Chapter I

"The Blank Memories"

„Young master, your father is calling you."

I curiously turned my gaze away from the page of my book and glanced down. Beneath the willow stood a young maiden, as always clad in her long pale-red dress and snowwhite apron. I smiled lightly. "I'll be right there Lisbeth, I just want to finish this chapter..."

"The king said now," she cut me off, putting her fists on her slender waist. "I'm not going to take a scolding because of your dragons again."

I sighed and loudly closed the book, wanting to emphasize my annoyance. I knew though, that if I didn't obey now, she will be even worse than my father later. Despite the considerable height, I jumped down and landed gracefully in front of her. Something golden passed my view and I saw a tiny leaf, that I must have ripped from a twig on my way down, floating peacefully to the ground at Lisbeth's feet. I picked it up, admired the beautiful color for a moment and handed it to her with an apologetic smile. Not waiting for a reaction, I headed towards the castle.

As I went, I glanced at the tall windows of the throne room and the pennants above the towers, hanging limply, as if tired of flapping in the late summer sun. I didn't like these "visits"... Sure, I owed obedience and devotion to the king and father, but in my eyes he was a rather cruel ruler. True enough, the people of our country had nothing to complain about, he cared about their welfare and was just. But at the same time he was ruthlessly intolerant to any crime or disobedience, and every revolt, however tiny and insignificant, was drowned in unnecessary puddles of blood. I didn't have the right to oppose him (at least for now), and I didn't really have the courage to. Ever since I remembered, he always treated me rather coldly and gruffly. And I remembered so little...

It happened two years ago. While hunting in the forest with my father, I fell from the horse and hit my head. Three days after I awoke with a complete blackness in my mind. I lost my memory. At least that's how Lisbeth described it to me, I for my part couldn't even recall having a horse. Everything before my awakening has suddenly become one big black hole... which made me feel alienated and completely out of place, even though this castle should feel like home to me...

Sometimes I felt like I started to remember things, some unfamiliar and yet familiar scenes rushed through my stirred mind. Shreds of some thoughts whirled in my head, but I wasn't able to catch any of them, wasn't able to stop even one, despite all effort... all I gained from all that strain was always only a massive headache. And an unpleasant anxiety, sometimes fear, which felt incredibly stupid, because I didn't even really know what I was fearing, couldn't even name the feeling rising in my chest...

Drowned in those thoughts, I didn't even realize when I traversed a few of the castle's corridors and arrived at the massive throne room door. I shook my head slightly, took a deep breath and gave the dark carved wood a knock. The two guardians standing on either side of it never even looked at me.

"Come in," came the slightly irritated voice from the other side.

I pushed one wing of the door just so far, that I could slip through and entered the vast room, well lit thanks to the windows, that reached from the floor almost all the way to the ceiling. It was pleasantly cool inside. The castle's walls were so thick, that even the most intense summer sun didn't stand much chance.

On the opposite end of the room stood the beautiful, sculptured throne, decorated with golden ornaments and a velvet seat. In it, tall and proud, clad in peacock blue and gold, sat king Oberon, his face almost emotionless if not for the hint of boredom. On a small table to his right I noticed a considerable pile of parchment and a golden goblet, it's stem shaped like an eagle's claws.

I finally stopped in front of the throne and straightened my back a little. "You wanted to see me, father?" I tried my best to hide the indifference in my voice.

"Indeed," the king graced me with a short glance, before his eyes returned to the document he was holding in his slender fingers. "The day of your birthday is approaching Kazuto. Your seventeenth birthday."

I only nodded, so he continued, his voice very clear, echoing only slightly below the far ceiling: "At this age you should finally start properly learning how to rule this country, not just relying on what you accidentally hear in this hall or while you're eavesdropping outside the conference room." I tried not to grin, but he instantly ruined my mood. "One day Earlindon will fall under your rule and I don't want it to become a ruin after a few months. Which is why, starting tomorrow, you will be attending daily lessons with my advisors. Make sure you arrive in the library right after breakfast tomorrow."

"But..."

"But?" the irritation on his oblong face made it clear, that he won't tolerate any objections.

I lowered my gaze, staring at the deep green of the carpet. "As you wish, father."

I left the throne room barely holding back the urge to slam the door behind me. I didn't have anything against learning. Even I stuck my nose into books that weren't stories about knights and dragons from time to time. What made me mad was the perspective of spending a lot of time with my father's advisors, particularly one of them. Chief counsel Chudelkin may have been a well educated man, but in my eyes he was just an old fat grump, who liked nothing better than lecturing me about manners and my duties towards my father.

On the way to my chamber I bumped into Lisbeth, carrying a basket of fruit. Sticking out of the pocket of her apron was a golden leaf. I couldn't help but smile, my mood lightening a little.

"Lisbeth, would you be so kind and bring me some tea to my room after you're done? We can have it together if you can manage a small break in your duties."

A smile bloomed on her cute, freckled face. "I'll be happy to." She bowed slightly and continued on her way down the corridor.

„Because Loneliness which never smiles

Becomes a habit, and not a Choice you made…"

Yeah, I know, having THAT guy as the king and father was the worst idea ever, but don't worry, he won't last long XD