"Aim, and fire," dad said as I shot my bow at the target, the arrow lodged itself into the mannequin as dad clasped my shoulder, showing his support. "You're getting better at this," he mentioned with a grin.
"I have been practicing," I bragged then aimed and shot another arrow, missing the mannequin completely. "I guess I'm not as good as I'm bragging to be," I said then dad laughed.
"You're getting up there," he grinned and pat my back. "Anything new happening? Do you need help with anything?"
"Everything is going good. Our bond is stronger with the neighboring Kingdom of Snowdawn and the crops are in full season meaning that we will be able to sell them to the neighboring towns again. The farmers are wanting compensation for selling their crops, but nothing major. I agreed to give them forty percent of the profits for their hard work."
"That sounds reasonable," dad agreed then shrugged a bit. "Everything seems to be going good on your end," he said as I nodded.
"Usually it's the calm before the storm though," my Lieutenant said as he walked up behind us. My father greeted his old friend then grinned a bit.
"That usually seems to be the case. What do you suppose will happen this year?" dad asked Stephan, my Lieutenant.
"Maybe a drought, knowing how good the crops are growing, it seems to be the omen that something will happen to them. Or maybe protests, those are always my favorite."
"We should be on the look out for any rebellion planning though," dad said to me and I nodded. We've had two protests last year, which caused me to having to get the army involved and clean up any loose ends. That wasn't the best thing since everyone seemed to get angrier about it.
"I'll keep a lookout for Rebels dad. Thank you for your input Stephan," I said then aimed my arrow again, letting it whiz into the head of the mannequin.
---
We're known for our good crops, our welcoming civilians, and our clean environment.
I've been making sure that we're up to date on modern advances, as well as ahead of the game when it came down to warfare. It's not exactly easy, and I don't want to tax the hell out of my citizens, however with the connections between Rockforth and it's neighboring kingdom, Snowdawn, we've been able to use their methods and techniques in our own environment. Their garage collectors, the organizational skills, and better housing had helped my citizens plenty, and I'm forever grateful for our alliance between us and them.
Recently, I've been needing to get out more, go away from my kingdom more and more, leaving my younger sister in charge of some of the important stuff. She's going to be taking the throne in about thirty years because God knows I'm not going to conceive a child with a woman, or man for that matter. I think that was why my mother was hesitant to give me the throne in the first place, she's always wanted grandchildren and it's always been something that I wasn't willing to give her.
I am currently twenty-five years old, and I'm ruling a kingdom. My parents both gave up on trying to find me a wife because I don't want someone who is stuck in the past, or someone who is just out for the luxury of Royal Living. It's been a hard time dating when I was a teen because I wouldn't ever go outside, due to studies and tutors. It wasn't a hard childhood by any means, but I knew from an early age where my mind should be, and one of those places it shouldn't of been was with the women.
I started my day off a bit early today, waking up an hour before the crack of dawn. It was silent and peaceful in my home, and I was immediately grateful that I decided to place a fireplace in my room, with winter approaching. The warm dying embers kept up enough light for me to see around my dark red room. The mirror in the corner, next to the closet that was a walk in, but surrounded by stone which made it freezing. My closet was filled with every type of material possible, and I knew that my joggers were in there, just shoved in the way back with my tennis shoes and just normal lazy day attire. It's been a while since I was able to have a laid back day that didn't involve political strategies or talking with citizens on how I can fix the kingdom.
I got out of my bed, my big comfortable bed, and glanced in the mirror on my way to the closet. I looked thin in the face, and tired all around, which was my everyday appearance. I have been staying up late to get everything done, so I could wake up around this time and just relax, until the next set of paperwork came in within a few hours. My body isn't as toned as I like it to be. I try to keep exercising, however ruling a kingdom doesn't have much free time, and the free time I do get, I sleep pretty heavily. I'm going to have to get dressed in my workout attire now that I have about four hours of free time.
---
I made my way back up the grand foyer, heading past the staff of the castle and down the hallway to my room. I used up all four hours in gym and worked up a nice sweat. Which made me feel good for eating that piece of cake last night, which I'm keeping as a secret from my parents.
"Ah, Kit! My darling son," my mother said as she found me already dressed in my room. "You look dashing," she complimented then grinned a bit.
"As always mom," I teased her as she ruffled my head of hair. Now that she was in retirement, she was having a great life with dad and going on vacations constantly so they would be away from the Kingdom, which they haven't been able to do. She must've gotten back late last night.
"We have to take you to Greece my dear son! It was absolutely amazing and everyone there is so nice and respectable!" she bragged a bit as she grasped my hand and we both walked over to the sitting area in the next room over.
"I'd love to go, but I do have business-"
"Yes I know. You're the King above all else," she said then smiled at me. "Just like your father. He's sitting at the breakfast table, probably waiting to say hello to his son as well," mom explained then pat my hand gently before rising. "I'll be downstairs with your father, and I'll explain to him that you'll be down shortly," my mom gave me one last smile before leaving me alone in the sitting area. She is always very loving and supportive, however I would like to see the world a bit before I become too old, maybe meet the future Queen while traveling. It's a nice thought.
I made my way down to the breakfast bar and gave a hug to my mother, kissing her on the cheek, then making my way to my father. For the three months they've been gone, my father worked up a tan. Which was impressive in its own right because he's just as pale as me. My tutor use to hold up a piece of paper to my face and claim he couldn't tell the difference. It was always a playful joke, and me and him would laugh later about it.
"Christopher, you look nothing but a day over thirty-five," my father exclaimed as I laugh and made my way to him. My old man was bordering on sixty-five, while my mom was sixty. They had me later in life, waiting until they were both in their late twenties. Early twenties if you ask my dad.
"Robert! Your son looks exactly his age," mom chastised dad. "He looks exactly twenty-four!"
"Mom, I'm twenty-five," I remind her as she held her hand up to her mouth. Oh no, not this again.
"You're getting too old!" she exclaimed then got up and hugged me again, tightly.
"Maggie, he isn't old. We're old," dad mentioned as I laughed. I didn't deny it, they were getting old. "Now come on, let's all eat as a family. Before we leave again," dad said then grinned at my mom. They were very much in love still, and didn't have any problems showing it.