"Happy birthday, your Majesty." Mr. Heins, the town blacksmith, spoke softly as he bowed in front of the soon-to-be ruler. "Hopefully you'll find the woman you're looking for." Adrian smiled, but rolled his eyes metaphorically. Even though he spoke respectfully, he could sense the 'please pick my daughter' from a million miles away. It didn't matter how much they liked them. It didn't matter how much they cared for anything. All that mattered was how much effort their daughters put into being perfect. He looked over to the metal maker's daughter. He watched as she bowed to others, yet sneaked food under her puffy and frankly ruffled skirt.
"Yes, hopefully… I do." He remembered her face. For the matter of fact, it was hard not to forget it. Anry Heins, best friend of Vi, thief of the century. Marrying her was the equivalent of just signing the money away. Although, Viola didn't seem to think that way with all the hyping up she was doing. The 'You should marry Anry!' and 'c'mon, you guys are around the same age' was starting to get on his nerves so much, she actually managed to get a maybe. Adrian watched as plenty of parents would snatch kids away from their friends to fix their posture, make-up, or even fix their hair that was already stacked high.
"Gosh," Adrian looked to his father as he stared among the crowd. King Veyron's eyes watched everything he was once looking at, but in a different light. He didn't see parents hurting their kids, he saw kids working their hardest to make sure their families had something. "This reminds me of when I was a kid."
"When you were a kid."
"Yeah. When I met your mother." He began to tell his son about how when he first arrived in this building it was because of him wanting to play a prank on one of his classmates. 'There's no other place than in front of his crush' he thought as he began to place his own trap. Unfortunately for him, his classmate didn't fall for it. Even more unlucky, he ended up pranking the princess. Unknown to him, that ended up sealing their relationship. Adrian wanted his story to end now more than ever.
"Dad," His words stop the man dead in his tracks. "What's the point of marrying for love if people see you as just a big check?" His eyes felt heavy as he spoke. What was the point, huh? He watched as Viola played and gossiped with her friends. "Vi, don't have to do this. Why do I have to have some… fake marriage?" He wanted to know. Heck, he deserves to know. Why did the people below him have the right to crawl to the top just because they bought the decentest outfit? To his surprise his father answered back with laughter. Non roaring, but just enough to scare the boy back into reality.
"Who told you that? That you were a big check." Adrian felt the concern in his voice as he asked.
"The TV shows." He looked down to protect the water welling up in his eyes. "They always show it as someone pretending to love someone for money."
"Well, it's nonsense. All the parents here know that if their child gets married they will receive nothing. As a matter of fact, it's more like they lose something."
"What do they lose?"
"Their child." Adrin could once again sense the hidden meaning under his words. He was taken from his family and placed into a paradise where only he could enjoy.
"Then why do they do it?" The boy's voice softened as he spoke. His father wouldn't give him up, would he? It seems completely illogical. Sending a kid off for money you'll never see?
"They do it so their child has a better life, not them." He placed his hand on Adrian's shoulders as he whispered into his ear. "Remember, you hold the people 's futures in your hands." After leaving those heavy words in the boy's mind, he went to go chat with a group of men that seemed to be waiting for him ever since the party started.
"People's futures, huh?" Adrian's attention was then negated by the sound of crashing that happened on the opposite side of the room.
"By the goddess, Anry!" Mrs. Heins walked over to her now sauced daughter and dragged her into a separate hallway. Jesus Christ. Adrian sighed to himself as women, men and kids alike began to swarm inside the ball room. It was time for the perfectionatory dance. Since the recent announcement of his ball, he has been practicing with dance teachers non-stop. 'Keep going until perfect' she always says. She spoke in a weird accent and never ceased to flap her lips. At this point he was surprised he could hold himself together. People didn't know it, but under his jet black loafers he wore an array of bruises and calluses. In a moment, he will have to dance with each and every child of the court in order to find the one he will soon marry. A part of him wanted to groan and leave everyone here with only themselves as company. But another part of him… wanted to stay. Hey it can't be so bad. He thought to himself as he began to be pushed to the middle. Mom found the love of your life here, maybe I can too. He watched multiple girls bow to him. after being introduced. He didn't like the idea of 'picking one from the litter', but if that's what it took, he guessed it was alright. The people who brought their kids didn't seem to mind, so why did he? He opened his hand out so one of the selected girls grabbed in to dance. The girl wasn't bad at dancing, she just refused to look Adrian in the eyes no matter what. The feeling of awkwardness seemed to pollute the air as they danced.
"So, what do you like to do?" His words were shaky as he tried to strike up some conversation. Nothing. The girl didn't answer as they both began to waltz down the aisle.
"..."
"So, what's your name?" Still nothing. What's the point of even trying out he thought as time only passed more and more. While the adults stared in awe, he and his dance partner were still dancing in complete silence. What was this girl's problem? Did she not want to leave her parents? They were trying to give him a good life. Why can't she accept that?
"I won't let you." He looked down to see that the girl was crying. Streams of water leak down her face like a fountain. "I won't let you take me from my family." The girl then pushed him away causing the band that once played harmonious music to cease its wonderful sound.
"What in the hell are you talking abou-"
"I WON'T LET YOU! YOU HEAR ME." The girl began to scream incoherently as numerous knights and guards tried to calm her down. The assumed mother of the girl didn't even bother to go relax with the girl. Apparently she was too far gone. The enraged child began to kick and bite the people that tried to sedate her.
"Adrian!" He turned to see who was calling his name. In front of him stood his father. Unlike the other times he'd seen him, he had fear washed over his face. Adrian at first thought he was looking straight in his face, but no. What his father was staring at… was a huge bit gap buried into the boy's arm. The wound on his arm was fresh with blood, the deep layers of his skin showed that he had never known before.
"Dad." His breath began to quake as his own vision became more and more unclear. "What's happening to me?" Adrian tries to back up, but trips over his own feet. He couldn't remember much, just falling, people running after him, and numerous people asking if he was okay. But one thing stuck out in his mind though. He remembers his father. His father screamed. He usually spoke boldly, but never yelled at his subjects. It made Adrian feel… warm. He felt warm knowing that push came to shove, his father was there to protect him, not those lowly, arm biting, barbarians. In the end, his father was in his bank. And he was ready to cash out.