Wistful Destiny

"Prince, patrolling in your room will not give any solution." The servant said this while stepping forward. "Please stop biting your nails too."
Elric stopped pacing and looked at his index finger, which had bruises around the nail. The skin was bitten off, creating redness and slight pain. However, that's not his concern now.
"He'll leave the palace." Elric's heart hurt. "I'll be alone again."
The servant shook his head. "Prince, he was bound to leave one day. Also, how could you get the liking of this man? Were you not planning to trouble him?"
Elric blinks his eyes and looks out of the window. "That's the thing; I troubled him." He looks at the moon. "Yet, he did not complain to my father or brother."
The servant did not understand what to say or how to make the prince understand that this is life. Nothing is permanent. Someone comes into your life for a reason and leaves after teaching a lesson.
"How about taking this to the king? You could convince his highness to let the merchant live here."
Elric looks back at the servant with wide eyes. However, the shine vanished as soon as it came.
"What would I say? Father would rather scold me than listen. He would scold me for holding brushes rather than swords." He turns to look back at the moon again.
The servant looks down, not understanding how to help the prince until he feels himself being hugged by the prince.
"Thank you." The prince breaks the hug with a bright smile.
The servant smiled back. However, he couldn't hold back from asking, "What happened, my prince?"
"Sword."
Reading the confusion written on the servant's face, Elric chuckled and explained. "Sword. I could ask my father to let Aaron teach me fencing."
The servant blinked his eyes. "Why would his majesty agree to this? There are better fighters in our army. You can learn from the general himself. The doubtful thing is, will his majesty believe that you wish to learn fencing?"
Elric smirked. "Leave those things to me." He turns around and looks at the moon with a bright smile.
Unknown to the duo, who are watching the moon with different emotions, Unbeknownst to them, the storm is tiptoeing in their lives.
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"What made you believe that I would agree, Elric?" The king spat while glaring at Elric.
The said male flinched back, looking at the floor. "Always like this! Do not follow any rules. Do not think of the kingdom. You need a servant to take care of you too! How old are you? When will you grow up? By your age, other princes have settled and earned titles for themselves. What about you? Do you have any achievements? Do you have anything of which I could be proud?"
The king sighs, looking away, knowing Elric must be holding his tears. "Is the merchant your new entertainment?"
Elric looks at his father with a shocked face. Entertainment? When was he ever asked anything from the king? He did not ask for this life, where he was bound between the high walls of gold. He did not ask for silk clothes. He did not ask for his favorite food. He does not even know his favorite food either. He did not ask to be a prince, either. In short, he never asked for this prince's life.
He often wonders how it would feel to be born differently, in another family, in different circumstances. Would he feel the same?
"Please pardon me, your majesty. My first-ever wish has turned your sweet morning bitter. I shall take my leave." Elric walked away with wobbling lips.
The king did feel bad. Yet, he needs to be strict and show Elric that he can support himself and nobody else can. He should stand on his feet and see the harshness of the world, which is protected by the high walls of the palace. Alas, he could not do anything to make the boy understand. In turn, he might have turned a devil yet again.
He scratches his beard and looks out of the window. In these situations, he wishes his wife was alive, which helped him sort through Elric's choices.
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Elric narrowed his eyes at the two distant figures walking through the palace's main door.
"Aaron!" Elric quickly calls, even before he realizes what he has done.
The guards didn't look at the second prince as they stared ahead. Yet, their pupils followed the prince as he walked towards the duo.
Aaron and the commander stopped their steps.
The commander had suggested to Aaron that they should leave before dawn with silent steps. However, Aaron disagreed. They aren't criminals to escape in darkness. They have not done any wrongdoing to hide themselves. Therefore, with reluctance from the commander, they were using the front gate.
"Good morning, Your Highness." The commander bowed and gestured for Aaron to do the same.
"No, no. Do not." Elric speaks, raising his hands to stop the man. Yet he paused and fidgeted with his fingers. At this moment, he wished his servant friend was here to help him. "I wanted to apologize to you."
Aaron glanced at the commander and then back to Elric. "I do not understand, Your Highness."
"Since you are leaving, I thought to let you know that we do not eat spicy food, as I had told you the other day. It was..."
"I know," Aaron smiles. "I know it is your mischief."
Elric felt awkward, so he looked away, muttering, "Yes, you will." But he thought to defend himself. "But you were not unconscious. You were very fine the other day. So, I am not the only one who is wrong."
"Then, accept my apologies too."
"On one condition, you must state your reasons to act like that."
Aaron pressed his lips together. Even now, he does not see the maiden. Does she even know that he is leaving and probably never seeing him again?
Aaron bows a little. "I had my reasons, Your Highness."
Elric nodded and took a step back. "I wish you a good journey ahead." He turned around and did not see his new friend departing.
The king saw the group from afar and noticed the change of expression on Elric's face. He sighed to himself while shaking his head.
He glanced at the guard and said, "Ask the crown prince to visit me this instant."
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The courtroom was filled with murmurs. The ministers of defense, prime minister, development minister, and law minister sit on either side of the courtroom.
The crown prince and second prince are on the right side of the throne.
"As we were aware, the event occurred in the palace." The law minister stood up while looking at the two thieves in the center of the courtroom. They had their gazes down, still trying to understand that they had been caught, probably for life too.
"As a guard, they used the unused library as their treasury house." The law minister turned to the defense minister. "Would you explain how you agreed for them to be guards? Because, as far as I know, You have access to badges and provide the same under your guidance."
The defense minister looks around and stands up from his seat with a lot of hesitation. Eyes glaring at the thieves.
"Your majesty. I do agree that I have given them badges. Yet, how will I know their past deeds?" Looking at the law minister "I provide badges based on their training performance. How shall I be aware of their life before being a guard?"
Aaron and the commander raised eyebrows. They nodded their heads while standing between the crowd of people who came to seek advice for their troubles.
The law minister narrowed his eyes. "Without knowing about them, How did you hand over the safety of our kingdom and, most importantly, the palace in their hands?"
Aaron nodded his head. The objection is good. The law minister has surely come prepared.
The defense minister smiled, trying to show an innocent and polite smile. "Would you please recommend me? How would I disclose information about them without their information fluctuating from one person to another?"
Aaron nodded again. The question is good too.
In his kingdom. This information about the candidate is provided by the village council. The candidates can be from anywhere in the kingdom. What matters is that the seal is present with a handwritten letter from the council. The council would know about the people present in that village. Based on that, it becomes easier to recruit. Moreover, the council will never send the wrong people to protect their Amorite.
The law minister did not have any counterarguments for this question. This is something he was thinking about. However, he couldn't come up with a proper solution. Eyes looking at the king he was hoping he would give an idea about this.
"There's no point in arguing about who is wrong; rather, we must see that this type of situation never occurs again." The crown prince's voice resonates in the silent atmosphere.
The subjects watching nodded along. The crown prince is always right.
"Does anyone have any suggestions?" The king spoke while looking at every face present in the courtroom.
His eyes stuck on the very well-known merchant, and he glanced at his second son. Surely, he's wearing a façade of nonchalance.
Sighing to himself, the king noticed a hand raised in the air. "You may state your thoughts."
This got the attention of Elric, whose ears perked up to know the answer from his friend.
Aaron steps forward and bows to the king. "Your Majesty, firstly, we need to understand why those people thought of stealing. Why did they do it? They're already working as guards of the palace, and I presume that they are provided with sufficient funds."
Every person's eyebrows narrowed down with curious eyes looking at Aaron. The crown prince looks down with gritted teeth. Surely, he didn't try to see the face of the problem.
Aaron looked around the place and smiled at the king. "The reason could be that they do not believe that Mother Earth could provide for them in need. They thought being a thief was better than working hard."
"It is not as you said!" One of the thieves spoke while throwing a glare at Aaron and looking at the king.
"We...we do know what we have done is wrong, Your Majesty." He glanced at his partner in crime, who nodded his head.
"I was in dire need of coins. I joined the army believing to earn more and" looking at the ground. "Give my sister a memorable wedding. Her in-laws asked for so many things, like the softest silks and jewels." He looks at the king. "How will I provide those, your majesty?" He shook his head, heaving breaths and trying to hold back his tears.
"Yesterday, we ordered you to speak the truth." The crown prince slams his hand on the handrest. "Why did you keep quiet?"
Those two didn't provide any answers.
"Now, I could say the reason could be feeling helpless," Aaron spoke on behalf of them.
"Yesterday, they were too shocked to say anything. As it is their first time stealing, They are not aware of the consequences of their actions. Now, they regret it."
The duo looks at Aaron with big eyes of shock. "They regret doing it. Will, for to give everything as dowry motivated them. Regret of betraying their kingdom broke them. After all every subject loves their kingdom the most."
The crown prince sighed to himself. His father asked for an opinion. Then, why? Why out of all the people present in the court? Is it him who wants to stand out? His eyes glanced at his younger brother, and alas! Those eyes held the expected emotions of happiness for the unknown male.
The king surely liked the way the boy portrayed the situation and asked "What would you suggest for this situation to never occur again?"
Aaron glanced at the commander. Should he say his actual opinion or suggest the method going on in Amorite?
The commander held pride in his eyes. Their crown prince deserves the crown of Amorite. He cannot wait for them to return and see the shine on Arson's head. The Arson Ritz: King of Amorite kingdom.
"If I may, I would suggest that you appoint a minister who would handle the treasures of the kingdom. A person who will keep an account of each coin entering and leaving the border. They could provide coins to the subject when in need."
"What is the assurance that they would not escape?" The crown prince asked while slamming his fist on the armrest.
Aaron raised his eyebrows. Why does this prince always look angry? His eyes fell on Elric, who was calm and waiting for Aaron's response. They're the complete opposite of each other.
"I hope you have alliances with other nations. If we assume someone did flee with the coins, then we can request other nations to keep a watch on their borders and not let them trespass."
The king looks at the subjects, who have wide mouths, looking at Aaron. Of course, none of them thought about it.
The subjects always thought to be as safe as possible in any situation and beg for mercy if needed. They believed that the treasury of the palace was for the king himself, and no one else could see it.
"After all, it is saved aid given by the people. It can be used for the people." Aaron further added and bowed to the king, turning around to stand next to the commander, who could not hold back his grin.
"Listen to the words of the young man. I will suggest the ministers take quick action and appoint a new minister under the guidance of the crown prince." The king declared and saw the happiness in the subjects' faces.
Why did he not think of using the kingdom's treasure to help his kingdom grow?
The king looks at the thieves and says, "What these two have done cannot be forgiven! So I—"
The remaining words did not reach Elric's ears because of his wide smile. He often felt helpless when he was unable to help the people. Whenever he tries to state his opinion, it's always discarded by calling him still a child who does not know the world.
"May I know your good name, young man?" The king asked after stating the punishment according to their kingdom rules.
Aaron pointed at himself and glanced at the commander before saying "My name is Aaron, your majesty."
The king nodded and said, "I would like to have a conversation with you after the court. Can we do that?"
Aaron smiled. The crown prince may be hot-headed. However, the king is a good person. He has a calm aura around him and is very respectful to others, regardless of their hierarchy.
He bowed with a whisper. "It would be my honor."
The king surely noticed the happiness radiating on Elric's face. Also, this young man's way of thinking made the king hold respect for him.
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