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The ValensPart two: Meet Royalty
A tall man with a long white braid paced the floor of the palace throne room. The King and his two daughters looked on at the man. His white and purple robe flapping in the wind of his movement. His dark eyes full of worry as he paced and his brow wrinkled. The two red headed princesses minded their own business but their dark haired father sat in worry for the pacing man's health.
"Valen please sit and drink some calming tea. You're making me nervous watching you." The king said with worry on his brow.
"I cannot your highness. My sons are on a long and perilous journey. They haven't done this on their own before." He said stopping momentarily to address the king. Again he started pacing and his braid tapping his back as he walked.
"Then why did you let them go?" Asked the princess next to her father; She was the oldest of them. Her long red hair was pulled back into ponytails high on her head. She was wearing a lavender dress that stretched to the floor with a fur collar.
Valen stopped in his tracks and turned to her. "Princess Mint," he said bowing slightly, "I had no choice. I couldn't let them be in so much danger to come with me. If your father had rejected my offer then we'd all be in serious danger. Had it just been me then I could easily go to another kingdom and send my sons word of what was happening." Valen tried to explain through his panic. "I miss my boys so much. I know Ruecian can guide them through the journey. He has experience traveling but Rue and Ruenis haven't traveled outside of Isspen very often." Valen began scratching his knuckles.
"Mint please don't say anything to make the man anymore upset then he already is." Her father reprimanded her. Mint looked at her little sister next to her. Her nose was in a large text again.
Mint sighed in annoyance before a messenger boy ran into the room. "Excuse me. I have a message from the gate to mister Valen." He said looking around the room. Valen walked forward toward the boy. "Mister Valen, stop. Your son's wagon has been spotted, stop. They should arrive within the night at the gate, stop."
Valen's face filled with joy. He turned to the king and tried to speak but the words wouldn't come out of his throat. The King simply waved his hand and Valen ran out of the room. The king turned to Mint and found her confused. He smiled but frowned at his younger daughter, her nose had been in that book the whole time.
Valen grabbed his steed from the stables and hurriedly assembled himself before rushing out to the front gate. The streets were nearly empty since the sun had gone down and everyone was either in a tavern or an inn. The hooves of his horse clattered down the street as he raced to the gate. Dogs were barking all along the main alleys and other animals began making a riot. His horse came to a screeching halt at the front gate.
"Mister Valen?" Said one of the guards as the man ran up to him huffing all the way. "Sir, your sons haven't arrived yet."
"I…I 'huff, huff' wanted to be here." He said breathing hard.
"I understand sir. I have boys of my own at home. Come inside and we'll wait for them in warmth. It's going to be a chilly one." He said guiding Valen inside. A young man walked out and took the horse into the stable.
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Rue yawned and rubbed his eyes. Ruenis was fast asleep already and Ruecian was still slumbering in back. The horses had slowed to a slow walk. They had been going all day. Rue pulled the wagon over and stopped. He reached over the back of the seat and tapped Ruecian. Ruecian opened his eyes slowly, "What is it Rue?"
"The horses are tired. Let's rest for a while and then get back on the road." Rue said in a whisper. Ruecian nodded and pulled the blanket off himself. Rue picked up Ruenis and handed him back to Ruecian. He took the boy and laid him down on the floor carefully. Rue jumped down from the reins and walked around to the lead horse. Ruecian hopped down from the back of the wagon and walked around to the front. They both unhitched the horses and took them to the back where their food was laid out and tied them up. The wheels were locked for the night and the wrappings were shut to keep out the cold. All three boys cuddled up together for warmth.
Ruecian was the first to wake as he heard horse hooves coming toward the wagon. He left his brother's to sleep as he crawled over to the back and peeked out of the wrapping. A couple of horses were coming up the road at a steady walk. They were leading a wagon and Ruecian saw the driver. "Only a farmer getting to market as early as he can." Ruecian whispered. He let out the breath he was holding. 'Had that been one of Isspen's assassins we'd never be able to escape.' He thought fearfully. Ruecian turned back to his brother's as he heard Ruenis shifting around like he normally did while sleeping. A quick grin to the boy and then Ruecian heard more hooves. He tried counting the hoof beats but he never really was good at it. He crawled over to Rue quickly and shook his shoulder.
"Rue. Wake up." He whispered. "I need your help."
"What's wrong?" Rue asked sitting up and rubbing sleep from his eyes. Then he heard the hoof beats.
Ruecian saw the look in Rue's eyes. "How many are there?" he whispered. The flap in the direction of the hoof beats would move too much if he had looked. They had nearly been killed looking out of that flap before.
"Eight, no wait… two dozen." Rue said as his face paled. "You don't think Isspen sent a small troop after us do you?" Rue looked at his older brother.
As usual Ruecian seemed extremely cool and calm. "I don't think so. Besides we're in East Heaven territory. Isspen would be a complete idiot to send a small troop here after us. They would have turned back some time ago." Ruecian turned toward the front flap and thought a moment. "Rue, grab Ruenis and go hide in the wild grass outside. Don't let him say a word or get scared. You know how he'll react to this. I'll follow behind you."
Rue nodded and turned around. He grabbed Ruenis up and the blanket and moved over to the back flap. Carefully he snuck out between the horses and ducked into the grass. Ruecian followed suit after untying the horses. When he arrived, he saw Rue was holding Ruenis's mouth shut. Ruecian hurried over and held his hand over Rue's. All three watched as the horses came up to the empty wagon. One man, dressed in dark blue, black in the dim light of the moon, got off his horse and went up to the wagon. He pulled back the front flap and found it empty. "They're not here sir!" He yelled to the group.
Another man in a brown hood jumped down and ran over to the wagon. "Boys! Boys!" He called out. He pulled off his hood and the boys saw his white hair and worried expression. "Boys! It's alright! These are East Heaven soldiers! They aren't going to hurt us!" He called toward the grasses.
Suddenly Ruenis began jerking around and trying to get out of his brother's grasp to see his father. He managed to wiggle free of them and jumped up. "Daddy!" He yelled and began running toward them. Valen ran into the grass a bit to be tackled by his youngest son. "Daddy! I missed you!" Ruenis said as he snuggled into his father's embrace.
"As I missed you Ruenis." Valen laughed and ruffled the boy's hair. "Rue! Ruecian! Come out!" He yelled.
"Yeah you big fraidy cats! It's daddy! Really!" Ruenis yelled jumping up and down.
Rue and Ruecian looked at each other with a blush on both their faces. They both stood up, Rue's upper body just above the grass and Ruecian's thighs were just hidden. Both of them walked up to where Valen and Ruenis were huddled together in his cloak. "I'm glad you're both safe boys. You did a good thing hiding in the grass. I'm very proud." Valen said hugging both boys. They were an odd family. Ruecian was a few inches taller then Valen while Rue was almost as tall as his father and Ruenis as tall as Rue's shoulder.
"Father, we're glad to finally see you again." Ruecian said relieved.
"Yes. I'm glad to see you've grown a bit Ruecian." Valen said grabbing his son's shoulder. "And you Rue; you most certainly are beginning to sprout up like a shoot of wheat." He squished Rue's hat down fatherly. "Ruenis, you've grown too."
"Awe," Ruenis said scratching the back of his head, "I haven't grown that much."
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There's the second hit of this story. So far so good. I've been able to think of something else to write at least so the story is safe. I was thinking of trashing it but then I thought, I can get over this little hill. So we'll see if I can write more!
Next time- The Rue boys get to meet the princesses. Oh dear… What will the boys do while at the castle until they get enough furnishings for their new home? How will the girls not kill the boys? (Ruecian is going to be a little out of character in this one I think)
