To Wear The Crown

01

Rain pours down from the heavens as the prince watches from his bedroom window. Puddles forming in the courtyard below where servants run around to finish the last preparations, the hems of their trousers and dresses soaked. It's the middle of the day though the sun cannot be seen, dark sheets of clouds cover the sky as far as the eye can see. Gloomy weather for an even gloomier day.

Today is the day in which the former king shall be buried. The king had been fighting a terminal illness for the past few years, his body slowly degrading faster than his mind. The last year of his life, the king was unable to leave his bed until two days ago when the illness won and his heart stopped. That day the whole kingdom fell silent, as they mourned the death of their king and worried for the future of the kingdom.

The eldest prince is known for his harsh ways, his desire for glory in battle. The way in which he walked around with no respect for anyone— not even other royals. Today he shall no longer be the eldest prince, he will ascend the throne and become king. The future of the kingdom held in his grasp.

~

"-ness." A voice calls out, "your highness?"

"Sorry. Yes?" The prince turns around, bringing his gaze back into the room and over to his servant by the door.

"It's time." The servant replies bowing their head.

"Of course." The prince tasks a sharp breath as he flattens his shirt against his chest. It's just an everyday shirt, but since today in not a normal day, even the act of breathing doesn't feel normal. "My coat." The prince holds his hand out. The servant moves quickly away from the door and next to the prince, placing the red coat with gold lacework and embroidery into their hand.

"Let me." The servant stands in front of the prince, doing up each individual golden woven button. "All done." He says as he presses down on the family's crest sewn onto the coat's chest.

The prince looks to his side, staring back at his reflection in the mirror, the suit accentuating his shoulders. Only on special occasions such as victory feasts does the prince wear this suit, never before has he not enjoyed seeing the suit on himself— it's always been for happy times and celebrations.

The rain can be heard against the window, echoing against the stone walls of the prince's chambers. When the king died, the king's counsellor came to pay him a private visit. The counsellor advised the prince to start taking his preparations to be king more seriously, to stop missing lessons and playing with the knights so often. Basically, the prince was to take it seriously that he is now next in line to the throne. With the eldest prince not wed and without an heir, the second prince will ascend the throne if anything was to happen.

Of course the prince wants to be king. Who doesn't want to be rich, wear fancy clothes, and rule a kingdom? But that glamorous lifestyle is only the side that's shown to the public. The darker side is hidden away, famine and disease secret from those outside the castle. Even the prince is unaware of the full extent of life across the kingdom.

In two weeks, it will be the prince's 18th birthday and on that day a party has been planned. A party where royals from all around will come to show off their daughters. Daughters that will hope to marry the king, or the prince. An event to join kingdoms and celebrate the younger prince's coming of age.

The prince has never been keen on celebrating his birthday. Especially, since it's also the day his mother died. He goes along with the fancy feast and ball, smiling with the guests when he wants to be left alone in his room. On that day, the prince can see his own father holding back tears when they'd visit her grave in the morning. White tulips would be placed on her grave. The prince never knew his mother, but from stories and pictures he believes she was a wonderful woman.

~

Turning his head away from the mirror, the prince looks down at his servant who is also in a more formal attire. "Well, we better get going. It doesn't look like the rain is going to stop." It's audible in the prince's voice that he's trying to hold himself together.

He's never truly felt the feeling of loss, since his mother passed away when he was young. Because the prince is not the oldest, his father would pay less attention to him. This allowed the prince to skip lessons without getting in trouble. He never thought that there would be a chance for him to become king. He thought that his father would live a longer life and his brother would then take the throne, already bearing a son who'd replace him in the line to the throne.

~

"Good to see you brother." David Nelson, the prince about to be crowned king in just a few hours, greets his younger brother as they enter the castle's front room.

"You too." Nick replies with a forced but natural looking smile— one perfected by anyone royal or in high ranks.

The two stand next to each other as they wait for the castle doors to open, and they're to make their way down the stairs into a carriage.

Where they will be pulled behind the carriage carrying their father's casket till they reach the royal family burial site.

"You boys ready?" An older male with greying hair comes to stand next to David. The man is the king's counsellor and is to now aid the eldest prince in his reign.

"Nope, but fuck it." David runs a hand through his hair and fixes his clothes as the guards open the castle doors. As much as David has been working hard to one day take the throne, the reality of it finally happening is starting to sink in. For the past year while the king has been bedridden, he has started to have meetings with officials and learn first hand what it's like to be king. He's gone from theory in a classroom to practice, and now the real thing.