Sunlight seeped through the curtains, a new day had arrived.
Chirping was the first thing that awoke him, just like every morning, choosing to roll over in his silk mattress and ignore the incessant knocking at his door. He covered his face with the blankets leaving only his silvery hair visible to the person - likely his assigned personal maid- that opened the door. A weight shifted the bed downwards as a smooth but calloused hand combed through Tino's hair; a tug at his heart urged him to pull the covers ever so slightly, in some sort of childish mannerism, then admire the woman before him.
"Good morning," she spoke softly whilst continuing to stroke her fingertips through his hair, "did you sleep well my dear?". Tino smiled widely before lifting himself up and embracing her
"I slept well! Thank you for asking!" he replied happily. "Enough small talk," she began suddenly, "your father wishes to speak to you." her statement was simple, a statement of facts; his immediate thought was to avoid having to speak with his father and escape to the garden, beyond the crumbling walls behind the castle. His idea, however, was rapidly shut down by the stern gaze bearing into his soul.
She frowned, seemingly disappointedly, "This is an important meeting between his majesty, King Heiki Väinämöinen, and Crowned Prince Tino Väinämöinen, don't think I haven't noticed that gleam in your eyes! Just like your mother."
Suddenly, he was aware of the inescapable conversation and begrudgingly complied. Before he was aware of the passing of time, he was stood his father on a grand throne. Both places beside him were empty, taken only by unused and cold seats to his left and right, "Mother wouldn't be here again." he thought. His focus was returned to the analytical eyes ahead as Tino swallowed nervously under the glare and shifted slightly out of habit.
His father looked down at him- harsh light exaggerating the sharp edges of his face.
" As you may know, you are of legal age to wed," Tino tensed at the booming voice, leave it to his father to be direct or blunt. As the indications of what was announced fully processed in his mind he began to stress over them, the choice of 'wed' especially.
"I have arranged for you to marry the prince of our neighboring kingdom Svestån in hopes of forging an alliance next for summer." King Heiki stated bluntly in a monotonous voice that lit a fire within Tino.
"What?" he screamed, "Do I get a say in this? This is my life your moving around like a pawn!" but his father wasn't fazed by his outburst, remaining as cold as the statues of their ancestors; Tino knew his father though, the small crease in his brow was the crack in the stone.
His father was furious.
Heiki inhaled deeply as he formulated a response that was both reasonable and effective on his 'rebellious' son. He raised his head and straightened his back (appearing larger and more confident than before) when he spoke, "We all have our role, my son, I have told you this many times beforehand. If I must repeat myself again, your role is to provide the best life for this kingdom and its people," he paused one final time, "to do so, is through this union." and with that Tino allowed his anger to burn.
All his life, the future was laid before him by his father who was rarely there for him. He was used as a chess piece, easily discarded to create an opening and he would have none of it.
" Your marriage with mother wasn't for the good of your people! In case I have to remind you, she was a milk maid with the clothes on her back and a single cow as her sole possessions," This topic was taboo among their family but he was blinded to this by the water droplets cascading down his cheek."She told me that if I were to marry, I should choose who for myself. Someone, I would spend eternity with!" then silence burned his ears.
His father was silent. "Leave." but Tino hesitated.
"Leave! You useless child!" Heiki yelled in the hall as Tino ran along the empty hallway. Those words echoed in his mind like footsteps, their argument replaying in full detail, and allowed a single tear to fall.
Tino arrived at the ancient wall, effortlessly scaling the mossy edges then landed gracefully over the other side into an abandoned orchard. He took a breath and began to walk.
After a minute of walking, he entered a meadow of flowers.
Dandelions waved in the breeze, glowing like the sun in every way, as he approached the river. It's life always erased any problems from his mind; worries and doubts become grains of sand, reminding him of the gentle arms that held him. In a moment of nostalgia, he returned to the simple melody of the peaceful days.
Blurs of color blended together in a somewhat hazy image.
"Nuku nuku nurmilintu," soft and gentle, "Väsy, väsy, västäräki," the firm yet soothing grip. She would smile to him like the world around them was empty space, non-existant.
"Nuku nurmelle valkialle," lost in the past he could never forget, one pushed into the farthest corner of his mind.
"Nuku nurmelle hyvälle," wiped away his tears and comfort him on stormy nights, he fell deeper into the warmth. A single strand of hair would be tucked behind his ear and a kiss to his forehead would bless him.
"Väsy, kun mie väsytän," he pressed his cheek closer to her chest.
"Nukuta, jumala, lästa," he took a deep breath as she rested a hand on his head, smiling at her touch.
"Makauta, mauiainen. Kuro küsan silmät kiini," he felt his eyes flutter closed as his arms weakened. Darkness consumed him, safe where there was nothing to fear, in her arms. All that mattered was here.
"Pääskynen peüalusen"
He raised a shaking hand to touch his cheek, tears dropping to the soil beneath him.
"This always happens."
He sat up and felt the wind against his skin, clouds were gathering above him which meant he should return. This land snowed often and he would rather not be outside when it happened even if he didn't mind.
As he walked back, what fate awaited him returned to his mind. He didn't want a miserable life, with a man who he never knew and could possibly be the worst human on earth. Stood at the dividing wall admired the world beyond his reach.
People wandered the streets smiling and full of life, talking excitedly to family and friends. Each person's life was a complex weaving of strings, full of struggles and pain but free. He longed for a life like that, his existence was lonely and full of expectations from everyone around him.
He admired the outside world for a moment longer before returning to his room.
That day, he dwelled on the possibilities in the nearby future, what would result from his father's decision whether they were negative or positive. In the end, it was mostly negative- his father would have gotten mostly positive. So he settled on running away from home in order to pursue a better life.
"Sleep well, my dear!" then the room was engulfed by darkness lit only by the moon; he lay in silence until the halls were still before filling a bag with his simplest clothes and essentials. He stuffed some money and food into the bag before reaching for a photograph of his mother. He looked at it for a moment longer before placing it in as well then opened the window as he slung it over his shoulder.
The creaking of the hinges as he pushed the glass forward caused his heart to pound persistently in his mind seemed to whistle in his ears as the world remained still.
Tino analyze his surroundings, from his third-floor window, the world became small below his feet, but he longed to be apart of it. A hand gripped at the window as he set a foot firmly on the wooden frame then stretched an arm towards the somewhat thick branch and experimentally tugged it closer. Deeming it stable and safe to use, the hand on the window was moved to join the other and swung his legs over.
He sighed in relief, as he passed the most mentally straining part of his escape, then gracefully descended the trunk (splintering his fingers in the process).
Palace guards would normally avoid the forest line when doing their nightly patrols so he moved silently among the familiar undergrowth, his eyes strained to make out the shapes of things that could make noises which -in the night-would alert the guards.
He had nearly arrived at the wall when he heard voices mumbling to each other in the distance and approaching his position. He scrambled up to the nearest tree branch and held his breath as the two leaned against the wall. Faint glows emitted from their hands as smoke rose from their cigars like spirits and disappeared into the wind, Tino listened as they gossiped about the dramatic squabbles between the servants the last week as well as the things they planned to do over their days off then stopped speaking. The silence continued throughout their long smoke and returned to duty. After waiting a minute just in case they decided to return for some reason and scaled the wall. He had finally done it...
He walked the same path towards the river, lively as ever, and was dazzled by the beauty of the water refracting the light of the moon to illuminate the land with a faint blue hue and shimmering as the waters rise and fall in a chaotic yet elegant movement. He carved every detail into his mind to mark his freedom and the shattering of the chains that bound him to the responsibilities being left behind by his father, that thought alone was enough to lift him off the ground.
With one final moment of stillness, he ran off along the riverside blindly wondering where it would take him.
Solivagant, a solitary wandering.
A/NThis chapter was pretty long so I had to cut it off here. I've planned out the storyline and just need to type up the chapters I've already written. I'm writing this in school and during my free time at home so you will hopefully get updates every week or two at minimum and three or four at maximum! Enjoy the rest of the story and pray to God I actually finish this one! Considering the fact that I actually planned out this one, I'm quite confident!
As a side note, I have climbed several trees in my life and depending on the tree you get a TON of cuts, scrapes, and splinters or blisters if you're unfortunate. 10/10 best experience ever!