Esteban x Shuriki Dialogue Prompt Challenge

Prompt # 65

"I can't do this anymore. I don't want to."

Aléjandro looked up from the chessboard. "Mamá, what do you mean?"

"Your father..." Shuriki replied, "He's bound to set me aside for one of those...women, I know it."

Aléjandro frowned. "He is not. Papá would never do that. He's only feigning an interest in the women to appease Elena until el baile de mascaras. He's going to reaffirm you as his wife. Papá isn't estúpido. He knows Elena's trying to lead him astray to ruin his relationship with you. It will not happen. He'd never divorce you or marry any other woman."

"You don't know that," Shuriki argued, continuing to pace the floor in front of the window in her parlor.

Aléjandro sighed and shook his head. Why couldn't his mother have as much faith in his father as he, Esper, and Rosie did? "He won't set you aside, Mamá. You must believe that."

"He's already betrayed me once," Shuriki reminded him. "What's to stop him from doing it again?"

"Papá only took your wand and threw it to Elena to try and save you from her wrath. Killing you while you were unarmed would have made her look bad in front of the people. Papá never meant for you to panic or try to escape. And he certainly didn't want you to fall off the palace bridge. He'd wanted to have you sentenced to permanent house arrest so you'd be permitted to stay with him in his personal apartments. Papá is trying to protect you, Mamá, and make sure you're properly cared for. That's all he has ever tried to do."

"By spending his time diddling other younger, prettier women while I am stuck here pregnant with his sixth child?"

"He isn't spending time with them," Esperanza chimed in. "Not by choice, at least. Elena demands that Papá deal with those lady ambassadors. He's tried to have Doña Paloma or Julio Guzman take the reigns since he isn't even chancellor anymore, but even when they agree to step in for him, Elena always has some excuse as to why Papá's the one who must entertain lady dignitaries and visiting noblewomen. Elena's forcing Papá to interact with them as part of the agreement that he'd continue helping her with the day-to-day running of Avalor despite no longer being on the grand council. He has to assist her because many of this kingdom's trading partners are already accustomed to working with him and don't want to put up with such an inexperienced ruler. He's not canoodling with any of them. It's only business, Mamá, nothing more."

"This is true."

They all turned to see Esteban standing in the open doorway.

Esperanza smiled and ran to embrace him. "Papá! You're back from Villa Mercado!"

"You're home early," Aléjandro noted. "We weren't expecting to see you for another hour or so."

"It started raining halfway through the tour, and Doña Ximena insisted we return. Apparently, a bit of rain is enough to ruin everything. Perhaps she thinks she is comprised of sugar and is worried she will melt. Who knows."

Aléjandro snorted. "We could only be so lucky. That woman is worse than a pissed off piranha with heatstroke."

Esperanza giggled. "Alé!"

Shuriki folded her arms over her chest and gave her eldest son the look that only a mother could give when one of her children was being tactless. Esteban made a similar expression best described as the father equivalent of Shuriki's.

"When she's not pursuing Papá, she sets her sights on me," their eldest complained, "I can't stand that woman! Why would I ever willingly court her?"

"Perhaps you should," Esperanza suggested. "I'm sure Papá would appreciate a reprieve."