***

Being in the same room as royalty was no joke, yet, Miss Clara Aderson was no stranger to such riches. The ceiling was adorned with extravagant chandeliers, the prism embedded in it glistening under the sunlight coming from the huge festers. The sunlight heated the plush red carpets that lay upon the marble floors. Tapping against the carpet were the feet of Adien, as he impatiently waited for Mrs. Anderson or his buttress to speak up. They both seated upon the silken sheets of his bed, its edges had intricate golden patterns. 

It was quite a blizzare to think a mere peasant was sitting near the prince of Meldrop Kingdom. Yet, one cannot decline royalty's orders. 

" Mrs. Anderson, if I may, why am I called here?", Adien demands with a frown on his face, as he crosses his arms onto his chest. 

" Master, I am ashamed of my actions....from yesterday morning. I deeply apologize, I was-", she gets up and bows deeply. 

"-in your menstruum cycle, I know. It is perfectly fine, Mrs A. I understand, you get a bit bipolar at that period.", he lifts his hand, as a gesture for her to rise. As she does so with wide eyes, he continues. " Please, Mrs. A, don't think I am going to behead you for such a petty matter. After all, it was just your menstruum cycle, which is as normal as breathing, you need not feel ashamed. In fact please do tell me when your menstruum starts and I will give you a well-deserved leave.", Adien says in a calm and composed manner. 

Miss Clara's eyes widen in surprise, for the first time, in a long time she sees...

A true king. 

Not a tyrant. 

"You are too kind, master." 

" No, you are too kind for handling a piece of shit, like me and not lashing out. Anyways, when can talk to father? I need to have a talk with that old man."

" R-Right now, Master. If you will..", she bows and gestures him to follow her. 

****

"You are to wed the Queen of Elisora after the crowing ceremony, after you become the king of Meldrop.", says a monotonous voice belonging to Theodore Pearce Harrington, or in this case, Adien's one and only father. He was wearing a white silk gown, embroidered with intricate patterns of black. A crown was placed upon his head, as he gestures the dresser to take his leave. The dresser bows and leaves.

 Theodore stares at his son with his coal black eyes, calculating and judging, as they both did not have the best relationship from the beginning.

It almost felt uncanny to see his own flesh and blood. 

The same jet black eyes, the same stance, and the same frown. 

'How peculiar..'

" No. I will not, old man.", Adien replies in the same monotone voice, staring back at his supposed father. He never felt the supposed  "bond", they had. As he was absent for most of his life, only appearing once in a full moon. 

No, he did not hate him. Or love him, for the matter. 

He simply did not care of his existence. 

To him, he did not have a father. 

Alas, he had to maintain a good relationship with him, until his finally kicks the old man out of his throne, after the crowing. 

His coming of age day was near. 

He had to stay on the good books of his father, no matter what. 

" Son, let me make this clear, I am not saying you, I am commanding you as the king of Meldrop Kingdom. Besides, this is the least you can do after-", the old man rises his voice as he glares at his son, hoping to intimidate him. His suffocating presence alone, can make anyone bow down to him, out of fear or respect. Many are even terrified to hold a eye contact with him, as his emotionless coal black eyes just stare into your soul. Making you feel vulnerable and uncanny. 

And vulnerability is terrifying. 

But he forgot. 

His son, is the exact copy of him. 

Having the same suffocating presence.

The same jet black eyes. 

Giving the same feeling of vulnerability. 

'He really thinks he can win this?' 

Sparks of blistering orange flame form in their hearts, as it consumes their mind and empties their poisoned hearts into soot. Now, devoid of any humanity and sanity, it is just fire against fire. 

 And what happens when you fight fire against fire? 

'It creates a never ending flame. Which spreads out, suffocating and infecting everyone in the way.'

Adien glares back at his old man. His stace and aura never wavering. He clenches his fist and answers in a commanding tone the same as his father. "And I too, ain't telling but commanding as the future king of this kingdom that I will not marry a women I do not love, whatsoever. I am the only heir of this kingdom, and you will listen to me, and if not I will end this bloodline. Do not forgot father, I am the only son of this family and I have the power to continue it or not. I can easily end this entire clan with the blink of an eye. And we don't want that, do we?",

 Adien knew his father could easily defeat him in a battle. But he also knew he loved to make sure the royal bloodline of the Harringtons remained. He wanted to raise more spawns of Satan. And he would do anything to keep it alive. 

Why not use that against him? 

A soft gasp can be heard from behind the wooden door, from Mrs. Anderson, who apparently, was eavesdropping on the entire conversation. 

No one coerced the king. 

But did Adien give a shit about that?

Nope. 

Not now, not ever. 

Not after the lives both of them took, one for revenge, one for his own gain and satisfaction. 

(A/N: This is so dramatic, lol) 

****

"Looks like a storm is coming.", mystical azure eyes with circles of cerulean blue around them gaze upon the cinereal clouds covering the celestial sphere. Sitting at  the veranda, with one leg crossed was Felix Albrecht Barlowe the IV. A novel in one hand and other placed upon the wooden table, picking up oatmeal raisin cookies from a plate in frequent intervals. 

"Really? Perhaps a downpour will do some good in this forsaken kingdom.", sitting across from Felix was Clarissa, daunting a fatigued expression. Her silver earrings create a slight high pitched sound, as she takes a strand of hair and tuckes it behind her helix. 

" Forsaken? Why do you say that, my lady?", questions Felix with a grin.

" Ew! Do not ever call me that! It makes me wanna throw up!", nose scrunched up in pure disgust, Clarissa playfully punches Felix's shoulder. 

" Fine, fine. But you did not answer my question."

Clarissa looks left and right, inspecting if anyone is eavesdropping their private conversation. She leans closer, her amber eyes blazing in determination. 

" Lean closer.", she whispers lowly. Felix does so, with a bewildered expression. 

" There is a rumor circulating around-", she beings in a whispers, but soon gets cut of by Felix.

" Aren't rumors not true? I mean they are rumors for a reason.", Felix whispers back, confusion clear in his tone.

"Rumors hold a hint of truth. You never know, a true news can be hidden by many false curtains of lies."

" Okay, what is it?"

" This rumor, seems to be too true to be a lie. They are saying, a battle between the king and the prince of Melpdrop Kingdom may breakout."

Felix's eyes widen in shock.

" O-Okay, and?"

" You don't get it? The kingdom might get divided! And if it does we have to choose a side, as we are their strongest allies. And if we choose either one of them, hell will break loose. Imagine, the kingdom of Meldrop breaks into two pieces, it is already, but the point is no matter which side we choose we will definitely face backlash. If the Queendom of Elisora or any other kingdom that we have a good relationship with chooses the side we did not. Their people will ultimately block out all of our trade routes. And we all know, without any money flowing into the kingdom, the kingdom will-"

" ...dissolve.", Felix completes her.

" Exactly, and not to mention innocent lives that will be at stake. In a war there are no winners, only loosers. Since, both are losing their resources, assets and precious lives of their citizens. No matter where the battle is, all the kingdoms will get affected. The Melpdrop kingdom supplies the most wheat, milk, oil, etc  to all the kingdoms. And due to the war the supply would be put on hold. And without the constant supply to feed our ever growing population, our people will perish due to malnutrition.  "

" Shit, can't we ask another kingdom to give a constant supply? Or stop this battle?"

" Yes, but it will take a lot of time for the goods to arrive here. And to stop this battle? We can, but it quite risky. Meddling with the business of royalty while being royalty might just add fuel to the growing fire. They might even ask you to fund them or send troop support."

" Shit, we need to place orders. But first and foremost, is this news true?", Felix runs a calloused hand onto his silky black hair, in frustration. He leans back and stands up, the chair creaking. 

" Yes."

" But you told it was a rumor."

" Oh, that? It was just to gain your total attention."

" Whatever, Clarissa I am grateful that as my royal adviser, and a good friend you shared this news but I must get going.", Felix mutters. He takes one last piece of the oatmeal raisin cookie and walks off, waving goodbye.

Clarissa waves him back, with a smile. She looks up to the clouds.

" I guess, a storm really is coming. I wonder how many lightning strikes will be enough, to break all the kingdoms."

****

  "I sometimes wonder, who are you?

You are not the person I knew. 

Once a caring father,

turned into a disgusting tyrant.

He started a cult,

and these never-ending flames are the result.

Hope you are happy."

****

(A/N: The banner is so crony, lol.)