WHEN the three royal siblings, Archer, Agatha, and Madeleine were but children, it was the middle-born princess who always got into trouble with their mother and father, and with the stewards and maids of the Tower. She was always naughty and unruly; forever making the servants chase after her; acting in a way that some might consider unbecoming of a royal princess.
But Archer, having known the princess since the moment she came out of their mother’s womb, always suspected that it was because Agatha often felt left out and disregarded by the king and the queen. Archer, being the heir to the throne, had been the focal point of King Alaric’s attention and mentorship from the day he was born. On the other hand, Princess Madeleine, being the youngest of the brood, was adored and doted on by their mother up until the good queen died. Princess Agatha, despite her tough exterior and mischievous deeds, has a soft and sensitive heart begging to be loved and chosen first.
This was precisely why, of his two sisters, Prince Archer decided to inform Princess Agatha first of his plan to undertake an adventure in the Forest of Mysteries before his coronation.
He found the princess in the garden pavilion when he sought her out, her blond curls bobbing as she conversed and laughed with Miriam, her maid.
“Agatha,” he called. The princess turned at the sound of his voice. Her smile widened as he walked closer to where she was standing.
“My dear brother,” she acknowledged.
He turned to her companion, who curtsied lowly before him. “Leave us for a while, please, Miriam.”
When they were alone, Archer sat on the velvet upholstered chair beside his sister.
“What is it, Archer? You look grave. Is there terrible news?” she inquired, her crystal blue eyes, identical to his, turning somber. They both look like their father, he and Agatha, with their golden hair, cerulean eyes, and strong shoulders. Some of the guests that their father have had over the years have said that they could have easily been twins.
Instead of answering the question, Prince Archer leaned back on his seat and gazed at the view of the Tower as seen from the pavilion. “Do you remember the first time we visited Elder Athelstan’s castle up North when we were children?” he asked.
Princess Agatha nodded. “Why, of course. I was only six then, and you were eight. We were disappointed that we couldn’t bring Madeleine with us.”
The prince smiled serenely, remembering fond memories. It was the year after his mother the Queen Amarantha died. Although it was never explicitly said, he knew even then that the reason Elder Athelstan’s family invited the King was to entice him to marry Athelstan’s maiden daughter, Lady Marguerite. They failed, of course, for the king never remarried. At the time, Madeleine was deemed too young to join the journey, and was left in the Tower under the care of the maids and guards.
“Do you remember Edward, Athelstan’s grandson? He was my age. He took us to the frozen lake near the old castle. You almost ran to straight to the ice, if not for our guards who held you back,” he shook his head, grinning fondly.
Princess Agatha laughed. “No one could possibly fault me for that! It was the first time I ever saw snow! You know it never snows here.”
The prince joined his sister’s laughter. “You gave the guards a fit. You could have fallen in the ice beneath.”
“Yes, well, it was good thing I did not.
Archer shook his head, smiling. “We were happy then, were we not?”
The princess’ smile did not quite reach her eyes. “We can still be happy, dear brother of mine. Father had just died. Perhaps in time we shall be happy again.”
“I am starting to believe that we had not truly been happy, and will never again be so, since the day our Mother died,” he quietly replied.
Agatha’s golden curls moved as she shook her head adamantly. “You must not think that way, Prince Archer! You are starting to sound like Madeleine.”
Archer laughed softly. “Do not let her hear you say that.”
The princess grinned conspiratorially at her older brother. “Let us discuss jovial things now, shall we? Your coronation, perhaps. Or the wedding! You must be looking forward to it. I, for one, am thrilled to finally see you and Lady Cecily wed.”
The prince’s smile dropped at that. “That is one matter I would like to confer with you, Agatha.”
Matching her brother’s serious expression, Agatha sat up straighter. “What of it, brother?”
Archer drew a deep breath. “Agatha, I am leaving.”
“What?” the princess asked, dumbfounded. “Where would you go? What shall you be doing? Is it for your duties as a King? Your coronation and wedding are near. Will you be back by then?”
Despite the gravity of the matter, the prince found himself amused by his sister’s incessant talking. That was who she was: always curious, always wanting to be informed, to be included. “So many questions, Agatha.”
Her face remained serious, an eyebrow rising slightly. “And I want many answers, Archer.”
“I am leaving for a while before my coronation and wedding, dear sister. I intend to go to the Forest of Mysteries. Being a King is a heavy burden to bear, and I am happy to do it, but I wish to do this one little thing before I hoist the whole Kingdom of Vrasambail on my shoulders.”
“And what little thing is that?”
“To be free”, the prince replied solemnly. “To have a few short weeks of freedom before I offer my life to ruling the lands.”
Agatha looked furious. “And what of the Kingdom, Archer? We need a King.”
“Vrasambail shall not be neglected in my absence. I am leaving the Kingdom in Elder Anselm’s capable hands. And I shall only be gone a short time, my sister. I will be back before the coronation and the wedding. I have told Cecily my plans, and she supported me.”
The princess was not placated. “And what of your safety, Archer? We have enemies left and right. What if you are seen by Galvanith soldiers? Will your guards accompany you?”
“I shall only be with Ernest. They might see me, but they will not recognize me, dear sister. I promise you that.”
“Ernest? Ernest is a boy! He is not capable of keeping you safe! And how could our enemies not recognize you? You are the King of Vrasambail! Of course they will!”
“Trust me, they will not.” He looked thoughtfully at the princess. “This was not the response I expected from you. I thought you would be understanding. After all, you are the boldest of us three.”
To his surprise, his sister’s eyes welled with angry tears. “What if you die, Archer? What if you get killed? I have lost our Father and Mother; I could not lose you, too.”
The prince gathered his sister in his arms. “I understand that you are afraid for my safety, and this hesitation of yours is only because you worry about my wellbeing. But you have to trust me, and believe that I will return safely. You have to believe that I need to do this, not just for my own peace of mind, but for me to be a better ruler of the Kingdom.”
Agatha nodded minutely, breaking free from him embrace. “I understand. You are the King: you can do whatever it is you desire. And I know that there is nothing I can possibly say to persuade you to change your mind. Just promise me one thing, brother: Come back. Come back to our family, safe and whole. It is just us and Madeleine now. We need you, so come back.”
If Princess Agatha were fire, the Princess Madeleine was ice. That was what Archer had always thought about his two younger sisters while they were growing up. That was what was running through his mind as he walked to the Tower’s library, where he was told Princess Madeleine was. He wondered what she would say once he told her of his plans. Would she be understanding, as Lady Cecily was? Would she be as angry as Agatha? “Archer?” his sister’s soft voice interrupted his thoughts. There, in the velvet cushion by the large glass window, sat Princess Madeleine, the youngest of all three children of King Alaric and Queen Amarantha. She was wearing a blue silk gown with long sleeves that covered her arms, her straight black hair in a neat braid perched on her right shoulder, its color a stark contrast to the lightness of her gown. She was lithe where he and Agatha were broad, small in stature where her two elder siblings were tall. She was
The sun was barely up by the time Prince Archer and his 14-year-old squire Ernest started their journey by the edge of the Forest. They were riding horses side by side; the prince riding his trustworthy chestnut-colored stead, while Ernest is on a black horse lent to him by his father. They were both wearing simple garments, and both carrying swords. Archer could tell that the boy was nervous. It was, after all, his first time to join in a trip to the Forest that may last for weeks. The lack of guards to accompany them seemed to be adding up to the boy’s fear. “Are you alright there, Ernest?” he asked the squire kindly, looking over at him. The boy nodded his head, his black hair falling on his eyes. “Yes, my Lord.” “Theobald, remember? You must remember to call me that,” he reminded Ernest. It was what they had agreed on. The prince will go by the name of Theobald, while the squire will retain his name. They would introduce themselves as bro
THE SMOKE was coming from a bonfire outside a small brick cottage. The house was surrounded by different plants of varying colors and sizes. Prince Archer hopped down from the horse, and helped his squire get off the animal, gently holding his arms, avoiding his festered wound as to not cause him any more pain. Letting the boy lean on him for balance, he called out. “Is anyone there? Can anyone help us?” He heard shuffling from the inside of the tiny house, and small, quiet steps followed. An old woman peered from the door, her eyebrows furrowed, trying to see who was calling. Archer slowly walked towards the woman, his left arm across Ernest’s waist. “Please, help us. My brother is wounded, and he is becoming weaker. We need a healer. Please help us.” Peering over them thoughtfully, the woman gestured to the house. “Get him inside, and fast.” ONCE inside, the prince looked for a place to sit Er
DINNER was a tense event, with Old Maude’s infrequent questions, Archer’s short replies, and Aurora’s complete silence. The prince had fed his squire Ernest earlier, having moved him to a cot on one side of the cottage. He could see the boy now from where he was sitting: asleep, body hunched like a little child. A thick brown cloth was draped over him, yet he was still shivering. Archer could feel the guilt eating at him whenever he sees the boy’s pale pallor. Had he not insisted on bringing him along on his adventure, he would have been safe and sound at his family’s estate. Old Maude noticed his frequent glances at the boy, and tutted. “Now, do not worry so much about your brother, Theobald. While it is true that he should have been brought to me right away, I will try my very best to make sure he lives. Now, only if I still have the flower of bastion…” “The flower of bastion, my lady?” the prince inquired. He had never heard such fruit before. The old woman nodded. “It’s what I u
PRINCE ARCHER had been walking for nearly half an hour, his sword on his right hip, his bow and arrow and some nets and traps on a knapsack on his back, when he spotted Aurora, her bright red hair glimmering under the rays of the sun. She was crouched on one of her traps, holding a fat, brownish rabbit. “Aurora!” he called. She turned to look at the sound of his voice, her eyebrows furrowing. Despite her unwelcoming expression, he still felt joy in his chest upon seeing the lady again. He jogged towards her, only stopping when he was an arm’s length away from her. “What are you doing here?” she asked. “I told you to stay in the cottage.” Archer grinned stupidly at her. She sounded angry, yet she still was the loveliest woman in his eyes. “Your grandmother said the Forest was huge, and I could hunt somewhere different from you. I swear that I did not know that the trail I was following was the one you took as well.” Aurora purs
THE sun was just beginning to rise on the east when Prince Archer, disguised as Theobald the son of a smith, and Aurora began their journey to find the fruit of bastion. They each have a burlap sack containing provisions. Both are carrying a sword, and Archer also has his bow and arrows with him. He was about to mount his horse when Aurora stopped him.“The trail is too narrow for a horse,” she explained. “We would have to walk to get to the Heart.”Archer nodded and followed the lady. Her bright copper hair was tumbling down her shoulders. They walked in silence until they reached the clearing where Aurora had caught the rabbit the previous day.“We were here yesterday,” the prince noted. Aurora gave no response.Archer tried again. “Will we take the same trail yesterday, where we caught that deer?”Still no answer.The prince took a deep breath. “Why do you hate me so?&rdq
PRINCE ARCHER WAS ALONE in the shelter when he awoke the following morning. Aurora was no longer in his arms. Outside, he could hear the sound of firewood crackling, and could smell the aroma of roasted meat.Getting up from the floor of the tent, the prince-in-disguise held the back of his neck, cracking it slightly to alleviate the dull pain he was feeling on it. He must have fallen asleep in an awkward position. Walking outside, he caught sight of Aurora sitting in front of a fire roast, turning over the heat what looks to be some sort of bird meat skewered on a piece of stick. She looked up at the sound of his footsteps, and, catching sight of his face, flustered a little and turned her eyes away from him immediately. Archer walked towards her and sat on a flat rock in front of her.“How are you this morning, my lady?” he inquired politely.Aurora shrugged, handing him a cooked piece of bird meat on a stick. She cleared her throat. “I have hunted to break our fast, as you can see.
IT WAS more than a day and a half of walking later when Aurora stopped outside of an enormous cave.“We are here,” she said simply.Prince Archer glanced up at the cave. It was a huge, glimmering grey rock. He could see the abundance of green moss by the entrance to the cavern from where he was standing. It was eerily quiet; only the occasional titters of a distant bird breaking the silence. Even the wind seemed to stop moving.Aurora looked at him. “Now, we enter. It is quite huge inside, with rock formations everywhere. But I have been here quite a few times, and I know the way. Follow me closely, and you shall be alright.”The prince nodded.The lady walked towards the cave, her footsteps wary. Archer expected it to be completely dark, but there were crevices at the roof of the cave that gave way to rays of the midday sunlight, illuminating the area. The air inside was cold despite it being the middle of the day, and the prince could feel the hairs on his arm stand up. Aurora was a