Blaine stared out the window as the carriage rushed through the forest path. He wasn't exactly sure what was going on, only that Professor Jamison woke him and urged that he need to leave the castle at once. His father had always bestowed great trust in Jamison, so if he thought it was best that Blaine left, then so be it. He remember being rushed down the stone corridors hidden in the walls to the stables, shoved into the back of a carriage. He felt the carriage begin to slow but after glancing at the surrounding, was even more confused after not recognizing anything. Just as he was about to ask the driver where they were, the side door burst open and once again he felt himself being pulled out.
"Your highness, please we have to get you inside for now. Its not safe for you to be out."
"Jamison, what the hell is going on? Why have you brought me here, my father will not be happy about this!"
"Prince Blaine, please. Once were inside I'll explain everything to you." Blaine was startled a the sound of horsing coming from behind him, turning to look as his driver and carriage left into the darkness of the night. He turned around and followed his mentor towards a run down hovel just off the road a bit. As both men entered, Blaine was greeted by the smells of a home that hadn't been lived in for a quite some time.
Jamison knew Blaine was confused but, he did what he must. He went over to the hearth that occupied the far wall and began to start a fire, looking back every now and then to see if his student was still there. After a few attempts he was able to get the fire going, and both men relaxed as the warmth seeped into the bodies.
"Highness, please sit down. I have a lot to tell you and not much time." Blaine did as he was told, but had no problems letting the man no he wasn't happy about it.
"For some time now, your father has been investigating rumors of traitorous lords in the land. Nobles who want to see the Anderson Family off the throne."
"That's ridiculous, the kingdom has flourished since my father defeated the tyrant that came before him. His subjects love him, and all he has done for them. These rumors are just that…RUMOURS!"
"I wish that were so my prince. But as it is, they are not. The Duke of Westerville has been plotting to usurp your fathers throne just as your father did the previous King. The Duke was never happy with his earning after helping your father, he wanted the power to himself. Your father believe that the Duke was raising an army to challenge him and the throne, so we have been making plans and preparations for a full out assault on the castle. We were mistaken.."
"Hold on.. I'm confused. You say my father and the Duke over through the last king. The last ruler was a blood thirsty tyrant who pillaged our lands to the point of starvation and death. If my father and the other lords hadn't brought his house down, The Kingdom of Keyleah would not be what it is today! And how do you mean Mistaken?" Blaine was mad now, he had leapt up out of his chair and began pacing the room as he spoke to Jamison.
"Blaine, listen to me, and you have to understand what I'm about to say. The truth you know, isn't exactly how it really happened. Yes the Noble lords banded together and brought the former kings house down 14 years ago, but not for the reasons you know. The King wanted to do away with the nobility system and give peasants the right to elect their governors as well as other rights such as owning land, and above all else do away with slavery completely. The lords saw this as a challenge in their authority, for without their slaves they would have to pay the farmers to tend their crops and till their fields. This in their eyes was considered an act of war, so your father rallied them all together, well all but a few houses, and launched an assault against the Castle. The King never even considered the fall out of his actions so this was the last thing anyone expected. The whole thing was over and done with fairly quickly." Jamison finally found the courage to look up into the eyes of the young prince, afraid of what he might see in them. What he saw though was tears that fell slowly down the boys cheeks.
"Your saying that everything my father has built our lives upon, everything that I've been taught to hold dear and honor has been a lie? That the Great Cleanse was nothing more than a Coup to gain power?"
" Yes highness, you see. You as well as all the other young lords have been told the story of The Great Cleansing War but if you walk into the mark and ask the common man about it, they will tell you its true story. Of how King Anderson, Duke Smythe, Lady Sylvester, and Lord Karofsky completely slaughtered The Royal family and all servants present in the castle. No one was spared, not child, nor women,…. No one came out alive. But that is in the past, nothing can be done about it now. But as we speak, Duke Smythe will be laying siege to the castle walls. Your father knew that he had a spy in the castle and felt that if the situation would arise that an attack was imminent. I along with a few others would make sure that you would make it out alive before it began."
Blaine was furious at all this information, here he was in god only knows where while his family was being attacked in their home by the people they had considered friends. "Jamison, we have to go, I have to get back to them. They need my help!"
"Blaine, you cannot go back. You don't understand, as long as you still live, your father legacy lives on. You are his only heir if something ever happens to him or Cooper. We have to get you as far away as possible until this battle is decided, once we know that, then we can decide where to go form their."
"You can't expect me to pack it up and run while my family risks their lives. What about my mother and sister, huh, Briana is only 12, do you know what they will do to her if they get a chance."
"I can't think about things like that right now, my only duty is to protect you and keep you safe. Now we will stay here till first light and then we really must be going. An old friend of mine has an estate secluded in the Forest of Dalton. We will make for their in the morning."
"The forest of Dalton? Your shitting me right? That area is full of vagrants, thieves and mercenaries. I thought you were suppose to keep me safe, not carry me to my death."
"Relax highness, I may be old and fat, but my wits are sharper than ever before. You'd be surprised to know that I myself was one of those vagrants you mentioned. The People of the forest are different but their not all bad. Now, I suggest we both get some sleep, we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow." Blaine reluctantly took his teachers advice and settled on one of the cots that occupied a corner of the room. He knew he would be getting much sleep tonight, too many thoughts of his family running through his mind. He and his father never really got along, especially after his father caught him in the kitchen Pantry with one of the kitchen boys. All they were doing was kissing but it was enough to send his father over the edge. He hadn't seen the boy, Jeremiah, again after that, he was sure his father had him sent away, but in what state he did not no. King Jonathan Anderson had a temper like no other, and Blaine was very well aware of that. In fact the scars running across his back were proof of it.
It wasn't long till both men were fast asleep , exhausted from their effots.
Jonathan Anderson, King of Keyleah, had no delusions of what kind of man he was. He had commited many crimes over the years to get what he wanted, and didn't really care who was hurt in the process. His spies had let him know that the attack from Duke Smythe would be soon, so it left him no choice but to take action with his family now. He gathered all those he trusted, giving the orders to swift his family away during the night. As of right now, Blaine was out of the palace grounds with Jamison, and His Wife Lisa and Daughter Briana would soon be too. As hard of a man as he was, nothing mattered to him more than his family. Yes, his Son had turned out to be a disappointment, but it was nothing that a little beating could get out of him, and as to the princess, it was only another year or so before he could marry her off to one of the neighboring Kingdoms forming an alliance. He had ordered that Blaine be taking into hiding within the Kingdom, because no matter what he was heir to the throne and would be needed to seize control if need be. His wife and daughter would be loaded on a ship and sent to the West, where the Queen's family were.
He gazed around him to the large circular room that held the Throne of Keyleah, a large marble Chair raised upon a Black Granite slab on one side of the room. It was his throne, not by birth, but by right. The last King was too weak to keep it and now it belonged to him. He would die before he gave it up to anyone else. He lost his train of throught for a moment before coming back to reality as one of his Generals came bursting through the grand doors opposite him.
"My Lord, it has begun!" The King jumped off his throne in a heartbeat rushing to the balcony that faced the forward entrance of the castle. The castle was built upon the edge of Cliffs over looking the ocean, their were only two points of entry, the front gate, that opened into the village, or the back gate that opened straight into an enclosed harbor.
"Has my family been moved?"
"Yes Majesty, if you'll look their on the horizon you can see the sails of the Lima Bean. She hold your cargo, and I was informed that Master Jamison and his package departed several hours earlier. I believe they were dropped off…"
"Enough! I need not know anymore than that. I consider myself a strong man but I will not take the chance that I could give away my son's position. My wife and daughter are out of harms reach now, my son is in hiding, we must prepare for war. Have my Generals assembled yet?"
"Yes Majesty, they await you in your war room." Both men turned and left the room, the King following behind his subordinate. They entered a room not far from the one they just came, greeting the 4 other men that were there. All of them began to talk swiftly amongst each other as they gazed over a map of the Kingdom.
"Scouts report that the main force is coming here, but there are two other forces gathered moving on our auxiliary forts here, and here" He gestured to the map, indicating the two encampments on the out borders of the Kingdom. " Lord Montgomery has also been informed of the events and will be mobilizing his own forces in defense of your majesties Eastern Fort. We sent a messenger hawk and a rider to the West for Lord Thompson, but I'm afraid it doesn't look well."
"What do you mean General? Lord Thompson… Alexander, has been a loyal subject to me for damn near twenty years now, he would die before betraying me!"
"I meant no disrespect my liege. Its just, Duke Smythes Estates are not far from Lord Thompsons, and even though we can't tell where exactly its coming from. We do know that there is already a large fire burning in that direction. I won't know more till our scout returns but it appears that Lord Thompson was hit first earlier tonight."
"Shit! How did we not expect that? I ordered you to consider every possible outcome and ploy they would use, how was this over looked? How do we fair, troop wise, compared to our enemies?"
"It seems the Duke has increased the size of his army, but as long as we have food and water. We can outlast them in the castle walls for months."
"Finally some good news, what of the other lords. Who is still loyal to us, and who has joined the traitor?"
"We know that Lord Karofsky has added his army to that of the Dukes, but we haven't heard anything as of yet of Lady Sylvester or the other Lords and Lady's."
"Sue is a heartless Bitch if ever there was one. She will let you know that she takes orders from no man, so I doubt she'll be involved either way. In fact Im sure she's watched and waiting to see which side gets ahead and will throw her forces in with them. Now issue the order outs, secure and fortify the walls. Bring in any available food we can get from the Village before the Army arrives. Once all is secure, close the gates. No one gets in or out Gentlemen!"
"Yes Sir!." They all spoke together before leaving the room. Jonathan had trained most of these mean before The Great Clense, he knew they would accept nothing less than perfection, because that's what he himself would do. The Duke was an arrogant man… he never really planned things out for the long run and Jonathan knew that would be his downfall. This would all be done and over with, within a month. If only he knew how right he would be…..
The Boys had awoken to the Distant sounds earlier in the night. Each one climbing and gathering the tree tops of the forest the love so much to try and get a better view.
"Dude, what is that? Ive never heard anything like it before." The tall, brown headed guy said.
"It sounds familiar but Im not real sure either bro. What you think girlie?"
"Call me girlie one more time Puck, and you'll be hanging from this tree by your balls."
"Santana, I love you but you really scare me sometimes."
"You should be Scared Hudson, I'm a wicked women." The three stood on different branches at the top of a huge oak, none of them noticing the forth crouched above them. Dressed in all black from Head to foot escept for a small patch that left his eyes uncovered, most people didn't' see him, until it was too late that is.
"Besides Im not really sure what that is either. But I'm guessing whatever it is, isn't good." All three startled, Finn nearly falling out of his branch, before joining the rest and gazing up as he repeated his last phrase, this time loud enough for all to hear.
"War… War is coming. Be Ready, we move at dawn." With that said he jumped from the branch he was on swinging and flipping from one branch to another as he traveled through the tree's.
"You know, you may scare me Santana, but HE, creep me the FUCK out!" Puck just shook his head as he watched the boy disappear into the darkness of the night.
"If Blue Eyes says we need to move then dammit were gonna move. Besides just think of all the goodies we can get from those fleeing the scenes. We should be able to make quite a haul on this." The Boys could stop themselves from grinning ear to ear as each of them followed their young partner off into the night.