Sofia and Hugo: Love Triumphs

Chapter 32

King Axel

Yesterday was a crazy day, if I do say so myself.

Wassalia Day was very different without my brother Hugo, but I understood that he was fighting for us to be able to celebrate in the future.

I asked my dad if he wanted to spend the night with him; that way, he wouldn't have to return to the castle and feel alone.

Although he kindly declined, he said he didn't know why but felt he should return to Whelsire.

If I'm being honest, I was skeptical; why would he need to return to Whelsire? I think it might have been because Dad doesn't want to be like a burden, but he could never be.

The change was a bit challenging, but it was not something Astrid and I couldn't handle; we were raised to be the heirs to the throne.

We were used to some pressure, and we both went to the same school for this. In the end, we got enough training and support to manage.

After breakfast, I headed to my study room with our castle steward to see what issues needed to be solved today; if I'm being honest, I had already predicted I would have a lot of scrolls today.

As I arrived at the study room, I was correct. Our steward told me there were about 42 scrolls that needed to be resolved for today.

'Just great,' I thought to myself, smiling.

I took a seat and saw that the scrolls were separated into three different piles: the urgent news, the ones for trade requests, and ball invitations.

The good thing was that there were more scrolls for ball invitations and trade requests, so I started with the urgent news.

Surprisingly, it wasn't too bad; the village usually requested this one. It was about expanding the school, ensuring there were enough crops, planning the celebrations, etc....

2 hours later

It had been about 2 hours, and I had finished the urgent ones from the village and was now 2/3 in with the trade request; this one was a bit complicated.

It wasn't that they weren't offering good trade. It's simply that some of these kingdoms were either never heard of or had heard terrible things about them; I needed to be careful with whom I make a trade.

If I trade with a kingdom I barely know, who's to say they won't trick me or try to do something to my kingdom? As for the ones I've heard terrible things from, well...

I would rather deal with newer customs and generations than old ones. As my father once said, these kingdoms were usually the pure royal ones or the ones where only the men took charge.

I, for one, don't wish to take part in their customs; the reason for this is because I soon may have children, and I, too, believe that any daughter of mine can be an heir to the throne.

While in most of these kingdoms, they believe their only heir should be men, so I had to choose carefully who I traded with to set an example.

I had just finished another scroll when suddenly my wife burst through the door with a piece of paper.

"Astrid, dear, what's wrong?" I asked her, frowning as she tried to catch her breath.

"Sweetheart, this letter just came from Whelsire with urgency; it's from your father." She said as I stood up and walked over to her as she handed me the letter.

Dear Axel,

I thought you would like to know that, for once, my suspicions were correct; I made an excellent choice to return to Whelsire. But I'm afraid it isn't good news, I bare you.