The King's Visit

King Cassian Avarii Constantin of Nirvana.

It has an interesting ring to it, but it still felt very unfamiliar to Cassian.

After the coronation ceremony, it was time for the more fun festivities at the castle's ballroom. It was not fun for the new king as mothers surrounded him showing off their daughters to him, hoping he would show some interest. Cassian danced with every single one of their daughters, but none of them stood out to him. In all fairness to them, his mind was far from the festivities. He had just been crowned king of Nirvana a few hours ago, but it felt very unreal still.

Cassian did not remember the events of that night except for a few blurry congratulations and dodgy schemes. The only thing on his mind that night was what is he to do now that he was king. His father had prepared him for the coronation and lectured him on what makes a good leader, but he never spoke of what actions one should take once one becomes king.

The following day after his coronation, Cassian sat in his carriage, his mind still afar. He was to visit the villages of Nirvana as the new king was to visit the village people after his coronation to introduce himself as their new king. The villagers would then offer him gifts while sharing what they envisioned for the community's future, hoping the royal family would assist them. Cassian hoped that today's festivities would help distract him from concerns.

"Wait, do not leave without me," a man yelled as he raced towards Cassian's carriage. He jumped inside the carriage before collapsing on the seat, heavily panting while Cassian let out a little chuckle.

"Didn't know you were joining me on this journey, Rupert," Cassian giggled, helping Rupert to sit up straight.

"Do you think I would let you go to the villages alone? What kind of butler would I be if I didn't follow my master into such dangerous territories?" Rupert jokes, slapping Cassian on the knees, erupting a laugh out of him.

Rupert was Cassian's assigned personal butler, but Cassian viewed him more as a friend than just another member of staff. The two men have known each other since they were both toddlers, as their mothers were best friends. Many used to believe the two were brothers though Rupert is a little darker, a few inches shorter and had curlier hair which Cassian was jealous of. Strangely it upset King Richard when the boys or anyone referred to them as brothers.

After Rupert's mother passed away from an untreatable illness, his father struggled to take care of him as he battled his alcoholic addiction. Anastasia decided to take him away from his estranged father, providing him a home in the palace as she knew that's what he would've wanted for Rupert. Richard did not take a liking to the idea of Rupert living in his castle at first; it was only when Rupert started working for the royal family that he was satisfied.

Cassian was glad Rupert was accompanying him on his visits to the villages. Initially, the former king would join him, but he thought it best for Cassian to do it on his own. The former king thought there was no need to hold his son's hand and guide him through the village activities today. However, Cassian knew that his father despised going to the village and would usually send his subordinates instead to deal with whatever the situation was.

The entire carriage ride to the village was filled with jokes and laughter from the two friends. This was exactly the kind of distraction that Cassian needed at this moment. For the first time in the past twenty-four hours, he was not overthinking his new role as king.

"Where were you yesterday, for I could've used a good laugh," Cassian asked, wiping his tears from laughing too hard at one of Rupert's stories.

"I was at the church helping the staff get everything ready for your special day," he explained. "That reminds me, congratulations on your new role King Cassian," Rupert congratulated.

"Thank you Rupert, I appreciate it," Cassian sighed as he looked down at his hands.

"Is everything alright?" Rupert asked as he looked at his best friend with concern.

"Of course everything is fine, why would you ask such," Cassian replied, trying his best to fake a smile.

"I am not as blind as your father for I am able to tell that something is troubling you terribly visibly," Rupert stated as Cassian did his best not to make eye contact.

Rupert knew that Cassian was not one to open up easily about what troubled him as the former king saw talking about things that upset him as an activity that women engaged in. Former king Richard saw it best that a man deals with his problems in isolation to avoid being vulnerable.

Rupert did not believe in the former king's ways of handling such things. It took time, but he helped Cassian find a way to be open about his problems. All he was to do was give him some space and let him know that he was there for Cassian and that it was a safe space.

"I do not know what I am to do now that I am king," Cassian blurted out. He let out a deep breath as it felt like he had lifted off a heavy weight on his shoulder.

"Have you not had a discussion with your father about your duties as king?" Rupert asked.

"You know my father doesn't believe in holding my hand and guiding me through anything," he grunted. "I know the basics of what I am to do, but how I go about doing it is where I find myself lost. And I'm fearful that because of my ignorance, I shall lead the kingdom to its demise," Cassian confessed.

"That's a little dramatic, is it not." Rupert chuckled, trying to ease the carriage's tension, but Cassian remained troubled.

"I may not be able to provide you with the answers that you are looking for, but I shall be there helping you figure it out," Rupert promised Cassian as he patted his head. "But now let's focus on having some fun in the village," he exclaimed.

Back in the village of Edinburgh, the villagers prepare for the king's arrival. With the decorations hanging from yesterday's festivities, all that was left was to clean up from yesterday's celebrations and remake the food. At the same time, desperate maidens pick out the best attire that highlights their best features, specifically what sits above the stomach area.

The village was bustling with excitement as everyone waited impatiently for the king to arrive.

Well, not everyone was excited about the king's visit to the village. Not everyone is fond of the royal family, as they don't agree with some of the decisions that benefit the royals but affect the village negatively. While everyone is excited when the royal family chooses to visit the village, some view it as the royal family proving to others that they care when they don't.

However, no one seems to have an intense hatred towards the royal family like Nya Deglassie; Nobody really understood her intense hatred towards the royal family except for herself.

"Am I the only one who believes all of this is unnecessary for a pretentious white man who was just handed a crown without proving he was worthy of the title of a king?" Nya complained to her friend Eliana as she walked past villagers, making haste to get everything ready for the new king.

"It is our way of welcoming and congratulating the new king," Eliana explained.

"This man does not deserve this big celebratory festival that we are throwing for him as he shall forget Edinburgh the moment his fancy carriage leaves here. It is not fair that the villagers break their backs trying to impress the royal family who chooses to ignore all their cries for help," Nya argued as she glanced at the villagers who swept every speck of dust they could find.

"Maybe the new king would not be like the other royals," Eliana replied, trying to keep up with Nya, who was now storming down the damaged road.

"Hah, that's a good joke El. Maybe you should consider becoming a comedian," Nya laughed as she continued further down the road. "All these men are the same pretentious, narcissistic, uncaring, vile, despicable wealthy men who think less of people like us," she continued.

Eliana learned long ago that it is better to let Nya vent about her frustrations with the royal family. Whenever she has tried to challenge her arguments in the past, Nya's anger intensifies as she always proves Eliana's points wrong.

The two finally arrived at a small cottage house overgrown with beautiful plants. As they entered through the front door, they were hit in the face with a sweet smell. Now possessed by the sweet aroma, the two girls follow it all the way to the kitchen, where they set their eyes on an arrangement of their favorite pastries.

"After all the work we've done today i think we deserve a treat," Nya stated as she reached for a tart from the table filled with pastries.

A hand came out of nowhere, smacking the tart out of Nya's hand and back onto the table with the other treats.

"Ow!" Nya yelped as she shook her hand viciously.

"These treats are not for you greedy children," Nya's mother, Vara Deglassie, remarked as she removed the pastries off the table.

"We are not children, mother we are twenty two" Nya stated.

"Well, you could've fooled me, especially with how you have been behaving the past few days," Vara claimed.

"There is nothing wrong with my behavior. I just have a lot of opinions, and I chose to voice them out loud," Nya defended, making both Eliana and her mother raise their eyebrows.

"I do not have time for this. Go get changed so that you can help me carry this to the village center in time for the new king's arrival," Vara instructed the girls.

"What is wrong with what I am wearing?" Nya asked.

Vara and Eliana looked down at the torn and dirty clothes that Nya had been wearing since early morning.

"Take a shower as well," her mother added as Nya stormed off with Eliana not far behind.

Vara waited in Nya's room as the girls prepared themselves quickly.

"Should I wear something black as we shall be mourning the kingdom losing one bad king only to be replaced with one who shall prove to be worse and only bring more hardship" Nya sassed as she searched for something appropriate to wear to what she saw as such a horrid occasion.

"Now is not the time for such rudeness, Nya," Vara scolded as she grew tired of her daughter's anger. Vara knew there was reasoning behind Nya's anger toward the royal family, for it was only her family and Eliana's who truly understood her distaste for the royals.

"Luckily for you, Eliana has made you a lovely dress," she added.

Nya looked to see her friend in a beautiful dress holding one similar to hers. Nya quickly changed after receiving her new dress.

The two girls gaze at their new high-waisted gowns in the mirror as they stand in awe at how the yellow and pink complement their dark skin perfectly. The dress was close to what the noble ladies wore; it was not a dress for a village girl.

"When did you have time to make these El" Nya asked as she couldn't stop watching herself in the mirror.

"My father finally has more help with the farm allowing me more free time," Eliana replied.

"As much as I would love to sit here and admire how these dresses enhance your beauty even more, we should be heading out to meet the other villagers," Vara stated, pushing the girls out of the room and handing them a tray of pastries to carry.

"These dresses are so gorgeous, but it is a shame they have to be wasted for such an event. I just hope the dresses don't lose their beauty when in the presence of the so-called king," Nya joked as they headed out of the house.

"Nya, if you are able to go this entire trip to the village center without insulting the new king, I shall allow you to have a pastry before the king arrives," Vara proposed, making Nya's eyes light up at the mention of a pastry.

Nya struggled to keep her mouth shut about the royal family for the entire trip while her mother and best friend laughed at her pain.

The carriage veered closer toward the village of Edinburgh. Cassian has been able to keep his mind distracted from his worries about being king as he and Rupert have been making each other laugh for the entire journey.

Suddenly the carriage came to a stop meaning they had arrived in Edinburgh. It had looked different than he had expected, for he had only seen Edinburgh through his father's descriptions of the village. His father did not have nice things to say about the village's appearance, nor did he speak well about its people.

"Wow, this place is different from what I imagined it to be," Cassian said as he gazed out of the carriage window in awe at the beauty of Edinburgh.

"What did you expect it to be?" Rupert questioned him.

"I do not know but based on my father's description of the village, I guess I expect it to be disgustingly dirty, infested with rodents both dead and alive, gasly smells while being riddled with diseases. Also according to him the people are very unmannerly, fugitives who don't take kindly to the help of the royal family" Cassian explained the way that former king Richard described the village while Rupert sat stunned at the description.

"Well, who knew the past king had such nice words to say about this place," Rupert said sarcastically, still taken aback by the former king's description.

"My father was very wrong about this place. It looks very beautiful and has a sense of home," Cassian said, gazing out the carriage window.

"And the people here are lovely as well," Rupert added.

The royal guard finally opened the carriage door for the two gentlemen to step out. The villagers watched eagerly as King Cassian approached the crowd that had gathered upon his arrival. They now all bowed as he stood in front of him. He was nervous, but luckily the villagers didn't realize as they patiently waited for him to make his introduction.

"Good day to you all. I would first like to thank you for allowing me to visit your beautiful village. As you may know, as of yesterday I have been crowned king of Nirvana. I am king Cassian Avarii Constantin and I stand here before you to promise to govern this kingdom and serve the people in this great land. I am not here to just celebrate but listen to whatever concerns you may have so please feel free to come to me. With all that being said let the festivities begin!" Cassian proclaimed as the villagers applauded him.

The crowd dispersed after he finished his speech. Music for the festivities started to play, but the music was different from what Cassian was used to. He was more familiar with the classical melodies played at the royal balls, which he looked at to portray elegance, status, and wealth, but the village music had more of a lively beat to it, which felt looser than the classical.

"You did well," Rupert remarked.

"I suppose I did," Cassian smiled, feeling a little more at ease in his new role. "I think I shall make a few rounds and talk to some of the villagers about some of their concerns," he said, feeling more confident.

"I shall leave you to it then, if you need me i shall be over by the foods and drinks," Rupert replied before leaving Cassian.

Now left alone, Cassian was trying to decide where to start his quest. Was it with the farmers who were having some drinks, the children who were playing games he didn't recognize, the mothers who sat under a tree having a laugh, or the ladies who had been making eyes at him since his arrival?

Cassian decided to start with the laughing mothers under the tree, who suddenly stopped laughing as they noticed the king walking towards them.

"Your majesty," they all said in unison as they bowed.

"Hello to you lovely ladies, would you mind if I sat with you?" he asked.

"No, not at all, your majesty," they replied as they put out a wooden stool for him to sit on. They all looked at each other scared to utter a word, as he sat down.

"Please do not be scared of me, I am just here to listen to you about the problems that the village and its people are facing," he explained, waiting for one of the ladies to speak.

"Where would we even start?" one uttered, leading the other ladies to let out a short chuckle.

It didn't take long before the ladies started listing the different problems in the village, which ranged from the damaged roads to their children getting a proper education. Listening to the villagers' concerns reminded him of arguments he had overheard between his mother and father.

King Richard was known for making false promises, especially regarding the villages in Nirvana. He always spoke of bettering the lives of those who reside in the village but chose not to do anything about it. King Richard would always claim that he was overwhelmed by other projects for the kingdom and that he had forgotten about his promise to the different villages. It was surprising how easily they all believed his lies when he never planned on helping the villages. Queen Anastasia was not happy with her husband willingly neglecting the villages' needs. She tried to get him to understand improving agriculture in the village and providing the children with proper education along with other things. Still, he chose not to listen to her reasoning.

Cassian did not want to neglect the needs of the villages, but he also did not want to promise something he might not be able to deliver.

"I shall look into the situation more closely, and then I shall see what I am able to do at this time," he responded to all the villagers he had spoken to.

Cassian went in search of Rupert by the food and drinks as he could not ignore his growling stomach. He had not eaten much before his departure this morning as he still remained unsettled with being king. Yet after spending some time in the village, he had relieved some of his previous tensions.

"My stomach is punching me at this very moment. I need food," Cassian stated upon seeing Rupert, sniffing the air as the different aromas of food tickled his nose.

"Well, there's a variety of savory food you could try," Rupert responded, gesturing to the delicious food behind him.

Cassian walked past all the delicious meals contemplating what to eat as his stomach growling grew louder. He then made eye contact with the display full of pastries. He then made his way over to the display, abandoning the meals.

"Are you really about to eat something sweet before having an actual meal?" Rupert asked. "King Richard would not have allowed you to eat pastries before an actual meal," he added.

"My father would not allow me to eat anything from the village if we're being honest," Cassian commented, offering Rupert a plate full of pastries as well.

The two men continued walking through the village center before stopping to play games with the children. The two men lost track of time as they were enjoying their time, but they still had other villages to visit.

Cassian and Rupert made their final rounds to say goodbye to the villagers. However, a conversation he overheard happening in front of him made him stop in his tracks.

"It's about time that the new king leaves, for when he does we know he shall never step foot back in Edinburgh. Who does he think he's fooling going around and promising to everyone that he shall help better our lives and the village. He doesn't care about the village, he's just like the rest of them who are privileged snobby narcissists who use people and we've all heard the stories of–" a woman ranted.

Cassian cleared his throat bringing the woman's ranting to a sudden stop. Those who stood listening suddenly dispersed when they saw Cassian standing behind the angry lady.

The angered woman finally turned to face Cassian with a deadly stare. She was dressed in a lovely pink gown which looked familiar to him as he had seen many noble ladies wear it, but none wore it as beautifully as she. She wore her hair in a bun, but two curls sat comfortably on her face hiding her piercing brown eyes.

She hasn't said a word. She just watched him blankly. Cassian was not used to this. Usually, when someone is found disrespecting the royal family, people would be on their knees begging for forgiveness while claiming they misspoke or some evil has possessed them. But she did no such thing.

"Are you waiting for me to apologize?" she finally spoke. "If so, you shall be waiting for a long time for I have no intention of apologizing for having an opinion," she continued.

"Do you actually believe that I do not care about this village?" Cassian inquired.

"I don't think you care about any of the villages," she stated. "None of you ever have cared, you act like you do when you're here but the moment you step foot back into your castle you have already forgotten about the villages and the promises you made to the people," she argued.

"And who are these people you're comparing me to" he questioned her though he already knew the answer.

"The past kings of course, but especially the last one, king richard, he rather send his staff than stepping foot in the village," she smirked.

Cassian did not know how to respond as he knew she was right when it came to his father. He stood now tense, nose flared at being compared to his father.

"Nya, are you still coming tonight," another lady asked as she approached the angry lady who now has a name, Nya.

"I wouldn't dare miss this, who would want to miss Darius drunk professing his love to a tree" Nya laughed as the other lady walked away.

"What is happening tonight, might I ask," Cassian asked, no longer fuming about being compared to the former king.

"It's just some nighttime festival fun for everyone to relax and enjoy themselves after a long day of trying to please the royals," she explained. "No kings allowed," she added.

Cassian chuckled, starting to enjoy his conversation with Nya.

"I think that your guard is trying to tell you it's time to leave," Nya said, gesturing to the guard behind Cassian.

"Well then, until we meet again, Nya," he smirked, walking away, leaving her confused.

Cassian spent the rest of the day visiting the other villages of Nirvana. There he listened to what the people wanted for the village and their families. Listening to the villagers gave him a place to start doing work as king. Though he was mainly there to work, he did not forget to have fun as he ate, drank, danced, and played games with the villagers.

It was almost dark by the time he reached back to the royal palace. As Cassian entered the castle, he heard footsteps storming towards him.

"Where have you been?" Richard yelled, making his way toward Cassian.

"I have been visiting the different villages as I was to do when I became king," he answered, failing to meet his father's piercing gaze.

"You should've been here some time after noon as it doesn't take long to visit a village," Richard stated.

"Not if you spend a good amount of time with the villagers," Cassian uttered, looking into his father's eyes.

"What did I advise you to do today?" he asked, getting closer to his son's face.

"To simply go to the villages, introduce myself as their new leader, talk to a few villagers and then take my leave," Cassian answered, trying his best not to look away.

"That should only take you around ten minutes or even fifteen. But how long did you stay?" Richard asked.

"Forty-five minutes to two hours per village, father," he uttered.

"You are now the king of Nirvana. You do not have time to dilly-dally with the villagers, for you have people you have to serve now. What kind of message are you sending to those in society when you aren't there to help them? Remember what I told you before your coronation? You are not to make a mockery of the royal family, as we have worked too hard to accomplish everything we have thus far," Richard scolded his son.

"Yes sir," Cassian replied, clenching his jaw.

"Do not make that kind of mistake again," Richard demanded, walking back to his room.

Cassian did his best to hold back all the words he had for his father. He knew better than to challenge that hot-headed man.

He returned to his room, thinking about what the villagers had told him today. Cassian did not plan to follow his father's commands about forgetting the villagers' needs.

It was now dark when he looked up from his scribbles. Planning how to help the villagers took longer than expected. He needed to get out of the room to clear his head.

"Rupert, I need your help," Cassian said as he entered Rupert's room.

Cassian and Rupert now stood in front of the carriages.

"You want me to drive you in this carriage in the middle of the night," Rupert asked, half asleep.

"Yes," Cassian replied.

"I don't think I know how to drive that thing," Rupert said.

"Do not overthink it, for it is easier than you think," Cassian stated, already heading inside the carriage.

"Do not blame me if we end up crashing or I accidentally let the horses loose," he stated as he prepared the carriage for departure.

Surprisingly Rupert did well driving the carriage though he did move slowly at first as he was still trying to figure out how to control the carriage.

The two have found themselves back in Edinburgh, where music can be heard from close by. They followed the music to further down the village, where laughter could now be heard. It didn't take long for the men to find the villagers having the time of their lives.

"Are you sure that we should be intruding on the villagers' festival fun which is a way to rest after a long day of dealing with the royal which is you?" Rupert asked as they watched the villagers enjoying themselves.

"I understand but this is the kind of distraction I needed," Cassian stated. "I just want to have some fun," he added.

"What would the king think if he knew where you were?" Rupert asked.

"I am the king, remember, but I do not care what the former king thinks, for he shall not know of this," Cassian said, walking towards the other villagers.

All the villagers stopped and stared in shock as the king made his way to their festival. They started whispering among themselves, confused as to why the king had returned.

"Please do not stop enjoying yourselves because I have arrived, for I am only here to experience the way Edinburgh has fun, so please do not mind me," Cassian announced.

Though still in shock, the villagers returned to enjoying themselves as Cassian made his way towards the drinks. There he saw the woman who clearly had an issue with his existence, the very opinionated Nya. She no longer wore the pink gown, just a simple white dress that fitted her beautifully.

She finally made eye contact with him, but she looked at him like she did earlier in the day, angry.

"Did you not understand what I meant by no kings allowed?" Nya asked. "It means that you should not be showing your face here. This is a time for people to distress after working very hard to give you the perfect welcome party this morning," she replied.

"I do not wish to create problems as I, too, am in need of a destresser as well," Cassian explained. "Do not worry; I shall stay out of your way if that will make your night," he reassured her.

She didn't say anything. Instead, she grabbed a drink for both of them.

"I hope you can handle such a strong drink," Nya snickered.

"I can handle it thank you very much, do you think royals drink sparkling water?" Cassian jokes.

"Something tells me that those maidens over there are trying to get your attention," Nya stated, gesturing towards the ladies behind them who kept making eyes at Cassian.

"I guess I should entertain the young ladies but don't worry I will be back," Cassian said, making Nya roll her eyes as he walked away.

Fortunately, Cassian did not spend his entire night entertaining the young ladies. He and Rupert stuffed their faces with as many treats as they could. He also got a chance to talk to the villagers about things not related to what he could do for the village. Even Nya tolerated him as she outdrank him in a drinking competition with some of the strongest rum he had ever tasted.

After a night filled with dancing, laughing, and strong alcohol, Cassian and Rupert made their way back to the castle. Thankfully no one seemed to have realized that they had left.

Cassian collapsed onto his bed, trying his best to fall asleep, but today's events kept replaying in his head. For the first time in weeks, he was not stressed or overwhelmed by his new role; instead, he was completely drunk but still relaxed.

Though unable to put together a complete thought, Cassian was still overthinking his new role.

Was he going to turn into his father and forget about helping the village people?

How many villagers feel the same way as Nya about the royal family?

And what was in that drink?