[color=0072bc]"I've lived my entire life within the walls of the castle; reading books, learning languages, drawing..."[/color] His eyes focused on the brightly colored flowers off to his left. [color=0072bc]"I was never allowed to leave, only once or twice but that was to accompany my father and mother to her home kingdom."[/color]

Triver might have never gone hungry or known heartbreak and he's been given everything that he's ever wanted, but compared to the people of his kingdom, the ordinary people who scratch out a living on the bottom of a fish barrel, he had nothing. There are no adventures, there are no times spent catching fireflies. He felt bitter and jealousy flared within his veins. He has everything and yet he has nothing. 

[color=0072bc]"My only friends were Inaris and Ser'deni. They are four years my senior so they were closer to each other than they were to me."[/color] Triver looked down at his hands. They fumbled with a few of the silver buttons on his tunic; he didn't know what else to do with them. [color=0072bc]"You might not like the mages for what they do,"[/color] He looked at the twins, Daryn in particular, [color=0072bc]"But to me they are my most precious people. We would play here in the gardens. They would use their magic to take me on journeys. They would make things bearable for me."[/color] 

There had been a time in his younger years that Triver had wished he could fling himself over the castle walls. 

The crow that was perched in the tree gave a caw before flying off. Triver looked for the black bird but he couldn't find it. A soft sigh was pulled from the lips of the prince. [color=0072bc]"I do not like what my father is doing - has done with the mages."[/color] Triver admitted, it was well known that the prince, and almost everyone else in the castle disliked the way the mages were used as weapons. [color=0072bc]"They are my best friends...but they are sent to the battlefield on a regular basis...I do not get to see much of them; this is the first time in a year that I have been able to be with Inaris and Ser'deni in the same room. This is the first time in months that Ser'deni has been playful towards me."[/color] Triver felt the hot tears prick the corners of his eyes. He felt so lonely. What if his friends were sent to battle and never returned alive? He would have nobody then. Triver wiped away the tears that fell onto his cheeks and he looked up at his knights. He laughed in an attempt to clear the tears but more kept coming; he couldn't stop them. 

A little while later the crow returned. It came to rest on a nearby bush.[color=a187be] [i]"It is alright, prince. Thank you for your kind words, they have warmed my heart."[/i][/color]

For a moment Triver was shocked, he knew that magic was something that he could never understand but talking birds? [color=a187be][i]"I came to deliver you a message. All of you. First to the twins; I am sorry for the way I treated both of you. I was simply looking after the prince. And the news that I have for you, prince....it will make your heart heavy. Inaris...he's gone."[/i]
[/color]

[color=0072bc]"Gone?"[/color] Triver felt his blood run cold.

[color=a187be][i]"Not as in dead gone. He's missing, along with some of the king's books. The ones in his private study. A hunt has been called for Inaris; if he is found he will be executed. You two shall guard the prince in case Inaris comes after him."[/i][/color]

The crow fell silent as Triver processed what was said. Inaris was gone with some of the most valuable books in all of Danycia. Those books contained spells of great magnitude - they were forbidden; although his father could not cast magic he hoarded magic books since before Triver was born. He had said it was to ensure that when the time comes, he could have the upper hand. 

[color=a187be][i]"He is a traitor!"[/i][/color] The crow let loose another caw, louder and more heartfelt than before. 

Triver felt dizzy.

This could not be happening. 

Inaris would no do such thing. He had promised Triver that no matter what, they would stay together. But he had broken that promise before, when he had distanced himself years ago. 

He was losing a piece of himself. Triver felt his breakfast in the back of his throat.

The alarms were raised; the guards ran past, their armor clinking together as they shouted to search the grounds for the mage. 

Triver could see little black dots in the corners of his vision.

His eyes closed and he slumped to the ground.