Duty

Chapter 95 Long live the king

There wasn't much time to get used to Vertalis. When he had arrived in the evening, a meal had been waiting for him and afterwards he had been shown his room. His father he had seen only briefly. They'd had a meal together, his father had asked him if he was well, and then told him he would be shown around Vertalis in the morning, after breakfast and before his lessons.

The king would arrive in a day or two and Lucius knew it would be odd if he wouldn't know his way around the home he was supposedly living in. He wasn't sure how his grandfather would react if he found out Lucius had been living at Boncini until now, but it couldn't be good. Lucius didn't want to cause trouble. Not for his father, but also not for his aunt Vara and uncle Iason. But he also knew it was wrong to tell a lie. He wondered which would be worse.

Perhaps he could ask his teacher.

Achaikos would know.

He would make sure to ask during his lesson today.

It was strange, not having any chores this morning. He was used to waking up early and feeding the animals. Vertalis didn't have chickens. At least not that he knew of.

Quietly, Lucius followed after the servant that was giving him a tour of Vertalis. He supposed the man was a steward, like Lykander was for Boncini. The man had introduced himself as Amun and was showing him the most important rooms. The main hall, dining hall, study, kitchens, and the wing where his bedroom was, next to his father's.

After that, Amun showed him to the stables and training grounds. Lucius took the opportunity to check on his horse. The animal was peacefully chewing on his hay and only briefly looked up when the boy peeked over the stable door. It snorted once and then returned to his food.

"Your Highness, we must return," Amun urged him, "it is time for your lessons. Your father, the crown prince, will be attending. He wished to evaluate your progress."

Lucius withheld a sigh. He probably should have expected as much. The king would want to know what he had learned too.

Still, Lucius followed the man back without complaint. He had promised his aunt and uncle to make an effort to try and get along with this father. He didn't want to disappoint them.

When Lucius stepped into the study, his father was already there, talking to his teacher.

Achaikos bowed at the young boy. "Good morning, prince Lucius. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you," Lucius muttered. He looked at his father. "Father."

Cyrus nodded in his direction without acknowledging him directly. He motioned with his hand towards Achaikos. "You may begin."

"Your Highness," Achaikos bowed. He motioned for Lucius to take a seat.

The next few hours were spent going over foreign texts, reciting historical events, and calculus. All the while, Cyrus sat in the corner of the room. Lucius wasn't sure if his father was pleased or not, but after what seemed like an eternity, Cyrus nodded and stood up. "That's enough for today," Cyrus said, "I need to speak with my son. You can resume the lessons tomorrow."

Achaikos bowed again. The teacher collected his scrolls and left the study.

Once they were alone, Cyrus took a deep breath. He knew he'd have to communicate with his son at some point, preferably before his father was here. It just had been such a long time. How should he even talk to a child?" Do you like your room?" he started off.

Lucius kept his eyes downcast at the table and gave a nod. "Yes. The room is fine," he muttered.

Cyrus nodded. "Good. That's good. When the king is here, it is best not to tell him you stayed with your aunt and uncle, understand?"