For Your Sake

Supreme Princess Selova was in the Baville Palace where she resided alone. The King came to see her after dinner and now, they were in her chamber; chatting like they often did.

"Aren't you busy?" Selova Vamieres asked her younger brother who sat opposite her. "I don't expect you to have time to visit me, Hamon."

"You sound like I rarely come to see you," King Hamon Caderin pointed out in a somewhat displeased tone. "I think we both know that it's the opposite."

Supreme Princess Selova simply flashed her signature calm smile when she heard her brother. "I don't remember myself neglecting you as you claimed, Your Majesty," she stated in a playful tone; making the King sigh. Nevertheless, he soon smiled again.

"Why don't you just move back to the main palace rather than staying here alone?" the King suggested. "Don't you think it's a good idea? We will be able to see each other often that way."

The Supreme Princess observed the King who gave her a hopeful look. However, she didn't need any thinking to answer the question. "I don't think that's appropriate, Hamon. Besides, I'm doing fine here."

Though Hamon Caderin tried his best not to show anything, his older sister still saw through him like she always did. Even when everyone said that the King was more than great in keeping his feelings and motives hidden, the Supreme Princess was always the only one who can read him. Even now, she could sense how he was feeling disappointed.

"When you decided to marry Commander Aldus Vamieres, you know how worried I was," the King started. "He was a warrior who spent almost all his time on the battlefield and you also know very well that none of the males in the Vamieres family lived past their prime as they always sacrificed their lives for the kingdom. Yet you still insisted to marry him and you're so happy that I couldn't bring myself to stop you."

"What's the use of talking about the past, Your Majesty?" Supreme Princess Selova argued yet she still maintained a calm voice and expression. All the time, she met the King's gaze where she noticed a hint of concern, like always.

"Because what I feared came true. You soon became a widow," King Hamon argued. "You already dedicated many years for your husband and son, sister. Now that Nicien is married, why don't you just stop being stubborn and move back in? Knowing that you're alone here makes me so worried."

His eyes and every expression pleaded with the Supreme Princess to accept his suggestion but... he felt confused when she simply smiled.

"Selova -"

"You know I can't do that," Selova Vamiered stated with a calm smile still on her face. "Besides, the main palace is not that far from here. We still live inside the same walls, right?"

"Why can't you do that?" the King stubbornly asked, ignoring everything except her first sentence.

"Let us not talk about this anymore, Hamon. I'm doing fine -"

"Tell me," the King demanded as he interrupted his older sister. He rarely did this but... he can't refrain himself this time.

The Supreme Princess stared at her younger brother for a while and she seemed to be thinking of something, perhaps weighing her options. Then she broke her gaze and glanced at the floor instead when she asked, "Can't you guess my reason? I thought that you would know."

"I don't... " King Hamon's voice trailed off when one thing crossed his mind. Then he narrowed his eyes before he let out a sigh. "Nicien?" he asked, rhetorically.

Supreme Princess Selova nodded her head though she never once looked at her younger brother. "If I move back into the main palace as you suggest, that means Nicien will always be having a hard time when he wants to visit me. I don't want that to happen."

Rather than being angry, the King felt confused due to the situation. His older sister might be good at reading him but he could never do the same. "Selova, this is -"

"I don't want things to get any more complicated between you two, Hamon." The Supreme Princess finally met the King's gaze again as she talked. Then she added, "Me staying here is for the best."

"Do you think I want this, Selova?" King Hamon argued with confusion still evident on his face. "Nicien is my only nephew and above all, he's your son. You also know how much I used to care for him but he's the one who broke my trust and my heart, all because of greed."

Selova Vamieres slowly shook her head once she heard her brother out. "Greed? You don't know Nicien at all, Hamon."

Slowly, the King's confused expression was replaced by a pained one. "You always take his side, sister. Don't you think of me at all?"

"Hamon -"

"I know he's your son but I'm also your brother, your only sibling," Hamon Caderin snapped, raising his voice for the first time since the conversation started. "Esriven is founded and expanded by our ancestors to become the great kingdom it is today. Do you think I should just hand over to someone who is not a Caderin?!"

His tone was even higher than before but... when he was back to his sense and realized it, he let out a breath and shut his eyes, all while his older sister never took her gaze off him. Then he spoke up again in a much calmer tone compared to before.

"If you think that I never had a chance to do something, then you're wrong, sister," Hamon Caderin muttered. "If Nicien is not your son whom you love so much, I will already find a way to get rid of him no matter what the consequence would be. All these years, I only hold back for your sake but... if it goes on, I can't be certain anymore."

He waited for a while but when the Supreme Princess didn't say anything, he rose from his seat. "It's getting late. You should have some sleep." He walked towards the door and though his older sister still said nothing, he halted as one thing crossed his mind. He ended up nervously squeezing his royal robe.

"I'm sorry for raising my voice at you earlier, Selova. It wasn't my intention to do that," was what he muttered without turning around. Then he finally left the chamber with a troubled mind and heart.....