Inside the castle, 22-year-old Leon walked to the front of a door and knocked quietly before receiving permission to enter. When he entered the room, he saw a maid attending to his father as she put a cloth on his head.
Immediately the maid took note of Leon, she quickly left what she was doing and exited the room.
When she left, Leon turned to look at his father who stared back at him with less intensity.
"Father" he called as he walked to sit next to him on the bed.
"Leon.....how're you doing?" His father asked.
"I'm meant to be asking that, Father. You don't seem better from the look of things, I'm afraid...."
"Oh..stop my boy, I know you to be strong. Even if anything happens to me, I know you will never turn weak. You're my son, aren't you?" His father tried to encourage him. He knew how hard it was for Leon since he was just turning adult and was still very young.
In every King's reign, by this age, the King could now allow his son to attend court meetings and other leadership roles that required training so that the crowned Prince would be prepared for his position but in Leon's case, he had never even experienced any of these to have an idea of what leadership looks like and now his father was sick almost at the point of dying.
"I know I am. It's just a little too much for me. The Chieftains have been helping a lot by informing me about certain things but it doesn't feel the same way...." His father interrupted before he could finish.
I trust you.....I know that you have royal blood running in you. So it is completely impossible for you to not be able to do it. Take it as your trial you faced before you became King and tell it to your children when you're old just like I told mine to you." The ailing man assured his son.
"You are going to be King of Vlamunda. So you must act like one. Tell my right-hand man to replace all the servants and Kinsmen including the castle interiors. I'm aware my time is short. So I want everyone to be prepared for your rule." he said coolly and Leon's eyes widened in shock. His heart beating so fast that he could hear it through his ears.
When his son said nothing in reply, King William just stared at him for a while before giving a subtle smile. His son was really lucky. He had once been in this position before when his father was about to die and no one...not even a single soul encouraged him. They all blamed him and even said he wasn't fit to be a King because he cried after his father's death. But here his son was, receiving comfort and assurance from him and even getting the support he never had from his Chieftains, family and friends. Hopefully, Leon would adapt to situations and start his rule because he was sure that his reign would soon be over.
After they had some more brief 'father-and-son interaction, Leon left the room for the maid to continue attending to his father while he went to search for Lord Nicholas....his father's right-hand man.
Entering the courtroom, he noticed that the Chieftains were more today unlike the normal days and when they realised he was in the room before they could greet him, he immediately bowed his head and all of them gasped in shock. It was wrong for the crowned Prince to bow to anyone aside from his father, the King but since they knew he was still young and uninformed, they simply ignored it. He had a lot to learn.
"My Lord...what brings you to the courtroom this morning?" One of the elder Chieftains asked.
"If you don't mind, I would like to have a chat with Lord Nicholas....." he stared at them scrutinously before completing "alone" and within seconds, the rest of them filed out of the courtroom leaving only Lord Nicholas with him.
"What is it?" Lord Nicholas asked.
"The King has commanded that all the servants and Kinsmen including the interiors of the entire Castle be changed to the new ones. You are the third in command, therefore you're responsible for that." Leon tried to speak with vigour. The earlier he started it, the better for him, he thought.
The Chieftain stared at him with furrowed eyebrows.....almost making him lose the balance of the confidence he just gathered.
"Why is that?" Lord Nicholas was not happy about this.
"He's not getting better." He explained looking frustrated. "The sooner we accept it, the better for us. I know you've worked hard to gain this position and now after some years, you have to step down but it is culture and tradition which you can do nothing about. So it is best you do as you're told." Leon advised and left the courtroom. Nicholas stood in the room for a few minutes....silently thinking about it before he left to inform the servants about the news.