Come the Realms of Winter

The sound of the hounds changed. Their howls reaching a higher pitch. He has loosed them, Aldric thought feeling very little like the Crown Prince of Calmora, just very scared. He shut his eyes and jammed his gloved fist in his mouth to keep his teeth from chattering. No sound and no movement, he repeated to himself silently and tried to remember when he had last been warm or had a hot meal. Warmth, Dirk, think of warmth, he let his mind drift back. **** "Come here Dirk, I've a present for you,” Eldon yelled. Aldric took the stairs two at a time followed by Will D'Bries. Eldon watched with an amused expression as the two small boys jumped down the stairs. "What is it father?” Aldric cried launching himself from three steps up into his father's arms. Clutching Aldric to him, inhaling the small boy scent he said, "Come with me, you too Will." Eldon walked briskly out of the door toward the stables. "A pony!” Aldric squirmed out of Eldon's arms and raced ahead. Crashing through the door, Aldric skittered to a stop only to have Will ran smack into him, knocking them both to the ground. James D'Bries, Duke of Kalmoth, chuckled at the tangle of small bodies at his feet. "You sure there are only two here, Sire?" his smoky, gray blue eyes sparkling with amusement under his always errant sandy brown hair. Eldon joined his laughter, "Yes only two." He reached down pulling the two of them to their feet, "Come lads," he led them to stand in front of two stalls. Inside were two of Eldon's prize mares. At their sides almost identical bay colts. "Amazing,” Henry said leaning on the opposite side of the stalls. Eldon looked up at his younger brother, the Duke of Halsted. They looked much alike, dark hair, dark eyes, tall and powerfully built. But where Eldon radiated warmth, Henry's dark looks made people wary. "I know, Henry. They are out of the same stallion but it is surprising to have them look so much alike." "They're beautiful, father,” Aldric whispered as he stared at the foals. "Aye, one is for you, Dirk; and one for Will," Eldon rested a hand on each of the boy's shoulders. "Sire?” Will turned an amazed look up at his King. "It only makes sense. I've two colts and two boys, who are all but inseparable. They're presents for your eighth birthdays," he smiled at them. Looking up briefly at his father, Aldric felt a warm glow spread throughout his body. His eyes sparkling snapped back to the foals. **** Aldric could feel the warmth of the memory, and then it vanished in a flash. Replaced by cold fear as he heard the hounds and horses scrambling to the road. Just as all the light in his world had vanished a week after his eighth birthday when his father had died in a hunting accident, leaving his Uncle Henry Regent of Calmora for the last ten years. Solly, the bay colt that had been his father's last gift, whinnied in fear, hooves clattering on the planks as the hounds reached the edge of the bridge. Aldric could hear the huntsman calling the hounds off.