About an hour or so after Thorn’s audience with the king, Princess Mesmina, the eldest daughter of King Janleva Ringlrebro, held court with her trusted maid at the residence of the royal family at another part of the palace. Their conversation held a casual tone that betrayed the expectations of the difference of station between them.
The princess was a vision of beauty and elegance, radiating a regal charm despite her short stature. At about 5 feet 4 inches, she was considered shorter than average, a fact that she was secretly very conscience about. Her flowing blonde hair cascaded in loose waves, held together in a gentle ponytail that gracefully draped over her left shoulder. Her enchanting eyes were the color of soft sapphires and reflected innocence and naivety. Despite her being a formidable social presence, she nonetheless lacked real-world exposure of someone that you can call “street smart”.
The princess''s attire spoke of her noble lineage. Flowing gowns crafted from the finest fabrics adorned her form, decorated with intricate embroidery and delicate patterns that accentuated her natural allure. Each gown was thoughtfully chosen, reflecting the solemnity or joy of the occasion, and she wore them with effortless elegance.
She was 20 years old; but due to the unique political situation of her nation; she was envied as a free and adventurous spirit, rather than pitied as an unwed princess past her prime, as would have been in any other human kingdom in the world.
Partisita wasn’t affiliated politically with any other nation and didn’t consider it a strategically viable option for the future either. Thus, there was no burden on the royal family to improve their alliances internationally. Similarly, the concept of nobles didn’t exist in this nation, instead, the King was supported by the Prime Minister and an elected parliament, whose members were all commoners granted time-limited authority to represent their people.
The Prime Minister, Lord Caepher Laazim, was a resident of the Imperial Capital of Arcandia. Some of the Kingdom''s subjects were convinced that he was a vassal of the Emperor, here to keep an eye on the king, but this couldn’t have been further from the truth. The Emperor trusted King Janleva completely and had in fact sent Lord Caepher here to be the private tutor for the Princes and the Princess.
Meanwhile, within the Empire, all the other kingdoms were non?human nations, therefore the concept of political marriages held little sway in Partisita.
Beyond her regal exterior, Mesmina was also a magician of some talent, having the affinity to cast magic from two different elements.
Mesmina was sitting in her bed, gently combing her hair as she listened to the report from her maid. The content of the report was Sir Thorn Hangfruit and his audience with the king.
“He was able to meet Father without a prior appointment? Intriguing. Just how was he able to manage that?”, the princess wondered.
The maid, Roux, standing before her had an unremarkable appearance. Her brown hair was neatly tied back in a simple bun, and her warm brown eyes held an air of quiet observation. She wore a plain blue servant''s uniform, perfectly tailored to fit her form. Though her appearance might not stand out in a crowd, it was precisely this unassuming quality that allowed her to be ever-present and attentive, observing the happenings around her without becoming the center of attention.
“Well, your highness-“
“Call me Mesmina, we are alone right now, or did you forget our arrangement?”, interrupted the princess.
“Okay!”, Roux winked. ”Mesmina darling do you want to know what happened next then?”
Mesmina frowned, “Why is that whenever I ask you to be friendly, your sadistic side seems to bubble up?”
“Whatever do you mean”, she circled the princess, “Is Mesmina sad now?”
“Must I participate? We are getting older Roux…”, Mesmina sighed. “How did the boy get in, I wonder?”, she attempted to bring the subject back to Thorn.
Roux, completing the circle around Mesmina’s bed, finally settled on the chair slightly to the right of the princess.
“Gee, is it not your sadism to ignore a maiden’s love?”, complained Roux, “You really are a tease, Mesmina!”
“Fine! I love you, dear Roux. You are absolutely wonderful. Now, can you start?”, Mesmina managed a cute smile despite herself.
“Aaahnn, I could just die right now! My heart is already been plucked! What tragedy!”, Roux placed a hand on her heart while waving the other around dramatically. “You are wonderful yourself, Princess…”, her voice trailed off as though the last of her breath has been reaped from her lungs.
Meanwhile, Mesmina continued to comb her hair, maybe a little more aggressively.
###
“Why am I here?”, I cried in my heart. Nothing I have is mine. My name, Thorn Hangfruit, a joke made at the orphanage when I tried to climb a tree to harvest its fruits and hurt myself with the thorns. My life? Borrowed from the goodwill of some individual I didn’t even know. They say that I have high luck, but to me, it feels like snatching truths that I want from beyond providence. A noble? No, doesn’t this make me a lowly thief?
As I stood before the grandeur of the palace, surrounded by the watchful eyes of nobles and the imposing figure of King Janleva Ringlrebro, I felt my anxiety clawing at my chest. The weight of their expectations, their judging gazes, and the stark contrast between their purity and my own dirty soul overwhelmed me.
I can’t back down now, not when I had come so far. Taking a deep breath, I steeled my nerves and dug deep within my heart to find the strength to continue.
###
The city of Harmonia was located on a small island off the northern coast of Central. The snow-covered landscape housed a small population of around six thousand people who lived in tightly knit communities that functioned more like extended families than a village. The people relied heavily on fishing and trade with small settlements close to the coasts of Central to sustain their people.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Thorn was born in one of the small villages that were collectively called the city of Harmonia – though it really wasn’t a city in the traditional sense. Until the year he turned five years old, he had only known a life of relative peace and happiness on this tranquil island. His parents were loving and hardworking, and the family lived in a cozy little house near the coast.
But fate had something else in store for young Thorn. One day, demons - a malevolent force focused only on the destruction of everything in their paths, attacked the island with merciless fury. The peaceful community was thrown into chaos as buildings burned, and the once-serene landscape became a scene of devastation. His parents, the anchors of his life, died, and his home was reduced to ashes. It was then that a mysterious figure appeared and saved Thorn''s life, pulling him from the burning wreckage and carrying him to safety. Thorn never knew who that figure was, as he fell unconscious before he could look at their face.
When Thorn regained consciousness, he found himself in a distant human kingdom in Central, far away from his beloved Harmonia. He was taken in by a humble orphanage, where he joined other children who had similarly endured immense loss and hardship. In the absence of adults, they formed their own makeshift family, taking care of one another and finding solace in the occasional kindness of neighbors who provided food and clothes.
In this orphanage, there was a tradition that was followed whenever someone reached the age of twelve and left the shelter of the orphanage. Thorn too experienced it when he was ready to leave. It was a sort of farewell party that was attended by all the members of the orphanage and was held in the open space outside the orphanage.
Thorn stood in front of all the remaining children. He had lived at the orphanage since he was five years old, and these kids were his family. He was leaving to start a new life, but he knew that he would never forget them.
"Everyone, thank you for being here," he said. "There is a lot for which I need to thank you all. You are my brothers and sisters. We have endured hunger together as well as the good times, when we were able to sleep with food in our bellies. We’ve slept together and we have laid awake when Corrie fell ill. She didn’t survive, but I am sure she is with us today."
All the orphans began to tear up.
“You comforted me when my heart felt in tatters, and you hugged me when I needed the warmth.”, Thorn too welled up while reminiscing, “Despite all of it, it was fun.”
“We love you Thorn!!”, someone yelled from the crowd.
“I am so thankful… I don’t know what to say… just that, thank you for being with me!”, Thorn wailed as he fell into a bow.
"Brother don’t!”, the kids cried.
"It’s alright," said Thorn. "You are all part of me just like my arms and legs. I will forever depend on you to provide me with support and love! Whenever I feel anxious, I will think of this moment and remember it, so can you do one last thing for me? Can you please smile? "
All the kids joined in putting up awkward smiles while openly crying with their eyes…
“Perfect! Anxiety gone.”, Thorn too managed a smile despite the tears.
“Now kneel!”, the girl who was next in line to leave the orphanage asked Thorn.
Thorn knelt as he was told.
“Do you vow to always cherish and protect me no matter where you live?”, she said, crying.
“I do!”
“Then I dub thee Sir Thorn Hangfruit. Go now, Sir Knight, and always remember your brothers and sisters that you have left behind!”, she picked up a leaf from the ground and left it on Thorn''s shoulder after tapping it once.
"I am honored! " yelled Thorn.
One by one all the other kids came forth and similarly left leaves on his shoulder while declaring him their knight.
Once the ceremony was over, Thorn left the orphanage and went to the church, where he had his oracular record divined. There, he learned about humans'' belief in gods, viewing them as protectors against the demons that had ravaged his homeland. But the painful truth of Harmonia''s destruction shattered Thorn''s faith in the gods. He could not comprehend why they had seemingly forsaken him and allowed such tragedy to unfold.
“That’s right”, he thought, back in the court of King Janleva, “I vowed to cherish and protect my family. I believed that I could create a means to support the orphanage forever. I remember their smiles as they tried so hard to make it a good memory for me. What have I to fear? I WILL find a way to support my home.”, he slowly got up from kneeling in front of the king, “I WILL find the gods and ask them, ‘What good are you if you can’t protect a few of us?’. My purpose is to find the truth”, he smiled, “what about these nobles, what about this king? If I need to shatter the gods’ illusion then there is no way I can waver here!”
With determination burning in his heart, he walked toward the King, ready to speak the truth and carry his mission forward.
“Alright Thorn, game face on!”
###
“He was thrown in jail, was he?”, Mesmina mused.
“Yeah, and he looked so dashing before that, talking with his highness like an equal.”, Roux sighed.
“Like an equal? Oh my! I simply must meet this young man.”, smiled Mesmina. “Can you hand me that pen over there so I can write a letter to Father?”
“A letter? Why don’t you go to him directly?”, Roux said, despite dutifully handing the princess a pen and a sheet of beautiful writing paper.
Mesmina froze. She slowly faced Roux with a forced smile on her face, blood drained from her face, “You said teacher was with him didn’t you?”
“Yes, the Prime Minister was definitely there.”, recalled Roux
“Roux? Are you perhaps trying to get me killed? Does your sadism extend beyond childish pranks and you really want me dead?”, Mesmina screamed while lunging at Roux’s neck.
“Eeeeek!!” Roux screamed while easily avoiding Mesmina’s attack
“Come back here!”
“Just write the damn letter!”
Mesmina ran after Roux who sprinted around the room trying to get away.
###
“Why am I in jail!”, Thorn yelled for the twenty-seventh time.
“Quiet! Please I beseech you!”, the guard begged. “Just wait, they will soon come for you. Just wait patiently!”
“Who is coming?”
“Listen, just wait. Please… I mean it”, The guard started banging his head on the wall.
Just then an usher ran down towards the guard, whispered something in his ear and handed him an envelope.
“An audience? Here?”, said the guard bewildered.
“Ssshh!”, the usher made the universal sign of shushing.
“Yeah, okay, okay; but, why though?”, the guard pressed.
“How am I supposed to know, just inform him quickly. She will be down here any moment.”, the usher looked back towards the staircase he just ran down, fully expecting someone to appear.
“Thorn Hangfruit, it appears that a development has taken place.”, the guard approached Thorn while reading from the letter in the envelope. “Her Royal Highness Princess Mesmina R.B. has decided to allow you an audience with her. She will be arriving here momentarily. Use this time to prepare yourself! Look at you, you look filthy, wash your damn face and straighten your clothes for Gods’ sake!”, he kind of went into a tangent.
“Who was the one that literally threw me in here? I know the expression is ‘throw in jail’ but why be literal about it? Wait!? R.B?”, Thorn was confused.
“Yes! It’s supposed to pronounce Ruby - but she doesn''t look like a Ruby at all! She looks more like a Saphire perhaps?", the guard said placing a finger on his chin. "She doesn’t like the name Ringlrebro as she feels it doesn’t suit her personality.”
“Can royals really change their names like that?”, Thorn wondered aloud.
“She can”, the guard murmured
“She is here!! I mean, Her Royal Highness, Princess Mesmina R.B. approaching! Everyone attention!!”, the usher suddenly yelled.
“No need”, a calm graceful voice reached Thorn’s ears.
Thorn gulped as he watched the shadow of someone approaching, dancing on the wall.