30
1130 Words
The kids were having a nice day but Silver and Moon saw the shades over their little faces, taking turns in looking at the windows from time to time, as if they were waiting for their parents to come and play. They missed them.
This is how Silver learned that love is a weakness. It was a distracter from his main mission. To keep them safe.
He had missed the War Council only to sit with them, actually to babysit them. Moon was enough, but he knew his little brothers and sisters were a hand full, and he wanted to make things easy for Moon as well. But, at the same time, he knew he had to work on his responsibilities as well. Before that to become problematic.
"Go, brother!" he heard in his mind Moon's voice. Their eyes locked on each other.
She knew. As always, she was being so intuitive, she knew what he should do before even the thoughts would be crossing his mind.
She could feel his struggle and she was smiling at him, trusting him to do the right thing. He loved his sister so much. She was his anchor. He did not want to think anything bad could ever happen to her. He could not lose her just like he lost his parents.
"We have to bring them back, Moon", he sent her the message through the mind link.
"I know, brother. I will work with Kaion for that."
"You need to keep an eye on that one, very close, Moon. He is a danger to our brothers right now."
"I know, Silver. I will do my best. Go now, don't keep them waiting, We are fine here."
Silver looked at his sister for the last time and took off to the Council Room.
He felt blessed to have such a good relationship with her. He felt sorry for Kaion and Senere, for not getting along so well, and being apart like that. But either way, that was not his problem.
Right now, he needed to concentrate on keeping the kingdom together for now. He needed to focus on becoming a king so young. He needed to spend more time with Alane, so he made a mental note.
As if hearing his thoughts, Alane had appeared out of nowhere in his way.
-Late, brother. Do let your Council wait for you when you would have made a name for yourself and they know you. Not in the beginning. You want to prove responsible right now.
-I know, I know. I was...
-They don't care!
Silver stopped in the middle of his sentence frustrated.
-What?? Don't get sensitive now, little brother! Alane slapped his shoulder making his way along the corridor.
His brother was right, even if he made him feel angry. No one cared if he had to take care of his younger brothers.
-You have Moon for that, now let's go!
His brother was already a king. He knew it better.
He took charge, and he was trying to show him the way. From a free and happy life without any worries, as his mother tried to give them all, he was now forced to rule and obey rules he did not make. Hilarious, a king to obey a council... as if he was no king at all...
Walking over the corridors he could see the landscape through the openings that were serving as windows in the big heavy walls. He would rather be out there in the forests, hunting or just running away from the world.
From the people constraining him with the rules. He felt his saruman demon clawing its way up, out of his body, in a desperate try to break free. He wanted to fly away over the trees. He wanted out. But he could not let him do as he wanted... he had a War Council to attend to, and he was late.
As a king he could have to postpone the war Council, it should not be such a big deal, but as a Crown Prince, he had appearances to keep. He needed to play this smart, and he needed to be seen as a responsible ruler. A good, fit ruler. Or else...
The massive wooden doors opened in front of his brother and the doorman announced them.
-The Crown Prince Silver Tiger and the King Alane of the Moutai people...
-Do not announce me, they already know who we are...
Silver passed by him making his voice heard in the entire room, and Alane smiled behind him. Moody like his mother already, the royal blood was showing off, good. Alane walked behind him and sat right next to the throne, near his brother.
-Take our father's place, my brother. You honor us with your presence and your help. We can use your wisdom for as long as you can lend it to us.
-Always on your side, brother.
-As are we, brother.
The exchange of polite words and trust forge did not go unnoticed. The ministers were split into two groups about this. On a side, they were worried about Silver's lack of ruling abilities as they did not see him often take charge of things. He was enrolled in the army when he was 15, under a fake name and no mask, and he was detached in the north and north-west of the kingdom with the army squads that were securing the borders.
He made a name for himself and gained his own squad to command.
When they found out who he really was, he had ridden all the leaches. He had real people to trust and allow himself to depend on. They became his own people; he made them his own. Trust was an important issue to him as well.
But being away from the ruling path and away from the Council jobs that Moon took for a change in his place, made him mature enough and the council did not know it yet. He only came back a few months ago from the army and ever since, he had not yet a chance to prove himself to them.
His mother did not think it necessary yet, and he had a lot of patience, and they all thought he had time for that.
But time itself proved them all wrong. The ministers did not know him well, so he could not count on their support.
The other part of the council thought he had it in him to rule, as he was carrying the royal blood, and he needed to get to work and learn everything about that. From the beginning, they admired the way he made a place for himself in the army. Alone, under no special name. It must have counted, right?
- Writer
