Blooded!
In this period, only a few can love at liberty and hearts were bounded with evermore hitches. However, bliss will be more than truest if you chance to be in the privilege of love's byzantine realm.
***
"Your majesty, will you dare to leave the people of Neey for that untitled woman of the east? Can your heart take to let them suffer under your brother's reign? Will you live in joy if your birthland is in bloodshed? Will you sleep tight if our people will be tortured injustice? REMEMBER THIS! BEFORE YOU MET HER, YOU ARE FIRST A LEADER! A LEADER THAT IS BOUNDED TO LIVE FOR HIS PEOPLE, NOT FOR HIS SELF OR FOR ANY WOMAN."
His feet that were courageous to step away stooped upon hearing his mother's words.
"Potron, my son, have pity and do not dismay heaven."
Potron's legs betrayed him to the ground, his eyes were rainy, and his heart is cloudy, but his mind had already obeyed the woman's words. He stood and walked back to where he should be resting the night, but his eyes cannot stop looking back to where he wanted to be. His steps sounded loud, but his mother likes the rhythm.
***
"I, the King of Neey, will obey the counsel of priestesses, the crowned prince will be selected by who they choose to marry, and no objection will be allowed."
All the people inside the imperial hall, with title or none, kneeled and bowed before his majesty.
"Will be obeyed, your majesty."
"I am giving the two princes until the sixth full moon beginning this day to find a wife, both wives will be criticized by the High Priestess and the Wisdom Counselor and on the 12th full moon from this day, one of the princes will be crowned."
"Will be obeyed, your majesty."
The important talks ended and all the officials were full of thoughts, leaving the hall toward home to plan. Inside the hall, the king and his mother remained sitting, but no one dared to leave first. The silence is immersing between them. But footsteps' noise replaces that silence when Potron stood and approached her mother.
"Mother, it has been long years already since I lost the warmth of life and now my sons were ready to take the throne. The suffering and longing inside my heart, it is time to be healed, right mother?
The woman took a deep breath and looked at her son with her eyes of sympathy.
"Potron, your guidance and presence will still be necessary. I have told you always that you shall never leave this place. Another, your wife is still alive, she has been kind and helpful to you all these years, please do not betray her devotion."
The king assisted the surroundings making sure of one thing. When he confirmed the presence of no one, he kneeled before his mother with his eyes seeming for mercy.
"Mother, can you spare this son of yours some compassion. I have lived my life under heaven's will by your guidance and I do well in serving this nation, and so I believe that you alone will be enough to guide the future king. Moreover, my wife is there to assist you. I do not wish to hurt my wife's heart. But I do not want to hurt the woman in my heart any longer, she is waiting for me longed in agony, and heavens had pitied her to give me until this day, for I to go to her."
The woman shakes her head and pats his son's shoulder.
"Well then, I will give my answer after the coronation of the future king."
"Mo—"
"That's the best that I see"
***
"Mother, can you tell me what's on your mind?"
"Baruu, my son, do not marry Pita, she is kind and intelligent, but she is so pure and fragile."
Baruu took a sigh and showed a little smile while watching the view of the sun bidding goodbye. He spends a scarce of seconds before letting out a voice.
"My queen, forgive me for I cannot obey you."
"Ba—"
"Mother, I do not want to live like father."
When Queen Kari heard his son's words, her heart was being crashed but she knew he was right.
"Well then, you are right."
Baruu felt the grave pain in her mother's words. Thus, he smiled and assured his with his beautiful outlook.
"But mother, you are great and honourable for you live a life of bravery and loyalty and that kind of wife is all I prayed for, so mother, can you grant this son of yours to, have it?"
"Do you think Pita can be that kind of wife?"
Baruu nodded with a face shined with confidence.
While Prince Baruu had decided whom to marry, the second prince, Senae, went to the temple of the Goddess Salin with nobody's company, with only heaven knowing his reasons. The temple was only visited by King Potron before but with Prince Senae's talent of speaking, King Potron agreed for him to visit it. Inside the temple, is a cave where a lake of emerald-coloured water is settling. The water of the lake was said to be the coldest and no man can endure the needling pain. However, Prince Senae, without fear, undress his wholeness and soaked in. He kneeled and united his palms; his prayers were unspoken but delivered.
The day is as white as the clouds when Prince Senae arrived at his dwelling. Not from afar, a royal aid runs to welcome him.
"My prince, where did you go last night? Your grandmother is looking for you."
The royal aid spoke with his lips shaking but Prince Senae patted his shoulder and left him without a reply.
When he arrived at his garden, a woman playing with her nails on the table is sitting, waiting patiently. He wanted not to show but he choose to go.
"Greetings, your majesty."
Upon hearing his grandson's addresses, Queen Dowager Piyessa smiled mischievously and speaks without looking at him but is smiling at the blossoms before her.
"Prince Senae, I have heard you went missing last night."
Before he answered, he bowed once again.
"I went to the temple of the Goddess Salin, your majesty."
The delighted face of Queen Dowager Piyessa shifts undelighted," WHY DID YOU GO TO A TEMPLE OF UNEXISTING GODDESS!"
Prince Senae was stunned by his grandmother's raise of tone, but immediately he came to relax," Grandmother, only heaven knows if she exists or not, fore so, it is not prohibited to pray to her."
The arguments about Goddess Salin ended when a lady's sweet salutation sounded," Greetings to your majesty and your highness."
"Senae, this is Lady Lan," Queen Dowager Piyessa introduced her with glorious. However, there is no surprise on Senae's face. Rather, he looked at her with both warmth and blues while Lady Lan smiles at him with her teeth shown, for they are no strangers. The queen dowager notices the emotions brimming between them.
"Do you know each OTHER?"
"Yes, your majesty," both Lady Lan and Prince Senae replied. However, Lady Lan spoke with joy, but the prince answered in almost silent words.
The three had a tea accompanied by talks, the Queen Dowager aiming to settle the two, and Lady Lan was expecting to have them united soon. But Prince Senae ended their hopes when he said," Grandmother, Lady Lan, please forgive me for I cannot agree to this."
Both women were dazed, especially Lady Lan for she never imagined the words coming from Senae's mouth. For her, his words are like ten million slashes of swords and the pain made her stood from her seat," BUT--"
"I had NOT PROMISED ANYTHING, MY LADY," Senae bluntly answered without looking at her.
Lady Lan with her heart blooded, ran unlike a lady does.
"SENAE! Go after her."
The Queen Dowager's words were clear and loud enough but Senae showed no obedience. He stood and gave his grandmother a salutation of goodbye. His steps were light but his heart is heavy.