by Ian Carter
"As you command, Your Highness," Mason replied enthusiastically. He sheathed his Blade and walked over to Nico before placing his hand on his shoulder and gripped it tight. "Well, shall we?"
Nico, dumbstruck at what had just happened, suddenly snapped back to attention and moved towards Kai while raising his hand. However, Mason strengthened his grip, pushed him back into his original spot, and gave him a swift head shake. Nico, dejected and upset at how bad his day had become, reluctantly led Mason away and disappeared around a corner. Kai placed his hand on top of Mari's head.
"Come on, let's go back to the castle. Your new home." Kai raised Mari and himself to their feet, and Hayleigh escorted her new chambermaid and her prince down the road and out of sight.
Chapter Two
When The Levee Breaks
Kai preferred his chambers sparsely decorated. Of the five paintings hung around the room, four were created by famous artists from around the kingdom. The one hanging above the head of his bed, however, was a mostly white canvas. Three small stick figures were drawn in red while a crudely drawn yellow sun sat in the top right corner. The painting was famous around the castle as the one Kai and Queen Annie did together just weeks before she died. Aside from the art, only several wooden dressers and cabinets that held his clothing dressed the walls. A small, ornately carved table and some chairs were near the open window, while another table held his armor.
Several birds sat on the outside half of the window's ledge as they chirped and sang in the early spring morning. The room itself was almost serene, with just whispers heard from the birds outside to accompany the faint crackle of the flames nestled in the fireplace in the bedroom's corner. The only proof of life in the room laid in the bed draped in sheets and a lavish blanket. The jumble of fabric raised and lowered, synchronized to Kai's calm breathing.
The opening ceremony for the Festival of Blades had finally arrived; A signature day for the Kingdom of Orilia. More specifically, a day of hope for the thousands of young men and women who would fight with an eye towards their futures.
A heavy knock rasped on the chamber door, which disturbed the rhythm beneath the covers on the bed. "Your Highness, I am entering," A voice called out from behind the wood. The sound of the opened latch softly echoed as Jensen shuffled himself out from behind the door. He glanced over and noticed the state of the bed and shook his head before he loudly closed the door behind him. He swiftly walked over to the bed and flung the sheets off the bed. "Rise and shine, Your Highness." As if commanded, Kai's eyes fluttered to life as his body now lay exposed to Jensen's displeasure.
"I told you, call me Prince Kai," he muttered as he sat up to rub the sleep from his eyes.
"As you wish, Prince Kai. I've arranged for your breakfast to be here shortly. The king has comprised quite the feast for you. He wants to ensure that you're in top shape for your spar this morning and the ceremony."
"Thank you," Kai managed to slip out before a yawn. "Is Rhea here today?"
"Sadly, I must report that Rhea is still unable to attend her duties, Prince Kai. The head herbalist will not allow anyone who has the smallest affliction near you so close to the Empyrean Tournament. Do not worry though. I have arranged for one of the castle Chambermaids to be here shortly to tend to you in her place," Jensen offered.
Jensen was Kai's longest-tenured assistant. Ever since Kai could remember, Jensen accompanied him everywhere he went around the castle. His weathered but gentle face made him look older than the mid-forties Jensen was. His hair had started to recede, but he still had enough grey and brown hair to style and look attractive. His brown robes were always neat and pressed, and his height was slightly less than Kai's. Despite his appearance, he was still in great shape as he had to often lug around Kai's equipment. His greatest strength wasn't physical, however. Kai admired him most because he always seemed to have the right thing to say.
"Oh. I see," Kai said dejectedly. "Jensen, were you told of what happened between Rhea and me on the day I brought Mari back to the castle?"
"I will admit there are very few things that happen in this castle that I do not know of, Prince Kai. If you serve royalty, you would best know how to put your ear to the ground."
"Do you think I did something wrong?" he asked.
"You did make her cry," Jensen answered. "You sent her away without letting her explain her actions. Young women are sensitive to the thoughts and wishes of the boy they like. She probably took your words directly to heart. Who wouldn't be upset by being shunned by the one they are enamoured with?"
"Ha. She didn't have to, she had orders from my father," Kai responded. "I don't want to accept feelings from someone told to be by my side."
"I can assure you beyond a doubt, Prince Kai, that His Highness never gave her such an order."
"What?" Kai was caught off guard from the revelation.
"Is it true she was instructed it was her job to make sure you recover from your spar sessions and attend to all your needs. She was never given direction to seduce you. I believe you know as well as I that she isn't that type of girl. Don't you agree?"
"I ... I don't know. I assumed that she was just being a good girl and obeying orders. I don't have much experience with women," Kai admitted.
"You cannot assume, Prince Kai. I have been around more than enough women who catch small, fleeting glimpses at the men they love. I can assure you that anything she does, she does out of genuine affection, and not because she was coerced or asked to do it."
"I made a mistake is what you're saying."
"I believe it is never too late to make amends and clear the air with the people you truly care about," Jensen answered.
An awkward silence fell upon the room as Kai thought on Jensen's words. As Jensen went about the chambers to attend his morning duties, Kai rose from his bed and did some light stretches without a spoken word. A knock on the door a short time later signalled that breakfast had finally arrived.
◆◆◆
The familiar clash of metal filled the air of the castle's massive second-floor balcony where many of the castle's chambermaids went about their daily tasks. Several of them lazily daydreamed and neglected their duties when Kai trained with Hayleigh and Mason. The women enjoyed the chance to glimpse a peek of the kingdom's next king in combat from behind the sheets and robes that gently flapped in the breeze.
Like clockwork, they would be found and chastised by their supervisors for displaying such a lax attitude. The chambermaids would begrudgingly go back to work earnestly, but the lead Chambermaids could hardly blame them. Chambermaids were often unwanted daughters of nobles or common girls. It was considered a luxury to have the prince's spars to serve as their late morning soundtrack. Even as they buried their heads in their work, many couldn't help but whisper and place friendly wagers on where Prince Kai would finish in the upcoming tournament.
"No! No! Prince Kai, watch your stance. You're leaving your left side completely open," Mason barked at Kai just as Hayleigh prepared to strike the targeted area.
"Mason!" Hayleigh called out as Kai moved his sword to block her attack just in time. "Why do you have to tell him everything I'm doing?"
"You have four years of actual combat with a Blade under your belt, give me a bit of a break here," Kai laughed. He leaped back to observe Hayleigh relax and ready herself. She sighed and cracked her neck before positioning her body.
"Fine," Hayleigh answered. "I'll play defense for a bit. Come at me with whatever skill you seem to think you have. Mason can't predict how I'll act on defense since he's never really seen me block many attacks. You're on your own."
Hayleigh was well known for being an offensive only fighter, whose Blade sought out her opponent. Her armor was well suited to this, with mostly heavy leather with minimal metal only to cover the most vital locations. Mason, as a defensive first fighter, had spent decades taking attacks from skilled Blades and knew what to do. Offense wasn't his thing.
"You hear that, Mason?" Kai
yelled. "No help."
"As you wish, Prince Kai."
With confirmation, Kai circled to his right, causing Hayleigh to do the same. Kai surveyed her as she did this and studied her armor. The metal riveted onto it covered her bust, the outside of her arms, and the outside of her legs. Kai figured this was to protect more from wild swings than from straight jabs with a weapon. Kai also zeroed in and noticed that she had metal covering her boots as well. Through all of their spars, Hayleigh always had a weird fixation on making sure that her feet were well protected. Even at the cost of other body parts. When he delivered strikes to her lower body, she would bark at him to watch her ankles and feet. Kai had always found this funny, but thankfully he would use it to his advantage today. He would defeat her in a single attack.
Kai launched himself at Hayleigh and raised his sword high above his head. He let loose a roar that could have easily been confused for one from a wild animal and swung down. Hayleigh easily blocked it and parried Kai off to her right, which caused him to trip and fall behind her. A healthy laugh escaped her lips as she turned around. "You're going to have to do more than yell like ..."
A stinging sensation filled her eyes and caused her to yelp. She took her free hand and attempted to check on her vision before feeling a hard whack on her left foot that swept her feet out from under her. Hayleigh fell backward to the ground hard, and the unexpected impact caused the air to escape from her lungs. As she struggled and moved to get up, a soft clank fell upon her ears. She managed to crack open one of her eyes, and through the dirt and tears, she saw Kai's sword as it rested on her breastplate. Kai stood over her in victory for a brief moment before he offered her his hand.
"What even happened?" Hayleigh groaned in a daze as she regained her breath. Mason appeared before her and offered her a chalice, which she accepted. She took a small sip from it before she dumped the rest over her eyes. She coughed and choked back the water before she grabbed a towel from Mason's outstretched hand.
"He beat you. I wouldn't say fair and square, but he beat you," Mason replied. "He screamed like a mad man to make you lose a bit of your focus on his moves and drop your guard. From there, after you parried his strike, he grabbed some dirt and threw it into your eyes to blur your vision and keep your focus off him. Then in a concise motion he took his sword's flat side and struck you on your ankle. You dropped, and Kai won. Short and sweet. You should be proud of him for taking you down so quickly."
"I figured with the protection you have on your feet, you could take a strike without being in much pain or get an injury," Kai explained slyly as he turned away from her. "Since you don't practice much defense, you wouldn't expect me to do something so underhanded."
"What? You cheated," Hayleigh spat angrily and threw the towel to the dirt. "First of all, I've told you around a hundred times not to hit me around my feet! Second of all, you Dirt Prince, you aren't allowed to use anything but a Blade in a duel! You're not always going to have some dirt to fling at your opponent, let alone have them fall for it. Plus, that really hurt! What would you do if you marked my face? You insol ..."
"Hayleigh!" Mason interjected. "You should know just as well as me that there are no prim and proper rules on the battlefield. You do what you need to do to survive. Rather than be upset, I think you should be praising our prince for his ingenuity and the quick thinking he showed."
Hayleigh stared dumbfounded at Mason. Her look turned from displeasure to rage as she eyed up Kai. She stepped forward and reached her hand back, which caused Kai to wince. Rather than hit him, she instead reached out her hand to Kai. "Well done ... I guess. But if you try that again, and you're dead before Mason has a chance to stop me."
"Ha! You got it, it was a one and done," Kai replied as he reached out his hand and shook. As their hands bounced, the chambermaids who had viewed the fight happily giggled and then went about their work in earnest once more. They gossiped about the recent showcase so loudly even Kai could faintly hear their voices. He took back his hand and sheathed his weapon. "How has Mari taken to the castle?"
"Very well, so far," Hayleigh answered as she sheathed her sword. "That Nico man was a pig and a scoundrel. That said, he taught her a lot of the basics of looking after someone. However, there is a lot to learn for a girl her age as far as etiquette goes. She has a great chance to be a real asset to me. We had a great talk last night about her progress and the training. Based on that, I think she is comfortable enough to keep moving forward. Though, I had to tell her she wasn't allowed to say thank you anymore. She kept saying it over and over."
"Well, I shouldn't have done what I did. I guess my emotions compelled me a little bit," Kai said as he dropped his empty glass on the refreshment table. "It's natural that she would be thankful for my act of grace."
"Oh, all right there, Humble Prince. Calm down," Hayleigh retorted. "You did what any decent human would have done in that situation. Don't get so full of yourself. Your selfless act just means your morals are where they should be in the first place. You still have much work left to be a king I can serve with pride." Her words stunned Kai slightly. He had saved a girl from being a prostitute for the rest of her life! The only reason he did it in the first place was because of the disdain on her face during the standoff. The least she could do was thank him properly.
"Whatever, I'm done for today," Kai let out with an annoyed tone. "I'm going back to my chambers to get ready for the opening ceremony. You two have respite until I am to leave the castle to go to the opening ceremonies. Goodbye." Kai turned and began his trek back to the castle, leaving his sharp words embedded in Hayleigh and Mason's ears. Once he had disappeared around a corner, Mason deeply exhaled.
"You need to be easier on him."
"No, he has it far easier than everyone else does," Hayleigh pointed out. "He needs people to be hard on him and make him realize that good behavior is not to be lauded but expected."
"You could still make that point without being so rough on him," Mason countered.
"Don't worry. I'm sure our Humble Prince has blown it off already as my typical attitude."
"You don't sound too broken up acknowledging you have an attitude," Mason pointed out.
"Why would I? A woman who can keep a man on his toes are the best kind," Hayleigh playfully winked before she headed off towards her quarters.
◆◆◆
Kai slammed the door to his chambers as he entered, and the sudden jolt caused Jensen to drop the table ornament he had been dusting. It shattered upon impact, and the fuss caused Jensen to briefly look to the chamber's roof before he looked in Kai's direction.
"Is everything all right, Your Highness?"
"I'm sorry, Jensen," Kai remarked as he placed his sword against the wall. He stopped and put his hands on his hips before resting his head gently against the wall. "Can you help me get my armor off?"
"At once," Jensen dutifully replied. A few awkward moments went by with only the soft sounds of Jensen unravelling string and leather straps to break the silence. Jensen slowed his movements ever so slightly and took a deep breath. "Is something wrong, Prince Kai? I am always here for you to confide in."
"You know of Hayleigh's new chambermaid Mari, correct?"
"I do indeed," Jensen replied as he unbuttoned Kai's right bracer. "As I said this morning, there is very little that happens in this castle that I am unaware of. But she is a great learner, and if you're worried about her, I assure you that her training is being conducted properly and swiftly."
"It's not about that. If you know about Mari, then you know how she got here then?" Kai asked.
"Yes, Prince Kai. It was a very valiant thing you did for that girl."
"Hayleigh made it seem like anyone in my position would have done the same thing. We both know more than a few nobles and other Blades who would have turned her over and been on their way. Hell, they may have even asked for a discount at Nico's establishment. As soon as I brought it up as something to be praised over, she immediately shut me
down. I don't know why she is so hard on me, what's with her?"
"I'm giving you a lot of girl advice today I see," Jensen began with a joke. "Young men usually do find confusion in how a woman acts towards them. When you, and I'm sorry to imply Prince Kai, have as little experience with the opposite sex as you happen to have, misunderstandings tend to happen. You often can't see where she is coming from, and you get frustrated that she can't see something so simple. The more you care about them, the quicker and deeper your disagreements tend to spiral. It isn't necessarily the fault of either of you. It's just a lack of knowledge and familiarity. Once you and Miss Hayleigh understand each other's personalities, priorities, and feelings a little better, you will find yourselves arguing less and less. You will begin bonding more as time goes on.