5 Minute Freewrite - Prompt: Fourth
He tightened the saddle on the beast's back and checked its fit. He would be spending the majority of his travels outside of towns and villages, so a quality saddle would be an important investment. And this saddle seemed to be the best in the city.
"How much?" he asked the craftsman as he pulled out his coin pouch.
The craftsman shifted uncomfortably, trying not to make eye contact. He had expected as much, given his status. The city's craftsmen didn't often deal with their royalty directly. Not even one as lowly as he.
"Fourth, are you--"
Oren glared at his guard, forcing the man to cut his words short.
"M-my apologies," the guard stammered, "I didn't mean to address you as such, Lord Oren."
Fourth. It was the derogatory nickname that his elder brothers had taken to calling him, and it wasn't long before even the servants were using it as they gossiped. He was the fourth son, the unneeded heir, and had been left to whither in the shadows of his father and brothers.
Oren dug 50 gold voune from his pouch and put them on the workbench, ignoring the craftsman's protests. He finally had everything he would need for his journey and would allow for no further delay. This was his opportunity to prove himself, to make his name known to all in the kingdom, and he would let nothing stand in his way.
This prompt was posted by @mariannewest and can be found here.
Image sourced from Pixabay.