4.

Prince Frederick wakes in disgust at the intrusion of his royal consort into his private space. No one comes into his bedroom unless specially instructed to do so by Frederick himself or his parents.

'This is not a day for studies, Delbert, even if it were, it is far too early ... and don't you knock first?'

'Forgive me young sir, but we don't have time for niceties today ...'

'We don't? What do you mean?'

The royal curtains are opened, and Frederick prepares for and defends himself against the massive sunlight which would surely shine through and strain his eyes which in no way could have been prepared for such a moment with the lack of time afforded him, but to his amazement there is no strong sunlight. There is light though very little of it to the point that the sun probably has yet to rise, and this is the moment right before such a thing is to occur.

'You have an excursion to participate in, so I recommend you were appropriate clothing, nothing at all fancy, this is not a royal function.'

'Excursion? What kind of excursion? Father informed me of no such thing.'

'This because your father is unaware of it, young Master. I suggest you ready yourself as quickly as you can be back before he is even aware that you are up, sir. Today will require physical and mental prowess, and God willing, you will be ... and the young like to say ... up for it.'

'You are a strange one Delbert, and if I didn't trust you like I do I would have you reported.'

'Just as well you do trust me then so, as this is of the upmost importance. The King of The Celestial Kingdom died yesterday ...'

'Really? And what does this have to do with me? Surely, my father ...'

'It is about the future young Master, and you are the future, the long term at least. Now the less I say the better. C'mon now, time is a wasting.'

'Delbert, we are going to need a sit-down talk.'

'Yes, though that will wait for now. You must hurry young Sire.'

Sire? Delbert never uses that word in any matter which relates to Price Frederick. Something is definitely not right. Prince Frederick may have thought of this moment as an intrusion, now he is intrigued. He will look forward to finding out more.

He has breakfast in the kitchen despite the presence of staff who are mostly bent out of shaped due to being in the company of the royal Prince. If his father wakes and seeks sustenance, well, he won't come in here. A passing Delbert tells him to hurry on before adding the words if you will and Sire. That's twice now. Frederick can't help but wonder as to what is up with his mentor, his teacher, his protector, and anything else Delbert is needed to be, a best friend perhaps, an only friend.

Given just who it is Frederick is, he doesn't have the luxury of having friends, not true friends as anyone else may have. If there is anyone he ever confides in, then that would be Delbert and Delbert only. Delbert doesn't judge, his position does not interfere with being confided with and most importantly he does not inform the king or Queen as to the exploits of the young Prince. There is an understanding which is rather unique.

When dressed and ready for action, Frederick is given the once over by Delbert. 'This will do' are words spoken as if they are words from a father to a son, Frederick may be obnoxious at the best of times, a boss at the worst of times, and a scolded infant at other times though Delbert would never want to see harm come to him. He takes pride in the man the Prince is becoming, and he knows that the boy will be a heck of a King when the time comes.

What is in doubt is when exactly that time may be, as it may just be sooner rather than later, and to when such time does come, will Delbert still be around to continue and expand upon his duties. He may indeed be a lot to a young Prince though the safety of the royal Family and of the kingdom as a whole is of the upmost importance to Delbert. He feels a sense of foreboding and needs to react to it.

'Right, where are we going?' asks an eager Frederick.

'I'd like you to consider something before our journey begins ...'

'Journey? You make it feel as if we may be gone a while.'

'We just might, my boy ...'

My boy, is it now? What is this? Hadn't he also said that he could be back before his father rises? How bizarre. 'Alright ... lay it on me.'

'Have you ever considered what may beyond the three Kingdoms, or rather two Kingdoms and a Queendom, as I am told it is now?'

'What do you mean by outside?'

'Come with me and let's find out ...'

'You are messing with me.'

'No such thing Sire, come ... come.'

'Alright.'

Confusion and intrigue in equal measure. How bizarre indeed.

5.

What a thought ... something existing beyond the three known kingdoms. Beyond? Where exactly is ... beyond?

Each land or Dom, whether it be King or Queen, takes up vast spaces so they almost interconnect with one another on all sides. It is not possible for there to be a beyond, yet Frederick is about to walk into a space with which he has never seen the likes, a space somewhere very far indeed from the Kingdom of Chaos.

People everywhere, multitudes of people everywhere, many thousands. Not civility, not of the higher classes, not princes nor paupers, not soldiers or those of service, nonarmoured and ready for battle but this could be a very battle the likes of which he has never seen before, well not by a certain trio at least. This battle is one which sees no death, rather it be a joyous occasion.

Strangers dressed quite peculiarly, reacting to what might be described as music, extremely loud music, not of the likes any Ball would present yet something most odd, most loud, and quite riveting once he allows enough time to allow the sounds invade his senses. This is a performance and a gathering for the performance, definitely no Ball or function a young Prince like Frederick has ever previously attended, yet it seems regal all the same.

This place dissevers the title of Chaos in its name, spread out in equal and unequal measures. Perhaps this is an organised chaos, at that too, though a full-on judgement may be best left for another time. Chaos is a land he hails from, right here though, is something quite different.

He would like to ask as to where it is he has been taken though any words which may come from his mouth would go completely unnoticed, completely unheard by anyone he might approach. This is most certainly a unique gathering, if only he could know it is something which occurs quite regularly. No one here is gonna bow to, or even recognize royalty. Royalty here is something else.

The surroundings, besides the people and the sounds, is most unusual. There is little stone grey or sunlit orange here, the colours are multiple and more complete and appear to be quite ... individual. Clothing is dark, for the most part, depending where one looks, not quite uniform but perhaps a ritualistic, or individualised kind of uniform. And it is also bright, colourful on an unimaginable level. It is almost ritualistic.

The performers ... the immediately perceived performers ... there are magnified either side of the stage, what magic is this? Altered magnifications and angles on fixed spaces. The decibel level, indeed, enhanced to accommodate the multitudes in attendance, a less colourful gathering in this region though such is just a general observation. Yeah, one could easily say that this right here is some other world, one most unbelievable.

He hangs in this area, taking in the sights and sounds for around fifteen minutes before being taken by the need to explore. There is so much more to this empire, if that what it is, than its immediate surroundings. A pathway soon takes his fancy.

Many kiosks attend to foods and beverages none of which he is acquainted with. He doesn't dare attempt to try the delights, not because he is a prince and thinks himself about such things, but rather he has nothing to barter with, and he is sure if he told them who he was, such would mean nothing and would likely get him harmed than anything else. HOT DOG ... HAM BURGER ... What are these things?

It is at this point he wishes to make an inquiry, but there is no one to direct his inquiry at, well no one with whom he knows anyhow. How has it taken him this long to discover he is unaccompanied in this place? What exactly is this place? There are two large tents on display, each with flags attached, both tents big enough for hundreds, if not thousands to gather inside despite one being significantly bigger than the other.

Have kingdoms collided here with the spaces in between battlefields of sorts. Flags are different, separate kingdoms cannot exist so close to one another, can they? Besides, there should only be three Doms. Battles may have occurred on these grounds right here though they are highly unlikely the kinds of Battles a young prince like Frederick would be aware of.

'My Liege ...' a young lady calls out loud as she approaches.

Who is she? Frederick certainly does not recognize her, though has he himself been recognized? One of the peasants come to seek a plea bargain with a Prince, perhaps?

'You look lost, Sire ...' she says to him in a quiet but pleasant tone.

'I'm sorry, but who are you?'

'My name is Anna, Sire, don't you remember?'

'I'm afraid not. I do not know you, and of this I am sure, but then ...'

'There is something familiar, right?'

'Yes ...' Frederick did not want to admit that nut if he is to get answers then he possibly needs to keep things as straight as possible.

'Alright, to get you on the path you need to travel, you must come with me.'

'Path, what path?'

'All in good time, Sire.'