The Stone King's Lover (石王的愛)

Chapter 52

Xie Yi-jun

1284 years after The Long Night

Hêi'àn City

<Throne Room>

"Mama?"

"...hmm? Yes baby?"

The little prince tilted his head up to meet his mother's gaze. She was staring off into space again but still held him tight. Sitting in her lap on the throne, four year old Xie Yi-jun had several questions brewing in his curious mind. All of which he knew his mother would hate answering.

Frowning guiltily, the boy still asked, swinging his feet and speaking softly-

"Everyone has two parents, auntie said..."

He was recalling what one of his tutors had mentioned that morning.

"But I only have you."

He heard his mother sigh so the young prince quickly stammered;

"It's okay mama, I only need you!"

He didn't want her to feel bad. Xie Yi-jun carefully placed his hands over hers, eventually feeling her kiss the top of his head.

"I never know how much I should tell you about your father. I need to keep you safe before anything else, Xie-jun. Do you understand?"

The little boy nodded, "Yeah but mama? Can you just say what he was like? You don't have to say anything secret. I understand..."

It was with great excitement and surprise that Yi-jun realised his mother had nodded in return. Quickly moving so he was facing her, the prince looked deep into the Queen's dark brown eyes and smiled eagerly. His mother stared at him fondly, but soon her forehead creased and she looked away again...

"His name was Xie Cai-Zhu. He was the former King and Queen's first son, the best fighter Hêi'àn City has ever seen, and crowned at a mere seventeen years of age-"

"No mama, what was he like?" Yi-jun begged, starry eyed at hearing his father's name for the first time.

The Queen frowned, sticking her lips out the same way A'Jun did when he was thinking. After several moments, she eventually said;

"Your father was... beautiful. Inside and out. He cared for and loved everyone, always putting others' needs before his own. He... had the most lovely smile, it was the first thing I noticed about him-"

Seeming to be startled out of her thoughts by something, Yi-jun watched as his mother's face darkened, replaced by an expression he was very used to seeing. Anger...

"Cai-Zhu was too loving, Xie-jun. He was blind, unable to see that not everyone loved him in return!"

The little prince lowered his eyes as his mother's voice rose-

"In the end that's what killed him! His heart-"

Suddenly his mother was grabbing him, bringing Yi-jun's teary eyes up to hers and gripping his shoulders tightly.

"Promise me you will never love someone so much that you give them the power to hurt you! No matter what, Xie-jun! You must never trust people completely, everybody wants something..."

The Queen stopped when she noticed Yi-jun crying silently, his eyes wide and full of fear. The little prince wanted to say sorry for making her so upset, but before he could utter the words, his mother was pulling him against her chest again, hugging him and pressing gentle kisses to his cheek.

Despite being terrified and confused by what she'd said, Xie Yi-jun still melted into her arms, closing his eyes and burying his face in her sweet-smelling hair. Rubbing his back as if she were putting him to sleep, his mother sighed again, kissing him one more before whispering to the boy;

"You'll be okay baby," she said.

"I know it's hard to understand now, but someday you will."

Yi-jun thought for a while. His heart ached as he realised a horrible truth. That he could not, in fact, make this promise to his mother. He couldn't keep from loving someone so much that they could hurt him. He couldn't keep from giving someone all his trust.

What about mama? He thought...

Mama would never hurt me, mama loves me too. I trust her!

The prince slowly calmed listening to the sound of her heartbeat, the steady rhythm of her breathing as she held him tight.

Mama will be the only one I love, and I'll make sure to keep us both safe. And if I end up loving more people, I'll do the same for them! I'll just promise not to ever hurt them!

And like that, Xie Yi-jun made his first resolution sitting upon the throne that he would someday call his. No matter what, he would always protect those he loved. He would never allow himself to cause them any pain. He would find a way to love and trust people just like his father, but still be protected and safe like his mother wanted.

I can do it! He thought, smiling secretly.

Not now, I'm too little. But soon! I'll be a good King. I can make both of my parents happy! When I grow up, when I'm bigger-

Someday I'll show mama that love can be a good thing. She will smile at me and hug me, like right now. And everything will be happy and good. Someday, when I'm King...