He was not interested.
No excuses. Not now. He raged in his mind, trying to hold onto his sanity.
"Open it. I won't ask twice," he gritted out.
The royal guards in bright yellow cloaks stood before the advisor’s door, adorned in armour that beheld the striking symbol of the sun on their shoulder pads. They shared a look of uncertainty, then bowed down to him and reluctantly opened the doors as the young man shoved himself angrily through.
The sounds he heard as he walked in were the deep moans and squeals of women. He kept his face blank, hiding his disgust while biting the inside of his cheek.
"I need to speak to the king," he said loud enough to catch the attention of the two courtesans on the advisor’s desk, legs spread for the man in front of them. The two courtesans smiling even more at the sight of the young man.
Colfe turned around and gave a wry grin. He lazily waved his hand in the air, dismissing the young man. "The king does not wish to see anyone now, boy."
Boy...
His fury only grew, his muscles beginning to clench. If it weren't for the title he held... His head would make an excellent decoration on the castle's front gates. Perfectly placed on a golden stake. He thought.
His greying hair and wrinkled skin showed the age of a man in his late fifties. The man was balding and had a belly that could’vebeen mistaken for a pregnant maid. King Solaire's advisor and court member. Till this day, he could not imagine what his father saw in him.
"Do not make me repeat myself, Colfe," the young man said sternly as Colfe touched the plump courtesan in front of him, turning around to realise the boy was not going to take no for an answer.
"You need permission from the royal advisor. I am he. And I decline your request, young Prince. Now please, allow me to at least finish," Colfe said with a dismissive glance.
The young prince had no time for this fool, making a turn for the door and stopping dead in his tracks when he heard the courtesan speak.
"Won't you join us, Your Highness?" the plump courtesan offered desperately. The other courtesan giggled at the offer her colleague made. Colfe made a disgusted noise at the offer but kept quiet and gave a pitied look to the courtesan in front of him.
Brave... that's what she was. To even ask. Yet undeniably stupid. The prince wickedly thought as he stalked towards her and glanced at the tattoo she had branded on her arm. The courtesan gulped and looked up into his deadly gaze.
On a normal day, Adrion usually respected the women who would condemn themselves to the vile scum of men like Colfe. He had no quarrels with the devious seductress who was frequently snuck into the castle, yet his anger overtook whatever senses were left in him.
"The infamous courtesan from Madam Croseida's establishment, huh? It will be a pleasure to burn the piss-poor place down to ashes.Thatwould certainly be a delight to join in on," he spoke with calm ease, offering her a charming half-lipped smile, but on the inside it was as if waves of storm kept pushing against the anchor that kept him sane.
He didn't bother to look at the fear she and her work sister held in their eyes. He could already smell it.
Pathetic.
"I forbid—" Colfe began as he pulled his trousers up.
"No, I forbid you from denying me from speaking with my own father. I do not have time for you or your whores," the prince snapped, cutting him off, finally pushing through the throne room doors. The royal guards there had known better not to stop him as he finally entered the throne room and noticed that the other council members of the throne were there too, just below the golden stairs.
The throne, magnificent as it is, glowed gold like everything else in the castle. Blood rubies embedded along the seat. To make it known that the person below all those steps is lesser, and to allow the king himself to look down upon whomever comes in. Behind the golden throne was an array of windows, shining sun directly onto the golden throne. Almost as if the Sun God had been blessing and beaming his light on the king.
The prince stopped at the bottom step. He bent down on one knee, brought his sword out, held it in front of his face, turning the sharp end to the ground in respect. Whether his father was surprised to see him or not, he did not show. The king simply said, "You may take your leave, Council. The prince and I have matters to discuss."
At that moment, Colfe barged through the doors out of breath with his clothes now on. "I tried to stop him, Your Majest—" Once again, Colfe was cut off as the king held his hand up and gestured Colfe out with the rest of the council. Who in exchange hastily bowed down and exited.
Solaire Gedeon, The King of Apollo, was by far more magnificent than the golden throne room itself. Sitting on the throne was a man in a deep red and gold embroidered tunic that matched his piercing ruby eyes. The eyes of a warrior, a killer,eyes that could command light itself. His bright golden hair, so different from his son’s, shone just as bright as the light behind him. There was nothing kind in his eyes. The prince could easily guess the king was already bored, just waiting to end the matter and put him in his place. The young man, Prince Adrion of Apollo, put on a mask of emotionless calm, subduing his rage as he rose to his feet and began to speak. "Father, I do not—" Solaire raised his hand to stop Adrion.
"I did not tell you to rise, did I, son? Kneel," Solaire commanded. Adrion bit the inside of his cheek hard enough that he could immediately taste the metallic liquid of his blood. He knelt before the king but kept eye contact, not lowering his eyes. "Apologies, Your Majesty," he replied with little emotion.
"Your younger sister was always the smarter one. I hoped someday you'd take after her, but there's never glory in hoping," Solaire reminded, as if he hadn't said this all Adrion's life.
He nodded, motioning for the prince to rise. Adrion stood, already anticipating how the conversation would unfold: his father would lead, and he would follow.
"The men and horses are ready, Adrion, but you have not left. I am concluding you did not understand the letter I had sent to you?" Solaire asked, eyeing the ruby on his finger. The prince breathed in and exhaled before he answered.
"The message was well received, Your Majesty, but neither the men nor horses will need to travel to Merlanis. I have no need of a bodyguard. I have my men to accompany me every step of this expedition, but I do not need a wet nurse as if I were a child in need of being weaned. You've seen me in training, you've seen me prove myself countless times within this kingdom," Adrion said almost raising his voice at the end, trying hard to get his reasoning across, for his father to agree with him and to spare him some dignity as the Prince of Apollo.
