The youngest prince of Rivand stared at the sky. The moon had risen and was new. He lifted the bottle of wine and drank
deeply. If only he could find something
to be other than the wastrel prince, a man without a place in the kingdom. He drank again and finished the bottle. When he gestured for another, he saw the
palace page appear. Kristen tried to
make himself invisible. There could be
no other man or woman in this tavern being sought by the king.
He watched the page search the faces of the men gathered
around the tables. Perhaps he wouldn’t
be seen here on the balcony. His hopes
were dashed when the page hurried through the crowded room and appeared at
Kristan’s side. “Your sire requests your
presence.”
Kristin rose and followed the boy to the tavern door. At least he hadn’t imbibed enough to make his
stagger. He mounted his horse and rode
through town to the imposing stone building that had been his home for all his
life.
As he entered the throne room, she saw his father
waited. His oldest brother usually sat
at the king’s side. Where was the crown
prince? Did this mean his heir was about
to be born? Kristen shivered. One day, a crown prince might be called to
face the Witch of the Woods. He recalled the cryptic words he’d read in his grandfather
memoirs and remembered his vow to free the woman caught in the amber gem.
“Kristen,” his father’s voice was low and rumbled with
anger. “Your conduct is unbecoming to a
prince. I’m tired of hearing of your
constant pursuit of wine, women and dice.”
Kristan straightened.
“What else is there for me? My
oldest brother follows you. The second
will be his advisor. The third will head
the army. The fourth, the navy. The fifth the treasury and the sixth the
agriculture of Rivand. There is nothing
left for me.”
“Not so. There is
marriage. One has been arranged with the
daughter of Wevald. Put your affairs in
order. You leave at the end of the
week.”
“I don’t want to marry someone I’ve never seen.” Kristan turned and fled the room.
“You will do as ordered,” the king shouted.
Kristan raced along the empty corridors until he reached his
chambers. He sat on the edge of the bed
and wished the numbness of the liquor he’d drunk would return. He had to make plans. This marriage his father had arranged wasn’t
for him. From deep inside came the
certainty that for him there was another destiny though what he didn’t know.
He rose. He had to
leave the palace tonight. Where he would
go, he wasn’t sure. He found a haversack
and quickly packed a few changes of clothes.
From the chest at the foot of his bed he took the sleeping blanket he
had used on hunting trips. His hand
brushed a tear-shaped globe. He lifted
the amber crystal and held it to the candlelight.
“Emme,” he whispered.
His thoughts flashed to the night his grandfather had died and how the
valet had brought the amber orb to him.
For years, he had kept the globe beside his bed and stared at the woman
trapped inside. Without knowing why, he
tucked the sphere in his haversack. He
stuffed coins in his boots where many men kept knives. He hurried to the stable and saddled his
horse. He rode quickly through the town
and exited the gates and rode toward the forest.
The crescent of the new moon rose but the light cast was
dimmed by the trees. Though the leaves
were those of spring and small, the trees were crowded. Kristan heard a rustling. The wind or an animal, he thought. The small light cast by the crescent moon
cast shadows.
“Hoy.” The shout
startled him. Someone leaped from one of
the trees and knocked him from the horse.
The animal squealed.
Kristan was unable to free his sword. His attackers slashed with knives. He was able to land a few blows before
something hit his head so hard he was dazed.
He collapsed and held his breath.
The thieves grabbed his pack and began to rummage in the
contents. He was glad he had thought to
hide his coins.
“What’s this?”
“Amber and a large chunk.”
Suddenly one of the men screamed.
“No.”
The amber globe fell to the ground. The men ran.
Moonlight illuminated the globe and the shimmer around the sphere
appeared to grow. Kristen tried to get
to his knees. His head felt as thought
he’d been spinning for he couldn’t believe what he thought he saw.
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