So I had to kinda cut my story down, drastically. It would have been really long. So I'll keep adding more and more to it. Via the comments section. lol So this part you are about to read is the last scene of the story. It is going to kinda give way to spoilers but oh well.
He pulled on the reins on his horse as the castle came into view. “Well, there it is.” He announced enthusiastically. Erin pulled up behind him.
“Are you ready for this?” She asked.
“Let’s go.” Determination had settled deep into his soul as he learned the truth of his brother’s murder.
He dismounted his horse and helped Erin off hers. It felt weird to call her his wife. He had gone so long in his life insisting that he would never marry again and yet here he was, less than a week after losing Harry and meeting Erin, he was home again with his new bride. They both had lost so much.
A stable boy took their horses as he took Erin’s hand in his and led her through the familiar halls. How weird it will be to roam them without Harry by his side. He opened the door to the throne room and stepped in. His father sat on his throne surrounded by advisors and their captain of the guard, Trillian. Silence fell upon the room as Ashton and Erin walked forward. Ashton couldn’t discern his father’s emotion by the look in his eyes.
“Ashton, my son!” His father stood and opened his arms.
“Would everyone in the room excuse us, please?” He had asked it but it was more of a command. Everyone bowed and left. Ashton stopped Trillian and quietly put a piece of paper in his hand as he walked out. His father dropped his arms and sat back down and Ashton wondered if his father had figured it out just as he had done.
The door shut and the three of them were alone in the room.
Ashton shook his head. “I traveled all the way here going through the precise words I would say to you. And now I am standing before you I just can’t find the right ones.” He paused and let his head fall. “How could you do this to me?”
His father sighed and Ashton looked back up. “How could you do that to Harry, to your own son?” He bit off the words as he let go of Erin’s hand and stepped forward.
His father sighed and Ashton looked back up. “How could you do that to Harry, to your own son?” He bit off the words as he let go of Erin’s hand and stepped forward.
“Sacrifices had to be made.” He was echoing the words of the fallen officer from the attack.
“So you killed your own son? For what? What could that possibly do for you?” He was raising his voice. Trillian had to hear this.
“I did it for you!” His father’s tone matched his.
Ashton stepped back, stunned. “What?”
His father slumped, as if weary from the stress of his decision. “Oh Ashton, you and i both know Harry would never amount to a great King that you would be.” Ashton forever knew he was the right heir to the throne and Harry never argued with that. He was content to stay the younger brother. Content to live in his brother’s shadow. Although Ashton made every attempt to make him equal.
His father took a deep breath. “Harry was determined to make Princess Erin his bride. I tried to sway his mind but there was only so much I could do. It was a logical choice for him. But I knew what that would mean for you and the law. The law states that the married son is heir above the son without a wife. Ashton, if Harry were to have married Erin, you would no longer be heir and the day I died, Harry would have to be King and I could not let that happen.”
“So you had him killed?” Hearing the words come from his own father’s lips stung his heart like a thousand bees.
“I did what I had to do for my Kingdom. I am their King.”
“You were also his father. Harry could have been a great King. I would have taught him. I would have made it work!”
“Some day, son, when you are King, you will understand.”
“I pray that day of enlightenment will never come.” He had enough. “Trillian!” He called out. His father’s eyes widened as the door opened and Trillian stepped in with guards close behind. “Did you hear that?”
“Yes, my liege.”
“And who do you serve?”
“How dare you.” His father muttered, spittle flying from his lips in rage.
“I serve you, my King.” Trillian bowed to Ashton and the guards followed suit.
“This is an outrage. I AM KING.”
“Not anymore.” Ashton took out his sword. “I order you to step down and relinquish your kingship. I am now King.”
His father stood, clenching his fists. His white knuckles popped out. He took the steps down from his throne.
“Remove your crown.”
His father slowly shook his head. “No, I will not be made a mockery.”
“You have done that to yourself. Now remove your crown.”
“No!” The arrogance and pride boiled into rage as his face turned red. “I will not!”
Ashton clenched his teeth as he looked away. With one swift motion he sliced his sword through the air. His father’s body went limp and fell to the floor. He heard the head roll away. Erin had quickly turned around and for her sake, he prayed her eyes had missed his action. It was bad enough that it had been her who had found the massacre, who had found his brother dead and he near death.
He his back on his father’s corpse. No, it was not his father. A father wouldn’t have his own son killed. No, he was turning his back on his corrupted King.
Trillian bowed to a knee. The rest of the men followed suit.
And so began the reign of King Ashton the first.
Part One :
ReplyDeleteHarry fiddled with a twig as he sat on the fallen log. The trees moaned in the wind. Even from this distance, Ashton could smell the salty sea air from their seaside home. His younger brother snapped the twig and threw it to the ground. He stood up and threw his hands in the air. “Well, speak!”
Ashton had been biting his tongue when his brother surprised him with the news. “I am very happy for you.” He finally blurted out, most likely not with the correct tone of voice. Harry did not look pleased.
“Well thank you brother, your support is overwhelming to me.” He rolled his eyes and stormed off.
Ashton sighed as he ran after him. “Harry, I am sorry. How else should I take the news? This is all so sudden and unseen.”
“Well, It just sort of happened and I do believe this will be a good thing.”
“Marriage is never a good thing.” Ashton scoffed.
“For you maybe not but for me, I think I could be very happy with her.”
“Think?” Ashton was unconvinced.
Harry dropped his shoulders and cocked his head to the side with a look in his eyes telling Ashton to calm down. Harry had a knack for calming high tense situations. It would help Ashton when it came time for him to accept the throne from their father.
“Harry, is this what you truly want?” He asked as he placed his hand on his little brother’s shoulder.
“Yes.”
“Then I am very happy for you. When is the wedding?”
“I leave in three days. Father will leave in four or five for the wedding. I must go early to prepare.”
Ashton felt the air get knocked out of him. “So soon.”
A hint of nervousness skidded across his brother’s face. “Yeah…” His voice and eyes trailed off. Ashton fought hard to keep from laughing.
Part Two :
ReplyDeleteAshton kicked his horse to catch up to Harry. Two days to ride to Harry’s princess was taking too long. One of their men pulled on his reins as he approached them. “We are nearly their, your highnesses.” He turned back around and rode a few feet ahead of them.
“Have you met her before?”
Harry nodded, some color came back into his face. “She’s quite beautiful. She seems soft and caring. Although, we haven't had much of a chance to speak. I hope we can during the preparations.”
“Oh, you shall have plenty of time to speak with her.”
The sound of men yelling surrounded them and suddenly Ashton saw their attackers. Twenty or thirty men had surrounded their small band of ten. Ashton pulled out his sword and charged at their attackers. Two of his men were already dead on the ground by the time Ashton had taken down five. They were not expecting something like this. Ashton spotted their leader, an officer by the looks of him. He turned his horse around and began to ride off.
Ashton made eye contact with Harry who had seen the officer. Harry nodded and Ashton took off after the man. He charged his horse after him, galloping at high speeds to catch up. He closed the distance and pulled up his sword, ready to swing when the sound of an arrow pierced his ears. His horse shrieked and fell the ground sending Ashton flying through the air. He hit the ground and rolled several feet before he came to a stop on his back, gasping for air. He rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up enough to watch the rider disappear into the trees. Air finally returned to his lungs as he regained his strength. He stood to his feet, taking in a deep breath.
The sound of the battle behind him slowly died as he could hear only one set of swords clashing against each other. His heart beat wildly as he heard his brother yell. “Ashton!”
Ignoring the pain in his leg from the fall he ran with all his speed back to his brother. He had left Harry with five men and he now came upon only his brother and one of their attackers. He leapt over a fallen man and with utter despair, he watched the sword cut through his brother. Harry fell to his knees and slumped over. Ashton screamed as he thrust his sword through the back of the last attacker. He pulled it out and let the body fall. He dropped his sword to the ground as he fell to his knees beside his brother, cradling his brother’s head in his arms. Blood trickled down from the side of his mouth as he struggled to breathe. Slowly his body stopped moving.
“Harry…” He whispered as a tear fell down his face.
Part Three :
ReplyDeleteSuddenly he was thrown back as an arrow hit his shoulder. The pain rippled through his body. Blackness overtook him as if a light was being lit and snuffed out, back and forth.
He heard voices and struggled to open his eyes. Two men, the officer he had chased and another man stood nearby.
“All dead sir.”
“You idiot! You weren’t supposed to kill them all.” Ashton heard a hand slap the back of the other’s head. “There was one...” His voice trailed off as he watched the man scour the bodies.
Ashton fingered his sword beside him, little strength was returning.
“Find the prince. I’ll have your head if he is dead.” The scrawny man moved about from corpse to corpse checking for he or his brother. They could only be looking for Harry. Harry was the one who was expected. Ashton volunteered to accompany him last minute. He stopped at Harry. “The young one is dead.”
“Good. Where is the elder?”
“Here.” He snarled as he stood over Ashton. His breath reeked of fish.
“Is he dead?”
He leaned closer. Ashton grabbed his sword and thrust it up through the shocked little man. He stood up as the man fell and pulled his sword out. He pointed it at the officer as he walked forward, his left arm hung beside him, limp.
“Who are you?”
“Sacrifices must be made, my King.” He nodded his head in a respectful gesture. In one shockingly swift move the officer took out a dagger and fell upon it, quickly ending his life.
Ashton stepped forward, arm extended. “No!”
The scene before him began to tilt and he fell into blackness.