An Endangered Challenge

I soon discovered he knew my name—

“You’re coming with me Leon whether you like it or not”

“What are you doing—"

“Who’re you?” I said without thinking—

“It hasn’t been that long, what—you don’t remember your older brother’s face?”

He would be right; I didn’t recognize him at all; he had shorter and lighter blonde hair than I and eyes the color of blue much like the sky when my eyes were a brown color. I guess one might see the similarity and believe that we were related.

“You know I can't miss my scribe lessons—”

“I have already sent a letter his way”

“It has been a whole year now,” He had said.

It was more than that. Things have changed in just a few days coming here, it just wasn’t making sense now that I think of it—

Why would I be exiled then be brought back to the place I’d been exiled from?

“So why am I allowed to come back home? —I thought that I am supposed to be exiled”

“You’ll soon find out”

Instead of following the main road he explained that it’d be better to cross through the forest to get there faster.

“Father exiled you simply because you didn’t show any promise in being capable of using magic”

“I think he’s wrong—" he said.

I thought as to what his name is, and the name Alderon Brighthart came to my mind. After crossing through the forest and avoiding getting caught up on the underhanging branches we made it to the path that led to a quick way to Brighthart Castle.

I didn’t expect for the place that I’d been exiled from to be so close.
It wasn’t very hard to tell what Brighthart castle was supposed to look like, in my mind there was a clear depiction of a gothic-style castle, ornate and exquisite in the way it had been built. It wasn’t a dark and gloomy castle but one with vibrant colors shining through the rays of the sun. Once we finally came to the entrance of the castle, the doors to it opened and the staff gasped seeing my face.

“Lord Leon—the maid servant had said, coming to bow her head in respect.

She moved out of the way and slowly raised her head as if she is truly happy to see that I was doing alright.

“Let me show you to your room,” Alderon had said.

Walking through the halls made me feel as though I once belonged here. Pictures of me had been taken down, what once was portraits of the whole family now, I was the one who was absent of it all.

We made it to my room, and Alderon closed it behind me.

“You must really think your special—but the truth is I can’t stand you”

There was no point in explaining that I don’t have any memories of my older brother, nor that I’d been living in a different world called Earth my whole life—then he might really call me insane.

And so instead, I said:
“You must really have it hard—living such a privileged life—”

“You have no clue what’s it like to live trying to make it on your own”

For a moment he was stunned to hear me speak out against him—maybe the Leon who left the Brighthart castle isn’t the one who now stands before him. Maybe it is Leon always listened and obeyed what his older brother had to say, but I won’t let anyone walk over me.

“I’m not who you think I am, I’ve changed but it seems like you’ve stayed the same”

I knew that this is the perfect thing to say to someone like that: to call them out on their behaviour.

“I don’t have a clue why father favors you so much,” he said.

“It doesn’t make sense—I’m the older brother, I’m supposed to be the heir, but father has other plans”
“Is that supposed to be my fault? It sounds like you’re angry at the wrong person”

“Of course, you’d say something like that—after all you’ve always complained about things, you always thought that you were right about whatever you said even when you were clearly wrong”

“I can’t change the past—Alderon it’s not like I wish to be the heir to the Birghthart name”

“Who ordered you to bring me back?”

“Certainly not father—it was me; I want you to go to father and tell him that we must settle things between us”

“Only he will accept the challenge if you are the one to propose it”

So, it’s comes down to jealousy then, that makes sense—

“It won’t be a fair fight considering I can’t use magic”

“I know this already,” he said as he urged me to follow him past the gloomy halls.

Once we made it to my father’s study the servant guarding the door told us that he’s in a meeting and that it was important that he wouldn’t be disturbed.

“Tell him Leon has come to see him,” said Alderon.

If there was anything that could rustle him out of his seat it would be this and Alderon knew this to be true, after all if what he said—that my father favors me over him then that is exactly what he will do, even if it is brushed with anger. The door opened wide, a woman was standing near his study desk, his eyes were wide, a look of disbelief set upon his face.

“Leon is that really you—”

“Yes, it is father”

He should’ve been upset, angry that I came back but I told him the truth.

“Alderon came to bring me back and so I didn’t go back on my word that I would return once I proved myself accomplished”

My father’s eyes were set upon Alderon; a judging look, and my older brother Aldeorn tried explaining himself.

“Yes, it’s true—every word of it is true, I had good reason—” Said Alderon.

My father had a little longer than medium length dirty blonde hair, he didn’t have any bangs, a bulbous nose and he shared the same eye color as my older brother, Alderon.

“You’re free to speak. Now tell me why you did such a reckless thing—”

“I brought Leon here to challenge him come a year’s time, to keep him accountable—and to prove that I am worthy to be the heir of the Brighthart name”

So that’s his plan—

“Challenge accepted”

“And if you lose, then you will become my servant” I had said—before Alderon had a moment to disagree my father had said:

“So be it, the agreement is recognized by me and by the primal gods as well”
Clearly that wasn’t what Alderon was expecting to happen, but he bowed his head slightly and we both agreed to the terms.

“I must leave now—I have no reason to stay,” I said.

My father turned to me and spoke,

“You just got here; I will permit that you are able to stay one more day then when that time comes, I will arrange travel for you back to the capital city”

He was right—I hadn’t any means of transportation and on such short notice it wouldn’t be feasible to travel alone and certainly my brother wouldn’t accompany back to the capital either. Alderon shared me a disdainful glance and turned away to go back to wherever it was he had to be.

“Now if you excuse me, I have to get back to business,” said my father.

“Yes. Of course,”

I wonder if my father could see through my brother like I do—it looks like he hides how he feels about me in the presence of my father—and probably in the presence of the servants as well.

I can only think how satisfying it will be to have him be my servant—to say such terrible things about me I wonder why he’s like that—just what did Leon do? —is it my fault, or is it something someone else did that I became a target? 

I guess one day I will find the answer to that—and when I do I hope that things change.

Hey— watch out!