EFFICIENT

"What is the purpose of the Crown?" The King asked Conelm who sat down in his seat lowly.

His thoughts had wandered away but he did understand why.

"Answer?" He demanded after a while of silence.

"To govern." Conelm replied.

"What is the Crown?" The King asked.

"Unparalleled authority." Conelm replied.

"From whom?" The King asked.

"The gods." Conelm replied.

"Excellent." The King replied.

"Hmmm" Conelm muttered.

"A king must be stern, you are above all so you mustn't be answerable to anyone other than the gods.

Authority, power is absolute, excute it justly as you please but remember that you must maintain the image of the Crown." The King said.

"Does it matter?" Conelm suddenly asked.

The King found himself furious and puzzled at the speech of his son.

"Remember you place." The King said.

"Silence and violence, solitude and isolation, is it what it means to be King?" Conelm asked.

"The Crown never expresses personal feelings." The King replied sternly.

"If there are things that are too personal it is in the Crown's best interest to avoid showing weakness." He added.

"Is it what it is all about?" Conelm asked.

"It is not a choice." The King said.

"What is it then father?" Conelm asked.

"It is your duty." The King scowled at his son.

He walked around the table and came in front of his son.

"But I love my consort." Conelm eventually said.

"I couldn't stop you from doimg that." The King replied.

"Why aren't you in favour of the person I love?" Conelm eventually asked his father.

"Does it not occur to you at all?" The King asked.

"What do you mean by that?" Conelm asked.

"The loss of your child, the loss of your own flesh and blood." The King replied.

"And you dislike him because you are crippled to think that he is a bad omen?" The King asked.

"Primarily because he is all there is for the people to look at." The King said.

"What has that got to do with me, if I am to earn respect it is with he alone beside me." Conelm said as he stood up to face his father.

"I'd prefer that you choose your words wisely." The King said.

"I'd prefer that at least you accept the man I chose to marry." Conelm said.

"My son, do not get too excited." The King said.

"Then spare me father at least because he is still young.

He can have many more children and there is no doubt about that." Conelm said.

"Stand your ground, I am afraid that he could be a little bit more popular than my son." The King said as he touched Conelm's right shoulder.

Conelm was overwhelmed by some pity for his father and for once he would actually claim that he did understand that he was just try to be protective.

"You don't need to worry about me father, you taught me well." Conelm said.

"Who said I am worried about you?" The King asked.

Conelm was surprised at his father's reaction.

"What then are you worried about?" Conelm asked.

"I am worried about the crown, your name, I am worried about your legacy." The King replied.

"And what about my feelings?" Conelm asked in a fit of rage.

"I told you, there is nothing more important than family." The King said.

"May be you are right, it seems to me your pride is better than your son." Conelm said as he turned around to leave.

"Don't get me wrong, I hope that one day you shall understand me." The King confidently said.

Conelm stopped in his tracks but he did not dare bother to turn around.

"Soren is my family and he is the most important person to me right now." Conelm replied.

He then walked out a while later and left his father standing in disappoinent in the room.

"What was I thinking to allow him into my family?" A soft feminine  voice asked.

The King turned around and not yo his surprise it was his Queen that walked in through the other door of his study.

"You heard everything?" The Kimg asked.

"I am not too old and I can still tead my son's long face after he walks out on you." The Queen replied.

"It is unbelievable, a sight I never hoped to see in all my life." The King said.

"This was never his nature, who thought he would become rebellious against you?" The Aueen asked.

"I guess my dear son in law is a negative influence." The King said.

"Try and fight it." The Queen said as she stepped in front of her husband and bowed down.

"I am uncertain what I should do." The King said.

"It was awful to even dare let the son of your nemesis co rule with your son." The Queen said.

"If I had known it would have come to this, I never would have been in favour of the two getting married." The King said.

"Our son is stubborn." The Queen said.

"It is good for him if he is to become King one day but I resent it.

I resent it if he has to submit to another lesser than him." The King said.

"The charm of Soren proved to be too dangerous in the first place.

With court in favour of him who knows that one day, he might be the real power behind the Crown." The Queen said.

"What makes you think that he could possibly do that?" The King asked.

The Queen moved to the window of the study as the King's eyes slowly followed.

"Think about it my dear, Conelm has never been too committed that he might even lose his life for that petty boy if necessary.

In the near future, if Soren asked for the reins of power even once to share an equal footing with him, trust me, he wouldn't think twice.

Think about it, how sure can you be that his soon to be crowned brother is in the position to honour negotiations if he knew that his brother was married with a price." The Queen replied.

"Are you saying that he could be a spy?" The King asked.

"Moreso, the downfall of Scoln might see the birth of Endra's regime in your land.

Think of it your Majesty, two blood princes would favour a Union with the stronger as Sovereign of all." The Queen said.

She turned around and walked out of the door leaving the King lost in thought.

Conelm simply walked through the doors only to startle Soren and Gerald who happened to be feeding him.

"Your Highness." Gerald said as he stood and bowed his head.

Conelm ignored the formality and walked to the side of the bed.

He looked angry and overwhelmed by hate that Soren's immediate reaction was to face away.

"I am so sorry." Conelm gently saod as he started to become warmer towards the bedridden Soren.

Soren who was utterly surprised looked back and studied the expression on the face of his husband.

For the first time, Soren and Gerald could both see tears in the so called strong and heartless tyrant.

"May be he really isn't a monster." Soren thought as lifted his right hand and wiped Conelm's tears.

"I understand that you were angry, every other expecting father would feel the same." Soren said as he tried his best to give comfort.

"I was totally angry at you, you are my dearest and yet I totally hurt you and your feelings." Conelm said as he got hold of Soren's hand.

"I still believed in you and I still believed that you still loved me." Soren said.

He had barely spoken another word when Conelm pulled him into a very deep and warm hug.

Amidst all the make ups at least there was a slight feeling of belonging once again.

May be not all hope was lost for love.

The King still stood in his study wondering the strange behaviour of his son.

"Never has Conelm acted furiously with me and now is not a time to start." The King said.

"Perhaps my brother is over thinking things." Another cold and loud voice came from the door way.

The King turned only to see another physique almost as tall as himself darkening the door way.

"Alfred?" The King spoke in a surprised manner.

"A visit from an Imperial prince wouldn't hurt but it is just that I received tragic news from this very palace." The  man who appeared to be in his mid forties said as he walked in.

"There is just too much to always tell every time you visit." The King said as he walked over to his brother.

"Now that I am here, we could see the efficiency of the Crown." Prince Alfred said.

"You heard every thing?" The King asked.

"Her Royal Majesty did well filling me in on your need of help." Prince Alfred replied.

"I wish there was a better way to control this young man." The King said.

"You are afraid of a young boy?" The Prince asked.

"I fear he is not as submissive as he is supposed to be." The King said.

"Then remind him who he really is, show him who you really are and that is the reigning King of Scoln." The Prince Alfred said.