Dueling Kingdoms - Part 4

The young knights were exhausted, dripping in sweat and famished as Kris easily fought each of them, barely breaking a sweat as she smirked at their weakness to herself, careful not to let anyone see. Kris began dismissing the young knights to rest and eat for lunch, when she was interrupted by a fully suited knight, sword drawn. The young knights seem to recognize the armored knight, and instantly knelt down keeping their eyes to the floor. Kris on the other hand, rose, as if challenging the armored knight to speak. “Come to join us?” Kris smirked, unimpressed. The knight had strong plated armor. The mask of his helmet covering his face. “I’ve come to test your might, Krisanthanese.” “I don’t respond to that name.” Kris snipped with anger, “Why don’t you take off your helmet and show yourself. Or are you always this cowardly?” Kris retorted, the young guards quietly gasping and glancing upwards to see what the knight would do. The armored knight sheathed his sword, placing his hands on either side of their helmet and as the golden locks of Coy’s hair unfurled, Kris was all the more eager to engage in a skirmish. “Ah, Coy.” “That’s Prince Coy to you.” “Call me as I requested and I’ll do the same.” Prince Coy smirked, “You know, I see why my brother is so fond of you, Kris.” He hissed my name with a petty grin. “Your ability to push the envelope on royal customs and norms is, well, admirable.” “At least I’m loyal.” “Loyal? You willingly came along with me, with addition of the Queen’s command of course. You call that loyal?” “I’m bound to the Queen, I do what she asks without question, yes.” Kris was confused by Coy’s questioning, as they began circling each other. “Ah, so you chose to follow a command, leaving your kingdom vulnerable without their most fierce knight. Most of all, you left your Prince, heir to the throne, heartbroken and in despair.” “I am simply a knight, one with great honor and skill. I am bound to the Queen, and I do not play with emotions, I have a task and I fulfill it.” “Yet, here you are, training the very kingdom that attacked yours. What loyalty?” “I have no choice.” “We all have a choice, Kris. I chose you because it was a deeper wound to my brother than any physical attack.” “What do you mean?” “The fact you don’t know is quite amusing.” “Out with it then.” “My brother is in love.” “Surely you don’t believe that Prince Roy is sabotaging his graces with Lady Helena and her father because he’s in love with me?” “It’s quite clear, and my cavalry scouts brought word this very morning that Prince Roy has vanished from his kingdom.” Vanished? Why would he leave our people? This agreement is about to get broken, or very very messy. “Ah, do you realize it now?” “I don’t believe you. Love breaks a warrior, makes them weak.” “Yes. Which is why you will be battling him upon his arrival.” My heart sank, as if completely leaving my body. It’s true I have feelings for Prince Roy, but I have trained myself to suppress them. “I’ll leave you to prepare, unless…” Kris stood in silence, her eyes on the floor, still in shock from Prince Coy’s command. “Unless, you agree to be arranged to me, to be my betrothed, and spare Prince Roy’s life.”

Kris was devastated. She grabbed her sword and stormed off into the local forest, where their knights and hunters trained. She found a hollow log, resting along the waters edge of the river that split the two kingdoms. Kris found herself sitting on the damp ground, leaning on the log and staring at the rippling water. How am I to choose? Do I fight Prince Roy? If I do, will I be the one to slain him, or will I let him slain me? Would he even have the strength to? Would I? We both always choose our people before each other, but in the moment, in the heavy realization of killing one another, who will have the most strength? If I am slain, Prince Roy will earn the battle right to challenge Prince Coy, and his father King Murphin. Yet, if I slay Prince Roy, I would betray my kingdom, and I’d be forced to remain with Prince Coy out of guilt and shunned by the Queen. Then there’s the other proposition, one that could potentially end the feud if what Prince Coy says is true. If Prince Roy is actually in love with me, and sees me betrothed to his brother, he would surely continue with the peace treaty, and yet, I still get shunned and hated by my kingdom, and I’d have to live with the pain of heartbreak. Either way, I lose. However, the less bloodshed, the better, for now however, I must rest.

______

Prince Roy and Nathaniel rode horseback down the trail leading to King Murphin’s kingdom. The two had been pushing their horses to get away from the kingdom, to avoid the other knights and Queen from recalling them. Once far enough down the trail, they slowed their journey. “Prince Roy, if I may speak frankly.” “Yes Nathaniel, you may do so.” “Do you see Knight Kris more than a friend? Forgive me if that’s too forward, but I must know your thoughts as I fight beside you.” Prince Roy wasn’t fully expecting Nathaniel to be so forward, but he was right. In order to fight properly alongside each other, motives must be shared. “Nathaniel, you must not speak of this to anyone. At least until I declare it publicly, should she accept.” “It’s quite clear that she loves you, but she respects you too much. I fear she will look for your best interest in place of her own. She’s loyal to our kingdom, and most of all to the Queen.” “As she should be Nathaniel.” Roy said with an endearing smile, admiring Kris’ character. “What of Lady Helena? She is quite smitten by you sire.” “Lady Helena bores me greatly, I’d rather rule out wedlock than have her as my betrothed.” “What say you Nathaniel? You know Kris as I, what do you believe?” “It’s not my place, but since you’re asking, I’d say you’re putting a lot of pressure on Kris.” Roy was silent, Nathaniel could be right, but he hasn’t seen the intimacy that flirts in our eyes, the small muscular quivers that only we’ve caught between ourselves. “Pressure comes with the territory of being a knight Nathaniel.” “Agreed sire.” Roy and Nathaniel continued along the path in silence, until the dark began to shadow the sun’s light. “Sire, we should camp out the night, continue in the morning.” “I fear you’re right Nathaniel.” And they set up their bedrolls and tied their horses to a nearby tree, setting up a fire to cook a hunted rabbit they snagged from the kitchen’s prior to leaving the kingdom.

______

Kris jumped as the leaves rustled unnaturally near her. “Who’s there?!” She demanded, wiping the tears that penetrated the dam she spent years building in her eyes. The leaves began rustling all around her, and for once, Kris felt off-guard. Slight panic rose in her throat as a lump she couldn’t swallow. “Oh Kris, my love. I’ve been looking for you.” She could feel the familiar sturdy hands around her waist, Roy’s low husky voice, tickling the small hairs on her neck. “Close your eyes! I have a surprise for you.” He said playfully, relief began to calm my mind, my muscles visibly relaxing, and although I knew I shouldn’t let him touch me this way, or speak to me so closely, I allowed it. I couldn’t fight anymore. “That’s it Kris, relax. Keep your eyes closed love.” Obeying his command, I stood, relaxed, eyes closed and fought the smile trying to creep through my lips. Before I knew it, it felt as though he moved in front of me, and then his lips brushed mine. His hands traveling up from my hips to my back and behind my neck, I returned his fervor with the same intensity. The kiss was deep, passionate, and intoxicating. My hand wrapped around his neck pulling the kiss deeper. As we parted and took our breaths, my eyes fluttered open. I was instantly pale, I felt all of the color drain from my body, my heart sinking once again to the depths of the earth. “Well, I don’t think you were complaining before.” As Prince Coy kept me pinned to him as I tried to writhe away from his arms. “Kris!” His sudden command and tone made me freeze as I was caught betraying Roy, the Queen, my kingdom. How could I not recognize Coy’s voice? I swore he was Roy! “You evil swine!” I spat, “Oh come now Kris. You enjoyed it, very much I might add.” “Shut up! You tricked me.” Coy quickly backed me into the nearby tree pinning me there with his arms, preventing me from leaving. “Admit you wanted more Kris!” “I thought you were Roy!” “Did you forget we’re twins?” Coy clearly amused, as he looked at me with eyes, much softer than ever before. “Why are you still here? You got me, so what.” “I think you deserve to know the truth Kris.” “The truth? Coming from the guy who pretended to be his twin so he could swoon and makeout with his knight.” “First, you assumed I was Roy, you never verified or asked, you simply responded to how you felt. Second, I actually came to talk.” Embarrassed and defeated, I folded my arms and shrugged “What about?” “First, I’d like to apologize. My parents really bring out the worst in me, and I feel I have to uphold my image of this tough guy in front of everyone. Fearless, relentless.” “You call this an apology?” “Look I’m sorry for how rough I’ve been with you, and rude. But I couldn’t risk being seen as soft before my father and his knights, they’d tear me apart.” Coy dropped his arms, allowing me to create space between us. “I thought, if I followed you out here, I could win your ear. Tell you what’s really going on between our kingdoms, and who you really are.” Was this more of his tricks? Was Coy simply trying to play with emotions? “What do you mean by ‘Who I am?’” Coy’s face was softened, as if he appeared sincere. “You may want to sit down, love, this is quite the tale.” “Fine, but I’m not your love.” Coy smirked, and we sat on the log as he began to the tale.

The Tale of Two Kingdoms:

“There once was two kingdoms, much like ours, feuding with one another. Our kingdom, before our parents separated, was fierce. We were feared among many as powerful and a force to be reckoned with. Our people flourished, economically sound, and well fortified. Until the other Kingdom, the Haus Kingdom, who was where your kingdom resides now, grew tired of being inferior. They negotiated with our parents for resources and knights to feel protected and unified. However, our parents were split on the idea. Our father denied their request, saying we’d be seen as weak for depleting our forces to help another. Our mother saw it as an opportunity to add to our riches. Gold and gems in trade for knights. The Haus kingdom had two fierce knights, and between all of the broken promises and negotiations between our kingdoms, they offered a peace treaty. They had already found undiscovered and unclaimed land on the other side of the mountain. They had begun to rebuild their kingdom, and asked our parents to allow them to live in peace, in trade for their only child, a beautiful baby girl, knowing she couldn’t be their heir due to the royal bylaws that the heir was to be a son, which they didn’t have. However, by giving away their daughter, it severed the future ties between their kingdom, and allowed them to live in pure peace. So King Murphin and Queen Grundel accepted the young infant, as the Queen was far along in her own pregnancy, one she was not expecting to be twin boys. When she gave birth to her sons, King Murphin declared the first son delivered to be his heir, the other, would never see the throne, and would be forced to live as a knight to the heir. The Queen however, believed the two sons should prove who deserved the title of heir, and over the first few years the disagreement between the king and queen grew to bitter hatred. Splitting the kingdom between those who sided with the queen, and those who sided with the king. The young girl they sheltered from the Haus Kingdom, was meant to serve the sons, and since the kingdom was split, she took the girl with her to their new kingdom. The young girl eventually grew to be a strong, fierce, and skilled knight, fulfilling her duties to the Queen. King Murphin wanted the baby girl to grow into a beautiful aristocrat and be arranged to his first born son, and serve alongside him in their kingdom. The Queen’s actions of taking her speared this generational feud. The King is fighting for his heir, while the Queen disparaged her resources so long as she had both the girl and her son, regardless of the losses the kingdom took. And so the bloody feud between Queen Grundel and King Murphin, grew between the brothers as well, severing their trust from one another."

Coy stated the tale plainly, without any persuasion tactics, it felt genuine. I could see the pain inside his eyes. “Do you understand now?” Prince Coy asked, pained by the story’s tale and the turmoil he’s been dealing with all these years. “I do, but…” “But you don’t know if what I’m saying is true?” “I’ve only seen you as a monster, as someone who breathed chaos and destruction.” “Oh, I could see why you thought that.” He said, unable to look at me, his head slumping into his chest, “But…” His head rose slightly, his eyes peering from the corner, “I’m starting to see a different side too.” Kris stated, a small smile pulling at the corner of her lips. She began to see the similarity between Roy and Coy as they both had a genuine side to them, it would take time to fully persuade Kris of Coy’s intentions. “Forgive me Kris, sincerely. I may not be Roy, but I promise you, there’s something between us. You were destined to be my betrothed, I may have a twin brother, but we are twin flames Kris, bound by destiny.” He was right that I enjoyed the moment beforehand, when I believed him to be Roy, but how could I be his betrothed? I’ve spent my whole life dedicated and devoted to the Queen, like the tale depicted. Could it be, that I’m royalty? A Princess?! “You are not just ‘Kris,’ you are Princess Krisanthanese Emerald Haus.” Prince Coy stated, proud, admiring my face as he said my full name but added the title, a title I never knew belonged to me until this very moment. Does Roy know of this tale? This destiny? If not, there is only one person who could confirm this, the Queen herself.

Prince Coy was visibly hurting, he only knew how to act on his pain through bloodshed, and if he could see another way, a way that held his authority yet even handedness, maybe there could be peace at last. Kris stood as majestically as she could, “Is there any proof of this tale?” “I’ll take you to the King myself. He will confirm your doubts, and I, well if you’ll accept, I will show you how a princess should be treated.” “If the King knows the truth of this tale, that I am to be your betrothed, a princess, why make me train the knights?” “Because your skillset is unmatched, and quite frankly, we could all take lessons from you, my love.” Coy stated, eager to prove the tale he spoke of was truthful, that they were bound by a royal contract between King Murphin and King and Queen Haus. “Please, we will go at once.” Although Kris still had her doubts, she followed Prince Coy back to the castle walls to speak with King Murphin.

Author’s Note:

Stay tuned for Part 5, authored by Rowan Finley! Click the link below to his profile and check out his other work as well! He is truly talented.