InkSkin

Obedience

"This is ridiculous," LuSol fumed as he glared at his father. The King had sent Fira with a short message for LuSol early on the following morning notifying them of the King's desire to speak with his youngest son. He had phrased his summons as a request, but there was little doubt that it was in fact a royal command. The King's missive had had contained explicit instructions for them to meet with him in the wings of the amphitheater at exactly the noon hour.

Lusol had crumpled the missive in his fist and had refused to discuss the matter at any length when Alsuha had enquired about it. Alsuha had thought it best to simply leave him to his thoughts. He had closed himself off from her and Alsuha didn't push him.

Alsuha had been looking forward to spending some time with her brother, but instead she found herself in a room she had never seen before. It was small by comparison to the other rooms Alsuha had seen or been in around the castle, and it was barely furnished and full of dust and cobwebs. Alsuha suspected it was rarely used.

The room's walls were made of a simple wood unstained and without any adornments whatsoever. The room boasted four pairs of cushioned benches positioned parallel to each other in the center of the room. There were no windows and their only sources of light were the discreetly placed bulbs in the ceiling. There were two doors; the one Alsuha and LuSol had entered through and another across from the one they'd entered through, which Alsuha had no idea where it lead.

"No, this is necessary. It is high time you ceased thinking of only yourself, boy! You are a Prince and cannot afford such luxuries," the King informed his son in no uncertain terms.

"This must change father. We cannot continue to have this unreasonable fear and prejudice against a people that cannot hurt us."

"They cannot hurt us because they are bound to us," the King argued.

"How ever do you manage?" LuSol asked as he contemplated the man which stood before him.

"Manage what?" Alsuha noticed the wariness inquisitiveness in the King's voice.

"How do you live like this?"

"What are you on about boy?" Alsuha could hear the annoyance on the King's voice now. She smiled at the way he played right into LuSol's provocations.

"How do you manage to keep obediently following the teachings of your ancestors when you love what you have been sworn to hate."

"Why must you always try and incite me?" the King asked exasperation in his deep voice.

"I simply wish to understand father. Do you really mean the things that you say to me? Or are they just empty words you must spout because of the title you hold." Alsuha hid her smirk as she felt the amusement LuSol was feeling at his father's expense. She knew it was no laughing matter.

"Enough LuSol!" Alsuha watched as the King massaged his head with his left hand. In a way she felt bad for him, but she wasn't sure LuSol was correct in his theory that his father was in love with his Companion.

"You will not get out of doing this, LuSol, no matter how you try and irk me. You will go through with this!"

"I have never tried to shirk any of the tasks you have put before me, father, and this one is no different. I am simply trying to understand you."

"Well you can stop. Being King is not a simple black and white matter. There is much that is conflicting because I cannot be a man. I must be a King and put my Kingdom first. A King has certain duties he must carry out."

"Then I am glad I will never be King." LuSol smiled as the King glared at him.

From the corner of her eye Alsuha saw Fira standing on the other side of the room from her. She wondered what the other woman thought of the debate going on between father and son, but whatever Fira's thoughts, there were no trace of them on her striking yet expressionless face. She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, her beautiful face impassive as she kept a watchful eye over her King.