Duty
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Jasson knew there was a sense of duty being born a prince. Liam, Roald and himself all felt that tug of duty to their parents. Roald who was lucky to have found love in his marriage was happy to do his duty. He liked being a Prince. Liam did not like his duty and fought it with all his strength and was now travelling the world.
Jasson understood he had a duty to his father. He understood that being born a Prince had its price and he was more then willing to accept that. There wasn't much he wouldn't do for his family. He understood why Liam ran though, and why Vania rode around with the riders most of the time and why he was the one who did the real job as Prince. You were born who you were. What Jasson did mind however, was being constantly overlooked. That got a little old.
Jasson wasn't really noticed. He wasn't ignored either. He was like little Vania, they were both unnoticed the extra children. He was sure that if he did something drastic they would see him. But he didn't bother. It wasn't that he wasn't loved…it was just that he wasn't needed or important like the others. He wasn't the heir like Roald and he wasn't the embarrassment like Liam. And he wasn't a female like Lianne and Kalasin so if he pitched a fit there was no blaming emotions. He would just be seen as immature. Jasson was just there, because he, like Vania, was just an addition.
Some people did notice him, usually the desperate court ladies who only recognized him for his eyes, the royal blue Conte eyes. Some recognized him as the youngest Conte son. That was okay by him, because it was true he was the youngest boy just not the youngest. That belonged to Vania. And then there were people like his adopted uncle Raoul and aunt Buri who noticed him because he wasn't noticed by his parents very often. There was Buri who taught him how to ride his pony and Raoul who gave him his first real sword, things that his parents should have done. Oh his father had actually given him his first sword but it wasn't real. It was a ceremonial sword, to wear whenever he was at some sort of function deemed required for a Prince. But his uncle Raoul had given him the first sword he could actually cut someone to pieces with, and taught him to use it properly. Buri had given him his first real pony. Oh his mother had gifted him with a little pony named Delilah but it was a well trained pony fit for a Prince. Buri gave him his first real pony that bucked and bit when the saddle was being put on and kicked out at him when he went to catch him in the paddock. They did the things his parents should have done, but didn't have the time to do and he loved them for it.
Jasson knew that he had a duty to his parents. He understood that. He liked having that reason to be there. But he was no longer a child and he no longer accepted a pat on the head. Which was why, now that he was sure Liam was headed home, Jasson knew it was his turn to leave it all behind and maybe, just maybe, be who he was, and not who his title said he was for once.
A/N: I rather like writing about the Conte Children. This wasn't exactly how I pictured it but I like it as well. But yeah, that's that.