Rogura Week 2016

Forced To Be A King (Rogura Week: Day 4: King & Queen)

(Note: I did not draw the picture above. It just kind of fit the story kind of well. I don't know, I couldn't find a picture of a king Rogue! I'm sorry...)

"Sire! The ambassador from the Mermaid Heel kingdom is here!" The young squire told the king.

The king of the Sabertooth kingdom, Rogue Cheney, sat at his throne, his usual sad, tired expression adorning his face. "Send her in, Rufus." He waved his hand at the man as he ran out of the room.

Rogue didn't want to become king. He was forced to. A long time ago, the throne was to be handed down to one of the king's two sons, the elder Sting, or the younger Rogue. Sting wanted to become king, while Rogue wished to retire to the countryside with nothing but a happy wife, a cute cat, and a peaceful farm to live out his days. Three years ago, his half-brother, Sting Eucliffe, left the kingdom, for unknown reasons, leaving Rogue to succeed the throne the following year when his father passed from a grave illness. From that day forward, for the past two years, Rogue has ruled over the people of the Sabertooth kingdom.

And he hated it.

He had lost his brother. He had lost his best friend, Yukino Agria, who had chased after Sting. He had lost his happiness, forced to rule over a kingdom. Forced to be someone he was not.

A ruler.

He could not step down, as there was not a single other member of the royal family he could hand the throne down to, not even a cousin. He was stuck.

Stuck as a king.

"My lord! I present to you, the ambassador from the Mermaid Heel kingdom!" Rufus, Rogue's loyal squire announced upon reentering the room.

As the woman entered the large throne room, Rogue's sour, depressed face disappeared. Replaced by a face of wonder.

The woman astounded him, her beauty overtook him. She was dressed in a white, formal suit, but Rogue could see her inner beauty, he was truly enchanted by her appearance.

"Hello, King Cheney." The woman spoke. Her voice added to Rogue's trance. "My name is Kagura Mikazuchi, the ambassador from the Mermaid Heel kingdom, handpicked by Queen Millianna herself!" The woman saluted as she announced her title and queen's name.

"At ease." Rogue joked. "Welcome to the Sabertooth kingdom."

Kagura sent a glare to Rufus, signalling him to leave. The man rushed out of the room, cowering.

"Now then." Rogue continued. "Why did the queen send you here?" He had not been informed of the reason why she had come, only that the ambassador was coming for an urgent reason. Rogue did not care for details. He simply wished for every day of his life to slowly go by. What would happen to the kingdom after he died? He had no wife, no child. According to the law, Rufus would be the next in line, unless Sting came back.

Rogue was faced with a tough life decision. Live in sadness to protect the kingdom, or die in happiness, leaving the kingdom in possible chaos?

"The queen wished to give you this message." She held a sealed envelope out in the direction of the throne. "I am not permitted to read it, only to deliver it."

Rogue sighed as he stood up, slowly walking down the stairs toward the woman. As he approached, he noticed a sword strapped to her back.

"I would ask how you got a weapon past the guards, but only if I had a rule placed about permitting them from this room. I see no reason not to trust you." Rogue said, nearing the ambassador.

As Rogue grabbed the envelope, Kagura smiled with a wicked grin. "Maybe you shouldn't have."

In one quick move, she pulled out her sword and got behind the king, one arm holding him back to her, the other had her sword to the front of his neck.

She could not see Rogue's sad grin. "What is happening?" He asked, disguising his voice.

The woman spoke in a cold tone. "For the past two years, you have proven yourself to be the worst ruler in history. Our kingdoms were huge trading partners for years, but ever since you became king, you have not sent a single grain of corn to our people!"

Rogue let our a soft laugh. "Oh, that's right. I'm supposed to personally handle trading matters."

Kagura gripped her sword tightly. "We have suffered a drought, causing our crops to diminish, starving us. We needed food, urgently, or people would die! We sent countless messages, pleas for help, but you ignored them all! Our people our weak, sick, and dying! My own brother, Simon, is now dead at your hands!"

Rogue was silent.

"Today, you die for your cruel slaughter of the Mermaid Heel kingdom! You die for your crimes, your terrible kingship, and your selfish ways! Speak your last words, coward!"

Rogue let out a low chuckle. The woman was infuriated, but confused. "What are you doing?"

Rogue finally lifted his head up, meeting her eyes. "I have awaited this day... for two long years..."

Kagura was shocked.

She saw his tears, running down his face like a sad waterfall.

"My life... is meaningless... My brother... my best friend... my father... my family... all gone... I have been forced to sit upon that throne for two longs years... Forced to lead the kingdom, while not leading it...

Forced to be a king..."

Kagura was speechless. She had no idea how to react.

"I have no family to pass the kingdom down to... No one to remove me of this burden... The worst part... I have no wife... No child... When I die, the kingdom will struggle to find a new ruler, unless Rufus wished to step up... I don't want to do this... I don't want this life..."

Rogue tiled his head down, his neck resting on the sword.

"Please... kill me... Let me die... Let me leave this miserable life... And see my father again..."

Kagura stood there, faced with the ultimate choice.

Life or death...

She let Rogue go, sheathing her sword.

Rogue stared at her through his drying tears. "W-Why...?"

Kagura ran into him and hugged him, tightly.

He couldn't speak.

"I had no idea... You've had a miserable two years, and it won't get any better...

Just like me..." A tear ran down her cheek.

Rogue slowly wrapped his arms around the ambassador. He could feel her heart racing.

"I... can be your wife..."

Rogue's eyes widened, surprised by her sudden words.

"I can marry you, become your wife, a queen. We can have a child, have him succeed you... We can retire to the countryside, have a farm, a simple life, maybe even get a cat...

We... can be... happy..."

Rogue and Kagura looked at each other in the eyes, both crying.

Rogue smiled a sad smile, wiping her tears away.

"I'd like that... very, very much."

The two kissed each other's lips with the most passion they could put into it.

He couldn't believe it.

Rogue... was going to be happy again.

They looked into each other's eyes again, after a few minutes of kissing.

Rogue put his hand on her cheek.

"I love you, Kagura..."

"I love you too, King Cheney...."

He chuckled. "Please.

Call me Rogue."

The two kissed again.