The Guardsman Will, felt a swell of pride as the Capital towers became visible in the distance. His ingenuity and cunning is about to pay off. The King personally sent him on a mission to retrieve his wayward son, and he found him! Never mind that he was sent out with the garrison; it as his time to be recognized. It was he who had found and apprehended the Prince. It will be he who delivers him to the King personally. Will had made sure to bypass the garrison commander, an idiot according to Will. A man who had stolen one of the positions he had longed for. Why should he get any credit? He hadn’t done anything to bring the Prince knight to justice.
Will’s formulated a plan quickly once he had the Prince in hand. He would get off the main road and linger for a night and finish the short trip in the morning. This way he would arrive at the castle around midday, when the most people would see his triumphal entry into the throne room. Deep down Will saw himself as a conquering hero returning from a long campaign. He would enter the city and parade his captive through the main thoroughfares to the King. Surely the maidens would rain down flowers upon him as he made his way through the streets.
Will’s mind ran wild with dreams of promotions, riches and perhaps even a knighthood from the King himself. His prisoner however, just sat quietly in the cage facing toward the back. He hasn’t made any effort to look toward the capital or make conversation with his captor. Will wanted to hear the Prince plead for release. He wanted to know that the Prince knew his future was in his hands. But he just sat stoic and silent. Resigned to his fate, Will presumes.
The carriage crosses over the outer bridge. No one takes notice, and why should they? The people of River Bend are just peasants, they aren’t as in tune to the politics of the kingdom as Will. He may have come from this cesspool, but he had risen above it long ago. Will first notices glances toward the prisoner cart at the forks leaving the Bend. Left would take him to the military grounds where he lives in a modest stone shack with his wife and two children. It’s of little note, his looks like every other shack of his rank throughout the encampment. It is also where all prisoners are unloaded and taken to the castle through a series of guarded tunnels, doorways and corridors. A higher-ranking officer would take his prize and glory from him, so he leans to the right of the fork to ascend the hill.
Will takes a big breath of fresh air as he inches closer to the city center and his new station in life. Each turn, each side street and roundabout that he takes to maneuver the large cart through puts more eyes on him and he feels it.
Will is sitting up straight trying to look the part. He must keep his eyes on the pathway to avoid running into citizens, so he doesn’t fully get to soak in the glory just yet. No, he must wait until the entire court turns their attention to him. That’s the way he would have it too; the most important eyes in the entire kingdom.
He reaches the castle gate without incident.
The guards stop them. The prisoner cart is out of place.
The Guardsman watching over the gate is Ser Matthew of Two Springs. Ser Matthew is known throughout the ranks as someone who enjoys the drink. Most of the men in the Royal Guard tried to write him off as a drunk, but through his actual work was found to be worthy of knighthood. This infuriates Will to no end. A drunk gets a knighthood before him; another slap in the face.
Will can hardly hide his distain for Matthew as he leaves his guard post to inspect the cart. Matthew approaches and Will notices that his armor isn’t quite in order, his sword belt is sagging a little too much and his long wiry beard hasn’t been shaved, much less trimmed in years. Will prepares for the stench of wine, but he doesn’t ever get it. Matthew doesn’t drink while on duty. Will gives him one more look over while they stare each other down.
Apparently, Matthew has a fault against Will as well.
Little matter to Will, he is about to become a known man. Never mind this lowlife wasting away at this post. Still Will can’t help but wonder what knight thought it best to anoint the drunk. Too bad for Will that he wasn’t up to date on his Kingdom politics… if he were then he would have known that Ser Matthew the Loyal was anointed by Prince Aero himself, and was the only knight he had made in his time as a knight.
“What are you doing here Will?” Matthew asks
“Prisoner transfer, too important to take through the proper channels. I must go directly to the King. You wouldn’t understand, what are you even doing on guard duty?” Will snaps
“The excursion to the north has left the city guard shorthanded. I volunteered to help out.”
“A drunk watching the gate.” Will mutters under his breath
“Excuse me!” Matthew replies reaching for the hilt of his sword.
“Let him pass Matt, and make sure he gets to his destination without incident.” Aero says still facing away but turning towards him.
“Prince Aero?”
“Listen to me my friend and help this man, he has a mission.” Aero says as he turns around.
“Yes, My Lord.” Matthew says as the junior guardsman dismounts the carriage. “To the Castle.” Matthew says as he climbs upon the carriage and sits next to Will.
Matthew guides Will through the streets of Blue Water, and Will his glad he is doing so because he would have never found the castle center without him. The ancient maze of narrow roads is unknown to Will, his rank doesn’t patrol the inner city often. Matthew points out a good unloading spot right in the middle of all the action. This was the moment Will had been waiting for.
Will loiters near the back of the carriage a moment before opening the cage door for Aero. What Will doesn’t notice is Matthew cutting off several other guards and knights of the court and redirecting them to make the entry into the hall clear for Will and Aero.
Gentlemen, guards, ladies and maidens have all turned their attention to the cart. Will decides this lingering has went on long enough and it was time to begin the show. He opens the door and out steps the Prince in his full royal glory. Even the people watching from the distance notice the royal cape that he is wearing. They see the flowing locks of long blond hair and immediately know the identity of the prisoner.
Aero immediately takes off on foot up the marble stairs toward the throne. Matthew and his helpers make sure the way is unimpeded. Officials can be seen questioning Matthew and his men. After a brief few words they each get out of the way. As they enter the building the entire square is abuzz with this incredible sight.
A Prince in binders, wheeled into the castle in a prisoner wagon.
Aero maintains a brisk pace, one that Will has a hard time matching but makes every effort.
As they round the last corridor, from afar Aero sees his brother David standing near the entrance of the great hall speaking with his sworn bodyguard Ser Stephan. The commotion from the corridor causes David to peer down the hall and see the silhouette of his brother.
David smiles, not close enough to his brother to see his binds.
He raises his hand toward his father who is sitting on the throne, speaking with Marko one of his advisors. The King looks down and sees David’s hand and points to him. The room goes silent.
David steps forward “Father, it pleases me to present your son, the Prince Knight, Ser Aero the Fin!”
A light chuckle can be heard throughout the room, no one wants to offend the King, but they can’t help but take a laugh at the expense of the third born island named son. By the time David turns around Aero is close enough for him to see the binders.
“The one thing that gives me comfort is that I will never have to bow to you!” Aero quips back at his brother with a playful smile on his face as he waves his binds to his brother.
Ser Stephan was looking at David when Aero began to speak and saw the smile retract from David’s face. He turns to Aero and immediately shouts “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN CHAINS!”
All sound leaves the great room, the collective breath of everyone in the room with it. All sense of pomp and ceremony is over. All eyes are on Aero and his chains.
Aero simply turns his head towards Will, and every other eye in the place with him. Will sees Matthew out of the corner of his eye grinning the widest smile his face would allow in the corner. He set him up!
Will looks toward Aero, then to David and Ser Stephan who had drawn his sword in outrage. Finally, his eyes turn to the throne. The middle-aged King stood in the uproar and is looking upon Will with hellfire in his eyes.
Will realizes too late that he has made a terrible mistake.
Relics of the Old Age 