The Eye of Edelle

Chapter 4.5: Prince Leon Craust IV

A/N: This is sort of a sub-chapter or more like a chapter about the past. You can skip this chapter if you want but I recommend reading it if you want to know about the characters' past. There will be more chapters like this but only a few of them.

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Prince Leon Craust IV was the only son of King Leon III and Queen Fina. Born being the only child, he was taken cared for with a nanny always by his side. But just when he was a decade old, he had become a happy go lucky kind of kid and always snuck out of the castle, in to the woods with his wooden sword. He had a friend with him at all times, a chambermaid's son who dreamt of being a knight, even though that he was such a scaredy cat. A young boy named Daniel.

Everyday, Leon would escape his studies and play and train at the woods and this would infuriate his father. He would always have a lecture from him every time he got caught. King Leon feared that with that kind of behavior, he wouldn't be prepared to be the new King of Aufilia, the mining kingdom of Aulkan.

Leon sneaking out of the castle was an everyday routine for him, up until he was nineteen and he still does it. Over the time, Leon moved from sword to pole axe. He felt comfortable with a pole axe in hand so he chose that instead of a sword which was a standard weapon for royalties.

One day, Leon was summoned by his father to the throne room before he could go and sneak out with Daniel again. Being told that it was important, he went anyway in hopes that the time he gets home from training, he would be spared from the sermons.

"Father, you called me?" Leon said as he approached his plump father sitting on his throne.

"Yes, son. It is a good thing that you came here first before you would sneak off to Goddess knows where." King Leon replied.

"You said that it was important."

"It is important. It is about you being the new King of Aufilia."

Leon rolled his eyes and put his attention to the outside of a window. He already had these king talks with his father plenty of times. He would say the same things over and over: he should be serious when he becomes king, he should take responsibility for the kingdom, etc... It's not that he is not serious about being King, he just wanted to have fun first before he takes the big responsibility that he would take for many years. One day he knows that he would be able lead his kingdom wonderfully.

"... Which is why you are going to get married in two days." King Leon suddenly said.

Leon's eyes widened and he looked at his father. "Pardon me, father?" He said to confirm.

"I said you are going to get married in two days." The king confirmed. Leon didn't break his surprised look. He was speechless, this was a first for him to know.

"With whom?"

"With the Princess of Nodia, Princess Anya Zarland. The Kingdom of Nodia is quite in a pickle lately with the residents there suddenly moving out due to that dangers there had increased which lead to an economic drop... So they had approached us to help them with a fixed marriage."

"But... why...?"

"Well, why not? It is a perfect time to have our relationship with Nodia to strengthen and also when you become King, you would already have a queen by your side."

Leon slightly shook his head in dismay then he looked at his father, "I'm not doing this." He said softly.

King Leon frowned, "Excuse me?"

"I said I'm not doing this. I'm not going to marry somebody that I never met before!"

"Leon, it is quite common to have fixed marriages with somebody you never met."