A Guide to Kingdom Building

It took a while for Prince Arterius to descend from the stairs, down to the main hall. With every step he took, his foot ached in protest to his reckless action.

Stolas tried to help Prince Arterius from his predicament. First by offering him to call servants to carry him down the massive stairway but the prince refused. Second, while they where walking down the stairs Stolas offered his arm for his master to lean on to, but the prideful prince refused.

After a few more curses, hurting and steps, Prince Arterius finally managed to overcome the stairs. The prince drenched himself in sweat as his face contorted in pain. Stolas hurriedly took Prince Arterius' arm and insisted on helping him the rest of the way.

The proud prince wanted no help from him, but after his foot stung once more, he obliged the offer. It was still a struggle for Arterius to make his way to the carriage. Just the mere fact of raising his bad leg at the carriage's step was an ordeal for him. But the prince was determined and desperate to prove his father wrong and went through it with no complaints.

After he seated himself inside the carriage, Stolas provided him with a good cushion to support his leg. His ward also brought a cane that the prince dreaded to use up to that point.

"Why do you have to bring that?" Prince Arterius was annoyed at his ward's insistence on bringing the cane.

"Well, Arterius," Stolas began, "As much as I hate to see you being desperate as you are right now, I would really hate it even more to see you crippled." He answered with a condescending tone on the stubborn prince.

Prince Arterius sighed and nodded. Stolas knocked on the carriage's wall signaling the coachman to depart. They now began their journey to the A.R.T.E.R.I.U.S facility to get some blueprints and then they head to the Smithy.

The Prince tried to move and sit as comfortable as he can, but the injured left leg kept on foiling his wish for a peaceful trip. With every shake and bump, the more his leg screamed pain. The throbbing, warm and swollen leg bugged him so much, he asked Stolas to hand him his medication.

His ward reluctantly agreed on it, but Prince Arterius was adamant about it.

"Either you give me that medication or I swear to the gods I will stab myself if it's the only way for me to not feel this fucken pain!"

Of course, he lied about the stabbing part. But the pain was truly unbearable for him that he went out of his character.

Still reluctant, Stolas handed him the bottle containing the medicine. "You shouldn't take more than one, Prince Arterius."

"I shouldn't?" The prince condescendingly answered. "The only reason why I am taking this is because that fool of a doctor had somehow managed to give me a drug that definitely works."

He took a swig of the bitter concoction and handed the bottle back to his ward, "He used a traditional medicine to numb my pain. That's the only reason why I am using this and even then, I felt he just underdose me."

Stolas hid the bottle back to the bag, "And now you're playing physician?"

"I certainly am not! I have read the Codex of Medications and saw the dosages there! He underdosed me!" The prince explained.

"If you say that Master Aescilus is indeed a bad physician, why hasn't he been replaced?" Stolas asked.

"Stolas…" Arterius muttered. "I will tell you another day. But for now, I just want to shut my eyes and rest while this medicine does its work."

"Of course, My Prince." Stolas slightly bowed his head and let Arterius sleep in peace.

As soon as Arterius closed his eyes, he began to dream. The moment that he did, it was of his mother's.

He was reminded of her gentle smile as she carried him in her arms while walking the wide corridor of the Imperial Palace. He was crying at that time; he can't remember why he did but he sobbed hard in his mother's arms.

"There, there my young prince," his mother shushed him. "Cheer up!"

"But mother, fa…fa…father sa…said I-am weak." The young Arterius protested as he insisted to bawl his eyes out.

"My dear son," his mother caressed his head. "You are not weak. You are simply unique! You may not have the strength your father wanted you to have but you have these." His mother pointed his head and heart.

"You are intelligent and it's better than any brawn can ever muster!" His mother smiled. "And you have the heart. A heart that has the capacity for truth and compassion. Those are your strengths! Believe in them."

"But mother, having super strength and unlimited exousia is cooler!" He protested again.

His mother smiled at him then flicked a finger to his forehead.

"Ow!" He exclaimed as he tried to sooth the pain of his flicked forehead. "Why mother?"

"My little prince, you listen well," his mother smiled at him once more. "Indeed, strength can move mountains! I agree! But, it is compassion that can move human hearts. A vast amount of exousia will find no match to a man who has endless knowledge and imagination. Your energy will dry up if you continue using it, but your knowledge and imagination will hone sharper if you use it continually. And that's why, you do not need to cry."

Lady Orienne kissed Prince Arterius' cheek and whispered. "Remember your strength and believe in it. It will one day change the world."

The carriage suddenly went to a halt, just in time for the sleeping prince to wake up from his nap.

"Mother." He muttered.

"Yes, My Prince?" Stolas answered back.

Prince Arterius rubbed his eyes looking at his ward confused over what happened. "Ah, No! It's nothing."

There was a hint of awkwardness in the air. Stolas cleared his throat and broke the silence.

"Prince Arterius, we have arrived." He announced.

Prince Arterius nodded, "Good! Now, it's time to perform a miracle!"

"Miracle?" Stolas skeptically asked. "I thought you never believed on those sorts?"

"I do not. If I cannot pull them off myself!" He smirked. "Come on Stolas, we have two more days. Just enough for us to leave them speechless!"