Dancing Morning Lights

"The first crown guard wants everybody by the inner well."

Voices rose between the cold walls, the atmosphere staying tense. Another threat. This knowledge was shared between all thoughts and words scattered between us. My practice sword weight heavy on my hip as I stepped into the cold morning sun. The first sun rays had climbed over the outer walls. I had to shield my eyes to find my way to the well.

"A threat has come upon the kingdom. It Is our pride to take this with significance and confidence. Among us are the most trusted guards directly serving the king. The orders on the streets have increased their numbers to protect every citizen. But the king and his family are of higher risk. I will be staying directly by the kings side. Four of you will take turns so that the King has an additional two guards in case of an emergency. Two guards will be staying with the queen and guard her chambers. She will be personally guarded by her maids. Now the king requested one personal guard for his son. I advised him to take more precautions but the crown prince insisted that even one guard was unnecessary. You will be guarding the prince. I trust your ability and judgement, the crown prince is in great danger."

The guards to my left had already left to take their place in the royal chambers as crown guards. Now it might simply be that I was chosen because I was the next in order. But my chest rose with pride as my abilities were praised by the first crown guard. I am the prince's personal guard.

"The rest of you take turns in patrols. I want ever meter of the castles walls to be overseen at any time."

Now the rest of the guards left as well, leaving me standing alone blinded by the sun. My shielding hand still let sun rays warm my face as I spoke: "May I request to know the location of the prince's chambers?"

"The crown prince's chambers are at the opposite site of the king's chambers. In the crown hall you go left instead of right. A maid may guide you further."

The emphasis on the word crown prince made me remember all the times the crown guard hit me for speaking inappropriately. I flinched at that thought.

"Alright. Then I will be fast to find the chambers of the crown prince." I hurried away.

Where the walls are a little less cold and the ceiling rises high above my head I meet the first maids. "Ehm, excuse me! I am the prince's crown guard. May I know where his chambers are?"

"I thought the prince requested to not be assigned with a guard."

"That could be. I was assigned by the first crown guard just now."

"Then let me tell you, you might not be welcomed there. But the prince's rooms are at the end of the corridor. Before the maid corridors start."

"Oh. I- yes- thank you."

I felt her eyes on my back.

Why was her tone so rude? It's not like it's fault that the prince doesn't want a guard? Did he know me? I can't remember ever talking to him. He always seemed pretty nice from far away.

The maids echoing steps quieted down as my steps fill the air. The words of the first crown guard repeat in my mind.

Take it with confidence; trust you're ability; significant danger. The prince needs my protection even if he doesn't want to believe it. I was send by the crown guard!

I felt a small laugh rise in my chest as I realized what my thoughts were getting at. I was nervous. I was trying to bring my confidence up.

A smile stayed as a shadow of my laugh. I knocked on the heavy wooden door. The echo jumped back from the tall walls and mixed with the last trace of my ringing steps.

"I was expecting you. I will show you your chamber." A young maid greeted me before hurrying back in the room, expecting me to follow. Behind the heavy wooden door the room was nice and clean. My eyes wandered around, guided by the faint light that was carried in through a milky window besides the door. The morning sun was weak and her light to the other side.

"This will be your bed. This was always my room. But I am too old to be so close to the prince."

She sounded embarrassed when saying this but it was hard to read her expressions in the dim light.

"Everything else in this room also now belongs to you and you can also put your personal belongings somewhere here."

Her hand waved along the length of my sword. Her body language was revolting. My hand protectively slipped over the handle of my old training sword. No need to judge it like this just because it's old.

"The crown prince's bathroom is over there. I will be helping him with baths if he let's me do so. You will have to use the usual washing places for the guards. If you put your things in place you can greet the prince. He is in his room, expecting you. But this does not mean he wanted you to be here."

She left. But not without one more dismissive look toward me. The heavy door closed behind her, startling me out of a trance.

So this is how the princes maid lives?

Careful to not make much noise I opened my belt to lay off my sword and dagger. The leathers color almost melted together with the warm wood of the bed's side table. My sword belongs right here.

I sat down. An actual bed. It was soft and the white fabric felt soft under my scabbed hands. This feels so much better than the piles of fabric and hay down In the housing. Better than sharing the gras outside with the nightly warm summer winds; sharing a pile of hay with other recruits and the horses.

This is nice. It's a lot warmer here than outside in the guards housing.

Again I let my eyes wander through the room.

All the new recruits would have enough space to sleep here! And it's all just for me.

A rather big wardrobe stood tall and dark right in front of me.

I don't even have much to put in there. Maybe I could put my undergarment's here. But I still have to wash them in the guards housing so it would be of no use carring them up here.

From the wardrobe, passing the door and the milky window I recognized the rather small door. The bathroom of the prince. Am I allowed to even look Into it? My curiosity says 'yes' but my manner says 'no'. Maybe just a tiny glimpse?

Still careful to be quiet I got up from the bed to walk the few steps to the bathroom door. Maybe just a really quick-

My whole body shook as a loud clatter filled the silent. I rushed around to see my sword on the ground. My belt slid under the bed, my dagger right along it. I let the trapped air escape from my lungs.

"Is everything ok?" The words were followed by a few light steps. Right behind the big double winged door. The door to the prince's room.

"Yes. Prince. Crown- my- eh your highness." I froze as I tried to figure out what the right words were.

"You do not need to hide from me." One side of the door opened slightly. "I expected you so you could have just come in instead of slithering around the room."

Light blond hair. The usual nonchalant look. This Is surly the prince. Bow!

I fell on my right knee while covering my chest with my right arm.

"My honor to serve your highness."

"Yes. Thank you. Please come in."

I looked up slowly. The door stood open but no prince was to be seen. A white door, just like it was in the crown room. The handle felt heavy and cold in my palm. The detailed engravings pressing deep in my skin.

This room felt different than all I had seen before. The blinding rays of the morning sun felt so much warmer in here. Coloring the room In a yellow tint. Some rays got trapped in the sanded glass of the biggest window. My eyes could not help but follow the shattering light as it jumped through the room. Only when my eyes finally arrived on the flooring they stopped. A chandelier, seemingly only made of crystals drew an ocean of light on a colorful carped. The waves twisted and shifted under my eyes as clouds messed with the rays of sun. Only as the waves crashed, the colors underneath started to make sense. This carpet did not resemble the blue symmetrical patterns the king loved so much. These were flowers. Of all colors, never matching, never clashing. A flower field of wool and craftsman's ship.

"This room is beautiful."

Even as a whisper my voice seemed too loud.

"Thank you. That is why I chose it."

Hearing the prince's voice so close to me I realized who I was taking to. Again flinching; remembering the lessons on speaking manners, I bowed my head.

"I beg you're apology, your highness. I am in no position to speak in such a manner." My hand resting on my chest again.

"I forgive you." His voice now sounding colder than before.

My head still bowed I glimpsed up to look at him. The fabric of his cloth clearly showed his royal blood. It was the simplicity that made me wonder. I had seen the king wandering around his room in undergarments out of colored fabric. His usual shirt delicately stitched with shining yarn and a detailed belt.

However, the prince only shared the sense of elegance. A pure white cotton shirt hugged his upper buddy. Only a wide folded collar speaking of a royal heritage.

The sun danced over the light fabric. A canvas moving gracefully under the sun's brushstrokes.

"What is your name?" The wide fabric on his sleeves hid the object in his hands. When did he pick that up?

"Do you have a name?"

"Oh yes. Of course. Alec. My- yes- I was given the name Alec, your highness."

"I welcome you as my guard Alec. I assume you know my name?"

"Certainly, your highness." I did not. At this rate I would be known as the worst crown guard. I was not aware I should be knowing the prince's name.

I never even thought about his name. What even is a prince name? Charles?

"I will continue with my study for today. You are free to go and do what your heart desires." He carried the object to the window arching high over a cushioned bank. I faced his new position, keeping my head and eyes low.

"My duty is to protect you at any time, your highness." For once I was glad for this manner in speech. Maybe the prince would not have to find out I didn't know his name.

"Do as you please. However, I request silence as I am to concentrate on my study. You have my allowance to read my books as long as you are within this room. I do not want you to feel bored."

"I am grateful for your kindness, your highness." I couldn't stop a small smile as the rhyming words came over my lips. Damn those rhymes.

I raised my head when the prince stayed silence. He was now crouched on the windowsill, book in hand, eyes focused, drowning in the morning sun. After a deep breath I started to notice the rest of the room. The walls were guarded by high shelf's filled with books, heavy and old.

I stood in the middle of It all. Right behind me the tall white doors, on it's right a wardrobe as dark as the one in my room. To the left a shelf with more books than I could count. I wanted to know every detail of the room. To see the dancing light in every corner. But of course mainly because I needed to protect the prince and be aware of the his surroundings. To my right another tall shelf covered the southern wall. To my left a wide bed, in every detail a bed serving a prince.

And right in front of me a wall almost made out of glass. I was used to the tall windows along the halls and the shining colorful glass in the crown hall. But this was different. Right besides the bed two wide windows welcomed the morning light. The sun bringing out the warm and soft colors of the bedding. But on the left, where the prince had settled, a bay window brought the room to life.

The wall curved to the outside framed by three angled windows colliding in a crowning sharp top. The angled glass let the light dance over cushions and books spread around the prince. A wide bench covering almost all of the space created by the curve served the crown prince for his study. I struggled moving my glued eyes. Every spark of light capturing my focus. I never saw the sun this beautiful. Her light was blinding and distracting, exhaustingly hot when training at noon. But beautiful an captivating? Only here.

"Should I give you a book? Do you want to read something?"

I should not be starring at the prince. Yes, right. That was one of the main rules and I already broke It. Great. And all just because of the stupid sunlight.

"I would be grateful receiving your help. Your collection is to board to make certain decision, your highness." That was not a lie. There were certainly too many books to chose any. But at the same time I was not too fond of reading. Hurriedly I ran through my memory desperately trying to find the few times the first crown guard explained to me how to read. The few simple letters I wrote to my family. I can read. I can manage. Already embarrassed myself enough in front of the prince.

"What kind of books do you like? Most books here are for studying and over here I have a lot of fairy tails but some of them are in the original script and the rest are mostly novels." His bright figure stood out in front of the dark wall of books. His loosely clothed arms roughly outlining his explanation of the sorted books.

I never read any book. I might as well say I prefer picture books. Fairy tails are for children right? They must have pictures.

"May I request to read a fairy tail? Your highness." How am I still forgetting the 'your highness' part??

The prince seemed a bit surprised before taking a few steps to the side.

"You like Grimm's fairy tails?" His back was facing me, looking at me over his shoulder.

"Ehh yes. That are my favorite books, your highness."

"Those are indeed my favorite too. I am surprised you know of them. Most guards I have talked to did hardly know how to read. I am glad you were assigned to me then. Maybe we can find some similar interests." A book in hand he faced me completely now. A small smile stretching over his face. I stretched out my hand to take the book offered to me.

"This Is one of my favorite translations. It's very close to the German original and even showcases a few drawings. I hope you like It too. My favorite is Rapunzel."

"I am thankful for your trust, your highness." The book weight heavy in my hands.

"Get comfortable wherever you like. And enjoy the fairy tails, Alec." The prince returned to his windowsill and was immediately covered in sunshine. The morning was aging slowly with the rising sun. A quick scan through the room arose the desire in me to try out the royal bed and let to the conclusion that sitting on the ground might be more appropriate. The room did have a chair or two but the sun made the carpet seem a lot more comfortable.

With a few hushed looks I mirrored the princes sitting position. My back leaning on the bookshelf, the soft carpet under my palms, my knees angled to keep the open book up. And for that moment the world was peaceful.

The on going war threats and assassinations of minister didn't seem to effect time here. Here the sunlight was in charge.

My eyes still wandered around the room a few minutes later until I was looking at the prince again.

Right reading. I was suppose to be reading and enjoying the fairy tail Ropuntel? Was that what he said? He said it was his favorite. I'm sure I can find it somehow, read It and tell him it's my favorite too. So how would I write Ropundel? Was Ro one letter or two? I tried to remember the way I would right other words that sounded similar like rock or roll maybe round. But it was hard to think of how exactly the letters looked like. But it will be alright I will surly remember all the letters when seeing them.

I turned a few pages. I stumbled over a page with a drawing covering the whole page. In the middle there was a big Goat wearing a dress and carrying a few items. She was waving at her kids staying behind her.

Why did fairy tails walkways have weird animals as main characters? How should I ever learn anything from this story? I am certainly not a goat.

The hours went by. I had looked at a lot of weird drawings making up my mind about what's all these fairy tails could be about. The rays of sun danced around the room until they no longer reached me. Now only the prince was left being warmed by a few last rays before the noon would bring the sun too high.