me how to kick, punch, and dive properly. I was getting the absolute shit beat out of me. She continued to knock me down flat on my ass.

"Get up. Try again. Hit me." She said. Her fists up. I tried to swing at her and she dodged and kicked me, knocking me to the grass once more. She hit me right in the face, giving me a black eye.

I laid on the ground clenching my eye.

"Can you lighten up a little? I think you messed up my eye." I said, clamping my hand around my eye.

"Lighten up? Do you think the Vendov king or his dragon boy will light up when you ask? No. Get up.
Never stop getting up. Ever."

I pushed myself off the ground to try again. She was tough and continued to hand my ass to me. The sun began to set late that night.

"We'll go again tomorrow at sunrise. I'll teach you how to dodge tomorrow."

"Why didn't you teach me that today? That could've been useful." I said, my hand over my eye.

"This is how Daniel learned too. You have to get hurt first before you can learn how to fight. The taverns are open if you need something to wash down the pain. Just don't get recognized. See you tomorrow, bright and early."

I took her suggestion and went to the nearest tavern. The town was lively and bright. They didn't seem to have too much fear, unlike the remains of Lafayette. Everyone had been in a genuinely good mood. Bar patrons drank and laughed, there was even a group of people playing instruments for everyone's entertainment. I sat at the bar counter and ordered a drink of ale.

"You look beat." Said a man's voice. I looked over to see a handsome man around my age. His jaw was sharp, he was clean shaven. His skin was dark, as were his eyes.

"Yeah, rough day." I said. I asked the barkeep for a cold cloth for my eye.

"Let me buy you your next drink." He offered.

"That's really nice of you. Thanks." I said, as the barkeep gave me a pouch of ice and my second drink.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Lee. And yours?" I lied without hesitation.

"Benjamin. I work at the store across the road. I don't think I've seen you here before."

"Just moved here. I work in the mines." I said, sipping my drink.

I didn't understand what his intentions were. He was strangely interested in what I had to say. Was he onto me? Did he know who I was? Perhaps he was a spy for Vendov.

He kept talking to me. I thought he was trying to get information out of me. I was baffled. We continued to drink, my brain began to feel a bit fuzzy. But I ensured to keep my identity a secret. It was the first time I had been drunk before, it felt like the room was spinning, yet not. I felt relaxed and confident. I learned about him. He was a year older than me, and his favorite food was pudding. I was even telling Benjamin a joke. It was pleasant.

"That's really funny, I haven't heard that one." He said with a drunken laugh.

"Thank youu, I try." I took another chug, finishing my last drink of the night.

"Do you wanna get out of here?"

"And go where? It's late."

"I live above the store in town. My parents are usually there, but they're out of town this week."

"What would we do? You wanna play chess or something?" I asked.

"Chess?" He laughed. He thought I was joking.

"Oh, you were for real. I just felt like you'd be interested. But if not I understand." He tilted his head down.

It took me a moment to piece it together. He was interested in me? With my bloody lip and bruised eye. I never thought it would be possible. I gently laughed.

"Yeah, I'm interested. I didn't know it was this easy to find men like me."

"Men who like other men? It's not necessarily easy, but there's more out there than you think." Benjamin explained.

"How could you tell? That I liked men?"

"Just a feeling I had. Do you still want to go?"

I nodded and we left to his place. I was a tad nervous, but after the five drinks I had, I felt invincible.