Ever Ever After

Heavy Thoughts

Clint, concerned about Ailea’s well-being, couldn’t find it in himself to head down and drink the night away with the boys, so he waited. He could hear her soft voice through the doorway.

Should they go to Excalibur? he wondered. Excalibur was located in the southernmost part of Teniac and in front of the border. Even if he were to raise his strength to commit treason, it would be difficult to prevent the Imperial Family from noticing his movements, hence why the emperor continuously checked on Excalibur. The commoners and nobles under Khanna Empire’s dominion wouldn’t be pleased to have a new ruler to serve. It could take years to restore their trust. Even the Sutton province that had been constantly embroiled in wars will need years of restoration.

And Ailea… she’s different from the others and it was cute, but she might end up isolated and lonely in Excalibur as opposed to staying in the capital. He’d been granted the title so would he be able to leave Excalibur to his knights and visit once in a blue moon while staying in the Outer Castle with Ailea? He could manage with that, build a house and live peacefully; though the Crown Prince might be frustrated with his everyday presence and if he remained in the capital, he’d be able to live peacefully without so many eyes checking his every movement.

Clint surmised the possibility of living here instead of struggling needlessly at the border where Ailea would experience many horrors. The border was a dangerous place. She might get infectious diseases and bear witness to losing many of her friends and acquaintances in front of her eyes. If she didn’t want to go, he could compromise as much as possible with the emperor so long as he lived in peace with Ailea.

***

“What’s the matter?” Rita asked with a slight wrinkle on her forehead. She had been with the Crown Prince not long ago in the ceremonial party. She wanted to sleep immediately, fatigue overcoming her, but her father, Alex, called for her.

Alex looked at his daughter and the Crown Prince’s beloved woman. He smiled and pointed at the magical device. “Look at that.”

Rita looked at the magical device and laughed. The weight scale had changed as if it had never tilted towards Clint. Lawrence’s name occupied all ten scales with no one to threaten the Crown Prince’s position.

She had been nervous for nothing and even felt a strange sense of shame. Clint’s appearance when he had been knighted was gleaming brightly.

***

There was no other way to put it. Ailea was a horrible drinker. But for the knights’ sake, she took a small sip and immediately fell asleep. Soon after, everyone followed suit and fell asleep under the influence of alcohol aside from the heavy drinkers whom were Clint and Shantee.

“You’ll have a difficulttime when we go to Excalibur. Are you sure you don’t want to go?” Clint asked.

“To be honest, I think it’ll be a disaster. I don’t want to go.” Shantee shook his head. “And I don’t think there’ll be anything to eat.”

“What do you think? Should I tell them that I’m ill so I can push back the date as much as I can? Should I do that?”

“Why don’t you tell them that your hands are contagious.”

“I thought about it, but I don’t think Ailea would like that if she were to hear rumors that my hand is contagious. If I ask her and she says yes, then I’ll tell the Royal Family that I’ve an infectious disease and try to stay in the Outer Castle for as long as I can.”

The conversation between Clint and Shantee entered through Kaiton’s ear. He shut his eyes and feigned sleep.