Shadows Over Arcadia Chapter 5: 5. The Worm Has Turned

Read chapter 5 of Shadows Over Arcadia by Zacheas on NovelPedia.

5. The Worm Has Turned I am Ren Drakemore, age 5, and I am the unwanted second prince of the kingdom of Arcadia. But one day, I will be King. https://shadowsoverarcadia.com/api/storage/objects/uploads/94d9f12d-768f-4ec3-a12d-51b487be4617 An Arc has passed since our trip to the market, where my eyes were opened to the corruption and suffering that plague my kingdom. That day marked a turning point for me. Since then, I’ve approached my studies and magical training with renewed purpose. No longer do I learn to pass the time. Now, I train with a goal, a lofty one. I understand now that dangerous men, including my own father, would rather see me dead. The only thing keeping those wolves at bay is my father's fear of Lady Willow and the belief that I am not yet enough of a threat to warrant the risk of facing her. That protection feels very temporary. The certainty of its failure hangs over me like an executioner’s sword, forever suspended above my neck, waiting to fall. I must grow stronger. I've begun watching the castle guards as they train in the courtyard each day from my tower window. My brother Charles often joins the sessions as part of his royal education, though it's clear he has little interest in the practice. He is easily distracted, complains often, and rarely completes drills with any real effort. I doubt he's learned much at all. I, on the other hand, study their every move carefully. Armed with a shortened broom handle, I mimic the guards’ stances, strikes, and blocks for hours each day. I swing my makeshift sword until my arm feels like it will fall off, but I persist. My life depends on it. Lady Willow isn’t teaching me offensive magic yet, fearing I might accidentally set fire to the castle. So instead, I focus on creating barriers, pushing myself to the point of exhaustion every day. The effort has paid off. My magical control and capacity have grown steadily. I can now enchant two puppets at once. I even managed to design a small wooden bird puppet that can actually fly. The workshop is littered with failed attempts, but I finally built one light enough to lift off. It is about the size of a hummingbird. It’s fragile, but it flies. At first, I only wanted to see the world beyond my tower. Now, I recognize its potential as a silent scout, something that can slip past walls and windows to reveal what I cannot see myself. Through Willow’s lessons in military tactics, I’ve learned that battles are often won before a single blow is struck. Preparation, training, equipment, and even the choice of battlefield matter more than the bravery or skill of any one soldier. Information shapes all of it. And with this bird puppet, I may finally have a way to gather it. In the last forty days, Lady Willow has continued making weekly potion deliveries to the apothecary without me. This has earned us a fair amount of coin and given me plenty of practice in potion-making. However, with the sheer volume we’ve crafted, our supply of medical herbs has run dry. Today, I’m leaving the castle with Lady Willow again, this time to gather more from the countryside. And that brings us to now. Lady Willow and I walk through the castle halls toward the courtyard. I keep the hood of my cloak pulled low and stay close to her side. After our last trip, I’m determined to keep a low profile. When we reach the gate, a broad-shouldered man in gleaming plate armor steps out, blocking our path. He towers a full head taller than Lady Willow. I have to tilt my head back so far to see his face I nearly fall backward. A massive two-handed sword hangs at his hip. His chiseled jaw looks like it was carved from the same stone as the castle walls, and the weight of his icy blue gaze makes my spine stiffen. I recognize him from watching the guards train each day. This is Sir Gavin, captain of the castle guard. “Lady Willow, stop right there!” his deep voice booms, echoing through the stone corridor. “Where are you and the prince going?” So much for keeping a