DUTY ALONE ENDURES

There was always something that Soren liked about the backyard here, it was large enough to facilitate an early morning ride.

He rode Electra along the brightly sparkling lawn that constituted the floor of the beautiful palace earth.

"Tell me something Soren." King Valga said.

"Name it your Royal Majesty." Soren replied.

"Do you love my son the way that he really loves you?" The King asked as the horses continued to walk at a very slow pace.

Soren kept quiet as his face started to flush and become bright red like a tomato.

The King did not seem so concerned to bother looking at the expression on Soren's face, he looked so inhumane at that very moment as the Innocent Soren was trying to compose a proper reply.

"Yes." The words slipped out of Soren's tongue on their own.

"Perhaps you do or you do not, who am I, just an ordinary human and I cannot take a look at what is in your heart or your mind." The King said.

"How so mean of him, I wish he knew I was being very sincere." Soren thought.

"I cannot lie, perhaps I did not love him as much at the very beginning and in the first place, but that does not change what I feel towards him now." Soren softly spoke.

"Such great courage, have you ever thought that it threatens my son's position?" King Valga asked.

"Enlighten me Your Majesty, in what way exactly, I am not getting a clear impression of what you are saying." Soren said.

"Oh, perhaps I am talking in a complex way, let me try to be simple perhaps." The King said.

"I shall listen Your Majesty." Soren replied.

"You know exactly what this monarchy needs in due time and I am sure that you understand that he cannot rule alone.

That is why we saw it appropriate to follow his wish and get him his very own choice of a partner." The King said.

"Which I am guessing is me." Soren softly said.

"Of course, he really loved you so much and every one can believe that it is your extra ordinary charm that won him to you but I  know there is something more to that." The King said.

"Perhaps your Royal Majesty." Soren said.

"But the Monarchy needs not only the Queen that he loves but also a Queen who must submit to whatever wishes he has and not the exact opposite." The King said.

"Yes your Royal Highness, I shall try my level best." Soren replied.

"Try your level best, no, just do your level best, You are perhaps not getting me." The King said.

"I am getting you your Royal Majesty." Soren said.

"No, it is clear you are not, you are not the submissive type indeed, I can see that in your eyes." The King said.

"What do you want me to do your Majesty?" Soren said as they continued to ride around the backyard.

"I do not know how you do your things back there in the Endra but you must have noticed that here every thing is totally different." The King said.

Soren felt himself becoming angrier than he actually was but he was trying to tame all the rage that he had.

"Yes, I have certainly noticed that everything here is different, I can clearly see that your Majesty." Soren said.

"It is not like I am blind here." He murmured under his breath sure that the king was not hearing.

"Let me tell you this clearly that I do not think you are capable of wearing the Crown my son is putting upon your head." The king said without any hesitation.

"And why is that your Majesty?" Soren asked quite angry but doing his level best to conceal it with a casual smile as they continued to ride.

"You may be charming and young, but you are every inch rebellious, what do you know about submission to your superiors.

Unlike my son I shall make this clear, as Future Queen alongside Conelm you should be in the position to know your place.

Whom you should kneel to and to whom your loyalty lies are all essentials in this task of yours and the primary concern of the monarchy is not in your joy but rather your duty." The King replied.

"I was born the inferior noble blood and my independence was already settled with the exchange of a Crown.

I may not be what you want to see in me Your Majesty but I can assure you, my duty to this country and most importantly the Crown shall remain unchanged.

I may be too small, too young and maybe to charming but I am no less than warrior inside." Soren said.

"And I only hope that that warrior inside shall stay within his boundaries." The King said.

"If ever you plan to use your charm to the advantage of snatching away the Crown of my son then you should remember this, It won't happen." The King said as he rode ahead and faster leaving Soren behind.

Soren who was angry tightened his grip around the reins of Electra and as though sensing his fury and order, Electra sped up and walked faster.

Soren who upon reaching the entrance of the palace at the back climbed down from the beautiful Stallion as Thompson held its reins to lead it away.

Soren darted and walked through the doors as the servants that he met bowed down to him.

The heels Soren wore went on announcing his entry as they were loud enough to go through the carpets and sound from the marble floor.

Gerald who followed clearly saw that the mood of his master was dark and all the anger and rage he had concealed from earlier was fighting to break free.

Helren joined the party as well but doing what Gerald was doing until Soren flung the doors of his own suite open and darted inside.

"This is so annoying and disrespectful to me." Soren at last was able to speak.

"What happened your highness?" Helren asked.

"Do they perhaps think that I am not human, do they think that I am a tree without feelings, how dare they?" Soren replied in a harsh tone.

"Come down Your Highness." Gerald said.

"It is literally impossible for me to do that now Gerald, it was never my fault that their son chose me, and now, every one is giving me the lecture about how I am not fit to be a Castorian.

Do they think I wear these gowns of theirs because I want?" Soren said as he used all his might and ripped the coat open.

"Perhaps they are wrong Your Highness." Helren said.

"They are not wrong, they shall keep on reminding me that I am no less a settlement for peace, I am not less the fortune of lands and I am forever a slave amongst them." Soren said.

"But have you cared to know what Conelm actually thinks about you?" Helren asked.

Soren kept quiet as he lowered down his head.

"What more could he see me as if his parents look at me like this, it is impossible for me to keep living like this, the torture that they give me.

Is he any different from his parents? Can his eyes perceive something else of me, like all of the others of course, he expects me to bow.

He expects me to play second fiddle to him as his own Queen, not to say a word but show people I am present with a smile." Soren replied lightly.

"Perhaps traditions can be changed, Conelm is nothing like his parents." Helren said.

"But what does the Monarchy demand of him if I am to ask?" Soren said.

"Both Helren and Gerald kept silent.

"I actually thought that perhaps it was out of true love that I was betrothed to Conelm but come to think about it, I now see it more clearly than before.

I was betrothed as a symbol of the weakness of my people, betrothed as a symbol of submissiveness to the Scoln might." Soren said.

"It is not that Your Highness." Gerald said.

"Then what is it Gerald, am I not right, look at things the way they are, I simply could not choose my path and if Perhaps I am reminded that I was rather put down as a settlement to prevent war over lands then I suppose I can never be the one to speak." Soren said.

"And all the time that you have been here you have not been able to actually feel anything towards Conelm?" Helren asked.

Soren kept quiet and bowed down his head.

"We are all victims of circumstance here but if there is something that I cannot doubt then that is the love that my master has towards you.

If you do value the pride of his family, then you do not value his heart like he strives to value yours, you are not getting married to his father or mother, you are getting married to him.

They cannot judge your relationship either because it is not important as they can never understand it." Helren said.

"This is  very hard for me, all I am fighting to do is get the acceptance of everyone else and all that they can award me is nothing less than their own wrath." Soren said.

"Perhaps you should think about it." Gerald said.

"I need some time alone." Soren said dismissively.

"Alright then your Highness, we shall leave you to it." Helren said as they withdrew and closed the doors afterwards.

Soren who remained alone simply walked towards his dressing table and sat down while he stared back at his own reflection.

He was dismayed, angered and also additionally confused with what was happening to him.

"Not for the very first or second or even fiftieth time, Soren wondered and questioned, why of all people in the world was he that charming.

Charming to cause thrones to fall, charming to turn familes on each other and charming to make pre existent relationships to fall apart.