novelxo Chapter 13
13 The duty of a king Alessandro was sitting in his office reviewing some documents when his assistant Gabriel Astrey knocked on the door with his knuckles and shortly after entered the office.
_I'm sorry to interrupt you, your majesty, but there's something I'd like to talk to you about.
Alessandro continued to move his hand and said to her.
_Speaks.
_In court there is a topic that always comes up for discussion lately.
_ What topic? _The fact that his majesty has been married for four years and still has no heir.
Alessandro's hand stopped and he looked at his assistant as if he wanted to glare at him, but it didn't intimidate Gabriel, he had already become accustomed to receiving that kind of treatment so he continued talking.
_Your Majesty, perhaps you are not aware of the fact that there must be a successor, although you do not like the idea, you must have a son.
_That's my problem.
_Please your majesty, be aware that it is your duty to the kingdom, there must be a successor to the throne, otherwise the legacy of the royal family will disappear.
_Someday I will have a child, but that is not important now.
_Your Majesty, you will be 28 this year, how much longer do you plan to wait? Alessandro's gaze turned stern, Gabriel felt that at any moment he would lose his life, however, he could not remain silent.
_I remind you that children take time to grow, they must also be educated from an early age, Your Majesty cannot continue to delay the inevitable.
Alessandro clenched his hand into a fist, his wife was the daughter of his worst enemy, a man who had killed almost his entire family, the mere idea that his son would carry his blood repudiated him, Gabriel was aware of that and told him.
_I know it's not an easy thing for your majesty, your wife is the daughter of that man, that's why you should get a concubine.
_You know that's not possible, that the crown prince is the son of a concubine is not something that is well seen.
_Your Majesty, then why don't you kill that woman and remarry.
Alessandro laughed bitterly and said to him.
_Her death would give King Venobich a reason to start the war again, I will not endanger my kingdom just because of my selfishness, even if the mere idea of being with that woman repugns me, I have no other choice.
*** Cassian had gone to visit April, when he arrived he was very surprised to see that she was plowing the land.
_ What are you doing? _Spring has already started, I must start cultivating my garden.
_You're a princess, how can you do something like that? _I've been doing this for three years, and although it was very difficult at first, it's easy now, and as I told you before, I'm only a princess in name, I've never been treated as such.
If I don't grow my own food, I'll starve to death.
_How can you say such a thing, you make it sound like no one cares about you.
April continued plowing the land and said to him.
_After coming almost every day you still haven't realized, since I got here there has been no one to take care of me, they left me to my own devices, if I didn't do this I would have been gone a long time ago starving to death, and if I'm honest, that's the only death I don't want.
Cassian did not know what to answer, that day he returned early to the palace, he went to his brother's office, poked his head through the door and said to him.
_Brother, can I come in? _Of course, it happens.
Cassian sat in the chair across from him and said.
_I'm sorry to interrupt your work.
_Don't worry, I was thinking of taking a little break to eat, do you want to join me? _Yeah.
Alessandro and Cassian went to the dining room, in a few minutes the servants served a great banquet for the two of them, seeing all the food that had been served Cassian remembered that April had never had a single meal like that since he went to visit her every day, she made her own meals which were simple and she prepared it herself.
Alessandro seeing that his brother had not tried the food asked him.
_Are you okay Cassian? _Yes Lessan.
_It doesn't look like it, you haven't tried your food.
_Brother, there is something I would like to ask you.
_Ask whatever you want.
_You know what kind of magic Princess April has.
_No, I've spoken very little with her and I've never asked her, Because? _King Venobich has great magical power, I was curious to know what kind of magic the princess has.
Alessandro had never thought about it since the princess went unnoticed, but if she had the same magic as King Venobich she could destroy the royal palace, she could be the perfect weapon to destroy the kingdom from within.
_I hadn't thought about that, now I realize that I have been too careless, will I have to take care of that? _Lessan, what do you plan to do? _First I'll make sure what kind of magic she has, take her to the temple to check it out, and then I'll decide what to do.
_I would like to be able to accompany you.
_There are many steps in the temple, that is not good for your leg, you better not go.
_No brother, I want to go with you, please let me accompany you.
That was the first time Cassian was going to leave the palace since his leg failed him, he had always hated others seeing him limping and that was why he was always in his room or in the library, Alessandro could not refuse his request and told him.
_Okay, you can come with me.
_Thanks brother.
_No, I'm the one who should thank you for making me see that I was being careless.
Cassian knew that the princess was not dangerous, however, he wanted to discover the type of magic that April possessed, since thanks to her, he had improved a lot and his leg had stopped failing him, although that improvement was not long-lasting, Cassian had found that if he stopped visiting the princess, the pain in his leg intensified to such an extent that it was unbearable and that the closer he was to her, the faster the pain disappeared.
She had become his medicine and he wanted to know what the reason was, he would not rest until he found out.