Prince Farley [BL]

Chapter 4

QOTD: any real book recommendations?

Father was a tall man.

He was a tall man that appeared even taller when he wore his crown. He was a man worthy of such a crown, decorated with jewels and gold and the unseeable responsibilities weighing it down. I would wear that very crown one day.

Unlike Father, no crown could make Farley appear taller, not with the lack of confidence he felt.

King Auden's crown did not make him tall, no. It was the way his back straightened and he held his head high with the confidence only a king could possess. He deserved it, he was a good king.

I'd be a king some day. A good one? I wasn't sure.

Quinton would make a good king, Farley thought. But Quinton was not the crown prince.

And because Farley was the crown prince, he would need to hold his head high and pretend to have the confidence he lacked. Because that it what a prince does, he pretends.

Like now, standing in front of King Auden with his hands clasped behind his back. Father could not see, but Farley's hands trembled. He barely knew it himself.

Auden's stare was heavy, dark brown eyes that Farley too inherited, boring straight into him. Farley, in the end, hadn't needed to request an audience with him. Auden himself ordered Farley to come to him and there he appeared.

Farley, even as a young boy, always felt intimidated by this room. The throne room was one of the grandest in the palace, vastly big whilst being almost empty, save for the blanketed steps leading up to Father's throne.

On palace occasions where the royal family held banquets, four other thrones would be placed beside Auden's own. One for each royal family member, but Auden's sat permanently, forever unmoving. His father sat there before him, and his grandfather before that.

Lining the wall behind the large throne were portraits taller than King Auden himself. One for every king of Rerian that had come before, leading all the way back to the first King Gideon. Displayed in gold frame, the first king was the first of nine portraits. Farley's late grandfather was the last one.

Farley's father would one day be displayed there as well, becoming the tenth retired king from the Gideon line. He'd watch over Farley as he sat on the kings throne, just as the kings before did for him.

"There is a boy in my cells."

It was the first time he spoke in minutes. His voice was lower than normal, showing he was displeased. "Yes, Father."

"And he is your friend?"

"Yes, Father."

He continued to stare and Farley continued to pretend. Back straight, head high, chin up. Auden leisurely leaned back into his throne and crossed his leg. There was no crown on his head and yet, he felt taller than he ever has.