[Of Kings and Demons]

Chapter 2

The cloud of smoke on the horizon was quite a sight that afternoon. Even with the forest so far from the castle Bastian had stood by the window and watched the smoke rise for multiple minutes until he was sure he could make out the flames as well, the way they seemed to swallow trees whole within seconds on full display. He had seen enough at that point and made for the throne room with haste.

"Your Majesty?", he peeked in through the doors that stood wide open as always as he called for his mother. She on the other hand didn't acknowledge him, instead he found her looking out the window just like he had previously. However, she wasn't witnessing a mass destruction through the perfectly clean and polished glass, she was simply looking out onto the gardeners below tending to the rose bushes, ignoring her son in the process.

"Your majesty.", he repeated himself, the annoyance slipping through already. Nowadays he could barely even speak to this woman without venom dripping from the corners of his mouth. The sentiment was returned when she offered him a single glance of acknowledgement, revealing that she had indeed noticed him but didn't respect him quite enough to respond verbally.

"Your majesty, there is a wildfire, I suggest we send the guards out to investigate.", he stated his case, trying his best to keep his tone neutral.

"I don't quite understand. You'd like to launch an investigation against a wildfire? I do hope you understand we cannot arrest it.", she spoke in disinterest, like every fiber of his being bored her. Clearly she hadn't fully been listening.

"Mother, it is huge and spreading at an incredible speed, I just watched it through the window for a minute tops and the flames nearly swallowed the entire Mary Woods whole in that time span. This can't be a normal fire.", he urged her, trying to get her to understand for once.

"Bastian, you're old enough to understand that there is different causes for wildfires, this could be the work of a demon for all we know.", she wasn't even looking at him, meanwhile he was staring daggers through her back.

"Yes, in which case I think we should definitely intervene. We cannot let a demon roam through our kingdom and cause destruction like that.", he raised his voice, growing desperate.

"Enough, you know you have more important matters to attend to. Some fire in the distance is no concern for a prince, you're to be king. I expected better judgement from you, if the fire becomes an issue I'm sure we will notice.", she turned away fully and walked towards the throne at the end of her monologue.

"But I did notice! That's the whole issue! It looked like hell was swallowing a part of our world, if you had seen it you'd understand what I mean! Can't you just listen to me?", he walked right behind her, not letting her get away just yet.

"I said it's enough, this conversation is over. Now, go back to your room and rethink your manners. I need you on your best behavior when your wife-to-be arrives tomorrow morning, do you hear me?", her voice remained at the same volume even though her words rang louder in Bastian's head.

"Mother, please-", this time she didn't grant him the privilege of speech, he had spoken back to her one too many times. "-Bastian.", was all she said to shut him up. A glance was exchanged, a particularly venomous one, both of them hoping the other may drop dead from it's intensity.

The prince looked away first, his olive green eyes meeting the contrasting red carpet instead of his mother's eyes.

"Fine, I'll go. I'll see for myself.", with those words he began walking away, the Queen now following behind him.

"Excuse me?", she demanded.

"You heard me, I'm gonna go see what's happening in the Mary Woods by myself, I don't need the guards, I'm gonna be a king soon, what kind of king doesn't make a point to keep his kingdom safe?", he grabbed the holster with his sword while passing by his bedroom on the way to the exit, luckily he had left it by the door after this morning's training session.

"You're not going anywhere!", suddenly she did raise her voice, the sound made shivers run down Bastian's spine but he couldn't afford to stop now. She didn't hold that kind of power over him and he would never let her.

"I'd like to see you try and stop me.", he laughed, he was mocking her and she had no choice but to take it.

"Bastian, what kind of impression will your absence make on the young lady coming all this way to meet you? I have found the best of the best for you and this is how you thank me? By treating her this poorly and disrespecting her before ever meeting her? Some husband you will be, just like your father.", now that made him freeze, right by the door, with his hand on the handle.

"I will be damned before I take being compared to my father as an insult.", he hissed before slipping out the door and letting it fall into place with a bang that echoed through the halls.

Thankfully, she didn't follow him outside, otherwise she'd be seeing the tears streaming down his face after the encounter.

He was not ready for marriage, yes, and he also didn't want to marry someone his mother had picked out for him but this was so much greater than him and his personal problems, this was a matter of national security should his mother have been right and this really was a demon strolling through his kingdom and burning down everything in it's way for nothing but entertainment. Why couldn't she just understand? Why couldn't she listen?

It didn't matter, he didn't have time to dwell on it. After getting his horse ready in minutes he got on and rode off on his mission without anyone else giving him trouble, the guards patrolling around the castle would wave at him and the one at the front opened the gate without him having to say a single word. At least they trusted in his abilities.

After hearing the gate drop back into place somewhere behind him he realized there was no going back now but he didn't want to go back anyway. Like the knight in all those fairytales he rode his white horse into battle.