Heart Over Sword

Prince Conrad lowered his gaze from the guards patrolling the palace walls, focusing ahead now that they crossed the bridge. That was until something out of the corner of his eyes caught his attention, and he inhaled sharply as a servant boy tried to grab an apple rolling on the ground before Shardeigh's hoof. His horse neighed and went to purposely kick the boy, but another set of hands grabbed him quickly and pulled him back. Startled by the two boys, Shardeigh abruptly went back onto his hind legs, and Conrad flew backwards.

"Ugh." He landed hard on his bottom, but without any injuries, he gritted his teeth and glared at the two boys who were also on the ground. The one whose black hair was in a messy bun stared after the other boy, who picked up his hat and quickly placed it on his head. But the black-haired boy seemed more concerned with his friend, fretting over nothing while a prince was sitting on his behind.

He couldn't believe it; the pair were in their own little world.

"You're not hurt, right!? Ger? Ger, what's wrong? Why do you look so pale? Oh gosh, we should go to the physician!" 

It was utterly humiliating, and he couldn't help but feel a little jealous of their friendship. He never had such a thing, but that was the least of his concerns at the moment. He was on the floor! Conrad narrowed his gaze further after hearing Arvid laugh before clamping his mouth shut from King Horik, glaring daggers at him.

Conrad got to his feet and stormed over towards the servant boys pushing off from the ground. He could see some guards rush over to them and bowed at Conrad's approach.

"Get rid of them, Arvid. Conrad and those servants have made a mockery of Hatherland," He heard his father growl at his brother, making Conrad's hands fist by his sides. He would sort this out before his brother was involved.

Arvid followed him swiftly, gripping his sword along with two of their knights. Their footsteps somehow added to the storm swirling inside of his chest the longer he looked at the peasants before him.

"How dare you!" Conrad bellowed, pointing at the boys who now stood before him. 

The servant boys bowed their heads. "W-we are so sorry. Please forgive us!" 

"They seem to take your stance quite lightly, Conrad. They're acting like you're not really royalty.. How funny," Arvid mocked quietly behind him as he leaned towards him, smiling. It seemed his brother would see how this played out first before getting his sword bloody. Though he could see out of the corner of his eye, Arvid clutching it, an eager look in his gaze.

Conrad eyed the pair who so arrogantly used the same path set out for them to cross. Not even that, they made a mockery out of him, a prince, in front of everyone that he was trying to prove himself to. Conrad stepped forwards, unsheathing his sword and pointed it under the youngest of the two's chin. The one by his side inhaled sharply and bowed even lower, "Please, please forgive us!" He begged, which was exactly how expected a peasant to act.

But the one with jewel-like green eyes stared back at him, his chin rising slightly higher, their lips thinning. This kid was challenging him! The sword nor the fact he was a prince did not even make him quiver in fear. 

Was this kid dumb?

The prince scoffed and smirked, looking down his nose at the boy in the hat. "Beg for mercy or feel the sting of a whip…" He watched as the boy's eyes blazed from his words. This made him want to see tears behind those emerald eyes instead. "Actually.. I don't care about your friend's antics anymore.. Just yours.. If you don't beg.. I will happily whip your friend.."

"We said we were sorry. How can you be so cruel?!" He blurted out, making Conrad smirk in victory, finally seeing panic behind their eyes. "There should be no need for begging, especially when it was your horse that tried to attack my friend here!" The young boy argued, grabbing the sword and ignoring the small trickle of blood-forming at his hand and moving it away from their chin. 

Conrad stilled and looked back in stunned silence. He felt his chest flare in anger at the audacity of the boy. Did this kid want to die?

"My horse was startled after YOU ran in front of it!" Conrad pulled his sword away abruptly in annoyance, and the boy hissed, bringing his hand back and looking at the small cut like it was more important than this argument with a royal. Why was he arguing with someone beneath him? Conrad's lips twisted, and he sheathed his sword seeing as it made no effect on the peasant boy. 

The boy glanced up and saw the look of disdain on Conrad's features and his hands fisted by his sides; his friend looked between them in a panic. At least one of them had common sense. 

"It was going to kick him on purpose!" The small kid continued in a rage and stepped forwards, looking up at him angrily like this whole commotion was his fault. "I wondered why it would do such a thing, but after meeting you, its owner, I can see why!" 

"Evanna!"

"And what.. pray tell does that mean?" He drawled, his voice a deadly quiet as he glared at the insect before him. There was something about the kid that unnerved him and irritated him in a way that was different to his siblings. How dare he raise his voice to him! Not only that.. Conrad felt like he was making a grave mistake; this whole situation was humiliating. 

Was he making it worse, and his father would reprimand him? Or would Arvid intervene and end this child's life?

"You.. are a pig! How dare you… throw your weight around. You arrogant-"

Conrad slapped him in the face, his fury now getting to the point he might do worse than hit a boy that didn't know his place. The kid's head swivelled to the side, his hat on the floor again, their hair falling down around their face, his hand on his reddened cheek. The boy glared back at him and scoffed, "Pah! If you're gonna hit someone, do it right!" 

"Princess Evanna!" Conrad heard someone shouting from afar and many footsteps charging towards them. Good, maybe someone will get this-

SMACK!

Conrad felt the sting of a fist connecting to his jaw, and his head turned to the side. His knights rushed forwards and pointed their swords at the boy; the other boy was now forgotten. Conrad stared wide-eyed from the throbbing pain and the fact someone who was not his family hit him. The prince curled his hand into a fist and lunged forwards until he felt hands grab his arms and drag him back. 

He watched, astounded by some knights now gathering around the kid protectively and a maid scolding them while holding his face assessing the boy's face.

"EVANNA!" A voice boomed from behind the child, and Conrad watched in more shock as the King of Dunhurst marched towards the boy and squatted down, checking his cheek. 

Evanna.. His jaw went slack, and his lips parted.

"Oh, brother.. it's an all-new low for you .. To think you would hit a girl... and not any girl but the princess of Dunhurst," Arvid chuckled quietly by his side, finding amusement in this new situation.