T
TickingTimebomb
Guest
Original poster
Two men stood in a large, white room, the marble floor and walls causing their words to echo up into the rafters. Giant, ridged columns lined the walls, and a brilliant red carpet ran down the center from one end of the room to the other. Headless statues stood in the corners, and several paintings were hung on the high walls depicting scenes of battle and mythology.
"Father, I don't need another guard!"
"Laderic, the decision has been made."
The younger of the two men – also the shorter of the two despite his tall, strong stature – crossed his arms stubbornly in front of his broad chest. "Do you doubt my ability to protect myself?" He asked, the question sounding almost like a growl. Brown eyes glared at his father.
"It isn't a matter of ability," said the older, grey-haired male. "I cannot have the crown prince wandering around unattended. As you've proven, you are very capable… of sneaking off without your squad."
And it was true: for a few years now, Laderic had developed a habit of leaving the castle without permission to mingle with the commoners unattended. It had never turned into anything dangerous, but the King and Queen were desperate to keep their boy under closer watch - ideally within the palace walls. The large, stone walls were certainly imposing in stature, but they did very little to hold in a prince who liked to roam. The village just beyond those walls had plenty of markets and other attractions to amuse a young man, and while his parents were completely unaware, Laderic sometimes went as far as the forest on the outskirts of town, where there was really no authoritative presence.
Laderic's frown deepened. "That's because I don't need them," he shot back, though he knew this conversation was as good as over. "I'll go wheresoe'er I choose." He tugged at his collar; the clothing he was wearing looked good on him, but he found it exceedingly uncomfortable. Said clothing was mostly black, decorated with the green and purple Coat of Arms of the royal family. His father was wearing similar clothing, and neither man wore a crown upon his head.
The King sighed, head shaking slightly. "Eric…"
"It's Laderic," the young man protested, arms dropping off to his sides. "And fine. I'll take on another guard. This is absurd, though."
King Claudius smirked: his son's insolence was often exhausting, but at the very least he had relented this once. With all that was going on in the Kingdom, including several tense inter-state relations that were close to breaking down altogether, he would feel more comfortable knowing his son would be flanked by members of the royal guard. "The people of Loathiel will thank you," he replied.
Laderic shrugged his broad shoulders, lifting a gloved hand to push black bangs out of eyes. "Bring this guard to me," the twenty-year-old stated simply; only the prince could get away with ordering the king around like this, not that the king ever actually did his bidding.
"He's on his way here as we speak."
"Father, I don't need another guard!"
"Laderic, the decision has been made."
The younger of the two men – also the shorter of the two despite his tall, strong stature – crossed his arms stubbornly in front of his broad chest. "Do you doubt my ability to protect myself?" He asked, the question sounding almost like a growl. Brown eyes glared at his father.
"It isn't a matter of ability," said the older, grey-haired male. "I cannot have the crown prince wandering around unattended. As you've proven, you are very capable… of sneaking off without your squad."
And it was true: for a few years now, Laderic had developed a habit of leaving the castle without permission to mingle with the commoners unattended. It had never turned into anything dangerous, but the King and Queen were desperate to keep their boy under closer watch - ideally within the palace walls. The large, stone walls were certainly imposing in stature, but they did very little to hold in a prince who liked to roam. The village just beyond those walls had plenty of markets and other attractions to amuse a young man, and while his parents were completely unaware, Laderic sometimes went as far as the forest on the outskirts of town, where there was really no authoritative presence.
Laderic's frown deepened. "That's because I don't need them," he shot back, though he knew this conversation was as good as over. "I'll go wheresoe'er I choose." He tugged at his collar; the clothing he was wearing looked good on him, but he found it exceedingly uncomfortable. Said clothing was mostly black, decorated with the green and purple Coat of Arms of the royal family. His father was wearing similar clothing, and neither man wore a crown upon his head.
The King sighed, head shaking slightly. "Eric…"
"It's Laderic," the young man protested, arms dropping off to his sides. "And fine. I'll take on another guard. This is absurd, though."
King Claudius smirked: his son's insolence was often exhausting, but at the very least he had relented this once. With all that was going on in the Kingdom, including several tense inter-state relations that were close to breaking down altogether, he would feel more comfortable knowing his son would be flanked by members of the royal guard. "The people of Loathiel will thank you," he replied.
Laderic shrugged his broad shoulders, lifting a gloved hand to push black bangs out of eyes. "Bring this guard to me," the twenty-year-old stated simply; only the prince could get away with ordering the king around like this, not that the king ever actually did his bidding.
"He's on his way here as we speak."