Chapter ~ 3

Adrian's POV

"This procession is a waste of time."

What was the point in honouring the death of people who died running away from the enemy instead of fighting them. People like them didn't deserve to be remembered yet alone honoured.

"Hush, Adrian," Mother whispered, "This is one of your father's favourite traditions. He says it helps the people appreciate the existence of the boundary."

"The boundary isn't important!" I exclaimed. "Grandfather should have done everything within his power to get revenge on the Midlands instead of shielding us from them!"

"Enough Adrian!" Father had heard our conversation and was furious. "My father made the best decision ever in the history of Hartland! Because of him, our kingdom has experienced nothing but peace and tranquillity in over a decade! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to rule a kingdom during a war? Thanks to him, you're never going to experience anything like that and you should be very grateful. Learn to appreciate the procession like I do."

Appreciate, my foot! The first thing I plan to do when I become King is to end this pointless tradition.

We just arrived home from the procession. Parkins, the butler, met us when we entered the castle. "Welcome back, Your Highnesses. My King, Lord Farouk requests a meeting with you immediately. He says it's about a land dispute that occurred yesterday."

"Schedule a meeting with him first thing tomorrow morning," Father said whilst handing Parkins his coat. He bowed and left.

Father turned to me with a straight face. "Go change and meet me in the dojo." After giving me orders, he went away.

Mother put her hands on my shoulders. "Sorry about what happened in the carriage."

"It's fine, Mother. I'm already used to him ranting like that," I responded flatly.

"Don't worry. This is all going to be over in a couple of days." She kissed my forehead and walked away.

Rushing to my quarters, I slipped into a blue tunic and pants then headed for the dojo. Since my coronation was happening in a week's time, Father made time everyday to train me on how to use my powers. Although I didn't see why he needed to. He had been training me ever since my powers showed up. There was basically nothing he could do that I couldn't.

I pushed past the wooden double doors. The dojo was like a large swimming pool but not so deep. On the floor of the pool was the Hartland emblem.

Father came in bare chested with his pendant dangling on his chest. He nodded and I hopped into the empty pool. He turned the tap on and water started to pour out of the spouts on both sides of the pool. The water reached my shins before Father turned the tap off to join me in the pool.

"I believe you're aware that this is your final day of training." He put his hands behind him. "The very last before your coronation."

Maintaining a serious look, I nodded.

"I expect the best from you, Adrain." Even though there was a wide gap between us, I could feel his intense glare. "Show me that all these training sessions were worth it."

With that, I bowed, placing my right fist on my left palm--greeting him the traditional way before standing upright to take a stance. My eyes locked him, focusing and watching for any gesture he would make. Father was a master of surprise attacks. In the blink of an eye, he could have a water tentacle slapping your face so hard that it would get swollen. He did it to me once. It took three weeks to heal.

Father tried to be subtle, but I immediately caught the movement he made with his index and middle finger. He's freezing the water.

Just as I thought, the cold temperature of ice caught onto my toes and I quickly jumped out of the water. Father must've anticipated that reflex because in the next minute I found myself in the tight grasp of a water tentacle. Shit!

"What did I teach you about versatility?" he barked, squeezing harder. "Did you forget so soon?"

Building up enough strength, I pushed myself into the water tentacle, gaining control of it from the inside. Instead of using it to attack him, I focused on the water around, trapping half of his right leg in ice.

He growled a curse and that was when I shot his own water tentacle at him. The old man was expecting that attack and countered it with another. But I didn't stop there.

Summoning strength through my arms, I shot tiny shards of ice his way. Not caring when they sliced through his dark skin. He was the king. After here, he would receive immediate treatment. This was my chance to knock him down and to show him that what he'd been teaching me these past months was not in vain.

My arm muscles flexed, screaming from my frequent movements but I didn't want to stop. I had managed to pin him down and I rarely did in any of our training sessions. It was mostly the other way round, him pinning me down.

Stopping to finally catch my breath, my muscles throbbed in every part of my body. I cursed myself for not being able to deliver the final blow. All the water we started with was mostly ice now. Father stood up, brushing the sharp pieces off his body.

A knock sounded through the door and a small servant let himself in to inform us that dinner was ready.

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"Your son completed his training today, Luciana," Father said to Mother as we all sat the dinning table, having our evening meal. "He's finally ready to become King."

Mother smiled and reached for my hand across the dinning table, giving me a little squeeze. "I knew you could do it."

Luciana's son. He always called me that. Never his own and I hated it. It gave off a sense of inferiority, like he didn't want me. All that will change once I'm king.

We ate in silence until Parkins came running in. "Sorry to interrupt, Your Majesties, but Madam Olga says she wants to see you and claims it's very urgent."

Mother dropped her fork. "How urgent is it that she can't wait till tomorrow morning?" she snarled.

Ignoring her, Father ordered, "Let Olga in."

Parkins left to get her.

Shortly, footsteps echoed in the hall, announcing the woman's presence. She bowed. "Good evening, your highnesses."

Father responded, "Good evening, Olga. Have a seat. You can have dinner with us."

"Thank you, my king."

Olga took a seat next to me at the long dinning table and I watched as mother's face changed into a nasty frown. For some reason, she held a strong dislike for this woman.

Two maid servants walked in and served Olga some food and wine. She thanked them and they quietly went away. After a few minutes, Father asked Olga why she was here.

"I'm afraid I have some news that I... don't know whether to describe as good or bad," Olga spoke with uncertainty.

Mother folded her arms and Father pushed further. "Well, tell me so I get to decide."

An awkward silence sat in the hall until Olga spoke again. "Remember, Adriana?"

Mother faked a cough and Father sat up, leaning towards the table with interest in what Olga had started to say.

I knew Adriana. I had overheard the Council members talking about her once. She was Father's one and only true love. But he couldn't be with her because she was just a common maidservant.

"What has Adriana got to do with this news you have? She died during the Quietus war," Father stated.

"Yes, she did. But she left someone behind," Olga spoke in a low tone. "Someone that could possibly change your life."

Father's eyes widened, holding a sense of curiousity. "Olga, say whatever you have to say now!"

She cleared her throat, looking Father in the eye. "Adriana gave birth to your child before she died."

"Liar!" Mother slammed a fist on the table.

"It's true!" Olga snapped. "I helped her bring the child into this world. She had a girl and named her Araknee. Shortly after, the warriors killed her and her parents. I was left alone with the child." She stared at the table, recalling everything. "I tried to escape with her but I fell and lost the baby. After the war, I searched high and low but I never found her... until today."

Holy Creator! I have a half sister! Out there, in the village, who had absolutely no idea who she really was. I have been living sixteen years of my life as an only child to find out that I have a sibling in the village? I have got to meet her!

Mother glared daggers at Olga. If looks could kill, Olga would be a corpse by now. Father rubbed his face, remorse and regret danced in his eyes. "Where is she?" His voice sounded strained. "Where's my daughter?"

"On the outskirts of the village," Olga replied. "She lives with a couple by the name Trina and Ronald."

"Sloaann, Sloan!" Father shouted.

The head warrior came in, so tall and muscular that you could see his veins bulging out of his pale skin. He had a chisled chin coverd in spikey black stubble. A long scar ran down vertically from his left eyebrow to the corner of his mouth making him look threatening. "Sire." The big man  bowed.

"I want you to go into the village, find Trina and Ronald then along with my daughter, bring them to me!"

"You actually believe her, Reginald?" Mother spat. "She's lying! If Adriana really had a daughter, why didn't she tell you years ago?"

"Because I thought the girl was dead!" Olga jumped in.

"Enough!" Father jerked out of his seat. "Sloan take as many men as you need and bring those people to me!"

Sloan bowed and exited the room.

Mother stood up, anger turned every inch of her face red. "This is insane, Reginald! This woman has no proof that Adriana had a child and even if she did, must you go looking for her? She's clearly lived her entire life as a peasant!"

Father's eyes shone with rage and in a flash, he grabbed Mother's neck with both hands, attempting to squeeze. "Don't talk about my daughter like that ever again!" he hissed in her face.

Out of fear, Mother nodded vigorously. Father released her and made his way out the dinning hall. Mother held her neck. Tears streaked down her face as she stood, glaring at Father's retreating form.

Suddenly remembering that I wasn't alone at the table, I turned around to find Olga's seat empty. She must have left when Father attempted to strangled Mother.

The sound of quick footsetps drew my attention back to Mother. She headed in the direction through which Sir Sloan came. I got up and followed her, wondering what she was up to."Mother! Mother, where are you going to?"

Ignoring me, she continued her brisk walk down the stairs to the warriors barracks and nearly ran into Sir Sloan. "Just the person I wanted to see," she smiled and pulled him away from the other warriors.

A startled Sloan watched her in confusion. "Your Highness?"

"Sloan." She straightened her shoulders. "The King no longer has any interest in seeing that stupid girl." She paused to drag in a breath. "So when you find her, do not hesitate to kill her!"