"Atticus! Atticus, open the door!"
A man, floating in the air with his legs crossed and reading a book, couldn't help but roll his eyes. The loud banging on his door disrupted his focus. He groaned in annoyance, and with a snap of his fingers, the door swung open.
A woman with long, wavy white hair stepped in. Her scarlet eyes glared at the floating man. She was fuming with rage as she walked towards him.
The man sighed as he flipped the book closed and glanced down at her through his reading glasses, "What is it, ma?"
"I'm so sick of your games! Why are you here? You're not going to find a wife if you keep locking up in your room! Didn't I tell you to go out and have some fun and fuck whoever you want?"
The woman grabbed him by the ear so firmly that her son groaned in pain. He slowly floated down, stepped onto the floor, and hunched slightly forward as his mother pinched his ear.
"Ugh, ma! That hurts!"
"Shut up!"
Without a word, she dragged him out of his room and all the way to the throne room. It was quite an embarrassing sight—a hunk being dragged by a small woman. Their hurried footsteps echoed through the dark, eerie castle.
Upon arriving at the throne room, a man, who sat at the king's chair, quickly turned in their direction and watched their figures appear from the shadows. A laugh escaped his mouth at the sight. His heartily laugh caused the whole palace to rumble slightly.
"Hahahaha! Astoria, sweetie, stop dragging our son like that." He mused as he stood up from his throne and approached them, "Is this about him getting married?"
Astoria let go of his son and humphed, "Your son is already a hundred century years old, and he still hasn't given us a grandchild!"
Their son rubbed his ear as he adjusted his reading glasses, "But ma—"
"Shut up! If you're not going to get married here in our realm, perhaps throwing you out to the human realm would help you find a wife."
"What?!"
The man's scarlet eyes widened in surprise. How long since his parents have been asking for a grandchild now? Was it when he reached a thousand years old? And how old was he now? He couldn't remember the exact numbers, but he must be around a hundred century years old, as his mother said.
He was old, extremely old. So ancient, if you would say so. However, he had never, even once, gotten an interest in getting married, nor had he even once tried to go out to find a mate.
All he ever did was stay in his room and read. Their realm had been in complete peace for as long as he could remember. Wars had long gone and friendship among other domains was long-established. As a result, he had nothing to do. The only thing that interested him was reading and locking himself in his room. Whatever he did in his room, aside from reading, no one knew.
This was the exact reason why his mother was fuming over him. He needed to find a wife so he could give them grandchildren.
He sighed, already used to his mother's fuss over him getting married and having kids, "Mother, I'll find a wife eventually, there's no need to do that."
His mother had tried different threats but none of them ever come true, so he was confident that his mother would eventually calm down.
His mother pressed her temple in frustration, "When was the last time you've said that?" she asked, her eyes glaring at him, "Find a wife eventually, your ass!"
The man swallowed in fright. His mother's rage was surely not going to be soothed by mere lies and promises this time.
"Now, sweetie, calm down." As her husband arrived at her side, he pulled her into a hug to calm her down. However, Astoria pushed him away and walked towards her throne. The clanking sounds of her sandals resounded through the whole room. She sighed loudly the moment she had slumped herself into her throne.
"I'm done with him, banish him from our realm, and don't get back here unless you have already chosen a bride."
Their son was stupefied, he tried to protest, but her mother only cast him a glare again. He shut his already-opened mouth and glanced at his father.
His father just forced a smile at him and simply shrugged before he turned his back to him and strode back to his throne next to his wife.
The man felt panic in his heart. He could tell that his mother was actually serious this time.
"This is not right, you can't just cast me out—"
However, before he could finish his sentence, his father raised his hand and with just a click of his finger, their sole son disappeared on his spot.
Silence lingered for a while.
"Will he be alright though?"
Astoria leaned back on the back of her throne still in frustration over her son and turned to look at her husband, "Vesper, shut up, or I'll cast you out as well."
Silent quickly prevailed once again. Darkness loomed over the room as the couple sat on their throne. Nothing was heard, and the complete silence was almost deafening that it might drown them to insanity.
"I guess, we really do need grandchildren, huh."