"Where am I?" I asked.

"Please just cover up! Bloody beggars have no decency! Here take these rags and go beg somewhere else!" An angry older man was yelling at me while throwing some rags at me.

Disorientated I looked down and gasped in shock, I had no clothes on! Feeling around in terror I confirmed my fears. Quickly grabbing the rags like a drowning animal trying to get air I put them on as fast as I could.

"I am so sorry! Listen, do you know who I am? Do you know how I got here? The coup! Did it succeed?" I was shaking the old man.

"Get off me, you filthy beggar! Guards, guards! Help! He's crazy! A right raving lunatic!" The old man knocked my hands away and ran off screaming for the guards.

What in the chaos was going on? I was still disorientated but I understood one thing without question. If I stayed around things wouldn't end well for me.

"You there! Halt!" 2 guards were running down the street at me.

Instinctually I reached for my broad sword...it wasn't there...of course not, I had just been naked a few moments ago. I decided my only option was to talk this out.

"I assure you there is a misunderstanding! Your uniforms, what house do you support? I don't recognize the colors." I said as I wondered why the guards had their swords out. Surely this was a bit of an overreaction. I just needed to...before I could finish my thought the lankier of the two guards smacked me on my head, hard, with the flat end of his sword. My knees buckled. I heard a loud ringing in my ears and everything started to go black. Was that my blood?

I woke up with a pounding headache. Where was I now, I wondered furiously. Looking around it seemed I was in a dungeon. I tried to steady myself as I felt like I may lose whatever food I had in me if I moved my head too fast.

I wasn't one to use my power for personal things, but being a king did have its advantages...and when I found out who these people were, there would be severe consequences!

"Hey! I need someone here now! You have no idea who you just threw in a dungeon! Someone come here, now!" The more I screamed the more my head pounded but I was in a rage and more concerned with getting out of this dungeon.

"Shut up!" A guard screamed from down the corridor.

"I am king Edward and demand to speak with whoever is in charge! Now!" Enough being diplomatic. Actually, considering I was in the middle of a war, maybe I should tread slightly more carefully. I still didn't know if my captive was an ally or foe.

"Ha! You hear that Bruth! King Edward! Dressed as a beggar! Oh, that's grand! Now shut up before I go over and give you a good smack!" the guard was laughing at me.

I needed to take a different approach. It was obvious threats had no power considering my circumstances "Have either of you ever studied the great houses?" I asked.

"A little, why?" One of the guards asked.

"I will show you. Come here...please." I said.

"If you are wasting my time you are going to regret it, beggar." It was the lanky guard that hit me speaking.

"Calm, Edward." I thought to myself as I felt my face getting red.

"Do you know the birthmark of the Darnian kingdom?" I asked plainly. Trying to hide my rage.

"Ha! Yeah, I do! It's the dragon-shaped thingy on their necks! All their rulers have one! What in chaos has that have to do with you though, beggar?" The guard asked angrily.

Without speaking I turned my head so he could see my neck better, to see the mark of the dragon.

"Bloody hells...I...I...bloody hell!" The guard ran off without another word.

"Finally, some results." I thought to myself. I wasn't out of the fire yet though, still had to figure out if this realm's ruler was friend or foe.

What seemed like several hours later a beautiful woman in her middle years dressed exquisitely came to my cell followed by a company of guards. She paused at the gate and looked me over.

"Strange, this is not king Edward...but he does bear the mark. Guards, open the cell and hold him." The woman said.

"I assure you...I'm sorry, I don't know how to refer to you, my lady." I said.

"Viscountess Emerald." She said. "Normally I would ask that you show better respect for my station but until I learn if that mark on your neck is real or not I shall restrain. You are no king Edward though. I have seen his pictures before in books, and he is not you nor you him." She sounded so confident.

The guards pulled me out of my cell and held me. I fought off the urge to push them away, once again controlling my rage. In all my years as a king, I had never been treated this way, it was humiliating and infuriating.

The viscountess took a handkerchief out and dabbed it on an old stone wall that had some water dripping from it. She then took it to my neck and scrubbed it rather harshly. I fought back the urge to grimace. I would show no more weakness to these people.

There was a slight gasp from her. Well, that was satisfying.

"Who are you, really?" She asked her eyes narrowing.

"I have told you, I am king Edward! Lord of all Darnian and its lesser parts! I demand to be released immediately and escorted back to my kingdom! We are in the middle of a war and I have no time for this!" I could hold my rage no longer.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. While you do bear the mark that only Darnian royalty bear you are not king Edward. Guards, escort him as a guest to my house. Keep him close, and allow him no weapons, and for all that is organized in the world get him a bath and clothes. We will talk further on this matter and I will learn who you are. I will be sending a carrier pigeon to Darnian as well." Emerald said as she spun on her heel and walked off.

(Part 2 to follow...this one got away from me)