Frederick Kaiser: Chapter Twenty-Four

"She is my half-sister… That woman… Is my half-sister… Seriously? I have another sister?"

"For the millionth time yes Fred…" As Duryss started to get annoyed by me being surprised about my other half-sibling. We have been travelling for a few hours now. Raining has ceased, but there are always clouds covering the sky. The dead forest still looks the same and I cannot tell where we are.

The bandits kindly gave me a saddle so I can now sit more comfortable on Duryss's back. However, they don't trust me and I am cuffed and chained. The bandits in the group take turns into pulling the rope. Sometimes they deliberately pulled me off the saddle and will fall straight into the mud. After a while, they stopped doing it because they said it wasn't funny anymore… Even though it really wasn't funny, to begin with.

I had a complete rage outburst as I see Erdmuthe take my Alcuus hammer and sheath it on her back. She now has her grubby hands on my hammer.

I looked around and tried to keep myself amused. I have never felt so bored… At least my carriage had alcohol and books. How does anyone travel like this?

We travelled for a day and I look at Duryss in complete disgust, as he seems to get along well with our captors. Erdmuthe even seems to like his company. They all laugh and jeer as I stare all of them in complete hatred. He seems to have forgotten that we are HOSTAGES. Well mainly me… I'm the royal one around here.

"I DEMAND EVERYONE TO TELL ME WHO THEY ARE!"

Erdmuthe looks at me and smiles. As the group laughs, even Duryss laughed.

"Look at that boys, he still thinks he can demand whatever he likes! We have been ignoring you for days now… Haven't you got into your thick brain that you have no authority here?"

I sigh and roll my eyes. I tug my rope to try and keep myself occupied.

Later that night after a long day of travelling we finally make camp. They tie me to a tree. An old massive tree that died many years ago that smelt of death. A disgusting dinner is made which I had to eat. How long is this going to take? I would be lying if my homesickness hasn't completely set in. Looking around the environment everything is so grey, dead and dark. The dead forest looks the same everywhere we went. The clouds are still following us. I have no idea where we are. But I know that we are nowhere near Demir.

But I see Duryss who was never chained or abused by this group. He could easily run away at any time. He has spoken to me every now and then. But nothing of importance or telling me who we are with.

"Duryss… How could you befriend them?" I said meekly to him. He just smiles at me as softly as he could.

"They are really not bad…"

"Really... Just really? They tried to rob us. Then took us as hostages! Their wonderful group leader knocked me out TWICE. Their cooking tastes like shit, we are far from home and will not take us there! How does this make them NOT REALLY THAT BAD?" As I shook the rope that is keeping me connected to another bandit. And the bandit tugs at it threatening to pull me off again.

"You are the hostage. I can do what I want." Duryss really had to rub it in. That I am the one in trouble. What kind of friend is this dragon again? He can easily do a runner… I felt so angry about everything. He basically has betrayed me… I will be lying if I felt like crying right here and now. But I'm going to make sure that will NEVER happen. I must hold all of my feelings in as much as possible.

Hell, I am just as furious with all of this as I smelled terrible. The stench in my royal regalia has now gone into levels of nauseousness. I will kill everyone here including Duryss for a nice long bath. Even a black beard has started to grow on my face. Unlike my older brothers, I hated having a beard… It always made me look much older than what I am.

The next morning after having another terrible sleep we rode for a few more hours when. All of a sudden Erdmuthe grabs a leather bag and places it over my head.

"HEY!" I screamed. I tried my hardest to remove my restraints as I struggled to breathe.

"Relax you, stupid prince! You will suffocate yourself! We don't want you to die!" As she then smacks my back. I had a surge of panic. I cannot see anything! I tried to slow down my breathing. Erdmuthe then gets on my saddle and restrains me. After walking for a while. I hear talking around me. But it sounded much more than the small group. It was muffled because of the bag over my head. But eventually, I hear loud gates open.

I feel every step that Duryss took and it felt like we were descending. I still could see nothing as my vision is still blocked. But eventually after not being able to see and walking which felt like it would never end. But the cold around me ceased and I felt the warmth of a nearby fire. It felt refreshing even though I could not see anything.

Then we stopped and Erdmuthe removes the bag from my head. I look around and I see that we are in some kind of great hall. The building is made out of solid rock similar to home. Large stone pillars decorated with green draconium symbols and as I looked beneath us I see our sigil of a green fist. But this place felt so different. There was a kind of special aura about it. I could not put my finger on it as to what it is…

"Hello, little brother!" I looked in front of me and see a very familiar person. It is one of my older brothers…

"Elrick? WHAT THE HELL?" I screamed at him. "RELEASE ME NOW!"

Elrick fourth son of my father, aged thirty-seven. Who should be at the battlefield… Prince Arman forced him to go to war because of his criminal connections and indiscretions. He looks more like mother with long flowing light green hair and having darker skin. He is tall and slender unlike the majority of us brothers. The only other brother who looks like mother and him is Xavier…

However, Elricks' slenderness is still silhouetted by his muscles. Unlike Xavier where he has not even tried lifting bars. Elrick's muscles are not large like fathers, Armans or even mine. I remember him trying to compare his muscles against his other brothers. It was hilarious… He is like a toothpick compared to them. At least we all know Elrick tried… That's all father asked for… But I do hear that Elrick knows how to sneak around… His main weaponry is daggers and subterfuge… The only family member uses such cheap tactics and weapons. I don't even think anyone from our empire uses those weapons. It is very… Mille Voix… And father thinks of them as living doilies. I can imagine all the mockery father gave him… Since it is common knowledge that he is one of the least liked children.

His piercing green eyes glowed as he looked at me in complete joy.

He laughs and nods at the bandits to release me from my cuffs. I get up from my saddle with such anger and tried to punch him in the face. He quickly dodges my punch with such ease. I tried multiple times to punch him but I miss every single time! I yell in complete frustration! I tried hitting him again and again! But I still miss! In the end I was too exhausted to try hitting him anymore. He just stares as I breathe heavily from exhaustion.

"You done?" As he pats my back hard. I look at him in disdain and annoyance.

"Not really no!" As I panted. I stood up and looked at my brother. He is so stupidly cheery that always gets on my nerves. How did he expect me to react?! Duryss smiles and says hello to Elrick in the most polite fashion.

I looked at Duryss and stomped right over to him. I knew there were a whole crowd of people surrounding us. But I did not care. I was too furious to think about anything else. AM I SERIOUSLY A LIVING JOKE?

"DID YOU KNOW THAT ELRICK IS HERE?!" I screamed at Duryss who is standing close behind me.

"Yes, I did!" As Duryss smiled. And with that response, I punched him hard in the head. I heard him groan in complete pain as I hit him straight on the bonemark. The room was in dead silence…

"Enough! Frederick!" As he shouts out at me in front of everyone. "Erdmuthe please take Duryss to the stables. I'm going to have a chat with my brother!" She then nods in agreement and strokes Duryss's head. Elrick then grabs me and drags me all through the temple. To a room which I can guess is his personal quarters.

"What the hell!? Your servants try to rob me! Then they took me, hostage! They then drag me away so far from bloody Demir that I have no idea where I am! Then all you say after me being treated like crap! Hey, it's FUCKING FUNNY! OH HI, LITTLE BROTHER! DURYSS BEING A HUGE ASS NEVER TOLD ME I WAS SEEING YOU!"

"They are not my servants for a start… They are a bandit group called the Iron Maidens led by Ingrid. Yes, peculiar name and many men follow her. Real tough lady."

I punched his drawers. It made a large crack and the top is now bent. "Fuck them!"

"Okay, Fred enough of the swearing! I understand how they mistreated you! That should not of have happened!" He raises his hands to try and reassure me to calm down. "I told them repeatedly not to do that kind behaviour anymore… But alas bandit habits must die hard. But you be surprised these bandits actually have a code of conduct."

I have so much anger that I had no idea what to do with it… I started punching the mattress of the bed so hard that feathers started to fly out of the seams. Everyone is being a huge prick to me. But in a way now that my head is starting to clear from the angry fog in my head. I am glad that it's Elrick and not some other random bandit leader… It could have been so much worse… But as I thought about how much I hit Duryss on the head… I hated the fact that he lied and mocked me. But I feel like I went too far hitting him. It seemed like I put him in real pain there.

After punching the bed in full fury multiple times I lied on the bed. And after a while, I sit back up and look up at my brother. He was sitting on his table read papers that look like letters.

"Have you calmed down now? We need to have a serious talk."

"No kidding…" I retorted in sarcasm. "What are you doing with bandits? You should be at the war front! Did you flee like a coward?" This asshole has to answer some serious questions. Which I am sure the family would LOVE to hear what is happening. I know Elrick has had shady dealings in the past with criminals. But not like this!

"I was at the war front for a while… About two years. Nothing really much needed to be said. We won a few battles and had to pull back a few times. The Red Draconium Empire knows how to make skilled warriors. I fought when there was a feeling that we could win. I left the war front because Prince Arman asked me to."

"Wait Arman asked you to leave to war front? Why? He sent you there in the first place! Remember it was to go to war or prison! You should be fighting with our countrymen!"

"Like how you are Fred?"

I admit he has got me there… I was angry enough to leave the city to a small ass town. To not answer his question I immediately asked a different question. "What did you mean when you said? When you thought we would win? We are winning the war aren't we?"

"We are not winning the war… We are really starting to lose. We are becoming desperate and father is blind to it. We have very little supplies and we have lost most our trained soldiers. The soldiers we have now are people conscripted from villages and cities. Most have never even held a weapon before. The Red and brown armies have started to take over the south. They have fire priests scouting old temples like the one we are in now. Looking for OUR secrets. Something that OUR priests should be doing! They have their spies seeping through our borders. I did read a letter from Arman that a man bombed an elevator at home?"

I looked at my brother in disbelief. I know Gunter has mentioned it. I thought he was being melancholy or just trying to convince me to feel sorry for people. And now it is confirmed that it was a Red spy carrying out the attack… However he screwed it up. The elevator was not the target. Even though we still lost many lives. I did not tell him of my personal involvement of the protests. I tell my brother all he needed and he sighed in relief.

"We have been asking many groups of rogue bandits to join the war. Our grand prince has finally realised there is real use for me and my connections. I have counted ten different rogue groups so far. They know how to fight. We have much wealth from the palace. They will do anything for gold… This group will start heading south to meet with Derrick."

"So what were some bandits doing around Denver?" I crossed my arms and glared at my brother.

"I did receive a letter from one of my associates in Denver that there was to be a royal visitor. I was still trying to negotiate a treaty with the various groups of bandits. If they serve the criminals past is erased. Some were willing to help… Cause in irony they still love their native home and don't want it taken over by the Red and Brown armies. But many groups left and still act like wild bandits. By that time it was too late to send a letter to Harding for all of us to meet there. My crowdrag is already on another flying mission. We only have so many of them left now… I hoped it was Prince Arman or Xavier… I am completely surprised that it is you. Travelling has never been your forte. They were to bring you safely. Which they did… in a weird way… But they did it." As he looked at me. He had no confidence in saying that.

"Why did you want Arman or Xavier? I mean Xaviers'… He's a wimp?!" It baffled my mind. Arman forced Elrick to go to the war as punishment for his crimes. I even hear that when they were younger they never got along, they always argued and have different interests. I thought that they hated each other. Maybe they do hate each other… Elrick probably wanted to kidnap him and get his revenge on his older brother. Grand Prince Arman the man who thinks he is perfect in every way. While Elrick is the criminal of the family… But yet I doubt it… Elrick did say that he was trying to create treaties with bandits to fight for us. As for Xavier… Well… He likes his books.

"Because he is only the Grand Prince and our oldest brother! As for Xavier, he is a smart man. And give him more credit than that…" He said sarcastically. But I gave him a sarcastic look in return.

"Why is it that I am feeling that I am being left out of the picture?" There are so many things that my brother is not telling me.

"Why do you suddenly care? You have cared for nothing but yourself! But it is also because if I told you the whole picture little brother you will not like it… Not one bit." He then bring out a tankard and fills it up with water. He passes it over to me. I drank it so fast. I was so thirsty it been a while since I have eaten or drunken anything.

"Tell me!" I shouted at him.

"No."

I stare at my brother in disdain once more.

"I will tell Prince Arman that you're with me. I will send a letter once my crowdrag returns. But I have another question for you…"

"What?"

"Why were you in the middle of the dead forest? Like that is the last place you ever be at. It was very lucky that it was my bandits that caught you. Many of the bandits we tried to make a deal fought and ran off. They were supposed to meet you at Denver and I will follow suit once I finished creating the treaty. "

I looked down at my tankard and remained quiet. However, Elrick started to get annoyed and prodded me with the question repeatedly. Even threatening that I would never leave this room like a parent.

I eventually spilt almost everything out to him. The story about the elevator explosion, my short time travelling and me at Denver.

"SERIOUSLY!? Frederick?! You offended the Hardings!? We needed them! We are low in supplies!"

I rolled my eyes. "Since when did YOU care about others? You're a criminal who steals from people! Have you actually been at that shithole Denver? It stank and everyone is so glum and gloomy. After all that they even tried to take me, hostage, themselves! "

"I have always cared about others for YOUR information! I have never stolen anything from those who are less fortunate. But the Hardings, Trying to take you as a hostage is wrong. But they are desperate hence their glum and gloominess! Having our father the EMPEROR to ignore them completely for years! Only to tell them we are taking their best men! Father demanding they give us their all. But we give little to them in return! They have nothing! I knew you were selfish but I really had no idea! You are as bad as father!" Elrick sits next to me.

"Father?! I am as bad as f- wait? What? Are you implying that father is a bad man? A bad leader!? THAT'S TREASON! Father is a great man! How can you even call yourself a prince?!" I stand up spilling my tankard of water all over the floor. And face towards Elrick.

"You are so blind! You have always been one of his favourites'! Along with the twins."

Always worshipping the ground he walked on… Father has failed this nation, Fred! He should no longer be Emperor! We would not be in this mess if weren't for him! Get off your high dragon and look at the world around you!"

"How dare you! " I made a fist and I tried to hit him again. I know my brothers sometimes don't get along with father. But blatantly say that he is a bad ruler! Is completely treacherous. But like before he avoided my attacks with complete ease. Only this time he grabs my right arm and twists it behind me. And with a swift kick from him I land on my bed.

"I will lock you in this room for now until you calm down! I cannot speak to you anymore with your random outbursts! You're such a child!"

With a quick reaction, he then gets up and slams the wooden door. I run after him but it was too late. I heard the click of the lock. I banged on the door ten minutes straight after that. Shouting and raving. I tried to kick the door down but it is not flimsy wood. It is very hard and thick wood that is meant to be reinforced.

"Hey knock that off. You're not doing yourself any favours you, stupid prince! Stop trying to knock down the door!"

It was Erdmuthe who is standing behind the door.

"Let me guess… My brother told you to come here?"

"Yes… To guard your door. I wouldn't give a rat's ass about you, if your brother isn't so close to Ingrid. Oh if you cared, Duryss is fine… You knocked him a good one. You are such an asshole."

I then turn around and sit leaning on the door. I hear a scraping noise noticing she did it as well. She is not a trained guard if she is sitting. But as I looked in front of me I realised how small and dull this room is. It only had a bed and a small table. It didn't even have a window…

"Oh really? You kidnap me, ignore me and I'm the asshole?" I didn't have the strength to shout anymore. I am talking in my normal sarcastic tone. I have to realise at some point that my shouting is not going to give me any favours… I am really part of an asshole family!

"Oh, I'm not excusing myself for my deeds and trust me I have done plenty of dirty deeds. I have burned, pillaged and destroyed many lives as my life as an outsider. But that doesn't mean Duryss hasn't been talking to us. And you are fooling no one… Yes, Frederick even without Duryss's input we know many exploitations of all the princes. You do know how the world sees you. I ignored you for all that time as we travelled is because you and our father symbolize the greed, the raw power and the corrupt."

"Is that so? My ancestors built Demir when it was nothing more than a mountain. My family has reigned for seven-thousand years. We have always remained strong… And it is because of men like my father! My father has always had is reasons for doing the things he does! He is strong and lives for tradition!"

"Your ancestors are also my ancestors don't forget! But you keep saying that… You're the only one… You stupid Prince."

After that short conversation, it fell silent. I slept on the bed for a few hours. Even though I did flatten the mattress a bit by punching much of the feathers out. It was nice to get some form of sleep. For the past few days, I have been sleeping on the cold and wet dirt. My homesickness has really hit me now… I just wanted to go home. Even with the presence of my brother whom I have rarely seen since he left for the war.

Once I woke up I notice that a food bowl is placed on the small table next to the door. This is meant to be my dinner? Will this horrible experience ever stop? I need a large feast to sate my hunger. This only reminded of the wonderful dream of me being back in my exorbitant canopy bed in my large room. Me fighting tournaments and winning… Having a beautiful woman by my side. But then I wake up and I'm stuck in a dark and damp room, alone.

As I sat looking at the pitiful bowl of fruit I hear a knock on the door. I can hear my brother on the other side wondering if I'm awake yet. I hear the lock click and he walks in.

"Well? Have you had enough of your temper tantrum? Now, will you be a grown-up and listen to me?"

"Depends what you have to say… I just want to go home!" I say in complete defeat. I really want all of this to be over… He places his daggers on the table and sits next to me.

"I will let you go home eventually…After all, I am your brother! I'm not that cruel." He then grabs me with his right arm and hugs me. My brother has always been a strange man… He seems like such a nice man but I know he has always hidden some dark secrets. I smiled at that prospect but that means I will have to travel again. Oh sweet, sweet travelling…

"Wait? Eventually?" I looked at him surprised.

"You need to rest. Because I can tell you are looking very clammy… You need food. You need a bath. A change of clothes and you need an attitude adjustment."

"Alright, I get it… "I snarled. But I will not lie I did not feel the biggest relief when he said the word. Bath.