Servienne (LGBT)

1-Challenge Accepted [revised]

     All his life, he had been given what he asked for when he asked for it. He was a leader. He dominated everyone around him. No one could refuse him, not if they valued their life. It was what made him a royal--and an arrogant, self-centered one at that. His country had been crumbling around him for centuries, and with Prince Aaron heading towards the throne, the people around him knew they were doomed. His father, King Erwin Heimelia ||, had tried for many years to show Aaron that being a king meant understanding his people, but alas, his son had been brought up in the ways of superiority to all others; he had no concept of modesty or humbleness.

   It was for this reason that King Erwin had to seriously consider the ultimate possibility that his son may not be right for the throne. How could he let Prince Aaron bring the Kingdom of Yoheim to ruin? He could not. He had to know that his people would be in good hands. He would confront him.

   The early fall day was kind upon Aaron that day, breeze cool and sun soft as it kissed his fair skin, speckled light falling through the trees to pepper his tawny, red-brown hair in gold. He looked up through the browning trees to the small sliver of blue sky crept through the branches, more so when the wind blew, and opened its vast expanse in front of him, clouds rolling idly by. Birdsong filled his ears, the scent of fresh forest flora coming to him from everywhere, smelling of subtle sweetness suddenly as newly cooked bread from the kitchen rolled in across his senses. A small smile began to come across his face as he embraced the feeling of freedom here among the calm scenery, but it was just as quickly gone as the cracking of sticks behind him sent him to his feet, looking to the source. As soon as his eyes set upon them, he flinched, composing himself and offering a mere polite smile.

   "Father, you startled me," Aaron said with a light laugh to the man adorned in relatively plain clothing, but his black cape dragged along the grass, no doubt becoming stained. His father was never one for adorning himself too expensively. "What brings you here? Don't tell me you've ruined your cloak to speak with me? You could have summoned me inside. Just call one of the bloody servants. It's not like they have anything better to do."

   Erwin seemed to have accepted what he said, or so it would seem to anybody else. Aaron knew his father. He saw the suddenly bitterness that flared behind his eyes. Aaron's face fell, suddenly looking worried. "Apologies, did I say something wrong? I wasn't insulting you, I swear to it, you can go outside whenever you want, so--"

   "That is not what infuriates me so, boy," His father said coolly, taking a step forward, and it took everything in Aaron not to take a fearful step back. Aaron offered another smile. "What is it? Anything, truly, just speak with me." He motioned over to a bench a little ways away. His father said nothing, walking past him and sitting down at the far end, Aaron following after him to sit, crossing his arms and looking up at the sky now fully visible above them. "So, speak. What is on your mind?" Aaron asked, looking sideways towards Erwin who wore a sour expression as he examined the lake a ways away, the castle towering to the northwest of them, white and glowing in the late morning sun. Erwin took a long, labored breath, and Aaron noticed how age wore his father down much more these days. "I wanted to talk to you about your behavior as of late."

   What? What ever did his father mean? Behavior? Looking back, Aaron tried to think if he had changed any behavior within the last few months, but he could find nothing but him going outside less due to work. Aaron raised an eyebrow. "What? Father, you're confusing me. What do you mean--?"

  "Hello! Sorry to bother you!" From across the field, Aaron's head turned to see a girl jogging up to them, her maid's outfit making it hard to go fast, her light blonde hair bouncing as she rushed over to them. Aaron's eyes hardened, and he got to his feet. She got in front of them, bending over and panting heavily before looking up at Erwin. "I, you said, I'm here to--"

  "How dare you," Aaron snarled, glaring down at her. Was this servant truly thinking about speaking without being spoken to? Interrupting the king and prince while speaking? What could she possibly have to say that was of any importance that a guard could not? At least a guard wouldn't be so distasteful to deal with. "One, address us properly. Two, no one said they wanted to hear your pipsqueak voice. Get out of here at once, you brat." The girl looked up at him startled with fear and confusion in her little blue eyes, glancing again at Erwin who said by idly, watching. "Hey, I'm talking to you. Gods, can't even treat your king with some respect," Aaron said, rolling his eyes. "I, I was told to, I... I'm sorry, I just," She stuttered, trying to regain her composure despite her fear. He snatched her wrist, dark eyes glowering down at her. "I, I, I just, I," He mocked her, scoffing. "If I wanted stuttering, I would have gone to the gods damn Duke of Villia. But no, I didn't ask for that, did I? You're dismissed. Permanently. Turn in your uniform and report to the House Steward. We don't need people like you on staff, who think they're more than just the help."

   Behind him, Aaron could hear his father standing, and he looked back, but as soon as he did, his head was forced to the side, and a blinding pain lit across his cheek. Aaron let go of the servant girl, stumbling back and holding his face in astonishment. "You..." He looked back up at Erwin, tears in his right eye from the pain on the side that had been slapped. "You slapped me?"

   "You, from the time you were young, have never once respected the idea that if you hadn't been born my son, you would have nothing, just as some of your people have nothing, just as Lucillia had nothing before she came here." She jumped in surprised from hearing her name, standing quietly and nursing her throbbing wrists. Erwin continued. "Little did you know that she recently became my secondhand who, despite having nothing granting her privilege by birth and despite being a woman in our kingdom, graduated from a business guild as a high-ranking member three years ago." Erwin stepped in front of the girl, glaring sharply down at his son. "But how would you know about her social or financial position? You didn't bother to think about anything before you tried to fire her and send her back to the streets to starve." Erwin's eyes narrowed further, motioning to the servant, Lucillia. "I told her to come out here and try to speak to me while we were having a conversation. I wanted to see how you would react. I wished that you would have been patient, would have listened, but sadly as I feared you would, you let your temper take over, and you hurt someone for it. You are not fit to be king as you are now." The life seemed to have withered away from him, the energy knocked from his muscles as Aaron fought to find words. "Father, wait, just calm down."

   "A king has to love and respect his people. What sort of good king acts as you do towards the people he is sworn to serve and protect? No good king acts that way. That is why I am issuing a proclamation, witness but those present here and us only for the time being." Erwin stepped aside, looking at Lucillia, then to Aaron. "If you, Prince Aaron, do not learn the lesson that we are all the people, that no one is above the other in the eyes of the gods; if you do not learn to understand and respect the people you are meant to rule over by the day of your coronation on your nineteenth birthday, then you will never be king. This is final, and in the event that you do not meet this requirement, I will not hesitate to hand the crown to someone more worthy than yourself. I think you forget that I have plenty of choices." And with that, Erwin turned, whispering to Lucillia before the two of them headed back into the castle, leaving Aaron speechless in the grass, pain raking through his chest.

   Once they were gone, Aaron collapsed to his knees, covering his face with his hands for a few long minutes of silence, minutes that felt like hours, but he could not bring himself to move. Eventually, he looked up, lips curling into a snarl as Aaron's eyes set on the castle. "So be it, old man."

A/N: First chapter! I hope you enjoyed! I just wanted to set this up nicely for the game to begin! See you in the next chapter! I'll try to post at least every week or so... Maybe.