Past Promises

Treasonous Mind.

That night after we had returned from the city,I stayed for a while inside the First Prince's chamber.

He looked like he was in a deep thought.

I guessed we were thinking about the same thing - about what the old lady said.

What had he promised in his previous life? And what did she mean by I was waiting for him? Does his promises related to me? Or does his fulfilling his promises will help me getting reincarnated as well?

'He should've no recollection of his previous life, doesn't he? So how would he fulfilled what he promised?' I'm getting headache by all the thinking so I left the First Prince's residence and went back to mine.

***

Years had passed by and the old lady's incident has been forgotten.

The King, my grandson, had abdicated his throne and gave it to the Crown Prince due to his frail health.

There were tensions for a while in the Palace since some of the Minsters were found in favour of the First Prince thus they were executed for treason.

Apparently, few ministers had formed an alliance and formulated plans to challenge His Majesty's will and claimed that the First Prince had the right for the throne as well.

***

The day before the Corronation Day...

All the Ministers were present in the hall.

They were summoned by a mysterious person.

I saw some of them brought a letter and compared it with the others'. They said they all found the letters tied up on an arrow, stuck on the walls of their residences. I caught a glimpse of the letters' content,

'For The Better of The People, Choose A Wise King. Come To The Main Hall After Dawn.'

The hall filled with murmurs of the ministers and each of them had their own speculations.

I could see sides formed between them.

"The new King had been selected, this is nonsense," a minister said.

Another minister cleared his throat and said, "We have two heirs to the throne, the people should be given the right to choose."

The Prime Minister glared at the minister, "Watch your words, Minister Heo. Those are words of treason," he warned.

Few ministers grunted and held in their tongues. They indeed had the thoughts of showing their support for the First Prince but every wrong step could cost their life.

The Crown Prince stepped into the Main Hall and then the hall fell silent. He strode to the throne with a gloomy face.

His voice echoed and broke the dead silence.

"Seems like the people have another candidate for the throne," he paused then scanned each one of the ministers that were present. "May I know who is their choice?"

The ministers looked at each other. The Crown Prince was asking a rhetorical question and they knew well enough not to answer.

Then the First Prince stepped into the hall.

I was watching nervously at the side. I was afraid that both of my grandsons would be fighting over the throne.

What would happen to their bonds? Blood is thicker than water, I prayed; maybe I was abandoned but I desperately begged to the sky, 'Not my family.'

"I believe they had chosen me, Brother," the First Prince said.

The Crown Prince's eyes widen and he clenched his fists. He spoke through his gritted teeth, "Not you, Older Brother," his eyes are red. "I would accept anyone else but not you."

"But I'm afraid there's no one else, Brother," he said with an unreadable face.

"No, Princes. Please don't fight."