The Kindness of Kings

by Chelsea Ballinger

  Kenneth smirked at Louie, knowing the truth behind Louie’s view of his brother, but still respecting his faith and hope that everything would be okay.

  +

  “Serenity Foundation is a great way to give back to what has been lost. Our inner-city communities are dying, children without food and shelter and health care.”

  “Mina,” Queen Arianna stopped Mina’s enthusastic babbling and smiled. “I would love to donate. If it wasn’t for Queen Serene, I would not have this life.”

  Mina stared at her, confused. “I don’t understand.”

  Arianna stared back at her husband who was still walking with Louie and her boys who were running from Bartleby, and then at her baby girl who was sitting in Mina’s lap. “I was nineteen when my father, a King of a fallen Kingdom told me that I would marry a man I had never met. I still believed in love and at the time marrying a man for power and money was not love to me. I was scared and hated Kenneth before I truly knew him. Queen Serene was the one who informed me of something. Let’s just say she gave me another way to look at things.”

  “Your sons are beautiful, Your Majesty,” nineteen-year-old Princess Arianna said to Queen Serene as they sat on the patio deck watching her boys.

  “Thank you Arianna,” Queen Serene said, smiling and watching her sons.

  Arianna noticed Queen Serene shiver. “Randolph, please fetch the Queen a blanket.”

  Randolph, the butler went inside and minutes later brought back a blanket for Serene. He covered her with it and she gave a warm smile to him and Arianna.

  “Thank you.”

  Arianna smiled faintly. “I heard about your illness, I’m very sorry.”

  “It’s okay. No regrets. As a future Queen, you will learn.”

  “I’ve had regrets since the moment I came here,” Arianna gasped and quickly covered her mouth. “I can’t believe I said that.”

  “It’s alright sweetie.”

  “No, that was innapropriate.”

  “Arianna... I understand. If anyone understands, it’s me. It’s the arrangment, isn’t it? One second you’re free, and the next you are told to marry and serve a man you are not in love with.”

  “Yes. Exactly.”

  “I forced myself into loving my husband because he loved me and I thought it was the right thing to do. At least your husband is kind.”

  “I’m not sure of that,” Arianna spoke in a harsh tone.

  “Don’t judge, dear. Have you seen the way he looks at you? The way he lets you speak out and defends you? My husband sees me as a trophy, but yours sees you as an angelic being, even if he is too stubborn to admit it.”

  “But he’s such a stiff. Uptight.”

  “Well, people can change. You have to give things a chance, Arianna.”

  “You gave your husband a chance and how did it turn out?”

  “Not good. Especially for my youngest son, Louie. He feels he is not good enough because he was not born first.”

  “I believe Kenneth would be the same. Probably make me have an abortion like his father did his mother. I’m sorry Your Majesty, but I’m surprised King Caius didn’t make you.”

  “Yes, well we were told it would be a girl.” Arianna nodded and hoped she would have that luck. “Atleast that is what I told the doctor to tell him.”

  Arianna looked at Queen Serene who was still watching Louie. She closed her eyes for a moment and a tear streamed down her face. She quickly wiped it off and looked at Arianna.

  “I guess we are both coming out with truths.”

  “I guess so.”

  “Caius has always been so vindictive when it comes to rules and tradition, but I just couldn’t let him have this one. I couldn’t let him take away the child that was already developed inside of me. So I told the doctor to lie. Promised him that the King would do no harm to him. Louie has suffered so much for it, but in the end I think it is the only way to break the chain my husband has linked to us. The only way to end it all.”

  “I promise I won’t tell anyone, Your Majesty.”

  “It doesn’t matter now. All I can do is hope and pray that both my sons will grow into men that a Queen can be proud of. We all take chances in life for the better good Arianna. The better good in love, happiness, safety, and family. If you can’t take a chance, then your life will consist of just doing. Doing what your told, doing what is expected of you, doing everything under someone’s command. And just doing Arianna is not a good life. Remember that.”

  “The Queen always taught us to question things,” Mina’s comment caused Arianna’s flashback to fade. She focused on her husband and Louie who had returned from their walk.

  “We’re going to go get ready for dinner soon,” Kenneth told her.

  Arianna smiled at her husband who she loved and adored more than anything. “Okay, we will be in in a minute.”

  Louie gazed at Mina as she held the Princess in her arms. He never thought of a future of kids and a wife before, but the thought did pass through his mind that day and he could picture it with Mina; it scared him more than anything.

  “Bartleby!” Louie snapped out of his trance and called for his friend. Bartleby and the Princes followed the King inside the palace.

  “If I may be as bold to say Mina that Prince Louie... well, he looks at you like you are a universe where the most beautful creatures reside, and if I may add, he is the explorer who has found this Universe but insists on keeping it hidden from the world as his own paradise.”

  Mina blushed at the Queen’s comment. “We are... friends.”

  “That love is always the best, isn’t it?”

  “What love?”

  “The love that slowly rises from underneath the ashes. Building its way back into something whole. The love of friendship that is meant to be more and will be.”

  Mina laughed. “You get that from the way he looks at me?”

  “Yes.”

  “How?”

  “Because it’s the way I look at my husband. We hated each other at first, but one day he became my friend and the next he became the man of my dreams. I just took a chance. You have to take chances in life Mina, it’s the only way to get to the thing that is truly best for you.”

  Chapter 20

  The Unknown

  After a glorious day in Magna, Louie and Mina enjoyed their dinner with the King and Queen. The royal couple were unliken any other royal family they had met. They were happy.

  “So, Louie I must admit,” a very tipsy Queen Arianna said, “we did look you up. You’re not what we expected.”

  Louie laughed. “Yeah, the tabloids exagerrate.”

  “Most of it’s true,” Mina added, and Louie, shocked laughed. “Come on, you know I’m right. But I will say that Louie is a good man. He has his secrets, guards his heart, but shows true compassion.”

  Mina and Louie stared at eachother from across the table, letting the alcohol overcome them; their lingering stares did not go unoticed by the Queen and King who sat on the opposite ends. Kenneth smiled to himself and cleared his throat to get their attention.

  Louie moved on to a question that had been on his mind all day. “Excuse me Your Majesty, but I have been wondering something.”

  “Shoot.”

  “You have two sons... close to the same age. Did the ultrasound lie to you too?”

  “No. It didn’t.”

  “And you’re not worried about a Crown Prince and a second Prince close to the same age? Most Kings would be worried.”

  “Kenneth isn’t like most Kings,” Arianna added, gazing at her husband, admiring the man he was.

  “Louie... my mother was affected from having to give up a son that was concieved four years after me. I saw how much it destroyed her, and at one point, I too was all about tradition and what I thought was right for a country. But like I said before, that was all before my wife. And Louie, no matter what, if you truly love someone, you can’t bear to put them through that pain. I refused to do that to my wife and
to my sons. Abram is the future King, but Collin is as big a apart of that future as anyone, as is Lila. All my children will be taught to be leaders. It doesn’t have to be a leader of a country to be special, my young Prince. If anything a leader of a nation needs to have people to trust and count on. Power is lonely. It is never easy, but when you have that one thing you can grasp, no matter if it’s blood or not, with family and a purpose, you can make it through anything. That’s what my years of being a King have taught me.”

  Louie grinned at the King and nodded. “I couldnt even imagine being a leader of a nation. Everything on your shoulders.”

  “That’s too bad. I believe if anything, Louie, you have great potential of being a leader.”

  Louie laughed to himself. “Really? What potential is that?”

  “Heart.”

  Louie didnt know why, but the mention of heart brought the image of his mother.

  “You came here, and I’m not going to lie, Louie. I think you and I both know that your father and brother are planning on making a big mistake and I am sorry for what I have to plan to do to retaliate if necessary, but yet you come here and you show kindness and truth to me and my family and loyalty towards your brother. We Kings are not known for kindness, Louie, we are known for generosity, which is bullshit. But a kind King could acheieve more than anyone could imagine. That’s why I will do what I can to make sure there will not be a betrayal. I will supply you with fifteen percent more of our resources.”

  Louie’s head hung. “What? That’s thirty percent.”

  “I know, and I’m doing this, Louie because of you and your friends. It’s a shame.”

  “What is?”

  “That you weren’t born first.” He gripped Louie’s shoulder and smiled. “I hope my son, Abram, grows up with your wit and integrity.”

  King Kenneth’s kindness meant more to him than he knew. For the first time a man the same rank and title as his father displayed proudness for him; for Louie, that was one of the best moments of his life.

  “Thank you Your Majesty.”

  “There is one thing about being born second, well at least in Serenity, because Abram can marry who he wants, can’t he Kenneth?”

  Kenneth made a face. “We will wait on that debate later.”

  “Why? I always win.” The Queen arched her brow and Mina and Louie laughed. “But as I was saying, that is the beauty of being born second. You are able to marry anyone you want. Free to love who you want.” She glanced at Mina who almost spilled her glass at the meaning of the Queen’s comment.

  Marriage? Could that even be possible for her and Louie?

  “Well I’m tired and I think my husband is drunk,” Queen Arianna said.

  “I think you’re drunk and you want to take advantage of me,” he challenged her.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “This is true also.”

  They rose from the table and the King grabbed his wife’s hand.

  “Feel free to look around the palace some more, guys. Good night,” Queen Arianna said, leaving Mina and Louie alone in the dining room.

  Louie stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned to Mina.

  “Want to look around?” he asked.

  “Sure.”

  They walked side by side in silence, until Louie saw a black piano in a mini ballroom where tall colorful windows reflected on the white marble floor. Louie entered the room and observed the instrument while Mina walked up to a window, admiring the colors that gave it depth. She turned her head around quickly as Louie started to play a melody on the piano perfectly. She walked up to him and leaned across the piano as he focused on the keys and played whatever came to his head.

  “I didn’t know you could play.”

  “Just a few songs in my head.”

  “It’s nice.”

  “Thanks.” The melody paused as he was deep in thought. “I like them.”

  Mina smiled. “I like them too.”

  “I secretly wish Kenneth was my father instead.”

  “I don’t.”

  He looked at her. “I probably wouldn’t have met you if you were a Prince of Magna.”

  “You would have met Sedgwick, though.”

  Mina rolled her eyes and sighed harshly.

  “What?” Louie asked.

  “Why do you have to bring everything back to Sedgwick?”

  “Because everything does go back to him.”

  “God, you are unbelievable.” Mina pushed off the piano and headed for the exit pausing, not wanting to have the inevitable conversation. She turned around. “It all comes back to you, Louie.”

  “What? How?”

  “Because it just does! I mean, what are we doing here?”

  Louie rose from the piano as she came closer. “I dont know Mina. You tell me.”

  “Fine, let’s just put it all out on the table because I can’t help but wonder about you, Louie; the real Louie. Not the Louie that was an asshole to me all those years, not my best friend Louie, no, the Louie that has been in love with me in a way all women want to be loved. I just need to know. I am tired of the lies.”

  Louie shrugged. “Okay, fine. Ask me anything.”

  “Okay. When I was ten, that kid, Yuri Omalley, he tripped me and caused me to sprain my arm. A week later he showed up to school with two black eyes. Was that you?”

  “Yes.”

  “And Chris Stenson in junior high? You were in sixth grade but everyone said a sixth grader did it. I didnt believe it because he was fourteen and massive.”

  “Yeah, I broke his arm by accident. I was just trying to scare him with a baseball bat, but he wouldn’t back down.”

  “And Kylie Freemon. Her hair was chopped off after she threw paint on me in the hallway and cut off the back of my hair.”

  “That was actually me and Christina. I pretended that I was only doing it because Segdwick was upset.”

  “But you helped her for me?”

  He nodded.

  “High school: Jolie Ames spreaded rumors about me for weeks but then she stopped.”

  “We started sleeping together. I told her I would consider her a future wife if she left you alone. It died down after a while.”

  “Yeah.” Mina stared at him in shock. “You know she’s married now?”

  “Really? Nice.”

  “It’s like everything is becoming clear. Things I think I always saw, but never wanted to acknowledge. What the hell, Louie?!”

  “What?!” Louie started to get a headache from Mina’s snappiness.

  “Why didn’t you say anything to me when we were younger?”

  “Because my brother looked at you the same way I did.”

  “No... no he doesn’t. I’m not belittling the way Sedgwick used to feel, but it was nothing compared to you now. You could have just told me the truth, Louie.”

  “How was I supposed to know, Mina? I was only eight.”

  “I don’t care. You should have said something.”

  “So you’re saying you wouldnt want to have the things that you had with Sedgwick all those years?”

  “No, I don’t regret any of it. What Sedgwick and I had was amazing. So no, I would not take that back... but I also wouldn’t take last night back. Or that kiss. Or the way made love. Or the friendship, or the moments between me and you. I don’t regret any of it, Louie. I can’t. Because this thing that you and I have is... more. It does something to me. So I just have one more question.”

  “Okay.”

  “My aunt. How does she really get home at night?”

  He paused and sighed, shaking his head.

  “I have Wesley and another guard follow her to the bar or club and they bring her either to their place on the property or home. But most of the time I pick her up from them and take her myself.”

  Mina felt numb from Louie’s truth; she did not know how much more she could take.

  “What’s so special about me, Louie? Why do all of that?”

  “Because... you just are.
I don’t know how to explain it Mina. There is a long list of why I feel the way I do. You want me to give you that list?”

  Mina moved closer to him. “Yes.” She was inches from his face and Louie could feel and see the urge that was inside Mina. “But right now... I just...” She leaned in for a kiss and he slightly leaned his head back. He smiled and leaned in, his lips barely touching hers. He found joy in the need of her eyes and the wetness of her lips and what he knew in other places also.

  “What do you want?” he asked her in a whisper.

  She licked her lips and exhaled onto his lips. “You.”

  “Say it.”

  “I want you.”

  He grabbed her by the waist and pressed his forehead against hers. “What do you want from me?”

  She paused, staring into his eyes, then whispered, “Everything.”

  She crushed her mouth on his, devouring him in one kiss. They kissed eachother hard as Mina pushed him against the piano. She leaned back and didn’t even bother with the buttons on his shirt as she ripped it open. He laughed at her eagerness, a trait he found to be his favorite in her when it came to sex. Louie gripped her bottom as she unbuckled his pants, yearning for him to be inside her. He whipped her around so her back was against the piano, but something else came over Mina as she turned around and gripped the piano in anticipation. Louie unzipped her black dress and yanked it down to her heels. She stepped out of it and kicked it to the side. Louie dropped to his knees and kissed every inch of her waist, biting the band of her panties, causing Mina to whimper. As if on command from that single sound, Louie pulled down her panties with his hands and teeth. He rose and removed his ripped shirt and kissed Mina on the shoulders as he dropped his pants and underwear.

  “I love you,” Louie whispered to her and thrusted into her before she could respond. Mina bit her lip, not wanting to draw attention. She hissed as Louie moved slowly behind her, thrusting into her gently with love and care. He grunted as she moved her hips against him and soflty kissed her back, pulling her bra straps down. Mina lifted her arm and gripped the back of Louie’s neck as he wrapped his arms arounder stomach, pumping faster into her. She bit back her scream as her climax built and held on tighter to him and the piano as her legs began to feel limp. She leaned forward on the piano, bringing Louie with her who after a few more thrusts came and quickly continued, rubbing Mina’s soft spot and causing her to release. Louie moaned and fell on the floor and Mina quickly followed, falling beside him. Their breaths heavy, bodies sweating and the afterglow still occuring inside of them, they finally calmed down from the pleasure that had been opened against the piano of the Magna Palace. Mina couldn’t believe what she had done. She couldn’t believe what Louie had brought out of her.