Brice's Perspective

    I really wanted my father to go away.  He would not stop talking and it was bothering me.

    "In order for you to continue our bloodline you must marry."  My father said.

    "I know that and I will, I've just not found the right woman yet."  I replied.

    "Which is why I have decided to make it easier for you."  He said.

    "No."  I said, knowing what my dad was referring to, my heart then started to beat faster.

    "I have set up an arranged marriage for you.  You'll meet her tonight, her name is Princess Marie and our country will do well from the marriage and it would be good for the country."  He said.

    "You'll just ruin my life in the process."  I sputtered.

    "Don't talk to me like that!"  He said.

    Then before I knew it, he slapped me straight across my face and I stared at him in awe, yes my father was a horrible person, but he never had laid a hand on me.  It stung and something inside of me snapped.

    "You need to listen.  You control everything and guess what, the country sucks.  Most of our people are extremely poor and here we are, rich and happy as can be.  You're the cause of the rebellion and all you do is make things worse."  I said.

    I deciding not let him reply, I turned around and stormed off, my father following closely on my heels.  Luckily, I did know a couple hidden secret passages that Artemis had shown me years back.  I slipped behind a painting and waited until my father was safely storming furiously around in another part of the castle.

I had been watching Artemis sneak here and there for a long time and yet I still hadn't picked up her talent for it.  I then decided to take an attempt at sneaking around and I tried to slip through the castle unnoticed. 

I ended up knocking down a vase and table and got some really of the servants gave me some really weird looks.  I think I'll leave the sneaking to Artemis.

Quietly I opened the door to my mother's room and slipped in.  I found to my pleasant surprise that my mother was awake.

I sat softly down right next to her and smiled.

"Hey mama, nice to see you awake, how are you doing today?"  I asked.

"Some days are better than others.  I don't have much time, so you talk, you tell me how you're doing."  My mother said.

"Father arranged a marriage for me."  I said.

"No, he didn't!  With whom?"  She asked.

"Princess Marie. She's not the right women to me."  I said.

"What kind of woman do you think that you need?"  She asked.

"A spirited one."  I said.

"Artemis."  My mother said without hesitation.

My heart leapt, how could she know?  I had to be careful, I didn't know what she knew but I had to find out quickly and then find out if my father knew as well.

I held her hand and gently squeezed it.

"Now, why would you say that?"  I asked. 

"I might be sick, but I'm not blind.  I saw how you looked at her, you loved her."  She said.

I bit my lip and turned my head so she couldn't see my smile.

My mother noticed this and spoke again,

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" 

    I couldn't lie to my mother, I had never been able to.

    "I love her."  I said quietly.

    "I know."  She said and as she spoke, she had the brightest smile and to me it seemed to lighten up the room with a very familiar old sparkle.

    "What am I supposed to do?"  I asked.

    "I'm not sure, Marie most likely will put up with anything seeing as she has the promise of becoming the most powerful Queen in the land some day."  She said.

    "What happened to dad?"  I asked.

    "I have asked myself that question for years and I have yet to find the answer."  She said.

    "But he's your husband."  I said.

    "Not after I got sick.  He was a changed man and I don't recognize him anymore." 

"What should I do?" 

"I'm not sure, I really wish I had answers for you, but I don't."

I sighed, I better find somewhere else to go clear my head. 

"I need to go now mama, take care of yourself."  I said.

"Love you Brice."  She said.

"Love you too mama."  I said.

As I walked the halls, I walked them with confidence.  Artemis had been right last night, I could get away with almost anything.  It was time that I tested those limits.

My father and I passed one another in the hallways and I held my head high.  I didn't even bother looking at him.  Nevertheless, my heart still was beating faster than usual.