The Lost Heir

Compassion or Aggression

I spent the next week and a half getting to know the children. Isobel loves the horses and has surprisingly created a deep bond with Snow in such a short amount of time. Scarlett holds way too much on her shoulders, constantly worrying about the well-being of the other children. The boys discovered unsupervised armor and placed itching powder inside. That did not go over well with Prince Bryce. Laila has been joined at my hip since the moment we met. The only time she wasn't right beside me is when she went to yell at the boys for tormenting Bryce. The sweetest and bossiest of them all, by far.

After the wonderful week I spent with the children, it was time to get back to my obligation of choosing my betrothed. I am to socialize with William. We haven't had time to be alone. I've only spoke to him at dinners. He seems to be the tense type, never taking a break from his responsibilities.

My entrance into The Great Hall halted a meeting. Presumably a war meeting. "Please, do not let me stop you." I announce.

It doesn't take long for the men to continue their bickering. "We must attack them first! We are weak to them! Without a King and a Queen, specifically the heir, ruling this country, they don't see us as united. Attack them before they attack us or make the princess choose quickly, Father." William shouts over the other Lords.

"Son, I will not speed up her process for your ambition. She will choose when she is ready." The King declares. "As for attacking, we must be merciful. Innocents reside there. We will fight with dignity, when it is time." He scans me. "Princess Cosima, will you be so kind as to offer us your perspective?"

"I'm quite unsure as to who we are at war with." I answer.

That seems to spark a rage within William, "She is not even aware of the problems she is causing." He glares in my direction. "The kingdom of Ausilin wants you to take back Eradonia and to do as your father promised them, marry their prince. Evidently, that will not happen, so we must prepare for war. Now what does the bright and courageous Princess Cosima believe we should do?"

Sensing his sarcasm, I look past him and back to King Dominic. "No fighting. Handle this diplomatically. I have five children, I may have more once I am wed. The best solution is to offer my child's hand in marriage. Of course, I am not an expert in politics or matters of war." I smirk at William.

For a moment he seems lost in thought, unknowing of what he should say next. He begins to open his mouth, but no words are formed. Regardless of what his response would be, he could not overpower King Dominic or myself. He bows his head down in defeat before he exits the room.

"William has never been the silent type. You challenge him." King Dominic states. All the other members leave the room at the wave of his hand. "Today is your day with him?"

"Yes, Your Highness. First, I would like to have a word with you." I motion for the two of us to sit. "The previous time that we spoke, I was ecstatic about the children. I forgot to ask what happened to my mother? I have not seen her since right after you released her."

He thoughtfully considers my words. "I believe she went on to handle matters of the court. To redeem herself, she must assist us with the problem at hand."

"Ausilin." I intrude. "I will determine who I want to marry soon enough. Please, allow her to return here before she's killed."

"I need a spy within the castle. It is the only way we can plan a course of action."

"I must choose a husband sooner than I would like in order to assure her safety from Ausilin and you." Ensuring one's fate is much more difficult than that. There is a lot to be done if this is to pan out the way I would desire.

King Dominic escorts me out of The Great Hall. William is impatiently waiting right outside. If he wasn't a prince, I would assume he was a princess. I've never imagined that a man could be more dramatic than I am.

"We are to spend the rest of the afternoon on a walk." He states as he leads me out to the courtyard. Laila approaches me with a rose, as if she was instructed to. The nanny takes her back towards the other kids and William moves us in the opposite direction. We stroll along until we reach the edge of the castle grounds. There are woods that are just beyond the exterior.

"Are we taking the path through the forest?" I question.

"Yes, Princess Cosima. It's the most peaceful area here." As we walk down the trail, William seems glazed.

"I realize that you are a prince, but must you always remain uptight?"

Confusion crosses over his face. "I am not upti--" he pauses at my wry expression, then heaves a heavy sigh. "I am the eldest of five children, the captain of the guard, and the heir to the throne. Well, the heir before you popped back up. Those type of responsibilities hold a lot of weight. Always looking after every person in the entire kingdom. If you would have grown up with all this pressure, you would be like this as well."

"I would not let the world take away my compassion."

"Who is to say that I have no compassion? I choose not to display it, that does not mean it is absent." He begins to brood. "My whole life was wasted on preparing to be King. You ruined that. You waltz in and everyone sees you. The real you. They recognize the power you are capable of. You have the power to make or break Eradonia. You have the strength to control the most influential men with either your beauty or your intelligence. My God, you've managed to control my war movements, to have the chance to choose whom you rule beside, you even took the crown right from under me."

I consider his words for a long moment. This is why he despises me so terribly. I took his whole life's work away. It's ironic. He doesn't get the thing that he has always wanted, the thing he has worked so hard for. I show up and it is mine, whether I want it or not. No effort needed.

The tranquility of the forest is interrupted by the breaking of a branch. William and I briefly look at eachother before examining the area around us. I grab a hold of my sword, as does William. We hear another crack. William slowly sneaks around the nearest tree to us. Beside it is a row of bushes and trees. I lose sight of him as he creeps through the bushes.

In the next instant I hear the clanking of a sword. Not sure if it is William's or an intruder's, I rush to the prince's aid. He has a man pinned against a tree. Nearby is a bow and arrow. "Who are you and why are you following us?" William screams.

"I'm not following you, Your Royal Highness. I was just hunting for dinner." The man stutters. William tightens his grip on the man's throat.

"William! Stop it! Let him go!" I demand.

"He's lying, Cosima! He had the arrow pointed right at you." William roars.

I step towards William. I place my hand against the one he is using to squeeze the poor soul from this man's body. "Let him go." I whisper. He falters before following my orders. The man takes off as soon as William no longer has him in his grip. William bows his head in shame.

It is past time for us to head back to the castle. I decide to guide us this time. Once we're on castle grounds again, William and I depart without saying a word.