The Royal Contract

Hopefully, in a few more days, she could freely move around without the wooden support.

When they arrived at the office, instead of just dropping her off at her building, Alex decided to visit David in his office. "I just have a few things to run by him." He told her.

Of course, she refused him when he offered to carry her inside the lobby. She could manage to walk using her crutch. She did not want to be the center of the gossip around the office for the day. So, he settled to assist her to her office.

"Thanks again for bringing me to work." She whispered to him after their not so short kiss.

"Remember, I'll pick you up again later." He reminded her before he moved out of her room and out of her sight. If not injured, she would walk him to the door or at the elevator, but today, he had to settle for a wave of her hand.

After he was gone, she emerged herself to her work, once in a while calling Jacky for the things she would need.

In the meantime, Alex went straight to David's office to discuss some business and a personal matter. As of now, he could not depend on Marcus in his objectivity, so he needed another set of advice to guarantee that he was not making a mistake.

"Do you have a minute?" He asked his friend, who had squeezed him into his busy schedule to accommodate him.

"What can I do for you, Alex? You know I will cancel everything if you need me as long as it is a life or death situation." David spoke with a taunting smile on his face.

"Funny, man. But seriously, I have it is something I need your expertise." Alex walked inside and made himself comfortable.

Alex believed that Marcus' ability to analyze his circumstances might be bias due to his relationship with Dani. He thought that getting David as a backup would give him a better angle on his situation.

"You know I am always here for you, whether it is business or personal." David put aside his work and gave his full attention to his friend. "So, what is it?"

Alex started narrating to him what he and his father talked about regarding his situation in the palace. His father offered him a semi-solution to his problem, although it was not a guarantee get out of jail free pass card.

"Marcus thinks that I should not take the deal. It was a high risk. But you know how much he does not approve of my association with Dani personally. So, I think his opinion might be a bit skew regarding the matter." Alex pointed out to David.

"Well, it did sound risky, but if you play your card right and in place a highly secured system in your company, I am sure that this might work in your favor." David agreed with Alex's plans.

David also thought that it might help with most of his problems with his family and his future. He had always known how Alex felt conflicted between his family and his dreams. Now, he added Dani to the mix.

"Thanks, man." Alex left his friend, convinced that he made the right decision.

On the other side of the world, in the Palace of the King. King Edward and his son, the Prince, also held their private meeting. The King finally heard a word from the Council of Elders about their final decision on the fate of Prince Edward.

"Father, you can't be serious." Prince Edward shouted incredulously after hearing what the Council had ordered him to do.

The Prince did not want to conform with the decision of the Council. At the same time, he was furious that his father had agreed to such a demand. For him, his father was the ruler of this land, and he should not bow down to the wishes of the Council.

"I am very serious. I do believe that what the Council recommended will be good for you. It will prepare you once you become King and rule our Empire." King Edward stated in his authoritative voice.

As much as he loved his son, he could not deny that he was not ready to rule. It was one of the reasons why he could not deny the Council its power to veto his wishes to pass on the crown to his son.

He might have done things that he was not proud of in the past. But he was not as irresponsible and immature as his son when he took over as the new crown king to the throne.

"But father..." Prince Edward was about to complain again, but his father silenced him by waving his hand.

"As your King and your father, I order you to abide by the ruling of the Council of Elders or faced the consequence of disobeying it." King Edward decree.

"What would happen if I decide to disobey your order?" Prince Edward questioned with defiance on his expression.

He found the ruling of the Council as unjust and a ploy to degrade him as the next ruler of this kingdom. By birth, he had every right to rule this Empire that had always been what he had believed.

Due to the jealousy of his uncle, the great Duke of Blackstone, the Council had ruled against him. He also drove a wedge between him and his father.

Only because the Duke wanted the throne for his son, Alexander, but he would not let them get away with their plot against him. He would fight for his crown and make them pay for their betrayal.

"And as punishment for disregarding my direct order, if you ever decide to do so, I will have no option but to ban you from this Kingdom and disown you of all your rights and title." The King said with a strong warning.

It was not a threat but a ruling in their kingdom that, as their King, he could not break even if he was his son. But, as a father, he could only hope that his son would finally heed his warning and amend his ways.

"All of this is utter bullshit. I don't know why you tolerate the Council when they are undermining your authority as King." Prince Edward started pacing around the office of his father.

"No one will force you to do what you don't want. It is up to you to do as you wish. But remember that we have rules that we need to follow. In this day and age, being King is earned and not handed down." His father reminded him.

Although he believed that he could find a way to overthrow the Council's decision if he so wished. Like what his father did, he could also make new laws if he wanted since he was, after all, a King too.

He could abolish the law about succession that his father did. But he also believed in that law and wished to make it irrevocable. So, the next in line to the throne could never change or remove it, especially if his son was to rule.

His son needed to know that being King is not pure glamour and power. It was a big responsibility not only to his family but to their entire Empire. That included the next generation to come.

Prince Edward had to learn the hard way that being King did not mean absolute power.