Chapter 16:
Soon to be King
The throne room of the Yursear palace had been filled with bright, white candles as the chandeliers glimmered in the warm lights high above, slightly swaying back and forth from the ceiling as if they were dancing to greet the new guests entering the room. The queen's ageless face was stern in front of her servants as a knight near the door announced Clarence's presence to the queen.
"Your Highness, the prince has arrived." The knight bowed low, not daring to look into the queen's dark eyes.
With a wave of her hand, the queen motioned for the prince, not wasting time by speaking to the servants. The knight stood up, directing his gaze away from the queen, sitting on the throne, and walked over to open the double doors.
Clarence walked in, newly changed and freshened up. The white dress shirt was buttoned up to his neck, and the same soft, fabric bow was tied just below his Adam's apple. As he approached the queen, his face brightened, but he maintained a formal, almost cordial expression on his face as he walked forward, his heavy steps ringing out in the silent throne room. The servants around the room all stood to the side, bowing their heads low to the prince as he approached the throne, only stopping when he reached the steps to the throne chair, just below the queen's feet.
"Mother." Clarence bowed at the waist, holding his hands stiffly at his sides.
"Rise."
The queen's voice sounded brusque, but Clarence understood and quickly raised his back and directed his gaze towards the queen. Even after ten years, his mother hardly aged, though she could thank a leisurely, luxurious life for that. Now reaching near her forties, she had two new children. The first child was born a year after the attack on the palace, and it was a young prince, Julian. Born weak, Julian was not expected to live long past his birth, though the queen ardently prayed for his safety every morning and night, and soon positive results were seen, and after a year, his health improved, showing no signs of decline. He would often play in the open field when he was not studying, wishing to become a fierce swordsman like in his bedtime stories.
The second child was the youngest, a daughter. Born two years after the second prince, she was eleven years younger than Clarence. Eloise was a fussy child, and she often would crawl away from her mother's embrace to find Clarence. Often, she would hold on to his legs with one hand and her doll with another, asking the prince to play with her. Only when the royal tutors came around would she return to her studies with a dispirited expression.
Every time they came to find him, Clarence would play with them, often recruiting the slacking Alywin to join them in their antics. Though Clarence was busy studying to become the next king, he wanted to spend time with his younger siblings and establish a good relationship between them as his mother wished.
Early in the morning, after breakfast, Clarence would come to the kitchen with Julian and Eloise and sneak pastries from the freshly baked tray cooling on the window ledge outside the kitchen. Often the prince would have to blow on them until they were cool enough for the young children to handle without being burned.
Sometimes, Clarence would visit the children during their nap time and read to them. The children always enjoyed their older brother Clare reading to them, and they often would run to the library ahead of him to find a book for him to read later with their maids. Alywin found the practice somewhat ridiculous, but he was the first to act out characters in the books the children chose. Often they would choose fairy tales from the lower shelves of the library, just before their nap time.
At first, Clarence was not particularly thrilled to read to the two rambunctious children, but as he read to them more, they began to behave better and listen to him more, such as interrupting the story less to ask questions, and keeping their hands to themselves, rather than tugging at each other. Seeing the two behave so well, Clarence felt a pang of guilt as he remembered his own tantrums and angry escapades. He scratched his cheek awkwardly as the tips of his ears reddened in embarrassment at the thought.
His thoughts faded as he faced the queen, his face stern but patient, like a servant waiting for their next command. "Why have you requested an audience with me?" Though Clarence's tone was innocent and unassuming, he already had known his mother would be calling upon him soon. On the queen's lap sat three bundles of rolled parchment freshly pressed and still smelling of ink.
The prince's eyes narrowed as his lips curled inward for a moment, before returning to his previously expressionless face.
"You're already eighteen years old, Clarence. Your father and I both have discussed it, and we would like to have you marry a princess before you take over the throne. Because you rejected all the last suitresses," The queen's expression hardened momentarily before she patted the rolls of parchment laid out on her lap with her hand. "I found three more girls of noble backgrounds you have not met yet." Her deep red lips lifted up in a smile, warming up her normally frozen appearance.
Clarence's eyes dropped as his lips hardened into a thin line, he was irritated. "Mother, I already told you-"
Queen Racliffe's eyes were just as cold as her gaze fixed on to the reluctant prince's face. Her expression alone was enough to cause Clarence to fall silent, his reluctance falling on death ears.
"You have no choice in the matter, Clarence." The queen stood up, holding the rolls of parchment in front of her chest carefully. "You must do what is right for the kingdom. Your feelings have no place on the throne."
With a downcast gaze, Clarence quietly answered. "I understand, Mother."
"Good." The queen walked forward, holding out the rolls of parchment out in front of her with her hand, motioning for Clarence to take them from her hands. "I want you to look over these. You are to let me know if any of the women are of interest to you."
Clarence lifted his hands that suddenly felt like lead as the queen dropped the parchments in his hands. She smiled weakly as she lifted her hand up to Clarence's grimacing face and gently put her hand on his cheek.
"I know you don't understand right now, but your father and I are doing what's best for you. When you get married, you'll reinforce your position as the next king." The queen gently pinched Clarence's cheek, which made him wince,
"It doesn't mean you have to be fully committed to your wife. You can still remain very close with Duke Cyneric's son-"
"Mother!" Clarence snapped, his face growing red with embarrassment as he pushed her hand off his face, "Please don't talk about Alywin!"
"I just wanted you to know that nothing has to end, just because you're going to get married. You just have to be discreet."
"I've got it, Mother!" Clarence said as he took a step back. He spun around on his heels and raced out, clutching the parchment close to his chest.
As Clarence raced back to the library, his face burning. There were only months left before the coronation ceremony. It would not be long before Clarence would take the place of his father as the king of the vast Yursear Kingdom. Though he had managed so far to dodge the marriage requests from many powerful families from all over the continent, he knew it would only be a matter of time before he would not be able to run anymore. He would have to pick a wife, and he would have to become king.
As these thoughts raced around in Clarence's mind, fear and anxiety began to fill his whole body. His hands shook and his heart raced as he stood in front of the massive library door. He shakily lifted his hand to the door knob to the library, keeping his hand hovering over the ornate handle. He lowered his hand, but clenched his fist above the handle and turned away from the door.
I've got to get some air, Clarence thought to himself as he absentmindedly dropped the parchment and began to quickly walk away from the door.
…
"Clarence?!" Alywin shouted, cupping his hand around his mouth to project his voice as he looked around and walked, "Where are you hiding?!"
Alywin paused for a moment, straining his ears to try to catch any sound of movement, but when it remained silent, he continued to call for Clarence and walk around. His eyes scanned the edge of the forest as he walked around the expansive garden, trying to find the elusive prince, even though the sun had already set by now, and it was becoming difficult to see. Alywin shook his head and looked around one more time before shouting, "I'm leaving, Clarence! This is your last chance to show yourself!"
As he strained his ears one final time, he heard a bush not far from him rustle, and out popped the head of the elusive prince.
"Get over here!" Clarence whispered loudly after he looked around. Alywin glanced around too before quickening his step and hopping into the bush. Clarence grabbed his arm and helped pull him through to a small hideaway surrounded by bushes.
"Is this where you've been hiding the whole time? I've been looking for you for over an hour!" Alywin hissed out as he tried to wipe a few stray leaves off himself. Clarence hushed him, then grabbed his arm again and forced him to sit next to him in the small hideaway.
"Will you be quiet?! Someone is going to hear you!" Clarence heatedly whispered back.
"Why are you hiding anyway?" Alywin huffed as he plucked the leaves off himself. Clarence sighed before grabbing a stray leave that was sitting comfortably on Alywin's head. He spun the small, frail leaf in his hand for a few moments, watching the twist and turn as the leaf spun back and forth, before he threw it away from him and answered,
"They want me to get married."
Alywin paused for a moment, contemplating, "Who? Your parents?"
"Yes."
"What's wrong with that? I'm sure you saw this coming." Alywin said after bringing his knees to his chest and casually laying his chin between his knees.
"I-" Clarence started, his eyebrows heavily furrowed, "I don't know. Everything is just happening too fast, I guess. As soon as I get engaged, the steps for the coronation will quickly follow. Then I'll get married soon after. Oh, and they'll expect an heir almost immediately."
Alywin picked up his chin and instead laid his head across his knees, his face towards Clarence, "Well, I can't speak of marriage or being a king, but the part about making an heir isn't too bad. It'll be much more fun for you than for her, I can promise you that."
Even though it was dark, Alywin could tell Clarence's face was red.
"But I want it to be special." Clarence whispered, a deep frown distorting his face in the darkness, "And I want it to be with someone I love."
Alwyin smiled and patted Clarence on the back, "Then go find someone special before you get married."
"That's a lot harder than you make it sound." Clarence sighed in frustration, "Besides, I'm stuck in the castle. How am I supposed to find them if I meet the same nobles and servants everyday?"
"Well, I'm always here." Alywin said with a mischievous smile.
Clarence snorted, "Who was the one who said we should keep it casual?"
Alywin shrugged nonchalantly, keeping his smile strong, "I'm just not the type to get into serious relationships."
Clarence glared at him, "You're part of the problem too." Clarence sighed before he shook his head, "I don't want to be like my parents, in a loveless marriage that's hanging together by a thread of obligations. I want something," Clarence paused, trying to summon the right word, "Real. Authentic. Where we both truly love each other."
Alywin forced a small smile to his lips, "That's naive, Clarence. You will have to have a political marriage. Maybe you'll grow to like each other though?"
"That's the problem though!" Clarence said, sliding his hand through his hair in frustration before staring at the shadowed figure of Alywin, "The best I will be able to do for her is liking her. I will never love whichever girl I might have to marry." Clarence brought his knees up to his chest and tucked his head into his knees, feeling like a small child again, "I don't want to marry a woman, Alywin."
Alywin looked down, then away. Of course Alywin knew, but to hear Clarence say it took Alywin by surprise nonetheless. Alywin tried to summon words of comfort for his close friend, but he could not form any words, so he remained silent. Instead, he just reached his arm out and squeezed the shoulder of his companion. The two sat quietly for a while as the sky became an inkier black, and it became nearly impossible to see.
"Maybe I should run away?" Clarence whispered, keeping his head tucked into his knees.
Alywin's eyes widened for a moment, unable to hide his shock at Clarence's words. He looked over at Clarence, "Are you serious?"
"Yeah."
"But where would you go? How would you house yourself? Feed yourself?" Alywin said, frustration growing in his chest.
Clarence lifted his head and looked at Alywin, "So I should just stay here?"
"You don't know how to survive out there, Clarence!" Alywin said, his voice rising with his anger and frustration.
"How would you know that?" Clarence snapped back.
Alywin looked at Clarence before his face sunk and he looked away, "Because I've been out there. I've lived on the streets. And I can guarantee you," Alywin said, his voice full of sadness and frustration, "You wouldn't survive out there."
The only thing hiding Clarence's shocked expression was Alywin rising from his seat in the grass and exiting the bush. As Clarence listened to Alywin's quick, heavy steps briskly walking away, Clarence jumped out of the bush and followed after Alywin.
"Alywin, wait! I'm sorry! I didn't know!" Clarence shouted as he raced after Alywin.
"Forget I said anything." Alywin said, annoyance dripping with every word as he tried to shake off Clarence. Alywin was annoyed at himself for saying anything about his past and at Clarence for being so naive about the outside world. Alywin sighed to himself, as knew he could not lay all of the blame on Clarence for the sheltered life he was fortunate enough to have. It still greatly annoyed Alywin to hear Clarence say such naive things though.
Clarence finally caught up to Alywin and walked alongside him as Alywin walked back into the castle. They both did not say anything, but the tone around them was somber. Their footsteps loudly clicked throughout the long, empty hallways as they walked, both of them in their heads, trying to find something to say, but coming up with nothing.
Finally with a sigh, Alywin stopped and turned to the surprised Clarence, stepping close to him and whispering, "Do you really want to run away?"
Clarence looked Alywin in the eyes, determination building in his face, "I know the person I'm meant to be with is out there. I want to find him. Or at least try. And if I fail, at least then I can come back and accept that I tried."
Alywin scoffed before turning away, "You are so naive." After a moment, Alywin turned back and smiled at Clarence,
"But I guess that's what I like most about you. Alright, I'll help you."
A smile quickly grew on Clarence's face, one that Alywin had not seen since Clarence was able to meet his siblings for the first time. Alywin looked down and shook his head at the display, Such a child. But Alywin could not help but want to help Clarence.
"I'll help you, but I have two conditions." Alywin looked at Clarence as he nodded resolutely, "First, you will do everything I say. No questions. No complaints." Clarence's face slightly faltered, but he nodded, "Second, we don't leave the Yursear Kingdom." Clarence began to protest, but Alywin held up his hand, silencing Clarence, "No. Complaints. The Yursear Kingdom includes all the kingdom, not just the capital, so that's a massive amount of land. More than enough. And if we get into trouble, we can fall back on our nobility for protection."
Clarence sighed before nodding and staring at Alywin, "Fine. I accept. So when do we leave?"
"Soon. Hopefully." Alywin said as he nonchalantly glanced around, looking for any eavesdropping guests, "Just get some things together. Money mostly. I'll let you know soon."
Clarence nodded and the two said their goodbyes, both heading in different directions, with different ideas and fears flowing through their heads.