Kingdom - Chapter 2
Chapter 2
In an ancient age, when the earth was still a single continent. One man had conquered the entire known world. From his lineage came 3 sons and 2 daughters. His end approaching, the balance of everything he had built is about to break.
If you want to read chapter 1.
In the previous chapter, the dying father had gathered his children, who hadn't seen each other for decades, to discuss his succession.
At these words, the faces of several children froze.
Arian, the eldest daughter, was the only one to maintain a neutral expression. She loved her father. But this wasn't the first time life had taken away what she loved. One day life is giving, the next it's taking away. Some leave. Some disappear. You must survive. Pain runs through you, but there's only one choice: let go and move on. She stared at her father with great respect. Seeming to want to shout to him: “I'm ready.”
Danae, the youngest daughter, trembled. The sight of her father in such a pitiful state was unbearable. Her eyes were beaded with fine droplets that reinforced the grace of her face. All she could think about was how that part of her world she'd been supporting herself on was about to fade away. And from this dive into the depths, she was not to sink.
She hadn't reacted to her father's words. Perhaps she hadn't understood him. Which was not the case for Kael, who was boiling. He tried to speak calmly, he was always trying to. But the swollen veins in his neck couldn't hide his rage.
"Kill each other? Is that what you think of us? Brothers and sisters daring to spill their own blood for power? I am…"
"Shut up."
These words had fallen like lightning.
"Kael, my son. If it gave you my kingdom, you'd take a sword and pierce me right now. You may love me, but it's nothing compared to your love of power. Your eyes reveal the depths of your soul. The ambition burning in your body warms this room. Be worthy and don't try to build an honor you don't possess."
These last sentences were spoken with surprising calm. They were hard words covered with no animosity. As if this father were simply stating an universal truth. Kael's veins continued to swell. They striated his neck and seemed to suffocate him. But he didn't dare reply.
Adrie wore a satisfied expression. He smirked as he looked his brother straight in the eye. He was glad to see that his father's love for his brother didn't cloud his judgment.
Everyone in the room knew the danger this brother represented. Everyone in the room knew that their fate would be in jeopardy if he wrested any power from his father.
The silence broke again.
"My children.
Your brother's ambition is not evil. The same ambition ignited my soul. Without ambition, no conquest is possible. Desire is the basis of victory. The one who wins is not the most intelligent, the most gifted or the most organized. The one who wins is the one who desires the most.
Try to remember this during the trials that lie ahead."