Notes

The sword rattled for the hundredth time as it was flung out of Aleksandr’s grip, it almost seemed like he wasn’t trying anymore. “I don’t want to fucking do this!? It isn’t fair”
Daniel shook his head disappointedly at him. He pulled him over roughly by the shoulder and forced Aleks to look at him. “You don’t have a choice! Your father is nearly on his death bed and you are the only heir. A war is brewing and you are the target of the rebels. If you can’t protect yourself then what good will you be for the kingdom, huh? Yeah that’s right. None. Now pick your bloody sword up and we can try again”
With a sigh of defeat he trudged across the cold stone floor and bent down, swiftly lifting the blade off of the ground. “Position!” Dan yelled across the room.
Aleks stood up straight, turning his body to the side, clasping the sword tightly against his side. Dan came at him quickly, his body lunging towards him. His instincts kicked in and he ducked just as Dan’s fist collided with the air on top of his head. Aleks stood there dazed at what he had done, He finally got it! But his happiness dissolved when his face collided with the floor and Dan’s Boot digging into his back.
“Time and time again I tell you, don’t look away from the enemy. And what do you do! That was an easy fight Aleksandr, I wasn’t even armed!” Dan shook his head once more and motioned his hand towards the wooden door.
I quickly ran up the dusty stairs into the main hallway afraid incase Dan would change his mind. It was an ever-lasting row of red embroided carpet with a door every now and then. Some of the heavy wooden doors were open wide while others were locked shut, kept a mystery from the average person. At the end of the long hallway was a beautiful archway, leading into a huge room in which the walls where filled to the brim with bookcases. Aleks wasn’t the one to read but he came here for the Windows. Above the royal study was a glass roof, the glass was stained and patterned into lots of different mosaics. In Aleks’ mind it told a story, he just hasn’t figured it out yet.
A cough sounded from the end of the room, following the noise he pulled on the only red book in the whole study, It opened up a dusty passageway to his father’s secret Chancery. He ran hurriedly to the sounds of his father. When reaching the door he quickly pushed it open, so hard in fact that it made the walls echo a little.
“Oh hello there Aleksandr” *Cough*
His father looked like hell, he was more lying that sitting in his chair, His shoulders had grown weak and his skin was a ghostly white; almost translucent. The bones in his face were completely sunken in and his voice was raspy from all the coughing.
I rapidly paced my way over to him, and sat across from him, my back straight and my voice clear and loud.
“Are you okay father?” He smiled softly at me and rested his bony hand on my own. His eyes looked sorrowful; almost pitiful?
“It’s time Aleksandr. I can’t go on like this anymore; I am in so much pain. I know you aren’t ready but I am. I can tell I am going to die soon, and you need to be ready to take my place, as king. I am so proud of you. You are such a handsome and pragmatic young man and I couldn’t of asked for a better son. Your mother would be proud of you as well. So this is my goodbye, for now that is. I am going to travel to England, where your mother died. I want to be with her in my final moments.”
I nodded solemnly and watched as he limped his way out of the room, continuing to cough.
What the hell am I going to do?