The study was strangely quiet which felt unusual. During those times, the king would already be there and taking a look at the documents that had piled up on his table. The incident yesterday must have had a connection to this.
Maius waited silently until he heard the guard talking outside. The door opened and closed but the person who came remained silent as he walked towards the empty seat in front of Maius. Xenos sat down and leaned back with a sigh.
The dark circles under the king's eyes became more prominent just after one night. Their night must have been rough. Maius gave the man a moment of silence as he waited for him to speak first. Xenos must have been frustrated right now and it was no good to agitate him more.
"I'm sorry," the king muttered. He looked up for a bit before he averted his gaze and looked at the bookshelves behind Maius. He did not have the strength to look at his friend in the eye because he felt shame at that very moment.
"Why are you apologizing again? You are the ruler of this kingdom so please minimize your apologies and don't keep me sighing." Maius was getting tired of this set up and his patience has long run out that he just got used to it.
Xenos remained as he was and he was glad for that but in times like this, the king was just as vulnerable as anyone. He looked strong and gallant in front of other people but in front of him he looked like a meek person. He doesn't look like a king right now.
Xenos chuckled. "I didn't even know that my son had hated Kieve for a long time now. We had a long and arduous conversation last night that drained out all of my energy." The king finally said what made him so worn out. "I even have to comfort my wife after I send Zandro to his room."
"We also just learned about it last night from Kieve. We are really getting old that our sense had dulled to the point that we are oblivious of how our children felt." Maius sympathized with the man because he too felt the same way.
"Now I am wondering what we did wrong, especially for me? Zandro grew up to be so arrogant even though we kept reminding him that he should be a role model to others and that he should show our people that he cared for them. And yet, here we are dealing with a mess that he caused." Xenos was already at the end of his wit and his son was even stubborn to relent.
"I'm also at a loss but I hope that you won't be too harsh on the boy. You and the queen could still work together to show him that you love him and that what he did was wrong. It may be difficult but you need to do it because he is the future of Lunaira." Maius spoke in a low serious voice.
Xenos glanced at him before he returned his gaze to the ceiling even though there was nothing fascinating in that place. "That's what we intend to do. I really hope that Zandro will change his ways."
"How is he after all that fuss?" Maius inquired to at least shift the topic a bit and ease the tense atmosphere around them. He did not want to dwell on what happened already and instead he wanted to focus on the things that he could do now.
"He's fine but he was in shock I guess because Kieve defeated him. Being defeated, that never happened to him because everything has been provided for him and he had been receiving praise all over the place," Xenos simply answered.
"Because he is the crown prince and the future king of Lunaira. People would instinctively tell him all that in order to curry favor and make a good impression on him."I think you should take a look at
It was a truth they couldn't change. All those praises must have gotten to him and the pressure of it all made him the arrogant person he was now. It must have been his way of venting out his frustration from these unnecessary burdens they had been giving him.
"I will need to discipline him then. I can't let an arrogant person inherit the throne. We just stabilized Lunaira so I don't want any issues arising in the future when I'm dead," the king admitted.
All this time, he thought that Zandro was worthy of the throne because he was capable and he had the ability to do so. It never came to his mind that his heir was someone incapable of loving his people and humbling himself. No, he refused to let someone like that be the king of Lunaira.
Maius understood the king's worries. Lunaira has just become a recognized kingdom and in a few years he and the king would do what they can to make sure that Lunaira could stand up even without them gone. But with a ruler who couldn't lead, then that stability would not last.
"For the mean time, I won't bring Kieve to the palace. I don't want the prince's mood to be ruined further because of my son's presence. It would also do them good to avoid each other and focus on their studies." This was the only solution that Maius came up with to make sure that both children's growth won't be affected by the animosity between them.
"They will still need to get along when they grow up because both of them are important to this kingdom. During this time, I will let the prince know the importance of socializing," Xenos answered.
After that conversation, Kieve returned to the academy and finished his studies while Zander continued with his studies at the palace. Both became focused on improving themselves. In the blink of an eye, five years passed and both of them were doing great within their designation.
Kieve became a mage and was already a captain at a young age. He had been to several battles too and gained experience. His achievements resounded in Lumier as he continued to make a name for himself.
Zandro focused on ruling the kingdom and actively participating in council meetings and diplomatic relations. He had won several alliances that made the kingdom prosper and stronger. His achievements were no less than Kieve. Both names were talked about in the kingdom and the people were glad to have them as the people who would be leading them in the future.
A few years passed and the king was already on his deathbed. He had grown ill and unable to manage the kingdom any longer. Zandro needed to step up and take his father's mantle. Before he died, Xenos entrusted his son to his dear friend.
Before he could pass down the crown, the king died. The whole kingdom mourned because of the death of their beloved ruler. Throughout his reign, Lunaira experienced peace and prosperity they had never experienced before. For a week, the kingdom was in a state of solemnity but life must move on.
By the power that the king vested upon him, Maius was there to pass down the crown to Zandro. He was then declared and introduced as the new king of Lunaira. And just like that, Lunaira entered a new era. A year after the coronation, Maius also left the world and Kieve became the head of the House of Altair.
Kieve stood before the Fire Tree that was planted in the middle of their home. The House of Altair was designed in a way so that a wall was surrounding the manor. The main manor was in the middle of the property with the other houses around it. ????????????????????????????????.????????????
