Heir to the throne,Don seeks freedom & gets more than he bargained for when he meets Mack |
Chapter One “And so that would imply…?” Donnotevi blinked, his gaze returning to his teacher. The man, bearded and sickly thin, looked on at the boy with little expectation. “Ah,” Donnotevi said, searching for the question in his memory. The older man sighed. “Boy, you are your mothers child.” He took a step away, bringing a hand to his forehead and massaging the wrinkles there. Donnotevi frowned at himself. “I just don’t see what good all this will do.” “Well, if there ever was such a mutany among our men, you would know where to look first. Assuming you paid attention to your fathers lectures. As it is, I suspect you’ll do poorly in such circumstances as the ones I’ve been preparing you for these past…how many days now? Four, that you’ve been distracted?” Donnotevi sighed, returning his sighs to the window. “The weather’s nice today. Good day for a flight.” His father stepped into his view, his face more disappointed than anything else. “Donno, when will you learn that your roots are here?” “I have no roots, father.” Donnotevi said with a smile, standing to meet him at eye level. “Otherwise I would make the perfect prince.” As the older man sighed, the younger took up his hand and stroked the skin comfortingly. “Alas, I am not.” “Enough,” He said, retrieving his hand and returning to his lecturing board. “I understand your opinions on becoming ruler of my lands and I disagree. And as I am current ruler it is my opinion that matters and so you will do as I say. When you are ruler, you may change that.” Donnotevi sighed. “Al is much better at politics than I.” His father sighed and, with a large inhale, tapped the corner of the lecturing board twice. The sentences, diagrams, and photos disappeared with a small whirring sound. The man shook his head. “Begone from me, whilst I think up a better way to imprint things upon you.” Donnotevi took a few steps, backwards, toward the door. He smiled. “As you said, I am my mother’s son. Imprinting anything upon me will be difficult.” His father huffed, but smiled and nodded with agreement as he himself went to the window and looked out. His son hesitated at the door, hand on the raised palm-sized button. “I’ll be going.” With a slight press the button collapsed on itself, and the door slid horizontally into a hollow in the adjacent wall. Donnotevi walked through it, and the door slid shut again behind him. It was a mood of glum mixed with relief in which Donnotevi walked through the corridors, past the many guards, and down a set of stairs, round a corner, through another hall—taking a left turn halfway down and opening a door in this path to his right. Once outside the walls, he looked up and took a deep breath. The ventilated city air was nothing like the crisp, albeit chilly breeze of the true world. But it was better than his father’s cologne. Donnotevi walked himself to a padded swinging bench, sat upon it, and rocked only gently with his feet, thinking. Alakhardo, his younger brother by three years, wasn’t better than he in the way of politics. He had three years left to grow. However, when Donnotevi were his brothers age, he knew much less than the younger did. Alakhardo had a simple knack for it, something that comes with a genuine and inbred fascination for any particular thing, like the way the farmers knew how their cattle were feeling. It was instinct. Intuition. Donnotevi lacked that. He wanted to be free of the walls, yes even the ones which covered the city and kept the days at a crisp seventy-three degrees during daytime. Especially those ones. Everything here was fake or modified. He felt…out of place. “Don?” Donnotevi lifted his hand, pointer finger raised. It was a sign of greeting, though a casual one. Alakhardo reached and pushed the hand away, taking a seat next to his smiling brother. “Aren’t you supposed to be in lecture?” The younger brother asked. “Did you sneak off on him again?” Donnotevi smiled. “Will you go and flap on me?” Alakhardo shook his head, and looked away. “I’m no flapper. At least not for you. Anybody else and I’d be off, telling everyone and their Mum who’d been skipping out on their school. But…I know this is different.” Donnotevi nodded. “He sent me away, as it were.” “Really?” Another nod. “I wasn’t paying attention, so I guess he thought I may as well go and be distracted elsewhere.” Alakhardo laughed, snapping his fingers. “I tell you, if I could get by with half the stunts you manage to pull of…Why I’d be a different man.” “Thank goodness for that, then. Without Mother around, Father can hardly handle one of me.” “That, and you can hardly handle him.” Donnotevit laughed, but only quietly. His brother knew him well. “Let’s go then.” Alakhardo said, standing and clapping his brother’s shoulder. “I’ve been meaning to rake my antlers. And I think I can say you’d like to get some stress off, too?” He smiled, standing and nodding. “That I would. A little stretch will do me nicely.” “What shall it be, then? I’ll let you call terms of brawl.” Donnotevi thought. “Illusion. I haven’t the focus for any conjurations.” Alakhardo blanched, laughing a little, and took a few steps away to leave the proper distance for a friendly brawl between them. “As though to suggest Illusion is easier to command than any other area?” “For me it is. Less body weight.” His brother scoffed. “Aw, well if that’s all there was I’d be much worse off.” “Ah, you’re already poor off.” Alakhardo clicked his tongue, only slightly insulted, and lifted onto the tips of his feet as smoke encircled him, thick dark and black. When a breeze blew it away, all that was left was an elk—young but energetic. Its head down, rack pointed at the brother, and front two legs up in the air, pawing at it. It bleated, and without giving the opponent time, charged. Donnotevi sidestepped but his brother followed the move easily, pivoting the elks head and bringing the horns close to his waist. Donnotevi paled a few shades, and shouted a foul word over his shoulder as he skittered away, turned his back to the elk, and leapt. Smoke covered him as well, blackening his sight and for the hairsbredth of a second, left him not only blind but thoughtless, too. The time felt like an eternity, but once it was over, the memory was only a moment long. The black crow had plenty of room to fall, catching lift under its wings before touching the ground and cawing while turning about. It shrieked a little, catching a point of the elks horns and from there, leaping away with a flurry of wing beats. The crow dove, twisted, maneuvered, and pecked mockingly at the elks back when it could. Power versus agility, but also younger versus older. Donnotevi never just let his brother win a brawl—that would teach him only half a lesson. And because of his merciless tendencies, the elk grew ever faster and learned to read the birds flights. It was getting harder for Donnotevi to out-wit his brother when they fought. The two romped, the crow at one point clawing onto the elks horns and, desperately though it was, hung on while the animal shook its head, reared, bucked, and ran in a quick circle. The last managed to throw the crow off who, mid-air, tried to regain balance but before he could manage, plopped into a basket filled with linens. “Oh!” He heard her gasp but when he lifted his head, it was covered by a cloth. He shook, trying to stand and get out of the laundry, but a pair of hands wrapped around him. As the cloth fell off he spotted his brother ahead, standing casually. He was set on the ground carefully, and turned his head around to see who he’d startled. It was a serving girl, with short black hair tucked away into a light blue top(term for a hat, much resembling a bonnet) with only a small strand poking out from her forehead. It touched her shoulders, and shined in the artificial light. She smiled. “Careful.” She said with a wink, gathering a piece of cloth from the ground and stuffing it into her basket. He turned to his brother, who snorted, and swirled with smoke. Donnotevi remained as a crow—one of his favored pass times. He hobble-hopped to his brother, who picked up the soft cloak he’d been wearing before the transformation. His nude body gleaned with only a slight sheen of sweat, and he draped the robe over himself wistfully. With a sigh, he picked up Donnotevi’s robe as well, and set it on the padded bench. “She likes you. Did you know?” Alakhardo said. The crow cawed, leaping up to the bench and burrowing comfortably under his robe. “Well I don’t have to ask her, it’s fairly easy to tell.” The young brother said, gesturing to her as she walked down the path, to the bathing house to wash the clothes. “She never walks with that much hip. Now look at her. Swaying and displaying.” Donnotevi did watch, but still shook his head at his brothers words. He released the illusionary crow, letting the smoke cover and blind him again. As a human once more, he relaxed and leaned back on the bench. “She’s just nice.” Alakhardo laughed loud and sarcastically. “And you’re just nobility. You need a lesson on women, too, it seems.” Donnotevi shrugged him off, and pushed his hand away with a smile. “Oh be off. You’ve music lessons to attend.” Alakhardo nodded, and took a step away. “You know it’ll be hard to find a good woman when you’re on the throne, so you should start to look now. But you knew that. Of course.” Alakhardo bowed low and flamboyantly. “Majesty…” He chuckled at his own joke, and turned to head back into their large house. Donnotevi sighed, but rested his head against the bench and sighed. His brother was right. Chapter Two Donnotevi sat in his sleeping chambers, again staring out the window. After ten minutes of solid concentration, he raised his left wrist and gave it a specific shake. “Command entry, new message.” The chips within his skin warmed a little, and projected a hologram around his wrist which listed all the contacts he had saved in one panel, with a blank panel next to it The blank panel flashed the command “relay transmission” until he began to speak. “House Keeper Pittahn to report to Donnotevi at the tunnel into the city, if available. Unburdened. End message.” He said with dignity. The blank panel filled with the words he spoke, the message “relay transmission” flashing. He sighed. “Command entry, send.” The panels both disappeared, and he got off his bed. At his wardrobe, he replaced the golden robe he wore for a light grey one, sliding his arms in and tossing one end of the robe around his waist, then the other in the opposite direction. He smoothed the edge down, letting the millions of tiny magnets seal the robe closed. Then he made his way out of the house and to the front of the estate, where a traincar sat empty in the lot, only an eighth of it outside the long and dark tunnel which led to the city. He stood there patiently for all of ten minutes before the servant girl arrived, walking along the stone path toward him. When she reached him at the train, Pittahn smiled and touched her forehead with her fingertips—the formal and proper way to greet royalty. “I received your message and am here to serve you.” “I have shopping to do, and need a…feminine opinion. I would like you to accompany me.” Pittahn nodded, her medium length black hair bobbing, shining. “Of course.” He looked to the door and spoke in a deeper voice, “Command entry open.” The door hissed, and slid open. He stepped inside first, taking a seat on one of the benches and relaxing into the back of it as she followed, sitting on the bench opposite him. The door closed, and as it did the lights inside the cabin illuminated. A few clicks later, and the train began to move. “There’s a woman interested in courting me, and I want to learn how…properly to interact with her without insulting her.” Pittahn nodded. “If I were in a situation of any similarity, I would request her company and start the night with a gift. Depending on the status of the lady, the gift should either be expensive or inexpensive, accordingly.” Donnotevi thought for a few seconds. “Why would a lower ranked woman not want a more expensive gift? I am of high status, should I not give gifts of my level?” She covered her heart, hanging her head deeply. “My apologies. I am not heir to the throne and should therefore not make judgments nor assumptions on how those of such a status would react. Any action on his Majesty’s behalf would be just and well appreciated by any well-minded lady.” Donnotevi sighed. “You are forgiven, though there was no qualm. I’m simply confused. You’ll have to pardon me, as I know very little about women.” She raised her head, and nodded. “A woman can be just as inspired by a paper lantern at night, as she may be at a shining pendant. There is beauty in inexpensive things as well, and those who are poor tend to see them better than those blinded by glinting gems. A thought is priceless, and easy to make. But thoughts for another are priceless as well.” He narrowed his eyes, confused. “You think me blinded by my riches?” “No, I—“ He smiled and held up a hand. “No apology is necessary. I was interested in your perception of me, that’s all.” “I believe…with his Majesty’s respect, that when you are born into royalty it is hard to be anything but that.” She said quietly and carefully. He nodded, soaking in her words. They sat in a silence for the remaining minute of the journey, until the train slowed, stopped, and the doors opened. He stepped out of the train and walked with her to the main road, which bustled with humans and animals alike. They walked down the road for a few paces before he turned to her and said, “The woman is of common birth. She is simplistic in view and beautiful to behold. I wish to find her a gift by tonight.” She nodded. “Let me think…hmm…” The roads were busy, but those who recognized him in time took measure to touch their foreheads, clearing the way for him to walk. They neared a bright yellow store, which he recognized as the shoe store. Above it, though, after ascending a twenty foot stair, one would come across a fancy shop which sold robes. “What about a new robe?” Pittahn winced. “Do you know her favorite color or pattern?” He shook his head. “It would be…somewhat unfortunate if you were to gift her with a color she deemed unflattering, I think.” Donnotevi sighed. “True.” “Oh, my!” She shouted, covering her mouth with one hand and pointing with another. “A giraffe!” Donnotevi looked to where she pointed, and raised an eyebrow in surprise. Their location on the planet was not a natural habitat for giraffes, and so to find a person who knew them intricately enough as to make an illusion of one was surprising. To become any animal, the magician must know everything about it, otherwise the magic would fail. To find the opportunity to see a giraffe nonetheless study them well enough to become one meant this person was not from his country. He stepped into the giraffes path, holding up a hand with a finger. “Good evening, giraffe. If I might have a word, a moment of your time?” It looked uneasy, and a woman standing nearby winced. “He is my husband. You may talk to me?” Donnotevi looked at her. She had fair skin and was short in stature, though he couldn’t discern her race. “I only wished to amend him on the complex illusion he has managed to convince me of. I’ve never seen a giraffe in real life, but this certainly is what the photos look like.” She smiled. “We thank you. We come from Teramir, to sell gemstones.” “Ahh, I’ve never been there myself. Travelling two countries to reach it is..tiring, to say the least, when I can simply relay messages through scouts. I hear the cities are regulated for temperatures of eighty-four degrees? Oh, really? It must be a mite cold for you here.” She smiled. “It is, yes, but we can manage.” “As I’m sure you can.” He smiled back. “Thank you for your time. Please,” He stepped aside, allowing them to walk past. The woman tapped her heart twice, then made a sweeping gesture with her hand as she when past. While they walked, he tried desperately to remember what his father told him of the other countries habits and what the sign may have meant, but to no avail. Chapter Three They didn’t manage to find an appropriate gift, as it were. Any suggestion was deemed unfit by the other, and so a nice walk was left in their memories as each slept. Donnotevi spent the next day in his fathers lecture, as distracted as always, yet today he was more determinedly distracted. Did she actually like him, as his brother said? And did he have any interest in her? So early on, it was hard to say. His father trudged through the lecture, quite aware of his sons absentmindedness, but ignored it. He didn’t ask questions, just gave information—history, situations that had happened in rulings before and were like to happen again. Donnotevi sat silent for the three hours, hearing nothing. When he was released, and his brother passed for his session of lecture, he waved absentmindedly and marched straight to his room, to do more thinking. He waited until the twilight colors faded into blacks before sending Pittahn another request. He waited for her at the back end of their estate, leaning against the outer wall. She met him with a smile, and touched her forehead. “You summoned me?” Donnotevi nodded, and smiled a little. Then, he cleared his throat and said carefully, “Where we’re going, you may lose your top.” He pointed to her head. “You may wish to remove it now, so it isn’t lost.” Her eyes widened for a second, before she looked down and away with a flush in her cheeks. “Though it is his Majesty who requests it from me, it would be indecent to see me in such a way, at this hour. Would it not?” He shrugged. “I won’t be able to see you at all. You may do whichever is most comfortable.” He turned, so she wouldn’t see him let out a nervous breath. Hair was, strictly, viewed as improper for opposing genders to view—at least, in the nobility and royalty. However, during the day rules were lax. When illusions are cast, they are cast on the person only, and not their clothes. Therefore when changing back to natural form, the magician is always naked. This was a reason why traditional clothes—from casual to formal—were all singular pieces of fabric which were easy to remove and put on. If a servant girl such as Pittahn, who had knowledge of small draft ponies, were to change to bring a heavy load from one place to another, it would be a bother for her to constantly worry about her top. Though when circumstances could be avoided, they were, and so at night after her serving period was over, it would be deemed as very improper. Men had less to worry about, as their heads were always shaved clean. “I would leave it on, to be safe.” She said. “Where are we going?” He stepped forward, and reached out a hand. It brushed against a wall, transparent as it were, and found a small crack. “Command entry, open.” An automated voice responded. “Identity confirmation required.” A panel of the wall slid back, revealing a square of lime green. He touched it with his fingers, then forced his hand through the gel, up to his elbow. After a minute, “Identity confirmed. Door opened.” He removed his arm slowly, though it was as fast as he could have through the thick goo, and stepped around the panel and to the wall again. With a push, the clear stone gave way, and brought with it a rush of crisp, chilling air. He stepped out, holding the door so it didn’t close, and gestured to Pittahn. “I’ve never been…” “So who safer to be with?” He asked, extending his hand to her. She looked at it for a moment, then away, and stepped past him into the true world. She inhaled, then shivered. “Much colder.” He nodded and closed the panel. Looking at the wall from the outside, the stone was thick black and impenetrable, rather than see-through as the other side was. “It’s unregulated. And wonderful.” “We aren’t going far, are we?” She asked. “I’d much hate to be lost.” She looked into the spots of trees ahead. “You mentioned paper lanturns.” He said, crouching down like a runner readying to sprint. “I have a better idea. Jump on.” He cloaked himself in the smoke, focused harder with his mind, and blocked out the world around him as he transformed. The crow that stood before Pittahn was as large as a baby elephant, and the sight of it made her gasp. The bird loosened its wings, revealing its back. She stepped forward rather hesitantly, and sat delicately on his feathers. He adjusted his position, opened his wings, and leapt. She gasped with something like fright, looking for something to hold on to as his slick wings flapped powerfully, lifting her from the ground and into the much colder nighttime air. Once they were airborne, and gliding calmly, she relaxed. She kept herself hunched over his back, perhaps, but took time to open her eyes as well as she could against the brisk air, and look around. Donnotevi often left the city walls, the air here having moving currents and making flying much easier. That, and he was able to fly with other crows, when he found them, who treated him much like another crow and not some royal bird. He took Pittahn over the trees, then turned and went along the river. Eventually it would connect with the city, but they didn’t linger. He rose higher, the task rather difficult with a passenger, and passed through a cloud. Pittahn inhaled sharply, ducking into his back and pressing her face against his feathers. The water rolled off his oiled feathers, but she sat, stunned, and shimmering with mist. He guided her around the outside world, eventually landing on the top of city walls where the dome was highest, and let her get off. They sat there, on the top of the city, and looked out at the stars for thirty minutes, though of course it felt like hours. When he brought her back and they parted ways, she was left holding a fist at her heart and a smile at her lips. Chapter Four When he woke the next morning, there was a steady, slowing flashing light above his wrist. He wiped his face, and sat up before touching the light with a fingertip. It made a small blip sound, and expanded to a message panel. The words read, “Rhoss Donnotevi Somaria Delistat, I regret to inform you that while your pursuits were much appreciated, I have found another who holds interest for me. He is a man of common birth, as I am, and I believe our positions to be better matched than the stretch which would be commoner and royalty. I hold no ill will for you, and hope you can be understanding in return. Thank you for the nice walk, and the wonderful night, but I feel the need to request your retirement in giving me affections. End message.” He sighed, leaning back against the pillows and gazing out the window. After a minute, he sat up. “Command entry, drawing.” A large panel hologram appeared, blank. He touched his fingertip to the projection and, as he dragged it down at a specific curve, the program saved the line dark black against the glowing green of the hologram. He took the next twenty minutes to sketch out the picture of someone, a lady, with a certain shape of eyes, a certain angle of brow, a certain smatter of freckles, certain curve of lips, certain cut of hair. Once he had the beautiful woman drawn, he sat back and admired her. “Command entry new save.” The panel flashed the words “Relay save entry title.” He thought for a moment. “Mirex.” It was a womans name he’d always fancied. The flashing words went away. He stared at her face for a moment before slowly lifting his hand again, and adding to the picture. He added length to her hair, letting it drape down even past her shoulders. As he moved closer to the bottom of the panel, it shifted automatically, scrolling down. He had, essentially, an infinite amount of space to draw. So he made her hair curl, a little to the sides, jutting out somewhat rebelliously, down past her curves even. He stared at her for a long while, sinfully, admiring her femininity, then sighed and deleted the file. Chapter Five Rhoss stares as his son looks out at the window, oblivious. If only the boy would actually apply himself, he would be a great ruler. But alas… “Donno. You’ve missed a week of studying and I cannot help but think you mean to sabotage me in my old and sickened state.” Donnotevi turned away from the window, and let his eyes stay on the ground. “Tell me about Somaria.” He said quietly. The end of the sentence was raised in pitch, making it more of a question. Rhoss sighed, and sat next to his son. “Your mother was a wonderful woman. We met at a meeting, before I took the control, looking for a solution to the water shortage. She’s the one who suggested we dig the Great Well.” Donnotevi heard all the stories his father had had to share, but never grew tired of hearing them. “She had black hair that shined with something like red when we stood in the light. She was incredibly beautiful, and helpful, too. Not a day goes by, that I don’t…” His father stopped short. Donnotevi said quietly, “I’m not sure I can rule alone, but I’m equally as unsure as to where to find a woman so grand as the one who birthed me.” Rhoss made a contemplative gesture. “There are different measures of grand. Your mother was beautiful and kind in every bone, but this was also her flaw. She never spoke an honest truth if she thought it would hurt my feelings. You may not find a woman kind and sensitive as Somaria was, but perhaps a woman strong and outspoken, someone honest and true. Each woman is different, each woman is grand, in her own ways.” He looked over, and recognized the expression on his sons face. “Ahh, begone. Have the day to yourself, and sort out your head. I can tell you’ll be of little use today. But tomorrow you’d better have your feet on the ground, boy. No more of this wistful contemplation. I only lecture you for three hours a day, you have all the rest of your twenty one hours to do whatever you wish.” Donnotevi smiled as his father stood. “I have a meeting with the scouts from Arband today. I’ll arrive early and make myself better prepared.” He headed to the door and, moments before opening it said, “I’ll be going.” The man smiled, and made his way outside, past the city’s dome and became the crow he preferred to his human skins. He flew, two crows at his sides. He went through the skies. Through the trees. Through a glade. Past wild deer. Free. Himself. Unrestrained. Happy. Chapter Six “Al?” Don asked, knocking on his brothers door. It was answered a few seconds later by a man servant, who opened it and walked away, to continue his duties. Don stepped in, wrinkling his nose and rolling his eyes at the flamboyant color palate of his brothers sitting room. “Oh, Don. I wasn’t expecting you.” As he stepped into the next room, his brothers drawing room, he stopped short and smiled wide. “Ah, my apologies miss.” The woman incline her head, and hastened to tuck away a piece of hair that had fallen from the front of her top. “I hadn’t realized my brother had company. I can return.” The noble woman smiled again, and looked at Al as he stood. “Is it of importance? You look pale, brother.” Donnotevi looked away. His brother knew him too well. He shrugged. “Only a little. We can talk later.” Alakhardo put a hand, gently, on the lady’s shoulder as he walked past. “Give me a moment, Litorahn.” The two entered the sitting room, and took their places side-by-side on the couch there. “What’s bothering you?” Donnotevi sighed. “I’ll be brief, not want to steal you of your time. Pittah has found another interest, which has left me distraught and slightly confused, though not disappointed. More than that, though…Father sent me away today.” “Well as of late, that’s been becoming more normal. Honestly brother, where is your head?” Donnotevi looked him in the eye, then away. “Before lecture. He messaged me, saying he was in bed too sick to get out and I was to study on my own.” Alakhardo sat back, finger and thumb tapping one another. “Have you gone to see him?” Donnotevi shook his head. “I didn’t think it sounded as though he wanted company.” The younger brother nodded. “Perhaps not. Has the physician said anything?” A shrug. “Not to me. Either Father’s fine, and just weary, or he’s too sick that the physician can’t—“ “Enough of that.” Alakhardo said sternly. “Do not speak of things around the corner, to lure them in faster.” Donnotevi sighed. “I feel lost and out of place.” His brother put a hand on his shoulder, and held it firmly. “Your place is wherever you’re happiest, brother. But your place may not be where you are most needed.” He groaned audibly. “You’re simply terrible, you know that?” Alakhardo removed his arm. “Saying what I need to hear, but not what I want. You have more wisdom than I.” Alakhardo laughed. “Wisdom? Nay. I just know how to make you feel bad.” Donnotevi rolled his eyes. “Isn’t that the eldest brothers job?” “Indeed. Step up to it, won’t you?” Alakhardo said. The words were a joke, perhaps, but his tone serious. The brothers locked eyes, and Donnotevi knew the hidden meaning in the remark. He stood. “I’ll leave you to your lady.” “Litorahn.” The brother corrected. “She’s a teacher.” Donnotevi nodded. “A good find. I’m happy for you.” |