Curse - Septiplier

20: An Argument Over Trust

The General's POV

It had been more than a few weeks since my humiliation as a result of the prince. My jaw locked up every time I saw his smug face, and I only wanted to prove him wrong to his father. King Jordan was the only one who could put that boy in his place, and he wouldn't. We had shared our fears of his son's actual sexuality, but without any proof of it, we couldn't do anything. On top of that, King Jordan wasn't willing to risk his son or the best soldier we had while on the brink of war, we needed everything we could get our hands on.

Even so, I watched Prince Jack storm onto the fields from my room in the castle, his grin smug and his head held high as he located Mark from the crowd. Without me there to train them, the soldiers having a break day from training but still working, they all let Mark go and laughed at him, poking fun at his "training" that he never seemed to get a break from. I knew better. I knew that they must do unholy things out there in the mountains with the other, and I could easily tell that things were not as they seemed, no matter how lenient the King might be. The pair was too close, and they could tell the other was on their way or what they were thinking too well. I was sure of this, and at some point I would prove it. For now, I could only watch on from the castle walls in anger, frustration, and pure confusion.

How was I supposed to prove this to the King?

I made my way through the castle, finding the drunkard sitting on his throne as he always did. He had a blend of fresh fruits and some other substance that the cooks concocted to get rid of his hangover, and he was currently drinking it. His eyes widened as he saw me, and he motioned me over with this hand, continuing to chug the rest of his beverage before handing his cup off to be taken away and washed. I approached, running a hand through my thinning hair and wondering how I was supposed to make a convincing argument about this. King Jordan had to know that his son was doing this, it had to be stopped before things went too far.

"Your Highness, you know that I've been your advisor for years." I told him, starting by bowing down and getting onto one knee to speak to him respectfully. Hie eyes narrowed as he watched me, already assuming where I was going to take this conversation. "I ask that you hear me out. Your son and that soldier are too close. I know you demanded that they train together, but they disappear for several hours at a time outside the village and the Kingdom walls where they are unwatched and without observation. Their closeness speaks of the suspicions you and I have held for years, and I fear for your son. I've only wanted what is best for you, and for the future of this Kingdom. I don't want to see something like this go too far before your son cannot reign anymore as a result of breaking the law through homosexual acts."

"Please tell me you're not implying that my son has performed sexual acts with the soldier." King Jordan said, and I felt disappointment shoot through me. He needed to hear me, now of all times. I opened my mouth to explain, but the King swept on, standing swiftly and motioning that I follow him as he made his way outside. "I've told you before, Matthers, I'm keeping an eye on the situation. Nothing has occurred that has sent me any discomfort or ill will towards that soldier. I'm beginning to wonder if you and Mr Fischbach share some form of grudge."

"Your Highness, I was not implying that the pair have done anything of the sort." I explained quickly as he paused at the doors, a pair of castle guards opening them for us and letting us walk outside. "I was simply reminding you that I see these things from afar, and I am afraid that the future could hold such acts. They may be friends, but you've suspected the same thing that I have for several years. His dislike towards females, his avoidance of any other princesses at banquets or peace gatherings, or feasts. He simply does not find an interest in women, and I fear the same that you do. Might I remind you that should he engage in any homosexual acts with that soldier, he cannot lead our Kingdom."

"Enough!" King Jordan's voice was rather sharp, and I bowed my head shamefully. "I grow tired of this conversation, every time we speak it I grow tired. Haven't I given my son enough trouble? His mother would not have wanted this, she would not have wished me to snap at him in such a way, or assume things of him. She would have told me, 'Jordan, he's a boy. A growing, breathing, living boy with feelings and a sense of excitement about a world he's never seen before. Should we really judge him for his actions, or let him grow?'" I realized now that as a result of the King being hungover and drunk the night prior, I had chosen a poor time for this topic. He didn't want to talk, he was in a state of mourning and nostalgia, remembering his wife and his child at a young age. He wanted things to go back to the way that they were, and I was bringing up a conversation that he both feared and hated. He would rather live in a drunken state than have to face the reality of the situation at hand.

"He is a growing boy, and he does need time to do his own things." I said, attempting to pander to the King's more sensitive and drunken side. "However, how long are you to let this continue before things get out of hand. You do understand that I haven't had Mr Fischbach in practice for a couple of weeks now?"

"Good." King Jordan said almost instantly, his hands behind his back as he stood tall, surveying the Kingdom as it awoke and the soldiers in the field. I knew that Mark and Prince Jack were over there still, somewhere, talking with the other soldiers and planning on pretending to train. "It means that he is training my son properly into the prince that he needs to be. Is that a problem with you?" King Jordan turned to me now, and I could sense the underlying threat in his words. My jaw shifted, and I restrained myself from getting angry. Working with a drunken stubborn man for several years leads to a lot of patience, and I exerted it now.

"I do not, your Highness. I do, however, have a problem with the fact that they disappear outside the Kingdom every day. There is no one to watch them, there is no telling what they will do. I share your fears, and with only one son left to take over the Kingdom after you leave, I do not want to watch it fall into chaos without a ruler because he cannot lead. I'm not saying that such a thing has already happened, I have some faith left in the Prince, but I also have my fears, and I know despite the loving Queen who watches us from up above, I have a feeling we need to separate the two. If she were here, do you really think she would want this?"

"If she was here, it wouldn't matter. We could share the responsibility, we could have another child, another prince or something, and I wouldn't have to worry about this nonsense." King Jordan said gruffly, and I knew by his lowered and angered voice that despite his wishes to respect the Queen, he was also hearing sense in my words. His fear, shared alongside mine, ran deep within him and we both feared for his son.

"I do not want to see this end in disaster." I told him, and I reached out to touch his shoulder, thinking I was just getting through to him. Then, suddenly, the alarms went off to signal another attack. King Jordan rushed to the edge of the castle steps, looking down into the fields and towards the bay where more opposing soldiers were streaming onto the battlefield. We watched on in horror as our group of soldiers weren't fast enough to stop the first ones from reaching the prince. However, Jack stood up and swung his sword, knocking two of them back without question and taking a third down to the ground with him. Before anyone else could react, Mark was at his side and fighting fiercely. The next few enemies who appeared were slaughtered, and he planted himself in front of Jack. Any others who appeared were torn down, and the enemy soldiers were met head on with the rest of the battalion, which followed Mark's command. King Jordan turned to me as the enemies quickly realized they had chosen the wrong moment to attack and began to flee. His eyes were narrowed, angered, and I felt fear and discomfort shoot through me.

"Did you see that? Because it looks like the exact soldier you're trying to rid my son of just saved his life." I bowed my head, shame and anger filling me as my cheeks ran red. "I've heard enough of this conversation for a day. You'd probably be best to get out onto that field and make sure they're all alright." I nodded, and quickly ducked around the King to run out to the field.

Somehow, some way, I had to prove I was right before I lost King Jordan's trust completely.

~~~

Unedited but here. Sorry it was so late!

Hope you all enjoyed! Have yourselves a frantastic weekend, and I'll see you all in the next one!

~Jayi