My Prince, His Majesty{Keith Powers}

XXIV

The Ceremony Pt. 1

Keith

Ryan and I haven't discussed much since our argument. It seems like I'm getting into arguments with every girl I run into. But with Andrea, I felt bad for what I said. What Ryan did was just wrong and unfair. And even though she is going to start training to become a Dark Knight, she won't have the experience and knowledge that Andrea does. But sadly I could get that through her thick head and she insisted on leading the Dark Knights in my Mother's honor. Ryan doesn't know the first about defending herself and would be the first to get killed in a real fight.

"Wake up." The blankets were yanked from my body. Sweat was visible on my body. My Father widens his eyes at my sweat-covered body. "A little hot aren't we? You could have called someone in to adjust your theromstat." Father says placing my blankets back on my bed. I sit up in bed and drag my hand across my face. He squints his eyes at your face. I give him a confused look. "Your face is breaking out." He says. I direct my attention towards the mirror outlined in gold sitting beside me. He was right. I was starting to develope acne on my forehead. "So?" I shrug.

"Are you stressed about something? Because your Mother always used to say that when your face breaks out, you get stressed." He goes on. A smile raises on my face.

Flashback

"Come here." My mother holds her arms out for me and flashes me a smile. I run up to her, tripping over the carpet and slightly stumbling. She laughs and picks me up, placing me on her lap. "Hello little man."

"Mommy I'm too big to be on your lap. I'm almost eight." I flash her a smile that was missing two bottom teeth. She laughs and pulls me closer. I snuggle into her warm body. My hand runs up and down her arm and I feel a scab. I sit up and examine it. "What happened?"

"Well I was fighting, and somebody...scratched me."

"Why would they want to scratch you?" I ask.

"Because some people out here are very mean." She replies. "But why are they mean to you?"

"Because -

"Hey baby." Dad says as he comes into the room. He kisses Mom on the lips and I cringe. "Ew." I whisper. She places me on the bed and stands up. "Baby your face is breaking out." She examines his face. "Why are you stressed?"

"What makes you think I'm stressed?"

"Well your face breaks out when you're stressed." She says. He smiles down at her, staring down into her eyes and looking at her like she was the only thing in the world. Someday I hope I can look at the love of my life the way he looks at his. I'd care for her and love her through anything.

Present

"I'm not stressed about anything. At least not anything I can think of." I lie. Of course he didn't believe me.

"I don't understand. Then why have you broken out? Your Mother said that's what happens and I had to learn the hard way that she's never wrong." Father goes on. He takes a quick pause and looks me in the eye. "Is there anything going on between you and your future bride to be?"

"...N-no."

"You're lying."

"Fine." I sigh. "You know how a couple of weeks ago Ryan announced that she was going to be the leader of the Dark Knights?"

"Of course."

"Don't you think that's a little unfair to Andrea. She was working really hard for that spot and trained like the rest of them."