ON A TRAINING GROUND:
On a sunny morning with the sun approaching noon, on a palace training ground, Daniel, a knight of the Order of White Lions, supervised Aelrin's personal training, after observing and confirming his talent.
Daniel, dressed in his knight's uniform, gave instructions to Aelrin while watching him, he noticed that this morning Aelrin was training with unusual intensity, and read anxiety in his face and in each of his movements.
That morning, Aelrin hit the training model with all his strength, going so far as to make his arms tremble while being lost in his thoughts, Daniel, his instructor, having noticed this, wanted to challenge him because Aelrin lacked concentration and determination compared to his habit.
As Aelrin hit the training model, he gave such a violent blow that he let his sword escape from his hands.
His sword slammed on the ground releasing a metallic noise, Daniel approached and picked it up with a fluid movement.
He then approached Aelrin who was frozen on the ground, while looking with an empty look his hands having turned red following the repeated impacts.
"There's enough, Aelrin! He tunted in an authoritarian and imposing voice.
Following his words, Aelrin jumped as if taken from a violent dream, and turned to Daniel. His forehead was beaded with sweat and his hands still trembling following the sword blows he had taken.
Aelrin's eyes, still troubled by fear, met Daniel's piercing gaze who stood in front of him.
Daniel, holding Aelrin's fallen sword in his hands, said:
"You are unrecognizable today. You are agitated, brutal and less serene in your movements. Look at the current state of your hands. "
"Is something wrong that I don't know or is there something that bothers you? He said in a serene but authoritarian tone.
Aelrin finally lowered her eyes, looking at her red hands, all out of breath.
"I... I want..." he began to say, his lips trembling, before stopping sharply and clenched his fists with a hesitant look.
Daniel, who was then looking at Aelrin, said:
"You know, despite your young age, I saw you fight some of the apprentice knights of our order and you did well, you even managed to defeat some of them. Even if I first took you as a disciple under the instructions of Prince Dayvon, I do not regret this decision and I am rather proud to have you as a disciple. But know that if you want to become a great knight, you must not flee your fears or problems, you must face them with all your strength while keeping your head held high. "
Daniel's words sounded like a gong in Aelrin's head, and before Aelrin could say anything.
Lucas approached and said:
"I see that you make a lot of effort from dawn, Aelrin, you are amazing." said Lucas with his smile on his lips that came so naturally to him.
Lucas' melodious and warm voice resounding in the morning air, startled Aelrin. They turned their heads and noticed that Prince Lucas approached them with a gait filled with confidence and royal elegance, inspiring respect around him.
The prince advanced on the field, accompanied by his frank smile, dressed in a simple but elegant training outfit. The approaching sun made her white hair sparkle, and each strand was lifted by the wind.
Daniel bowed.
"Your Highness. "
Lucas made a slight gesture of his hand to exempt Daniel from any formality. At only seven years old, the young prince already wore this royal ease that seemed to flow from his veins.
As he approached, Lucas stopped a few steps away from them, his eyes shining with benevolent curiosity. His gaze went from Daniel to Aelrin, immediately noticing the state of Aelrin's hands who was catching his breath while lightly wiping the sweat on his forehead.
"I wouldn't want to interrupt this morning lesson. But it seems to me... seeing the state in which Aelrin finds himself, that you were going to take a break," he said calmly and confidently, after taking a slight look at Aelrin's hands.
So Daniel also stared at Aelrin slightly and, after looking at him, let out a small sigh.
"You are right, Your Highness. We were going to take a break before your arrival," he said in a calm tone.
After hearing his words, Aelrin clenched her fists tightly. A sense of shame invaded him: he had disappointed Daniel's expectations because of his hesitation, caused by the sudden return of his memories.
As the wind played with Lucas' hair, he watched Aelrin with amazing insight, perceiving anguish in his eyes.
So he thought:
"I wanted to fight him to see how much he has evolved in that period of time, but from what I see, it's not the right time for that. "
He sighed slightly and spoke in a calm and respectful voice:
"Chair Daniel, can I borrow Aelrin for a while? I would like to spend a little time in his company." he asked with perfect politeness.
Daniel began to stare slightly at Aelrin before turning to Lucas.
Daniel tilted his head slightly, and said in a respectful way:
"As you please, Your Highness. "
Then he straightened up and his gaze became more intense as he turned to Aelrin.
"Take this time to refocus and come to your senses. We will resume training tomorrow at dawn," he said in a calm and serious tone.
Aelrin opened his mouth, wanting to protest and affirm that he could continue to train.
But before a word came out of his mouth, Lucas approached and crouched slightly in front of him, holding his hand, and said with a warm smile:
"Go ahead, come with me, let's go for a little walk together. He said in a soft voice while slightly pulling Aelrin's hand.
Aelrin felt the warmth of Lucas' hands that enveloped his own. He felt a strange feeling of comfort in him, he had the feeling that the prince had not abandoned him and his sister, and that he still had the opportunity to be useful to him.
Aelrin got up, slightly reassured, and let himself be guided by the prince.
As he watched them walk away, Daniel thought:
"The prince already has a maturity that exceeds that of the children of his age. I hope his words can succeed in touching him. "
In the courtyard of the palace:
As Lucas pulled Aelrin by the hand through the palace courtyard, Aelrin began to admire the beauty of the varieties of flowers that decorated the palace courtyard and wondered what the prince wanted to show him.
After a few minutes of walking, they arrived under a beautiful tree that is in the middle of a miniature hill, surrounded by beautiful greenery and which gives a breathtaking view around them.
Aelrin was amazed by what he saw in front of him.
"Wow, it's beautiful," he said unconsciously with a slight smile on his lips, because he was absorbed by the exceptional view he had of the environment.
Lucas, having seen Aelrin's slight reaction, began to smile with his lips.
"You know, we call this species of tree *SOLNYCTO*: under the sunlight, its leaves become slightly golden, giving a magnificent view while protecting from the reflections of the sun, and under the light of the moon, its leaves become beautifully white, giving a bewitching look. Not to mention the wonderful smell that emanates from it. "
Having heard his words, Aelrin took a big breath of air to try to smell the smell Lucas was talking about. When he took a deep breath, he smelled a pleasant and extraordinary smell that he could not explain and ended up letting a tear flow.
After noticing the tear under Aelrin's eye, Lucas smiled slightly and decided to sit on the grass that surrounded the tree.
"Come, sit next to me," he said in a soft voice while signaling Aelrin to sit next to him.
Aelrin, surprised by the prince's proposal, was slightly skeptical of this idea, but when he met the prince's warm gaze, he ended up approaching and sitting next to the prince.
Lucas carefully observed Aelrin and noticed hesitation and distrust in his eyes as he sat down.
Lucas smiled slightly and said:
"You know, Aelrin, I often come to relax under this tree when I feel suffocated in the palate, its smell soothes me. I don't know if it's because I spent wonderful moments with my family under this tree that it soothes me," he said in a soft voice while staring at the golden leaves of the tree that lit up because of the sunlight.
Then he turned his gaze to Aelrin and said:
"But know, you don't have to feel uncomfortable in my presence, you can also relax," he said in a calm voice.
Aelrin, slightly surprised by the prince's statements, lowered his head, avoiding Lucas' gaze, and began to lightly caress the grass on the ground.
"Why are you so kind to us, Your Highness? And why did you want my sister and I to swear allegiance to you?" He said in a hesitant voice while pushing his hands into the ground.
"Why... why us, Your Highness? We have nothing special... And we... We are only good for nothing." When he said that, his voice broke.
The wind blew slightly on Aelrin's face, playing with her hair and giving a good view of her face.
Lucas, looking at Aelrin, noticed that Aelrin was about to cry but he was holding back with all his strength.
Lucas, surprised by Aelrin's tears, opened his mouth slightly, but not knowing what to say in this situation, he stared at a golden leaf that was in front of him, because, being a child, he had never had to face such a situation and thought he did not have the right words to succeed in consoling Aelrin.
So he picked up the sheet that was in front of him and his hands began to play with the sheet.
"I may not be able to say anything, but you don't have to say that you and your sister are good for nothing. Your sister is doing well at the palace and everyone takes care of her. And you, from what I could hear from Sir Daniel, you showed an exceptional talent for the sword." he said, slightly tearing the sheet he was holding.
"I can understand that you are wondering why I wanted to have you and your sister by my side. But in reality, I have no idea. When I saw you for the first time, running through the crowd holding a baguette of bread, I was amazed. You managed to take care of your sister despite your age, it surprised me greatly and I found it exceptional. So I wanted to have someone like you by my side," he said in a warm voice accompanied by a slight smile while trying to give a shape to the sheet he was holding.
Lucas looked at the sword shape he had given to the sheet he was holding.
"I don't know what you've been through so far. I don't know your pain and...I don't know about losing a person dear to him. "
The wind began to blow slightly, making the prince's hair dance that touched his eyebrows.
His red eyes seemed to light up when he raised his head to admire the beauty of the tree in the sunlight.
"But... know that you are not useless and that you have something special," he said, looking at the sheet that danced in his hands.
"Know that if you have something to say or something to confide, I will always be there. If you don't mind, could you tell me your story? He said in a calm and warm voice while gently pushing the leaf towards Aelrin.
Aelrin silently contemplated the sword-shaped leaf that Lucas had held out to him, and before he could get a word out of his mouth, Lucas added something.
"I'm sorry I didn't come to see you even once in two weeks, when I invited you to live here and be at my service," he said in a soft voice.
Aelrin began to think:
"Why is Your Highness so kind to me? Can I be useful to him? What's special about me? " he thought, staring slightly at the prince from the corner of his eye.
But seeing the sincerity that the prince gave off, he bent his knees, lowered his head and put him on his knees, and covered his head with his hands.
"I... I come from a small village located in the kingdom of... "
TO FOLLOW...
Ps:
"I'm sorry for the delay in releasing the chapter, but it's been two weeks since I was hospitalized and I had surgery this Wednesday, I hope you understand me, I did my best to try to get this chapter out. Sorry for the constant lack of chapters lately, when I feel better, I will do everything I can to release chapters frequently."
If you like, do not hesitate to share and give strength and also do not hesitate to give me your opinion so that I can improve.
THANK YOU FOR READING: THE SECOND PRINCE: A MAD PRODIGIOUS SWORDSMAN