Old Bonds

A muffled voice said. "My lord, it is time to wake up."

A voice said within a black void. "Wake up?" The black void faded away. 

A boy rubbed his eyes as he thought. "Where am I?" He turned his head and looked at his surroundings. He looked to the right and then to the left. 

The boy saw the edges of a bed on both sides of him. Directly next to the bed on the right side of him was a wall. On the left side of him was an open area. 

Beyond the open area, which was next to the left side of the bed, was a desk and a chair aligned against the left wall. On the right side of the desk was an ink and quill. On the center of the desk was a closed journal. Above the desk was a portrait.

The portrait possessed a figure who stood on top of a pile of bodies. A ray of sunshine shone through the clouds above the figure. The ray of sunshine touched down on the figure and only on the figure. The figure wore silver armor and a silver mask which covered their face. The figure wielded a long sword in their left hand and nothing in their right hand. The figure did not possess a right arm. All the bodies below the figure lacked a left arm.

A knock was heard from the door of the room. A muffled voice could be heard from beyond the door as it said. "My lord, are you awake?"

The boy sat up on the bed and said to the person beyond the door. "Yes." He turned his body to the left and set his feet down on the cold wood floor. He looked over at the door of the room and said. "You can enter."

The door of the room opened. A girl who looked like she was in her mid teens stood in the doorway of the room. She had long black hair that went about halfway down her back. She wore a chainmail vest with a cotton shirt underneath on the top half of her body and on the bottom half she wore iron leggings. The girl also had a sword strapped to her back. The hilt of her sword could be seen sticking out by her left shoulder.

The boy had a confused expression on his face as he stared at the girl standing in the doorway. He said while confused. "Who are you?" 

The girl clenched her left hand together then put her left hand against the center of her chest. She bowed her head and said. "Her Highness's First Guardian, my lord!" 

The young boy thought. "Mother's First Guardian?" He said to the girl. "Where is the Fifth Guardian?" 

The girl raised her head and said to the boy. "She is accompanying Her Highness to the Ceremony, my lord!" 

The boy said while confused. "Ceremony?" Realisation suddenly donned on him. A huge smile broke out across his face as he said. "That's right! The Ceremony!" 

The boy looked down at his clothes. He was wearing a cotton shirt and cotton pants. He thought as he looked at his clothes. "This is what I wore last night when I fell asleep in Brother's room." He looked at the room he was in and thought. "Wait, but how did I end up back in my room?" He shook his head and thought. "That doesn't matter right now. I can ask Brother later. I need to get changed so I get to the Ceremony!"

The boy looked over at the girl and said. "I need to get dressed. Can you wait out in the hallway?" 

The girl nodded and said. "Yes, my lord!"  

The boy looked at the right side of the room. In the corner of the right side was his wardrobe. 

The boy heard the door of his room close. 

The boy continued to look at his wardrobe and smiled as he thought. "Maybe I'll be able to get my own armor set, like what Brother has, after the Ceremony."

*****

The boy opened the door of his room. He looked out into the hallway but did not see the girl who called herself his Mother's First Guardian. 

A concerned expression appeared on his face as he thought. "Where did she go?" He looked to the right and then to the left as he looked out into the hallway. 

The girl who called herself his Mother's First Guardian leaned against the wall on the left side of the door in the hallway. She looked at the boy and said. "Are you ready, my lord?" 

The boy smiled and nodded as he said. "Yeah." He then asked. "Are you my escort?"

The girl got off the wall and stood straight. She clenched her left hand together and put it against the center of her chest as she said. "Yes. I will be your escort to the Ceremony, my lord." 

The boy looked over to the right of the hallway and then looked over to the left as he said. "Which way is the Ceremony?" He scratched the back of his head with his right hand and made a slight chuckle to himself as he said. "I don't leave my room very often." 

The girl said. "Understood, my lord. I shall lead the way." She put her left hand down by her side. She then turned and faced to the left. She began to walk down the hallway. 

The boy followed behind the girl as they both walked through the hallway. 

The boy said as he walked. "Brother is going to the Ceremony too, right?" 

The girl said with her back facing the boy as she walked in front of him. "That is correct, my lord." 

The boy asked. "Does Brother have his own escort too?" 

The girl replied. "That is correct, my lord." 

The boy asked. "Who is Brother's escort?"

The girl replied. "The King's First, Third, and Fifth Guardians." 

The boy thought. "Brother has three escorts?! But, wait... why is he with the King's Fifth Guardian?" He asked the girl. "Is Brother with Father?" 

The girl replied. "That is correct, my lord." 

A wide smile broke out across the boy's face as he said while excited. "Is there any way for us to travel to the Ceremony with them?" 

The girl shook her head and said. "That is impossible, my lord. His Majesty and the young lord left earlier this morning. You are the last one to leave for the Ceremony, my lord." 

The boy frowned and said while disappointed. "Oh... I wanted to travel with Brother..." 

The girl who walked in front of the boy said. "I'm sorry, my lord. But, I'm afraid that isn't possible." 

The boy suddenly perked up again as he said while excited. "What about Sister? Has she already left for the Ceremony?"

The girl suddenly stopped walking. 

The boy stopped walking and said. "What's wrong? Why did we stop?" 

The girl turned and faced the boy. She said. "My lady is still within the castle. Would you like me to take you to her, my lord?"

The boy smiled and nodded as he said. "Yes! Let's go!"