Thread: The Fate of a Nation (Atroxa & Blue Hatter)

It was another bright, warm day in the kingdom of Avanthia, like it was most days. The kingdom was situated near the easternmost corner of the continent where it got a lot of sun and warm weather throughout the year. At times the air could feel dry and muggy but for someone with a frail condition of health, such as the newly appointed king, it was a good place to live because of the clear, warm air. The kingdom was quite a lovely one, too, with most of its buildings made of gleaming white stone and capped with green stone or dark oak roofs. The streets were usually clean, and the crime rate was at an all time low, or at least it had been when the previous king was still in power, though since his death the rate was slowly rising... Something would have to be done about that. The prince-turned-king, Rufus of Avanthia, was a relatively handsome young man but was far too young to be ready to become a king. The position had been forced upon him after his father had died, but truth be told Rufus never wanted to be a king, he never enjoyed the idea of being so tied down to one place and being told who he could see and who he could marry. But being the only child of a king meant that becoming a king himself was his inescapable destiny. Still, he did consider himself fairly lucky in the fact that he had been able to marry a woman as wonderful and radiant as Roxandra. No, it had not been his choice, but he didn't mind it. She was a beautiful, graceful and lovely woman who, he had to admit, despite thinking otherwise, he had fallen in love with. He wanted to be a good husband for her, to be the strong, powerful husband that she deserved, and that made things even worse for him when he knew that he could never truly please her. Rufus knew all too well that he was expected to provide an heir to the throne, and he knew all too well that he was probably not long for the world, and what was more he wanted to provide Roxandra with children, he wanted that more than anything, and yet... he could not. It wasn't that he was sterile but he might as well have been. His frail condition made intimacy all but impossible, it increased his heart rate far too much and was too hard on his body, and the one and only time that they had tried to be intimate ended in utter failure, leaving him humiliated and feeling completely useless. He tried to keep up his presence, tried to act like it wasn't bothering him, but it was. He could never tell Roxandra how ashamed he felt, he feared her thinking so little of him. Lately he had been waking up long before she did and vacating the bedroom it wasn't even that he had anything to do that early in the morning, but he simply couldn't face her... He couldn't face waking up to her in the morning like a husband and wife, he couldn't face the truth that he wouldn't be able to give her a family. He couldn't face that he could never make love to Roxandra, not fully and deeply like she deserved... Sure, he could still give her pleasure and receive pleasure, simple pleasures, but nothing as intimate as making love, but even then he had to be careful. He couldn't face the fact that he would never be a father. He cursed his fate. Rufus also knew that there were people in his castle that were patiently waiting for his death, perhaps in hopes of being able to take the throne for themselves, and that meant that he had to somehow have an heir before that could happen, to ensure that the kingdom stayed within the royal family. But how? If he could not do it himself what option was there? He felt so angry, frustrated and disheartened by it all. And he thought of this even as he sat at the dining table in the main hall of their private quarters, his hand by his face, his thumb and index finger rubbing his temple at a slowly-forming migraine. He heard the door open and a set of feet pit-patting into the room, and upon the sound of a familiar voice greeting him, he turned in the direction and gave the new arrival a soft half-smile. Good morning, my love, he said softly and gave her a small nod. You look lovely today. Did you rest well?