Sunrise

Rogan groaned as his father tossed a fresh set of clothes on top of him in his bed. "Time to get up, son," he father's voice rang out as he pulled the curtains open, letting the sun burst into the room, bathing it and bright light where only a few moments prior it had been virtually pure darkness. "It's time to be on the move. There are things to see this morning. Things that can only be seen before the hustle and bustle of the day begin."

Slowly Rogan sat up in his bed, his arms moving automatically to remove his sleeping shirt to place on the riding clothes he had been provided. "Why must we be up so early?" he questioned groggily. "Even with my eyes closed, I can see that the sun is only just above the horizon. The day has only just barely started. Surely whatever it is you want me to see can wait."

"A prince should not complain so much," his father replied. "You'll be a man soon. And as a man, you will have to work hard and be active far before the rest of the city is." Rogan's father was already fully dressed to ride, his clothes functional yet still regal. Rogan suspected that the man had been up since before the sun had begun to rise. He didn't know how the old man did it. He was far younger than his old man, often praised for his sprightliness, yet he could never compete with the energy the man had first thing in the morning.

A bag was tossed in Rogan's direction the moment he finished dressing and got out of bed. Without a word he haphazardly slung it around his shoulders, too tired to properly carry it. He was rushed out of his room, down a flight of stairs, and across the castle to the stables. Though they crossed paths with no one along the way, Rogan could hear the murmurings of the servants beginning to rise, preparing to do their duties before the rest of the people awoke.

Before he knew it, he was mounted on his horse and being led by his father out of the gates. The sun was still low on the horizon, and Rogan had to shield his eye's from its light. "I don't know how you expect me to see whatever it is you want me to if I can hardly see anything at all," he complained.

"Quit being such a sore sport," his father replied. "You'll be up in a bit, ready for action. I suggest you work on speeding that process up. You may miss the wonder's of the early morn."

Rogan rubbed his eyes, attempting to get the sleep out of them as his father advised, letting his muscles adjust to the swaying motions of his horse to keep him upright. Even when he was tired, he had done enough riding in his time to be able to stay on his horse in the worst of conditions. As he pulled his hands away from his eyes, blinking them back into focus, he realized that his father was leading him up a hillside on the far side of the castle, overlooking the town. "Where are you taking me?" he asked. "There's not much up this way."

"Perhaps there hasn't been the times you have been here," came the reply, "but I assure you that there is much to see."

As they peaked over the hill, Rogan looked around. The morning air was fresher up here, filling his lungs with a light feeling that quickly finished waking him. The morning dew had not yet evaporated, and looking out over the hill as it fell away towards the city, it shined and rippled in the wind like waves on the ocean. As greenery turned to stone, the smoke of homes and business had not yet begun to rise, and there was a clarity unlike that which Rogan had witnessed before.  It was a peaceful view. It was as though he were looking onto a place entirely foreign to that which he called home.

"You see, son?" his father asked, sitting proudly atop his horse. "This is as much our kingdom as that which you are so accustomed to. You do not rule over only the bustling people and the stark contours of civilization. You rule too over the shining city on the sea of nature that sings for those brave enough to visit it." As if on command, the songs of the morning birds arose from the trees, floating down on the breeze to Rogan's ears. "This is our kingdom, my child," his father continued. "And one day, you alone shall rule over it."