Slowly Burning

The Visitor

Zeke woke up with a start, the cursed blade that he had set on to his nightstand now angled over where his chest was. "Dammit". Every night when he wasn't being careful, the knife seemed to pinpoint the location of his heart, as if it was asking for another owner. "Oh damn you, you already shorten my lifespan." He hissed at the dagger, as if that were to magically make it feel some sort of sympathy for him. Of course he grabbed the handle and threw it into the thick oak wooden door, knowing it would reappear in his hand in a few seconds. It would follow through with his intent, sure, but then it was right back to his hand like a puppy retrieving a stick.

He carefully put the knife in to a sheath, fixing it on to his person before getting up. The sun's tired beams were just barely rolling in through his window. Zeke went to the window, just to open it and see the morning sun rise for the start of a new day. After taking a fresh breath of air and getting ready for the day, he went down in to the kitchen, the previous nights conversation bouncing around in his head. "Me? Like prince Val? as in a romantic partner?" He thought to himself before shaking his head. The handmaid's would call it puppy love, while the younger groups of the kingdom would refer to it as a crush. Looks like the Queen was still looking after the young.

Zeke didn't know what to do with the information, that he wished to pursue the prince in such a manner. Of course, it was ridiculous. The prince was just a whiny brat who was also the most charming and handsome man in the entire kingdom, who enjoyed teasing him. That's all that their relationship was. After all, his own father killed Val's mother so it seemed completely out of the question to even imagine them together. Two men falling in love with each other isn't uncommon, nor is it frowned upon, but to Zeke these feelings were still alien. In his own home, his father would say nothing but foul things about people who "practiced same-gendered love", of course, never knowing that Flich was dating her best friend, who happened to be another girl. 

It was one of the few family secrets that they managed to keep from their father by working together. Of course Flich hardly had the time to visit the girl of her dreams, but they still managed. 

Zeke pulled his head out of the clouds, taking a small tray with him, going downstairs to visit his fathers holding cell. He carried with him his dagger of course, a teapot filled with a minty tea, and two small cups so that they could both enjoy the drink. He tried to get some cookies for their tea but he was denied that. It was fine, he knew his father didn't even deserve to be alive after what he had done to her majesty. 

"There's my boy," King Brutus' voice boomed. He sounded proud and quite happy to see Zeke again, seeing as it had been a few months since his last visit. Zeke sat down in front of his cell, as his father did on his side of the bars. He carefully set down the tray with the tea, filling a cup and sliding it down the door. 

Brutus took the tea, gulping it down in a few seconds, sliding the cup back for a refill. Reluctantly, since Zeke had not even poured himself his own first cup, he refilled and slid it back across. This time, Brutus' waited for the tea to cool a bit before even taking a sip, rather than chug. 

"Flich had me carry a message for you, she declares herself Queen, not even acting Queen since your arrest." He stated cooly, knowing what kind of reaction his father would have. The cup had a few cracks from the amount of pressure the former king was applying to it, of course it didn't shatter since he had the least bit of self control. "Is that so? How disappointing. Zeke give me the dagger, I will go reclaim the throne for you." He offered.

Zeke shook his head no, "Father, the blade is mine and I am not going to set you free in my workplace, especially after they took enough pity on you to not be beheaded." His tone was firm, more so like a warning above all else.