The Royal Contract

"Or..." She heard him said. But it was as if more of an afterthought that he did not wish to share. 

She could not blame him since, in her opinion, titles were not just mere descriptions. It also entailed obligations.

"Or possibly King." She decided to finish the sentence for him, seeing his hesitation to continue.

She had always been curious about his reason for declining the throne. And the thought had been plaguing her mind since she had learned about the possibility of him becoming King.

She did not have the nerve to ask about it before. But now that she was seriously contemplating getting deeper into their relationship, she figured it was time to learn more about Alex and his other life.

"Yeah, something like that." He took his wine and drank its content, shaking the thought that had started to creep into his consciousness. 

He never liked talking about The Empire since he never wanted to have anything to do with it. He left behind his life and his family for a reason, and he wished to keep it that way.

But fate seemed to have another idea as it kept throwing him back to his past and playing with his possible future. It would seem that he could not run away from it.

"Why don't you want to be a Duke, or more importantly, a King." She asked, not having a slight idea of what was going through his mind.

Although, she might be in the same situation as him. An heir of a kingdom she did not want to rule. Still, she felt that they might have a different reason for not wanting their rightful inheritance.

"Because it is just a useless title. And I never believe in what it symbolizes." He spoke about it as if it was the last thing he would like to discuss. "And I don't even believe in our old, outdated traditions." He continued in resignation.

He figured that Dani was right. She had every right to be informed about his past, present, and future. If they were to move forward in this relationship, her life would be affected by every decision he made from this point in their lives.

"But are you not even in the slightest bit interested with the title or to be the most powerful man in your kingdom?" She questioned his rationalization.

Most men or women would fight and kill for such an honor and title, but here he was, heir to one of the most prestigious titles there was, refusing to have anything to do with it. 

"I don't need it and don't want it. Being a duke or a king doesn't mean anything to me." He stated his view of the matter. 

"But, it is obvious they need you." She pointed out what she remembered from his birthday party.

"The Empire in the old times represented the ruling class. But over the years, as a new government emerged, our kingdom became more like a symbol of the past." He informed her.

Eventually, The Empire had no choice but to evolve, in order, to survive in the era of modernization and industrialization, refusing to die down like the fate of the other kingdoms. 

But the new government dissolved the power of The Empire to rule over the land. Only the status of the nobility in the society remained intact.

"If being king doesn't give you the power to rule over your land, then what is the purpose of the title." She spoke with curiosity in her voice after hearing his narration.

Why does Edward want it badly while he never cared much about it? Why did the Council want him to replace Edward as King? It was a very intricate riddle in her mind that only he could answer.

"Despite stripping The Empire of its right to rule, the kingdom continued to flourish and increased its wealth. The government gave them some incentives in exchange for their powers." He continued to tell her their history.

Many still respected the Royal Family and what it stood for, but the others began to think that the nobilities were mere celebrities or rich snobs, nothing more.

"The Empire became one big corporation where The King acted as the head, the Council of Elders served as the Board of Directors. then the remaining nobilities its stockholders." He expressed what he thought of the kingdom today.

"Then, whoever becomes King gets control of the Empire's entire resources." She finally understood Edward's intention. 

Still, she could not fathom Alex's rationale for not wanting the crown. It seemed to be the answer to all his hard work. It was already an established business that he only had to take over.

"Yes, that is correct. So, whoever becomes The King, inherits the entire Empire." He agreed with her conclusion.

"Then, why are you refusing the chance to be The King, not that I want you to take advantage of it. I only wish to understand it." She did not want him to misconstrued her curiosity with anything else.

"Because I refuse to follow a tradition that I don't believe in and wish to abolish." He stated, thinking of the many things he had to learn and blindly obey as he grew up.

"Such as." She wanted him to elaborate on his reason. She could tell that it was not just a whim on his part that he felt this way. There was a deeper story behind his need to get away from his written fate.

"Many, like me, deserve to be free to choose their path. A life that they desired other than the responsibility bestowed on them at childbirth." He explained further.

He could already think of several names that felt trapped in this life. But because of fear of bringing shame to their family, they turned their backs on their dreams. And swore their life to The Empire.

He believed one of them was his father. He devoted his life to the kingdom, making sure that it would continue to grow. He would have succeeded in a different path, but he could not sever his tie to the throne. He could never turn his back on his obligations.

"I understand your sentiment since I also share the same circumstances," Dani stated, also wanting a different path, not the one already created for her. She understood what Alex wanted.

"If I will want a kingdom, I wish to have what your father has created. I will build my Empire from hard work and not because of my birthright." He told her as they finished their meal and prepared to leave.

He had seen all the nobilities working hard to create a magnificent kingdom, only to serve a future king that did not give a damn. But since it was his birthright, nobody could do anything about it.

He could think of one person who felt entitled all his life. Because he was the future King, he did not feel the need to work hard. As the son of the King, he had no accountability for his actions.

In his opinion, many others deserved to be in his position. The other nobilities also had the right to rule their land. But The Empire refused to give them that power. The hierarchy did not permit them to advance in rank.