Pryor's Hill (solo)

[Dracosius]

Bright, teal blue hair glowed in the soft light of early sunset as Aiden Dracosious and his brother, Zevernus, slipped quietly out of the room they shared. Although it was early evening, their uncle’s palace was quiet. Their parents, Jasmine and Zerith, were at a ball. They would have been there with their cousin, Prince Dylan, but they were grounded from such frivolities for sneaking out and fighting in a “secret” club of commoners. It was not, of course, because of fighting with commoners, but rather the fighting itself and the sneaking out to do it that had gotten them in trouble. Both boys had been taught since they were young how to fight. However, their mother was firmly of the opinion that the skills they had learned were not to be used in such an offhand way as to fight in an alley for petty cash.

“Are you sure you want to do this, AJ? We’re going to be in so much more trouble if we get caught.”

“Of course! Mom and Dad won’t be back for hours. You know how late those stupid balls last. Mom and Dad will go right to bed when it’s done. We’ll be out and back well before breakfast.”

The 15 year old boys moved quietly through the halls. AJ had a halberd over one shoulder. He had taken a great liking to the weapon his father favored and excelled in its use. ZJ carried two thin blades, one on each hip. He, too, excelled in his chosen weapon. Neither expected to need their weapons tonight, but they felt more confident in their chosen mission with the weapons in their accustomed places.

They made their way to one of the servant entrances. There, one of their palace buddies, the son of a kitchen aide, waited with two small knapsacks. The sacks held only a blanket and some food for the night.

“Not that I expect you’ll actually stay there,” Jordan said as he handed them their food. “No one ever does and if they do, they don’t come back.”

“Yeah, yeah, we know the story as well you do. Ghosts aren’t real and we’re gonna prove it by spending the night on Pryor’s Hill.”

Jordan snorted his disbelief, “I got your horses waiting with Kyle just outside the gates. You better hurry though before it’s too late to get out.”

AJ and ZJ thanked their friend and hurried out. The gates closed at sunset and opened at sunrise. Typically the adults slept late after a ball, so the boys weren’t terribly worried about getting back into the palace before their disappearance was noticed. They exited the city of Nadai just as the guards were closing the gate.

ZJ looked at his brother, “Well, we’re stuck outside now. I guess we may as well get moving to the hill.”

AJ nodded his agreement. They put heels to horse flank and took off toward the haunted Pryor’s Hill.