Page 7 of A Brat's Tale
“I already apologized to Papa!”
“But you haven’t apologized to Chef Andros.”
“Be good for your mother,” Papa said with a kiss on my head.
When he left, I asked about the situation. “Is Papa in trouble with Father, Mother?”
Mother denied it. It wasn’t her business to share. “Don’t be absurd, darling.”
Which was weirder for me. In my mind, anyone could be in trouble with Father and that was what I knew to be normal. I’d even watched him lecture the king. Father was the eldest brother and the rightful heir to Markaytia, but he allowed the title to pass onto my uncle, preferring to serve as Warlord instead, something that Markaytian law permits. Despite having forsaken authority over the kingdom, he still felt it his right to lecture his younger brother if he thought the said brother was being a fool.
Mother proceeded to reprimand me about stealing pies. All of my parents were determined I wouldn’t end up as spoiled as Lucca. I was made to apologize to the Chef even though Lucca didn’t have to—he had been the one to steal the pies, I just ate them—and was put on kitchen duty every night for a week.
That night, Father made his way up to the palace to lecture me. I did ask about Papa. I didn’t know the ins and outs of their relationship at the time—still don’t—but I knew something was up. Father had replied, “He’s fine, why do you ask?”
“I thought he might be in trouble,” I said.With you, I almost added.
Father narrowed his eyes. “Papa can take care of himself; he doesn’t need a six-year-old boy defending him.”
I was annoyed, but I didn’t speak out against him. I was prone to mischievous behavior, but when Father spoke, I obeyed.
He ushered me to my chambers. “Mama already punished me,” I informed him, in case that could save me. Having three parents meant receiving three chastisements and let me tell you, it was not fun. You would think I’d stay out of trouble with that fate awaiting me each and every time I put a toe out of line.
“I decide if you’ve been given proper chastisement or not.” That was Father’s role, it always had been. “I’m not sure if you’re sorry about what you did.”
“I am, Father.” But he had his spanking eyes on, and I began to tear up.
He surprised me. “I do think this has been handled properly, for once, but I don’t like the frequency of this kind of mayhem. You and Lucca get up to a lot of trouble. You both need steeper consequences. One day it could be dangerous, deadlier than pig slop. You don’t know what I’ve seen, Tristan.”
“Then take me with you. I want to see,” I said.
“You think I’m going to make a disobedient whelp, Warlord? No. If you don’t start obeying your parents, I’ll find someone else to succeed me.”
Hearing that was worse than any spanking. “I’ll behave.Promise.”
“I hope so because I’ve decided your training will not begin until you can learn to behave, which will be a measure of your ability to take orders. Immature brats do not become Warlords.”
“Yes, sir.” I stared at my hands for a while as his eyes burned into me. Father was a man of war and that leaked through his marrow, making the air ooze a mixture of authority and purpose.
“I believe we have reached an accord,” he said. “Now to bed with you.” With a flourish of his long, Warlord cape, he spun on his dark leather boots and stormed off, leaving cold air in his wake, knowing his directive will be carried out.
I wiped my stupid, crying face. After what he said, I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep. And I wonder as I think back on this time ifa spanking would have been better for me in that instance? No six-year-old is going to admit to that.
If I were a more submissive one, I’d have gone to bed straight away, the guilt of disobeying too great to live with for long, but that’s not what I did.
Have you met me? I am Tristan Kanes, Brat. Always have been, always will be.
Instead of going to bed as I should have, I slid the picture frame over. Behind was an intricate maze of tunnels Lucca and I had found a while back. The tunnels zig-zagged through the palace which we used to sneak from room to room unnoticed by our parents who did not seem to know they were there. I slipped behind the frame and into the beaten stone passageway, intent on finding Lucca. First, I would clobber him for getting me into trouble and then we’d see about the frogs down by the stream we thought might like to live with us.
Secret frogs of course. No one was going to allow us to have pet frogs and for good reason—Chef Andros almost ended up with unintentional frog soup.
Chapter 1
ALDRIEN ~ PRESENT DAY~ TRISTAN IS ONE YEAR IN ALDRIEN
“Good job I’m not you, Tristan. When Bayaden sees that, he’ll skin you alive.”
That’s Tom, manservant to King Caer Gai, standing there with his smooth tuft of yellow-orange hair. He’s right too you know. Bayaden probably will skin me alive—if he finds out. I take the white shirt and toss it in the fire. The two of us watch as it goes up in flames, all evidence vanishing before our very eyes.
