MINISTORY: The Royal Trials

Chapter 4

“Are you out of your mind?” Malcolm gawked at his brother.

“Why? What’s your initiative?” Caspian asked.

“We’ve always been on the same page, brother, but not with this.” Malcolm shook his head.

“Mal,” Caspian sighed.

“They killed our father!” Malcolm shouted.

“A faction of the rogues killed our father. Think about this, Mal. When Granny Austyn and Gramps took over the throne, the entire realm, the first thing they did was create a sanctuary for the rogues. The very same rogues who they fought against, rogues who were the Council’s allies in the war. They offered them a second chance.” Caspian tried to reason with Malcolm, “Do you honestly believe that Mother would want the rogues taken out just because of what happened with Dad?”

“Rogues have been at the root of everything, every major conflict in the last hundred years or more. Who really knows how far this goes back? If we take out the rogues once and for all, then no one will ever suffer like we suffered.” Malcolm’s face was cold and hard.

“You honestly believe that? There will always be “rogues” whether or not that’s what we call them. There will always be an enemy, a conflict. There’s always going to be two sides, Malcolm, that’s the balance.” Caspian urged his brother to listen.

“And you think the answer is to support the rogues? To cozy up with them? You want to focus your entire initiative on creating “peace” between pack wolves and rogues. That’s ridiculous, Caspian.” Malcolm scoffed.

“Is it? Why try to eliminate something completely when you can build an alliance with it? Everyone benefits from peace among the werewolves.” Caspian pressed.

“If this is how you want to spend your time, so be it. But, so help me, Caspian, if you continue this line of thinking after I’m named King, I’ll banish you from being any kind of prince at all!” Malcolm replied in a cool, dark voice.

Caspian looked taken aback by his brother’s outburst. Never once did he openly boast about being the next king or treating Caspian as anything less than his equal. This was a new side of Malcolm and Caspian had no idea how to approach it.

“Malcolm, what’s wrong with you?” Caspian said in a low voice.

“What’s wrong with you, Caspian?” Malcolm countered, shaking his head in discontent, “I think we should stop training together until after the Trials.” He added.

“Fine.” Caspian grunted, not knowing what else to say at this point.

“Fine.” Malcolm agreed before turning on his heels and fleeing from the room.

It was at that moment that Caspian knew he had to fight for his right to be seen, to be heard, and to be valued at least as much as his brother thought he should be. It was time for Caspian to step out from his brother’s shadow and to be his own man, his own kind of prince. Unknowingly, Malcolm had just lit a fire under Caspian that would turn the tides of the Trials.