Kings [A Medieval AU]

Chapter Nineteen - The Moment of Greatest Weakness

Phil enters his mother's room, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His eyes are still red-rimmed from his last bout of crying, and at this point he can't hide it anymore. He's exhausted emotionally, mentally, and physically, and he can't keep it up.

Phil's mother looks up as he enters, concern in her aged eyes. "Philip, what's wrong?"

The king flops into the seat across from her, unable to meet her gaze. "I hate our laws and I can't change them in time to save Dan from a public flogging."

"Ah, yes. I heard about that." She takes a sip from her teacup and exhales. "That is challenging. I'm not sure what I can do to help you."

"I just need you to listen."

"I can do that."

Phil nods and leans back in his chair, eyes burning. He bites his knuckle and stares at the fire, feeling his mother's gaze on the side of his head.

"You don't have to be formal here, Philip," she says gently. "Let it out."

Phil exhales sharply and his eyes well with tears, which he tries desperately to wipe away. "I'm scared, Mum."

"Of what?"

"The way he makes me feel."

Phil's mother smiles. "I was the same way with your father, dear."

Phil pales considerably. "I don't... I can't..."

"You can do anything you want. You are the king. That includes changing the laws as soon as possible and loving whoever you want to love." She eyes her son with a motherly kind of wisdom and takes another sip from her cup. "I told you to follow your heart, didn't I?"

Phil wipes his eyes again and nods. "Okay. But what if he doesn't trust me after this? What if he feels betrayed because I decided that he should get flogged instead of killed?"

"The moment you explain that to him, he'll understand. Then, show him how much you really care."

The king gets up from his seat and moves over to his mother, kissing her cheek and wrapping her in a hug. She smiles and hugs back, rubbing her hand up and down her son's back.

"Thank you, Mum."

"You're welcome, dear. I love you."

"Love you too."

~

Dan spends a restless night in his cell, fretting over what's going to happen to him. Will he finally be executed? Will he be doomed to live in this cell for the rest of his life? He can't seem to curb his anxiety, and by the afternoon all he wants are answers and some fresh air.

That answer comes in the form of a guard approaching his cell with a rope in his hands. Dan gets to his feet, standing as tall and confident as possible despite the fear that rages through his heart.

"King Daniel, you have been charged with breaking out of confinement and harming a member of the royal guard. Your punishment is a public flogging, ten lashes with a single tail whip. Do you understand why you have been given this punishment?" the guard asks.

Dan's mouth goes dry, and after a moment he forces himself to speak. "Yes."

"Do you have any questions before we go?"

"No."

It's a partial truth at best. In reality, he does have questions, but this guard won't be able to answer them. They're questions for Phil, consisting mostly of 'why'? Most likely, Dan will end up asking these questions to himself later, when he's cleaning his wounds and nursing himself back to health.