I Refuse to be a Named Character

Part 2

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Later that evening, I sat out on my porch, my weapons close at hand, staring up at the sky. I was drained. I had spent so much time living in solitude since Blade left (not that she had been one for social interaction even when she lived here), that the now full house with all the chatter and noise was giving me a headache. I rubbed my forehead, looking at the stars, feeling lost. There was a sense of foreboding, of an inevitable fate bearing down on me that I couldn't shake no matter how hard I tried.

"Do you need to talk?" At the sound of Graham's voice I groaned quietly, turning towards him, feeling slightly ill at the sight of the overly-sweet smile he wore.

"No."

He seemed undeterred by my unfriendly tone and expression. "It's okay, I just want to help you. Everyone here has been through terrible things, but we're stronger now that we've banded together." His voice was earnest, his eyes kind, as he sat down beside me.

I inched away from him. "That's nice."

"You could join us, you know." His smile widened. "Be with your sister again. And the others? We're much closer than mere companions. We're a family, you know? And you can be a part of our family."

It sounded so simple when he spoke. As if I would be happy and welcomed with opened arms. I glanced at him, idly wondering if he had given a similar speech to all the other young women in his group. If they had joined out of loneliness, a desire to belong, slowly falling in love with the man who had welcomed them so gently. All of them thinking they were special to him, when he only saw them as tools to be used to achieve his goals. And he wanted me to join them?

Even the thought was suffocating. "I prefer to be alone."

"No one wants to be alone." He sighed quietly. "I was once like you. Not trusting anyone, thinking the world was against me. If it weren't for your sister Chloe finding me... believing in me... I don't know where I'd be."

"..." I stared up at the stars, not caring enough to answer.

"We could really use your help, to be honest." He laughed, a self-deprecating gesture. "To tell you the truth, I'm not just a simple traveler.... I'm a prince."

Was I supposed to be impressed? I tried not to roll my eyes. Stop trying to drag me into the plot!

Graham stared intently at me, and seemed disconcerted at my lack of reaction. "Did Chloe tell you already?"

"No."

"Oh.... Well, maybe you understand then. Being a prince in Armaria isn't all that special. I'm just one of many sons that lecherous old fart has. The real challenge, the real test... it's the throne."

Graham stood up, obviously filled with restless energy, and began pacing back and forth as he continued.

"There's three tests that one must pass to be named the sole heir to the throne. First is simple, you must possess the token of affection passed from the king to the mother of the son in question. For those women who bore my father multiple sons... well she has to choose who she thinks is the strongest." He paused, looking down on me as if wishing to gauge my reaction to these words.

I shrugged, bored at hearing again the exposition from a book I didn't even like. Graham finally frowned at this, tugging at a something at his collar before holding it before my eyes. It was a beautiful strand of pearls, with a small golden amulet hanging from it. "This is my token, handed to me by my mother before she died. It will stay with me until I've successfully reached the throne... after which I will give it to my one true love as an engagement token."