I walk into the next room only to hear citizens yelling at my royal knights. I look over the indoor balcony onto the first floor and see that the main gate has been rammed and that was the moment I knew, these raiders were out for blood... "Cecil, what is happening?" Knight Cecil and Black Knight Cole are holding off angry raiders from getting up the stairs to the second floor. "Your majesty, these citizens are going crazy!" Knight Cecil says as he holds back a peasant. "Nothing to trouble yourself with your majesty, we can handle them!" Black Knight Cole says as he pushes down a farmer. "Your Isahia the prince, arn't you!" The peasant says looking at me as Counciler pushes me forward across the hall. "Yes, citizen. I am." I say as I stop the counciler. Silently telling her that I was concerned for my kingdoms welfare. "Do you not know of what is happening!?" I grow curious. Cecil does a hand motion and all of a sudden counciler pushes me really hard into the next room on the left side of the balcony, passing the main upstairs door that led to the throne room aligned with the lower stairs, has his majesty been hiding something from me? The raid starts back up and Jayce isn't in the training room, I might have to stop being so docile and help Cecil and Cole. I descide to swallow my fear and fight for the first time in my 13 years of life. It is time I follow in my fathers footsteps and fight for the holy kingdom of Paladin's, Steelwater! Am I being over dramatic? "Counciler, the citizens are about to burst through, go hide in that closet." I finally grow the guts to say. My words sounded as proud as fathers, but as true as mothers, may she rest in peace... "Your majesty, I cannot. I live only for your welfare." I pull out my shortsword and point it toward the door. My knighthood ability's were about to be tested for the first time even though I was a prince. I could sense it. "I said go!" She looks shocked as to what I just said. "Jayce has tought you well, you are much like your father. Thank you, your majesty." She walks into the closet as I asked. The sounds of war lay upon beyond the door I wait at so focused with keen and pride. I knew they broke through because the clash of wills and I wait for them to enter. The door opens and I swing. A cut lies apon the chest of one of my fathers citizens. No... one of my citizens. I felt shocked at my own resolve, as if I was having a flashback with the absence of memories. I have done my holy father wrong. He ended past chaos without killing a single man, yet I cannot resolve a small raid without the sinful bloodshed of the murdered man in front of me. His blood drips from the end of my sword. As the blood drips to the floor, I knew then and there, I would never live to be a Paladin, let alone a Templar. For one powerful sin is anough to start your trail for Hang Man to follow. He will not stop til' the sinned are slayed, or so the legend goes... The undeserving drops to the floor, on his knees. The rooms of these hallowed halls grow silent. Cole and Cecil look in at what I done, Cecil with dissapointment and shame, Cole with rage and disgust. I couldn't believe it. I murdered an innocent of my own country. He speaks, "Your sword has quite the edge, your majesty... funny, I never knew you would... be the one to kill... me. But I did know... I would die on this day... Coppers lie at... our borders. Killing everyone... in thier path. A warning... mylord. I will be the first... of many to... die. We come with... rage. King Isaiah... chooses not to fight... What a disgrace!" On those words Cole grows angry and stabs him through the heart, forever ensuring his death. "Cole!" Cecil says in surprise while grabbing Cole, restraining him from scarring me even more. The dead man in waiting was growing dim, even he knew his death was coming. His breaths grow heavy, along with the spaces between his words. "Do what you will, I wish... to die... For all in... Itropolice will follow behind me. Lord Isaiah... chooses to run, the... coward. Say what you will... I will not follow him..." He pulls Cole's sword out of his body and drops to the ground, ending his own life out of shame for his country. "Everyone out of here. Now!" Cecil says pointing down the stairs at the door. I've never heard Cecil so angry. Cecil and Cole walk into the training room as the raiders leave without hesitation out of pure fear of Cecils other side. Cecil puts his hand on my shoulder. "Whatever you do lord Isahia, don't listen to them, any... of them! King Isaiah is coming back. He is coming back for you..." I shun him off. Cole shuts the door and the counciler comes out of the closet, surprised by the newly found dead in the floor of the wooden training room. "Counciler Sharen, why did you leave his side!" Cole yelled in anger as he was about to turn into his usual ball of rage. "His majesty willed it." Sharen said as Cole stepped down. I couldn't handle today's events any longer, I broke down of pride loss to my hands and knees of the bloodstained floor as if drowning in my own sin. I had my fathers pride, but my mothers emotions. "I didn't want him to die! I didn't mean to!" I started to cry. I was ashamed. "You are son of his lordship! You do not cry!" I stopped, suprised at Cecils harsh words. "Your right. Father has never cried..." I stood up. "I'm sorry Cecil. I was only trying to defend the counciler. I brought shame to the royal family and disgrace to the Valen and Gru family! I'm sorry!" "You have nothing to be sorry for! You did well... You did what any steel knight would." Cole walked to the body and picked him up. "Pull yourself together lord Isahia! Your wishes, your majesty?" Cole spoke in a bipolar tone. "Bury him, in the royal graves. It's the least I could do." He walks outside and shuts the door behind him. Cecil begins to do something I did not expect, he hugged me... I stopped sniveling only because of shock. He held onto me for what felt like hours, but in reality was only minutes. He speaks, bowing before me. "Your majesty, I wish I could tell you whats going on but his majesty said he would do it. I do not have jurisdiction. But I know how you feel, my parents were killed by Copperblaze soldiers due to my father being a fugitive just trying to feed his family. Your father saved me before you were born and because of that I was adopted by the Valen family, my true last name is Caiser... your father saved my life, and you will follow in his name... I know it, and I am sorry about this acursed day." "Save your oppologies, knight Cecil. I have training to attend to." I say boldly to cheer him up as I make him rise back up from bowing to me. Jayce walks into the room in surprise and Cecil wishes me luck before him and Sharen leave.