Chapter 3: King's Choice

"THIS subject understands, your majesty." Caelus bowed once more to his father courteously.

"What do you understand?" the King challenged him.

Caelus stood straight and looked at the King, his expression that of respect and firmness combined. Ever since he came back, Caelus already knew that he couldn't let his true nature revealed. Inside this palace, there are people he may not need to be wary about but he definitely have to show them that he does not have any hint of enmity or hostility with them.

Caelus may hold great acknowledgement for his father but it does not mean that he can always agree with him. His father is right about the responsibility that a ruler must uphold in the face of this unrelenting storm where all beings need to fend for themselves, and he is also right with the fact that he should change the system of this world first before he can impose his virtues against the restraints.

Even so, it does not sit right to Caelus that his father is not willing to help those people. He had also been in the wilderness, and as far as he can remember, the times when he had been deprived of shelter because of this ridiculous system were more than the number of his fingers and toes. It does not include the times when he witnessed the people he had been with die because they cannot enter the strongholds and neither can they be given assistance for most of their necessities.

He wanted to tell the King that, but he decided not to. He doesn't want him to pity him. Everything that he experienced out there may have been the greatest and deadliest setbacks he endured in all of his years but how could people from the strongholds understand the severity of that suffering?

They will only think it is unfortunate but how far can that impression go?

In the four days that he had returned, the only person who was genuinely worried about him was his mother. The rest merely celebrated it; praising him for toughing it all through like a young hero back from the borders.

"I understand that I will have to change the world," he simply said.

The King's eyes showed a hint of surprise.

"Are you hinting that you will also be going for the throne?" the King asked.

He does not need to be king to change the world but he'll go for it anyways. To Caelus, the easiest way for him to proceed with his plans is to be in a position of power. He can earn merits and become a figure of legends — a solitary hero who transformed his swords into blades that can burn to the sky — but he does not want to do that, yet.

"It is only of interest, your majesty. I am still lacking to be able to contend with my brothers and sisters," he humbly replied.

A harsh bark of laughter echoed in all corners of the office after a moment of silence. The King held his stomach as he laughed hard and loud by his table. Caelus looked at his father, secretly surprised with his reaction. He did not seem to be mocking him but he couldn't understand what that laugh meant either.

"Indeed, you have changed!" the King pointed out with delight.

He looked at Caelus, his eyes filled with expectation and joy that he does not usually show to anyone.

"Your mother must be so happy to hear that. She had always been vocal to wanting you to become my successor ever since you were born," the King added.

"I hope that father, the King, will delay this news to her majesty," Caelus requested.

The King's expression turned into that of curiosity when he heard Caelus' appeal.

Touching his chin, he asked, "And why is that? Don't you want your mother to support you?"

"I simply do not want mother to think highly of me even when I have not proven anything yet."

"But you coming back after years of disappearing from the stronghold is already something that you should be proud of," the King argued, making Caelus shake his head in disagreement.

"That was a result of my carelessness in the past. I do not see it as an achievement, your majesty," he admitted.

Indeed, if he had been more careful back then and dedicated his time in learning how to draw the sword and fight, he couldn't have been severely injured and forced to float in the freezing river, fighting for his life. If there is something he realized along with a lot more to consider, it was the fact that of all reasons to learn how to use the sword, the first one must be to use it to protect oneself.

"If that is how you see it. Fine, I will grant your request but you have to promise me one thing," the King demanded.

Caelus placed his hand on his chest and bowed to the King. "Please say so, your majesty."

"You will have to become king."

Caelus remained bowing at the King. He did not expect him to say something like that which is why he was a bit stunned to speak. As far as he can remember, the King did not express any favouritism among him and his siblings. This is also the reason why the competition for the throne has remained chaotic beneath the calm surface because the heir has not been decided and everyone has equal chances to take the position.

The history of Phospiest dates back to many centuries ago and within those long years, male and female rulers alike graced the seat. It did not matter if they have been born from the lowest of the concubines as long as one can assemble their forces and overpower the others. It did not matter if they can become king by killing their siblings as well.

At the end of it all, the people of the stronghold will still bow down to the King.

"Your majesty is overestimating me," Caelus spoke and met the King's eyes.

"You can think of it that way," the King replied dismissively and sat on his chair. He started scanning some documents that have been piled on his table in silence and Caelus remained standing in front of him.

"As for the reason why, I'll tell you when you become heir," his father added without looking at him.

Caelus, feeling a bit lost from the events that transpired could only excuse himself.

"MOTHER," Caelus greeted the Queen as soon as he entered her chambers.

The Queen stood up from her seat where she had been reading a book in delight and immediately went to Caelus to embrace him. Caelus wrapped his arm around her shoulders as well, admiring the flimsy smell of books that have been opened after years from the queen.

The Queen's chamber was large and was filled with more books than wardrobes and sheaths of garments. Several paintings hang on the walls; most of them were that of a beautiful maple skies and flowers that bloomed on the grassy fields. There were also those that had an azure firmament and white chunks of blanched, unusual shapes where the birds could be seen to fly. These paintings were considered to be the treasures of Horai as they depicted the land of the seasons that have been mentioned in the books.

"Do you think they are beautiful as well, darling?" the Queen asked him when she noticed his attention to the paintings.

Caelus smiled at the queen. "I do, mother."

"They are. Every time I stare at them, I cannot help but ask myself what I would have to pay to be under these skies..." the Queen muttered as she looked at the painting in front of her with obsession.

Caelus remained looking at the biggest painting in front of him; his eyes were focused but unfocused at the same time.

The painting towered over them and the dominant colours were akin to an afterimage of fire and sparks that have burned for years. What drawn Caelus' attention was a ginger-coloured silhouette that stood in the middle of the field of blue blossoms. It seemed to belong to a woman with a curly, ginger hair.

"Do you think such people with this hair color exist, darling?" the Queen asked, her eyes are also settled to the subject of the painting that felt like a distant memory to Caelus.

Smiling, he turned to his mother and said, "I think they do, mother. The world is after all, a very big place filled with things we don't know just yet."

The Queen turned to him; a beautiful smile was etched on her lips as she reached out to touch the strands of his hair. As she started to twirl the ends of his silver hair with her beautiful and slender fingers, her eyes turned melancholic, making Caelus worry instinctively.

"You... cut your hair..." she whispered. "You used to always let it grow long in the past..."

Caelus remained silent after the Queen's remark. He tried to ponder upon the memories of his youth when he was indeed obsessed with maintaining his hair long. He had a straight, silver hair that he used to keep properly combed and flowing until his waist. Everyone in the palace couldn't help but admire how beautiful he looked as he ran down the stairs, his hair dancing behind him like strands of silk that are yet to be weaved.

Everyone knew of him as the "beautiful second prince with long, silver hair" in the Western Kingdom. He possessed a dangerous beauty that men and women alike wanted. If it weren't for his impulsive and boyish nature that he was always injured trying to jump from high places and going out of the palace even if he had to climb down the steep walls, everyone would have thought that he was more of a princess than a prince.

"The wilderness was not a place for me to keep it long, mother," he reasoned with an apologetic smile.

He was lying though.

He was sure that his hair remained long in the years that he was in the wilderness. It definitely brought unnecessary for him and the people he grouped with but he was stubborn to keeping it long. As for the reason why he cut it, he couldn't really remember.

He doesn't have the energy to ransack his brain to point it out as well.

"Now that you have returned, then you should grow it back!" the Queen happily suggested.

Caelus could only manage a helpless smile. He wasn't so sure he wants it long again anyways.

"ARE they everyone who seeks refuge at Phospiest?"

Caelus looked at a swarm of pale-faced, shivering people who cramped themselves together in a few bonfire set ups in the freezing environment where snowflakes continued to fall. Their expressions were ashen, almost resembling the frost that covered the soil and trees in the forest.

Caelus observed them from a distant tree with both of his hands behind him. He stood on a thick branch that extended a few meters from the tree's body. He can estimate that he was almost fifty meters above but this height was nothing to be afraid of as he can simply jump without breaking his bones.

"There are some who went out to hunt, my lord," Vritra answered behind him.

"How will you deal with these people, my lord?" Vritra respectfully asked, making Caelus momentarily turn to him.

Vritra stood on a branch like Caelus, only he looked more like he was floating than standing unto something. He wore a dark robe that paled in comparison to Caelus' thick and full length robes that are way too fancy to be seen in a place like this.

A concentration of dark and bloody energy circulated behind him. This was the portal that they exited from the palace to this forest where the refugees decided to camp after being refused by the gates.

"We cannot force the gates open for them." Caelus shrugged.

"How is the construction of the base going on?" he asked Vritra, putting both of his hands in the pockets of his luxurious robe as he looked at the group of people once again.

"It is almost done, my lord."

"Hm. Then we should take them there for the meantime." Caelus nodded.

"Will the lord introduce himself as a prince?"

He shook his head. "No. I can't bring unnecessary attention to myself."

"But this will be a good start to earn merits, my lord," Vritra reasoned.

Caelus acknowledged his companion's good intention which is why he did not make an issue out of his argument. He gave Vritra a small smile that looked more like a simple movement of his facial muscles.

"I do plan to earn merits but..." He narrowed his eyes above the dark and gloomy skies.

"The formal competition for the throne is yet to start. In the next months, father will probably deploy me in the military where I will have to fight in the borders against the ferocious monsters in the wilderness so it won't be too late for that," he continued with a simple tone.

Without saying anything, Caelus jumped down from the branch he was standing earlier. His robe and the thin strands of his hair fluttered from the cold wind that started to surround him before landing swiftly on the snow-covered land. When he looked back a little, Vritra was already behind him.

"Let's go meet them," he urged and started walking.

"They might recognize you, my lord." He heard Vritra who was following him without making any sound of footsteps, say.

"They won't. But it would be a good thing to give them some speculations. That way, some rumors can spread around." The corner of his lips slowly arched as Caelus continued walking.

"Although that would be a bit of a nuisance, at least it won't directly be linked to me," he added as he inched closer to the villagers who recently, just lost their homes from the storm.

<quillbot-extension-portal></quillbot-extension-portal>