The Florist And The Prince (ON HOLD)

~ 2 ~

Prince Alexɑnder

After brunch, King Stefan excused himself and Alex and they retreated to his office to speak privately. While seated in one of the lavish seats in his father's office, Alex watched his father closely as he tried to find the right words to say to his strong-headed son.

"As you know," King Stefan began, seated behind his big desk. "You're twenty first birthday is just around the corner and that means you would ascend to the throne."

Alex fought the urge to roll his eyes, they've been over this subject countless times. He was the perfect combination of both his parents, he his father's darker hair, his mother's facial structure and green eyes, and father's towering height with a lean yet toned stature.

"And I'm not getting any younger. I'm nearly going to be in my fifties and I need you to take over the Kingdom and so do the people. They will need you to lead them." King Stefan continued. "And that also means that you need to marry."

"Dad-"

King Stefan raised a hand to stop him. "You can run the Kingdom by itself, it's possible but difficult. You need your Queen beside you to help and since you have been ignoring me and mother's request to get a wife, we've taken it into our own hands to do that for you."

Alex's eyebrows dipped in confusion and question. "What are you talking about-"

"We're going to hold a contest and we have already began sending out invitations to all the young eligible women in the land that are between the ages of eighteen and twenty to take part in it and by the end of it, we'll throw a grand ball and that is where you will choose a bride."

Alex eye's widened in bewilderment. He did not expect that at all. He was gobsmacked.

"What! You can't be serious?!" He said after a moment of silence, shooting out of the seat.

King Stefan looked his son straight in the eyes. "I. Am." He replied seriously.

"Do you hear yourself dad?! This is preposterous!"

"Do not raise your voice at me, Alexander! I am your father and the King"

Gritting his teeth in anger, Alex abruptly stood up from the chair and stormed over to the door, ignoring his father's voice calling him back and stalked out of the office, down the large hallway heading for the doors that led out to the backyard of the palace. He ignored the butlers, maids and guards that unintentionally watched him as he stalked out of the palace, through the large yard and down to the stables to the only living thing who he always sort comfort from, his handsome black stallion, Hercules.

Looking up in alertness, the five year hybrid of a Friesian and Thoroughbred relaxed when he saw who was causing such a ruckus and trotted over to the front of his stable once Alex got near.

Reaching forward, over the gate Alex managed a small smile as he rubbed Hercules' neck. "Hey boy, wanna go for a run?"

It was as if Hercules completely understood what Alex said and began nodding his big dark head, prompting the Alex to chuckle lightly. "Thought so. Let's get out of here."

Bringing Hercules out of his stable, Alex grabbed his saddle and placed it over the horse's masculine back and mounted him before they rode out of the stable, down the path that led into the palace's wooded area that was part of their estate.

He understood that his parents meant well but he was still young, there was so much that he wanted to do before settling down. People think that growing up as a royal was easy, glamorous and luxurious and it was but there also came duties and responsibilities that were passed down from generation to generation that it was deeply embedded into their history that it was viewed as taboo if they weren't carried out, and also brought on ill views from public and from other royal families. He just wasn't ready yet, for all that.

Riding through the woods, he came to a overview that allowed him to look down and see the town below, by the Lorrene river. The last time he went there was when he was twelve years old for the opening of a newly furnished health care centre for children and hasn't been down there since, but looking at the town, it definitely wasn't as small as it was all those years ago. It had expanded and looked more like a smaller city now.

Helping steer Hercules back towards the track as the clearing was the end of it, Alex lightly kicked him in the side, making him go into a run again. He rode Hercules all the way back up to the palace, around it ignoring the people that were trying to get his attention and out of the estate, going down the road, headed for the town. Riding along the roadside on the track in the woods, he saw a roll-royce drive by on its way to the palace and he could only imagine how many more would be coming with a sense of great dread.

The girls were already starting to arrive.

❦❧❦❧❦❧❦❧❦❧❦❦❧❦

If you ɑre wondering...

The Kingdom of Terrigal is on the imɑginɑry ɑnd fictionɑl islɑnd of Northden between The United Kingdom ɑnd mɑin lɑndmɑss of Europe, ɑnd they're ɑccent is mostly British sounding.