"It is truly the King's seal." Richard Dounty says. The twenty three acres of land was something King Griffin worked on day and night. These lands holds part of your father's sweat.
"Tell me, how fast can these lands be transferred to my brother." The King asks.
"It would take about a week to clear the plots but ownership is ascertained immediately when General Hunter signs these papers." He places a different scroll on the table provided with ink and a brush.
"Although there are some criterias you need to know before filling the papers, the most important of them is your next of kin." The person who would take over it when you pass on.
What happens when he does not put in a next of kin immediately and if say I he passes on? The king asks Richard Dounty.
"The property will be retained back to the King." He answers. The king nods to him before picking up the brush stained in ink.
Hunter who is standing next to them read the papers and fills them one after the other but left the next of kin space empty.
"I will fill this space later on." He informs Richard.
"Then you better get yourself a woman." The king said out of the blue.
Does it have to be my child? Hunter asks him.
"Father worked hard for these land, of course it is a generational gift." It wouldn't be divine if it weren't an heir of yours who inherits it. David says and smiles to him pressing my back behind the chair.
"Let us talk brother, come with me for a stretch outside? the castle walls." Hunter nods to his offer and together they leave the hall.
"They walk across the grassland field, seeing the castle behind them in all its glory."
"You must have forgotten how the castle looks like." King David says.
"Of course not, Hunter replies him."
"It was just yesterday I left as a young lost boy. "
The king stops walking and sighs. It was because of my birth you were sent to the war front, my mother was in her immature years as of that time. Hunter chuckles to the confession of the king.
Are you apologising on her behalf then? He asks him.
If I am, will she be forgived? The king says.
"I hold no grudge, so what is the use of forgiving, at least for me but my mother has definitely been mistreated in my years of absence and I would like Queen Dowager to sincerely apologise if it isn't too much to offer? Hunter asks him and he smiles."
"They were never on good terms from the beginning, but I'm sure my mother would oblige if I told her."
"Thank you." He tells the King.
"I have to thank you for the whole of Southland for you have sacrificed your life, brother." The king says.
"The war has definitely taken a part of you that may not be returned...your childhood." I can't imagine how scared you must have been as of that time and I was here, living on your sacrifice.
"Hunter puts a hand on his shoulder while he spoke to sooth his guilt. I was only able to succeed because you dealt with internal affairs accurately and it is my duty as a General of Southland and brother to the King." I do not see it as a sacrifice. He tells him.
They stand side by side watching the vast lands of Southland and then Hunter remembers that he has matters of important attendance.
____________
Grace, the attendant Hunter hired on behalf of his mother taps him softly from my slumber. He arches his brows without opening my eyes.
"My Lord, someone is here to see you from the House of Cape."
His eyes are fully opened and he rises from his feet.
"I told the woman to step in but she refused."Grace say.
"It's alright." He told her before leaving to meet the guest. He grabs a coat before heading outside.
The winter cold was supposed to be making an opening for warmth but it was still as harsh. He steps outside to see a petit structure with a purple hood over her head. Hunter coughs to catch her attention and the girl faces me with the giant hood covering her face and making him unable to see the being.
"You are.." I asked.
"I am Vixen Dounty, from the House of Cape and I believe you have something that maybe belongs to me?"
Hunter chuckles stepping closer to her.
How do you think it got into my hands in the first place? She is silent as a graveyard for the first two minutes.
"I may have dropped it in a forest." She says.
Really? What exactly were you doing in the forest when you misplaced this item? He asks her again.
Are you going to give me or question me further? She says in repungance.
"I just want to be sure that I'm giving the right owner, Lady Vixen." Hunter replies.
Hunter removes the bead from his wrist and holds it up, waiting for her to stretch her hand to collect it. She did. Her hands are stretched but she wasn't wearing any gloves on her hands. What sort of governess didn't teach her such grace? He takes an intense look at the hood and the wools were worn out and unkempt.
Doubt kicks in his mind, instead of placing it in her hand, he grabs unto her hand and it was as rough as a maids'.
Imposter!
He says pulling her and making her fall to the ground. The drape of the hood falls away from her head and he sees her face clearly.
Who ordered you to deceive me or shall I drag you to the dungeons were you shall be wiped till your skin turns blue!? Her eyes shone to his threats and she begged without words.
Answer me! Hunter shouts at her.
Release her!
A feminine voice comes into light and he turns around to see the young girl in a white furry hood over her head, one befitting for a King's bride. She is wearing a white garment under the hood and her hands wore a spontaneous, courteous glove.
The colour of her hair still was a secret, followed by two attendants, one with a sword behind her. She walks closer towards me, and she had the most unseen colour of skin.
She?was the colour of glowing honey with green eyes. "No wonder the king fell in love with her."
Did you send your maid to fool me, Lady Vixen? Hunter asks and stares at her.
Her eyes runs over to the maid who was scared out of her wits.
What if I did? She said still looking at the girl and Hunter realizes already that she was of fragile heart.
"He decides to use it against her." If you did, I believe someone deserves to be punished for their wrongdoings. He tells her.
"She is my maid and I will be accountable for her mistakes, now release her immediately." She commanded like one of royalty but he wasn t fearful of her authority.
"Since you've decided to be accountable, Lady Vixen then you shall be punished." Hunter says and she looks at him like she was about to surrender but then she began to laugh.
Punish me? Who would you ask exactly to punish me, my father? She says proudly knowing her position too well. "Even the King wouldn't think of punishing me, much less an illegitimate son." Vixen says, her voice is luscious and direct, lacking sympathy or respect but she is straightforward, he like it.
Hunter drops his head down looking at the bead before raising it back up.
"I don't believe you've seen what the Queen Dowager can do to you especially when she finds out how modest you kept yourself in the forest." Hunter says.
She freezes when she heard my words losing every laughter in her cheeks.
"A whole future Queen of Southland." I bet it with you even the King will stay put when you are being locked in the dungeons for your ravaging mistakes.
You shot an arrow to me! She shouted.
I almost died!
"Here you are breathing fine." He concludes.
"Dismiss your attendants I have a lot of questions to ask you." There is a gazebo, follow me. He says not minding wether she approved or not.
Later, after she follows him considering the odds were against her. He closed the door behind her and she shifted away from me like a prey.
"Honestly, Sir." Say what you have to say, it is not allowed that I be behind closed doors with a man, alone! She says.
Hunter sits on the sofa adding more wood to the fire place.
Would it be better then if you were naked? Her eyes shone and she looks like she deeply regretred it.
What kind of a man uses a woman's modesty to play games! She shouts.
You tell me? What kind of damn fool runs around in the forest naked waiting for a man to strike her with an arrow!
"The king authorised only my presence in the forest and I was taking a bath!" Vixen tells.
"Shut up, he commanded and she remains quiet, probably was her first time hearing insultive words directed towards her."
"You are a spoilt fool who isn't meant to be anything, much less a future Queen." You are ill-mannered and mad because you think of yourself as special but listen and listen well.
"I am not your future husband nor your father but I sure will be able to father a stupid learner like you."
Vixen raises her hand towards him in an attempt to hit him but he pushes it behind her making her losing stamina.
She would have fallen to the ground if not for his hand that pulled her back. In the process, the cloak was removed from her hair and Hunter finds that it is as black as her attitude.