The Audacity of the King

Xander pondered Mikhail's request as he thought of the heavy workload of his troops and Mikhail's current physique. He felt a little bad for Mikhail but steeled himself to tell him his respond.

"Well... If we're talking about the Blood Knights and the Platinum Knights... then, I have to apologise. There's no way you could possibly join them. They are skilled Knights who have proved themselves in countless battles even way back during my youth."

"I... I see..." Mikhail said as he lowered his eyes, his face grew hot from embarrassment while tears pricked his eyes. This rejection felt as if his little light of hope had been shattered to pieces.

"However..."

"E... eh?" Mikhail's eyes widened as he hadn't expected a continuation to Xander's sentence after that cold rejection.

"None of them started a skilled warrior. Just like me, I had to work hard to get to where I currently am, yet, there's still room for growth. Though I hate to admit it, I'm still not much of a match to a strong mage."

"No... there's no way!" Mikhail exclaimed as he brought his gaze to meet Xander's. He had assumed Xander was strong enough to manage multiple enemies on his own.

"Hey, I'm human too. But, we can always work together and build up our strength as a family."

"Huh...?"

"... ... Mikhail... This may be a bit hard to process... but... I'm... sorry for arriving so late... And that this was so sudden... but... Mikhail... I... am your father." 

The atmosphere surrounding the trio instantly grew heavy as the tension rose. Mikhail was at a loss of words and had hung his head, leaving little to no evidence of the turmoil of emotions spinning around in his head.

Susie glanced between the two and scratched the back of her head as she thought of how to smoothen the awkward atmosphere. She was about to drag Mikhail aside to help him sort through his emotions when the tension was suddenly broken.

"Th-then... Does that mean... You abandoned us?"

"H-huh? No! I would never! Diane and I... ... She had different thoughts on living in the palace... I'd like to think that we parted on good terms."

"Did you though? Cause... My mother... was so keen to leave when you both first met."

Xander had an astonished expression on his face before a look of hurt crossed his visage. He kept silent for a long duration of time as he glanced at his boots.

"I... I admit that we parted rather abruptly... It could also be due to the fact that I chose not to look for her all those years ago... But... even if this may sound like an excuse... she left first!"

Mikhail glanced at Xander with astonishment on his face. His expression then grew cold as his words were laced with ice.

"You are right. It sounds like an excuse. I don't know what happened between the two of you, but, all these years that I've spent living like a stow away had probably been to hide from you! Perhaps... it would have been better if I never knew who my father was. ... Despicable."

Xander stood dumbfounded as Mikhail swiveled on the ball of his feet and left the vicinity with a huff. Susie felt slightly bad for Xander, yet, she chose to stay by Mikhail's side instead as she chased after him. 

Xander stood alone as he ran his fingers through his hair. His vision grew hazy as he felt his hands shaking. He shook his head and brought his hand down to confirm his hunch.

"Da-damn... I don't believe my hands are trembling this much..." Xander said as his voice cracked.

Xander sighed as he clenched his fist. He knew it wouldn't have gone well, yet, it went far worse than he had expected. Xander knew Mikhail would be upset, but straight up denying him as his father felt terrible. 

"Maybe... I shouldn't have told him and brought him back as a hero instead... No... It would have been worse if I had done so... ... Diane... what do I do now?"

***

"Mikhail! Wait up! Slow down!" Susie called after Mikhail as she ran after him to match his pace. He had been walking so fast that she had found it hard to keep up.

"... What is it?"

"I think... you should listen to Xander. You don't know the full story yet."

"Is that what you came here to say? I don't need to listen to this bullshit. Leave me alone. You don't understand how I feel."

Susie furrowed her brows as she bit onto her lower lip. Her face grew red as she seethed with anger that was caused by Mikhail's dismissive behaviour.

"Quit pouting like a kid! Of course I don't understand how you feel! I'm not you!"

"What was that?! I thought you came here to console me! And why are you yelling?!"

"I was going to! But maybe I shouldn't have! You should listen to what he has to say at the very least! I wanted you to know that! That's why I'm yelling!"

"Why should I?! He abandoned my mother! Especially when she had me! He wasn't even there when I grew up! I thought I didn't have a father!"

Susie grew even more irked with his statements as she watched him continuing to ramble on. It felt like she was watching herself when she was a kid. She had never bothered to listen to the other person's words and that had led her to losing someone she cherished for so long as well as shaping her into the twisted version of herself she was today.

Susie bit her lip too hard as blood dripped down her chin. She couldn't stand Mikhail at this moment and before she knew it, her hand had reached across his face and struck it hard.

Mikhail instantly grew silent as he brought his hand and pressed it against his cheek. The stinging had took over his senses as his cheek now started to grow numb and his ear was filled with the sound of a loud buzzing.

"W-why?"

"You... I just... Ugh... I just don't want you to make the same mistake that I did. Would you be able to take back those words you said when you find out the truth? I lost someone important due to my own selfishness. I don't want you to regret this day."

"Uh..."

"If not for yourself... At least do it for me." Susie said as tears spilled from her eyes. Her lips quivered as she had said those words. 

Mikhail wanted to console her but found it difficult due to the weight of the words she had said. He settled for pulling her into an embrace and stroking the small of her back, the anger from earlier dissipated as he pondered on his next move.

***

Xander sat on the rocks overlooking the river. He wanted to cool his head as he felt upset with himself. 

Mikhail has every right to be angry. Heck, even I am angry with myself. If I were to think about it... If I were in his shoes... I don't think I would have accepted me either. A stranger you bumped into several times coming up to you and claiming he is your father after 16 years? Hah. What a joke.

Xander stared off into the flowing river. The weather had started to grow colder as he felt the autumn breeze pelt his skin. He shivered but stayed put nonetheless.

"This was a mistake." Xander muttered to himself as he thought about the cold temperature that was getting lower by the second.

"What was?" a voice asked as Xander's eyes widened.

Xander turned around to find Mikhail standing behind him and looking at him with a conflicted expression on his face.

"What was a mistake?" Mikhail pressed again. He had a look that reminded him of Diane. She had the exact same look when we first met.

"Uh... Sitting out here. Its cold out." Xander finally replied as he gathered his thoughts. Mikhail was granting him a second chance, he should make full use of it.

"Hmm. Let's head inside then."

Xander nodded as he trailed after Mikhail, walking slowly back towards the cozy house. The silence was heavy but the thumping of his chest in his ears filled that silence.

***

"I'm willing to listen to your story." Mikhail said as Susie placed a cup filled with tea before him. She glanced between the two before setting an empty cup before Xander and the teapot in the center of the table.

Xander knitted his brows as he pondered Mikhail's request, oblivious to Susie's mischievous antics. He then reached out to the teacup, bringing it up to his lips before taking a sip.

Mikhail watched Xander continue his actions for a number of times before pouring some tea into his cup. Susie snickered from the kitchen before scurrying off to Mikhail's room upon seeing the annoyed look on Mikhail's face.

"Well... I guess I could explain what I meant earlier..."

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Diane... we... we were together for a long time. I wanted to bring her back as my wife but... The dispute with the Lestrian Kingdom could be settled with the marriage between me and Lilith. I was against it but... what could I possibly have done when I take into consideration all the hope that was placed on my shoulders? As the crown prince at the time, I had to put the people before myself."

"..."

"I was wracked with guilt for days. I only knew about this agreement a few days after meeting with your mother. I had to be wed after that. She... she was there... At the plaza. I wanted to chase after her but couldn't."

"..."

"Lilith told me it was fine to bring her back with me to the castle. I wanted to do so, but I didn't want Diane to be hurt. There were many eyes on me in the palace at the time. Bringing a... ... mistress back was absurd at the time. I also had to meet up with various foreign delegates so that took me a long while before I could meet her again. If Diane were there... she would constantly have to put up with watching me beside another woman. She'd never say anything, but I know she would be unhappy."

"..."

"I... I agree that we should have broken things off then... but... when I went to meet with her again... seeing her so distressed and in misery, I... I admit I was selfish for wanting to be with her for a little while longer..."

"..."

"Anyways... The next time I met her, she was upset with me. I had no idea why. Perhaps it's because I took so long to visit her again when she had told me she was pregnant... There were matters I had to pertain to in the palace so it was hard to visit so soon. But I did so anyways."

"That was the last day I saw her. She tried to leave in the night. She nearly succeeded, but I chased after her because there was a man who was blatantly after her. Then, I saw her face to face with a beast. I parried it off, and we never saw each other for 16 years."

"... I... I see... But... why did she leave?"

"That... even till this day, it remains a mystery. I just... didn't want to repeat that mistake... Seeing you and Diane after all this years... I didn't want to miss my chance. Will you... let me be by your side? .... As your father?"

"... Uh... Um... I..."

"It's fine if you can't give me a reply right now. I just want you to know this. I'm grateful for this opportunity you've given me. Let me know if you're interested in joining me back at the palace. It's the only thing I could offer you at the moment."

"I... I see..."

"Also... prepare some clothes for around 3 days. You too Susie. I'm bringing you back with me for the moment. Not as my son. I won't do that until I've got your approval, but as a hero."

"H-hero? Me?"

Xander smiled as he patted Mikhail's head. "Yes. A hero. A title suited to my son. But of course, Susie's title will be a little different."

"Ugh. Seriously? I know what you're going to say." Susie knitted her brows as she finally walked into the room. She had been reading in Mikhail's room during their entire discussion and only exited now to get a drink, overhearing their discussion. 

"Perhaps. I believe with some good coaching,you'll be an entirely different person."

"Tsk, whatever."

"Well, let's call it a day. I'll be seeing you tomorrow. Remember. Pack enough for 3 days!" Xander said as he walked through the front door, leaving Mikhail and Susie alone in the room.