Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 10

“HURRY, MY LOVE! I can hear them!”The lady’s hoarse shout can hardly be heard amidst the heavy pouring of the rain. The trail they were braving through was slick and muddy from the torrential rain that has been ravaging the land for days, and their old horse, stolen from the stable they chanced upon, could barely keep up with the speed they need.The man with the reins clenched his jaw, tightening his hold on the ropes. He and the lady have been on the run for several days now, and their pursuers have caught up with them. He was physically exhausted, but his resolve was as strong as it has been since they began to run; as strong as it was on the day he met and loved her.He could feel the lady trembling, her lithe body pressed against his back, her dainty arms wrapped around his waist. He knew she was strong; had known it since the day he looked into her defiant eyes. But she, like him, was tired. Not just physically, but ment

  “THE coronation shall take place a moon’s turn from now, my Prince.” Elder Gieronymus, a formidable man of sixty, gray-haired and sharp-eyed, announced at the council table. The King’s funeral procession took place two days prior. “As per your wishes, the preparations for your crowning were set aside to make way for the funeral of the late King Alaric. The lords from the faraway territories who arrived for the funeral have opted to stay and wait for the coronation, while those whose castles are nearby have returned to their lands, and shall be back in time for the big event. We have sent word to our allied kingdoms, and they shall be present, as well.” Elder Hildegarde spoke. “Your marriage to Lady Cecily is another matter of concern, my Lord. My family thinks it may be wise for it to take place the same time as the coronation. What better time than when the whole kingdom is present?” Prince Archer was looking at the window as he quiet

WHEN the three royal siblings, Archer, Agatha, and Madeleine were but children, it was the middle-born princess who always got into trouble with their mother and father, and with the stewards and maids of the Tower. She was always naughty and unruly; forever making the servants chase after her; acting in a way that some might consider unbecoming of a royal princess.But Archer, having known the princess since the moment she came out of their mother’s womb, always suspected that it was because Agatha often felt left out and disregarded by the king and the queen. Archer, being the heir to the throne, had been the focal point of King Alaric’s attention and mentorship from the day he was born. On the other hand, Princess Madeleine, being the youngest of the brood, was adored and doted on by their mother up until the good queen died. Princess Agatha, despite her tough exterior and mischievous deeds, has a soft and sensitive heart begging to be loved an

The sun was barely up by the time Prince Archer and his 14-year-old squire Ernest started their journey by the edge of the Forest. They were riding horses side by side; the prince riding his trustworthy chestnut-colored stead, while Ernest is on a black horse lent to him by his father. They were both wearing simple garments, and both carrying swords. Archer could tell that the boy was nervous. It was, after all, his first time to join in a trip to the Forest that may last for weeks. The lack of guards to accompany them seemed to be adding up to the boy’s fear. “Are you alright there, Ernest?” he asked the squire kindly, looking over at him. The boy nodded his head, his black hair falling on his eyes. “Yes, my Lord.” “Theobald, remember? You must remember to call me that,” he reminded Ernest. It was what they had agreed on. The prince will go by the name of Theobald, while the squire will retain his name. They would introduce themselves as bro

DINNER was a tense event, with Old Maude’s infrequent questions, Archer’s short replies, and Aurora’s complete silence. The prince had fed his squire Ernest earlier, having moved him to a cot on one side of the cottage. He could see the boy now from where he was sitting: asleep, body hunched like a little child. A thick brown cloth was draped over him, yet he was still shivering. Archer could feel the guilt eating at him whenever he sees the boy’s pale pallor. Had he not insisted on bringing him along on his adventure, he would have been safe and sound at his family’s estate. Old Maude noticed his frequent glances at the boy, and tutted. “Now, do not worry so much about your brother, Theobald. While it is true that he should have been brought to me right away, I will try my very best to make sure he lives. Now, only if I still have the flower of bastion…” “The flower of bastion, my lady?” the prince inquired. He had never heard such fruit before. The old woman nodded. “It’s what I u