A/N: I know I just updated this a few days ago, but I really wanted to keep my idea going before I forgot it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sym-Bionic Titan. Ilana's POV.
"It went something like this," began Octus as we hid in the library later, Lance already left school after taking the car. He folded his hands as light filtered in from the large windows off to my right. He sat directly across from me, expression serious.
I leaned in, ready to listen. I wanted to hear this. I wanted to know what he was saying, what he was talking about, what had been going on in my kingdom (technically Lance's kingdom) without my knowledge.
"Thirty years ago, Lance's grandfather passed away when Lance's father was only eight-years-old. This created a small civil war for control of the throne since Lance's father truly had no interest in the throne and wasn't even close to being trained enough to take over the whole kingdom of Galaluna."
I quietly raised an eyebrow, watching him and listening intently. I wanted to learn everything I could. I wanted to be able to help Lance, to be able to just know him.
"Eventually, the people who wanted to dethrone the royal family succeeded enough to get your grandfather in the place of Lance's grandfather." His eyes glinted quietly. "That was how the power was switched from his family to yours.
"Back about ten years ago, Lance's father reminded the king about how much the king owed him for making the Manus armor to protect the planet and for the riff gate and all his hard work and somewhat included the fact that he was part of the true royal family. Before he vanished through the riff gate, he requested for Lance to be taken care of and eventually given the throne.
"It took a while for your father to get it settled with some other government officials. But he got it through. You can tell that Lance's military training was about the same as the preparations for royalty to take the crown. You would know if you had ever been to the academy he was sent to.
"It was arranged that Lance was to take over the throne just weeks before his father..." Octus seemed to take a moment to find the right word. Not finding one, he moved on. "Lance was then told by your father at the funeral that he was born to a royal family. And from there, it progressed to the military academy for training and he kept getting distracted by the army and the armor instead of the ulterior motives and focuses. He never wanted to be in control over anything. You of all people should know how much he loves a good fight."
I nodded, reminiscing about all the times when Lance had made a battle decision that had pretty much saved my life. And there were a lot of those moments. He was dangerous as an opponent and I never would've wanted to turn against him. He was such a dedicated kind of guy. "Yeah, I do know."
"But he learned faster than most. You could just ask anyone. They would tell you how easily he picked something up. Your father gave him just enough influences to let Lance learn. He's ready for the throne, but he doesn't want it. He's turning out just like his father."
I cocked my head to one side, raising an eyebrow curiously to ask what he meant.
A sigh escaped him. "He's learning what he love instead of what he needs to know. He's too involved militarily to want to have anything to do with being prince of Galaluna. He may have royal blood, but he doesn't have the training or the will-power to be able to do it all." Octus looked towards the massive window, his head swiveling slowly instead of truly moving like a normal human. "But he's still keeping his position just to keep you safe. It's still going to be a mission of military importance. That is what has been keeping him working on it and still trying to find a way to train for the crown."
"So I'm not getting the throne?" I asked, just double-checking it all. I just wanted to be sure that what I was hearing was right. Because I didn't exactly like it.
And Octus looked back to me, eyes scrunching in an almost glaring way. "No, Ilana, and it is clear that you have some sort of problem with that." He fixed his glasses and stared at me harder.
"Just a little," I huffed, feeling I could let all my anger out now that Lance wasn't around. "I've trained and prepared my whole life for the crown and now I'm not going to get it. And he gets it just because his dad asked! How unfair is that?"
"How unfair is it that he did not even get a chance to be king in the first place?" retorted Octus as if it were some sort of challenge.
I got the feeling he was on Lance's side with all this. "His dad gave it up, too bad for him."
"You're father gave it up to him. Is that not the same thing?"
I leaned forward, putting my forehead on my folded arms and my face to the desk. "Octus, really, you're making me angry. The crown should be mine. I should be the heir of Galaluna's royal throne." Rage flushed my cheeks. I just wanted to go home and get all this sorted out with my father.
"Ilana," said Octus, making me look up at him once more. "You have to realize what Lance and I are sacrificing to keep you safe. Do you understand how badly he wants to be on Galaluna, fighting a war? And I could be helping him instead of keeping you safe. Plus, Lance is being forced to keep the throne to keep you safe from marrying someone that you would hate and from death. We are only trying to help, but you aren't being very grateful." With that said, he stood up, his chair pushing backwards and the legs scraping loudly against the floor. "Try talking to Lance again. I'm pretty sure you upset him, Ilana."
A/N: May have been the longest chapter yet... Feel free to ask questions if you got lost somewhere along the line. And as always, REVIEW!
~Sky