Purpleland: Chapter 6

Alena’s mother slowly gained back her strength and Marcus became used to his new duties so the three of us were often together. Marcus had not really been changed by his new title and it was like the old days when the three of us were always together but now there was no secret of my love for Alena. Even Alena’s parents knew about us. As often as the three of us were together Alena and I were alone. Her mother’s illness had made Alena more solemn and she laughed less often but when she did it was an even more beautiful sound than formerly. Nor did her solemnness dampen her shining beauty. It only served to add to all her other charms a gentleness which could not fail to enthrall me even more.

I knew that my father wasn’t well and that my happiness could not last. I knew that someday soon there would come a summons and I would be irrevocably saddled with a kingdom I had never wanted. But in those days I closed my eyes to anything I didn’t want to see. I didn’t want to think about what would become of my love for Alena when that occurred so I didn’t. I enjoyed her company and her laughter and closed my eyes firmly to the future.

The messenger came about a year after Lord Stephan’s death and he did not come to tell me that my father was dead and I was king but to bring a royal summons. My father had it seems regained some of his strength and now was made fully sensible to the fact that his young son would likely be king within the next few years and had no experience ruling. He now wished to impart his wisdom so that I would be prepared to take up the reigns of the kingdom. At least that was the impression conveyed to by the messenger, one of my father’s sworn body guards, dressed all in black and it seemed ready to spit me on his sword, crown prince or no, if I did not return with him. He glowered at me as if the fact that my father was dying was all due to something I had done.

His name was Britt and he made it clear that he cared very little whether I wanted to return or not. His lord had told him to bring me and he would take me back. We would leave the next day and not all the protestation in the world could sway him. In jest, I compared him to a boulder. He gave me a look that could have permanently frozen my tongue to my sword and informed me that the boulder would be rolling tomorrow and better be moving if I had any views as to not being crushed.