Chapter 1
“Marcus!” I heard my father screaming from somewhere in our castle. I made a point of avoiding him today. Which is why I’m in my mothers den, he hasn’t been in here since she died.
“Marcus as the future King you are required to attend all royal events. This is an important event. You need to mingle with our people. They need to get to know you before you take over from me. Involvement is key in ruling. It enforces trust and loyalty.” I’m not doing it today. I’m not dressing up and stand around for hours while people fawn over us. Today is my sixteenth birthday. I can’t have a party thanks to this event.
“Marcus, this was your mothers favorite event. She loved spending time with our people, getting to know them, letting them know her. It was the most important thing to her. She never missed it. I know that it’s your birthday, but it is only a few hours out of your day. Then you can do whatever you feel like.” He plays dirty bringing my mom into this now there is no way I can say no without it cause real problems between me and my father. So I walked out of the room and towards mine. I adorned my royal attire and made my way to the front door where my father was waiting for me with the biggest smile of victory on his face. He didn’t even try to find me after he brought my mother up. He just came straight here to where he knew I would be coming.
“You don’t play fair.” I informed him as we walked to our car.
“I’m a King. I know how to strategize and conquer what ever I put my mind to. Something you should know by now and hopefully you have inherited my calm and calculating nature. It’s still unclear to me if you have since you are always trying to avoid all your responsibilities.” The same old speech that I’ve heard so many times over in so many different ways. It’s two more years before I’ll be eligible to take over from my father, but he is truly a great King. He loves ruling and the people love him as a ruler. He is still very young and he doesn’t need or want me to take over from him now. So what is the hurry to throwing my young life away by attending lessons and being mentored on how to be something I’m not going to be for a very long time. We got in the car and started the journey.
“I don’t see why you don’t want to prepare for what is inevitability your future?” My father continued to nag at me.
“I just don’t see the point in wasting so much time on something I don’t need in the near future.” I told him and then I stared out the window hoping it would make him leave me alone for the rest of the journey.
“What if you let me mentor you and you go for your lessons. That way you can get it over with and you have the knowledge for whenever you need it…There isn’t a set timeline for when you’ll have to take over, but anything can happen at any given time, like it did with your mother. We never expected it and it happened so sudden. We barely had time together. I was promised a lifetime…”
“I will not do this just because of what if, when I decide to do it, it won’t be because you tried to manipulate me into it father. If you want me to do it thoroughly then you need to let me do it in my own time.” That got him quiet for the rest of the ride at least. We finally arrived and I already wished that it was over. Everyone stopped and stared as we came walking in as we passed them they bowed or curtsied. It was all very annoying. The air filled with ‘Your majesty’ and ‘Your royal highness’. I ignored all of them as I went on my way. My father stopped every once in a while and greeted people. I disappeared into the crowd trying to escape to one of the far corners of the event where hopefully everyone would leave me alone. It didn’t happen though my deep purple royal attire wasn’t easy to miss. Instead I was surrounded by a crowd of eager young women throwing themselves at me. I couldn’t stand the idle flirting and desperation seeping from them. These are supposed to be the innocent demure girls sheltered by their parents waiting for the right man, but at the first sight of a eligible prince they loose all their common sense and respect for themselves. After an hour of them touching my arms and batting their eyes I had enough. With a huff of annoyance I pushed past them. I was over this so I’m going to my father and telling him it’s time to go home. As I was making my way over to my father I froze. It is the first time that I froze due to a beautiful girl. I stared at the girl standing across from me. She was wearing a light blue dress that created such a contrast against her dark hair that was curled and draped over her shoulder. My body started walking towards her while I was still admiring her. Her skin was quite fair with pink cheeks, plumb lips and big doe like eyes. I finally caught myself and stopped. Looking at her I know that I don’t want to flirt with her and waste her time, I want to know her so I have to play this right. I turned back around and went to my father.
“We are not going home.” My father said as I approached him.
“I don’t want to go home, I want you to make an introduction.” I mentioned nonchalantly trying not to make a big deal of it.
“An introduction? Really? You haven’t had trouble entertaining girls before, they always flock to you.” That didn’t go as plan.
“This is different can you just do it please.”
“Oh I don’t know, why would I want to complicate a poor girls life by introducing you to her…” he never makes anything easy I swear. He is going to enjoy this.
“She looks like a respectable girl, I just thought it would be better to be formally introduced.” After saying it I knew that I had made a great mistake. I had just given my father ammunition. I basically admitted that I believe that she is more important than other girls I have met.
“Respectable? Sure so you do not intent to play with this ones feeling?” I give up. I’m going to give him the power he wants and basically already has.
“She took my breath away, I froze at the sight of her…is that what you wanted to hear. Now can you introduce me.” He looked so shocked at what I said.
“I felt that way when I saw your mom, come on lets do this.” It’s odd that he didn’t make fun of me, but in a way I’m grateful and on the other side I know that it will be coming at some point. I lead him towards the girl and I presume her mother. I didn’t point them out since I didn’t want comments from my father. Also so much time has already been wasted with the his bantering. We finally reached them, her beauty even more astounding up close.
“Morning, I’m King Kalon and this is my son Prince Marcus.” My father introduced us fast and efficiently noting our ranking and names. Her mother looked shocked up at us. It’s not every day that the king and prince singles out someone for conversation.
“Your Majesty, What an honor to meet you. I’m Duchess Verena and this is my daughter Calla.” Calla, the name sounded right being said in my mind, my eyes were fixated on her. Her big green eyes meeting mine for a fleeting second before her gaze shifted to the ground. Then came her soft musical voice.
“Your Majesty.” She said and curtsied before my father, her attention then turned back to me.
“Your royal highness.” She almost whispered as she curtsied, she shyly looked up at me through her long lashes.
“It’s a honor to meet you, Calla.” I finally got to let her name slip past my lips. Everything was silent. She was looking at me shocked with her big doe eyes. I looked to my side to see my father grinning at me like an i***t and her mother holding a knowing smile.
“Unfortunately we were just leaving, sir. I’ve already called for our car. If I had known that we would be talking with you, I would have stayed longer.” Calla’s mother explained.
“Then I insist that you and your daughter join us tomorrow for Brunch at our Castle.” I was shocked by my fathers invitation, but also relieved that I would see Calla again. There is no way that they would reject our invitation.
“We will be there.”
