DoHP Part 2, Waylan's Diary

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+JMJ+

Diary of a Hunter Prince

Part 2

Being the Eighteenth Day of the Blossom Time

Dear Little Book,

Dressed like a dummy and followed by Hugo and about two dozen multicolored guards carrying massive katanas I set out to see the city. The palace of Rushamorn covered two miles at the very topmost height. The dwellings of the richer inhabitants spread down the side of the hill. But by the time the city spread out into the valley it was a stinking slum. It took me only a few minutes to discover the truth. The Capitol was a wretched slum. The rich got wealthy off of the poor people. The poor lived in abject poverty and misery. Patrols of the King's Wolves, the tyrannical guards, wandered the streets and terrorized the wretched people. I stopped to peer down over the low wall into the slum, when someone gave me blow to the head. I shot over the wall and slid down the steep incline, howling like a baby.

“Master Waylan!” Hugo shrieked. Something heavy landed on me, but it only caused me to slide faster.

I crashed into something hard and saw dancing stars. What slimy traitor had shoved me over the edge? It had to have been one of my so called guards. I had no doubt that Rushamorn was behind the scummy accident. Someone slapped me on the face.

“Master Waylan are you hurt?” Hugo cried. I sat up and found the small slave slapping my face.

“Who pushed me?” I asked thickly.

“It was Captain Breslen.” Hugo cried, “He pushed you on purpose!”

“I bet he did!” I muttered, and wiped something wet and sticky off of my face. It was blood.

“Master Waylan, you are bleeding.” Hugo said.

“Why did you follow me?” I demanded, as I tried to get to my feet.

“I am your slave, master.” Hugo said. I stood up and put a hand on his shoulder.

“No, Hugo.” I said, “You are my friend. Now come on.” We stepped out into the road and immediately collided with a young girl. The three of us crashed into the streets.

“Oh you blunderbusses!” the girl screamed, as she tried to untangle herself from me.

“Master!” Hugo screamed. I wrapped my arms around the girl and rolled out of the way. Not a second to soon. A dozen horses thundered by, carrying the King's Wolves. We lay in the dust breathing hard for a few minutes after they had passed, then we sat up.

“You had no right to hold me!” the girl cried, and slapped me. I released her like a red hot coal. Hugo pulled her off of me, then we both stood up.

“Waylan saved your life.” Hugo told the girl sternly. The girl dropped to her knees in front of the small boy.

“Say, you are slave.” she cried as she touched his leather collar. She looked up at me and frowned.

“Waylan is my friend.” Hugo said, “He said so.”

“Yet, he keeps you a slave!” the girl snapped.

“Excuse me.” I protested, “Hugo does not belong to me, yet he saved my life, which makes him my friend.” The girl eyed me, then stood up.

“You are no friend of Rushamorn and his wolves.” she said.

“Why do you say that?” I demanded. She smiled.

“I saw the Wolves push you. They obviously had orders to kill you.”

“Oh.” was all I could say.

“I am Goldilocks.” the girls said, “The most wanted female rebel in the Capitol.”

“Why would you tell me that?” I asked in surprise. The girl tossed her sandy blond hair.

“If you made Rushamorn mad, you must be on our side. Besides you obstructed the Wolves in punishing me. That is an act of rebellion!”

“You mean, I was supposed to let them trample us?” I gasped.

“Those Wolves will be back.” Hugo interrupted, “Once they discover that they did not kill the lady.”

“By the fire beasts.” the Goldilocks cried, “The boy is right. The Wolves will be back.” she grabbed my hand in her right, and Hugo's in her left and pulled us down the alleyway.

Goldilocks led us to a dead end. A broken fence about twenty feet high blocked our way. A cracked and broken bin with a dirty lid leaned against one wall and trash littered the ground. Goldilocks dropped our hands and lifted up the lid.

“Quick, inside!” she ordered.

“No thank you.” I protested, “I am not a piece of rubbish.”

“You will be if you remain in the street.” Goldilocks said sharply. Grimacing, I lifted Hugo in, then hurled myself in. I could hear the thunder of hooves closing in on us. But that soon vanished from my mind. Instead of hitting a mountain of rubbish inside the bin I found myself tumbling down a rickety staircase. I heard some ominous cracking sounds. Not sure if it was my bones or the steps. It sure felt like my bones. That was the last thing I remembered.

Regards,

Myself

Being the Nineteenth Day of the Blossom Time

Dear Little Book,

I awoke to find myself pretty well bandaged on a mat before a hearth. Hugo was kneeling by my side, holding my hand. He certainly had a sense of loyalty. I could hardly say the same for the slaves or servants back home. I soon became aware that there were people seated in nearby chairs, talking in low voices. I turned my head a few inches to have a better look. I was in a one room cottage. A tiny cot was shoved against one wall. A table against the opposite walls. There were four chairs and they were all filled. Goldilocks sat by the door. An older woman, with lighter blond hair, dressed in a ragged dress sat near her. A young scar faced man, about Zeno's age sat by my feet. But the most surprising person, was the fourth member of the group. He was dressed like one of the King's Wolves. There was a gold laced eye patch over his right eye. His light brown hair was tinged with gray. His uneven beard was mostly white. But his craggy face was hard and grim. Everyone was wearing a large black cloak. I had no doubt that the cloak would muffle them completely if gathered tightly about themselves.

“Our guest has finally returned to the land of the living.” the woman said sharply. Her companions, turned and stared at me.

“That was a nasty knock, you took to the head, young man.” the Wolf said dryly, “Quite foolish to throw yourself headfirst down the stairs.” I flushed.

“The Hag is quite a healer, but even she doubted whether you would wake or no.” the younger man said. Goldilocks slid off her chair.

“This is the Hag's hut.” she said pointing at the older woman. I stared. The woman was hardly beautiful, but she certainly did not look like a hag.

“The men are the Scourge and the Light.” the Hag said, “We do not know your quarrel with Rushamorn, but clearly he is no friend of yours, therefore that makes you our friend.” I sat up carefully, trying not to move my head.

“You are rebels.” I cried.

“So we are.” said the Light.

“If you know what is best for you, you will adopt another name when in the pits.” the Scourge grunted, “Proper names are dangerous.” I shivered slightly.

“Well, you may call me the Hunter if you like.” I said out loud, “I go by no other name.” I glanced at Hugo.

“I am the Torch.” the little slave said, “Torch of Liberty.” This poor child was too old for his years. He needed a proper home and life. My heart went out to him. Poor child.

“The King tried to kill me for no reason at all.” I cried in disgust, “That makes me owe him nothing. But I am also a foreigner in your festering city and have no wish for trouble. But I shall most certainly do what I can to help you.”

“Perhaps you should confront Rushamorn.” the Light said as he scratched his scared cheek, “In public. Of course you will gain nothing as Rushamorn will be sure to deny it. But it shall be interesting to see what his response is.”

“Goldie girl, you must be more careful with yourself.” the Scourge grunted, “You very nearly got trampled to death by my brothers.”

“Are you not one of the Wolves?” I asked, “How so are you a rebel?”

“I serve my king, but my country comes first, so my oath swore.” the Scourge rumbled, “I therefore must do what I can to relieve the sufferings of my people.” He stood up, “Hag, keep the boys here a few days. I shall come back soon and rescue them and return them to the palace.”

“We have a meeting in two days time.” the Light said, “Keep them well hidden.” he nodded at me. None of them asked my real name, although Goldilocks may have already informed them. The two men left. Goldie immediately whisked off her black cloak flipped it over and turned it into a tablecloth. Hag took hers off and hung it in front of the cot as to make kind of a curtain.

“Granny.” Goldie said, “I shall run over and see Jack about the water.”

“Certainly Hannah.” the Hag said as she twisted her hair back into a tight bun.

Goldie came back with some ragged, patched garments which tossed to me. They smelled back too. I made a face and she frowned.

“There is anger in the streets.” she cried, “Down here in the pits, things will happen. You step outside in those garments and the rabble will tare you to pieces. It was one thing to be angry and one thing to be a well organized rebel community. The people will not wait to find out whose side you are one before they kill you.” What could I say? I then became Halifax, Granny's dimwitted grandson from the country. Hugo became Wilkson my brother. Since Hugo looked nothing like me, I could only raise my eyebrows.

Regards,

Myself

Being the Twenty-First Day of the Blossom Time

Dear Little Book,

If only Verek and Deborah had been with me, I would have been perfectly happy. Milking goats, gleaning food in the fields and fixing roofs. True the pits stank like filth, but I found a certain sense of pleasure to be needed, to be helping someone. I obtained the same thrill hiding and avoiding the Wolves as I did in hunting. My knowledge of animals and their ways helped me escape the Wolves more then once. Obviously they had not studied animal habits to become perfect hunters like me.

Near midnight Goldie blindfolded Hugo and I and led us down a twisting and turning path to who knows where. When we were freed, I found myself in a dirty stone cellar. A single candle burned on a rickety wooden table. People in dark cloaks filled the room. Hoods covered their faces making them unrecognizable.

“Hag, these boys are not your grandsons then?” someone asked.

“My dear Fire.” the Hag said sharply, “They may and they may not be, your duty is to question no one.”

“You may call me the Hunter.” I said dropping my attitude, “Tell me what to do, and I will do.”

“He is no idiot either.” someone else muttered.

“Clearly not.” the Light's voice came from nearby. But I could not tell which cloaked figure he was. Then a figure in red instead of black, banged on the table.

“Rebels of the Capitol.” he cried, “Our source in the palace has told us that Rushamorn still intends to go ahead and gain the friendship with the Glittering Island.” I squirmed uncomfortably, “They plan to unite the two Kingdoms with a royal wedding.”

“Gentlemen.” the Scourge's voice growled, “I swear that if such and unfortunate event takes place we shall surely crash it.”

“Why is that?” I asked trying to keep my voice steady.

“Silly.” the Light cried, “If this partnership takes place, Rushamorn will have the friendship of the Glittering Island. They are skilled warriors and no one has been known to stand before them and win. It will go ill with us rebels if the warriors of that vagrant island come to the Capitol. Not only will the rebels be crushed, but the people will suffer. Many will be sold as slaves or sent to work in the mines on the Glittering Island. All payment will find it's way to Rushamorn's pocket, you can be sure.” I was silent. What had I gotten myself into? Would I betray my own country? Surely not.

“The source in the palace,” the red rebel continued, “Mentioned that the Ambassador has brought back warriors from the Glittering Island already. He expects to draft them into the Wolves soon. If we do not stop this immediately they will soon discover us.” I frowned. Someone's information was incorrect. Not unless I was considered an amazing warrior. I was only deadly to animals. My companion Toledio was even less of a warrior. He was actually a student who studied different war tactics as he wanted to be a war adviser. He had a side job of helping with my hunting gear. I had so much of it that it required someone's help. But he certainly was not my slave or servant. His father was one of the highest ranking warriors in father's army. But his mother had been a runaway slave girl from Kildimere. This made him lesser in the eyes of nearly everyone at father's court. But because he showed no interest in becoming an actual warrior his own father had disowned him. Since he knew just about everything to do with weapons including the care of them, he was the ideal person for me to hire. But he certainly would not let himself be drafted into the Wolves. I very nearly grinned.

I did not listen to much else. It was mostly a discussion about another plot to steal food from the palace and take it to the Pits via the old sewers. Apparently the rebels ran a black market. The palace was their chief supplier. I doubted they had Rushamorn's permission either. But it served the tyrant right. I wandered if there was such a thing going on in the Glittering City. I intended to find out. If it was all about feeding the wretched masses I was all for it. But if my family was in danger simply for being related to father, I would have to end it. I wondered if I was double crossing the poor rebels of the Capitol. Once the meeting was adjourned the Light pulled me aside.

“Hunter.” he hissed, “Tomorrow the Scourge will take you back to the palace, you will confront Rushamorn and see what he has to say about your attempted death. But in two days time I shall meet you and you will relay everything you have learned.”

“How will I find you?” I asked.

“I shall find you.” he said grimly, “You will await me behind the red ivy in the hanging garden.” We shook on it.

Regards,

Myself

Being the Twenty-Second Day of the Blossom Time

Dear Little Book,

Mine and Hugo's old clothes were returned in rather poor condition. I am sure they had spent the night in the pig pens. Once dressed we were turned loose in the streets. People pointed at us an whispered. Someone threw a mud clot and hit me right in the eyes.

“You numbskulls!” I yelled and shook my fist. I had worked and sweated for the ungrateful swine. Then I heard the clop of hooves. My first reaction was to run, but Hugo constrained me.

“Master.” he whispered, for the first time in many days, “We want to be found.” It was the Scourge who led the five mounted Wolves.

“Halt!” he roared, his red cloak flying out behind him. He dismounted and approached me, “Master Waylan of the Glittering Island, we despaired of ever finding you again.” he said. Apparently he had got his information straight. Did all the rebels know the truth now?

“About time someone came for me?” I growled, as I wiped mud off of my face, “I have been starving in this maze for days now!” Someone gave me a horse. Now here was something I could navigate, unlike a wretched ship.

About an hour later we were in Rushamorn's presence. He looked rather taken aback to see us. Not surprising since we were supposed to be dead. At least I was. I am sure his grace never thought twice about Hugo.

“Why your royal highness.” Rushamorn cried as he stood up and laid one jeweled hand ominously one his scimitar, “We despaired of your life. We feared that you were dead.”

“Well, I would have been if your Wolves had not rescued me.” I lied.

“We shall reward our loyal soldiers well.” Rushamorn said through gritted teeth.

“Then punish the guards you assigned to escort me through the city.” I cried boldly, “They pushed me in the pit on purpose.” I heard a gasp run throughout the room and saw the Ambassador staring at me aghast.

“We shall have them executed!” Rushamorn said coldly.

“Maybe not that extreme.” I gasped. But it was to late, the interview was over. I would soon be responsible for the deaths of six wretched people. It was not a very pleasant start.

Regards,

Me

To Be Continued