Royal Blue - How to Choose

An hour before sunrise and he was awake.  When he was five, he would
awake at this hour to practice the salute that his grandfather had 
taught him.  When he was eight, he would awake at this hour to
check on his younger brother, who clung to him in the early years
before their mother started to laugh again.  But he was awake before 
the sun at one and ten years of age for a very different reason.

He was nervous.  That sunrise was the sunrise he chose his royal 
guard.  That sunrise he would take his first steps as prince and 
would bestow the four greatest military honors in the land upon 
four people.  Why everyone thought that the next heir would be able 
to handle such a responsibility at one and ten, he wasn't sure, but 
that was the tradition, according to his father.

His entire family had a stake in this selection, and it was all he 
had heard about for the last few sunrises.  His father had tried to 
advise him on his choices, insisting that the most important thing 
was that he trusted his guard, because he would have to trust them 
with his life with every sunrise and wane.  And, later in his life, 
this group would directly and indirectly be responsible for protecting 
his future wife and children.

His mother saw this as a wonderful opportunity to destroy barriers.
She kept insisting that, although the titles given to the royal
guard were military titles, the people to whom he gave them 
did not have to be military.  Besides, it was important that his 
guard was composed of different voices.

His grandmere Kyanna had explained over and over the importance of 
the royal guard in the military hierarchy.  His grandmummy Honoria
told him that it was important that his royal guard could function
at royal balls and routs.  His grandfather, the king, advised that
his royal guard have members who had tactical skill.

His younger brother just said, "Endy, you cannot steal any of my
friends!"  Even at six, Tremaine had grasped that the life of
a member of the Royal Guard was very time consuming.  Whether
his youngest brother, Arlington, was aware of what was happening,
much less had an opinion, was anyone's guess.  But, if a name
was mentioned that the three year old didn't like, he'd make
a fist and stick out his tongue.

It wasn't just the prince's family that had a stake in this 
decision.  The current Kunzite and the head of his father's
security, General Bryer, had had many a conversation about 
how important this decision was.  After all, one of these
unnamed people would take over the title and duties of Kunzite 
after a training period.  Of course, all the close
conversations with Bryer had made Endy's mother unhappy, as she
had a very present but unexplained dislike of Bryer.  Luckily,
most of her ire at Stephen Bryer didn't transfer to his son,
and Endymion's friend, Jonathan.  She often said, "I do like
Jonathan more than his father, but that really is not saying
much."

The other members of the current royal guard offered opinions 
on the young prince’s decision as well.  Nephrite, General Kyto, 
had advice for how to find a good strategist.  Zoicite, Sergeant 
Putnam, stressed the importance of a good team dynamic.  And Jedite, 
Lieutenant Gore, the woman who had been kind enough to let him 
refer to her as "Auntie Shannon" as a little boy, insisted that 
compassion and flexibility were important, both in his guard and in
the way he treated his guard.  And, Gore would know, as
Prince Terrius had allowed her to marry the love of her
life, Colonel Clinton, and worked with her when she was
with Kay-Leigh, her daughter.

And finally, he had heard all of the whispers around the 
palace.  Everyone insisted that they would gain insight into
what kind of king he would be by his choices.  Somehow, how
he would rule many mooncycles in the future would be completely
evident with his naming four people.

It was a lot of pressure.  And it was pressing him into a
corner.

It wasn't that he hadn't tried to deal with it earlier.  He
tried to avoid talking about it, but it was all everyone
ever asked about.  He tried to ignore it, but every hour
just made the event closer.  And, the one time he tried
to joke about it, his father had looked at him disapprovingly;
his mother had shaken her head; and his grandmere scolded
him with, "One shouldn't make light of this, Endymion."

He wanted to get away.  For a moment, he didn't want to be
a prince.  He didn't want to be trapped in the palace.  He
wanted space to think.  Space without tutors, minders, or
even his family.  Just some time with the horizon and the
Creator.

So, as the sunrise finished its appearance in the sky, Prince
Endymion Terra, the one and ten year old heir to the heir of
the throne, plotted how to slip out of the palace on his own for
peace.  A plan that probably would have concerned his parents
and chilled the hearts of the current royal guard, had they known.

*****

As the sunlight streamed into the room through the two east windows,
his royal highness Prince Terrius began to stir. Half asleep,
he reached for the familiar person who should be at his side.  
Finding nothing there did cause him to awake more quickly, but
not because he was concerned.  Yet.  Opening his eyes, he turned
to face the windows as he leveled himself up on one elbow.  

Sitting in one of the windows, staring out at the horizon was the
object of his search.  He had thought she would be up early this
sunrise. It's not every sunrise that a mother has to deal with the 
tangible fact that one of her children was growing up.

"Everything shall be fine, Adaunde," he assured softly from the
bed.

"I know that," his wife answered softly.  "I do know that.  It
is just that this is such a big step!  And he seemed so nervous
about it."

"I think all princes are nervous about this.  I remember being
terrified of making a mistake in the choosing myself."

That statement caused his curious wife to turn and face him.
"For how long were you worried about your choices?"

"Until I was one and thirty," the prince answered honestly.

"One and thirty!" the princess echoed in reply. "Terrius, by
one and thirty you were married and a father -"

"So every situation for which I would need a royal guard had
occurred.  And I still trust them implicitly.  They have done a
good job in supervising the protection of my children.  They
have saved my life a few times.  They can communicate and
interact well with my wife -" the prince paused as he 
looked over at Adaunde, remembering her ever present objection
to one member of his guard.  "- for the most part, anyway.  I
did well.  Our Endy shall as well.  You shall see."

"How are you so confident?" the princess asked as she left
the window.

"I am confident because we raised him well.  When I was
one and ten, my father told me that whom I chose would
reflect the kind of person I was.  And, as he was proud 
of me, he would be proud of my choices."

"But that is just it, Terrius," his concerned wife said
as she returned to the bed.  Laying back down, she turned
to look at her husband as she shared her concern.  "Our
Endy has been through so much!  He was present when his
grandfather died.  He saw his mother collapse at the
send off service.  He went three years without hearing 
his mother laugh and knowing that his father was sad and 
worried, not understanding why.  In all of that, he had 
to look after Tremmy. I worry," the princess paused to wipe 
away a tear.  "I worry that I have caused him harm and that
he is not ready."

Terrius gathered his concerned his concerned wife into
his arms.  "I disagree.  I refuse to believe that we
have harmed our children."

Adaunde buried her head in his shoulder.  "Honoria did
not make the mistakes I have."

"Adaunde," Terrius began as he sat back to look at his 
wife.  "Look at me," he requested as he reached under her
chin and lifted her head so that she met his eyes.  "Yes,
you have done things differently than my mother, but that
does not mean that my mother did not make mistakes that
affected me."

"You were not subjected to the death of your grandfather,"
Adaunde countered.

"Yes, I was not present when my maternal grandfather died.
Of course, that is because we never went to visit him and
he only came to the palace twice.  I did not know him, not
in the way Endy knew your father.  And, I think, if you
ask our son, he would say that he cherishes the memories of 
his grandfather Bill and is glad that he has them."

"Your mother did not ceasing laughing for three years,"
Adaunde pointed out.

"No, she did not.  My mother does not laugh overmuch now.
I have only seen her laugh around her grandchildren. Besides,
my mother may not have stopped laughing, but I did not see
her much as a child," Terrius shared with his wife.  "I have 
been told that when I was younger I made the mistake of thinking
one of my nannies was my mother.  I think I may have even
referred to her in that way."  He stopped to look his shocked
wife in the eye to make his point.  "Endy may not have heard
your laughter for three years and Tremmy may not have heard
you laugh for the first three years of his life, BUT neither
one of them has ever called or thought that anyone else was
their mother."

"But-"

"Adaunde," Terrius interrupted.  "You are a good mother.  I
know this because you were blessed with a good mother.  You 
married a good man-"

"That I did," Adaunde laughed at her husband's pride as she 
kissed her husband on the cheek.

"And," Terrius concluded, "you have a good heart.  Endymion,
Tremaine, and Arlington cannot help but be amazing men because
of your presence in their life.  That is why Endy shall be
fine today.  Even if he is nervous and remains nervous until
he is one and thirty."

Adaunde paused, obviously thinking about what her husband had
told her.  "I can accept that," she replied.

With that, still in each other arms, the couple laid back down
on the bed.  After a few seconds, Terrius whispered, "You are
still nervous, are you not?"

"Yes.  My eldest is growing up.  There shall soon be a new
Kunzite, Nephrite, Zoicite, and Jedite.  It is a beginning 
of a new order.  It is an important sunrise.  And mothers are 
good at worrying," the princess listed with a small smile. 

After a few moments of quiet, the princess sighed.  "Well, 
there is a silver lining in this.  Bryer shall not be Kunzite 
for much longer."  The princess looked at her husband.  "I am 
sorry, Terrius.  I know that you trust him, but I cannot. And 
I cannot help but be relieved at his forthcoming lessening of 
power."

"I am not so sure about the lessening of power prediction."

"What do you mean?" demanded Adaunde.

"Just that I would not be surprised if Jonathan, son of Stephen,
is one of the choices.  Jonathan and Endy are friends.  And
having a son on the guard would still give Stephen influence.
Not that he loses overmuch influence, as he stays on my guard.
He is just no longer titled."

"And no longer first in command," Adaunde felt impelled to 
point out.  "But why should Jonathan be named?  I thought
this was not about choosing friends."

"It is not, but Jonathan is from a military family and Endymion
does trust him.  I thought you did as well," the prince added
as he looked at his wife.

"It is not that I do not trust him," his wife began. She
paused as she struggled to put her misgivings into words.  
"I am...unsure of him.  He has the silver hair of his father 
and I am not sure what else he has inherited from his sire.  
I do like Jonathan more than Stephen -"

"But that is not saying much," her husband finished as she
nodded.  "But do you trust Jonathan with Endymion?  With his
life?"

"I would not like to do so, but I may have to do so," the
mother shared honestly.  "I have to trust General Bryer
with your life everyday.  I rest easier knowing that
Kyto and Gore are there with Bryer, looking out for you as
well."

"And Jonathan, if Endy does name him, shall have Kyto and 
Gore counterparts as well."  Terrius was quiet for a
few moments.  "It shall be fine, Adaunde.  I promise."

"I know that.  I do," the princess whispered quietly as
they both turned their thoughts inward as the sunrise 
continued.

*****

He wasn't sure why he decided to go to Sporku Hill that
day. He knew that one of the many bands of displaced
members of the worker class had claimed that hill as their
own.  He knew from listening to his father's conversations
that these bands robbed and attacked people who went into
their territory.  In other words, he knew the hill was
dangerous.

Maybe it was his sense of adventure that drew him.  Maybe
it was because at ten he felt there was more out there
than life on workman's row.  Regardless of the reason, he 
was at the foot of the hill two hours after sunrise.  And,
two hours after sunrise he saw the beginnings of a problem.

Walking up the hill with no apparent awareness of the danger
that he was stepping into, a dark haired boy, who couldn't
have been much older than the observing nightwatchman's son,
seemed lost in thought.  The boy was clearly nobility,
Treggar Lightmaker thought as he continued to watch.  The
stranger's clothes were of high quality.  He walked with 
an unspoken commanding air.  A flash of gold as the boy lifted
his hand to shade his eyes indicated that he was wearing a
ring of some sort.

In other words, the stranger was a perfect target for the 
band.  It wouldn't be long before they gathered to attack
him.

As Treggar battled with himself about whether or not he
should go warn the other boy, he heard the band leader
say, "Well, well, what've we got 'ere?"

The band had gathered and had begun to surround the young
man, who finally appeared to look worried.

"I's think we got a trespasser," one of the band members
said.

"A rich one at that," another agreed.

"I's think he needs to pay our toll," the leader said ominously
as he produced a club from behind his back.

Watching the group surround the noble boy, Treggar made
a rather impulsive decision.  The boy probably had never 
even seen a fight; at least Treggar had been in a few row
rumbles before.  He had to help.

Charging up the hill, Treggar shouted, "Back off, row
ruin!"  Positioning himself between the gathering band 
and the boy, he hoped that somehow he could hold off the
band so the boy could get away.  Eying the club the leader
held, the boy thought, "This is going to hurt."

"Wait a minute.  That's Lightmaker's boy," One of the
band members observed.

"So?" another band member asked.

"I ain't touching his kid.  Lightmaker's a terror.  I's
not going to be the one who beat down his kid!"

The leader paused for a moment, as if to consider this.
Then he said, "If we were on the row, that'd make sense.
But this be our hill.  Sure, Lightmaker may find his
kid roughed over...but ain't no one gonna be around to
tell him who done it."

"Yeah," the other members of the band agreed as they 
began to advance again.

"We are so dead," Treggar muttered.

"What is happening?" the refined voice of the stranger
asked from behind him.

"Oh, we're about to get attacked," Treggar shared.  Looking
briefly over his shoulder at the stranger he asked, "Before
this gets too bad, think you'd tell me your name?  Be nice
to know who I was gettin' punched for."

Whatever reply the stranger had uttered was lost in a shout from
the bottom of the hill.  He thought someone said something
that sounded like "Nathan," but he was too busy concentrating
on the band in front of them to be sure.

*****

Nearly two hours after sunrise and the field was already almost 
full.  It didn't matter that the choosing would not happen 
until three hours after sunrise.  It didn't even matter that 
the crowd wasn't orderly.  All that mattered to most there was 
the chance that they may gain one of the highest honors in the
land.

They were all there.  Workers, merchants, military, and even
a few low ranking nobles crowded the field.  For the first time 
in the history of the planet, this was an open choosing, something
that the young man observing the gathering remembered his
father not being that pleased about.  At least, Jonathan
thought this was what his father was referring to went he
muttered about "Whims of the princess."

Jonathan realized he really couldn't say too much against the
crowd, as he was present for the choosing as well.  He wasn't
sure what exactly what to expect.  His mother's innovations aside,
Endymion was not the easiest person to understand or get to know.
Regardless of the outcome, Jonathan figured he would still
be able to count the royal as friend at least.

"Jonathan," a familiar voice said off to his left.

Groaning internally, Jonathan Bryer turned to face the
approaching son of a baron.  "Lord Sato.  Is there something
I can help you with?"

"Of course," the one and ten year old auburn haired noble
said as he reached the general's son.  "You may tell me 
where I can find Endy.  I wanted to talk to him before
this...thing happens."

Jonathan shot an angry look at the noble.  "You could
be a little more respectful of the process, Lord Sato."

The noble shook his head.  "First, you could call me
Nathaniel.  And second, what process?  Most people could
name the choices that Endy shall make.  He shall choose 
from among the top military families, of course, regardless
of the wishes of his mother.  I suspect you are nervous
because you are worried that you shall not make the cut."

Jonathan ground his teeth a little.  While the prince
was friends with both of them, Jonathan and Nathaniel tended 
to rub each other the wrong way.  They only seemed to 
be able to work well together when they were trying to 
keep Endymion out of trouble.  "Why are you even about?  
Wasn't there some dire warning about stargazers moving 
about this sunrise?" Jonathan asked in a snide tone.

A dark look was returned along with the dry, "It was not
a warning of danger, but a portends of life-changing
events.  Not everyone likes change.  Regardless, why
are you so dismissive of my beliefs?  You are not so
with the faith of his royal highness."

"Prince Endymion's a creationist."

"But you are not," Nathaniel countered.

"Creationism at least makes some kind of sense, even if
it dodges responsibility.  This skywatcher thing you are...
well, excuse me for doubting that our future is in
the stars." 

After a few beats of silence, Nathaniel continued, "As
we shall never agree on this issue, if you would help
me locate his royal highness, I would appreciate it."

"I don't know where he is, Lord Sato," Jonathan admitted.
"I'm sure someone in the palace would -"

"I have asked at the palace.  They are not sure where he
is, but none of them seemed concerned.  I thought that there
may be some traditional waiting area where he would be
before the ceremony today.  And, if it was a military
tradition, you should know where that was."

"There is no traditional waiting space," Jonathan said.

"Well, where do you think he would be?" Nathaniel asked.

"You know him as well as I do!  Where do you think he'd
be?"

Nathaniel paused for a moment.  "I know that he was very
nervous about this sunrise.  My guess is that he would 
retreat to someplace quiet to think."

"Somewhere where he didn't have to be a prince for a
little while," Jonathan agreed.

"Exactly.  Somewhere away from all of this."  Nathaniel
stopped as if considering something, "He would not have
left the palace, would he?"

"Not with some kind of security.  I'm sure of it."  But
as he uttered that last sentence, the general's son realized
he wasn't sure that his friend wouldn't try to run off alone
if very stressed.

"Are you sure?  We are talking about Endymion, are we not?"

"No," Jonathan uttered a word he'd heard about the military
barracks that was never said in polite company.  "We have to
go find him."

"Agreed," Nathaniel said.  "But where do we begin to look?
The capital city is rather vast and someone shall miss him
eventually and sound an alarm."

Jonathan nodded.  "Well, he wouldn't have gone far.  He'd be
on foot, after all. And he'd know that he would have to be back
for this."

"He would want somewhere open and quiet," Nathaniel added.

"So we would just need to check all of the open and quiet
places near the palace."

"What about the hill in the military area of the city?"
Nathaniel asked.

"No, he wouldn't go anywhere near there."  Jonathan answered.

"Why?  Almost all of the military would be here, anyway,"
Nathaniel pointed out.

"But not all.  Many of the wives and the young children would
still be there.  And they would recognize him immediately and
escort him back to the palace."  Jonathan thought for a minute,
"What about somewhere in the novlesse area of the city?"

Nathaniel shook his head.  "All of that open space is 
private property, usually surrounded by barriers and battlements.
He would have been noticed if he tried to use any of it."

"So where are we going to find an open space that he could
get to?" Jonathan almost shouted in annoyance.

"I may be able to help," a third voice said tentatively.

The young lord and the son of a general turned toward the
voice.  Another boy around their age with light blond
hair stood a few feet behind them.  "I didn't mean to
overhear," the boy began.  "But I was just here to 
observe and I heard your dilemma and I think I might know
where your friend might have gone."

"Who are you?" barked Jonathan, sounding a lot like his 
father.

"Do not frighten him off, Jonathan," Nathaniel scolded.
"Excuse my friend," Nathaniel continued as he turned back
to the other boy.  "And you are?"

"My name is Jordan Cryer, my lord," the young boy replied,
correctly identifying Nathaniel as a noble.  "I am the
son of knowledge merchants."

"Well, Jordan," Nathaniel smiled, "where to do you think
our friend might have gone?"

"There is a hill just before worker's row.  It's on many
of the maps of the capital city.  It is in a wide open space,
and while it is near the palace, it is one of the few places
where one can't see the palace.  Your friend may have gone 
there."

"Can you get us there?" Jonathan demanded.

"Yes," the boy agreed nervously.

"Lead the way," Jonathan ordered.  Taking Nathaniel's arm
as he began to follow the merchant's son.  "Let's go."

"Let 'us' go?  Why am I coming?" Nathaniel asked as he 
obediently joined the other two boys on the way to the
nearby hill.

"You wanted to talk to him, right?  Besides," Jonathan 
admittedly grudgingly, "I might need your help to talk
him off of this hill."

*****

Several minutes later the three boys arrived at the hill
in question to see Endymion, with an unknown boy in front
of him, being surrounded by a rather rough looking bunch
of older men.

"That does not look good," Nathaniel observed.

"Looks like we have to pull Endy out of trouble," Jonathan
agreed.  Very grateful that he was determined to be
prepared that sunrise, Jonathan pulled out his sword.  "Hold
and disperse!" the boy shouted as he charged up the
hill.

"Come on, Jordan.  Let us go," Nathaniel said as he grabbed
Jordan's hand and moved to follow Jonathan up the hill.

"Yes, my lord," Jordan replied in a surprised voice.

"And call me Nathaniel," the noble corrected.

"Yes, my lor- I mean, Nathaniel."

As Nathaniel and Jordan reached the top of the hill, they were
just in time to witness a deft maneuver by Jonathan with his
sword that scratched one of the mob and caused him to back off.
Without thinking or talking about it, the other three boys
surrounded the prince on his left, right and rear, facing outward
to deal with the threat.

"If your buddies were coming, you coulda just waited for them,"
the blond in front of the prince said as he blocked an incoming
fist.

"I did not know they were coming.  Jonathan, Nathaniel, how-"

"Did we find you?  We can talk about that later," Nathaniel
interrupted as he tried to size up the threat in front of
them.  "I would just like to know -"

"Have you taken leave of your senses?!" Jonathan said as he
used his sword to deflect an attack.  "How exactly did this
happen, anyway?"

"Who cares how it happened!" the young man in front countered.
"Mister military can surely get us out of here with a few more
sword tricks."

"If he knew a few more sword tricks," Nathaniel muttered.

"You are not helping, my lord," Jonathan returned sarcastically.

"At least he brought something pointed and sharp," the young man
in front continued.  "Please tell me that someone else also
has something pointed and sharp."

"There is my wit," Nathaniel shared.

"I think he means something pointed, sharp, and tangible,"
Jordan clarified.

"Then we only have the sword of Jonathan," the heir to a barony
confirmed.

"We are so dead," the blond in front of the prince said
again.

"Maybe not," Jordan said.  "If the military man-"

"His name is Jonathan," Nathaniel interrupted.

"You are not helping, Sato." Jonathan said as he tried
to fend off another attack with his sword.

"Well, if Jonathan can tilt the sword up to catch the
light of the sunrise, it would blind the men advancing
on us-"

"And we can run away!" the one in front said.

"Exactly."

"Fine, okay." Jonathan agreed.  "But we have to find another
way back.  The way we came is too wide open and these guys
are probably going to follow us.  Got an escape route
for us, too, Cryer?"

"I think so, yes," the son of the merchant answered.

"Then let's go," Jonathan said as he used his sword to 
blind their attackers so that the five boys could rush
down the hill.

*****

It was almost three hours after sunrise and there was now 
a crowd on the platform in front of the field as well as
on the field itself. Attached to the south side of the palace,
which was the side that faced the great expanse of land that
was referred to as the royal field, the platform would serve as 
the space from which those vying for a place on the royal
guard would be observed and those chosen would be announced.

At this time the platform held the current royal guard,
various servants, and the royal family minus Prince Endymion,
who was expected to join them soon.  While the king and
queen were off to the side in conversation with the visiting
Baron Sato, the prince and princess stood in the back center
with their other two children.

"Are you still nervous, Adaunde?" Prince Terrius asked his
wife.

"Maybe," she admitted.  "I think that what worries me
is that I shall have to endure this again for Tremmy and
Ling," she added as looked down at her curious six year
old and her fidgeting three year old.

"Yes, you shall have to endure other choosings, but not as 
grand as this."

"Yes, not as grand," she agreed.  After a few beats of silence, 
the princess bent down and picked up her youngest, balancing him on
her hip.

"Adaunde," her husband chastened, "eventually, you shall have
to let him stand on his own for an entire ceremony."

The princess and the youngest prince both turned and stuck
their tongues out at Terrius.  "I do not have to do so this
sunrise.  One of my children is already growing up.  I do 
not feel the need to rush the process for the other two."

As they continued to talk, the current royal guard stood off 
to the far right surveying the field, two of them also looking
to locate their offspring.  As General Bryer, the current 
Kunzite, looked over the field again, a servant approached.

"Excuse me, Kunzite, sir," the servant said timidly.

"Yes.  State your business," Bryer replied.

"Um...the prince is missing."

"Excuse me?!" the general turned all of his attention on
the servant.  "Did you say the prince is missing?"

"Well...we can't locate him at moment," the servant
admitted.

"When was the last time he was seen?" General Kyto, Nephrite,
asked as he entered the conversation.

"We are not sure that anyone has actually seen him today.
We started trying to find him when Lord Sato asked to see
him..."

"How long ago was that?" Kyto followed up.

"About two hours after sunrise."

"Two hours after sunrise?!  And you are just now letting
us know that the prince is missing!" Bryer growled.

At that point, sensing that something must be amiss,
the princess walked over to the right end of the platform.
"What has happened?" she asked.

"Your royal highness," the servant, Kyto and Bryer chorused 
together as they turned to face the princess and bowed.

"What has happened?" the princess repeated herself.

"We have everything under control, your royal highness,"
Bryer replied.

"That does not answer my question, general.  What has happened?"

"There is no need for concern, your royal highness.  There
is just a possibility of a slight delay," Bryer trying to
stall again, certain that he didn't want a frantic mother
on top of everything else.

"Kunzite," the princess uttered in a voice that practically
ordered an answer to her question.

"The palace servants have been unable to locate the prince,"
Bryer finally admitted.

"What?!" the princess gasped.  "You lost my son?!" she 
accused, focusing her outrage upon Bryer and not the
very nervous servant on the platform.

While the princess' reaction was not loud, it was of
sufficient volume for her husband to hear.  Bringing
his middle son with him, he approached the group.

"Who lost whom?  What has happened?"

"Your royal highness," Bryer began again, "the palace
has been unable to locate Prince Endymion.  They are
just now bringing word."

"How long has he been missing?  When was the last time someone
has seen my son?" Terrius asked, worry apparent under the
current calm.

"No one has actually seen him today, but Baron Sato's son
was trying to locate him an hour ago.  That was when they 
first tried to locate him," Kyto answered.

Putting her youngest son down and grabbing both his hand
and Tremaine's hand, the princess asked, "Did someone
take him?"

"Nothing in the palace looked out of place," the servant
shared.

"It's too early to tell, but more than likely not.  If he
had been taken, we would have heard something before now,"
Kyto reassured the princess.

"That could mean that he left on his own," Bryer shared.

Hearing that caused the princess to squeeze both hands
she held.  Tremaine merely squirmed, but Arlington spoke 
up.  "Ow!  That hurts, Mommy."

"Sorry, sweetie," the princess said absentmindedly as she
let go of his hand and pulled him to her side instead,
clamping a hand on his shoulder.

"He would not do that, I am sure," Terrius objected.

"Begging your royal highness' pardon, but he is Princess
Adaunde's son, after all," Kyto pointed out.

The truth of that observation caused silence to fall
on the group as the adults thought about what that 
meant and the children tried to figure out what was
going on.

"How soon can a search be arranged?" Terrius asked.

"Without causing a panic?" Bryer asked.

Before the conversation could proceed any further, Sergeant 
Putnam, the current Zoicite, approached the group.  "Who are 
those people approaching the field from the left?"

The group turned as one to look.  In the distance
five boys were approaching the field. All of them
looked a little worse for wear, but a few of them
were recognized by the group on the platform.

"Jonathan? And Nathaniel?" Terrius noted, confused.

"And Endymion, thank the Creator," Adaunde added.  "Does
anyone know who the other two are?"

"No, your royal highness," Kyto answered.  

"Do you think that Endy, Jonathan and Nathaniel went 
off somewhere together and just did not tell anyone?"
Adaunde asked her husband.

"On this sunrise?  And returning in such shape?  I
do not think so," Terrius answered.

"Lord Sato came to the palace looking for Prince
Endymion," the servant added in a squeak.  "He 
couldn't have left originally with him."

Adaunde sighed.  "Terrius, would you go greet our
visitors and retrieve our son for the ceremony?"

Surprised, the royal turned to his wife, "Why send
me to retrieve our son?"

"Because your reaction shall be better than mine."

"Why are you convinced that my reaction would be
better?"

Adaunde smiled at her husband.  "Terrius, I am his
mother.  I was already nervous.  I find out that
he has been missing for at least an hour and that
he probably went out on his own.  How do you think I
shall react?  Remember, mothers also have the gift of 
the ability to make a scene," she added.

"In that case, I shall go retrieve our son," the
prince agreed.

*****

By the time the quintet of boys had made it off of the
hill, through the forest and swamp, and back to the
palace, they realized that more time had passed than they
were aware of.  Hoping to not attract too much attention,
they tried to quietly enter the field from the back left,
but, as the crowd in front of them began to part, they
realized that they had been spotted.

"Whom do you think they have sent to talk to us?" Nathaniel
whispered to Jonathan.

"If we’re lucky, it's Jedite or Lady Anderson."

"And if we are not lucky?" Nathaniel asked.

"Endy's mother," Jonathan replied.

"Or your father," Nathaniel countered.

"How much trouble are we in, anyway?" the unknown blond
from the hill asked.

As the boys looked up to see who was approaching their group,
their eyes widened.  "A lot," Jonathan managed to say under
his breath before the envoy stopped in front of them.

"Your royal highness," Jonathan and Nathaniel said as they
bowed.

"Your royal highness?!" Jordan and the other boy echoed as
they quickly bowed in return.

"Father," Endymion acknowledged quietly.

"Father?!!" this again from the two boys who were neither 
military or nobility.

"We are so dead," the blond from the hill uttered once more.

"I shall talk with you in a few moments, Endymion," Prince
Terrius said as he gave his son a look.  Returning his
attention to other known boys in front of him, Terrius 
continued, "Jonathan, Nathaniel.  It is good to see you
this sunrise.  I assume there is a good explanation for the
disappearance and reappearance of my son, especially given
the state of your attire?"

"Yes, your royal highness," the boys said together.

"I wonder if the two of you were getting him into trouble
or out of trouble this time," Terrius seemed to muse.

"Your royal highness-" Nathaniel began only to be cut
off by Prince Terrius.

"I shall hear the entire story later," the prince said.
Moving toward to the two boys unknown to him in the 
back, he looked at them and asked, "And you are?"

Two fear-filled sets of eyes looked up at him as the 
boys tried to answer.

Terrius sighed and squatted slightly so that he wasn't
so far above the boys.  "If my wife were standing here,
she would point out that there is nothing to fear.  We
do know our son, after all.  Everything shall be fine.
I would just like to be able to address you both by
name, if I may."

"Yes, your royal highness," the boys managed to stammer
out.  After glancing at each other, the merchant's son
decided to go first.  "My name is Jordan Cryer, your
royal highness.  My parents are merchants in the city."

"Cryer," the prince seemed to ponder that name.  "They 
are knowledge merchants, are they not?  They have a
shop not far from the selling area of the Tiffany-Cartier
family?"

"Y- yes," the boy stammered, surprised.

The prince smiled.  "I have been in the shop of your
parents when my wife has visited with Mistress Maya.
Your parents are very kind and intelligent people."

"Th-thank you, your royal highness," Jordan replied.

"And you are?" Terrius asked, returning his attention
to the one unknown in the group.

"Treggar Quezenberry Lightmaker, your royal highness.
Just a son of a nightwatchman."

"Well, Treggar.  It is nice to meet you," the prince
smiled.  "And, as my wife would say, there is no such
thing as 'just' the son or daughter of any citizen of
the realm.  Besides, I have a feeling that you have
managed to do us a great service today.  But I shall
have the full story later," Terrius concluded as he
stood.

"Come with me, son.  We have a choosing to get underway,"
Terrius told his son.  As the two began to walk away, the
prince turned to look over his shoulder.  "Please do not
leave.  We would like to talk with all of you after the 
choosing."

After the two princes had reached the platform, Treggar
found his voice enough to squeak out, "How much trouble 
are in?"

Ignoring him, Nathaniel turned to Jonathan, "So, this has
probably knocked you out of the running for a royal guard
position."

"Shut up, Sato."

*****

As Endymion approached the platform with his father, he 
could feel many eyes on him.  After he climbed on the
platform behind his father, he took a deep breath and 
turned to face his mother.  She stood, leveling a hard
stare at him while holding Tremaine's hand with one
hand, her other hand clamped on Arlington's shoulder.

"Are you unhurt, Endymion?" she asked softly after a few
moments.

"Yes, mummy," he replied.

"Good.  We shall all have a long talk after this choosing,"
she said.

"Yes, mummy," Endy agreed.

A few minutes after that, and his father called the crowd
to order.  Starting the proceedings, his father began to 
explain what the royal guard was to the assembled.  Endymion
only attended slightly.  In thinking over what he had to
do during the ceremony, he realized that he had already
made a decision about those who would be in his guard.  
It meant he would have to re-think what he would say, at 
least in three instances, but he felt less nervous about
the task before him.  Maybe he was growing up.

At this point, his father was just finishing up thanking
his own royal guard.  Knowing that he would have to speak
soon, the prince began to listen again to his father.

"...for their service to the crown and to my family,
I thank them.  And I thank them for all of their
sacrifices," Prince Terrius was saying as he began 
to clap.

After the clapping died down, he continued.  "Today, Prince
Endymion shall carry on this tradition by naming the next
Jedite, Zocite, Nephrite, and Kunzite.  To do that, he 
shall give or has already given a test to see whom among
you shall be named.  At this time, the sun rises on
my son the prince."

As his father, turned the attention over to his son,
Endymion cleared his throat.  "As my father said, those
chosen are usually chosen by a test.  As I stand before
you, I can say that the test has already been given, 
although it was not meant to be a test at the time.

"Earlier today, I left the palace without security and
managed to encounter a little trouble."  After the crowd's
gasps of surprise had died down, Endymion continued.  
"It was the teamwork of four diverse and brave people 
that delivered me from trouble to where I stand before
you.  Without knowing each other well, they worked together,
and in their own way, embodied what a royal guard should
be.  And I thank them for that."

The prince paused to take a deep breath.  While he wasn't
as nervous as he was that morning, he was still a little
unsure.  But he plunged on through the naming.  "A Jedite
should be a symbol of the heart of the kingdom.  Jedite
is the voice of compassion and creativity in the guard.
My father captured this well in the choice of Lieutenant
Shannon Gore, and I hope that my choice will be just
as correct.  Lieutenant Gore, would you please come stand
to my right?"

As Lieutenant Gore took her last steps as Jedite, Endymion
continued, "Although he was not born into the military
or into any situation where one would expect compassion,
he showed great compassion this sunrise by rushing in to
defend a stranger.  For that reason, I name Treggar 
Quezenberry Lightmaker as the next Jedite."

That pronouncement caused buzzing throughout the crowd.  In
a particular group of four, it brought another type of
reaction.

"Well, well, well," Nathaniel commented as he turned to 
look at the worker.

"What...what just happened?" the confused boy stammered.

Jonathan gave him a piercing look.  "You were just handed
a great honor by his highness.  Now get up there and
accept it," the general's son said as he pushed the other 
boy toward the platform.

In his own haze of confusion the boy did make it to the 
platform.  Once he arrived, the military woman to the
right of the prince gave him a kind smile, after blinking,
and, removing a pin she wore, she pinned him.  As she lead
him a few steps away, he could hear the murmurings of the
prince and princess.

"He is not military, Adaunde," Prince Terrius commented to
this wife.

"He is a cute little boy, however.  I think I shall like him,"
the princess replied.

There wasn't much time for more conversation, because Prince
Endymion was continuing.  "A Zoicite should be a font of 
information.  It has been said that protection is half 
intelligence and half strategy based on the intelligence.
In Sergeant Tyler Putnam my father found someone who knew 
a lot about the military and the terrain of the capital city.  
I hope that my choice can bring a wider knowledge to our 
rapidly changing world.  Sergeant Putnam, would you come and 
stand to my right?"

Again, as Putnam made his last walk as Zoicite, Endymion
continued, "It was the knowledge that this person had
of our capital city, of sun heights, and of other uses 
for swords that more than likely saved my life today.  
For this reason, I named Jordan Cryer as the next Zoicite."

This caused more murmurings in the crowd and a few, "He's his
mother's son"s to be uttered.  After a few shocked moments,
Jordan followed the path of Treggar before him, realizing
that he would probably become really shocked and nervous
when he actually learned what he was agreeing to.

As Jordan walked, Nathaniel leaned over to Jonathan.  "You
know," he said, "if you do not receive a space on the royal
guard of Endy after this, I really doubt you shall be able
to handle it."

"Shove off, Sato," Jonathan replied and ground his teeth as
Nathaniel laughed.

Before anyone knew it, Endymion was beginning to name his
next choice.  "My next choice may be rejected, but it is
the only choice I feel that I can make.  A Nephrite is
a symbol of strategy.  Not necessarily military strategy,
but of the planning necessary to interact in all the
situations besides war.  This person is often the public
face of the guard.  Nephrite is the one who must interact
with people outside the military on issues involving the
prince and his safety.  And, as my grandmother and mother,
the queen and the princess, would be quick to point out,
this is a person who has to be comfortable at balls,
routs, and all the other social occasions in which a royal
might need protection.

"In General Holt Kyto, my father found a very talented man who
was a natural at politics.  An expert negotiator, he
was able to communicate with many different kinds of 
people, including a self-avowed difficult daughter of 
a colonel."  Processing his mother's laughter, Endymion
smiled. "Would General Kyto, please come and stand to 
my right?"

As Kyto moved into position, Endymion dropped his bombshell.
"My choice for Nephrite I am sure will ably follow in
the footsteps of the general, as he has had to do 
similar tasks for the entire one and ten years he has 
walked on terra firma.  For this reason, I name Lord 
Nathaniel Sato as the next Nephrite."

If the crowd murmured before, they were actively talking
now.  People wondered allowed if such a naming were possible.
Others asked out loud how Baron Sato would react.  The
queen herself even leaned over to the baron, noticing his
shocked expression, and asked a similar question.

If the baron wore a shocked expression, his son's expression
was even more shocked.  For a few seconds, the boy really 
couldn't speak.

"Well, Sato," Jonathan said on his right.  "Aren't you going
to turn his highness down?  Call it an insult to your
place and all that?"

"Are you kidding?" Nathaniel asked, the question snapping
him back from his paralysis.  "I am not turning this down."

"What about your barony?"

"I can manage a barony in my sleep.  This is a challenge.
Besides," Nathaniel said as he took a deep breath, "my
father pulled me from out of nowhere.  He can conjure up
another heir if he decides he needs one."  With that
the young lord began his walk to the stage.

As the crowd still discussed this shocking choice, the noble 
walked onto the platform.  He noted that his presence 
did cause the prince to appear a little less nervous.  As
the noble approached Kyto, they began their own exchange.

"Lord Sato," the general said as he saluted.

"General Kyto," the one and ten year old replied as he
tried to salute in return.

The general shook his head.  "We'll have to work on your
salute."

"I do bow well," the boy returned.

The general smiled, "So we won't have to work on your
etiquette lessons then."

A few minutes and throat clearings later, Endymion was finally
ready to make his last selection.  "Kunzite is the highest
military office in the land.  Many mooncycles ago, it was
decided that the highest office should be held by the 
protector of the prince and not a protector of the king,
as protecting the king would make one past-oriented while
protecting the prince would make one future-oriented.  Yet,
in all of that, a Kunzite must understand the military
he or she leads by default.  He or she must be an excellent
military strategist and a good leader.

"General Bryer has served my father ably in this regard.
Without knowing it, however, Bryer has served me ably as
well, as for one and ten years he has been training his
replacement.  General, if you could please stand to my
right?"

As the general moved into position, there was no surprise
among anyone, when the young prince finally ended with,
"For this reason, I name Jonathan Bryer as the next 
Kunzite."

For the first time during the entire naming, the audience
clapped, as they finally understood one of the choices made
by his royal highness.  As Jonathan reached his father, he
took a few seconds to collect himself before he met his
gaze.

"Congratulations," his father said.

"Thank you," Jonathan returned.

"So," his father began, giving his son a stern look,
"What actually happened this sunrise?"

"Just what his royal highness said," Jonathan replied.
"I led the team that passed his test." 

- to be continued -