The King

"Well, well, well...it looks like you've run out of places to go," the scruffy man the prince had punched in the face said as he closed in on Brian and Lyndsey. Taking hold of Lyndsey's hand as instincts kicked in, Brian pulled her behind him, trying to keep her as safe as possible in the situation they were now trapped in. As he saw the gleam of the dagger as the man came closer, Brian wished that for once he had just listened to his father. He wished he hadn't been quite so rebellious.

"So, which one of you should I gut first?" the grubby man asked, his voice hoarse as he laughed, inching his way toward the end of the alley. "The Prince, or his little whore?"

Furious, Brian's eyes reduced to slits. "Don't you dare-"

The sound of hooves on stone and the cry of a horse could be heard, cutting Brian off as he looked up. He'd never been so relieved yet so terrified to see the king.

The man's eyes widened as he saw the pure white stallion, the king sitting atop it with sword at the ready. The king wasted no time in jumping to the ground, advancing on the man threatening his son. Brian watched his father as he grabbed the man by the throat, backing him into the alley wall and holding him there, and could feel Lyndsey quivering behind him. Quickly he turned, pulling her into his arms.

"If you ever come near my son again..." the king snarled, choking his hand around the man's neck a little tighter.

"This is your son!?" the man exclaimed, cutting the king off. "I had no idea this was your son."

"Get out of my sight," the king hissed, venom in his eyes as he let the man go. The King, Brian, and Lyndsey all watched as he scurried off, too scared to even look back.

The king turned to his son, eyes still reduced to angry slits. There were no words to describe how disappointed he was in Brian. Knowing this, the prince quickly broke eye contact, looking down at the dirty cobblestone below his feet.

"Let's go," the king said, his voice low as he put his sword back in its sheath at his side. He took his horse by the reins and headed back the way he'd come, back toward the other end of the alley. Brian and Lyndsey trudged slowly after him, hands still linked. Brian knew the magnitude of trouble he was in. He figured he was bound to be banished to his bedchambers for a rather lengthy period of time. Lyndsey sighed at the sight of Brian's defeated face. She felt he'd done a rather fine job protecting her.

"I thought you were very brave back there, for what it's worth," she whispered, sympathetic grin slowly fading when Brian's expression never changed.

It seemed like agonizing hours until the castle was even in sight. Brian tried to mentally prepare himself for the punishment he was about to receive, but nothing seemed to work. The king was really going to let him have it this time.

Reaching the steps inside the gates of the castle grounds, the king stopped, giving the reigns over to one of the horse handlers.

"Nathaniel," he called out, and the shorter man stepped forward. It was he who had alerted the king to the trouble Brian had gotten into.

"Yes, your Highness?" he asked gently.

"Would you please escort Miss Lyndsey inside to her quarters? I'd like to speak to my son. Alone."

Nodding, Nathaniel walked up to Brian and Lyndsey. He sent an apologetic glance to Brian, ushering Lyndsey along. Giving Brian's hand a squeeze of assurance, she let go and followed the advisor up into the castle.

Brian was left standing alone. He swallowed hard, unsure of what was about to happen.

Looking at his son, the king didn't need words to get Brian to follow him. As they walked the outer grounds of the castle it was silent, Brian in fear and the king in frustration.

"What you did today was reckless and irresponsible. Do you know that?" the king finally asked as they entered the courtyard.

"Yes, father," Brian muttered, still not daring to pick his head up.

"I'm extremely disappointed in what you've done. You went against what I said, you put Nathaniel in a difficult position.... You deliberately disobeyed me, Brian. You knew what you were doing. You knew the alley was off limits," the king scolded. "You could have gotten yourself killed, Brian. And to make it even worse, not only did you endanger your own life, you endangered Lyndsey's as well. Do you know how difficult it would be for me to have to tell her parents that something happened to her?"

Brian kept quiet. He hadn't taken Lyndsey's safety into account until they were already in trouble, and for that he was extremely ashamed.

"What possessed you to even think of doing such a thing as you did today?" the king pressed, his voice softer now.

"I just...I was trying to be brave. Like you. I was trying to prove myself," Brian mumbled, his cheeks growing hot.

"Why did you feel the need to prove yourself?!" the king exclaimed, causing Brian to cower just a bit more.

"I wanted to prove that I could go off on my own. You always treat me like a child-"

"And now you see why!" the king butted in, giving Brian a pointed look. "Brian, you say that you wanted to be brave like me, but.... Son, I'm only brave when I absolutely have to be. I don't go actively seeking out dangerous situations to show the world that I'm not a coward."

Coming along one of the stone benches in the courtyard, the king took a seat, patting the spot next to him where Brian then occupied.

"You may be surprised to hear that I was scared today, in that alley..." the king admitted. Eyes widening, Brian looked over at his father.

"...You were? Why?"

"Because...I was afraid I was going to lose you. You're my only son, Brian. You're the only child I have. I don't know what I would have done if something happened to you."

Sighing, Brian took this all in, looking from his father's sincere eyes down to his hands and then up at the night sky. The journey back through Renegade Alley and back to the castle, entirely on foot, had taken so long that dusk had already come.

"Well...I guess I'll always have you to look out for me when I get into trouble."

"Not always," the king said, causing Brian to look at him confused before the king focused his gaze on the stars. "One of these days you're going to need me, Brian. And I'm not going to be there to save you anymore. I won't be around forever, and when that day comes, you'll be the King, and you'll be the one looking out for everyone else, for your own children." The king then fixed his gaze on Brian once more. "But I'll always be watching over you. Just look to the stars, and I'll be there."