Kingdom Wars

• Caitlin Quan, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2014

Thomas, Crown Prince of Mystica, looked up at the castle looming above him. His castle, his rightfully, but not since Prince Sebastian of Zendalith had overtaken the castle. His rival, his nemesis, his enemy. Thomas was ashamed that Sebastian had managed to defeat him. The history between them went far back to when their kingdoms had been allies.

Everything had been on Sebastian’s side - time, numbers, troops, even the weather. Thomas had been helpless, his parents dead and his advisors sick with a fever that had spread quickly throughout the court. Most of his his troops were sick with the same fever, the snowstorm had suddenly lessened into a gentle fall of snow and most of all, Thomas was useless at defending himself. The sword never wanted to do what he wanted, so his guards had made him run through the maze of tunnels underneath the castle, but not before he had found Adalia, the future Duchess of Adwillian, a large area of Mystica and Thomas’ best friend and only companion. He refused to leave without her.

The forest was the perfect place to hide. Prince Sebastian had never liked the forest.

In the forest, he had broken down in front of Adalia, the weight crushing down on his shoulders, his incompetence and his failure. She had drawn him up, so he stood tall and proud like a king. She told him that he was a survivor, a person who could live through everything that was thrown at him. She had then given him his bow and quiver and knives and kissed him, leaving him frozen on the spot, staring off unthinkingly into the distance.

The next time he saw her, just a day later, she practicing her sword fighting against a tree dummy. Behind her were almost 100 rebels, also practicing. She had gathered the rebels and convinced them to fight for him, to re-take the Castle of Mystica. He almost kissed her. Food had been a problem, but Thomas had managed to find berries and meat he could hunt with his bow.

A month later, they were ready to storm the castle. Thomas could fight a swordsman with only his knives and win. Adalia stood by his side and together, they led the rebels to the castle. It wasn’t an organised attack. All the same, it was a massacre for the Zendalithian troops. Thomas ran around the castle, searching for one person. Thomas just managed to get his knives up in time as Sebastian surprised him. Sebastian was surprised. Thomas could defend himself, so he used mental undermining.
“You’re useless! Incompetent! You’re not fit to be a king. You’re not good enough for Adalia. You have no talents,” Sebastian spat, the jealousy clear in his voice. Thomas had always known the Sebastian held a torch for Adalia.
Thomas narrowed his eyes, “I told her once I wasn’t good at anything. She told me survival is a talent. I believe her. I’ve survived everything that you’ve thrown at me - the assassination attempt, you attempting to take over the castle and now this fight. Could you survive all of it too?” Sebastian faltered and Thomas took advantage of it, swiftly knocking his rival out. He went back outside to see that the rebels had won, the remaining Zendalithion soldiers surrendering.

Two years later, Thomas had come of age and at his coronation, Adalia also became his queen. The rebels become part of his elite army - his personal soldiers and were completely loyal to the new king. All was well again in the Kingdom of Mystica.