His Royal Highness

Chapter 1: The Royal Palace

Chapter 1: The Royal Palace

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" My mother asks me as I bid my last goodbye to them.

"I'll be fine." I replied and hug her one last time.

"I should've been the one to work not you." My father said still feeling guilty about me. I smiled and assured him that I'll be alright.

"It's okay father, besides, Judith needs a father." I glance at my little sister beside him. She's just eight years old and I know that her being a daddy's girl, she'll be heartbroken if she never sees her father again.

I hugged my family one last time and walked ahead to ride on the carriage that is now waiting for me. I waved goodbye to them as the horse drawn carriage moves. I wiped my tears as they started to fall. I'm not sure whether I'll see them again but a sacrifice should be made for the welfare of my family.

I have already signed the contract and as much as I'm concerned, I am now a property of the state. As a monarchical government, we are the subjects of the monarch. We cannot do anything about the laws imposed by the parliament.

It takes us exactly ten minutes to reach town and the people were very much busy with their own work. That's when I saw it...

The Royal Palace.

It is guarded by hundreds of men standing in position, ready to attack when the monarch is threatened. One of the guards opened the fortress gate for us and I am suddenly nervous and excited all at once. I finally have the chance to see what's behind the thick walls that we pass every day when we go to the market.

The grounds of the palace is very wide, it is ornamented with green grasses and a garden of flowers that you can pick to make a bouquet and sell it to the market for 50 docents.

In the middle of the two way road is the Royal Castle. It is a classical structure taking inspiration from the great civilizations of the ancient world like the Romans, Greeks and the Egyptian. I know, because it is what I read from their history books in the public library.

The carriage now stopped moving and a man opened the door for me.

"Mr. Inkwell?" The man in a nice suit asked me.

"Yes. That's me." I replied.

"Please come with me." I immediately stepped out of the carriage and followed the man who is now waiting in front of the door.

When I entered the door, I was amazed by the intricate design of the hallway. It is so amazing that I can no longer close my mouth. These people really know how to live in luxury.

"This way sir." He was now at the door with a sign above it saying: Laws and Intervention Office. He opened the door the door for me and indicated me to get inside.

"Thanks." I said to him and he closed the door after I got inside.

Inside the room is a table and an old man scribbling something on a parchment. When he saw me, he immediately lowered his glasses to examine me which is ironic since glasses help people improve their eyesight.

"Are you Mr. Inkwell?" He asked as if I was mistaken for somebody else.

"Yes, sir." I replied hiding the nervousness from my voice.

"Mr. James Inkwell?" He asked again for the second time.

I nodded.

"Aren't you too young to serve the Sorb?" He stares at me skeptically.

"I'm turning eighteen tomorrow sir but yes, I might be young."

He sighed for a second and faced me again. "Are you afraid of dying?" He asks, his question hits me with shock and surprise.

"I'm sorry what?"

"Are you ready to die in your age?"

"No, sir." I replied, my hands beginning to shake. I didn't know that I would be executed. But I once read that Sorbea Perpetua is a long-term service for the state or the royal family, not a death sentence.

"You're right, I can't put you in the army, that is just wrong but what was I thinking?" he clicked his tongue while tapping the table with his pen. That made me sigh with relief. So it's not an execution after all.

"You better serve in the castle, here sign this." He hands me a piece of paper which I sign it without even reading the content on the pages. The relief of not dying makes me care no more about what's written.

"You'll be working in the kitchen. Ask for Mister Stone to assist you in your job. Now give this letter to him and say I sent you."

"May I ask your name sir?"

"It's not that important, now go."

I nodded and thanked him but before I can leave the room, he called me one more time. "One thing that you should know about the Sorbea Perpetua, is that you can never leave the palace until death. Not unless you are granted pardon by the royal family."

I smiled at his effort to make me feel better but I know that getting a pardon from the king himself is only a but dream.