The king had a study specifically designed for discussion over official matters. Though nothing of immediate emergency had occurred in the kingdom since, gosh, practically eighteen years past, the office was proper for seating foreign guests and military personnel. The room was orderly, stiff, and so catered to it was very uncomfortable for the young monarch, who was used to the cushioned and lively atmosphere the palace kept, to remain in. The King loved to spend time in the actual palace library, with its plush burgundy interior, three story windows, and spiral staircases. That was his sanctuary and usual meeting place for more trivial matters.

Louis never really had any business in the office, not in one of the straight-backed chairs facing the impressive mahogany desk, and he knew his father wouldn’t actually prefer working in this beige and hard room. He was summoned for something more important than the trite debate over holiday plans. And he knew it the moment the order came from Richard’s mouth.

Could he really act so surprised though?

Ever since his legality at eighteen, and finish of his traditional schooling, he was constantly ushered into new sets of lessons. Everything he knew about etiquette, leadership, politics, armed force commandment, and legal judgment had been warped and expanded to fit the expertise of a head of state. His training left no blanks as his parents chose to prep him for every possible circumstance that could occur under his reign. As brilliant sovereigns they reminded him that neither themselves, nor their chosen team of specialists, could remain by his side forever. Louis needed to confidently stand on his own two feet and be capable of selecting proper replacements of scholars and advisors while retaining necessary allies and smartly dodging possible threats.

This office wouldn’t be a known stranger for much longer, and he wasn’t about to avoid it.

Looking past the neutral paint job and creaseless carpets, the prince could see the pride of his country and the work ethics of his father. The nation’s flag waved over nearly empty ink jars, age-worn, leather bound books, carefully folded maps, and stacks of memos and short term notices. He couldn’t see the front of the desk from this angle, but Louis knew what lay inside the locked drawers. He could practically envision the lengthy reports from the higher ranked officers, and how his father would slave over every last detail until all of the recorded inspections was just about memorized. The reports didn’t sit far from the speeches of the past, and presumably “just-in-case” remarks for the future. Louis saw the water mark from a coffee mug still fresh on the desk top. And he knew without question this was where the King remained last night, busying himself over one of those hand written documents. In his mind he pictured the senior advisors shuffling the floor, drained with stress, and arguing amongst themselves. How long, he wondered has it been since the chair adjacent to his has been occupied with one of the citizen representatives or an out of line soldier?

Then he looked beyond what once was and turned his attention to the near future.

From his mind he imagined himself sitting opposite to his current position. This slightly older Louis wore the impressive drab of his father; smartly adorned with white gold cufflinks, military pins, and a visible family emblem. He pretended that he saw himself as a confident leader. With a straight back, head high, an easy smile, and alert eyes. The kingdom was just as much in a secure place as it was present day and the people had no reason to falter in their devotion and trust.

The prince swiveled in his seat and enlarged his panoramic view. From here he saw a just as happy Zayn, now senior chief -advisor and dressed accordingly in royal purple. There was a twinkle in his eye and a smirk on his lips as he joked with the other guests who were now seated at the large meeting table to his right. Ambassadors, politicians, famous entertainers, and generals each had their appointed seats. They were joyous, spreading the relaxed atmosphere faster than the bottle of merlot being passed around.

Harmony was prevalent. And even as nothing more than a dream it had made the current state of the office somehow less suffocating.

Whatever hesitation about the future Louis may have felt lately had practically vanished in this peaceful zen. Nothing about tomorrow is as uncertain as today, Louis reminded himself. And for the first time he had felt something close to being ready; ready for the power and responsibility that was sure to lead to priceless memories and service. He was beginning to recognize the bolts of energy that ran through him as excitement as he continued to imagine.

Louis was excited for the uncertain.

Well, that was until he was suddenly jolted back to reality by the urgent pair of footsteps headed directly from the outside corridor into the office.He quickly sat up straight in his chair before being met face to face with his father’s anxious eyes beaming at him from the open threshold.

“My son!” the King had loudly greeted. And the sudden sense of dread of earlier had instantly come back.