26 You Need an Heir

Fraser left the gathering room and went to his working room. Trent followed. "Your Majesty, news came from the Valian kingdom," he said, handing him the sealed letter.

He read the content, and the frown between his eyebrows sank. Throwing the letter over his working table, "That cowered king will send his embassy to attend the foundation festival," he said, greeting his teeth.

A crashing sound echoed in the room. He looked at the maid, gazing at the new furniture with pressed lips. "Forgive me, Your Majesty," she said, lowering her head. Her lips curved upward.

The only explanation for her behaviour was that she felt happy about reuniting with her people. 'Is she that happy to tell them the kingdom's late information?'

"Half of your earnings will be deducted," he said, clenching his jaw, then shifting his gaze to Trent. "Did you write the trading contract between our two kingdoms?" he asked, and his deputy nodded. "Tell Lucas to arrange all the necessities they will need, do not forget anything. Make them live at the nearest place to the queen."

Fraser peered at the maid. She swept the floor as if nothing happened.

It was known that the foundation festival would be grand. Earlier, the four adjacent kingdoms were one empire. The Frowshire kingdom was the only one safeguarding the empire's heritage. Even its foundation day was the same as that of the Lania's empire. Their capital was one of the oldest places, and the palace was one of the emperor's residences, but many quarters fell because of the rusted walls and the wars it had gotten through hundreds of years.

So the embassy of the Valian and the Lysium kingdoms attending was common. Whereas the relationship between their kingdom and that filthy one degraded over two decades ago.

Their king was not only scheming but also intelligent. Taking in regard the traitor he imprinted in his palace, he played with them as he pleased. Fraser tightened his hands. Kalian wasn't to be blamed. The one at fault was his father, for creating such a mess in his own son's life. To make the enemy's sister his rightful queen. To anger him and make him look like a fool.

He should take this opportunity and find clues. If the maid or her queen saw her kingdom's embassy, she would make a mistake somehow. Or reveal a flow for him. He needed to send more maids to the queen. At this thought, he gazed at the maid with eyes that could burn everything around.

Fraser read and signed the assignments. Every day the reports seemed to grow more and more, filling his table. Throughout his work, wind stormed in through the opened window. The papers flew in all directions. Fraser put his hand on the pile of documents preventing them from joining the others.

The maid hurried to close the window.

"Every time I thought you made progress, you prove me wrong. Did deducting half of your payment is not enough? Do you want it to go completely?" he threatened.

"Forgive my insolence, Your Majesty. I will pick them," she said, squatting, picking the reports from the ground.

"Do you want me to work with these?" he said, pointing at the crumbled sheets between her hands. The maid cast him a confused look. "I will tell Trent to rewrite them. Throw them away," he ordered. "Why are you still standing, do what I said," he said impatiently.

"I–if his majesty allows, can I rewrite them? I–It's my fault so I will take responsibility," she said.

"Say the one who didn't care about the life of a knight," he commented.

"I already apologized to that knight. I can clearly distinguish between right and wrong, Your Majesty," she retorted.

Fraser smiled mockingly. Right and wrong! All that she did reveal her true intention! It was a plan to spy on his work.

"I grant you my permission," he said. He would track her till the end.

As he worked on his remaining assignments, the maid sat in the far corner, engrossed in writing. With her head bowed down, a strand of hair fell on her forehead and obstructed her vision. She blew it away with a sigh, but it quickly covered her right eye. She frowned, grabbed the strand and tucked it behind her ear.

Fraser's lips curved upward, thinking she resembled his niece, Rubella. Noticing the strange thought, he frowned. Then she looked up, right into his eyes for a moment, before dropping her head again.

'Where her eyes that blue?' he wondered. Their colour was blue in a strange way. He was accustomed to this colour, light blue, dark blue, sea blue, but her eyes' shade was as if mixed with a red hue.

Sensing his thought became odd to his liking, he stood and went away. Striding to his mother's quarter, Fraser saw Lucas in the hallway.

"Greeting your majesty."

Fraser frowned at the over-respectful greeting he had to listen to, every day. "How is Mother?" he asked.

"Calmer than yesterday. The physician passed by a while ago and told us that the Queen's body was healthy, but she needed more time to heal from the shock," he informed him.

The frown on Fraser's face deepened. More time! It's been over four years! Sometimes, he thought It would be good if a potion which can erase one's memory existed. It would be better for his mother to forget about his father.

He entered his mother's chamber. The room was tidied, and his mother sat pridefully on the sofa, sipping tea.

"Mother," he greeted, walking to her side. "How have you been?" he asked, taking his seat.

"I am in good spirits," she said, smiling at him.

'Why are you hiding your feelings?' he wanted to ask, but it could do no more but anger his mother. In the years his father was alive, she suffered silently, pushing him to fight for the throne. After his death, she became quiet and spent her time in the north wing far from anyone.

"You should worry about yourself. You need an heir—"

"You are the same as those old men in the court. Why don't you join them tomorrow?" he replied.

His mother put the cup with a plop. "I am thinking about your future. You need to stabilize your post. Having an heir would shut down people who say you do not deserve to be a king. You know, accepting the Valian's kingdom offer for peace and marrying their princess caused an uproar. Up to this moment, many nobles were resenting you being the king because of your decision."

His mother was still the same. She cared for his position more than him.

Fraser pressed his lips together. At that time, his father was the one who proposed to have peace but on one condition. Make people believe the offer was from the Kurbans. No one knew this except him, Trent, and King Kalian.

"I am working harder to make the citizens satisfied with me as their king. Things continue like this is the best," he said, playing with his ring.

"What do you mean? Do not tell me you will hand the crown to your deceased brother's daughter?" she asked. Fraser kept silent. He planned this for a year. "No, you would not!"

"Mother, if my brother lived, he would be the king. Rubella is his daughter; she should be the next to rule."

"You cannot do that. She is mute," she said. Shock printed on her face.

"I will find a cure." Fraser lowered his head. "I will let you rest," he said, walking to the door. Ending this conversation was good for him and his mother.

"You still think I had a hand in Estevan's death, don't you?"

His steps halted, hearing his mother's words. He opened the door and went out.

If he told her he would, she would be hurt. A slight doubt rose in his heart. The only one gaining from his brother's death was him. Though he wasn't interested in being the king, his mother was adamant about making him one. And her wish came true.