Each year the Kingdom of Khearia throws a festival in remembrance of one of their most beloved kings who had tragically perished along with his wife and second son. His first son, Prince Fabian, was the only one to survive. Witnesses claimed his cro...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"How do you feel about this expedition?"
ㅤAlex sat impatiently, sitting opposite his father in his study. The expedition was due to leave in a matter of minutes and Alex had been eager to get going. The duke had called for him moments before he needed to go to the paddock.
ㅤAlex knew not to reply, it wasn't a question that his father wanted him to answer.
ㅤEven if it took effort, he kept his father's eye contact, feeling cold as the sharp blue ice stared back. Every second that passed was another second that Alex wasn't at the stable getting ready. He grew impatient.
ㅤ"You've done well," the duke said. It sounded like a compliment on the outside but Alex knew better.
ㅤSilence stretched on, minutes passing whilst Alex could do nothing more than maintain his emotionless stare and wait. The duke was allowing time to move patiently and Alex couldn't think about anything other than how late he was, that the others were waiting. Restlessness itched under his skin, he fought not to fidget or bounce his leg.
ㅤEventually, he couldn't take it anymore.
ㅤ"Your Grace, may I ask what you require of me?" He tried to sound as polite and nonthreatening as possible. Inside, he was squirming like a little boy.
ㅤ"Nothing, Alex. I said you did well, didn't I?"
ㅤ"Then, if I may..."
ㅤ"No," the duke silenced him. Alex didn't react.
ㅤAlex knew why his father didn't trust him— it was the very same reason why he did. Alex was being controlled by leverage alone and only his behaviour was influenceable, which both consoled and unnerved the duke. What was inside Alex's heart was known by both of them.
ㅤAlex despised him.
ㅤTime dragged by, kicking and screaming. The duke sipped at his tea, leaving Alex uselessly tied to his chair.
ㅤHe didn't know what the duke was doing, wasting time would only hurt the expedition. The rest of them would be stuck there, waiting for him.
ㅤAlex grit his teeth. "Your Grace, I must go—"
ㅤThe duke slammed his cup onto the table, the tea splashing over the edge from the force. He stood up, walking around the desk and behind him. Alex desperately kept his head straight forward, remaining seated. His heart rate scattered nervously as the duke placed a hand on his shoulder. He couldn't look back.
ㅤ"Worried? There's no need to be." The duke's words came out deceptively smooth, but the tightening grip on Alex's shoulder was anything but gentle. His father was always very good at making Alex feel like a scared child. Even if he towered over the ageing man as an adult, Duke Chamberlain made him feel like something tiny and pitiful, like resistance would be useless.
ㅤ"Since you're not feeling well, Caelan is taking your place."
ㅤCaelan?
ㅤFury flared and something snapped inside Alex. Perhaps resistance would have been futile at some point in his life, but it would be over his dead body that this was taken from him too. Alex would not let himself get pushed aside this time. He needed power, he needed to be as deeply entrenched as he could get, all for the sake of his survival.
