Erik sat down with the rest of the soldiers by the campfire. The cold autumn night wind seemed to blow right through the clothes he was wearing.
"Can you believe the king actually went through with send us here?" A heavyset soldier asked, roasting a plump bird over the fire. "I mean no disrespect, but even King Sebastian must know that Xavier's men may be soft but not weak."
"Our king means to dominate the world." Erik responded sternly.
With all his riches, I don't know why he can't just buy it all." Another soldier chimed in.
The heavyset soldier chuckled and began to divide the roasted bird among the men. Erik declined when he was offered a wing and continued to sharpen his weapon. Once he was done, he slid his sword back into it's sheath and retreated back to the tents they had set up for enduring the night. Erik laid down on the cold grass and listened to the loud conversation that was going on outside.
"This fight isn't going to be an easy one."
"Relax, we've conquered plenty of kingdoms. This one's no different."
"They have ten times the men we have."
"Their king is young and knows not how to rule."
"How much distance do we have left to travel."
"We'll reach there by noon of tomorrow. We're halfway there."
Charles paced around his room in his father's armor, now passed onto him. He had gotten used to the weight but it didn't feel right. The newly polished armor glistened in the sunlight. Charles paused to look into the mirror.
'Charles Frances Xavier, my only son. Born to be a king.' He repeated his father's words in his head. He brushed his flowing brown hair back behind his ear.
'Too young.'
'Too kind.'
Those were the things people had said about him.
'Too young to rule and completely inexperienced.'
"It isn't fault father's dead." He muttered.
Charles picked up a vase and smashed it on the ground out of frustration.
"It isn't my fucking fault I was born!" He swore.
"You're Majesty, is everything alright?" Charles' handmaiden asked, walking up behind him.
"I'm fine Emma. Thank-" Charles paused mid-sentence when he heard screaming and shouting from outside.
He hurried to the balcony to see what was happening. Soldiers cloaked in red were attacking the kingdom. Shaw's men.
Erik drew his sword just in time to block one of Xavier's guard's attacks, smashing the metal together. He forcefully shoved the man to the ground and stabbed the blade into the guard's chest. Another guard snuck up behind his and sunk his dagger into Erik's leg. Erik rammed the hilt of his sword into the guard's head, knocking the guard out. Blood started gushing from Erik's wound. He limped behind a wagon to avoid being spotted. Sebastian's men were greatly outnumbered and most were killed or caught and sent to the dungeons to be tried. Erik took off his cloak and wrapped it around his leg. While all the guards surrounded the last two men, Erik snuck into the castle to escape the bloodshed outside. He was a couple feet within the building when he heard a scream. He quickly checked behind him. The sight of the last of Sebastian's soldiers stabbed though the chest and collapsing to the ground made his stomach feel uneasy. Erik turned back around and quickly ran further into the castle, trying to avoid putting weight on his injured leg. The castle hallways were spacious and regal. Pathways were perplexing like an intricate labyrinth. Erik swiftly hid behind a pillar when he heard two female voices. He felt warm blood trickle down his leg while he waited for the women to walk past him. Once he could no longer hear their footsteps, he continued walking through the castle. Just as he went around the corner, Erik bumped into the captain of the guards. Before Erik could run away, the man grabbed him by the neck and shoved him against the wall, pinning him down on to the stone surface.
"You little shit. You'd make an excellent slave for King Charles." The man muttered.
"I'd rather die." Erik hissed.
"You're words, not mine." The man agreed.