King Him, Not Me
Chapter 3

Winston and Barin make their way down the dirt path, the shorter admiring the scenery as they walk. The trees are tall and shade the side of the wide path, puffy bushes along the edges. There’s small skipping stones and pebbles and the sounds of a river can be heard from time to time. Flowers give off a lovely scent and the sun brightens the area below it through the leaves.

Winston’s always loved admiring the area around him, even if it was just an old shack out in a swamp. He always wondered about the events that might have taken place there, the people that traveled or lived there. As you’ve read, he already knows a bit about this place and the palace.

“So,” Barin’s eyes drift to the shorter, “what do you think the first trial will be?”

Winston looks up at the sky, “Since each path is different, I can’t be certain what I’ll say will be correct. What I do know is that you need to be prepared for any scenario that might be thrown at us.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll,” the shorter smiles nervously, “try my best to support you. My goal is the same as yours, after all.”

Barin hums, blinking as he hears the sounds of people. He slowly sneers, “How the fuck did no one know about this being here?”

Winston, “Every ruler has their secrets. Cornelius Free had one too many.”

Barin, “I thought he was overthrown for being a tyrant king?”

Winston, “Yes, but he was declared a tyrant because he kept secrets… then they were all uncovered. Remember when he raided the homes of the rich and poor and raised the taxes? Turns out, he did it to replenish the money Galedon lost in the previous war.”

“Damn. I had no clue.”

Winston smirks, “I’m sure no one did.”

The taller’s curiosity grows a bit, “How do you know that?”

“… research.”

Barin lifts a tree branch as the shorter continues to walk, a small village in front of them.

“This must be the compassion test.” Winston looks to the taller as he walks next to him, “First lesson,” the two walk slowly into the town as Winston continues to speak, “if you see someone that’s sad or angry about something, you should try and see why to understand what they’re going through. As a king, people will come to you looking for compassion.”

Barin, “Why should I care about how others feel?”

Winston, “Because a happy kingdom is a peaceful kingdom. Now, I’m not saying appease everyone, but at least show people that you care that they’re going through hardships. Ah,” he points, “I see our first trial.”

The two stop walking beside a little boy, he standing with his shirt in his hands and tears in his eyes. His brown orbs are staring down at the dirt beneath him, sorrow written all over him.

Winston squats down as he touches the small child’s back, “What’s wrong?”

“M… my puppy,” the boy whines before looking at the older, “We were running an errand for my mama, but she got spooked by some boxes that got knocked over and ran off. She may look big, but she’s still a puppy.”

Winston rubs his back before standing up then looking to Barin, the shorter’s hands on his hips. The taller blinks, “What,” he asks softly, Winston groaning as he gives Barin a look. The shorter rolls his eyes towards the boy in front of them, Barin looking down at the small child. It’s then he feels something he’s never felt before, sympathy. Sure, he’s heard about people losing something or someone, but it was something about the way the boy looked at him that stung. He’s never looked at a person that was sad, worried, or angry before. He usually walks away before they could pester him about their problems.

Barin swallows slow and hard, Winston slowly blinking as he watches the taller’s actions. The blonde’s hand hesitates before his palm rests against the boy’s head, “I’ll replace your dog for you,” he states, Winston’s eyes widening. This was new, he’s never seen the look of determination on Barin’s face before, though, he has wondered about how it would look. He also wonders what Barin’s smile and laugh would look and sound like.

“Thank you,” the boy says sweetly before pointing, “my puppy went that way.”

Barin pats the small child’s head before walking, Winston slowly beginning to follow. He smirks slyly, “Got a weak spot for children?”

“I think I have a weak spot for tears,” the taller states, the shorter grinning as they walk.

~

“A weak spot for tears.” a Fairy man looks at Morgan, “I doubt a king would need a trait like that.”

“It’s a good thing to have,” an Elven woman states, “and I don’t think it’s a trait.”

“Weakness for tears or not,” a Centaur male strokes his chin, “I don’t know if he’ll make a good king, at least, not now.”

“The one aiding him would be perfect for the throne,” the Elven woman says as she crosses her arms, “… if he were a bit manlier and wanted to rule.”

“We’ll see who’s worthy in due time,” Morgan states, watching the pool of water through his bangs.