Questions

[Sky]

OOC: Follows the Critical/Reunions/Meeting With Mother/Confusion threads

"Hey, Brandon - can I ask you a question?" Sky asked in a hesitant tone of voice. "I was just wondering something about you and Stella. I . . . uh . . . I know Solaria and Eraklyon are two completely different realms with different laws and stuff, but . . . but do you actually think that, if someday you wanted to marry Stella, you'd be allowed? God, this sounds terrible, but, you aren't a prince or even a member of the upper nobility. So wouldn't that mean that you wouldn't be able to marry her? And if so, why are you in a relationship with her now? Isn't that just going to cause you a lot of heartache later?"

Sky shook his head as he said quietly, "I only ask because I've been talking with my mother recently and you know how she is. She means well, but I can't help but feel that she cares more about Eraklyon than my happiness. I mean, I can't really blame her - it's her job to look out for the kingdom's best interests . . . but . . . but we had a conversation a few days ago and she is adamant that I find a 'suitable future wife.' I already told her that I would end things with Bloom, because my mother hates her because of her 'poor manners.' But that wasn't enough to please her. She wanted me to agree to never seeing Christine as anything more than a friend." Closing his eyes briefly, Sky then continued, "But you know how I feel about her, Brandon. She's great and she's intelligent and strong but . . . but she might never be able to have children. And what's more, even if she could, they wouldn't be recognized as legitimate. And then what? What happens to Eraklyon?"

Staring at Brandon, Sky said tiredly, "So what do I do? I need some advice; do I say screw Eraklyon and run off with Christine when she may or may not be 'the one,' or do I say 'sorry, Christine; I like you, but I love Eraklyon more?'"

[brandon2]

"Sorry Sky I can't give you advice about Christine or Eraklyon. Your going to have to decide that one on your own." Brandon started.

"As for Stella and I, I don't know what we will do if we ever decide to marry. True I'm not of royal blood but, because of you, I do have the same schooling as any Prince would have. Stella's parents are in the middle of a divorce so they aren't quite so stringent about their following the etiquette rules. So with that I have hope I have a chance of marrying her. But if I knew that I could never marry her would I still spend as much time with her now as I could then Yes, I would. I would much rather be able to remember the time we had together then wonder about what could have been." Brandon decided to go through what Sky said in order.

Brandon knew all to well what Sky's mother could be like and that was the one reason he was glad he was a foster child. "You and Bloom have been growing apart for a while so that's not a big deal. You knew that was coming. Any idea's what your mother's problem with Christine is? Could it be that she's only half royal? or because she's daring enough to join a boys school because they offered what she wanted? Sky, Don't hate me for this but I think your mother may only be happy when you pick someone that she has hand picked for you."

Brandon paused before tackling the hardest part of the conversation so far. "Your willing to put aside all the good qualities that she has because she might not be able to have children. As far as I know a might is a maybe; she still could have children. And if you married Christine why wouldn't her children be considered legitimate?"

"Sky yeah I'm your bodyguard but you are first and fore most my friend. And I want you to be happy, your not going to be your father no matter how much your mother tries to guilt you into it. Your only eighteen you still have a life time a head of you to find someone to marry."

[Sky]

"You're probably right; my mother probably will never be happy with whoever I end up marrying unless it's someone she chose. And I hate to sound whipped by my own mother, but don't you think there's a possibility that she's on to something? Ruling a kingdom isn't a joke; it isn't about 'love' or 'family.' If it had been about family, then how would you explain all those summers when we would go on 'family vacations' only to have my father go away to attend to business the day after we arrived at our destination? Eraklyon is always first; I mean, it has to be that way, doesn't it? If my father put his personal life first, how would anything get done? It wouldn't."

Sky sighed as he shook his head slightly, "I love Christine. I can admit that to you because you're my best friend, Brandon and I know you won't judge me for falling for someone other than the person I am in a relationship with. But because I love her, I know she deserves something better than being made second best. And besides that, she'd be humiliated if she married me. You know how people in Eraklyon are - just look at my mother. We're a bunch of snobs. Rich, superficial, how much money do you have, who are your parents, kind of snobs. They wouldn't accept Christine as their princess because they're just like all the children from her childhood who laughed at her and called her names because of her bloodline. And if we had children? It'd be bad enough to have a "half-breed" princess and queen, but to someday have a "half-breed" king? The public would be outraged. They wouldn't stand for it. They just wouldn't."