The Royal Contract

On the other side of the palace, Alex's parents were also getting dressed inside their room. In a few minutes, they would be entertaining their guests for their scheduled breakfast and other activities for the day.

"Did you know what The Council was planning when they announced Alex's right to the throne?" Katherine asked her husband, knowing that he was a member of The Council of Elders.

The Council members had long requested the duke to head it, but he always refused because he did not want the responsibility. And he did not want any conflict with his brother, King Edward. His brother had been a good and responsible king as far as he was concerned. He had no problem with his rule.

Their ancestors formed the council to oversee the laws of the kingdom. They made sure that everyone followed their law according to their written manuscripts. And if there were changes that needed to adjust to modern times, the council also decided on it. 

A king had absolute power as long as he was sitting on the throne. But the council also had the right to enforce the law of their kingdom. They could overrule a king if they felt that he had overstepped its power.

"We had discussed it during the meeting, but I told them that it was not necessary since we are not after the throne. I know Alex will not like to lead this country. I could not even convince him to head our house." Fred said resignedly, knowing quite well his son's viewpoint on the matter.

Last night's festivity was a success in a traditional standard. However, the announcement about Alex's rights to the throne was a surprise to everyone, except for The Council members. 

He had known about it, but it was not the purpose of the celebration. Fred did not insist that Alex participated in this tradition to fulfill his destiny as heir to the throne. His only motivation to do this was to uphold the tradition. He was a firm believer in their culture. He did not want his son to miss out on it.

Soon, he believed that the reign of kings and queens would vanish. But before that happens, he wanted his son and his son's son to experience what he had experienced.

"What do you think Edward thought of the council's action?" She was concerned that King Edward would take this as them going against him.

"That is what I feared most when the council opened up the issue. The members felt that Edward's son was not suitable to take the throne. They wanted Alex to take his place." Fred looked at his wife for support.

But, he guessed that his brother, King Edward, would see it as a hostile act against him and his son. He might feel that they were challenging them in his son's right to the throne. Alex's returned to the palace became a threat to them, he surmised.

"What do you think we should do now?" Katherine only wanted what was best for his son. If being a King would make Alex happy, she would go to great lengths to put him there. But she and her husband knew that it was the last thing in their son's mind.

"I know Alex will be a good ruler. I agree with the council. He can bring our nation back to its glory. But we both know that he will never agree to this." Fred could only wish that there was a simple solution to their problem.

If only the younger Edward had been suitable to rule after his father, they would not be facing this dilemma. He would not be making the hard decision of considering his son to the throne. 

It was not the fault of The Council if King Edward and his son felt threatened. If the king's son only did his obligations, then they had nothing to fear of losing his right to the throne.

But the council of elders was already wary of giving the kingdom to Edward, the prince. He had done nothing but squandered the wealth of the kingdom with his vice and other shady activities. The council felt that Edward was not the rightful King to step in after his father.

"What do you think of Dani and her parents?" Fred asked her wife as he put on his shirt, changing the topic of their discussion. He did not want to dwell on the issue for now.

"Dani seemed to be a darling. I like her for our son. Laura and I, I believed, will find a few things in common." She confided in him. "But I think you will have a hard time with Ethan. He seemed very difficult to read." Katherine shared with her husband what she had observed. 

"Yes, I agree with you." He said to her wife. 

He always valued her wife's opinion, but it did not mean that he listened to every word she said. He also felt that Dani would be a great fit in their family. She would be a good wife for their son. He could sense it.

Then, Laura was just like Katherine. They could become friends. When it came to Ethan, he still believed they could still work on common grounds since they had a similar goal, their children's happiness. 

"Well, we better get going then. We don't want to keep our guests waiting." He assisted her wife out of their room.

It was going to be a long and exciting day, as far as he could tell, as each of them would try to bond like a family. He wondered what else he would discover about their guests besides the things he already read in the reports. 

Was their initial assessment of their future daughter in law, correct? Would she fit in their family and social circle? As far as he was concerned, Dani was the only person he truly wanted to get acquainted with since she was the one marrying his son and not her family. 

He only needed an answer to a question. If they ended up having no choice and Alex was to be a king, would Dani accept her new role? That was to be their future queen.