Chapter 7

"Can you not see that with each passing day the situation worsens? You know how they are." He paused, then added, "And no, I cannot, nor do I wish to leave it alone."

Rhenycyn turned around and leaned back on the crenel again, his hazel eyes focused on Bhel'Ehzz. From his position atop the castle he could see most of the eastern part of the city and beyond the walls of the city to the Sarhag Fields. The Prince followed the main eastern road as it cut through the Fields like a scythe from outside the walled capital to its guarded entrance into the city. There, the road split three ways. One continued straight to the castle but the other two forked around either side of the castle and across the Twisted Horn River. The roads joined again at the western edge of the capital, becoming the main western road to or from Bhel'Ehzz. He viewed the military housing, merchant shops and residential areas with mixed emotions. Rhenycyn felt pride but also an equal amount of frustration. Bhel'Ehzz was a great city—a great capital, but improvements were needed. His improvements.

Ellycyn moved next to her brother. She poked her head out from beneath her hood, trying to judge if it was safe to talk. She thought it so. She put her arm around Rhenycyn and squeezed. "It is beautiful, is it not?"

The Prince returned the gesture and smiled. "Yes, it is," he said, "very beautiful." He turned to face her, took her gloved hands in his. "Walk with me to the other side, will you?"

Ellycyn thought about their father and his Advisor waiting on them. "I am becoming quite chilled up here. Can we not go inside?"

The Princess reconsidered and changed her mind, deciding that her brother needed a little more time. "To the west Your Highness," she said laughingly. She bowed to him then and said, "Lead on."