28

28- Luke

If I could laugh, I would really do so. As I roam my eyes to the people involved during the choosing ceremony, this people who will be challenging the ladies until they show their truest nature and prove to everyone how deserving they are, all I could think was how extreme this group will be.

As far as my knowledge goes about the choosing ceremony, every generation is unique but they always challenge the five essential traits a Crownprincess should possess. Intelligence,strength, compassion, leadership, etiquette and above everything, weakness. I know its weird but weaknesses are always viewed on a negative light, truth is, without weakness, how could one be called human. So during the ceremonies, the challengers dig deep into what could be the weaknesses of the ladies, they test them with their weaknesses and see how much they could rise above their situations. That’s how they judge the ladies during the ceremony. The subject has their own say through their votes at the end of every challenge and the council would also have a say on the matter. But at the very end, my vote would have the greatest impact.

Both my parents and I are seated on our designated places with our assistants standing on one side waiting for any orders that may come from out mouths. As for the people in-charge of the whole challenges, they all look at me and waiting for the right time to speak. Mom was just smiling and my dad is obviously on his own mind.

I’m still processing inside my mind this people that’s going to have complete control on how i’ll be able to judge the ladies. They are after all my helping hand. So I guess i’ll have no choice but to trust them during the process.

“So what do you think of this group? Can you trust them to help you during the ceremony my prince?” Mom asked me after being covered by silence for a very long time.

I looked at each of them and I recognize them all. Lord Aries, Lord Leonard, Concubine Lithia and concubine Eisha and though she’s not present, my own grandmother will also be one of the challengers. Though i’m not exactly sure what part of the ceremony will she be joining in, they just told me that she’ll take part to see for herself who’s capable of running the kingdom. Each of them are tasked with each challenge and depending on how they see the results should be, that’s where we’ll be basing the winners.

“I believe that each of you are chosen for a reason and I have high hopes that with your help, I will be able to find the lady that will eventually help me rule the kingdom. So before anything else, please accept my thanks and I hope that we all work well during the ceremony” I stood up to bow and show them how much I respect all of them. Though I find them funny, still they are the people that I believe will make a huge difference during the ceremony. They don’t usually make appearance not because they are people who doesn’t like the public but because they are focused and much more interested at making sure that the status of the kingdom and the family stay the same. Though my fathers concubines would sometimes stir up trouble for the whole inner court, they are still noble ladies with principles and beliefs of their own.

As I gave them my respects they did the same except of course for the concubines, they didn’t need to do that since they are the Kings ladies.

Next to the agenda is they’ll each present to me the time and occasions they are hoping for me to join in. This occasions are like dates where I’ll be joining each of the ladies and hopefully get to know them. This are also opportunities where they’ll see and judge how we’ll each work as a couple. In other words, this people are going to explain to me the things that I must do during the ceremony. In a way they are just giving me a heads up so that I could prepare myself and not to appear stupid.

After their detailed instructions and suggestions, each of them are escorted out by the royal guards, securing their way and protecting their identities until the ceremonies. As for me and the rest that was left, we are to discuss something else. Adi was then summoned by my parents and so did the rest of the family but while there are still not here, I took a chance and talked to my dad. We both excused ourselves from my mom and the concubines since they are still here, and we both went inside the Kings waiting chamber. This room is situated at the back of the main hall and this where the King could rest or think without anyone else present. Its just a simple private room, just for the King. Me being here could mean a lot of things but since I was permitted by the King himself, I don’t need to worry about the laws being crossed.

“So? What is it that you wish to discuss with me in private?” Dad asks me as soon as we both sat on the couches place inside the room. Dad looked a little younger in his suit today than the ones he used to wear before. He usually wears something grand, like our traditional kings attire, but he hates wearing those clothes and he once said to the public that not wearing the traditional clothes for the king doesn’t make his position any lesser. So from time to time, he would be dressed in suit and tie.

“I have update regarding the task you gave me” he looks at me in question but I immediately cleared out his confusion by showing him the files that I brought with me. He was confused because he gave me a lot of tasks this past few days so its getting harder for him to track what was I getting into. The easiest way and fastest would always be to show him exactly what I was talking about.

He grabs the files and read through it, actually its more of a scanning than reading. I watch his face as he kept on scanning through the pages, at first he looked a little bothered but when he was nearing the last pages, he looked a bit more relaxed. I don’t know what made him relax since the reports are all leading to a dead end, if this keeps going, we’ll have to free the Prime Minister and fire Lord Brucillos from his position. It will look like he slandered the prime minister and making him stay won’t make a good impression to the public and to the council. Innocent or not, the Prime minister will definitely find a way to make Lord Brucillos regret ever crossing him.

“So what’s your next step now?” his highness hands me the files and he calmly asks me while looking at me with expectation all over his eyes.

“Right now, I already requested the General to give me a copy of the interrogation they made with both lord and also those who are involve. I’m still waiting for a report from one of my own people after then will I make a proper decision” I waited for my father to violently react at my words but instead he nods in agreement.

“Okay, then keep studying the records, hopefully you’ll find a loophole. Just keep me posted so I’ll know too.” Dad agreed openly and its was surreal. I don’t know if he ate something good before going here or did he get some action today so he is a little loose today. But he doesn’t look like someone who did get some action but he looks like he has something else in his mind.

“Are you okay dad?” I was worried that he might be in pain somewhere and that he’s just keeping his mouth shut about it. Same thing if it’s a problem that he couldn’t take his mind off of it.

“Yeah I’m okay” he quickly waves my concern away and change the subject, he asked me more about my trip and how the people reacted by my sudden appearance at each of their places. He was satisfied with all of my reports and he even smiled at some of my work, which by the way is very weird.

Dad will always have something to say. Even when you’ve done exactly as he asked you too, he’ll always see something, an opportunity perhaps, to tell you of his insights, his beliefs and what could you have done to make things even better. He is not someone who is easy to satisfy. I know I should be just happy that he at-least agreed to everything that I did but I feel like he is distracted with something. I probably should ask mom about it since she should know something about it. I have no doubt that she would because there is no way my father would be able to hide his concerns from my mother.

We went back outside to meet with the rest of the family since they just all happen to arrive at the same time. Suspicious? Not at all.

I sat on my own sit while the rest of our family sat on their respective places, prepared by the maids. As I was the crownprince, my place is always at my fathers side while the crownprincess sat next to me. So now Ambers is sitting on my side dress in her formal dress. Adi on the other hand, being the only daughter of the king and queen, she sat next to my mother where mom could pin point everything that’s not right with my sisters attire and posture. As for the rest of our siblings, well Matthew is still young for this kind of things so he doesn’t have to attend this meetings, while our other brother, half anyways, Luis sat in front of me together with his first wife, Lady Treena.

I actually don’t like the idea of facing my brother, though my sit is somewhat higher than them, I just don’t like being reminded where I’ll be when my father decides that I no longer deserve to be the crownprince of Estrella. Despite the fact that he’s born from one of my fathers concubine, the fact that he is my fathers blood and that he is older than I am, he has every chance to be in my place. One word from him and everyone that’s been silently supporting him could easily influence the people and the King to put me out in exchange for him.

In all honesty, I wouldn’t have cared if he did become the crownprince instead of me, I would have gladly accepted and move on. But when everyone was asking for him to step up, he declined and promised that he would never take that kind of responsibility. So I did. But it all turned out to be just a show. So he could plainly put me to shame as soon as he gets what he really wants.

How the hell did I know this things? Well, I'm exactly like mom, I always find a way.

“All rise for the Royal Regent” one of the guards announces and we all stood up for the eldest member of the royal family.

Grandmother stride from the entrance towards her own sit, which was just a little higher from my mom. She wore her traditional dress and her crown, being the eldest of the royal family, she still has to appear disciplined and respected.

“You can all sit now” Grandmother announces as she sat on her throne. We all did as she asked and waited for the staff to serve all the snack and drinks before we could all start talking.

As soon as the staff was done, they all left us to discuss amongst ourselves. My twin cousins are as always, disinterested at whatever it is that’s going to be discussed in here. They would just rather eat and pretend like they totally agree with everything that’s being discuss inside the room. As for the things that are Even if it’s a talk about sending them a place where they can’t do anything but work their ass off. That happened once and they both totally had to follow despite their constant begging and constraint. Nothing changed, they still don’t listen and the chance of them agreeing into something stupid is still at a hundred percent.

“I requested for everyone to come today so we could all be informed that the upcoming months for all of us will be crucial and sensitive. As the choosing ceremony goes, everything is going to be recorded for the masses benefit. So that will also mean that our every action will be recorded and shown to the public” Dad started without any toher intermission. He went straight to the point and he has nothing but a very serious tone. “Now I have no doubt that everyone is going to be in their best behaviors and that you are all going to do well in your respective duties. We of course must show the public that we are not just living like how they all picture us but we are also tirelessly working day and night for the sake of our dear Estrella” Dad finishes while everyone inside the room are simply confused and that made my grandmother laugh so hard. We all looked at her as she tries her very best to stop herself from laughing but she only kept on going. I looked at mom but just like the rest of us, she was as confuse as everyone else.

“I’m sorry” grandmother waves her hands as if she’s trying to shake the feeling of happiness out of her system. “Its just that, you all look so confuse when your king talked about duties. You are all just a bunch of royal snots who don’t even know how to show compassion to its people” Grandma madly said without pausing. “You wish for the people to see you in a different light, but none of you would stoop down and extend a hand to those who are sick and poor. You ride your cars and roam the land like you all own the place, but none of you deserve the richness you all have.” Grandma laughs again, but it was more of a sarcastic one than her usual sweet and gentle laugh. “How many more lies can our family stand?” Grandma stands up to walk around us.

At this point, my father should already be saying something, but he looks way too comfortable in his sit that he just kept on looking at his mother and waiting for the royal regent to say whatever it is that she wishes to say to all of us. I on the other hand, am already itching in my sit, I wish for grandma to just quickly scold whoever it is that she wished to scold so we could all just go on and do what needs to be done.

I’m not being rude or disrespectful. I love grandma and she’s one of the constant people in my life. Shw would be mad at me for things that I’ve done wrong but she would always protect me from people who wishes to see me down. In a way, she’s like one of the few people who believes that I can do more and that I deserve to be in my place. But even with those things, I still find her little monologue and scolding right now, irrelevant.

The thing is, the royal family, from generation to generation would always have this kind of problems. Being a royals brings a lot of things, but one of the worst thing it gets you with is pride. Of course, this is not something that’s acquired by many but pride inside the palace is like a flu that once you acquire it, especially pride with power, you tend to stray away from your true purpose.

And because of that, I don’t think this is the best time for grandma to scold us all. We need this time to discuss what needs to be done during the ceremonies and each of us has some pretty big roles to play. Now is not the right moment for grandma to scold us all or we might just lose confidence and fail during the ceremonies. Well, maybe this applies to my cousins and uncles, but still, we need all the members of the family at their full percent.

I looked at my mother, but she doesn’t look like she could do anything, my dad doesn’t seem to care so that just leaves me. I could stand and say something but that would only make things worst, grandma would just give me her death glares and she’ll take more of our time than intended.

“Mother, we know that you’re upset and we all apologize for disappointing you, but this is not the right time for you to be mad.” Aunt Anne stands up to go against her mother and face my grandmothers deadly warning, being the only daughter and sibling to the king, gives her this too much confidence that she’ll be alright even if she gets bad with the royal regent. She’s the mother of my twin cousins, so that should explain why my cousins are so gutsy and would always challenge the laws of the kingdom, they practically act like their mom.

“Are you suggesting that I shut up, daughter?” her highness answers her daughter and she is now using that tone that will make any person shiver for being a very bad child.

“That’s not what I mean mother and you know that” Aunt Anne explains before she breathes in and takes a moment to calmly speak to Grandmother. “You wished for the crownprince to find his better half and now, ladies from esteemed and noble families came here at your request to compete for the sake of your grandson. You are finally getting one of the things that you always prayed and wish, but here you are scolding us all for being inappropriate snots.” Aunt Anne exhaled before giving the royal regent one of her ‘Duh’ look “We get it mom, we’re not suited, we are just a bunch of losers in your eyes and we have accepted that, heck the whole world knows it too.” Aunt Anne raised her tone and we were all getting worried that she might say something that could trigger the royal regent even more. “Mother, I don’t wish to have this argument with you and I am fully aware that you’ll either disown me as your child or you could kick me out of this room but I am begging you, can’t we just have one morning meeting without you scolding us all and deal with what needs more of our time. You want us to be deserving of our titles, then with your knowledge help us achieve something good during the ceremonies. Or are you really dead set at making this meeting another lecture time?”

We all waited for grandma to say something because at this point of insubordination, only she can speak and my aunt has to accept whatever it is that her mother would say about her speech.

Grandma thinks for a second, not showing any sign of emotion and its making us all uncomfortable. Aunt Anne sits back on her sit and she momentarily looks at my father who was by the way trying his very best not to smile. Which makes this whole little situation a little suspicious.

I looked at my mother but just like what she was awhile ago, she still looks as confuse as we are. But something is definitely not right in this situation. No matter how the cards are played right, a joker will always rise to ruin all cards.