Forced identity
1047 Words
A gentle breeze blew as trees and flowers in the royal garden swayed with it.
Andreas sat on a bench under a tree as he studied his son’s face after he revealed his plans.
“Why?” Andreas asked, puzzled at the boy’s revelation.
“Grandpa Cassian said a king has to choose in which way he would like to lead his people,” he shrugged.
Andreas stared incredulously at the boy. His eyes were brimming with unshed tears as they started to redden from all the pollen.
“I really think we should head inside, dad,” Anderson said when he noticed his father’s eyes.
Ignoring him, Andreas spoke, “So you choose to be a warrior? Of all things?” A beat of silence passed before he spoke again, “Is this the reason why your mother slapped you?”
Anderson stared at his father, contemplating whether to tell him the truth of why he got slapped. In the end, he smiled at his father and nodded. “Mom thinks it's reckless of me to choose being a warrior over being knowledgeable. But dad, I chose it because it’s what we Pierce men choose. Grandpa Cassian and you were both warriors too. I just wish to carry on the legacy.”
Andreas chewed on his inner cheek as he thought about what Anderson had said.
“But why do you want me to hold off on naming you as my successor?”
“It’s just until I finish my military service. I want you to name me your successor when you’re proud of what I’ve achieved on my own.” Anderson smiled at his father.
He ruffled his hair in response. They then sat in silence for a bit, both father and son lost in the abyss of their own thoughts before Andreas jumped up from the bench, “Okay, I’m ready to go back inside now. My nostrils and eyes have been assaulted enough by this pollen.”
Anderson laughed as he got up to join him in walking back inside, “I told you we should have gone back a while back.”
---
Allison paced back and forth, deep in thought as she wrung her hands together. She halted her steps when she heard the doorknob turning, indicating that Anderson was back.
She faced the door as she waited for him to enter.
“For f**k’s sake Allison, what are you doing in my room?” he said, irritated when he spotted her.
“Do not speak to me that way Anderson, I am your mother! And I was worried about you, so I came to check on you,” she defended.
“No. You were worried I’d spill your little secret to dad.”
The look she gave him only confirmed his suspicion. He chuckled before continuing, “Don’t worry, I haven’t told him about your betrayal yet. I said I want a DNA test done and I will hold off on telling him anything until I get one.”
Allison looked at her son, grateful he hadn’t said anything.
“So then, what did you want to talk to him about?” she asked.
“About the type of king I want to be for my people. Now that you know I didn’t spill your little secret, get out of my room Allison,” Anderson said with disgust as he sneered at his mother.
He held the door open and ushered the woman out with his hand.
She huffed before walking out.
---
“Rae,” Madam Lee called out, but she was met with silence.
“Rae!” she called, louder this time. Once again, she was met with silence.
She cursed under her breath before calling out, “Esmerelda!”
Esmerelda turned a corner, walking like a newborn calf – unsteady on her feet. The heels she was wearing made it uncomfortable for her to walk. Madam Lee stared at her unimpressed as she balanced herself on the wall.
“Esmerelda, how many times do I need to call you before you come to me?” Madam Lee asked. Esmerelda just stared at her blankly.
“What do you mean? You only called me once and I came,” she shrugged.
Madam Lee sighed, “See, I told you your new name is Rae. It’d be best if you got used to it because I don’t like to call my girls more than once. Do we understand each other?” she said as she rose from the chaise-lounge she was seated on, glaring at Esmerelda.
“Yes,” the girl responded.
“Yes, who?” Madam Lee asked, her hand roughly grabbing and squeezing Esmerelda’s chin such that her fingernails dug into the girl’s cheeks.
“Yes, Mistress,” Esmerelda gritted out, tears stinging her eyes from the pain.
“Now, what name do you answer to?” Madam Lee asked.
“Rae,” Esmerelda gritted out.
“And don’t you ever forget it,” Madam Lee said as she shoved Esmerelda’s face away. “I paid good money for you. I get to mold you however the f**k I want. Yours it to obey me and do as you are told.” She sat back down on the chaise and lit a cigarette.
“You’re still young,” she blew out smoke, “so I can’t have you entertaining clients yet. Even though you’ll just be serving drinks and cleaning tables, you need to have a certain level of elegance in the way you move around a room. I’ll have Stella train you, because let’s be real, your walk is f*****g atrocious.”
“What happens when I come of age, Mistress?” Esmerelda asked, looking down at her feet in the heels.
Madam Lee pulled on the cigarette, before blowing out smoke as she thought about how to break the news to Esmerelda. “You’ll start entertaining clients. A chat here, a dance there. Sex.”
Esmerelda’s head shot up at the last word, her eyes bulging.
“As long as the clients pay, they can have whatever they want.” With that, Madam Lee put out her cigarette and stood up.
“Stella will come find you shortly,” she said as she walked out.
- Writer
