Chapter 35: Scolding

  Julien

  Consciousness came back slowly, almost reluctantly. When he opened his eyes he glanced around his surroundings. They were quite a bit different from the green filled clearing he'd fallen in. A red canvas roof stretched overhead but it was a color he recognized. He searched his mind but it only took a moment to click into place.

  He was in the medic tent back at camp. The realization released tension that had started to build in his chest when he awoke. Then his eyes met the scowling eyes of his father who had been sitting at the end of the cot he was laying in and his blood ran a bit cold. His father didn't speak for several minutes and just sat there staring at him with calculating eyes. Julien managed to pull himself into a sitting position but when he did his head broke out into intense stabbing pains. A hiss escaped his lips and for the first time his father's eyes changed, turning to worry. But the moment was gone soon after. Finally his father leaned forward eyes intent staring directly at him.

  "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was," He said in a low dangerous tone. He couldn't respond right away as he was blinking away tears that had formed in his eyes due to the pain. "Heading out in the early morning when ambushes are the most likely. And without a guard no less." It had been at least a couple years since his father had scolded him like this. Mostly he had just ignored him, or told him he was too busy. When he had paid attention to him it had been to yell at him for not completing his studies or failing some social objective he had. Of course his father hadn't always been like that. He still had memories of his father gleefully chasing him around the palace when he was younger. But after the incident, that resulted in him becoming king he had grown distant.

  "What are you smiling about!?" His father demanded. Julien couldn't explain the thoughts going through his head. "I'm sorry father, I just wanted time to train and to clear my head, Aramin decided to come." Then he remembered the last state he had seen his friend in. "Aramin! Is he?" he stopped unable to finish the sentence. His father's sigh was long and loud, much of the anger draining from his face.

  "He is fine, just resting. Perhaps this is some of my fault as well, I forgot they don't start teaching battlefield protocols until your fourth year at the Academy, a year that you probably won't get to finish." His father became pensive and for a few seconds he seemed to fall into deep thought. Then he looked up sharply a firm look in his eyes.

  "We have a week at most until the beginning of the Royal Curia and unlike in the past I won't be able to keep you out of the eyes of the nobles." Julien winced at the reminder that his father had covered for him when he had refused to go to those meetings in the past. "You have too much to learn about the noble houses as they will be approaching you for favors i'm sure. Now that you are no longer at the Academy i'm sure they will be coming after you in droves. So after the first initial exploration of the refuge i'm going to confine you here and have Altaya tutor you in the ,intrigues of the court," he said the last part with a snort of disgust that told Julien all he needed to know about how his father felt about most of the nobles' "antics".

  He opened his mouth to protest but received a sharp look from his father. He was clearly anticipating an argument. But Julien was had no interest in arguing. Many things had become clear to him during that fight and after what had just happened he was under no illusions about how much he needed information.

  Had he just thought about it for a moment, he might've found some quiet place within the camp to practice. But he had been so focused on what was going through his own mind. Besides he had wanted to avoid the stares they were always getting now. None of that excused leading his friend into a monster infested forest, just so he could feel better.

  A firm grip on his shoulder knocked him out of his self recriminating thoughts.

  "I know you are under a lot of pressure and other than telling you to rely on your friends more often I don't know how much help I can be." He looked up at his father's soft brown eyes and almost flinch when he saw the glinting of gold in them now. He involuntarily looked down at the hand on his shoulder. He noticed the golden skin that turned to a soft cream color right before the elbow as it went up. His father noticed his gaze and his eyes tightened ever so slightly.

  "Maybe i'll begin to understand a little of what you are going through," He said not unkindly, he turned and began to walk toward the dividing curtain that separated his little cot from the rest of the infirmary. He wanted to call to his father, to ask him what he should do. To ask him to take this responsibility from him. Why couldn't he just enjoy life? Why did he have to shoulder all the stress? He knew his friends had never asked for his protection. But they had still looked to him after the transformation. They had still wanted him to lead them forward. He had never wanted to be in charge of anyone. But because of his birth and who his father was everyone expected him to have answers. It wasn't fair, it wasn't. He stopped forcing himself to take a deep breath. Life had never been fair. They had put their trust in him, maybe not out loud but they had. He pushed down the doubts in his mind. If they were going to survive this with out being turned over to the elves by the nobles, Then he had much he needed to learn. His father was right, he needed to learn to get better. He'd failed Aramin today, he needed to begin thinking about things like this.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "Rest for right now we will head back into the refuge this evening and I'll send Hellgarth to get you." His father ordered. Then his father turned and left.

  Darius

  As Darius left the tent his son was resting him he felt as the twins returned to their posts at his sides. Olena also came up beside him a pensive expression on her face.

  "Do you think he is gonna be okay, Your majesty," she asked keeping her voice low as they walked. For a moment the only sound was the softly squeltching of their boots on the damp grass as he thought.

  Darius knew his son hadn't meant anything bad when he had left the camp. He just wished he would think a bit more before commiting to a course.

  " I think he'll be okay," he said and he realized he believed it. "He's taken a lot on his shoulders. Nerver mind that he had been a kid learning to be a prince, now he had another level of things to adjust to."

  Olena nodded and a smirk lit up her face. Darius turned to look where she was and saw Altaya and the rest of his son's team rushing toward the medical tent their dark cloaks flapping in the wind.

  "He's taken more on himself than he really needs to be but until he realizes that for himself their will be no convincing him. He's going to have to either rely on his friends or let them go their own way."

  "I seem to remember someone else like that," Olena said a smile lighting up her face. He tried to hide a blush of embarrassment by turning away and coughing.

  "What i'd like to know is why nearly thirty goblos got within a mile of our encampment without us knowing?" he made sure his voice was hard to portray just how serious he was. Olena's smile disappeared replaced by a grimace.

  "That's a different matter. The captains were supposed to send patrols and scouts into the forest at the earliest they could but after the long march yesterday they were trying to let their men recover without any extensive duty. I was told that they set out pickets and sentries and thought that would be enough. They also didn't want to risk patrols in case the direwolves had stalked us here." Darius nodded acknowledging her report.

  "It seems since the guard hasn't been deployed in such a long time, in such a manner they've grown lax in their training. Inform the Sergeants and the Captains, While encamped here they will rotate platoons through protocol and arms training." Olena's eyebrows shot up at his declaration.

  "Your majesty, is that entirely wise. Most of them didn't do anything wrong. In fact, if that young guardsmen hadn't come to notify us of Julien leaving camp we would've never known."

  "That's exactly my point!" He snarled. His feelings on the matter were more than enflamed. He could expect Julien to do something so reckless. Even with his training in the Academy he'd never been out in the field before especially not in a forest as dangerous as this one. But The Royal guards were supposed to be the best. Other than the House Knights and the Royal Knights. They were supposed to be the best.

  "Look, it's only going to get more dangerous from here," he said changing his tone to a more reasonable one. "I don't know what we are going to find in there. But no matter what i'm going to make a lot of enemies on the council when first my imprisonment of the elves and then my son's transformation are revealed." Olena nodded her understanding. "I need the guard to be the best they can be."

  "I understand, my liege." They had almost reached his massive blue and gold pavilion now and Darius became aware of a lot of eyes on him. He'd participated in more than a couple of battles in his life. When you hone those instincts, The instincts that keep you coming home on your feet instead of in a box, they never truly leave you.

  He looked around noticing the guards and the porters moving by. Many of them tried to hide their stares but weren't terribly successful. It didn't take him long to realize where their gazes fell, his arm. Since the ordeal in the refuge a tinging sensation had been shooting up his arm and across his body constantly. It wasnt painful, more like a minor annouance but he'd been doing his best to ignore the arm and the implications it would bring.

  He had more to focus on right now. But the eyes of his men bore holes into him. Olena seemed to sense his discomfort because she stepped forward, her hand straying to the spear strapped to her back.

  He raised his hand forestalling her and instead peeled back the tent flap to his pavilion. Marith and Barith took positions on either side of the entrance their faces stern. Before entering he turned to back to Olena.

  "Please find me something to cover this in," as he said the last he gestured at his new golden arm. She nodded sharply, bowed slightly before turning to leave. Darius on the other hand made for tha back of his pavillion, dodging crates and boxes that hadn't been unpacked yet. He needed a nap, after that he could deal with everything else.