Veridia

Chapter 14

Aethiria, present

Aleksander really shouldn't gotten this drunk.

The splitting headache he had in the morning attested to that. Every step was agony, like someone was driving a chisel into his skull.

He probably looked like he was half dead. Aleksander staggered his way over to the hospital wing with a wrinkled back shirt and equally as creased pants, and the head nurse only shook her head before touching his temple and waving the headach away. She did nothing for the bags under his eyes though.

He tore a brush through his knotted blond hair, scowling.

Why did everything have to be so messed up? It wasn't fair.

Stop wallowing in self-pity. I have things to do, he scolded himself.

He had to review some foreign king's taxation proposal, something about the shipping fees of corn. The very thought of it made Aleksander want to dash his head against the table.

He started reading the long document, sitting down at his desk to concentrate. After about half and hour of no progress (his eyes seemed to be reading the same line over and over), Aleksander simply gave up. He scribbled a reply, something along the lines of "Of course, Aethiria also agrees with whatever this is," and walked to his father's room to deliver it.

He paused at the door, about to knock when he heard Kirigan's voice from inside.

"-proposing soon."

"What? Isn't it too early?"

"I love her. Please father, if you ever loved me at all-"

"Kirigan, I care deeply for you. But Duke Alexeeva will not approve of his daughter wedding a suitor so early-"

"I am the prince! What better suitor could she have?"

"Kirigan-"

"No! I will propose tonight."

Kirigan stormed out the room, flushed red from his forehead to the base of his neck. He makes quite a nice tomato, Aleksander thought.

"Out of my way!"

He pushed past Aleksander.

Aleksander blinked at his retreating back, trying to absorb the information he just overheard.

Kirigan was going to propose to Katerina tonight.

Thank god, he thought to himself. If Katerina was tied down, she wouldn't be able to hound him anymore.

Sometimes palace etiquette was a good thing.

Aleksander stepped into his father's office, about to talk about the papers in his hand before King Volkov beckoned for him to sit down.

"Aleksander. We have many things to discuss."

Aleksander placed the files neatly on the king's desk, tapping them against the table to straighten them.

"I'm listening."

"Word of Geneva's attack has leaked into the public. They have heard of the incoming war, and the commoners are growing restless indeed."

Aleksander pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What are we to do about it?"

"Nothing, at the moment. But, you should know that Kirigan is going to start courting Lady Katerina Alexeeva."

"I heard."

The king shook his head.

"It is bad. Duke Alexeeva will dissaprove of his daughter marrying Kirigan."