My Enemy To Love {Ereri/Riren}

Chapter 2

Jean’s POV

I can’t help but be sad right now. My mother and father are happy together, or so it seems, but they keep forcing me, to finally get married. They want to dump all the things on me, everything. All the tax problems, all the boycott’s the people organize against my father’s stupid taxes, everything. And then they want to go far away, be happy somewhere, and leave the whole kingdom to me, just to control me from the shadows anyway. They say it’s the utmost respect they have for me, saying they’ll leave the kingdom to me. I don’t care for it though.

I want to go on an adventure. Live through danger, and survive trough life. That’s all I want. Not a fancy castle, or maids, or slaves. Or for people to bow down to me. I want them to see me as one of them. I want to be one of them. I don’t care if I was stick thin, or didn’t have any money to buy food, and starved to death within a week. It would feel much closer to living, than doing the things I do now.

I only dress for the parties my parents make me go to, to find a bride. They always invite high-status people, never looking at the poor. Even if the poor mattered more, since they were the ones who really needed help. The wealthy merchants, and other barons, they never need money, because they already have money. They’re just greedy and want more, and more, and more. They won’t give any to the poor.

“…-ggot. Isn’t he, Jean? Jean?” I snapped out of my thoughts, and remembered I was having tea with my parents, and some other rich douchebags. Nothing I can really say, to something I didn’t even hear. “Jeany-boy, answer your father, please. Now” My mother shot me a small glare, so unnoticeable, you wouldn’t see it, unless you were looking for it. Which believe me, I wasn’t, but with my luck so far, I still saw it.

“I’m sorry father. I spaced out. I was thinking about the dance tonight.” He shook his head. “It’s just that Martha here, she had a son, obviously she disowned him for what he did. And he just yesterday, told her he was in love with the neighbor’s boy. Such a faggot. I can’t stand that. Wouldn’t you agree?” I couldn’t stand my parents anymore. They were so judgmental, and homophobic. I hated that. There was nothing wrong with liking a person of the same gender, really. It’s the same as loving a person the opposite gender.

“…No, actually I wouldn’t.” I was done with this shit for today, and for the rest of the week. Maybe even for the rest of my life. “What?” I just sent a glare towards my large-mouthed mother, even though she used to be sweet, the money changed her. “I said I wouldn’t agree. There’s nothing wrong in loving a person the same gender. Nothing at all. It’s love as love. The same thing. Sure, they maybe couldn’t have a heir, but they can adopt. There’s lots of homeless children out there, who would die for a loving family, no matter who they were, or who they loved. That’s my opinion. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go somewhere.”

With that, I stood up, and walked out of the too-sweet smelling garden, and slammed the glass door, until you could hear the glass chime. I knew what my parents would do now. They would apologize to the people we sat with, excuse themselves, and come beat me. My father would grab a whip, and slash at me, until I bled. That was my life right now. Everyone use to be happy, cheerful and nice, but that changed. I wish it didn’t. The thing that changed this place, this whole kingdom, was money, wealth, greed. That’s all that it was. Those things manipulate a person into doing something they don’t want to, but they still do it in the end.

That’s what greed is. And that’s what it’ll always be. Sure, we need money, to buy food and clothing for ourselves, but we don’t need it to show it off to other people. It’s a waste of time, space, and yes, money. That’s almost all this world is about today. And I want to change that, very soon.

I wouldn’t let my father beat me up today. Instead of heading into my room like I would usually do, I locked the door, and ran somewhere else. Grabbing my sword from the weapons room, I headed to the training fields. Slashing and hitting helped me. Plus the exercise was healthy. After I was somewhat calmed down, I strode into the stables. I quickly snatched my horse, Kuro, and rode away. Perhaps not into the sunset, but into the dark forest.