[Fairy In The Forest] By Minutestory017

part 41 prince, or king?

I won't back away again

Mike woke up early in the morning, feeling a sense of unease as he prepared to return to his office after a long absence. As he entered his office and sat on his chair, his expression was serious and determined. He called for his manager to bring him his paperwork, and as the man nodded and left the room, another man entered after seeking permission.

"Come in," Mike ordered, and the man approached with a stack of letters in his hand.

Mike: Did you send the letters to the north kingdoms?

"Yes, Your Majesty. I have sent the invitations, but it may take some time to receive their responses due to the distance," the man replied with a smile. "However, I do have good news to share." "Go on," Mike urged, eager to hear the update. "Our efforts have been successful in gaining support from the south and east kingdoms. They are now aligned with us," the man revealed proudly. Mike's tense expression softened as he let out a sigh of relief. "That is excellent news. Make sure to arrange for their gifts to be taken to the old space house."
As they were discussing the progress with the other kingdoms, the manager returned with the paperwork that Mike had asked for. As the prince reviewed the documents, his manager raised another issue. "Your Highness, we have not received any feed for the palace horses, and the supply of fabric from the civilian stores is dwindling," the manager informed him. Mike furrowed his brows in frustration.

Mike: I am aware of the shortages, but it is not the fault of the civilians. The problem lies with the queen's excessive demands for dresses and gowns for the festivals, while she pays less than what is fair to the suppliers.

He paused for a moment, feeling the weight of the responsibilities on his shoulders. "I will have to address this issue with her directly. The only challenge is finding the time for such meetings amidst my busy schedule." His manager nodded in understanding, realizing the magnitude of the situation. As Mike returned to his work, After a moment of contemplation, he dismissed Henry with a wave of his hand, signaling that he needed some time alone to process the information.

As Henry left the office, Queen entered, her presence sending a chill down Mike's spine. She had heard whispers from the maids about Mike's early morning office visits, and now seeing him in his official capacity, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease wash over her.

"Good morning Mother, how was your sleep?" Prince greeted her, his smirk sending chills down her spine. The queen tried to mask her fear with a fake smile, but it was clear that her son saw right through her facade.

"Aren't you glad to see your son recovering and taking his position seriously?" Prince Mike said, pride evident in his voice. The queen knew that her son's newfound determination spelled trouble for her reign.

"Why wouldn't I be?" the queen replied, her voice strained. "After all, we are the only ones left to take care of palace matters after your father's death."

As the queen stood behind her son, her hands resting on his shoulders, trying to manipulate him by reminding him about his dead father she said "I am so happy that you are taking palace seriously rather then being sad for what is no longer with us." as she said this Mike replied "for sure, I will take my job seriously after what is done by you. infact not only palace but The whole kingdom." Queen smile faded as she got to know that her son is not only taking about palace matters but the whole kingdom. in her mind she said 'so he wants to rules the whole kingdom' it was a problem for her. she will never let him hold that position against her will.

"Hmm. it's good to hear you talking about business."

Mike: no mother. I wasn't talking about business I was talking about knowledge. but thanks for reminding me about business, now I remember that I needed to ask you about something.

"am hm... I am all ears my boy." she replied trying to act innocent.
Mike took a deep breath, his blue eyes locking onto her own. "I have heard complaints from civilians about getting less profit than what they deserve for their goods. And this has all happened in front of your eyes."

The queen's heart skipped a beat. She felt a twinge of guilt, knowing that she had turned a blind eye to the suffering of her people in favor of maintaining her own luxurious lifestyle.

"Oh, those civilians..." she muttered dismissively, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

Mike's expression hardened. "These civilians are more important than this palace, mother. They are the ones who hold our rank higher. They are the reason we fight for them, work for them, and serve them. They are the actual superiors, and we are their slaves. Don't forget that. We solve their matters, we protect the borders so they can sleep without worrying about sudden wars. They are more in numbers than us, and they are more important. Our first and main priority is our civilians. So mother,"

He takes steps slowly close to the queen. And spoke. "I won't back away again. Explain." The Queen felt a chill run down her spine as she gazed into her son's piercing eyes.

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