CHAPTER 24: ADOPTIVE MOTHER
1431 Words
They left the palace after their lunch and a little chat with the king. He kept on laughing and smiling all throughout the conversation with Master Kenjie and the kids. The king even sent them away to the carriage. He let them use the royal carriage which is much bigger and spacious inside.
"The king is kind and down to earth. No wonder you keep on bragging about him to us," Czarina said to compliment Kev's father. They are now in the carriage going back to the campus.
"He is," Kev proudly replied. "He is the best father in the world for me." He looked at Maple. "Of course all our fathers are the best." He cleared his throat.
Maple gave him a smile. "I understand. We all see our parents as the best in the whole world."
"But you seemed not close to your mother," Czarina observed how they treat each other. It is cold and not so affectionate.
"She is not my real mother." Kev looked at the window. "My mother died when I was still a baby. My mother was the fifth wife of the king and a former handmaiden of my grandmother. The queen offered to take me in and adopted me, but I was never treated as her child. She is sweet in front of my father, but cold when he is not around."
"That is so sad to hear," Maple said. "Even though you are not hers, she should at least treat you better. You are still the king's son, and she adopted you."
"She is different." Kev just stared outside the carriage, watching the busy street of Zariste capital.
"Is that the reason why you also don't appear in gatherings the queen organized?" Maple asked
to confirm her hunch.
Kev nodded. "Yes."
"Wait, all I know is that you have three siblings and two half-siblings from the king's other wives..." Maple stopped. She thought she was just thinking about those things, but she said it loudly.
"The queen only has two real children, Loi and Stefan. Ivana also had the same fate as me."
"I'm sorry." Maple sighed.
"Is it difficult to have the father as a king?" Czarina asked. "I heard he really has to have children from different mothers, to sire the future leader of the kingdom. There is a book I have read before, it stated there that the gods and the heavens will assign a woman to the king to be the mother of the future heir to the throne."
"It is. I don't have a normal family but I see three women of my father in the palace and half-siblings which I need to treat our set-up as a normal family..."
"Is that the reason why you want to move out of the palace and explore the world?" Czarina understands him even more.
"That is the main reason."
"Do you hate to have half-siblings?" her follow up question.
"No, I just hate my half-siblings with the queen. They are greedy and naughty. They treated me and Ivana badly, much worse than how they treat Loisa and Elise, my younger half-siblings."
"Are those two also fighting for the throne?" Master Kenjie asked this time. He was just listening earlier to their conversation, but he suddenly got interested.
"Yes, they are. They are real siblings but they treat each other as rivals."
"How do they see you?" Master Kenjie's follow up question.
"They see me as a lowly son of a handmaiden." He chuckled. "I am the son of a handmaiden, so what. I am not interested in that throne. It's the loneliest and weirdest position someone could sit on. But I pray none of those two would take it. The people and the kingdom need someone who has the heart for people."
"I am sure none of them would sit on the throne." Master Kenjie said. He glanced at Czarina, then looked back at Kev. "The king has other children. He can pick among them. Also, the gods and the heavens already chose one a long time ago."
"I hope it's not me. I want to explore and search the farthest land,and live a normal life." His eyes are dreamy while staring at the blue sky.
"Do you want to visit our village?" Czarina asked. "We can have a vacation there when we have time."
"Are you sure?" Kev's eyes sparkled. "How long will it take if we go there using a carriage?"
"A day and a half, or less." She grinned.
"Let's go there next week!" Kev said. "On weekends!"
"What?!" Czarina was shocked.
"Can I join you, kids?" Master Kenjie asked. "I want to meet your parents, Czarina."
"S-sure, Master." They already decided so she cannot say no anymore. "Just don't expect too much from our village."
"You don't have to worry, I am not expecting anything, and I am excited to live in the village at least for a day!" He looked at Master Kenjie with a pleading eyes. "Can you ask Principal Smaj to allow us to have a week leave from school? Let's say... the king asked me to live the life of a normal citizen and I chose Czarina's place. How's that sound?"
"It sounds weird," Yin replied. "But you have a point there, As a prince, you have the responsibility to know how your people live and to see our situations with a silver lining. You will learn a lot."
"So are we all set?" Kev waited for them to respond. "Let's bring Valk and Sirie as well."
"I have not met your other two friends." Master Kenjie said.
"Valk is a lightning element controller and his power is not stable. He is not feeling well now and alone in the infirmary. They need to suck the excess electricity from his body."
"I might be able to help him," Master Kenjie said. "Come with me and let us see what I can do. I am also interested to see my prodigy."
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