The Prince of Ilios

Seven

The King stood at his window. It was now the morning, and storm clouds were approaching. A lightning storm on the horizon. Nicola was coming home, "Bertrand, prepare some tea." He sent his steward away.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Bertrand bowed and left.

"...Nicola is almost home." He said pleasantly to himself.

His manservants scurried around him, dressing him in the colors of his Kingdom, white and gold, a crest of lightning across his chest. He walked to his study to get to work. He had a wedding to plan. It was only a matter of which child it would be.

Nicola did not even bother to hesitate at the entrance. He knew his father would not welcome him personally. He handed off the reigns of his black stallion to the stable boy and strode into the white marble palace. He shook his head at how ridiculous it looked with its golden turrets, blinding all of the citizens of Ilios. At least for a little while, his bad mood would cover up the sun for them all.

"Where is he!" Nicola demanded impertinent as he stomped through the halls of the palace, creating a ruckus as he was directed by various scurrying servants to the study. Before he could be announced he yelled at the doormen, "Open them!"

The King chuckled in his gold cushioned chair. Even the study was made of white marble, the shelves of fine birch. He turned his chair around to face his son, "Nicola! What a surprise. I have tea prepared, do have a seat, my boy." His voice syrupy.

Nicola was reminded to take a huge cleansing breath before dealing with the King. As calmly as he could, he unbuttoned his military coat and handed it to a servant girl nearby, "Thank you."

"No need to thank me, boy. I was happy to find a proper marriage arrangement." The King stole Nicola's gratitude to the servant.

Nicola's jaw set and eyes narrowed. The King was being vague on purpose, "What do you mean, my King?"

"Congratulations are in order, I believe." The King stroked his beard happily and offered the chair across the small tea table.

Nicola took it, stiffly, "Congratulations for whom?"

"Well, that is up to you, now isn't it Nicola? I knew that last line would bring you home as quickly as possible. Although in truth, I was expecting you tomorrow..."

"Stop stalling, old man!" His temper got the best of him.

"I may be old, but I am still the King of Ilios." His face turned instantly sinister.

"My King." Nicola nodded as an apology.

The King broke into a smile again, "Now onto the happy news. Either you will marry, or one of your sisters will. I will crown a new monarch this year, whether you are home from your frivolities or not." He sipped his tea.

Frivolities?! Nicola glared at his Father, it had always been this way. He was constantly being blackmailed into things. Last time, it had been to join the military and conquer the Mainland. Which he found he had more of a taste for now, than when he began, seeing as it gave him time away from the fawning crowds, sound structure, and more importantly, occupied away from his father with the ability to see all of the other provinces, "I am still trying to fulfill my King's last request. Surely, you will wait until I have completed it and then, I may marry whom I choose."

The King laughed out loud, "Ah, Nicola, you never do change. It seems I have to carry you into everything. Will you never just do what you are told when you are told to do it? I suppose I could send a letter to Cyrus today." His father waited for the reaction and got exactly what he wanted.

"My sisters are too young to take on the responsibility of marrying politically." Nicola stared him down, "Surely, Your Majesty would like them to be fully prepared. We would not want to injure our tenuous relationship with Vatra."

"Our tenuous relationship with Vatra is exactly why they should marry." The King's eyes narrowed. He was clearly blaming Nicola for the fire-bearers being gone.

Nicola sat for a moment, thinking over his options, maybe there was a way that he could draw this out, and keep his sisters safe, "Your Majesty, what advantage is there in the crowned prince of Ilios marrying one from his own province? If it is a political marriage you seek, why not have one from the Isles come?"

"You know as well as I that we are not in command of the Isles yet." The King retorted sourly.

Nicola did his best not to roll his eyes, no matter what he did he was not good enough for his King, If you would just let me finish the mission you gave me, they would be!

Suddenly the King smiled, "Anyone to marry my son would need to be able to handle themselves in our society. To protect you and complete your goals of conquest with you."

"It would be hard to find such a fierce woman." Nicola scoffed, "I doubt a daughter of a member of court could stand up to the challenge." There was still hope to put this off.

"Mayhaps, not." The King leaned forward.

Nicola could see that he had the King's cooperation now that he was not outright refusing the idea of marriage, he laughed aloud, "What would we even do to find such a woman? Audition them? Might as well host a competition, that is how we pick our generals... haha." Nicola got a little too carried away making fun of the idea of a woman on the battlefield.

"That is a stupendous idea, my son!"

Nicola immediately went silent, "What?" His dark hair fell into his eyes.

"We shall have the bearer of every province come and compete to be your wife." The King tented his hands together and leaned back in his chair, "If we get word out today, we can host it as soon as next week."

"Next week?" The prince was utterly confounded. He tried his best to back peddle or make some sort of excuse and then he had an idea, "Send an invitation to the Isles as well."

The King raised a brow, "That would take a month."

"It would be the most efficient way to complete your first request of me, 'killing two birds with one stone' as it were. If they were to come, we could negotiate with them their citizenship."

"And if they do not, then it would be as good as inciting a war. To reject our political alliance, would be to welcome us in battle." The King nodded, "I will write them at once."

Nicola heaved a sigh of relief, "You do have a way with words." He added sardonically. He did not like the way that the King intended to blackmail the women into coming, but would not argue it today, lest the King change his mind, "My sisters will remain as they are?"

The King smiled slyly, "For now."

Nicola finally took his first sip of tea, "Fine, I would like to discuss with you supplies and troops..."

"Nicola, you are just like your mother. She used to work herself to the bone and then collapse from exhaustion. Go and have a rest and we will discuss the rest of your concerns after your wedding."

"My wedding? That is months away."

"Oh, now you are so eager!" The King laughed.

Nicola ground his teeth, standing in one smooth movement, "Excuse me, Your Majesty, I would rather be resting, before I say something that I shouldn't." He swept out of the room, just as quickly as he entered, but not as angrily.

Nicola sat on the bench at the foot of his bed, defeated. Negotiations with the King never ended up in his favor, and he always left feeling as though he were being played. Another pawn on the King's chess board to manipulate and use as he pleased.

He let his servants prepare a bath. Sinking below the steaming water, Nicola wished he lived somewhere else, simultaneously felt guilty to the woman he was about to marry. Nadia and Noelle's smiles flashed in his mind, putting his heart at rest. If those smiles still existed, it would be worth all of his suffering. He was the only shield between them and his Father, and he would serve his purpose.