The Prince of Death

Chapter 68.

  Atari wondered the halls of the castle, is was the next night after Astrol, Kage and their soldiers returned with Sorren and a few of his soldiers. It was just after sunset.

   Atari walked the halls I tile she eventually walked into the dining room. The room was lit by the chandeliers but the room was silent. In the room was Sorren by himself, sitting in Satoru’s usual spot, he stared forward wide eyes, he held a cup of tea and sipped it, his hand shaking a bit. He seemed to breath a slight bit more heavily than usual as he stared at nothing.

    Atari carefully approached Sorren at his side, she tapped his shoulder carefully. “Sorren are you alright?”

   Sorren jumped slightly scared and looked at her, he was first even more wide eyed but quickly starting to look normal. “Oh, Atari” he painted scared but quickly stopped. “You scared me”

   “I did?” Atari looked surprised, “Uhm, are you ok?” She asked looking at Sorren giving him a weird look.

   “Yes, I was just having another panic attack” Sorren explained and took another sip of tea

   “Why are you having a panic attack? Aren’t you like the hero of the people, brave, and stuff like that?” Atari asked looking at Sorren next to where he sat.

   “Everyone has fear” Sorren said looking at her

   “But there is nothing to be scared of” Atari said warily looking around the room, “I-is there?”

   “No, nothing scary for you” Sorren said shaking his head and patting Atari on the head.

   “Then why are you scared” Atari asked curiously looking up at him.

   Sorren looked away, he sighed, “Being a ruler is the scariest job a person could imagine” Sorren admitted

   “How?” Atari asked curious

   “It’s the scariest job to me, at least...You’ll understand when your older, when your queen” Sorren said looking down back at Atari

   “I’ll be queen?!” Atari asked shocked, she pulled out a chair right next to Sorren, to Sorren’s right.

   Sorren nodded he put both of his elbows on the table and clutches one hand in the other and smiled. “When Satoru retires your the heir to the throne. His reign will end and yours will begin” Sorren explained

   Atari smiled, “Queen! Yayy!” Atari cheered

   “Heh, little one I’m afraid to tell you that still won’t happen for multiple years, a couple hundred at the least id imagine” Sorren said

   “Oh...meh I can wait” Atari said crossing her arms on the table. “What’s there to be scared about being a ruler though? It seems like the coolest job in the world”

   Sorren nodded his head and chuckled, “Yeah it does seem that way, but I’d say it’s one of the hardest. But it’s mostly a desk job with paperwork, but you signing that paper, it can have big effects” Sorren smiled, “I am called the voice of the people because I always know what’s best for them, like a good king, and keep that in mind when your queen, you have to know what they like. I have done more for my country then considered any other king who ruled there, you try to be that queen too, and maybe you can earn the title I have”

   “Uuuh I want that title!” Atari squealed happy

   Sorren chuckled again, “I’m sure everyone does. But you have to earn that title, I abolished slavery, gave as many rights to women as men, and anyone who still treats women less then men can be put in jail for a long while. There are a lot of safety regulations now too, when I wasn’t king, many people would die in the factories, there wasn’t a day without one injury. Sometimes body parts could be found in the products”

   “Ew!” Atari exclaimed disgusted

   “I know! Well I got rid of all that, I saved the people from the hell they lived In before. I remember people would call me a saint and kiss the floor I walked on” Sorren chuckled, “But I don’t do it for pride, fame, I do it cause it’s what’s right. When your queen, you do what’s right...”. Sorren went quiet, he began to stare off into the distance again. He took a sip of tea and didn’t look at Atari. “...I wasn’t that old when I became king. I fought against slave owners, I fought alongside my father’s right hand. The first decision I made in that fight of many I made wrong. I got my father’s right hand killed, and about fifty more. I may seem perfect, the idol king, but I have made many wrong decisions and now here, I’m secretly terrified...” Sorren admitted

   “Oh, that’s awful but, what are you terrified about?” Atari asked watching Sorren curiously

   “The reason I have those panic attacks is because every decision has a impact. But now we are in war, and every decision can have a massive effect, one wrong move and your dead” Sorren said

   “Scary” Atari said closely listening

   “As the voice of the people count on me to make the best decisions. But in war you don’t know what’s right and wrong, and my people expect so highly of me it puts a lot of pressure on me” Sorren pushed his chair out, went to the nearest window, opened it, and looked up at the night sky. “I have great fear knowing that the people focus on me...”

   Atari scooted her chair out and went at Sorren’s side, “Well, follow your heart, not everyone will follow you, and not everyone does.”

    Sorren smiled, “And your exactly right...Come on, let’s have breakfast and talk, I’ll tell you more stories, ok?”

   “Ok” Atari said smiling. She walked back over to the seat she sat in and Sorren slowly followed.

   Sorren still couldn’t help but feel slight fear, a deep feeling of worry about choosing the wrong decisions. He tried to calm himself, and he from time to time managed. He and Atari ate breakfast, and talked about ruling for the rest of the early night.