Ace Among Jokers

XII

XII

I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU

Prince Dion came to see me the morning after I told my uncle my decision. It wasn't unusual for him to come to my palace every once in a while. He would come to see me and have tea with me or a leisurely walk to 'get to know' me better. And it's not like I could stop him from coming here because he would still do whatever he pleases be it by meeting me through a coincidence or just him being there plainly because he was lost.

It was the usual tea time agenda for the both of us where he asks random questions about myself and I answer. But this time, I could sense that there was something bothering him. At times, the prince would look at me with sadness and then gaze longingly somewhere faraway. It was painfully obvious to the point where I just had to ask. And when I thought everything was normal, it turned out that the envoy had overstayed their visit.

Of course.

They weren't supposed to be here for this extended time. Although it was a political and arranged marriage between the Eveothus Kingdom and Ostulia Empire, it still felt like I was being sold to another country for a very low sum. And because the Prince was the heir to the throne of the Eveothus Kingdom, he was supposed to be back to his land after a short visit for a proposal. The crown prince shouldn't be away from his kingdom for long but because of the recent events that happened within the Empire, the envoy's stay was extended.

It seemed to me that Prince Dion was someone who felt quite regretful that he had to go back to his Kingdom so far away from the Empire. It was a shame, I do admit. But that was just it for me. The Prince was just someone who I regarded as a mere acquaintance during the times he came by for tea and I hold no affection for him whatsoever. At least I think I do. But whatever the outcome of this arrangement was, the Prince was still a person who would go back to Eveothus in the end.

We were not married yet so I would still have to remain here in Ostulia, like I've always intended to. At least it would be a little bit more peaceful without Prince Dion here to bother me like he always does. I would then have more of my time and attention focused on the fact that I have to fight against Cedrin for the throne.

I didn't want to have to fight against him because I genuinely supported Cedrin becoming the High King of the Empire. But seeing how he was so lenient over our father's shameless act and Ranlrein's slow inflating ego, I can no longer trust him to do well as the monarch of the Empire. To me, this place was a battlefield. My mother, a warrior, who stepped into this very battlefield, died because she fell in love with the enemy. It was because she wasn't strong enough to reject the feelings and forget about them. She wanted to protect her position as the High Queen but strangely, the power she had so painstakingly acquired during her reign as High Queen wasn't enough to prevent her unfair execution.

Now that she was gone, the seat of High Queen was vacant. I know my father like the back of my hand and his intentions are painfully clear. He wished, no—longed—to put Ranlrein on the seat many women of the empire coveted.

But his dear lover was a man.

Even though he mistakenly showed his affections for his lover during the luncheon with the Eveothus' nobles, it doesn't change the fact that sodomy was prohibited and scorned in the Empire. Not even the Emperor himself could change the belief of the people. He could force out a law approving sodomy, but it wouldn't look good on him. And my father was a man who found reputation especially important. If he were to pass out a law approving of sodomy, the Holy Temple will definitely have something to say about that.