This week's inspiration? Clive Owen from the movie KING ARTHUR. Yowza!
Prologue - Scene 2
The guards stormed the courtesan’s
suite of rooms. Merewyn shrieked at the sudden intrusion.
“What is the meaning of this?” she
demanded, struggling against the men restraining her. Her black hair
hung loose around her porcelain shoulders, a dressing gown barely
covering her curvaceous form. Ahron felt a twinge of shame at
catching the lady in such an informal state.
“That won’t be necessary,” Ahron
told his men who promptly released her.
“Mistress Merewyn, I regret to inform
you that you have fifteen minutes to gather your belongings and then
we shall escort you from the castle grounds.”
“On whose authority?” She pulled
her frightened children closer to her—a boy of six-years old and a
girl of eight. The eldest boy stepped between Ahron and his mother,
the chiseled features of the boy’s father evident even in his
pre-pubescent face. He displayed the same bravery as well.
“Don’t touch her.” Anger flashed
in his ice blue eyes—the one feature he inherited from his mother.
Ahron lay a gentle hand on the boy’s
shoulder. “You show valor beyond your years, but this is not a
fight you can win, son. The queen herself has ordered the exile of
your mother and siblings.”
“Exile? That can’t be. The castle
is our home.” Merewyn spoke to Ahron, but nudged her son, Owain, to
join the others. Two guards caught the boy by his wrists.
“Owain is to stay here,” Ahron met
Merewyn’s gaze. Her eyes widened as his full meaning dawned on her.
“No,” she pleaded, clutching at his
hand. “No, you can’t take my son.”
“Milady, I have no choice.”
Two more guards restrained her as Owain
was escorted from the room. The boy put up a fight, as did his
mother, but the efforts proved futile. Merewyn collapsed to the
floor, screaming and sobbing. “She can’t do this.”
Ahron knelt down and stroked the
woman’s perfumed hair. “She can do anything she likes. She’s
the monarch de facto until the king’s will is unsealed. Most likely
she will be named to act as regent until Owain comes of age.”
Wild-eyed and shaking, she looked up at
her oldest boy. “What will be his fate?”
“I cannot speak to that.” Ahron
nudged her to her feet. “But I swear you this—I will protect him
as much as I can.”
Merewyn shook her head. “I will not
accept this.”
“You must.” Ahron gripped her arm,
leading her toward the door. “We must go.”
Dragging the boy from the room, the
guards disappeared down the hall, Owain’s objections echoing for
all to hear.
Tears streamed down his mother’s face
and the other children hid sobbing in her skirts.
Ahron produced a handkerchief from his
sleeve and handed it to Merewyn. “I’ll give you a moment to
collect yourself and then, milady, we really must go.”
As he led the shattered family from
their suites, he hardened his heart against the woman’s pleas. The
cries of the children were slightly harder to ignore.
_____________________
Tune in next Wednesday for the first scene from chapter one!
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