Next of Kin

CHAPTER TWO

The following morning, I was awoken with Ruby opening the door to my chambers. In her hands, she held a silver platter that contained a porcelain cup, a pitcher, and breakfast for this morning. “Goodmorning,” Her voice sounded chipper than normal which also notified me that something was off. I rubbed my eyes and watched her for a moment. Ruby’s aura was a rainbow color which meant that she was busy prepping food for my father, me and whoever else resided in the castle. “I hope that you slept well.”

“Barely,” was the only thing that came from my mouth as I lifted myself up against my pillows. “The training that I have been doing has taken its toll on me.” I admitted lightly as Ruby came over with the porcelain cup that I saw earlier. Inside the cup it was filled with warm tea that Ruby had brewed. The aroma smelled like chamomile and mint.

“Careful,”Ruby warned calmly. “It’s still hot from the firepit.” She gave me a caring look and behind her eyes she seemed like she was asking a question but I was still groggy from sleep so I didn’t bother to question her. “You never told me what the training was all about.” she said after a brief moment of silence. “I hope on your part that it’s nothing that I should worry about or tell the king about.”

“There is no need to tell my father about my whereabouts, Ruby” I bluntly said as I cautiously took a sip of tea. “My father has these plans that I take the throne after his passing and to me I just feel like it is a lot for me to take on.” I ran my finger lightly over the rim of the cup as if the confession made me nervous and in many ways it did. The thought of being queen one day made it difficult to focus and the only way that I knew how to take my mind off the subject was to physically do something that wouldn’t take up too much of my time. “What’s worse is having to marry one day and I honestly don’t think I’d want to.”

Ruby only listened to me rant but after I had finished saying what was on my mind, she giggled lightly. “It’s not going to be easy on your part,” she said with a half smile. “Running a kingdom has a load of responsibilities that some royals don’t ask for among terrible circumstances.” She held her palm out for the cup that I was still holding, only to realize that the tea that I was drinking was gone. In replacement of the cup was the breakfast she had prepared. A slice of bread, some strawberries, two egg whites, and a slab of meat, all to which smelled delicious on my part, considering the amount of food that I hadn’t consumed in the last few days. It made my stomach rumble like an earthquake ready to destroy the wastelands. “In my honest opinion,” Ruby said as I looked up at her with my gaze as she set the empty mug on the silver platter. “You will make an amazing queen some day. In the meantime, I wouldn’t fret about it now because you're still young and have everything to learn and to explore and still be yourself.”

“If that is how you think it is for me then so be it,” I mumbled over a piece of bread. “I just don’t want to be rushed into being queen or to have to marry. It’s terrible enough that Parker has been attempting to flirt with me these past few days.”

“I wouldn’t worry about him too much,” Ruby assured me with a smile. “Some men don’t understand that when a woman isn’t interested to let it go.”

“If I did choose anyone it wouldn’t be him.” I admitted. “I’d rather marry a horse then at least it would understand the meaning of no.” I joked and gave her a grin to show. “I wouldn’t want anyone to take a chance to handle my spiciness.”

“Your anything but that.” Ruby said as she took my empty plate from my lap. “I’ll take my leave so you can get changed.” I only nodded as Ruby took her leave.

Once Ruby had leff, I had shifted the covers to get dressed. I went over to the mirror that stood upright against the one side of my chamber door and took a comb to my hair. It was messy last night. I don’t want to be queen. I thought. It was true that one day I’d take it and rule this kingdom as my own, however, I wanted so much more than what was inside these walls. An adventure that would make me a better person. Places that would allow me to learn different things. Then maybe once I return to the palace, I will be ready. Ready to take on whatever this life has to offer. What would father think? The question made me think twice about my thought process. What if he didn’t approve of this? To go outside of these walls and put my life in danger? On the other hand, he may think over it and allow me but then again he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t want me to risk my life and lose me like he lost my mother. I wouldn’t allow that to happen.

In these walls, I felt like a trapped mouse, waiting to die of misery but my life here isn’t misery. I was happy. I was loved by all those that resided here but yet I wanted so much more than this. A knock came from my chamber door, drawing me from my thoughts. I blinked a few times and said as loud as my voice could muster. “Enter.” My father’s head peaked in and eyes my up and down. He entered all the way and closed the door behind him. “Another training day?” I only nodded and continued tending to my hair. I had put braids on either side of my head and pinned the rest in a bun at the back of my head. A moment of silence passed between us before he spoke again. “There is something that I would like to talk to you about. Something that I’ve been meaning to bring up in conversation in private.” His voice was shaky and sounding nervous. My father took a breath and continued. “You are only half human,” His statement made me stop what I was doing. “Your mother wasn’t either.”

“I kind of assumed as much,” I said as I turned to face him. “There is something that I have to confess as well.” I went over to the chair that rested near my table and took a seat. “I have not been completely honest with you about some matters because as you are the king and my father, I didn’t want to worry you anymore than you have to.”

“Go on,” was all my father had said as if he knew that I was keeping things from him as well. “I’ve mentioned before that I will always be here if you ever need to unburden yourself from your troubles. It’s what parents do. King or not” What he said was a relief. I didn’t doubt his parenting skills at all but with him still being the king I didn’t want to add anymore unnecessary worry to his plate.

“I’ve been able to see other people's auras, have been for quite some time now.” I admitted in a light tone. “I just didn’t want you to worry about what I was going through so I put it off by training with that dummy every morning before meal time.” I looked at him in hopes that he was not silently judging me which to my relief he wasn’t. “What am I that allows me to see auras?” I asked curiously.

“You are part witch Jasmine. Your mother was one as well.” My father looked me through all over hoping that what he had said didn’t scare me but it didn’t. “I am truly sorry that she isn’t around to give her teachings to you.”

“I don’t blame you for what happened to mother.” I assured him and with that I came over and put my arms around him. “What happened was an act of nature. Nothing could have prevented it.”

“I could have,” my father said. “But I didn't, which made you endure so much pain and loss that you still carry. I see it everyday, hiding behind those beautiful eyes.”

“Stop blaming yourself over the matter.” I placed a kiss on his cheek and looked at him. “What matters most is that you’re still here and we have each other and the palace.”

“Right.” He chuckled lightly as if he was attempting to lighten the mood. He wiped a tear from his eyes as if he had been crying which I knew that he was. He missed mother as much as I did. No matter how much we hide our pain, it tends to seep through the deepest cracks of our beings. “I miss your mother as much as you do darlin.’” His confession was quite but I still heard him.

“As do I,” I replied. “But it doesn’t stop me from pressing forward like you either. It is a wound that heals slowly with time. Rushing it won’t make it happen faster.”

“That is something that your mother would have said.” I pulled back from the embrace and gave him a smile. “So wise and yet stubborn at the same time.”

“I am glad that I inherited something from her then. Not only those traits but her abilities.” Abilities that I have yet to uncover and learn though hoping to do so soon.