BLOODLINE // WOOSAN

1

Choi San, prince of the kingdom Halawell, sits at the ashy wooden dinner table with his two family members. The table is long, covered by dishes stacked high with colorful and delicious luxury foods. There is no issue with having this feast daily, if they wanted to, but today is a special occasion. On his left is his father the king, and his mother the queen to his right, while San sits on one of the long sides. Opposite him is another chair, but it's always been eerily empty and unneeded at the table, the object of San's spacey gaze for many, many years.

Today is San's sixteenth birthday. This is an important age for children of royal families because it is when their marriages are generally arranged to occur, though the common folk regularly start much earlier. This is why it is such an issue that he has no plan for marriage on his own; however, this isn't the same case his parents. San knows it is inevitable that they bring it up tonight at his birthday dinner, but he stays positive by telling himself that they will not. Truthfully, no, San doesn't really want to get married at all, for personal reasons. But, there's no way he could ever explain them....

He perks up when he hears his father's deep voice chime as he clears his throat. "Son," he says. Of course, here it goes.

"...Yes, father?"

His two parents look at each other with warm smiles on their faces. They're so sweet that San feels he may get a stomachache, or maybe it's the anxiety building up in him, for he comprehends that's there is absolutely no way this can end up well. Then, the king continues, looking instead to his son. "We art all aware that it is your sixteenth birthday today. In light of thus, your mother and I-" he looks to the queen for a split second, and then back to his child- "have sent spokesmen out into the surrounding kingdoms in order to decide which princess is most fit for marriage. After much thought, we have decided that Princess Irene of Red Valley shall make a perfect wife for you, and for Halawell, a perfect mother to magnificent future leaders."

San cannot bring himself to smile back at his father right now. This is all happening so fast; he feels his heart rate accelerating at a rate much too high to maintain adequate levels. His leg starts to bounce under the table, and he sends out a little prayer to the gods that his father won't see his jitters. The king is staring at him expectantly, and even the queen looks a bit quizzical at his silence; he knows he must speak up. "I... am unable to do thus, father," he stutters, wishing he could just have that unwavering, powerful voice like the king.

Suddenly, his father is no longer smiling, either. "And for whatever reason is it that you cannot?"

He dips his head down shamefully, the smallest of sighs escaping his lips. No, he really does not want this to happen. "For-"

"As you speak unto me, son, hold your head up. You art a man, one of the Choi bloodline at that. Practicing submissive, irresolute behavior is dishonoring," King Choi boldly proclaims to his son, voice only slightly raised. He holds a look in his eye, a defiant glint that makes San wonder if his father is a human, a king in the flesh and far from a god himself.

Obviously, San raises his head thereafter. "Yes, father." The truth is that he really isn't sure of what he can possibly say to change his parents' minds, but he does know that he cannot reveal the genuine reason and says, "For I am too young."

The king and queen look at each other incredulously from across the table, as though they hadn't just addressed this matter. The king shakes his head, shoveling a piece of fish into his mouth. Because of this, San's mother speaks to him instead, clearing her throat gently and giving off a small smile to her baby. "Dear son, many people within thus world get married at much younger ages. By your age, most are already starting new families of their own, actually." She throws a small, delicate hand up as she speaks, shrugging with it. "Though, of course, you art never to live as a villager, yet our principles art but fundamental."