The Royal Contract

He pushed himself off the water, letting the water drip down his body. After several laps in the pool, he had enough. He knew that was more than enough exercise for the morning.

He still had an early meeting to attend after having breakfast with his wife. He kept telling himself he was not avoiding the woman still sleeping in his bed, but that was a lie.

"What are you doing?" He could not help but question his rationality as he shook off the remaining water in his hair and grabbed the towel dangling on the side of the lounge chair.

He knew, sooner or later, he would need an heir, but he felt guilty for using his wife like she was an object he bought to fulfill his plans.

He wished he could love her the way she deserved. She was a good woman who was putting up with his crap. But how could he give his heart to her when he already gave it to someone else?

"Damn it!" He felt his frustration with his situation. How he wished there was another. It would have been better if he had met Camilla before he fell in love with Eida.

But that was not the case.

He sucked. His life was a mess. He felt like the lowest scam bag, thinking about the pain he was causing his wife.

But what could he do? He had an obligation to the crown. Soon, his coronation would come. They would declare him King and Camilla his Queen.

And the entire Kingdom would expect their firstborn. The Council would require him to produce an heir, preferably a son. But what if he had a daughter?

"I should set an appointment with Count Ashthorne." He told himself, remembering his suggestion to change their long tradition.

"I think our laws are obsolete." The Count argued with him in one of their private conversations. "With the changing times, I think it is time that we adjust our rules accordingly.

He could not agree with him more, also noticing a few things about their old ways that needed adjustment to keep up with the current times.

"What do you suggest?" He asked, curious about what the Count had to say. He had always been one of his mentors and strong advocates.

He always liked listening to his advice, believing it was not self-serving, and had always had the Kingdom as the priority and benefactor.

The Count suggested; a few laws that tackled poverty, hunger, and the health care service for the masses. He also expressed a few more opinions about their criminal justice system.

"I could not agree with you more. But, of course, we need time to study all about this and consider the repercussions of the changes we will be implementing, especially regarding the impact on future generations."

First, he had to become King so he could initiate these changes. Then, they had to undergo years of research and understanding before executing these changes.

"Of course, I will not have it any other way." The Count also acknowledged his opinion. "But there is one more thing." The Count said, pausing for a few seconds as if he was deliberating on how to broach the topic.

"What is it?" He asked, more curious than ever. He had never known the Count to hesitate. But he could see his reluctance at the moment.

"Well, there is the subject of finding an heir. It had been the rule since the old times that only the firstborn son could become a Crown Prince." Count Julius explained their tradition that he already knew by heart.

"Only a few conditions could break the line of succession, just like in your case. But still, the firstborn applies with no exceptions.

But the problem arises when there is no firstborn son. Chaos ensued, and wars followed as each battle for the throne." The Count continued a brief summation of their history.

"Yeah, that has been the issue before. Do you have any other suggestion?" Suddenly, he was curious. If they had another law, maybe he could have avoided becoming King.

He could have pursued a life away from the Kingdom. He could be with the woman he loved. But that was not true. He would have been miserable since she would still have left him.

"I believe..." The older man paused for a second. "It is time we consider a firstborn daughter as an heir.

We have seen the other Kingdoms consider their first daughter as their Queen. Other nations already had their first woman presidents.

We have seen how women evolved to become more or less our equal." The Count expressed his bold opinion, which he had no doubt would have been rejected by the Council outright if not backed up by the King.

But fortunately, he agreed with his mentor's opinion. He also had seen how strong women were. He witnessed how capable most women were in taking a man's role.

"I think you are right. A firstborn daughter should also have a right to the throne." At that point, he could not stop thinking about it.

He would want this law and tradition revised if he became King. He did not want to rob his daughter of the opportunity to rule. He would not deprive her of her birthright.

Of course, that was if he had a daughter as his firstborn. But first, he had to keep sleeping with his wife so he could impregnate her.

He rubbed his body with the towel, drying himself up before wearing his robe. Then, he walked back to the palace, taking the stairs two at a time until he reached the top.

Afterward, he leisurely walked in the hallways until he reached his room. Thankfully, Camilla asked for her private room, where she slept most nights unless they slept together.

He knew this was not the ideal setup for a married couple, but it was a norm in the Royal family, especially when it was an arranged marriage.

"Good morning, Your Highness." One of the maids bowed her head before him, greeting him as he stood by the door of his room.

"Where is the Princess?" He asked, knowing he had left her in bed earlier since she had slept in his room last night.

The woman had kept her face low, not looking at his face as she answered him. "The Princess moved to her room when she woke up a few minutes ago. I just finished cleaning your room, Your Highness."

She quickly explained before excusing herself from his presence. Then, he was left alone in his room, without the wife he had tried not to see that morning.

Maybe he was handling this situation wrong.

How could he learn to love her if he kept avoiding her? Maybe it was time that he tried to make this marriage work by making it real.

"She is my wife," Lance mumbled in the silent, empty room.

She deserved everything he could give her. It might not be the same kind of love as the one he gave to Eida, but he could try to love her in another way.

Quickly, he showered and arranged a plan for his wife. He only hoped it would be good enough to make her happy because she also deserved it.

Then, he knocked on the door of her private room, wondering if she was ready for breakfast. But that was not the first agenda of his plans. He had something else he wished to do first.

"Yes, Lance, do you need anything?" She asked, slightly surprised to see him by her door. It was the first time he had come to her room since they had married.

He could see she was not afraid of him, but she was slightly anxious about why he was there. He guessed it was about time to change that.

His wife should feel comfortable around him at all times. When they had agreed to this arrangement, they compromised on an equal partnership.

"I have a suggestion. But first, we need to talk. Are you ready?" He quickly offered his hand to her, inviting her for breakfast.

They could discuss their plans over the most important meal of the day. Hopefully, they could seal their future together before the breakfast was over.

"So, what do you want to talk to me about?" She asked when they were already having their coffee and a variety of pastries before them.

Camilla looked slightly anxious, appearing as if she could not wait to get the conversation over. He guessed he only had himself to blame when he had put all those rules between them.

"I believe..." He hesitated for a second. But he knew he had to do it. "It will be better if we share only one room." That was his first thought.

He believed that was the first step to having a real marriage. They had to learn to live together. They had to adjust to their differences and discover their likes and dislikes.

He had to put aside his past if he wanted this marriage to work. Then, they had to stop living separately, so they could eventually develop feelings for each other.

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