The Royal Curse

Ten - Best Interview

Kace Holland

My head pounded from my conversation with Odaya earlier. It was no secret that our relationship was hanging onto a thread; for God's sake, the woman kidnapped me.

If the interviewer brought up the rumors, what would I say? I hated speaking to the press, anyway.

"What are some of the new policies you plan to instate in the next few months?" the interviewer asked, readying himself to jot my reply.

Princess Senna adjusted herself. From the way her eyes narrowed and her grin grew visible, I knew she was going to use my answer against me. Glaring back, I said, "Donate to the monasteries and keeping the faith of Entorrean's high during such a dark time. I'm sure you're aware of the Dark Faeries."

She tugged the bottom of her jacket and huffed. I had the nerve to get Mallor to tie her up in a box and drop her into the ocean.

"Many Entorreans have noticed you don't celebrate Saints' Day, Prince Kace," the interviewer commented, flipping to the back of his paper. "Care to elaborate?"

I shouldn't need to explain myself to a lowlife who would never understand, but apparently I couldn't say things like that. Instead, I sat straight and spoke. "Are you asking about my religious beliefs?"

"I suppose I am." He tilted his head. "I mean, Entorre's royals have always believed in the Saints, so it would be rather shocking if you went against it."

"I don't believe a person can save us like the Saints. They're the same people that started these problems, yes?"

"So you don't believe in the Entorrean religion?"

"Are you saying a religion belongs to a country?" I fired back, leveling his argument with silence. He shifted in his seat as if it was shoving needles into him. "Religion is not an obligation; it's an individual's personal beliefs. We as a country must work on that without persecuting those with different beliefs."

"But King Lius's belief—"

"Are you justifying persecution, Sir?" I countered, leaning forward in the chair. "Because that would not be a good image for you."

"I'm simply stating the facts, Your Highness. Entorre must hold true to religion as according to the generations before."

"Not at the cost of lives." My voice was even as I made my claim. A royal like myself was accustomed to prying questions like this. "The Entorrean monarch would be no good if they locked up their own people."

He shrugged, continuing to note everything said. Knowing the media, they were going to twist everything I said in the future. For now, I was doing well while staying true to my beliefs.

The interviewer shot out a series of questions. I did my best to evade a few, while others were harder to navigate. Honestly, who made these questions? It took a lowlife to be obsessed with someone else's life.

"Would you say you've ever struggled with maintaining your image, Prince Kace?"

Crossing my arms, I arranged my body to prepare for the reply once I said, "Elaborate on that question."

"Well," he clarified, setting his notepad on his lap, "your physical disability does make a lot of Entorreans worry that you aren't powerful enough. Some might say it's ruined your image ever since it began."