The 'pretender prince' had, had time to settle in with his new husband and new role as the king of this land. Bringing it to a place of peace and welcoming rather than being gilded cages. Now, came the hard part. To speak to his father. To tell his father who he really was, and as for his prison? He would plead to Wraithvine to make it larger on the inside than the outside. The man, after all, was still his father. And he wished him some quiet dignity even if imprisoned for the nation's own good. He, viewed this in a hope he knew that the kind elf also held. That his father, possibly, may learn from this and change. He did love his father after all, even after all this.
@internutter/challenge-04634-l250-oceans-rise -- The New Guy
A fallen king stared at the son he'd denied having for most of his life. He scowled at the child who was rescued from unthinkable torture. He said, "What have you done to my daughter?"
Reginald flinched. "I was never your daughter, dad. I was always your son."
Utter revulsion. "You swallowed her lies. I refuse to listen. I have a beautiful daughter and she's lost... Someone cursed her to become a goose. The poor sweet dear has lost her mind. She needs to get better and you. False prophet! Pretender! The truth will find you, and the people will revenge my daughter! I will return to the throne in justice, and mend your injustice."
Reginald said, "You always had a knack for a turn of phrase. I wish I had enough of it to tell you who I am and make you listen." He turned away, shaking his head. Leaving behind the father he loved, but... could not help. He closed the door and fell into the arms of his husband, Connow.
"He won't accept anything," complained Connow. "It's like he lives in his own reality."
Reginald straightened up with a bright smile on his face. "His own reality. By the gods, you're a genius."
"If I am, I missed it," said Connow.
"The devil king who sliced his father's face[1]," blurted Reginald. "When his dad went mad and bad, the king locked the old fellow up in a pretend castle so that he at least had people looking after him. He was free to live in his own dream until he finally perished. My dad... can have his own reality. Far away from anyone he can hurt with it."
"Uh. Problem? Nobody wants to work for him."
"My love, we have the Wizard. If anyone can brew up a solution, it's hir. It's a mercy to all, if you think about it." Reginald paused for a kiss. "Even me."
"Especially you," said Connow.
There is a perfect kingdom where nothing ever goes wrong. Where everything is as it is ordained by its king. The flowers always bloom on time. It only rains when everyone has gone to bed. There is never hunger, no need to fear, as there is always enough for everyone. Everyone knows their place and everyone loves its king.
King Nydon.
The only living resident of the kingdom. Kept in a simulated realm behind a single door in the depths of the real palace... of the true king Reginald.
And the real people of Bevuran are much happier for it.
[1] Closer to the truth than in the previous part of this series.
[Photo by Rainier Ridao on Unsplash]
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