The Prince & The Popstar

Perfect

"Nothing's gonna change the things that you said
Nothing's gonna make this right again
Please, don't turn your back
I can't believe it's hard just to talk to you
But, you don't understand"
— Simple Plan

     While Rufus returned to his old rhythm, Vincent reverted to his former, well-honed routine. He didn't realize how much he missed The Treehouse and all it had to offer until he watched the sunrise the next day, with its light peeking through the towering sycamores, which brought out the two-tone color of what Vincent truly called "home".
     Around mid-morning, The Prince made his way across the rope bridge leading to Henry's quarters which was walled with countless, pastel-colored Post-It notes, containing possible avenues that Salchester could have taken after the collapse of Project Coeus; however, Henry's relentless research provided nothing but dead ends.
     "Apologies, Vinny," Henry said as he scrolled down a heavily-redacted page on his laptop, which was being fed information from a mobile hotspot. "This Salchester character excels at avoiding discovery. He's smart. Like your kind of smart."
     "He's certainly a formidable opponent," Vincent admitted. "But, everyone has a weakness. And we need to find his as soon as possible. After we do, it will all boil down to applying the right kind of pressure."
     "Are you certain about doing it this way?" Henry asked, clicking on a broken link. "We really don't have the means to mount a full-scale offensive."
     "If we find ourselves over our heads, I'll definitely rethink the strategy, but right now, we're the only ones who have managed to gain any footing, even if it wasn't all that significant when you look at the bigger picture. That being said, I know we have to be on his radar; I'm sure the last thing he expected was for a ragtag group of teenagers to upend his little science project."
     Henry refreshed his browser, hoping to find more search results, but once again, came up empty-handed. "I'm getting absolutely nowhere," Henry said, rubbing his eyes. "This is quite discouraging."
     A cherubic voice stated, "Why don't you expand your search results? Try finding cutting-edge scientific experiments and then, concentrate on the relevant details."
     Vincent turned toward the doorway and greeted Samuel with a warm smile, still trying to swallow the fact that Samuel wasn't only speaking, but vastly superior in intellect. "That's genius, Samuel. Why didn't I think of that?"
     "I believe the thought would have come to you eventually," Samuel replied, grinning. "I just figured we should cut to the chase."
     "Samuel's right—there's way more information here to work off of," Henry said, finally gaining some ground. "Vinny, give me some time and I'll sift through everything I can. We'll get a bead on him. I'm certain of it."
     Vincent nodded and then stuck his head out of the doorway, looking around for a minute. "Have either of you seen Ava this morning?"
     "I haven't, no," Samuel said.
     "I'm pretty sure she's wallowing," Henry replied flatly. "Rufus meant more to her than she realizes. I think it's just starting to set in."
     "That's understandable," Vincent said. "They grew exceptionally close, didn't they?"
     "Oh, yes," Samuel said, leaning against the wall and putting his hands in his pockets. "For those ten months, they were inseparable. It actually grew to the point where it's difficult to imagine them apart."
     "Well, let me see if I can pull her out of her tailspin," Vincent said just before walking out onto the rope bridge. As he approached Ava's quarters, he could hear her muffled sobs. He knocked on the doorframe and said, "Ava? It's Vinny. Can I come in?"
     Ava sniffled and wiped her nose, making an attempt to compose herself. "Of course, come in, come in."
     "Now, I'll refrain from asking how you are because that particular question answers itself, but can I do anything for you?" Vincent asked. "Anything—you name it and I'll make it happen."
     "You need not worry," Ava replied with a small smile. "I'll be okay. I just need some time to adjust. How's the Salchester research coming along?"
     "Thanks to Samuel, it looks like we're making some headway. I think we're on the right track."
     "That's good. I have the utmost confidence in all of you. Your determination is one of your greatest strengths."
     "And we'll use it as often as we can," Vincent said as his phone chimed with a text notification. He read the message aloud, "It's from Quinn. 'The King requests an audience with you. Come immediately.'" Vincent sighed deeply. "Well, I hate to cut things short, but when The King calls, you're not really in a position to say no."
     "I'm fine, Vinny," Ava said. "Go and meet with your father. It must be important."
     "Yes, and that importance will be conveyed with the crushing belittlement that my father has perfected over time. It's going to be a real treat, I'm sure," Vincent said sarcastically.
     After making the trek back to The Palace, The Prince entered the banquet room where the staff was busy setting up an opulent dinner for members of Parliament and upper-tier Nobility. The King sat on the north side of the exquisite pink ivory roundtable, tapping his fingers on the surface.
     "When I call for you, I expect you to move with a sense of urgency," King Alexander said, glaring at his son.
     "I came as soon as I received the message, Father," Vincent replied, straightening his posture. "Believe me, I thoroughly understand the concept of haste."
     "Believe me, I thoroughly understand the concept of disrespect," The King fired back. "Do you not think I know how you truly feel?"
     "No, Father, please tell me exactly how I feel," Vincent whipped.
     "You feel like you're above all this. You feel you know better than your elders. Your incredible intelligence blinds you to the fact that you're just a boy—entitled, immature, and out of his depth."
     The words stung more than Vincent let on. "Did you bring me here just to tear me down?"
     "No, I brought you here to welcome you home."
     This threw Vincent for a loop. "What?"
     "You didn't think your little switch-up with the American idol would fool me, did you? I know exactly where you've been these last months. You decided to chase a worthless dream and ignore your responsibilities here in the kingdom. You chose to be a dancing monkey, a cheap facsimile of someone who actually has talent. You opted to forgo practicality and instead became nothing more than a disappointment."
     The King's words went from stinging to stabbing. Vincent held back his emotions and said, "I'm sorry I made you feel this way, Father. It was never my intention to disappoint you, but your idea of what I should be contrasts heavily with my beliefs. Just so I know, did Mr. Spencer bring you the same kind of dismay?"
     "Not at all," The King replied. "I respect that young man. He has something that you have yet to develop."
     "Which is?"
     "A backbone."
     If The King had ever dealt a truly devastating blow, it was at this moment and it struck Vincent at his very core. The Prince felt like he was suddenly standing in quicksand, slowly enveloping him until nothing was left.
     "Now," The King said, adjusting his tie. "It's high time you used that brain of yours for something beneficial, something that actually holds value."
     "And what might that be?" Vincent asked softly, his voice weak.
     "I want you to oversee all of the projects coming out of our tech sector."
     "Elkotech? Really? That's pretty high-profile. Shouldn't I start with something small?"
     "Please stop questioning the things I have given considerable thought, son."
     "Sorry."
     "After Mr. Spencer brought down Project Coeus, Elkotech has been in desperate need of a public image makeover. You're to be in charge of making that possible by highlighting the projects with promise and doing whatever you can to expedite their progress."
     "Are the executives aware that they will be answering to a teenager?"
     "They're aware that I'm taking charge and that if they want to keep their cushy jobs, they will take my instructions without hesitation."
     "So, you're ruling with an iron fist," Vincent mumbled. "Because historically, that's worked so well."
     "Excuse me? What did you say?"
     "Nothing, Father. I will do as you wish."
     "That's what I thought. Now, go seek out Ms. Gunnerson for the finer details. She has been well-informed and holds everything that you need to know—the logistics and such."
     "Yes, Your Majesty," Vincent said as he slowly walked out of the banquet room.
     Quinn had been waiting for The Prince in the library and when he finally entered, she immediately recognized the unique physicality of his broken spirit; he looked like he had just gone ten rounds with a prized fighter.
     "Your Highness," Quinn said. "What can I do for you?"
     "I don't want this to come off as rude, but you can't do anything," Vincent replied. "There's no fixing this."
     "I know The King has the remarkable ability of making you feel worthless, but I'm begging you to see that you're so much more than he realizes. You're one of the kingdom's greatest treasures, trust me on this."
     "Apparently, I'm one of the kingdom's greatest disappointments."
     "No, stop that. I won't allow this kind of thinking. My Prince, you are many things—some good, some bad—but you are not a disappointment. Do you understand me?" Quinn gently took Vincent by the chin and made him face her. "You are Verastoria's bright future. And you are going to go on to do great things, far greater than anything your father has ever done. I know this to be true. I know it in my bones."
     Vincent cracked a slight smile. "What would I ever do without you, Ms. Gunnerson?"
     "I pray that day is far, far away."
     Then, Vincent pivoted, thinking about all the things his father had to say. "I just don't understand. What can I do to make him proud? What can I do to make him see that I'm a worthy son?"
     "You simply have to show him everything you've shown me. You have to make your brilliance known."
     "And how exactly do I do that?"
     "You surmount every challenge that comes your way. You dominate ruthlessly and relentlessly. You defy the odds and you make the impossible seem like a laughable, mindless, momentary thought."
     Vincent paused for a second. "Will that make him love me?"
     "Oh, My Prince, he does love you. It's just not something that comes naturally for him."
     "Why is that? What happened that made him so cold and distant, so unreasonable and obstinate?"
     Quinn cleared her throat. "Before I answer your question, tell me, what exactly do you know about the relationship between your father and your mother?"
     "I know that their relationship made headlines constantly. They were the original 'power couple'. And everyone in the kingdom seemed to deeply admire their affinity for one another. Now that I really think about it, I don't know much at all. It always hurt so much to dig into that part of the past, so I just let it lie. Why do you ask?"
     "I think it's time you know the true, unabridged story of King Alexander and Queen Tabitha."