15⁰ Festivals part 2

Winter Kingdom

Cassian

We pursued the meeting, and an hour later we had resolved everything we needed to, so I left the meeting room with my nerves on edge, and headed directly to the training wing, in search of relief from the tension in my muscles. More than ever I need to train, it's not because I've become king that I'm going to give up my training, besides it serves to calm me down when I'm nervous about everything. 

The more you train, the stronger you become to face the battles of life, mine was just beginning and I knew that many wars were ahead, a new king, a new war. The training wing was located outside the castle, from far away I could already see Alex, my right-hand man. He is the only one I really trust.

- Your Majesty, I thought you weren't going to train anymore. - said Alex, with his sarcastic smile.

- You thought wrong, my dear fellow. - I said, already picking up the swords for our training.

- So let's start this training right away, to show that I am better than you. The other times you won, it was because I wanted to let you, so that you wouldn't be sad.

- So, let's see if it's really true what you say, be careful because today I'm a beast looking for something to beat. - I said, laughing at his face. Only in his dreams will he beat me.

I have spent the whole afternoon at the training camp, until it's time for the festival, which will be held in the village at dusk. I want to be at peace to enjoy the day that I feel closest to my mother, I want to feel her presence to feel stronger for the difficulties that I will have to face in this new path that I am following. 

When it was time for the festival, I stopped the training.

-That's enough for today. - I warned, putting away the sword. 

-That's enough for today, another day we will continue. And how are you feeling today is the Festival. -she asked. 

-I'm fine, with time we get used to the loss and the pain of missing something," I said, feeling a tightening in my heart, even if time passes I will always feel the pain.

I went out and headed for the bedroom, I went in and didn't find Rosa, I went to get ready so I wouldn't be late. I feel as if my mother were alive, everything at the festival reminds me of her, the colors, the food, the music, and the decorations, all in honor of the great queen that she once was. I couldn't wish for another mother in this world, she was my friend, my counselor and my first love because she was the first person I saw when I was born.

Twenty minutes later I was ready to go but, as usual, I had to wait for my wife to finish getting ready, it would be another fight if I went without her. Rosa knew we were going out but she always does something to irritate me, she knows how important this is to me.

On our wedding day, Rosa took her time, but unlike the others who are getting married, I was not nervous about being left at the altar. I was almost jumping for joy, thinking that she had given up on the wedding, but my joy was short-lived, because soon she appeared in the church. 

I confess that I felt very much like leaving her at the altar, but this would be seen as a humiliation against the Autumn Kingdom and my choice would result in a war for the simple fact of having refused to have their future queen as my wife. But to live in a marriage without any feeling between us is terrible. 

After a few more minutes, Rosa appeared together with my father.

- I thought she would be gone by the time she got ready. - I said, entwining my arm with Rosa's.

- I'm sorry for the delay, my dear, but I had to get ready like the queen I am, even though I don't want to go," she said, even though I told her that she didn't need to pretend to have feelings for me when she was in the palace.

In front of the others we should look like a couple in love even if many think I'm not a man to marry. I have heard that the subjects say that they feel sorry for Rosa for having me as her husband for life. If they knew I would see that his pity should be directed at me for having a spoiled queen for a wife. 

We left by carriage toward the village, and all along the way Rosa kept complaining, saying that she didn't want to go anymore, saying that she didn't like village parties, but the truth was that she didn't want to be near commoners, those who worked to give her all the good things she had, but this didn't cross her mind. 

When we got there, we went straight to the thrones that were improvised for us, but well arranged. All the commoners danced happily, they seemed happy with the life they had, even with their problems. I, on the other hand, could no longer stand to stand there with the court nobles, always talking nonsense and saying the same futile things. 

I left without being seen and went straight to the ice tree, where I could be myself, to rest in peace, where there was no one to criticize me or tell me what a king should do.

When I was close to the place, I could see the silhouette of a woman, with a branch in her hand, trying to pluck a flower from the tree. Nobody can come here, much less steal such a flower.

- What do you think you are doing? Aren't you afraid of losing your mind? Trying to take something that doesn't belong to you. - I said, as I got off my horse to see who the intruder was.

I got closer to see who it was and was surprised.