*SEBASTIAN - THE KING OF YANDESTINE'S POV*

The palace was tense.

Servants were running around with golden plates filled with fresh fruits and refreshments, newly ironed red carpets were carefully brought in with utmost care as they were rolled out from the entrance, and all that could be seen were massive smiles and busy laughter.

But it was all a facade.

Only the people that were wearing the said facade - didn't know they had been dressed in one. They were oblivious to the stiffer body language of the guards - stationed by every pillar - and they easily chose to ignore the lack of excitement or joy on their royal majesties' and highnesses' faces.

What else could they do?

They didn't know what was to come. They didn't know the warring thoughts swarming through my brain were practically killing me, and I didn't know whether to agree with the ominous voice within me telling me to cease all of this at once.

"Father?"

I turned around to see my son, who was standing there looking like nothing less than a nervous wreck.

"Son. How have you been?" I asked with a nod.

"You only saw me yesterday. Not much has changed since then."

Bitterness. That much could be sensed as he kept running his hand through his hair, eyes wavering everywhere. It was clear that he wanted to know more about the letter we had received a few days ago and I wanted to make it even more clear that he wasn't getting any information about the dancer's words, not before his coronation.

"I see. Well, make sure to get lots of rest before the pre-coronation celebration tonight. This is when we need to make a perfect impression among the masses, you have to remember that even if the sub-rulers are under our control, they still are royalty that have the freedom to judge and express. That-"

"-means they could easily tell me I'm not worthy of the throne," I raised my brow at him, urging him to continue. "And I would have to listen to them. I know, Father, I know."

Though I may have seemed composed and all-knowing on the outside, I was still surprised by my son's behaviour. He was acting strangely sour, his facial muscles frustratedly moving in a way that I only saw in my unreasonably arrogant (though somewhat lovely) daughter.

Elijah, however - from the age he knew how to speak - was smartly obedient, attentive and always prepared to serve with a will to sacrifice. An impeccable young man with all the princely qualities, therefore perfect for the throne of Yandestine.

Sometimes, seemingly too perfect.

I stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Elijah, are you fine?"

His head shot up to face mine, clearly startled by my question.

"Yes," he nodded sternly but I knew something was definitely troubling him, and I was internally glad that I could still read my son to that extent. "I'm fine, Father. I have to be. There's no reason to worry, right?"

I smiled at him. "From the day after tomorrow, I'll have to be the one asking you that. From the moment the crown touches your head, you're your own reassurance, courage, and everything else in between and out."

It was like all the tension that was trying to fade away before came rushing back to him, as his frown thundered back down with stricken anxiety.

He looked straight at me, swallowing nothing but a breath. "I'm actually...not fine, Father. In fact, I'm concerningly close to losing my composure. I've been having strange nightmares recently, and before you say anything, I know I don't sound anything like someone who's about to have forty villages under full commandment but-"

I chuckled at him, cutting him off and patted his shoulder. "I would only be worried if you weren't as tense as you are right now, Eli. I was just as agitated as you are when I was about to be crowned, if not even more."

Thinking about your memories before being crowned now, are you?

No. I can't afford to do that, not now.

Just how long do you think you'll be able to run away from it?

"Really, Father? It's just that, it's happening so much more sooner than I expected it to. I was actually thinking I'd have a bit more time before I'd have the answer..."

I won't think about it.

I blinked at the floor, quickly shaking myself out of my thoughts.

"No more doubtful questions, Elijah. Right now, thinking about literally anything is going to drive your mind to insanity. Go get some rest as I said before, and just bring yourself to a halt. Just try and do something that would comfort you."

He nodded with an absent-minded look, and turned to walk away.

"Eli?" He whirled around, attention sharpened again. "It doesn't matter if you haven't found the true meaning to love yet. Love won't just come to an abrupt stop just because you become King. You may definitely have the chance to continue that search after too. Don't think about it as if it's a challenge you need to accomplish. It's far away from that, son."

He walked away quietly, with a smile that dangled between ingenuity and fatigue.

He will get a chance. He will find love. I'm going to make sure of it.

Because if he doesn't, I don't think I'd have the power to watch him shatter and burn when a loveless vulnerability comes pouring down on him.

Like I am.

Every day.

Only because of the choices I made.

~~~

"I don't bite, Sebastian. I would think that after this many years of being next to each other would have made that clear to you."

I looked at Lucia with a knowing smile, as we both stood near the balconies of the guest-chambers, breathing in the fresh air. "But you apparently do kill, according to what I've heard."

She raised a brow at me with a confident spark in her eyes. "That I do. But I'll try not to mark myself in history by being the Queen that murdered her own King."

"I appreciate that."

"Even though I am tempted to do so at many moments."

"I urge you to control the desire until the coronation."

My wife let out a sigh and fully turned around to face me, leaning away from the pillar. "This is disappointing. Sebastian, I can't really do much if you constantly avoid me and pretend to have something else in your hands, whenever I try to speak with you."

I opened my mouth to respond but she put her palm up with a strict expression. "This is my space to speak. Our son is drowning - in doubts about his worthiness and about the dangers crawling towards our kingdom. Doubts that I know you definitely have some sort of an answer to. Yet, you force yourself to ignore his mental plea and worries, and I wonder whether you'd even lend a hand to help him up when he finally falls."

I stayed quiet as she stared at me wistfully. "I don't want to see him fall, Sebastian. I just have this feeling, this notion that something very bad is going to happen. I know we can't stop all evil but we need to at least be a step ahead before any of it does begin. We need to at least be prepared."

I lifted my hand to encase it over the trembling twitches of her fingers, but I couldn't do it.

I couldn't reassure her.

"Lucia. There's a reason why I've ordered for the coronation to take place the very day after the royal ceremony. I know certain events recently have badly disturbed us but I am doing everything possible to protect us and the kingdom."

She started rubbing one of her palms over the other, intertwining her fingers together. "The space of a week between the pre-coronation ceremony and the actual coronation has always been there for a very good reason. It is for our royal guests and villagers - our people, to get to know the Prince, and come to a strong conclusion about his ascending to the throne."

"I'm aware of that." I said plainly.

"I know you are, which is why I don't understand how you expect them to make a decision or even form an opinion in the time frame of a single day. Do you not think it is unfair, for our son and them?"

I received her relentlessly questioning stare, and shook my head. "No, I don't. In fact, I think it poses all the more of a challenge for our son and our guests. He has to show that he is capable of impressing his own people - regardless of the time given - that he can rule with courage, honesty and compassion. He needs to prove that he won't fall under pressure, and can get up without a helping hand even if he does fall.

"Our sub-rulers on the other hand, will need to demonstrate their intelligence and ability to measure one's talent without bias. They will be able to actively decide if the Prince of Yandestine becomes King, with whatever they see at first sight and the next few hours after that. With so much deciding power in their hands, we get the chance to see how our own people think, work and conclude."

"In such little time?"

"Especially in such little time, Lucia."

She suddenly separated her hands from each other, and stepped closer to me.

"That was a wonderful explanation, Sebastian. I believe you. But I won't be fooled. There's definitely another reason, isn't there?"

I didn't step back, and I sternly folded my arms behind my back. "If you suspect or doubt me of anything, I would like you to come forward without hesitation."

She cocked her head, as some sort of an understanding seemed to be dissolving into her.

"Is that so, my King?"

Lucia abruptly stepped back, and spun around violently.

"SOLDIERS!" She shouted at the shocked men within our proximity. "Go to the training fields, and strengthen your arms and weapons. If I see a single twitch of fear in your damned bodies hereafter, prayer would be advised for every part of your anatomies! Now, disappear!"

There wasn't a single person in sight in a matter of seconds.

She slowly turned around back to me, not moving at all as she met my eyes. Her hands travelled to the neck of her sword, as her fingers tightened around the extremely sharp part of it, almost drawing blood.

"I'm going to ask you a question. I want a straight answer, without a trace of denial."

She took a deep breath in. "Why have you invited the King of Raglezia?"

I drew in a subtle gulp of air.

"Lucia, he's just Rhea's father. She's Elijah's best friend from such little age, and if she's going to be present for such an important event of his life, it's only respectful that I invited her family too."

"I'll wait here for a few more seconds. Please take the time to concoct a better lie, Sebastian."

"I'm not lying. Do not accuse me of such a thing."

A menacing glare left her eyes, and she quickly strode towards me again.

"Denial. That's not what I want. If that wasn't a lie, give me a different truth. You know the vicious stories we've heard about that monster. You have never let him close to our kingdom, for anything, ever. So, what has changed now? Why did you invite him?"

I raised my chin, looking at anyone but her. "There isn't any other reason."

The Queen chuckled with tendrils of disappointment cornered in her eyes, and stepped back with a firm posture.

"Continue with your duties, my King. I apologise for the disturbance. Thank you."

I reached my hand out to her as she started to leave. "Lucia-"

She completely turned away, with her back facing me. "I know you think you're doing something right. I know you believe you're doing what's best for our son," Her face alone turned around torturously slowly; almost like she was trying to hide away as much of herself as possible. "You're wrong, Sebastian. You've always been wrong. Ever since you thought you could love me, you were wrong."

"You were especially wrong when you thought I would believe what you did, and make myself love you."

Silence. It felt more painful than a strangle.

"And now you truly think you could force your failed concept of non-consensual love into my son's life too."

"Lucia, stop. Stop it now-"

"I stopped years ago, Sebastian. I stopped the very moment when I realised that someone else had entered your heart, and left vicious shards of it that were too sharp for me to even touch. I stopped trying to hold your hand, stopped trying to catch your eyes in a room full of people - hoping they'd catch mine too.

"You didn't even see me. You never tried. You never wanted to."

Her voice broke, and a woman that I never knew existed was whispering as unshed tears trembled in her shaking words.

Suddenly, a distressed chortle came from her, and she quickly gathered every fragment of herself before it could fall.

She straightened her back with a cough.

"Regardless, you're the King and I'm your wife. I will listen to your orders, nod my head to every one of them and I will never question any of it. Whatever happens in the next few days, I will be behind you, waiting for your word. After all, that's the only thing I can really do when it comes to you."

Her footsteps flew away, leaving me with nothing to think about.

The sudden absence of a sound and a pang of bruising guilt could never be connected.

But the existence of a 'never' was only a lie.

Always a lie.

***

Hmm, life is boring if we don't have something to hide, right?

Stay blessed,
OceanaCamerons 🌹🌹🌹