The sun set slowly on a cold winter's day and with it so did the hope of escape for some people.
Easton sighed painfully as he walked through the castle halls. He was on his way to give the king his nightly report of what the crown prince has been up to the entire day and to say that he was not dreading it would be an understatement.
Easton was so troubled he could not even greet the others guards who saluted him on his way.
He felt the intensity of his stress rising with every step he took. Before he knew it, he was standing right in front of the doors that held back his doom.
He took a deep breath and proceeded to knock on the door. He was met with a hoarse reply.
"Here goes everything." he said to himself before pulling both doors and walking in as they closed behind him.
The room he entered was dimly lit, the only source of some form of light would be the fireplace that was to his right.
"Greeting my king." Easton said kneeling down on one knee.
"Greetings Easton, what do you have for me tonight?" came the reply of Phillip as he gestured that Easton get up.
"Thank you my king." Easton replied.
"Well today, nothing really relevant happened. The dukes have expressed their pleasure in their involvement in the upcoming festival, although some of them say they will be unable to be present considering the census is underway and they must return to their hometowns." Easton began.
"That is alright, I am perfectly aware of that, anything else?" Phillip asked uninterestedly.
"Ahh yes, well Lady Pippa asked if she could come and have lunch with you tomorrow." he said.
"What did you say?"
"I told her that unfortunately you would be preoccupied." he replied.
"Great, you know Pippa, whenever she comes here there is always trouble brewing. I will have dinner with her when I feel prepared." Phillip replied sighing.
"Alright my king." said Easton as he nodded.
"Is that all?" he heard Phillip say.
"Yes my king, that is all." Easton replied, his eyes darting across the room, he wished that Phillip would not probe him further. He knew that if he was to spill the truth Ian would be upset with him for eternity. The last thing he wanted to do was upset his friend, but getting beheaded was more dangerous that Ian's perpetual anger.
"Easton, are you becoming forgetful nowadays or what?" Phillip asked menacingly. In the same moment Easton felt a chill run down his spine. Beads of sweat formed at the corner of his face.
He suddenly felt extremely hot even though they were in the middle of winter.
"No, of course not my king... what makes you think that?" he managed to say.
"You have forgotten to tell me that my son left the castle rather early this morning." Phillip said.
"It has come to my attention that Ian left the castle yesterday and this morning at the exact same time, why is that?" asked Phillip narrowing his eyes.
"Well he went to have some early morning tea with Lady Pippa yesterday." Easton quickly replied.
"No, no, that is not enough of an excuse Easton." Phillip shook his head. "Tell me Easton, would you ever lie to me?" he asked.
"No my king, never." Easton replied instantly.
"Who does your loyalty belong to?" Easton felt himself tense up hearing such serious words.
"To you of course my king." he replied bowing his head.
"Yes, to me and no one else."
"Your father has served me well for these many years, and I expect the same from you, that is why I put you in charge of watching my son for me." said Phillip.
"I cannot possibly follow him around all day, but you can." he smiled. "So, let me ask again, what is my son up to?"
"My king, yesterday he truly left early to have some tea with Lady Pippa." Easton insisted.
"Alright, so what did he leave so early to do today?" Phillip asked hitting the nail on the head. He had a feeling that Easton was deliberately trying to evade answering his questions.
"My king... I am forever loyal to you, however, I am not only your son's chief guard, I am also his friend, and you know how young friends like us feel indebted to keep each other's secrets as asked." said Easton. Phillip narrowed his eyes becoming suspicious.
"You mean to tell me that you promised to keep Ian's secret?" asked Phillip as Easton nodded.
"There is no such thing as secrets between father and son, for the sake of his continuous trust in you, just give me a hint. I will not tell him that you were the one who informed me." he said. Easton almost scoffed, as if that would be believable. Of course Ian would know straightaway who told his father.
"My king, Ian has found a wife." Easton said biting his tongue in order to stop himself from saying anything more that he would regret later.
Easton heard an audible gasp of shock escape from Phillip's mouth.
"A wife?!" he asked in shock.
"Yes my king." he replied nodding.
"Oh finally, finally. I never thought I would see the day." Phillip laughed joyously. Now that explained the suspicious movements of his son, he was in love, he was beginning his own series of clandestine meetings with his lover.
Oh Phillip was never as proud of his son as he was in this moment.
"What is her name? Which family is she from? Is she pretty? What am I even saying, surely my son has good eyes if he truly is my son." Phillip said joyfully.
"Umm sire, unfortunately, I cannot answer any of your questions. I made a promise to Ian that I would not tell anyone anything. He wants to be the one to introduce his wife himself." Easton said, he was not in the clear yet.
"Of course, of course, I understand perfectly." Phillip said nodding.
"This is the best news I have heard today. When does he intend to tell me about this?"
"I do not know my king, but surely it will be soon." Easton smiled, he was almost about to leave in one piece instead of pieces, he did not need to mess this up for himself.
He just wanted to satiate Phillip's curiosity for now. Ian would have to be the one to face his father's wrath when he finds out exactly what he has been up to consorting with the enemy.
"Alright, alright, I will wait for him to come to me." Phillip smiled.
"Yes, that is the best thing to do my king." Easton replied. "In fact, I think it would be best if you pretend as if I never came here to give you my nightly report."
"You know how Ian is, he will still be upset with me even though I did not tell you every single little detail." Easton knew that he had to play the role of an innocent servant perfectly, or else both father and son would end up upset with him.
"You do not have to worry about that Easton, in fact, I will not go and wish him a goodnight like I usually do just so I do not reveal what you have just told me." Phillip smiled.
He could be a very intimidating man, but when it came to his sons, he was the most mellow, soft man who adored his children.
"Thank you for being so understanding my king." Easton bowed.
"No, thank you Easton for bringing me such good news tonight." he smiled as he waved him off.
"You may leave now." he said.
"Thank you my king." Easton bowed one more time before taking his leave.
Phillip laughed to himself as if he was the happiest man in the world. He could not wait to meet his future daughter in law. He felt his stomach bubbling in excitement.
...
"You should be worshipping the very ground I walk on." Easton said scoffing as he walked into Ian's bedroom as if he owned it.
"And why would that be?" Ian asked laughing sitting in his window. A habit of his he had developed as a child, he had always been fearless.
Despite the daunting realization that if he was to slip down, his body would be pulled down from one of the trees below.
"I just bought you some more time to think on how you are going to explain your choice of wife to your father." said Easton as he sat down on Ian's bed.
"Really now?" Ian asked intrigued. "What did you tell him?"
"Oh nothing, just the news he has been waiting to hear ever since you turned a marriageable age."
"Ahh, I see, intentionally withholding information from him, Easton, you have outdone yourself!" laughed Ian.
"Yes, yes I have, and I told him that you wish to reveal this news to him yourself, and he should keep it to himself, because of that he is not going to wish you a goodnight tonight." he added.
"Wonderful, my father has been doing that for as long as I can remember, he should realize by now that I am older than his nightly greetings." Ian scoffed.
"You can say whatever you want Ian, but it is clear that man loves you very much." Easton yawned in exhaustion.
"At the end of the day love will not stop the true course of justice." an unmistakable tone of hatred going unmissed in his voice.