The King's affection

Breaking protocol

Maidservants walked through the halls, moving out of the way as they spotted the mother and son as they walked. Anderson’s face angry and Allison’s one panicked.

“Stop following me Allison,” Anderson said, irritation and anger still very clear in his voice as he quickened his pace in an attempt to widen the distance between himself the woman he's called mother since he could talk.

“Will you stop walking so fast?” Allison panted behind him, “Protocol prohibits me from running, you know.”

“Then stop running after me. I’m just trying to get away from you, so allow me to,” he replied sarcastically – never breaking his pace.

Allison looked around, panicked at seeing all the maidservants watching as their queen broke protocol. She pressed her lips together before deciding to stop running after her son, remembering that she is the queen.

“Anderson Maximilian Pierce, I order you to stop at once!” she said. Breathing heavily as she tried to catch her breath.

Anderson briskly came to a halt, but he did not turn to face his mother. "The full name? Oh wow, Allison, I'm shaking in my boots," he mocked.

“I carried you for seven months, suffered through labor for twenty-eight hours, before I finally gave birth to you prematurely – you will respect me as your mother and queen goddammit!” Allison whisper-yelled as she took steps towards where Anderson stood.

“To be fair, Allison, I did not ask you to do any of that for me. Matter of fact, everyone’s lives would’ve been so much better if you hadn’t had me – you could have been with your precious Valen whom you seem to love so much more than dad,” Anderson retorted defiantly.

Allison felt the humiliation burn her face as she spotted maidservants and wondered if they heard what Anderson said. In fact, she felt so humiliated, that all that was heard in the next second was the sound of a slap ringing out through the corridor.

Allison felt the sting in the palm of her outstretched hand.

Anderson had his head whipped to the side from the force of the slap, the sting on his check the sole indicator of what just happened.

Allison retracted her hand, clutching it to her chest as the realization of what she had done dawned on her. She watched on with horror as Anderson reached a hand to caress the cheek she had just slapped – redness already starting to show on his fair skin.

He whipped his head back, a look of disbelief etched onto his face.

“What the hell happened here?” came Andreas’ voice from behind Anderson. Allison’s eyes widened in fear and surprise.

“Andreas, I-,” she started to speak, before Anderson cut her off, “Mom’s just mad I told her the truth,” he said, his eyes, never leaving her and blazing with defiance. He was challenging her to stop him from telling Andreas the actual reason why he got slapped. Allison swallowed – knowing she was screwed if she couldn’t come up with something more realistic soon enough.

“Actually, father I was on my way to find you. May I talk to you?” Anderson asked, turning to face Andreas this time.

“Of course, what is it?”

“Not here.”

“I’m coming too,” Allison added quickly.

“No. I need to speak to my father about manly stuff. You have a ball to plan, don’t you?” Anderson spoke, turning back to Allison.

“I can take a break-,”

“Let it be, Allison. I’ll just speak with the boy,” Andreas cut her off this time. “Come along, Anderson,” he smiled proudly as he clapped his son’s back, leading him away from the corridor they had been in.

Allison stood there, staring at their retreating backs – defeated as she thought about what Anderson had to tell his father. She was starting to think deeply as they turned a corner. She caught a glimpse of Anderson’s face, and it looked malicious. He smirked at her before disappearing around the corner with Andreas.

---

Anderson and Andreas found themselves strolling in the garden outside. The smell and sight of the different types and colours of the flowers was refreshing to Anderson’s senses, whilst Andreas’ eyes started watering at the pollen.

“We can go back inside if the pollen bothers you,” Anderson offered.

“I’m alright. I wanted to talk to you too. This gives me the perfect opportunity,” Andreas responded as they found a bench under a tree to sit on.

“Oh? What about?” Anderson asked as they sat.

“Your ball in a few days.” Anderson c****d an eyebrow as he waited for his father to elaborate.

“I have a special announcement that I wanted to make there, and it wouldn’t make sense for me to just spring it on you without at least talking to you about it first.”

“About that,” Anderson started. “I need you to hold off on your announcement.”

Andreas chuckled, “You don’t even know what I’m going to announce.”

Anderson pressed his lips together in a tight line before responding, “Anyone can guess what you want to announce at your first-born son’s coming of age ball dad, it’s not rocket science.”

Andreas burst out laughing. ”Fair enough,” he wiped a tear from his eye. “So then, what about my announcement – why am I holding it off?”

“For the first time ever, I'm breaking the royal protocol.”

Andreas raised a brow at that, "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"Dad, I want you to hold off on naming me as the crowned prince until I return."

Andreas blinked back at him, confused. "And where are you going?"

"I will be enlisting."