by Ivy Blake
“Please leave us,” my father, King Tristian Monreau, said, motioning for his advisors to exit the room. They did so quickly, shutting the massive doors behind them.
Now it was just the two of them.
“Father,” I said.
“Have a seat my son,” Tristian replied.
I sat down at the other end of the table and leaned back in the stiff-backed chair. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Son, as I’m sure you are aware, you are nearing your thirtieth birthday in little more than a month,” my father said.
“I am aware,” I replied.
“Well, I am also approaching my seventieth birthday,” Tristian added. “I am nearing the point of retirement for Kings of our nation.”
“Father, you are as fit as a fiddle,” I said. “I don’t see what your age has to do with anything.”
“Well, our royal charter declares it to be so. And I feel it as well. I’m getting older, I’m getting tired, and it’s come time for me to declare an heir to secede me in my duties. I am going to begin the process of selecting a new king.”
I held my breath. I tried not to show his nerves or how anxious I now was. It was evident to everyone that this was about to happen, but I wasn’t sure his father was ever going to give up his rule. Unlike most other countries, it was purely up to the King of Ronovia to decide if he wanted to pick an heir to secede him, or if it would be done by chronological order of the first-born. So my father could choose someone other than myself.
“I am pleased to hear this, father,” I said, as I tried to hide my excitement.
“Well, you shouldn’t be too pleased yet.”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” I replied. My father was starting to worry me. Is he actually thinking of someone else to be the heir?
“According to the laws set forth by the council, the son of a king cannot assume the crown even if decreed unless that son is married. Single men can’t become King.”
I felt as if I’d just been slapped. What was going on here?
“I thought that was all just a rumor…“
“It isn’t a rumor. It is a royal law set forth by the council over two hundred years ago.”
I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. I’d waited for this since the day I was a child, and now it was about to be taken from me because I was single? I refused to marry just anyone. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I ever wanted to be married. I loved the freedom of being able to pick and choose who I wanted to bend over for the night. I was not going to go down without a fight. But these matters had to be handled delicately. I had to show that I had the poise to handle a crisis such without resorting to childish antics.
“I’m sorry. I always thought this was something that mother told me to scare me into marriage. You know how mother has always wanted grandchildren.”
“I’m aware of all of that. But you can’t assume the crown if you are not married. That is all there is to it.”
“So, you expect me to just pick some woman at random and marry her? That sounds positively… medieval.”
“You are the prince. Any woman would be happy to marry you. It is doubtful you will have a problem finding a partner, Cort,” my father said.
“Father, I’m not just looking for a ‘partner.’ When I get married, I want it to be to someone I love with all of my heart. Not just to anyone, or to someone who wants to be a king’s wife.”
I’ve had my fair share of women over the years. And I enjoyed it. But none of them were women that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. After I had them, I was just no longer interested in them. Besides, most of them truly only wanted me so that they could brag to their friends that they fucked a prince.
“I’m not sure where you get these silly, romantic notions. That isn’t how things work for us, son. Do you think I was madly in love with your mother when I married her? No. I did it because it was expected of me. And you will find a woman and do the same if you want to be king.”
Anger started to bubble up in my chest. I wasn’t being a romantic. I was being practical. If I were to marry someone, I would want to at least care for her. Want to be around her. Not just have fuck her silly at first and then be bored with her afterwards. I clenched my jaw to prevent me from saying something that I shouldn’t.
“Father, this is a silly rule and I think you know it. I’m going to find a way to appeal to the council and get his archaic rule changed. I’ll not lie down and let myself be forced into this.”
“You have the right to challenge the ruling, but I doubt you will get very far. These rules are in place for a reason, and you aren’t going to change the council’s mind. You may leave now, Cort.”
I stood up and began walking out. “We will just have to see about that.”
I let the large doors to the chambers slam shut behind him.
The council had no idea who they were dealing with.
CHAPTER 3
Teagan
The hotel was fantastic.
I sat my suitcase down on the floor beside the large canopy bed and flopped down onto it. I was shocked to see how quickly the bed conformed to my body as I began to sink down into it. The mattress was so comfortable that I debated whether I should even try to get up, even though it was still only about six in the evening Ronovia time. The flight to get here was exhausting.
Just off the south of France, Ronovia was a country a lot of people had never actually heard of, but one that I had always wanted to visit. The place had a fascinating history and rich culture that I was dying to learn about. For our first night in the country, all of the students were being put up in the hotel by the Siri Yoga Intensive, Siri’s company. In addition to teaching yoga, Siri sold yoga products, vitamin water, new age books and videos, did reiki, had his own tarot cards, and so much more. The man had created a business empire. I wanted to be just like him.
As I felt my body sink deeper into the mattress I wanted nothing more at that moment than to just fall asleep and wake up in the morning refreshed and ready to go with the group. The plan was that we would spend the night in the hotel and the next morning, bright and early, we would be taken to the isolated location close to the mountains where we would begin their lessons.
I was so jet lagged that I didn’t know if she could stay awake for several more hours or not. But I knew that if I fell asleep right then, I was going to regret it because I would be wide awake at two in the morning. We were not scheduled to leave until six, and she had no idea how far they would have to travel. The odds were that there was going to be a lot of hiking involved.
I was ok with hiking, I actually loved doing it in my free time. But I had to make sure I was properly rested.
I forced my body to get up out of the comfortable bed and to grab some fresh clothes from my suitcase. She knew that there were some excellent local restaurants and bars nearby the hotel; maybe I would go out and have a few drinks, mingle a bit, or at least just get out of the room, where I would surely be dead asleep in twenty minutes. If I was out and moving then I would be able to keep myself awake.
I wondered if I might run into someone else from the tour while I was out and about. So far, I had yet to meet anyone, having come straight to the hotel from the airport. Just watching the world outside of my window as I was being driven to the hotel was something I would never forget. It was like landing in a whole other world.
The cab driver had kept me fairly entertained during the drive, telling me stories about the country. I hoped that the rest of the people in Ronovia were that friendly. It was kind of scary when you were in a new country surrounded by strangers.
This was my first time ever to leave the United States, and I wanted to experience as much of the country as I could before I had to go back home. I wished I could have been able to extend my trip and actually travel around Europe a bit more, but sadly there were bills to pay back home and they only way those bills got paid were if I was there teac
hing classes.
When I told Ellie about it the trip, Ellie hadn’t thought I was telling the truth. I had to actually forward the email to her before Ellie would believe me. Then Ellie let out one of her legendary screams right into my ear. After the deafness faded away, Teagan managed to ask Ellie if she would cover for me at the yoga studio for the week I was gone. I agreed to pay Ellie double the normal class rate, but I couldn’t just stop for a week and risk her students finding another class somewhere else. My business was still a bit of a fledgling operation, and I had worked too hard to take that kind of a hit.
But even if Ellie had said she couldn’t cover for her, I would have still gone on the trip. Nothing in the world was going to stop me from pursuing this dream. Studying under Siri Park was a way for me to deepen my practice, create connections, and learn about building an empire of my own.
I left the hotel and walked down the street towards The Canal, an fancy bar that looked like it might be fun. The chilled air on the walk over started to wake my body up. I was feeling a bit less tired by that point, and I hoped that the energizing atmosphere of a bar might just be the thing I needed to carry me over the hump.
When I walked into The Canal, I was happy to see the place looked even nicer than it did outside. The fact that it was probably crazy expensive was something I could worry about later. This was a trip I’d saved up for years. And I was not going to worry about the money. I’d been stashing away money just in case, ever since I decided to apply the first time, confident that one day I would be selected. I took a deep breath trying to take everything in. The fact that I was actually here was still blowing my mind.
I found an empty seat at the bar and ordered a beer. Since the place had a pub like vibe, I figured a beer would be my best choice. Then, a waiter walked out of the kitchen with a plate of the most delicious smelling food ever. My mouth began to water, and my stomach started to pang. I pulled the menu on the bar towards me and started to look it over. I knew I needed some carbs to keep my energy up for the rest of the week.
I placed an order with the bartender and started to look around the bar. The Canal was filled with people from all walks of life. There were younger people, older folks, couples, singles, groups of guys, groups of girls, and all of them seemed to be having a good time. For a second, I felt lonely being there all by myself. I wished that I had some friends or someone there to actually talk to. I took another sip of my beer and focused my eyes on some of the guys around the bar.
Maybe there would be someone to help finally push Theo out of my thoughts.
CHAPTER 4
Cort
“Ugh, why did I let you drag me out tonight?” I asked. He took a big gulp of his beer and tried to hide in the shadows.
My two best friends, Markus and Brody and I were hanging out at the Riverside, a famous club that they frequented whenever they wanted to blow off a little steam. It was more of a touristy type of place, so I was able to hang out like one of locals rather than everyone being excited that the prince was there. I knew it was just what I needed after the tense meeting with my father, but now that I was out, I was beginning to regret deciding to come along. I had a lot of things to figure out and I wasn’t sure that booze and girls was the way to find an answer.
“Because this is what we do,” Markus said. “Besides, if we weren’t here, you would just be somewhere feeling sorry for yourself. We figured a change of scenery would do you good.”
“Well, maybe being alone is what I really want at the moment,” I said. “I appreciate the thought guys, but I think I’m going to bail.”
“Come on, you can’t leave now. I was just hoping to catch a few minutes of your time.”
I turned to see a beautiful girl with long black hair and a sweet face, wearing a sleek black dress that perfectly accentuated every inch of her curvy body. She was hot, and I could easily have my way with her , but right then, I wasn’t really interested. It was obvious the moment that she walked up to us that she knew who I was. She was trying to hide it, but I could see it written all over her face. Over time, I’d developed a sixth sense about the intentions of women. And many times, I’d used those intentions to get laid. A few times some of those one-night stands had even lead to some relationships, but in the end, it just never worked out. I always felt that being the prince was the biggest draw for these women. All of them had delusions of grandeur, of being a King’s wife one day. It was both a blessing and a curse.
“I was actually,” I replied. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’d be much fun at the moment.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” the woman said. “I’m Vanessa by the way.”
“Vanessa,” Markus said stepping in. “Our buddy is feeling a bit shy this evening. He needs some alone time right now, but we will be glad to come to your table later for a few drinks if you are still around.”
Vanessa seemed disappointed, but she tried to hide it with her flirty demeanor.
“Ok, I’ll hold you to that,” she said walking away slowly.
“What the hell? Dude, turning that down? You are in some sort of funk,” Markus said, as he shook his head in disappointment.
“I told you. This thing with seceding my father as king… it’s got me all turned around. I think I’m just going to go home.”
“Nah man. Don’t do that. You will regret it. We just need to get a few drinks in you,” Brody said and immediately went to the bar.
“I have a drink already!” I called after him holding up my beer, but Brody was already talking to the sexy bartender.
“He is right,” Markus said. “Just know we do this all out of love, man. We hate seeing you moping around. It’s not you.”
“Well, what would you do in my shoes? You think I should just cheer up and marry some random chick to appease a silly rule created by some idiot bureaucrats two hundred years ago?” I asked.
“It could be worse,” Markus said. “You keep forgetting that you have all the power here. You could go out and find the best, coolest, most beautiful girl around here and she would marry you. I realize time is of the essence, but I think if you put together a team of recruits it could be done.”
I laughed. “Listen to what you are saying. It sounds like we are putting together a sports team or something. This is marriage. Call me old-fashioned, but as much as I love sleeping around, I really did want to fall in love someday. I really wanted to make something great work here with the right woman. I don’t want to be railroaded into something I’m going to regret or be stuck with for the rest of my life. You know the rule. Once a woman is pronounced queen, divorce isn’t an option. The King is basically stuck with her until one of them dies. And don’t say it!” I laughed.
“I was definitely not about to suggest the queen have an unfortunate accident at some point down the road,” Markus joked.
“You are terrible, man!” I laughed. My friends were too much sometimes.
Brody returned with a couple of bourbons, my favorite drink. I begrudgingly accepted it.
“So, what did I miss?” Brody asked.
“Go ahead Markus,” I responded. “Tell him your plan.”
Markus rolled his eyes.
I was about half finished with my beer when I felt something rubbing my shoulder. Turning my head slightly, I was not at all surprised to see a sexy blonde, who at first glance looked like she couldn’t be more than eighteen. But the way she carried herself suggested she was much older than she appeared. She was looking at me with that mixture of recognition and hope, which I had coined, “Stalker Eyes.”
“Hey, there handsome. Would you like to dance?” she said as she batted her eyelashes.
“I appreciate it, but not right now. Maybe later,” I mumbled, trying to let her down gently.
The girl was persistent though.
“Well, maybe I can find other ways to make you feel better,” she moaned in my ear.
I almost choked on his drink. I smiled and took the girl’s hands off my shoulders
.
“I have other things on my mind right now. I was just leaving,” I said.
Before she or my friends could even protest, I finished my beer in one gulp and walked out of the club. I needed some fresh air. The cool breeze felt calming against my skin, and I found solace in the repetition of his feet carrying me down the sidewalk and back towards where my chauffer was waiting.
It never ended, did it? Everywhere I went, that certain kind of woman would find me, sniffing around like hungry dogs, smelling the fame and the prestige that was given to me simply by being born. I had done nothing really to earn such recognition. I was just lucky enough to be born to the right people. That was it.
I was so tired of it. But what I so tired of it, that I was willing to give everything up and not become king?
I shook my head. Of course I wasn’t. I had been working towards being king my whole life. I believed in my small country and I wanted to be the one to lead it going forward. I would suffer the annoyance of fame that came along with it.
I will admit though, the fame did have its perks. But I hated that people didn’t want to get to know the real me. It was like I had to be a constant performer. If anyone knew the real me and found out I was a real man with real problems and flaws, then the whole image would be shattered to pieces.
And my love life had suffered so because of it. I just could not get away from women who only wanted me because of what I was and not who I was. I was a lot more than a future king. Why couldn’t anyone understand that?
As I walked, I realized that Markus and Brody were right; I didn’t want to go home. I would just end up sitting alone and shooting whiskey while watching TV, or maybe playing guitar, until I fell asleep, like I did most nights.
Maybe I would work on the new song I was writing. I’d been writing a lot lately. It was therapeutic to work out my frustrations of everyday life. Lately, I felt like I’d been dealing with more of than usual. Of course, I would never let anyone hear any of his compositions. It was just for me. Just something personal I did. Maybe one day after my death, I would leave instructions for my body of work, or recordings of my songs for people to listen to and judge when I could no longer hear them.