duty. (boyxboy)

chapter 4.

"I CANNOT MARRY HER! I REFUSE TO MARRY HER AND IF IT'S THE LAST THING I'LL EVER DO!"

Forven's voice was booming through the room so loudly that one of the maids nearly dropped the platter with pastries she was carrying. He was standing in front of his father, whose face was slowly turning red from anger. You could see he was trying very hard not to show how furious he really was. His fists were balled and his chest was heaving.

"You are the crown prince of Galeriwien. You are not throwing away your life like this because you don't want to marry. This discussion is ridiculous."

The king was already starting to leave, but Forven was far from done. As his father was walking past him, he grabbed his arm.

"WHY DON'T YOU EVER LISTEN TO ME?", Forven shouted. "WHY DON'T YOU EVER THINK ABOUT WHAT I WANT?"

"Because I am the king of this country and I can't fulfill everybody's wishes. To be royal means to make sacrifices. About time you learned that."

Forven felt tears well up in his eyes, but he wouldn't cry. He couldn't cry. Not in front of his father.

The king smoothed out his shirt and overcoat.

"I don't want to hear anything about the matter anymore. This conversation is over."

With that, the king walked out of the room and Forven was left staring at the doors through which he had walked. He felt sick.

That was three days ago. Forven and his father hadn't uttered a single word to each other since that moment. Forven was fine with it, he had nothing to say to him anyway.

Aywin and her party had left the week before to go back to Ithrándar and Forven and his family had returned to Ymenvald castle. While he felt at home there, it also felt strange. Everyone around him was tense. They felt as though if they even said the word 'marriage' around him, Forven would have another panic attack. He hated it. He wasn't that fragile.

He was sitting at his desk yet again, except this time he wasn't writing a letter. He was reading a book. It was a gift from Aywin, she had given it to him the day before she left. The cover was pale pink. In swirly letters the title read Botany, and the remedial properties of plants. He quite enjoyed it.

"Forven, dad wishes to speak with you." On his doorstep was Forven's little brother Orym, who was three years younger than he was. He had a head of dirty blond curls and bright blue eyes. He was only a few centimetres shorter than Forven despite their age difference. All the ladies at court adored him. They couldn't stop talking about how 'cute' and 'adorable' he was. It used to make Forven jealous but he just found it amusing now, especially since Orym found it less and less funny now that he was getting older.

"And why did he send you?"

"I don't know, suppose he thought there was a bigger chance you'd come if he sent me instead of a maid."

"Tell him I don't want to see him."

He turned around in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest in protest.

"You're so childish, just go see him. He didn't seem mad." Orym rolled his eyes. "Come on, get up. Honestly, and you call yourself my big brother."

Forven sighed and got up, proceeding to put away all his things as slowly as he possibly could to buy himself time. His paper was put back into the drawer, his quill and ink carefully aside.

"Do I have to?", Forven moaned, making Orym slam his head against the wall. He regretted it immediately though and let out a cry of pain while rubbing his forehead.