The Golden Child

~Elias~*

The budget meeting was drawing to a close, which was a good thing considering how I felt like I could fall asleep at any moment.

"Any budget questions, Elias?" My father asked. This snapped me to attention.

"Um.. Yes." I did have a question, but my father wouldn't like it. "Where do we get the money for the Golden Child's spectacles?"

My father narrowed his eyes. "She makes all her own gold, boy. It costs nothing but food and clothing."

"Are you sure? We are running out of money and expenditures are bad for our already drooping economy."

My father laughed falsely, and said, "My boy! You certainly have ideas. Budgets are Bridget's problem, you don't have to worry about those!" He pulled me in close, clapped me on the back, and whispered into my ear, "We'll talk later." Then he let me out of the bear hug and laughed like we had shared some joke.

The budget meeting ended, and Anius and I shuffled out of the handsome palace room. Not our problem? I wondered. Every problem was your problem when you are a king. And what did he want to talk to me about? I was worried. I was worried about a lot lately. Every problem was my problem, because my father didn't know how to be king. He thought it was about pretty girls and parties, not pained wars and plagues.

My reverie was broken by my father dismissing Anius, and then turning to me. "Son," he spat. "You shall be punished for your outburst."

"What is it?" I asked wearily. In the past the punishments were such as taking away my favorite pony or making me scrub a toilet, but I got the feeling that this punishment was going to be bigger that the others. I tensed, waiting for a beating or worse.

My father just smiled and began walking. I followed.

I was surprised that I was led out of the palace. The nobles whipping stations were in there, so that was a relief. But the gallows were outside of it. Surely my father wouldn't kill his only son?

We walked past those, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I may not like my life, but I didn't want to die. We walked farther and farther, and eventually came to Syren's tower. Syren. From what I remembered of her, she was petty and foolish and a liar. She also may hate me for my rude comments at her party, but that didn't matter. I had wanted to be a friend of her good attributes, not the bad ones she now showed.

In my thinking time, my father had gone up to the top, talked to Syren, and come down. "She would like to speak to you," he said, grinning wickedly.

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I reached the top of the tower. Alistair, Syren's "Advisor" walked through the door mumbling something about making solid gold ribbons. I frowned. What was that about?

I walked through the door, and then bowed like I had been told to. "Hello, Golden Goddess," I said. All of this was what had been taught.

"Syren. Don't call me that." I looked at her, shocked. I had expected her to eat that up. "Besides. I thought you are here because you don't believe."