FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Legalities: Most characters in this story are copyrighted to me; however anything that has to do with an outside source is copyrighted to its owner and creator. This story will contain adult content, and content some people may not find suitable, with that said Let the story begin.

I glanced at the guy I pushed down and asked "You alright?" He nodded then turned to look as one of the guards yanked a crossbow bolt out of the ground. I pointed up at the parapets around the castle perimeter and said "You're culprit was on the upper right parapet, he was running as soon as he fired." The guy, who was about twenty nine, maybe thirty, had dark brown hair that went down to his shoulders, light blue eyes that sparkled with mirth, and was about six feet tall. The fact I'd dragged him to the ground wasn't lost on either of us, however he ignored that and told the guards what I'd seen. Three of them rushed off to check it out while he helped me to my feet and said "You alright?"

I snorted softly and said "Making friends already, as usual." I turned to him and asked "How in the fuck are you alive, if you are who I think you are anyway." He chuckled at that and said "Yeah I'm alive. The name is Robert Davis. I showed up here a few years ago when my military unit was attacked. I only survived because the white lady saved my ass." I stared and said "I know who you are. Damn it Rob, don't you recognize me?" He smirked and said "Yeah, I do Jakey boy, albeit you're a bit shorter than I remember, and have more scars than I remember." I snorted at that and said "It's been fifteen years since we last saw each other, Robert. I've changed a lot in that time, albeit thanks to the mad darkness I lost about two feet of height."

Rob laughed at that and said "Ah, so you were over six feet then?" I blinked and thought about it then said "Anywhere from five foot, nine to six foot, one, why?" He smirked at that and said "Because it means the scrawny brat I met on the streets grew into a decent sized guy." I punched him in the ribs muttering softly then shook my hand swearing loudly while he just laughed. I rubbed my knuckles, which I'd probably bruised pretty badly by the way my hand was feeling, and kicked him in the shin causing him to hop around holding it and swearing in Gaelic. I smirked slightly happy that I was able to make him feel something in exchange for the taunts and pain in my hand, and then asked "What the hell have you been up to over the last fifteen years?" He smirked at me and said "Oh you know, getting dragged to an alternate dimension, nearly dying of lead poisoning, being shot multiple times, pulling arrows out of my ass, and fighting a lot, in essence the usual."

I chuckled at that and said "Pulling arrows out of your ass?" He glared and said "It's not funny; the bastards foreigners use barbs on their arrows so it's harder than fuck to pull them out without cutting the flesh around it off, so I've spent more time at the doctor for arrow wounds in my ass than for being attacked by actual enemy blades." I snickered and said "If you weren't such a fat ass they'd have nothing to shoot." He glared at me and knocked me over the head with the side of his hand. I glared at him rubbing my head and he grumbled then glared at me and said "Enough bad mouthing your elders. I still got a good seventeen years on you now. Four if you want to go by your real age."

I snorted and mumbled "Says the one who acts like a child while talking to his friend who's turned into a child." He ignored my comment and started walking with the guards, causing me to keep walking since they were all around me. He seemed to be mumbling to himself then looked at me and asked "What did you tell the old fart that brought you in?" I shrugged and said "I gave him my name in Gaelic and Irish." He raised an eyebrow and said "Tell me exactly what you told him." I shrugged and repeated what I'd told the one who'd pulled me out of the moat and he said "Alright then that solves one matter." I stared at him lost and he said "To quote a prophecy from the day the prince died "He shall return in a new form, as the child of wolf and shadows. He shall be born out of the lake as he was once born of his mother's womb." I had to resist spitting at that and said "Oh yay, prophecy. How I hate prophecy."

Rob grinned and said "As do I, but so far looks like you're the one the prophecy was talking about. Of course, that's only if you've been touched by the tendrils of the dark, and healed by the arms of the light." I stared at him then pointed down at myself and said "The dark man did this; the lady of light seemed to use my arm to pull what was left of the darkness out of my body. That count?" He nodded and said "Yep, looks like you're the new prince. Yay for you means you have to go through all the training I went through, and court training." I nearly fainted right then and there however Rob shook my arm and said "Can't have you passing out on us. At least, not until the old wizard instill the language spell on you."

I stared at him slightly confused and he explained "It's a spell all of the royalty, and those of upper class, receive on their twelfth birthday. It allows you to understand the language of anyone you meet and speak to them in said language. It'll come in handy, trust me." I nodded thinking it would help me out in more ways than he could believe then glanced over as the guards ran over with a man wielding a crossbow and trying to shoot me. I glared at him and memorized his face as Rob told them to toss him into the dungeon until someone could interrogate him. I watched them take the man away memorizing every one of his features. He had a nose that had been broken multiple times, several slashes in his cheeks that had scarred over, one eye was blind, and his hair was the same color as old hay. His good eye was black as coal, and the blind eye was pure white. His clothing was simple brown thread-spun breeches and a tunic made from an old sack.

At first glance you'd think him a beggar, however the way he carried himself, the look in his eye, and the way he handled his crossbow all said he was a trained killer who was meant to blend in with crowds. I had a feeling that his hair was actually dyed, and the real color was probably much darker. I glanced at Rob and mumbled "He'll be back." Rob looked at me questioningly and I just shook my head trying to figure out why he seemed to have such an intense hatred for me when this was the first time that I've ever seen him. Once the assassin was gone I looked at the guard I'd met outside the gate and silently studied him trying to figure out how high of a class person he was that he could have guards handle me.

He was obviously a noble of some sort, I could tell that right off by his demeanor, but he wasn't too high or else I doubt Rob would have been able to stop him when he was heading toward wherever they were taking me. He had curly brown hair, and a twisted villain moustache that bugged the hell out of me. His eyes were a dull muddy brown almost like a puddle of water someone had shat in, and his face was lined to hell as if he were on his last legs. His armor, although fine to a degree, was slightly worn as if it had seen better days and he didn't have anyone taking care of it, which was odd because a noble's armor, from what I'd read, was as important as his family name. His coat of arms was purple, with a silver lion battling a golden serpent; I only knew this because that was what he'd had on his tabard. His sword appeared to be nicked, and banged up as if it had seen a lot of use but hadn't been fixed in recent times, and his shield was battered to hell, the standard that normally would have covered it almost in ribbons.

I shook my head deciding whoever he was, he either didn't know how to take care of his house, had no honor, or had seen rough times and just hadn't been able to fix everything to proper shape yet. I glanced around the castle's courtyard as we neared the gates and realized that everyone around us had armor in similar states of disrepair. I realized that meant that either they'd been fighting a lot, or the king wasn't willing to supply his troops with the necessary funds to take care of their equipment. I made a mental note to ask Rob about that when we were alone. Most if not all of the guards were staring at us with varying forms of expressions. Some had contempt on their faces; some had hope, but most just looked resigned as if they'd been ridden long and hard, and put up wet. Although another thought for the way they looked was as if they had been beaten so many times they were only standing because they felt that's all that was left.

I sighed softly and mumbled "They need hope or they'll all fall." Rob nodded and said "Yep, that's why the king's brother brought up the old prophecy a while back. When we tell them you're the prince, who the enemy succeeded in killing thirteen years ago when the war began, and that you fulfill the prophecy, they should have new hope." I snorted at that but didn't argue. I may not have had any hope myself, but I was not going to deny innocent people hope just because I didn't believe in it period. I stopped at the entrance to the throne room and slowly looked up taking in the scope and size of the castle then mumbled "Damn, would hate to fall from up there." Rob chuckled at that and ushered me through the carved and gilded oak doors, into a long pristine hall with a silver rug leading up to an old battered iron throne, the throne almost appeared to have been made so that the ruler would be forced to endure any hardship his people brought to him or her.

Rob glanced at me and said "The throne of the iron dragon, named that by the king's father after it was forged by a dragon with scales that reminded him of black iron. I find the name kinda poetic, though it doesn't really look comfortable, does it?" I shook my head and mumbled "Nope, but it's a throne meant for a leader to accept his people's hardships and feel them as if they were his own, not to be above his people." Rob stared at me surprised then shook his head as we approached the throne and the man sitting on it seeming to save his thoughts for later. The man sitting upon the throne looked to be nearing the end of his life. His hair was bone white, his eyes had lost most of their color and were a dull muted gray, and his skin had a strange pallor to it, almost as if death was just behind the man's shoulder. He wore a simple black robe that fit his form a little to snugly as it showed just how weary he was, he had a simple silver circlet upon his brow that must have been his crown, and a jeweled scabbard by his side that seemed to ring out with life despite its owner's appearance.

As the man saw Rob and me approaching, a strange change seemed to come over him. His eyes shined with life, as well as a small bit of anger and malice. He slowly sat up straighter the weariness seeming to leave his form, and a dark aura started to coalesce around him; everyone in the room seemed to notice it because many quickly backed away from the throne as if in fear the man would turn the darkness upon them. He studied me carefully, his eyes having gone from a pale washed out grey to a dark and dangerous slate gray that almost looked black. He stared at me and seemed to take my measure before turning to Rob and starting to converse with him. As the two conversed I studied the chamber we were in, and the people stationed within it.

The ceiling was about fifty feet up, supported by artistically carved marble columns. Each column had its own intricate design, one was of a rising sun, another a sea full of strange beasts, and yet another was carved to look like forest scene. Between the columns stood a bunch of people clad in different garments, yet all of their outfits spoke of one thing, nobility. Most of them had ornate cloaks or capes bearing their family crest, though a few wore robes like the ones I'd seen get so much respect on the streets, and the rest just wore dress clothes of varying types. I noticed that out of the entire group there were three men who were not wearing finery, one had a mottled cloak he kept pulled tightly around him, what was interesting was the cloak blended in with his surroundings perfectly, the second wore pristine armor, which I could tell the man obviously took pride in wearing, and bore the crest of the royal family, the final member of the trio wore a simple black robe that had silver stitching and the emblem of the royal family, only there was a single difference it held a crimson wolf and a pair crossed blades above and in front of it.

The royal family's emblem was a single blade with wings striking down from the sky in front of dragon breathing flames. I noticed that the king's personal seal only differed from this slightly in that it had a boar standing before the dragon preparing to charge forward. I glanced at the king as he and Rob finished speaking. He turned to me and said in clear English "You claim to be Jacob Shadow Wolf?" I nodded and said "I do." He studied me and seemed to be having an internal battle with himself before finally saying "I will accept that you have fulfilled the prophecy, but I want nothing to do with you. Instead you will be my brother's charge." I watched as the man slowly rose to his feet, that black aura seeming to feed and strengthen his body, while devouring his spirit, before slowly turning and saying something to everyone present in the throne room.

Everyone in the room let out a cheer of delight then the wizard with the family crest walked up to me and started chanting in a strange lilting tongue that I'd have sworn I'd heard many times before. As his chant progressed he started making strange hand gestures, and I slowly started to understand the words of everyone in the room. They were speaking of how wonderful it was to know that the king's lineage would live on, and how glad they were that the prince was being protected by his uncle the greatest magician in the entire realm. It took me a few minutes to realize that they were talking about me, since I was technically the prince incarnate as far as they were concerned. I noticed I could almost understand the magician as his chanting started to slow and he stopped making the gestures. However when I had the feeling I could understand his words he stopped them altogether and said, in what to me was perfect northern English, "Hello Nephew, it's been a long time."

I started to protest I wasn't his nephew however he held up a hand and said "You are my nephew exact duplicate in looks, attitude, and how you carry yourself you match him perfectly. Also know this, though it sounds to you as if we are speaking your own tongue, we are actually speaking in Celestial chant, or noble's blood as the commoners call it. Everyone in this room will know anything you say, so hold any remarks until we are alone." I slowly nodded and instead took to studying him as he stared down at me and seemed to be pondering what to do with me. He was about six and a half feet tall, had well managed black hair that matched his robe perfectly, slate grey eyes that radiated an aura of power and calm tranquility. His face bore a single scar going over his left eye that gave it a rugged appearance, was clean shaven, and he had scars covering both the back of his hands and his palms.

After a few minutes he smiled slightly and said "Yes you are definitely Jacob's exact duplicate, right down to how you study people." I raised an eyebrow causing him to chuckle and continue "Even the annoyed questioning look you're giving me is just like his. Now then, how about I take you to your room so you can rest, and I can explain about how the kingdom has changed?" I nodded and said softly "That would be wonderful Uncle, I wouldn't want to inadvertently break any laws." He smirked at the sarcasm in my voice, which his smirk and his earlier laugh both changed his appearance. When he laughed he looked twenty years younger, and when he smirked he looked slightly more sinister.

He motioned at Rob to follow then the three of us started down a side corridor after he asked the king for his permission to head off. The king had grudgingly agreed when he realized it was to educate me in the ways of his kingdom, though as we were leaving he said something like "Train the boy well, for if he learns nothing it will be on your head, not mine." I muttered under my breath not liking the fates of others being in my hands, or my fate being in other people's hands, while Rob just shook his head mumbling something about animosity between brothers nearly destroying the kingdom. I glanced at him questioningly and he explained softly "The king dislikes his brother and has fought with him on many fronts. One such front is the war the king has been waging with the creatures of the wilds to the north. A group of Dragons, Phoenixes, Shape shifters, Gryphons, and Chimeras have taken it as their personal home."

He took a few breaths to calm the rage I could see rising in his eyes. When I was sure he was ready to go on, I raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to continue, slightly skeptical that all these beasts existed, and he said "The king wants the north lands for himself, since A. the creatures would be under his control, B. The land is rich in rare metals, minerals, and other resources, and C. More territory in this world means more power." I sighed and mumbled "Doesn't matter where you go, leaders are all the same." He nodded at that thinking back to the many stupid demands the leaders back home had made of the military and other groups then glanced at me and finished "His brother, the man we're following right now, Lord Roran Wolf." I raised an eyebrow and asked "If his name is Roran wolf, what's his brother's name?" Rob chuckled at my perceptiveness and said "His Majesty Kenoran Dragon's bane. In this world he's your father, and the first born son of Ren Dragon's blood."

I blinked slightly at how every member of the royal family had a different name and Rob explained "Lord Ren, former king of the kingdom of Morania, which is where we reside, was given the blood of a dragon when he was a child. He gets his name from that blood; whereas his son's name came from the fact that shortly after taking the throne he started this war and slew a dragon with his own hands. His brother's name comes from the fact he was taken in by the wolf goddess and trained in the ways of the wild after running away from the castle. This land believes that you're surname, aka last name, should come from an important event that's happened within your life." I raised an eyebrow and asked "So why's my last name Shadow Wolf in their opinion?"

Rob smirked at me and explained "The young prince's surname was wolf, just like his uncle, because the wolf goddess was going to take him under her wing at the age of thirteen. However he passed away before that could happen and it's said that when one dies they enter the shadow of a god. Since he was the wolf goddess's next prodigy it's said he was taken into her shadow upon the day of his death. You are him reborn; making you would Jacob, born of the Wolf Queen's Shadow." I nodded slowly and mumbled "This place's naming style is odd, but I guess I can come to like it." Rob snorted and said "At least your name fits you to a point, my surname is blade slinger."

I looked at him questioningly and he explained "I had no surname when I arrived, as far as they were concerned, and to save Lord Roran I threw my blade a good twenty feet into the heart of an enemy soldier. That earned me the title of blade slinger, which we both know doesn't suit me at all." I nodded and said "Yeah, they should have called you rage blade. When you hold a blade you tend to enter into a rage like nothing else." He glared at me at that, but knew I was only speaking from experience so he couldn't really contradict me. After a few minutes I noticed that the hallway through which Roran was leading us had steadily been abandoned by other people, and that the doorways around us had been becoming more and more ornate. Suddenly he stopped outside one that was slightly plain and had a simple wolf head carved into it then pushed it open.

The three of us walked in and Roran closed it behind Rob and me, then glanced at us and said "Go ahead and speak your minds, since you obviously have a lot to say." I shrugged and said "Alright I'll go first, did your brother start this war after having any sort of crazy dreams or anything?" He blinked at me slightly taken aback and said "I didn't think your first question would be about the state of the kingdom, but to answer that question yes. Just before he took the throne he started talking about having dreams of uniting all the different parts of the continent under his banner. It was also at that point that a dark aura stated covering him. Why?" I shrugged and stated telling him about how I got there and everything else.

When I was done he nodded slowly and said "That coincides with something I heard from a few scouts. The forests to the south have been consumed by some dark malevolent force, I believe it's time I taught you the ways of the kingdom, but first I think we'd best try to get a truce with the forces to the north. Are you willing to go with me, as the heir to the kingdom, and the only one who truly has any right to make an agreement with them other than the king," he sighed and continued "I lost that right when you showed up." He smiled slightly after that and said "Though it works out in my favor because I don't have to worry about all the shit the heir has to deal with, albeit I do have to teach you everything you'll need to know."

Rob smirked and said "Not you alone, Roland and Kenari will obviously help." Roran nodded slightly at that and said "True, vey True. Of course Jordan and Kenneth will probably be more than ready to help as well. I believe you should stay here Robert, if the king and Zeke realize we're gone, tell Zeke the truth, and the king that I am taking Jacob to meet the people of the realm and reinvigorate the soldiers." Rob sighed then nodded and said "I'll have Jordan and Roland saddle up horses for the four of you, since I won't here the end of it if they aren't allowed to go with you and keep Jake safe." Roran nodded and motioned for him to do so as he closed his eyes trying to think of a few spells to disguise the two of us while we were on the road.

I watched him and silently wondered what my job as the heir would entail. After a few seconds Roran, or Uncle Roran as I assumed everyone would expect me to call him as time went on, looked at me and said "I guess I should explain a few things the two of us will have to do before we get to the front lines, shouldn't I?" I nodded and he said "Well to begin with, one of us is going to have to make a sacrifice to the enemy forces for all the treaties my brother has broken. The hardest of which will be the dragons. Their treaty was one of blood, and it was broken by your father slaying one of their kin. A few other things we will have to do is introduce you to the people, introduce you to the soldiers, convince the lords and ladies you deserve their loyalty, and learn the trades of each and every craft master in the court as well as learning to fight from each of the weapon masters in the castle."

I nodded slowly and mumbled "Alright so I have to make a peace treaty, prove I'm worth following, introduce myself to the people, learn the different trades, and learn how to fight. That should only take the next six years." Roran smirked and said "You have four. On your sixteenth birthday you will be tested to see if you're fit to run the kingdom, if you prove incompetent the throne goes to me until you are twenty one when you will be tested again. So we need to get you ready before the trials, don't you think?" I nodded and glanced down at myself then looked at him and said "I should probably change into gear that's more fitting for this world, and works for travel." He nodded and motioned for me to head over to a closet in the corner as someone knocked on the door.

I walked over to the closet and started digging around then pulled out a black cloak, green tunic, brown leggings, and raw hide boots. I walked into the bathing chamber next to my room and quickly changed while Roran started speaking with two men who I caught out of the corner of my eye. I walked out wearing the new gear, which amazingly enough fit me perfectly, and glanced at the two strangers who studied me appraisingly in turn. They were both around six feet tall, one slightly above, the other slightly below. The one closer to me, which meant he was on Roran's left, wore leather armor, had black close cropped hair, wore a long dark blue cloak, and had silver eyes. The one on Roran's right on the other hand had dark blue eyes, light brown hair with flecks of gray in it, wore steel chainmail, had a black tabard with a white tiger on his chest, and had a shield with a similar standard to his tabard strapped onto his back.

They both looked as if they had years of battle experience, and were expert warriors. The one on Roran's left slowly bowed to me and said "Hello young prince, I am Roland. I'm the head of the king's scouts; my companion is Lord Kenneth Silver Blade. He's the lord of Shadow Vale castle. Outside Jordan Blackfire is waiting alongside Kenari blade skin, who's the master of the rangers. You'll probably be seeing a lot more of them after all of this comes to an end." Kenneth nodded at me and said "Good evening milord." I started to protest it wasn't evening then realized that both Roran and Roland were smirking at me in a way that said my protest would be wrong. I nodded at Kenneth and said "Good evening Lord Kenneth. I believe it's time the three of us left the castle and joined our other two companions."

Roran and Roland both nodded and lead me outside after motioning for me to pull the hood of my cloak up. The three of them led me through several corridors, including one that I could tell was connected to the kitchens by the smell, before we finally arrived in the stables via a side entrance. The three of them looked around for the two we were supposed to meet up with while I went from steed to steed studying each one and admiring their breeding. After a few minutes I heard Roran whistle and turned to glance at him only to blink as I realized he was astride a large silver charger. Beside him were Roland, astride a smaller and sleeker cobalt blue mount, A man wearing black plate mail I'd seen Rob standing with when I first entered the castle astride a large white war horse, Kenneth astride a Strawberry Roan charger who snorted and tossed his head as he studied me, and the last was the man wearing the color changing cloak I'd seen Roran talking with when I'd met the king. He sat astride a dark grey horse that looked similar to Roland's, however was slightly larger, and seemed like it could outlast the scout's speedier mount in the long run.

Roran glanced at me and asked "How well can you ride nephew?" I shrugged and said "I spent the better part of my life on a horse, I just need to find the right one and we can be off." He nodded and said "Sadly you only have a pittance of time left to choose one, your saddle is on the railing by the stable entrance. We'll await you just outside." I nodded in understanding and went back to studying the horses quickly looking for any that really stood out. I noticed one with an almost pure black coat other than four crimson socks, and a pair of silver markings on his shoulders. I walked over and slipped a halter onto him with virtually no fuss then walked him over to the saddle and tossed it on his back before going through the motions like I'd done thousands of times before. I buckled the girth, set the stirrups so they were just right, and tightened the headstall then hopped on his back and quickly joined the five waiting for me.

When Roran saw me he whistled softly and the six of us trotted out the main gate with a simple nod to the guard on duty. I guess he assumed we were a patrol going out to check the area because he saluted us boredly then went back to standing watch. After about ten minutes we were out of sight of the castle and Roran motioned for everyone to pick up the pace. I kicked my horse in the ribs and clicked my tongue causing him to rush ahead of the others who quickly caught up and surrounded me in a strange formation. Roran was ahead of me, the scout and the cloaked figure, who I assumed was Kenari the head of the rangers, were to my right and left, and Kenneth, as well as the other individual who I assumed was Jordan, were behind me occasionally dropping back to make sure we weren't being followed.

We slowed down about midway through the night to let the horses rest then around dawn we came upon our first village, other than the town around the castle which we had taken great pains to avoid. Roran dropped back and motioned for me to lower my cowl as he did the same then said "I'm going to announce your presence to the people, if any ask you to stop it is your choice whether you do so or not, mind you we only have seven days before my brother's next attack, and it will take us at least three days to get to the army without stopping. If we stop at every village between there and here it will add two days onto our total travel time; however it may cause the army to slow down in their attack and wait to hear what you have to say if you mention you are going to speak with them." I nodded in understanding and watched as he slowly rode forward and shouted "ALL HAIL PRINCE JACOB SHADOW WOLF!!! THE PRINCE HAS RETURNED!!!! HE HAS COME TO SEE HIS PEOPLE AND PROVE THAT THE RUMORS ARE TRUE, HE LIVES AGAIN!!!"

A crowd of hopeful people poured out of their houses to see us as we rode toward town square and I motioned for the others to slow down. When we got to the square I came to a complete stop and studied the town, and its patrons. It was a simple farming village with about ten to twenty homes at most. The homes were little more than hovels, though their town hall was actually rather elegant in comparison. It had beautiful elk and bison carvings all across it along with a few statues of different animal deities out front as if they would protect it, and its contents from harm. The patrons of the town were in as sad of shape as their homes. They wore threadbare tunics and homespun stockings. Most couldn't seem to afford boots, so they walked barefoot. I sighed softly realizing the state they were in and climbed off of my horse onto the well in front of the town hall.

The village's design was rather simple, and neat. All the businesses such as the baker, weaver, granary, and local blacksmith were in the center of town, with the slightly better off farms just outside the ring they formed, and the worse off farms outside that ring. I could tell that the villagers were all close to each other, and yet very accepting of outsiders, by how they gathered around my companions and gawked at them. Either they were very accepting of new people, or they were just curious what a group of the king's elite members were doing within their village. Either way they seemed happy to have visitors, although a few of the older members, ones who'd obviously fought in the war or had family fighting in the war, glared at us as if it were our fault. I sighed softly then whistled to get everyone's attention. They glanced at me questioningly and I said "Good morrow my fair towns people. I hope that the year has been as good to the people, as it has to the crops."

They stared at me slightly surprised then a few of them chuckled and said "The year has been fine to the people good sir, the king has yet to request any more soldiers, and many of us are on leave until the crops have been harvested." I nodded in response then slowly bowed deeply surprising everyone. Even those who thought I was an imposter prince stopped and stared as I rose back to my usual height and said "I thank you all for serving your kingdom, though I wish it was not so. I came to say that yes, I prince Jake Shadow Wolf have returned. I have also come to say that I plan on ending this war before the harvest, even if it costs me my life yet again." The townspeople stared at me in slight awe while Roran, Roland, Kenneth, Jordan, and Kenari just stared at me as if I was a damned fool.

I smiled sadly as I went on "I have also come to give you a gift, if the head of this village would please come speak with me. I have a few things to say to him, and him alone, as well as a gift that he can best find a use for." The villagers started mumbling among themselves, and I could tell they were wondering if this was some sort of trick or not. I couldn't blame them, because with how the king had acted I knew he cared nothing for his people, however I guess the looks on my companions faces suede them in favor of letting their leader speak to me, for a few minutes later an old man wearing a simple leather tunic, and homespun trousers that were all dyed a deep royal purple, with a neatly trimmed white beard, and wisdom from his ages of life, walked up to me and slowly bowed. I hopped down and helped him to his feet then said softly "You owe me no respect elder, I have come and bothered your people, you have not come to me asking for anything."

He studied me as I bowed to him and said softly "You are not a normal lord. I know you are no impostor by the way you speak, but I was not sure if you were truly the prince or not until just now." I slowly looked at him as I rose back to my feet and he explained "The prince was said to have bowed to a mere beggar after giving him several coins because the beggar had imparted upon him a small bit of wisdom. You have yet to hear my wisdom, yet after looking in my eyes you show me the respect that my entire village gives me and more." I smiled slightly at that and said "A man who uses his wisdom to help his village, rather than to make them his tools. That deserves respect elder, even from one of a higher station. Now I must ask you something, can I impart a bit of knowledge on you and expect it to get to the troops ahead of me?"

He smiled and said "You will find that just because we are a village of wheat farmers, it does not mean that we don't know how to spread the word of a true ruler. What would you like me to pass on?" I smiled and dug into the pouch on my belt then pulled out seven gold coins and laid them in his palm closing it around them before saying "I would like you to pass on that the prince is coming to stop the war, and that he will be stopping at every village in which he passes to speak with the people. Do you believe you can do that, Elder?" He laughed softly then smiled brightly, which made his face look fifty years younger, and said "Of course my lord. I believe we can easily do that. Did you mean what you said about stopping the war before the harvest?" I nodded and said "I will do what it takes, even if it means defying the king to my last breath and sacrificing that breath to the enemy so that they protect the people."

He stared into my face then slowly nodded and said "You truly are the prince. I can see it in your features, and the determination in your eyes says that every word which has left your mouth today is true. Your companions may try to stop you, but I believe even they will come to understand that standing in your way milord, is not an option." He grasped my shoulder and said softly "Go with the gods, and may the trials ahead only strengthen your resolve." I nodded in thanks then slipped into my horse's saddle after handing him twenty silver pieces to go with the seven gold and motioned for the others to ride out. As we started to leave town the elder must have shown the people what I'd given him for they were showering us with flower petals. I smiled as the run down little village seemed to grow and change before my eyes.

I watched as the people showered us with flowers in the present, yet at the same time I seemed able to see a few years in the future where they were more richly dressed as all the funds forced into the war were returned to the people. Of course that was the place where they belonged, and it became a bustling town. The others seemed to notice my far off look and as soon as we were out of the town gathered back around me. The next hour was rather uneventful other than the six of us riding past fields of grain and the occasional forested area. However about midway into the next hour the fields started to change from wheat fields to corn fields and I realized we must have entered the area of the next village.

Events went a bit more smoothly than the last village, although this time the people forced some travel rations on us as we prepared to leave and made us promise to stop by on our way back from the war camp. The following villages were even more accepting, and more forceful in making us take gifts with us, as well as saying they would pray for us to have a safe and healthy journey. The fourth village we passed actually had us stay the night, since it was close to dusk and the horses looked bone dead weary. The following morning we set out and I started thinking about the differences in the villages we'd passed through.

The only real differences between them that I could find were the crops they grew and what the people wore. The second village wore hide clothing and raised corn, where the first had worn a mix of leather and home spun and raised wheat. The third wore light leather armor and seemed to be preparing to return to the field of battle, while also raising cattle. The fourth, which was the only village that had been able to convince us to stay for the night, wore wool from the sheep they raised, and the fifth were all foresters whose goods came from the other villages where they traded lumber and knowledge of the surrounding areas.

After passing through the fifth village we didn't run into any others, although that wasn't much of a surprise since the foresters, whom we'd met toward the end of the day and were rather far from their trading partners, had warned us it was nothing but woods up ahead. Roran, kind and caring uncle to me that he was, mentioned stopping and making camp, but Kenari said we should press on, so press on we did. We finally stopped as the moon started to descend and slept in a small glade on the side of the road with a different member of our party keeping watch every hour. When each of us had a turn at watch, mine being the last ironically, the six of us set out again. Toward midday of the following day I started to notice that the woods seemed a lot thinner and silently wondered why until I started to hear the voices of a lot of men and women gathered in one place.

I glanced at Kenari and the others who just smirked at me. I started to ask what the smirk about when the horses all started snorting and tossing their heads as a large black shadow passed overhead. I slowly looked up and had to hold back a gasp of surprise and wonderment as passing above us was a beautiful gold dragon. I stared after it feeling my pulse race and my heart yearn to be able to fly just as it did. Roran glanced at me and said "I see you're enamored with our scaled foe. Then I think it's a good thing that starting on the morrow we will be talking with them." I thought about something and said "Hey Uncle Roran, were we not supposed to have taken five days to get here if we didn't ride hard?"

He smiled at me and said "Well Jacob, amazingly enough the townspeople gave Kenari a list of side roads we took while you weren't paying attention which cut our travel time by two days. Meaning it's still about three or four days until my brother's planned attack. That means you have all of today to convince the soldiers that they should listen to you, and that you are truly worthy of being their future king. If you get the people on your side, then the lords and ladies will be that much more willing to listen to you. Although, no one will truly accept you as a king until you have reached your majority at the age of sixteen, at which point I will stop being your guardian and step down to the position of your advisor."

I nodded slowly in acceptance of all that as we neared the camp and were stared at by the multitudes of soldiers from across the realm. Many of them studied me as if trying to figure out what to make of me, while a smaller number of them, having heard about me from friends and family, saluted and bowed. I nodded in acceptance of every bow and saluted back every soldier I saw doing so then I dismounted as we neared the commander's pavilion. I slowly took a step forward only to stop as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I glanced back and couldn't help but smile slightly as I saw that my companions, who I'd sadly not thought to get to know better on our journey, stood behind me ready to support me in any decision I made. I slowly turned toward the pavilion and prepared to take my first step inside and show them what kind of a king I would be.