The Path to Ivory

Ch. 3 - Finding Perfect

The breakfast served to me was as sweet as always, savory not being an option any morning. I only ate half of each item served to me, as it looked polite to the others, having to stay petit. It was for the better, honestly, too many sweets every day would rot me from the inside out, or that's what I hear. I've always been in spectacular physical health, never a cavity, never an ache. One time I bruised my knee and our attendants dismantled the slide as a caution afterwards.

Dabbing the sides of my mouth with the folded cloth napkin, I lay it to the side and fix my fork from its cocked position next to the plates. "Thank you, sir, it was delicious as always." The script never changed, those exact words would play at this time every passing meal. "Before we deal into today's schedule. I should address the kingdom. Do mind me." Bowing to the small man who served us breakfast and the attendant across the table, I stood and straightened any potential fold on the front of my shorts.

The doors to my balcony would already be open to me, so crossing the common room to get to it was the biggest task right now. The announcement was made down to the folk of the kingdom that I was en route, and the usual sound of silence followed. To any who were new to this specific schedule, it would surely seem crazy. My feet carried me out with both hands crossed politely in front, my eyes looking down at the people who begun to mark their tasks.

"Good morning and best greetings to you all!" I call. "From the deepest part of my being I pray your day is well, and should there be any issue I pray you have the will to endure it. Remember that you're never alone, and we're only as strong as our weakest foundation! Together we will thrive, and as heir to the throne, I promise that within my power I will bring excellence."

The crowd clap and bow, and I return with a low bow as well. My smile is painted on and so is theirs. Backing off of the balcony and back into the common room, the doors slide close with a satisfying click. That speech has been memorized by me since I was a child, so all meaning has been lost to time, at least to me. I wonder if the same applies to the people, if they think it's just a script. The same as a chime from a clock on the hour.

A sense of sadness dips into my outlook for the day as I compare myself to a piece of equipment. An item.

I remind myself that I'm happy, and that things were, literally, perfect. If there were anything wrong, it would be solved before I even knew of it. Things were only told to me as a formality, my responsibility was to be displayed. The face of the kingdom. Thinking this, I have to remind myself again that I was happy.

A new attendant has taken the place of the last, which was unusual so early in the day. I hadn't even talked about todays plans with the man I ate breakfast with. He stood in the archway of the dining room with a smile, and if I didn't know better I'd say it was a mask. The ones that are shown to me all have the same rosy cheeks, the same pursed smile, attentive eyes. I found this curious, and nodded to him.

"Good morning, young sir!" He spoke with such gusto. "As of today, the twenty first of the sixth month, your day of birth on the midsummer holiday-"

His words fade out of my mind. My birthday? It almost makes me choke up, I never would've known a year had come and gone already. This would make me... twenty? Twenty one? My life has felt so unshakably long and insufferably short at the same time. Though the answer would be revealed to me soon.

"As per customs on your eighteenth year, we have tasked eight retainers to go out and search for you a wife." His excitement did nothing for the immediate pressure placed over my chest.

It was shocking to me that I was only eighteen, though I suppose it made some sort of sense. But what was even worse was that I would have a wife, most likely within the week. I could tell my crestfallen mood was written on my face as the subtle change of the man speaking to me spoke volumes. I made sure to perk up and fix my forlorn expression, giving a smile.

"A-A wife. Wonderful... superb!" It was the first time I'd ever been caught so off guard.