Chapter 2: Bittersweet Vessel

Song: "A Favor"

A few weeks after their trip to Enchancia, the king and queen of Venburg continued their usual routine of ruling the kingdom and handling all the responsibilities that came with it. However, the events with Lorelei prompted an unwanted realization for King Kresten.

"I've never really thought much on it before," Kresten told his wife while they were in bed that evening, "but…"

Roselyn set her book aside and turned slightly to face her husband, grasping his hand. "What's on your mind, dear?"

"I realize that Lorelei wouldn't have been our successor either way, considering her place in Enchancia, and I believed we had so much time to consider this, but… Losing her really put things into perspective for me, especially how little time we truly have in this realm." He turned his hand over, grasping hers. "I'm concerned about finding an heir, Roselyn. Who will step up behind us when we resign from our duties?"

Although the thought had crossed her mind every now and then, especially since their daughter's death, Roselyn knew she had to keep a level head. Both she and her husband needed her resilience and composure right now. "We will figure that out, Kresten. But right now, we are both in general good health. We have time to plan for our future and the future of our kingdom. However, right now, we've lost our little girl…" She squeezed his hand a bit after uttering those words, but she didn't cry. She didn't have any tears left, it seemed. "We need to allow ourselves a mourning period for Lorelei. When the time is right, we'll know it. Things have a way of working out like that."

He nodded, sighing. "I'm sure you're right, love. You usually are." He leaned over, pressing a soft kiss against her lips, before smiling gently. "I was honored to take such an incredibly compassionate and wise woman as my spouse and queen. I consider myself extremely lucky."

Roselyn chuckled, still holding his hand. "I could say the same. Now, let's get some rest. We've got a busy day tomorrow." She settled down as Kresten doused the only lamp light in their room, cuddling into his side as he draped an arm around her. "Good night, sweetheart."

"Night, my Rose."

Two years passed, and the king and queen received regular letters and updates from Roland on life in Enchancia and the twins' growth. They were now toddlers, and they had quite distinct personalities. Amber was the dramatic twin who cried at the drop of a hat to get what she wanted (a fact that made both grandparents chuckle), while James was the easy-going twin who enjoyed playing with his toys, snuggling with his sister during naptime, and eating as much as he could.

They also received a few royal portraits via a recent shipment: one of Roland holding both twins, and one with just the twins holding hands while walking through their garden. The portraits were promptly hung in the grand hall, where everyone who passed through it could see them. The gifts definitely lifted the couple's spirits and brought a spark of joy to their castle.

However, not all news was good news, and unfortunately for King Kresten, he was on the receiving end of a rather tragic update.

"King Kresten," an advisor greeted, bowing solemnly before the older man, before standing straight with a scroll in his hand. "Might I speak with you in private? It's a matter of sensitivity regarding your—"

"Anything you would say to me, you can say in front of the queen too," the king interjected politely, folding his hands into his lap. "We've been married long enough that anything considered important news to me is also important to her."

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty. Um…" He cleared his throat, unfurling the scroll, steadying his nerves as he read from it as carefully as he could. "It is with great sadness that we report the tragic passing of your brother Duke Hartley and his wife Duchess Annette. Due to a terrible storm, their vessel sank beneath the sea at approximately 3:30 AM yesterday morning, and no survivors have been located."

"Oh, no," Roselyn gasped, her hands lifting to her lips. She'd really enjoyed the company of both her brother-in-law and his wife—two fantastic people who brought a spark of fun during their visits. They were adventurous and creative, which was a breath of fresh air in such a royal world that she'd grown accustomed to.

"I…see…" King Kresten nodded, holding back his emotions, before frowning. "Wait, what about their son, Eirik? He wasn't on board at the time, was he?"

"No, Your Majesty," the advisor announced, noticing the relieved expression on his king's face. "Master Eirik was at school during the accident. His father's servants retrieved him to let him know what happened, and… Well, as you can imagine, he is devastated."

"He's only 15," the king reasoned. "Losing parents that young… And in such a horrible manner—I can't imagine…"

"Upon speaking with Master Eirik, we learned that he has concerns about finishing his schooling, and he is also worried due to his inability to take on a job or support himself. It's not a predicament one so young should have to encounter, but alas…" The advisor sighed, rolling up the scroll.

Roselyn eyed her husband momentarily, noting his concern and his weary features, and she then turned to the advisor. "Send a few guards to bring him here, Lionel. He can live here with us."

Kresten turned to his wife, staring at her in awe. "Rose… Are you sure?"

"He is family, Kresten. The poor boy lost his parents and has no other family besides us. He can attend schooling with some of our private tutors, and we will be his legal guardians until he becomes an adult. However, he's welcome to stay as long as he likes."

The king smiled and nodded, grasping her hand as he did so. "Very well…" He looked toward his advisor, Lionel, and nodded again. "You heard the queen, Lionel. See to it."

Lionel smiled and bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty. I'll handle this matter immediately."

Having a teenager living in the castle again was both charming and exhausting. Granted, Eirik had known and adored his aunt and uncle since he was a child, but it had been a few years since they'd seen each other. He was a typical teenager with a typical appetite, but he was certainly more solemn than most teens. Losing both parents at the same time had left a deep hole in his heart, and the light never quite touched his eyes when he did try to smile.

A month after moving in and getting settled, he returned to his studies, which he rather enjoyed. Eirik was a brilliant mind—both academically and artistically. He loved all subjects equally, and he enjoyed painting and playing musical instruments, especially the lute and harp. Stringed instruments were a favorite of his, and he captivated any listeners each time he played. Many of the servants would sometimes stop their daily chores just to listen to the boy play, which brightened their day.

A few of the teenaged girls who worked with their mothers or older sisters as maids would sometimes try to flirt with Eirik, but he didn't pay them much attention. He was more focused on his studies and interests rather than trying to pursue any sort of relationship. His steadfastness in his academics and talents might not have been overly popular with the girls, but his uncle took notice almost immediately, an idea forming.

On Eirik's sixteenth birthday that next April, Kresten sat down with his nephew and offered him something so unexpected that the teenager thought he might have been hearing things.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" Eirik requested, sheepishly rubbing at his left ear as his uncle chuckled. "I think I misheard you…"

"I wanted to offer you the opportunity to inherit the throne when your Aunt Roselyn and I step down. Eirik, with your attention to detail, intelligence, kindness, and drive, you could be an excellent king for Venburg someday."

Eirik smiled nervously at the man before him, brushing some of his long hair over his shoulders as he linked his fingers behind his neck, which was warm to the touch. "Uncle Kresten, I… I know I come from a line of royalty and nobility, but Mom and Dad literally raised me like a normal, average kid—just one who happened to like school. I don't know the first thing about being a king. Where would I even start?"

"Well, you don't have to respond right away. And it's not like we're going anywhere any time soon." He patted his nephew's arm in an affectionate manner. "I just wanted to give you the opportunity to think about it. Your Aunt Roselyn and I have talked about it for a long time, and we believe you would be an asset to this kingdom if you wanted to lead our people when the time comes."

"You know, most people just get a gift and cake on their birthday, Uncle, not an entire kingdom…" He laughed softly as the king smiled. "I'll… I'll think about it. I'm not saying yes or no, just… Maybe."

The king nodded. "Then that's good enough for now." He stood, clasping one hand on the teen's shoulder. "Happy birthday, son." With that, he walked off.

"Son…" Kresten and Roselyn really had treated him like their own child since taking him in over a year ago, and while they weren't his parents, they were very similar to his own. The selflessness with which they'd allowed him to live with them… He wasn't sure he could have had that same level of empathy, but he hoped to express that someday. For now, he knew what he needed to do…

"Again?" Queen Roselyn asked, laughing softly as she stepped aside, allowing her nephew into the chambers she shared with her husband. "Third time this week, Eirik, but that's all right. Take a seat on the bed. I'll get the tray."

After Roselyn disappeared into another room, Eirik walked over to her bed, sitting down with a soft sigh. He flexed his fingers a bit, rubbing his sore knuckles after he'd spent much of his birthday writing or restringing his lute. He glanced up when the queen re-entered the main part of her chambers, a soft smile on his lips. "I'm sorry if it's an inconvenience, Aunt Roselyn. I just…"

"It's perfectly fine, Eirik. Don't you worry." She sat in front of him, placing the tray to the side, pushing a few of the items around. On it were creams, a few small bandages, some long thick ribbons, a brush, a few hand towels, and a bowl of water. "Dip your hands into the water first. You know the drill by now."

Eirik did as he was asked, watching as she added in a few drops of scented oil. When her own hands reached into the bowl, massaging both the water and oil into his skin, he sighed in relief. His hands were sometimes a weak spot for him since he did so much with them, but thankfully, Roselyn had her own experiences with such a thing and knew just how to treat the pain. Since he'd moved into the castle, they'd bonded over this now weekly routine, although this past week had been more frequent due to the numerous essays he'd had to write.

Queen Roselyn pulled Eirik's hands from the bowl, patting them dry with one of the towels, before picking up the tiny jar of mint-scented cream that happened to be her favorite. She scooped some of the substance onto her left fingers before setting the jar aside, and then she gathered his hands again, gently massaging the cream into his skin. "I heard your Uncle Kresten say this morning that he was going to talk to you about something important."

"Yeah…" Eirik blew some of his hair out of his face before sighing. "Aunt Roselyn, I'm not sure I'm cut out to be a king… I love this kingdom, of course, and I really appreciate that you guys took me in after the accident with Mom and Dad, but…" He shrugged, nodding toward his hands. "Look at me, for crying out loud. Hand pain at 16… How can I run a kingdom when my aunt has to massage my hands with medicine at least once a week?"

"Oh, nonsense, Eirik. Don't you know that all kings have a weakness? All rulers, regardless of their status, have something that holds them back. But the strengths often far outweigh the weaknesses, and you have what it takes to rule." She smiled, flexing his fingers a little bit. "If that's what you want. Your uncle and I both agreed that it would be your choice. You're brilliant and compassionate enough to lead our kingdom to greatness, but it must be your decision."

He sat there pondering his options while his aunt finished their weekly routine, bandaging his hands (especially his palms) with the fabric that he'd grown accustomed to. Once he felt the second towel brushing over his bandaged hands, he managed to pull himself from his thoughts and smile at her. "Thank you, Aunt Roselyn. I know this is a routine now, but… You don't know how much I appreciate it."

She nodded. "You're family, Eirik. It's no trouble at all. Turn around." Once he did as she asked, she picked the brush up from the tray, gathered his wild blonde hair, and began brushing through it. "Just take some time to think about what your uncle has asked of you. I know it's a lot, but…" She finished brushing his hair and picked up one of the thick ribbons, tying it around the base of his hair, producing a thick low ponytail for him as she set the brush aside. "If you need any help or guidance, we'll still be there to instruct you. But just think about it."

"I will." Smiling, he turned to face her. After she pressed a kiss to his forehead, he instinctively hugged her. "I love you, Aunt Roselyn."

She hummed warmly, returning his hug. "I love you too, Eirik."

That evening, Eirik stood at his window in his own chambers, staring out at the darkened kingdom, admiring the beautiful starlight and crescent moon. The trees swayed in a light breeze, and he could hear the soft chirping of a wayward bird outside his window. This was the kingdom he'd grown to love the last year. The kingdom he'd always enjoyed visiting as a kid… Could he lead it like his aunt and uncle?

Perhaps he could. He really owed them both a favor for raising him, and this would be the ultimate favor—carrying on their legacy. After all, it's not like he had to take over immediately. He still had plenty of time to prepare… He was only 16, and his aunt and uncle weren't old at all. Other than the tragedy with Lorelei, and the accident with his own parents, their family typically had pretty good health, or so he'd always believed.

He didn't have much to worry about. In the morning, he would inform his Uncle Kresten of his decision.

"I'll do it," he mumbled to himself, tugging his ponytailed hair over his shoulder and sighing with a strange tug at his heart. "If it means honoring them… I'll be the next King of Venburg."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Falling and Rising