Dustin and Jude managed the monumental task of smuggling his skin-deep wound into the royal castle without rousing either attention or suspicion, after which they'd locked themselves inside Dustin's living quarters and bound his forearm in bandages which he concealed with a long-sleeved cloak. All the while, Dusting gushed in a self-congratulatory manner, boasting of the great bravery he'd displayed in bringing a common apple thief to justice. Jude kindly played along while also steering clear of adding any more fuel to the fire of Dustin's hubris.

However, the next day turned out to be a very different beast. The earlier half of the day was nothing but ordinary routine for Dustin, breakfast with his parents and his two sisters, followed by a morning of lessons with his assigned tutor. Dustin gave one ear to his lessons but his entire mind to daydreaming of what sorts of crime he would crush next in the capital. Maybe he'd discover a base of operations for a ring of kidnappers and bring them to bear for their crimes. Or perhaps he'd even uncover a conspiracy to take the throne. The possibilities were as endless as Dustin's imagination.

When noon rolled around, liberating the poor tutor from his vain task of attempting to educate a distracted prince, Dustin took a stroll through the royal garden maintained primarily for the pleasure of his mother, Queen Katherine Rickland. A rainbow of all manner of flowers, native to Monterayne and otherwise, sprawled out along a wire frame before Dustin and provided the visual equivalent of a dainty pastry. The blended floral scent reaching his nose was equally soothing.

Dustin perked up at the sound of footsteps behind himself, so he glanced back to see his father, King Manfred Rickland approaching. Everything about Dustin's father could fall under one word—long. He stood head and shoulders over most men, his physical stature as towering as his social sanding. And his thin, grave face matched his height well.

"I hope your morning lessons went well?" Manfred asked as he stepped closer, laying a hand on Dustin's shoulder. Due to his serious temperament, further sobered by years on the Monteraynian throne, Manfred had never been the most affectionate father imaginable, but the little gestures meant much.

"Well enough, I suppose." Dustin answered carefully, "I must confess I have felt rather distracted today."

"That's understandable. You've had much to think about, I'm sure."

Dustin glanced up sharply. Did his father know about yesterday? "I always do, Father."

"Yes, but in this case, you have more than normal. It's not every day one finds a prince running around and tussling with alleged thieves in the capital."

"Oh, that."

Manfred's dark brown eyes pierced into Dustin's soul. "Yes, that. Would you like to tell me about that?"

"Do I have to?"

"I mean...I guess not; I already know. But I'm giving you a chance to explain yourself before I take action."

Dustin suddenly found it difficult to swallow, with how dry his throat had become. "I saw a man steal some apples, so I took action! Some prince I would be if I simply watched crime happen and lifted not a finger to stop it."

"You're not fooling me, Dustin. You didn't engage him because he was a thief, but because his being a thief gave you an excuse to get your heart pumping and sword swinging."

"Not so! You misjudge me."

"And you misjudged this thief of yours." Manfred crossed his arms. "My knights investigated the matter and received confirmation from the vendor that this 'thief' did indeed pay for the apples he took. He is still being detained for thirty days on charges of threatening a royal and inflicting harm upon one, but I'd also like to point out he never would have been driven to that point, had you not chased and cornered him on false assumptions."

"Well...I don't know what to say. I could have sworn that on several occasions, he neglected to pay. Perhaps the vendor has reason to lie in order to protect his own safety?"

"Over a few apples? Unlikely."

"You never know what—"

"Let's not waste our time, Dustin. I previously forbade you from challenging our knights to frivolous duels, and now we stand here. You have a hunger for excitement and thrill, and so you've convinced yourself you have a noble cause to fight for. But in reality, it's only the fight that concerns you."

Dustin frowned. "No, you misjudge me again, Father."

"Well then, explain why you've suddenly developed a taste for crimefighting, now that you've been disallowed from dueling the knights."

"It just...it just occurred to me, nothing to it! I believe you presume much."

Manfred sucked in a deep breath and shook his head. "I see a pattern here, one which concerns me. For your own good, I'll have to ask you to hand over your sword."

Dustin balked, green eyes widening in dread at the prospect. "You...you can't be serious!"

"I am. Having a weapon appears to embolden you to get into trouble, so until I see some change in you, I'll have to keep you apart from it."

"But..." Dustin stammered with moistening eyes, "Please..."

"Hand your sword over." Manfred said firmly.

A tear trickled down Dustin's cheek as he slid his sword from its scabbard and handed it over to his father. Manfred reached out to give his son another pat on the shoulder after retrieving the weapon, but Dustin had none of it. He spun on his heel and fled the scene, tears scalding his cheeks as he went.

****

"All I want is to actually do something in this world!" Dustin lamented to Jude later that day over a snack of grapes and cheese. They sat on a sturdy bridge overlooking a lapping stream just outside the capital. "You know what I always say, Jude. What happens when I sit too long?"

Jude visibly stifled a laugh. "Your...rear end bruises. Figuratively, of course."

"Exactly! Look all around you, and you'll see there's a myriad of problems that need solving. Am I as a prince supposed to sit idly and leave other men to handle those?"

"I frankly don't see the problem being your having taken action, but where, how, and primarily why."

"You know why I do what I do?" Dustin asked, earning a curious look from Jude, "I want to be a mighty knight like my father before me. He didn't stand by idly when Lord Juan Feliz rose up to strike his brother-in-arms down; he took action. My father didn't sit and twiddle his thumbs as a host of traitorous knights attempted to rebel against the crown; he took action. Yet now, when I am presented with similar situations, I'm deemed reckless to do the same."

"His majesty only did what needed to be done, from my understanding. I believe the point of contention here is that you seek out trouble, as opposed to simply dealing with it when it comes."

"Are you siding with my father in this? He himself could learn from his own past, Jude! All the stories of his valorous acts come from times long gone. What has he done since? Watch idly as the Innutukian Empire continues to devour all the nations of the earth? Even when Alconte fell, he lifted not a finger!"

Jude bowed his head and sighed. "I'm afraid I am not at liberty to comment on your father's decisions as king. I only trust he's being strategic in these matters."

"I grant you liberty." Dustin said firmly, "Nobody's here besides you and I; speak your mind."

"In the Second War of Reformation, Monterayne lost scores of men, too many to count, on the battlefield. My own father being one of them. So much Monteraynian blood was shed to block the Innutukian advance into the east, and what did Alconte do?"

"Not much, from my understanding."

Jude nodded vigorously. "Nothing at all, militarily. Instead, they focused on their own affairs and turned a mostly blind eye to the war while speaking in silver tongues to King Maxwell Alder. If their words were to be trusted, they were 'almost ready' to send troops the whole duration of the war. But yet their aid never came."

"And what is your point in all this?"

"I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if your father allowed Alconte to fall for not lending their strength to our own war effort years ago. Can you imagine all the Monteraynians who would have gray heads this day instead of gray tombstones if they had assisted? What appears to be idleness from your point of view may very well be your father simply delving out poetic justice."

Dustin scratched his smooth chin. "I suppose I hadn't considered that. How do you feel about that, though? You're as much an Alcontean as you are a Monteraynian."

"Monterayne is all I've ever known. My mother has her share of stories of the Alcontean Republic at its height, and I do find them alluring, but they fell from grace, and I have no particular regrets about it."

"I see. Well...perhaps I have indeed misjudged my father's rulings, but I still find myself irked at his depriving me of my sword. I feel so...empty without it."

"I understand that." Jude said slowly. "You must feel incredibly restless."

"I do! I feel stifled, to be honest."

"Well, try to look to the future. I'm sure a few years from now, you'll be a distinguished knight, possibly won't even remember this day at all."

Dustin's eyes brightened at this. "True! The Innutukian Empire will be in shambles, Alconte will be restored, and I will set you at its head."

Jude laughed. "I'm flattered, but you think too highly of me."

"On the contrary, you have a keen mind, kind heart, and articulate lips. You would make a wise ruler."

"I disagree, but appreciate your high esteem of me. I would much rather stick around to temper your own unfettered ambition."

"You, of all people, should know I don't appreciate fetters very much." Dustin remarked.

"That's exactly why I must lay them on you." Jude retorted with a smirk. "Wherever you go, I'll be at your side if you wish it."

"I always will. I could not ask for a better friend."

Jude bowed his head gratefully. "Neither could I." 

**** 

A/N: Well, Dustin may not have his sword anymore, but he sure does have a friend I think most of us could use in our lives. Hope you enjoyed their dynamic again here, and the chapter in general. If so, don't forget to vote or comment, or you won't have any friends. 🙂 

Nah, I'm kidding, I think. 😂

At any rate, leave any thoughts in the comments; I love to read those, and the support helps. Currently, I'm in a race to keep ahead of my updates; I have first drafts for chapters 3 and 4 at the moment and am working on 5, so this is a bit of an authorial treadmill. Wish me luck in staying ahead! 😂😉 

That said, I hope you have a great week, and I'll see you in next Tuesday's update. God bless! ❤️