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Chapter 32. Morning Excercise
Back to: Chapter 31. The Letter Next: Chapter 33. An Uninvited Guest

Alexander yawned and stretched and was suddenly aware that he was not alone. Someone was in his rooming watching him sleep. At once he was awake. Alarmed he watched around while he tried to figure out how to reach his sword as quickly as possible but he could not see anyone at all. It must have been a dream or imagination. His mind had played tricks with him lately. With his heart still beating quickly he leaned back against his pillow to calm down.


Should he worry that maybe he was turning mad? No, surely it was just the pressure that he had felt lately. Maybe the lack of sleep could also be a contributing factor. He had found it very difficult to fall asleep lately. Now he would definitely not be able to sleep again. He felt slightly irritated because he had been dreaming about Aliendre and would have liked to dream a little longer. It was still early and the castle was wakening up. Servants would be lighting fires, preparing the meals for today and all the other tasks he knew very little about.



As he put his feet on the wooden floor he decided that it would be a good time for outdoor exercise, still not too warm to work hard. Alexander pulled his chainmail over his head and grabbed his sword.



Except for the guards that were on duty he could only see one person in the courtyard, a young girl. When he realized that she had a wooden sword in her hand he almost dropped his jaw, such impudence! A servant had no business being in the exercise area with a wooden sword in her hand? He took a deep breath as he prepared to harshly reprimand her. Then he realized that she only had put the sword up from the ground where it must have fallen. She grabbed her broom again and moved it with regular strokes while looking down at the ground so that he could barely see her face but he had already recognized her as the young maid that had been sent out from Alde’s room. Obviously she was on outdoor duty now.



He started to warm up with some routine exercises with the sword. After a while he noted that he could not hear the sound of the sweeping anymore and looked up.

The girl was closer now and when he looked at her she looked down quickly and started to sweep with very determined strokes. Alexander smiled for himself; the girl had obviously been watching him. He started his exercise again, now showing of a little, and soon enough the sound of the sweeping stopped.



This time he waited a while before he looked up and had the satisfaction to see the girls cheeks turn red as she dropped the broom when he caught her eyes. Quickly she picked up the broom and started to sweep again. Although she had been caught it didn’t seem to stop her from watching again because he could hear the sound of the sweeping disappear after a while and he knew that she still was there. This time he didn’t look up. She could watch if she wanted, he didn’t mind to have an audience.





Alexander went into the great hall pleasantly weary. The exercise had done him good and now he longed for a heavy breakfast. Craftsmen were busy as the King had decided that the hall needed wooden panels before the wedding.

“Hi, there you rose early today little Prince”, he heard from the shadows.

“Hi, when did you arrive, Erik?”

“I came late yesterday night. You had already gone to bed. The rest of my family is staying in town. Looks like you have been up exercising already.”

“Yeah, there’s nothing better to wake you up.”


“Wonder what good all this exercise will do you. There seem to be little chance to die an honorable death in the battle field nowadays.”

“That’s true and I hope it will remain so,” Alexander replied. “Hand me some beer will you please.”

“So, when will you introduce me to your beautiful bride?”

“You can probably meet her very soon today.”

“I look forward to meeting Princess Alde. You’re a lucky prince Alexander. A rich wife with influence and beauty, what else can a man wish for? Erik patted Alexander hard on the back. Alexander had just raised his goblet to have a sip of beer and as Erik patted him on the back bear spilled all over his face.

“Nothing, I suppose,” Alexander replied with a strained smile while he wiped beer from his face with his arm.

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