A Royal Obligation
Chapter 36: A Mother’s Decree

Chapter 36: A Mother’s Decree

Queen Elena observed her son’s rigid posture, the set of his jaw as he stood across from her, a storm of emotions brewing in his eyes. She rose from her seat with a grace that belied the tension between them, her movements deliberate, each step calculated to convey both authority and maternal concern. Her dress rustled softly in the otherwise silent room, the only sound breaking the thick atmosphere.

When she reached him, she placed a hand on his arm, feeling the heat of anger simmering beneath the surface. Kaelix flinched, his muscles tightening under her touch, but he didn’t pull away. The queen took this as a small victory and let her hand linger, a gentle reminder of the bond they shared.

"Kaelix," she began, her voice soft yet firm, the tone of a mother who had steered a kingdom and a family through countless storms. "You need to understand that there’s more at play here than just our feelings or personal grudges. Eirik is not as bad as you think. You just have to give him a chance."

A harsh laugh escaped Kaelix’s lips, the sound sharp and bitter. He shook his head, disbelief and anger warring for dominance in his expression.

His eyes flashed with indignation, and he jerked his arm out of her grasp, taking a step back. "A chance?" He scoffed, his voice thick with incredulity. "You want me to give him a chance? You got to be kidding me, mother. He’s a foreigner, an outsider! And worse, he’s completely insufferable!"

Elena’s eyes, once warm with maternal affection, cooled instantly. The change was subtle, but it was enough to make Kaelix take notice. Her expression hardened, and her posture straightened, exuding the air of a queen rather than a mother.

"Kaelix," she said, her voice now carrying the weight of command, "you are letting your emotions cloud your judgment. This isn’t just about you. This is about the kingdom, about our people, about ensuring a future that is stable and secure. If you allow your anger to dictate your actions, you’ll make a mistake, one that could have far-reaching consequences."

Kaelix’s fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles white with the effort of holding back the torrent of words threatening to spill from his lips. His chest heaved as he struggled to keep his composure. "I don’t understand why you’re defending him, Mother. He’s arrogant, distant, and I have nothing in common with him."

Elena’s gaze sharpened, and her voice took on a steely edge.

"You’re the one that is arrogant Kaelix! You expect him not to be distant when you haven’t make an effort to get close to him? How can you be so unreasonable? You have no right to dismiss him without trying. You are a prince of Zephyros, for crying out loud! You were raised to be better than this, to see beyond the surface, to understand that there is always more to a person than what meets the eye."

Kaelix opened his mouth to retort, but Elena held up a hand, silencing him with a single gesture. "Your father and I have considered this situation very carefully," she said, her tone shifting to one of practicality. "And we’ve come to a decision."

Kaelix’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, a sense of foreboding creeping into his gut. "What decision?"

Elena folded her arms across her chest, her expression unreadable. "Your father and I have decided that you and Prince Eirik need a break from all this drama. You both need a chance to get to know each other, away from the scrutiny and politics of the palace."

Kaelix’s heart skipped a beat, his mind racing to understand what she was implying. "What are you saying, Mother?"

"We’re sending you and Eirik to the summer palace," Elena declared, her voice leaving no room for argument. "You’ll be accompanied only by your personal guards and a handful of servants. It will give you both the opportunity to bond before the wedding."

Kaelix stared at her, his mind reeling. "Mother! You can’t be serious!" he said, his voice cracking slightly. "You want me to spend time alone with him? This is a joke, right?" Desperation leaked through his voice despite his best efforts to remain composed.

Elena raised a single, perfectly sculpted brow at his outburst, then calmly pretended to pick her ear with her pinky finger, as if Kaelix’s yell had momentarily disrupted her hearing. The gesture was as elegant as it was dismissive, a silent reminder of the power she held over him.

"Oh, I’m very serious," she replied with a deceptive calmness that only served to heighten Kaelix’s sense of dread. "This is not a request, Kaelix. It’s an order from both your father and me. If you refuse, I’ll drag you there myself."

The threat, though spoken lightly, sent a chill down Kaelix’s spine. He knew his mother well enough to understand that she was entirely capable of following through. The iron will behind her soft exterior was something few dared to challenge.

Seeing the conflict in her son’s eyes, Elena softened her tone just a fraction, though her resolve remained unshaken. She reached into the pocket of her gown and produced a neatly folded piece of parchment. Holding it between her fingers, she presented it to Kaelix.

"Here," she said, placing the parchment on his bed with an air of finality. "This is a list of activities you and Eirik are expected to do together during your stay. Consider it an itinerary, carefully planned to ensure you both make the most of your time away."

Kaelix eyed the parchment as if it were a venomous serpent. "A list?" he echoed, his voice thick with disbelief.

Elena nodded, her expression firm. "A list. Of things you are to do together. And let me be clear, Kaelix, you are to complete everything on that list. If you don’t, your stay at the summer palace will be extended until you do. I’ll have someone keeping an eye on you both, so don’t even think about skirting your duties."

Kaelix’s heart sank further, the full weight of the situation pressing down on him. The idea of spending days, perhaps even weeks, alone with Eirik, following a list of enforced activities, was almost too much to bear. He wanted to protest, to argue, to throw the list back in her face. But he knew it would be futile. His mother’s mind was made up, and once that happened, there was no changing it.

With a final nod, Elena turned and left the room, the soft click of the door closing behind her echoing in the silence. Kaelix stood there, frozen, his mind a whirlwind of frustration, anger, and a deep, gnawing dread. He felt trapped, cornered into a situation he had no desire to be in, with a person he couldn’t stand.

He looked down at the parchment lying on his bed, taunting him with its presence. With a shaky breath, he reached out and picked it up, his fingers trembling slightly as he unfolded the paper. His eyes scanned the list, each item a fresh blow to his already fragile resolve.

Hunting in the woods. Horseback riding along the coast. Shared meals. Evening strolls. Stargazing by the lake. It was a carefully curated itinerary, each activity designed to encourage bonding, to force them together until they had no choice but to interact.

Kaelix felt a surge of resentment flare in his chest. How was he supposed to survive this? How was he supposed to spend so much time with Eirik without losing his mind? The mere thought of being alone with him for days on end, following this damned list, made his skin crawl.

But he couldn’t refuse. He couldn’t fight this. He was bound by his duty as a prince, he have to endure it. He would do what was required of him, and nothing more.

Yet, as he made that vow, a small voice in the back of his mind whispered doubts. Could he truly remain unaffected? Could he resist Eirik’s charm, especially when they would be spending so much time together, isolated from the rest of the world?

Kaelix shook his head, forcing those thoughts aside. No, he wouldn’t be swayed. He was stronger than that, stronger than whatever spell Eirik seemed to cast on those around him. He had to be.

With a heavy sigh, Kaelix sat down on the edge of his bed, the list of activities staring up at him like a challenge he wasn’t sure he could meet. He ran a hand through his hair, his mind already working on how to get through each task with as little interaction as possible.

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