Okay, here is Chapter 2! We have decided to post the chapters weekly on Fridays, hope you guys enjoy!

The King is dead! The shout rang through the streets of First Warren like the tolling of a bell. It spread like wildfire through the Thirty Warrens and soon everyone had heard the terrible news. King Walter the Good was dead. Killed by a wolf in battle. It was a startling loss; one no had been prepared for. They had thought that King Walter would be with them for many more years but now he was gone.

Jonathan thought he would be ready for this day. The day they received news that the King had died in battle, but he was not ready. He had practiced with his bow for years; he could hit the center most part of the target almost every time. He had been preparing for the day when he would fight for Prince Jupiter, but now that the day was approaching, he was scared. He didn’t know if he was ready, he didn’t know if he was good enough. He felt torn in two different directions. He knew his brothers would join the army, but he also knew their father could use their help, and mother…

Mother still wasn’t doing well she had never really recovered from her illness, what if she was to… well you know, while he was gone. If that happened, he didn’t think he could ever forgive himself, and that would leave his father all alone in First Warren. It was a decision that made him feel torn, he wanted to fight for the Cause, but he didn’t want to neglect his parents, and he didn’t want to leave Lea. She was beautiful, perfect, and he loved her and she him, at least he thought she loved him. But if he left would she wait for him? Would she be here when he got back? They were questions that had no answers.

He stood in the square with his brothers and Darren much like he had that first day when he had promised himself that he would fight for Prince Jupiter, even die for Prince Jupiter. He knew his brothers felt the same way, he wasn’t sure about Darren, but he knew Darren would do whatever they did. But unlike that day today his resolve was wavering. He was indecisive. If Jupiter called bucks to arms, he didn’t know if he would heed the call or not.

The crowd was still gathering many weeping and sobbing, as the loss of the King was still fresh. It had been a few weeks since they first received the news, but like a new wound not yet healed, it hurt with an aching that nothing could remedy. He watched the platform intently waiting for Prince Jupiter, or rather King Jupiter, to appear. Or one of the Lords, he wasn’t entirely sure King Jupiter would be addressing them, he just knew the bells had rang which meant they were to gather in the square.

Josiah stood between Jonathan and Joseph his head held high. He was determined to be strong and to heed King Jupiter if he called bucks to action. He would be ready. He reached back and fingered the hilt of one of the two swords on his back. He had worked with his father, who was a mason, for years till he had saved up enough money to buy these swords, he wanted to be ready. Ready for whatever King Jupiter might ask them to do.

He had spent hours practicing and learned all the techniques he could. He believed he was ready, ready to serve to the best of his ability. He would fight when the time came, he would fight for all those he loved! For his mother, his father, his brothers, and for Tansy. The doe whom he had recently met, he thought he might even marry her one day, that’s if she would have him when he came back.

He looked back to the platform and that saw King Jupiter was walking onto it slowly, his older brother, Prince Winslow, by his side. Though his coronation had taken place not many weeks before, King Jupiter already looked tired. Josiah figured part of that was because Jupiter was still grieving over the loss of his father. He saw Winslow direct Jupiter and tell him where to stand, the brothers embraced then took their places on the platform beside each other.

Josiah knew that Winslow and Jupiter were close, especially since Prince Bleston, the oldest of King Walter’s sons, had left during the night. He had left right after Jupiter was given the Green Ember, with a group malcontents and nobody had seen or heard from them since. He shifted his thoughts back to the platform and watched as Lord Booker, Chancellor Perkin, and his son, also named Perkin, came onto the platform. They were followed by Lord Blackstar, and his son Victor, Lord Rake who had just received the position from his father, and Lord Hew and his son Hewson. The crowd quieted as Chancellor Perkin held up a hand for silence and began to speak.

“The loss of the King is still fresh, I know, and it is sad and heartbreaking to us all. King Walter was a Good king, he was greatly loved by you all, I know, and he will be missed. But in his stead Prince Jupiter has risen! The Green Ember has rose from the ashes of the former King, as has always been the custom since Whiston Mariner’s day and before. We will not let this loss destroy us; we will let it make us! We will get through this time not by drifting apart but by standing together! United under the banner of King Jupiter Goodson!”

Joseph agreed with chancellor Perkin, but though his speech was good it did not quite satisfy something inside him. Maybe it was the longing for justice to be done, for whoever had killed the king to pay. Maybe it was something inside him that whispered that he wanted to hear from their new King, to know what he was going to do. Yes, maybe that was it. He shouted with all the rest, but he hoped King Jupiter would speak. It was silent for a long time and when after a while King Jupiter did not step forward the crowd started to drift apart, but then a voice carried over the noise of the crowd. “Wait!”

The voice sounded firm, but unsure. He looked back toward the platform and saw King Jupiter standing in the middle of it. Chancellor Perkin, his son, and Lord Booker, and the other Lord’s and their sons had turned to go and were now looking back at the young King. Prince Winslow laid a hand on Jupiter’s shoulder. Jupiter took a deep breath then said, “It is hard for me to speak for my sorrow is deep, for not only have you lost your King, but I have lost my father. But I am King now and it is my job to speak to you. To let you know what I’m going to do.”

Tears started in Jupiter’s eyes and Joseph saw Winslow give his brother’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. He looked to his brothers and saw that they were watching intently. He looked back to Jupiter as he began talking again, his voice full of sorrow.

“My father, your King was a good king who tried to do what he thought was best for this kingdom. He brought us peace and I wish to continue what my father started. I am not going to let all the work he put into this kingdom, the work he died trying to accomplish go to waste! I am going to finish what he started! But to do so I need your help. I call on you young bucks of First Warren, I call on you to fight! I call on you to rally together under my banner to protect what my father died protecting! To finish what my father started! To restore the Thirty warrens to its former glory! To restore all of Natalia to its former glory! So, will you fight with me? Will you stand with me till the end! Will you lay down your life for this Kingdom? Are you willing to give your all! If so come forward! I call you to arms, I call you to battle to protect what we love! To make a future for our children and our children’s children! We fight for love and hope! So, will you join me!” Jupiter threw his fist into the air and a shout went up from the gathered crowd.

Then Joseph rushed toward the front with many other young bucks who had been waiting for this day. This day when they would be called to arms. As he, Josiah, and Darren worked their way toward the front, Joseph looked around for Jonathan, but he didn’t see him.

Let us know what you think, sorry it was kind of depressing, we'll make up for it next week...