NOT WORTHY TO BE KING: FEARLESS WARRIOR

3| YOU NEED HIM

After the dinner that ended up in a big argument, Logan decided he needed to clear his head. He understood that his stepmother would never accept him but what she said was hard to believe. She wanted him banished from the kingdom.

Mercy kingdom has always been his world and he had no idea what he would become without it, it gave him a source of happiness and a purpose in life.

When he was young he had no idea what he was going to do once he was old enough to do anything. He was never allowed to attend any school which led to his mother homeschooling him.

Nobody knew that because if the king was to ever find out then the consequences are not something any of them would want to face.

He went around the kingdom for as long as he could, he didn't want to go home and have his mother ask what happened there. He had no idea if he even wanted her to know.

His mother has suffered a lot at the hands of the king and he knew if he was going to tell her then she would be heartbroken.

He wasn't stupid, he understood that his mother had to face all the humiliation because she gave birth to him and that she even fell in love with a married man.

After he was sure that his mother finally went to sleep he decided to go home and try to sleep, he didn't want to think about the argument he had with his father.

When he got home though, the situation he found himself in was not what he expected. His mother, Clayton, Malia, and Arianna were waiting for him. It didn't look like they had slept at all.

"You guys didn't have to wait for me. I'm home and I'm safe, I can take care of myself."

"We know that. That's not what we want to talk about though." Malia responded.

"I don't wanna talk right now. Can we do that in the morning? I've had a long day." He had no interest in talking about anything, he just wanted to sleep, but the look his mother gave him made it clear that sleeping was the last thing he would get.

"I want to know what happened. Your father came here a few hours ago. He was angry, not that it's a new thing though. What did you guys talk about after Clay and Arianna left?" His mother asked him.

"Nothing mom. Stop imagining things. Everything is fine."

"That's not what your father said. For some reason, he believes I am sending you to the palace to punish him. I want to know what he said to you or what you said to him so that I'll be able to protect you."

"Mom, you don't need to protect me from anybody. It was just a small argument which I'm sure you don't want to know about. Other than that, everything is fine."

"Logan, our father wants to banish you from this kingdom and you say everything is fine? Banishment is not a small thing. For as long as I can remember, this kingdom has always been your everything, and being banished will break you.

"You have every right to be here, in fact, you should be staying in the palace with us, you have royal blood in your veins and a prince should never have to stay outside the palace. I'm not saying you should fight father but don't let yourself face injustice. If he can come here anytime he wants then you should be allowed to enter the palace anytime you feel like it." His sister seemed angry about everything.

"Father came here to say that?"

"In everything that I said, that's what you heard? Or is that you know he wants to banish you?"

"We argued about it. When he defended me in front of the queen and Kade I thought he was ready to accept me while in reality, he was using me to fight his battles with the queen. He is angry at her for a reason I don't know and he used the opportunity to get back at her.

"You know I was thinking that father was ready to look past everything and accept me as his son but I was a fool. That man will never like me, let alone accept me. It would be better if I start making peace with that fact.

"I've done everything a son should do and yet my own father sees me as an enemy. I don't want his throne and I don't want to be called a prince because it feels like an insult, with the way everyone treats me. I just want his acceptance.

"Is that too much to ask? He's my father for crying out loud, I shouldn't have to do anything for him to accept or love me. It should be a natural thing for him.

"Did I ask to be born out of wedlock? I didn't. So why must I suffer for it? I've defended this kingdom more than I've defended myself and I've never regretted any second of it. At this moment though, I wish I never did. I should've just focused on keeping my mother happy and protecting her."

"Don't say that Logan. I am happy and everything you've ever done in this life, I'm proud you did. This kingdom would be nothing without you and your father knows it too. He would never admit it but he knows and I know he fears one day you'll leave and never come back which is why he decided to not banish you."

"What?" Surely he didn't hear right.

"Your father came here to tell me that you must never set your foot in the palace again, no matter the reason. He said he will never kick you out of this kingdom but you must know your bounds. He also said I should tell you to never question his authority. I have no idea what he meant by that though." His mother said to him with so much sadness in her voice.

"I just asked him what I did wrong to be treated the way he treats me. I was so angry that I couldn't even realise I've asked him that. He didn't say anything after the queen said he must banish me because she doesn't wanna see my face ever again.

"I thought he was going to do the right thing because of what happened earlier but I was wrong. He said I heard what the queen said and that I should leave. I exploded and I don't even know what came over me. He left and didn't say anything.

"When I was about to leave I heard them shouting to one another and listening to the conversation it was clear that I was being used. I was foolish."

He had no idea why he believed his father would fight with his wife to defend him, he has never done that before and he wasn't going to start because old habits die hard.

"You don't have to take everything he said to heart. You know how your father is."

"I know that mother, I know it very well and I don't know why I thought he would change eventually."

"You love him, Logan. It's normal to expect him to change because you want him to be better. Don't beat yourself about it." His mother said to him.

"I'll try and talk to him. At least I'll get to know what he's thinking about the whole situation." Malia was trying to be nice just like she always does and Logan saw that too but he didn't want his siblings fighting his battles.

"No, Malia. I don't want you guys fighting my battles. Your mother already thinks that I've poisoned you guys against her and if you go talk to father on my behalf she will believe I did exactly that. This is not the first time I'm being rejected by my own father and it surely won't be the last. I just want you guys to go back to the palace in the morning and you Clayton, you'll have to apologize to father for the way you behaved."

"Why should I apologize? I didn't do anything wrong." Logan didn't want to argue with him but he knew they would have to talk about it.

"Mom, please help Arianna and Malia get settled. I need to speak to my brother." 

"That's okay. We'll see you guys in the morning."

"Goodnight guys."

After they left I decided to ask him simple questions. "So how was The Enclave?"

"I know that's not the real question you want to ask me. You can ask me anything you know."

"I know that. Tell me, how did you meet Arianna?"

"I met her there. She kept following me around the compound. She's so small, always have been. When I first met her I thought she was 3 or 4. The truth is she was 6 and she was smart. I was surprised the first time she talked to me, every word that left her mouth was clear and I decided to ask her age.

"She kept following me around everywhere and it annoyed the hell out of me at first but eventually it became cute. I loved seeing her every day. She asked me the following year if I would marry her when we grow up, she was only 7 and I was 10, the idea of marriage was not something we both knew anything about. I told her that I would marry her one day, she was happy.

"Ever since then we've been inseparable, what started as a harmless relationship became something so powerful. I love her so much, she's my everything." Love was written all over his face and Logan knew he was telling the truth.

"I call tell you that she loves you too. Her face lit up when she saw you back in the palace. You guys look good together and I'm happy for you. I'm just worried about her pregnancy, you are both young to be parents."

"That's why we want you to be our baby's godfather. I know you don't have a child but you're more than capable of helping whenever you can. Our baby will need you, from the day he will be born until he grows up. Her pregnancy was not part of the plan but I don't regret anything I did."

"Clay, that's a huge responsibility you're bestowing on me. I would love to be your baby's godfather."

"But?"

"You need Father. Apologise to him, you messed everything up. I will be your baby's godfather but that baby will need a grandfather. In fact, he will need both his grandparents."

"Why should I apologise? Everything I said in there was true. There's nothing wrong with speaking your mind, especially if you're telling the truth."

"I know that baby brother, all you said was the truth and I love you for that. All I'm saying is apologise because you were rude to him, there was no respect in your words. I'm not saying your anger isn't justified because it is, all I'm saying is father deserves some respect from you, he's your father Clayton and whether you like it or not, he will always make mistakes but that doesn't mean you should lose the respect nor the love you have for him. You need him and after the baby is born you'll need him even more. You will never be able to live without him, no matter what you want to believe."

"You've been living without him for the past 25 years and you're more than okay."

"Thus the reason I'm saying you won't. I've been there, so I know what I'm talking about. Just listen to me and do as I say, you'll thank me one day. Do the right thing, for you guys and your child."

"You should've been king, you always think about others other than yourself. You're way better than our father and I'm sure this kingdom would've been lucky to have you as a crowned prince, not Kaden."

"He's your brother, remember? He will be a good king." That was a lie and Logan had no idea why he even said it.

"We both know that's not true. He will destroy this kingdom to the ground once he becomes king." Clayton said laughing.

"Princess Tiara is coming to the palace today and maybe she will change him. I've heard that she is well disciplined. We should go to sleep, it's morning already and we could use an hour of sleep or two. You also need to go back to the palace before the royal guests arrive."

"You're coming right?"

"No. I'm banned from entering the palace remember?"

"Yeah, right."