Chapter 14 A Bundle of Bafflement #2
A low, throaty sound drew Thomas’s attention as Wixim poked his head out of the cave.
The dragon was staring at him, which startled Thomas.
He hadn’t noticed the ancient beast’s arrival.
He was used to blending into the background and being unnoticed.
There was an air of wisdom around the ancient beast that made Thomas Julian internally squirm, no matter how much he tried to ignore it.
Wixim held Likon’s gaze, a most unnerving air of knowingness around him, but then the dragon turned and continued to make his way out of the cave without so much as another blink.
Thomas let out a shaky breath.
Soon. Soon it would be over, and one way or another, he would finally be able to exist in peace.
★ ★ ★
“A bit of a wider footing… There you are!” Captain Taylor cajoled.
A sweeping arch of a wooden sword through the air was met with an encouraging whoop from the sidelines.
It was a beautiful summer day, and Antony was receiving some
rare attention from the captain of Daxaria’s military to work on his sword training. The boy smiled for the first time in what felt like weeks.
Before she’d left, the queen had taken on the task of educating her sons in swordsmanship, but since she had been in Zinfera, their studies had fallen to the wayside.
Antony reset his feet, intending to repeat the move he had just executed, when a knight rushed forward.
“Pardon me, Captain Taylor, but His Majesty and Lady Mackenzie are requesting your presence.”
“Ah. Excuse me, Your Highness.”
“We only just started!” Antony called dejectedly, the tip of his wooden sword falling to the dirt.
Captain Taylor smiled apologetically. “It may only take a moment. Mind continuing to practice what I just showed you?”
Antony’s lips pressed together.
He battled against complaining. He’d been told time and time again that things were very busy for his father’s council, and with his mother away, things were especially tough.
So he didn’t say anything.
Even though his throat tightened.
The captain was already striding out of the training ring, leaving Antony alone with his training dummies as the knights around him worked on their own.
He stared down at the ground. What was the point in learning swordsmanship?
It wasn’t like they were going to let him be king, anyway.
Even if he wanted to become the captain one day, wouldn’t Daxarian citizens have a problem with that as well as it was a position of power over humans?
It was all confusing, and it made him angry.
The pleasant breeze that had been weaving its way over the ring strengthened, and the wispy clouds above started to thicken. Antony could feel tears starting to burn his eyes. He didn’t understand what was going on, and the grown-ups didn’t like answering his questions.
Maybe he should just run away. It wasn’t like he was that important anymore, anyway.
His own father barely had time for him or his brothers aside from bedtime.
During the day, the only people they really got to talk to were their teachers.
Grandpa tried to see them at breakfast, but he was worried about Grandma…
And Uncle Tam was gone.
The temperature in the ring continued to lower as the clouds above let out an ominous rumble.
A few of the knights near Antony turned their sights to the sky in confusion. But then one of them glanced at the prince.
“Your Highness? Are you…”
“I’m fine!” Antony snapped.
A crack of thunder that sounded like it shattered the sky rang out, making the earth tremble.
The men all took a step back, and Antony felt more wretched than ever.
Barely swallowing past the lump in his throat, he turned on his heel and hurried over to the exit to the training ring, his ears burning.
He’d run away.
He’d hide. Then he wouldn’t get upset and make it rain anymore.
Maybe he’d come back once his ma was home.
“Hey, Antony!”
He’d just set foot on the bottom step of the castle when he heard Charlie’s voice. Looking over his shoulder, he saw both Charlie and Asher bolting toward him, coming from the direction of the kitchens. “Hey,” he said glumly when his brothers skidded to a halt.
“We were going into the forest to play dragon and knights! Want to come?” Asher asked brightly.
“We heard thunder, though, so maybe we can play in the greenhouse!” Charlie suggested, turning his grin to his oldest brother.
Antony’s grip on the handle of his wooden sword tightened. He debated not telling his brothers his plan, but… something Uncle Tam had told him ages ago sprang to his mind.
Your brothers are your first friends. Hang on to them as best you can. Listen to them and make sure they listen to you.
“Hey… Charlie? Asher?”
“Yeah?” Both Charlie and Asher tilted their heads in an identical manner as they answered in unison.
“I’m gonna run away. Want to come?”
Charlie and Asher paused in surprise.
Antony felt his heart slam against his chest. They were going to tell on him. He just knew it! Then he’d have to hear a lecture from his grandpa and father about—
“Sure! You pack our clothes, Asher gets the food, and I’ll go make up a story to tell Grandpa Norman about why we’ll miss dinner!” Charlie plotted seamlessly.
All at once, relief and gratitude swelled in Antony’s chest.
He struggled not to cry as a comforting warmth seized him. “I’ll… I’ll also steal some maps so that we… so we know where to go.”
“How about Sorlia? It’s the most fun!” Asher crowed delightedly.
Charlie grinned. “And if the grown-ups catch us, we can just say we were moving before them to help! We’re supposed to go there anyway, right?”
Antony couldn’t help but smile back at his brother. “Right.” He then looked to Asher. “Don’t just steal cookies for this, okay? We need meat and bread. Cheese! Maybe apples.”
Asher’s mouth pursed in displeasure and vexation. “But some cookies, right?”
“Some,” Antony agreed with a nod.
Then Antony put his hand on Asher’s shoulder. Charlie put his hand on Antony’s, and Asher put his on Charlie’s.
It was their secret way of agreeing on a plan before breaking up to see it through.
The three boys nodded to one another, and then, without another word, they all marched off to complete their tasks, not once doubting that this was a spectacular plan.