The Tales of the Crimson Prince of Obelia

Part 16 Being a Father

Cale has always loved his step father. That may be obvious as he is the only father ever in Cale's life. But that wasn't why Cale loved him. Heck, he never saw Deruth as his true father. Just a man who loved and cherished his mother. But he still put in the effort to loved his stepfather. Even when at times, he wished he wasn't related to him as his son. Actually, Cale had plenty of reasons to hate Deruth. All the harassment and bullying he had faced was all because he was his stepson.

The pure confidence Deruth had to make Cale his heir cause plenty of doubt and problems especially to Cale. He had to witness the begin and end of the arguments, fights and the foreseeable outcome. Deruth being the duke makes it clear that he has the power to choose his heir as he wishes but what about the heir? Was there ever a choice? Short answer, no. Long answer, Cale was only a boy but wanting to please not only his mother but his father too, he just had to hold on. Hold onto his opinions and feelings. His will was not to be questioned. His free will.

But even then, it wasn't enough. Cale wanted to do more. More for his new-found family. He needed to be what his parents expect. The perfect heir. The perfect son. And to be the perfect son. He needed to be Cale Henituse. He needed to act like a Henituse. The proud, rich and powerful name, Henituse. He needed to look like the only son of Duke Henituse. So he smiled. And laughed. And loved. He saw his father as the only father there is. The only one he would call 'father'. That was his goal. To make his name real. The only name given to him real. There would be no other to choose.

Not until he went to the Obelian Empire did he have a choice. Until then, he always had that feeling of doubt and emptiness. As if he was missing the most important part of his life. Now, there it is. The one part of him that he was missing. His family. The Obelian Royal Family. There, he had a choice. He chose to do his stepmother's work. He can choose to be the crown prince of Obelia Empire or continue being the stepson of the Duke of Henituse. He has a choice. He knew what he wanted. But should he?

  Pure crystal blue eyes. Claude could only see those blue eyes floating on the sea floor. Tears covering his blue eyes. He was weak to tears. The tears of his loved ones. That being his two children, Athanasia and Cale. The two women in his life are gone. Turned to dust. All he has now is their smaller versions. Cute, young and fragile. He wanted to protect them. Like how he would protect them. But even if they aren't in harms way, he would make sure they grow up happily. To smile and laugh and live.

  Cale saw the blurred vision of his father as he comforts him with an embrace. It was..warm. It felt like a pillow castle of clouds and the warmth of his father was as though the sun was blocked by clouds in a tropical landscape. It was nice. And slowly as time went by, Cale's tears dried up.

  Cale expected Claude to ask him questions after that. Cale suddenly burst into tears after all. But Claude kept his mouth shut. He didn't look mad or sad or confused. Cale knew he didn't feel this way. It was rather a relieved kind of feeling. Cale didn't know why neither did Felix. But a sense of relief fell upon Cale as well. Maybe it was a spell of some sort like how yawns can get contagious. Maybe he felt that way after crying a few tears. Somehow he couldn't understand himself. Even the reason behind his tears.

As to why Claude was so quiet, he was thinking. Thinking of what Cale said. 'His other father' aka Deruth. Claude thought about that name. It wasn't stepfather like it should be nor was it father. But other father. Did he consider him and himself as both of his fathers or has he grown distant. He wasn't sure but at least he didn't address to him as 'Father' or 'Dad'.

....

Now he wanted to see Cale call him 'Dad'. Well, Cale did call him 'Papa' that one time but it was half-spoken and Cale never wanted to say it either. Maybe one day, he could hear Cale say that. Dad