"Leon, I didn't want it to come to this but now this wars fate rests on your shoulders…"
The words echoed through Joshua's head as he walked down the stone hallways, lit by new torches and dying daylight. Right, he was going on a quest. He could not help but smile at that. He had the chance, now he would do everything in his power to take it.
"Joshua wait up we need to talk." Ryan called from somewhere behind him, Joshua wasn't bothered to stop instead if his brother wanted to speak, he'd need to catch up.
"Joshua… Seriously just… Slow down." Ryan said catching his breath as he fell into step with Joshua. They both continued down the hall in silence, the only sound that of their shoes against the stone and Ryan's quickly calming breaths.
"What's our plan going to be?" Ryan asked, his innocent eyes watching as Joshua stopped walking.
"Are you dumb? Don't talk so freely in the open just… Lets go to my chambers we'll talk there." Joshua snapped picking up his speed as he made his was past servants carrying trays of food to the dinning hall. He was not bothered to make his way there; it was all too fake for him.
Fake smiles.
Fake pleasantries.
Fake friendships. Ryan was much better at the whole mask it with a smile act. Now that Joshua thought about it the only person who seemed better at the whole faking it thing was Alithis. The man did not even seem that much older than him, maybe only a few summers.
Although no one had seen him fight, Joshua was convinced he could beat even the best Nobles with words alone, the man knew his way around the cesspit that was formal evening as if it were as natural as breathing.
The doors to Joshua's chambers were tall dark oak and they opened soundlessly as he and Ryan entered. Locking the door, he made his way to his desk by one of the many windows in the room.
The high windows and lit torches gave the room a homey feel even as it was full of random objects he had gathered from the marketplace. He sat at his desk fiddling with a metal ball he had bought off a passing merchant, he knew the man was lying when he said it was enchanted and yet he could not help but buy the object.
"So, what's your plan?" Joshua asked, startling his brother who'd been admiring a book on enchantment, Joshua didn't even remember where he got it but he hadn't given it to his brother out of spite.
"We find the traitor. Then bring him back?"
"Guess being chosen doesn't always mean smart." Joshua replied, it may have been a low blow, but he felt justified until his brother flinched, hurt flashing across his brown eyes. "Sorry I'm just stressed."
"I guess we could start by asking around the more outlying towns?" Ryan said.
"I guess that could work, it's only a day's ride if we don't stop."
"Well then I'll tell the stable hand to prepare the horses for tomorrow after dinner."
"Tell the cook to also prepare rations, and remember to pack everything you need, like a sleeping roll and a knife not just books unless they're for kindling."
"That's harsh. You have so many books, yet you don't read, but I wanted to ask what the letter said." Ryan's eyes shone with an unnatural curiosity as he leaned on Joshua's desk. The child had not bothered to take a seat in his excitement. Joshua could not blame him either it had been forever since he had been able to go on a quest.
"I wasn't able to see much but this war isn't as one-sided as father is making it out to be."
"Really? But if he could prevent it why wouldn't he."
"I don't know but what I saw was making it seem like Father actually caused it, Queen Maeve spoke as if he was forcing her hand."
"But why would he do that unless he has something to gain? What could you possibly get from a war?"
"How would I know? You're the one who reads, so all about this traitor and the Queen. What do you know of him, you read?"
Ryan snorted at that, "Just because I read doesn't mean I know everything- "
"You sure act like you do."
"Let me speak please. Anyway, apparently the traitor was a warrior named Declan, he was really good at the whole fighting thing you know. But then one day something happened, and he upset the king and he was exiled for it. No matter where I looked, I can't find what he did." Ryan finished with a frown as if truly troubled by the missing information. Joshua just rolled his eyes; it didn't matter what they didn't know. All that mattered was that they knew who he was and from that they could find him.
A knocking on the door interrupted any further conversation,
"Enter." Joshua called to the servant who nervously walked through the door.
"Your highnesses, your father has requested your presence in the dinning hall as a send off for Prince Ryan's quest." The servant said, nervously keeping his head down the whole time.
"Ryan will be down shortly, also tell the cook to prepare us rations, you may go" Joshua said as he stood from his seat by the window. Ryan glanced at him before taking that as his que to leave too.
That night Joshua lay in bed with too many questions to count, why did they need the help of a traitor? Why had his father not stopped the war he so clearly could? Why did his father always wish to speak with Alithis?
These thoughts floated around his mind as he drifted between sleep and waking. Maybe one day he'd find his answers.