Stand By Me

tres | firstborn

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ANTONIO 

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?"  

      Antonio burst through his father's office with such force that the large wooden panels slammed against the marble walls. The doors crashing sent an ear-deafening ring to the whole room, but Antonio's ears have been ringing for the past hour.

         King Matias' head snapped up from his desk, jolted by the sound. "Have you lost your mind? How dare you burst in here like some kind of animal?" 

        Roberto turned around from his chair, puzzled. He took one look at Antonio's wide eyes and tight fists, and put his hands up. "Antonio please, before you freak out like you always do, I can explain—"

            There was too much red in Antonio's vision to even comprehend what Roberto was saying. Shaking, he walked up to his father and brother as calmly as he could. For his entire life, he saw the two of them as flesh and blood. Maybe his father shouldn't be the recipient of a "World's Best Dad" mug anytime soon, but Roberto was his closest ally since the very beginning.

            "How dare you put me and my relationship in the middle of some business deal?" Antonio raged, leaning over his father's desk.

          "Now, Antonio, you'd do well to step away from this table and step away from that attitude of yours," his father remarked slowly, as if every word contained a heavy sense of bone-chilling seriousness that dripped from each syllable. "Before it's too late."

     Antonio knew better than to disobey his father. Just because he was his son, didn't mean he was above his title. With a deep breath, he sank into one of the plush chairs in front of the desk, beside Roberto. His fists were digging his nails deep into his skin, but he forced his voice to remain steady. "I deserve an explanation."

      Roberto sat down, looking at the ground. "You should know, I never wanted to do this."

        "Oh, boo-hoo," Antonio rolled his eyes. "You can drop the act. Stop pretending like you're suffering from this situation."

         "It hurts me just as much as it hurts you," Roberto pleaded with his eyes. "You have to believe me when I say that this is best for everyone."

         "You'll do well to listen to the future king, Antonio," King Matias said.

      "You know what I don't understand? How does this possibly benefit you? The Montoyas are our family, there's no possible political agenda for you here because they've been allies from the very start, for generations." Antonio glared at his father.

            The King suddenly lowered his gaze, before turning away from both of his sons towards the window, as if the rolling green gardens outside the castle held the answer to Antonio's question. 

          He took a deep breath, rubbing his temples and looking exhausted. "I owe Serafina Montoya's father many favors. And before me, my father owed another Montoya many favors, and before him, a Guerrero owed another Montoya even more favors. That's just the way things have always been for generations. Guerreros lead, and Montoyas pave the way for their success in exchange for benefits and security. The Montoyas were never really the ruling type anyway. The Montoya family owns connections that got our family the crown, ages ago. And now, the Montoyas need our help for the first time in generations to cover Serafina's father's embezzlement case that could very well destroy their family name and their reputation, forever. I couldn't just deny them the favor they have a right to seek."