Vices
Two.
The fire crackled as it enveloped logs in the fireplace, warming the cold room, and providing slight amounts of light as Balize sat in a chair, staring at the flames. She had a curiosity streak that was never going to be crushed. There was something intriguing in everything she laid eyes on, big or small. She knew eventually it would get her into trouble, but even that fact stroked the curious being inside of her.
"Balize, I see you have come early. Have you many tales to share with me? I look very much forward to hearing them." Balize stood up and curtsied quickly, showing a sign of respect to the higher ranking individual. He waved her formalities aside and she took a seat, her dress touching the floor, hiding her still bare feet. She was dressed in formal attire, and she felt as though her sides were going to fall in on themselves everything was so tight.
"I do have many tales. If you would like to take a seat, I will tell you about the first village I walked upon while in France," he took a seat in a chair next to her and smiled with deep interest, "There was a family there with many children. So many children it is a wonder how the mother is even still living and as plump as she is!" He chuckled lightly and Balize smiled. He was such a friendly person, with such a kind spirit. Nothing like many of the other Kings she had heard of. "The father he is a traveling merchant, and the oldest boy is nearly ten years of age. I stopped at their house to purchase some fresh drinking water, as before I was simply drinking from streams and they had a very lovely looking well. The little boy he runs out from the barn, holding a pitchfork that is far too large for his frame, he must be only six years of age, and then he runs at me with it, and just before he gets there he slips. The pitchfork falls to the ground, and he falls after it, and his face lands in a rather large pile of sheep waste."
The king laughed until tears sprang forth from his eyes and she waited patiently for him to be done. "That must have been most jolly to have seen. I wish that I would be able to see that one day." Balize nodded, noting the sad sparkle in his eyes. She knew that being King had to be extremely weighing on him. A whole country depending on what he did, if he did something wrong they would turn against him, kill him even. She did not envy him in the least.
"Tell me Sire, how were things here at the castle while I was gone? I heard some unsettling news upon my arrival, and if you would like to share I would like to hear it." He nodded and rubbed his temples lightly, and she took in a sharp breath of air. It was not like him to share how he was feeling, but she could tell he was in need of someone to speak to. He had nobody really, he could not talk to the others, and not his wife, any problems laid on her could kill the babe.
"They are most horrible Balize. There are so many rebellions everywhere. I have done nothing wrong, I am a good king am I not? People here in the castle are even speculating on whether or not the rebellions are justified. Division lines are being drawn and I am powerless to stop it all. I have done everything I can think of to keep things unnoticed but it seems as though everything I do is wrong. Nothing seems to be well enough for the kingdom. I do not kill people all the time, I do not persecute innocents, I keep all of my villagers well fed, what have I done to deserve such wrongs?" She shrugged her shoulders and laid her hand on his in sympathy.
"Sometimes your Highness, it is not about what you do, but instead about being there, and proving that you care more than making rules. I have been to many countries and ours is by far the best of them all, but perhaps you can show them you are more than a faceless person in a castle, but one of them too," She supplied and he closed his eyes and nodded. Things would never be easy for any of them, and the day her sister married royalty her life ended being what she wanted, but she never could find herself to hate her sister for it. She thought about it often, how the atmosphere around the royals impacted how her life had to be lived, and although she had more freedom than most royals, she was just as chained down.
"You are right of course. Sometimes though I must admit to myself that I resent being King. It must be so much easier to be a traveler, like yourself. Do you find your life to be a happy one?" She sighed and looked upon the floor, tracing the curves of her feet with her eyes.
"It is. I must admit there are moments that I as well resent what we have been dealt, but God allows us each one life and does not allow us to change it because what he has given us is already what is best, even if we may not understand why. Even you as king have a larger purpose that extends far beyond these palace walls; you just do not recognize it yet. One day perhaps you shall." He nodded and folded his arms and stared into the flames, lost within himself. Balize took the silent moment to study him, take in the features she had come to know and love about him. He was an incredibly handsome man, with fair skin and honey colored eyes that held emotions most people did not see. Yes, King James had his times of utter cruelty, but Balize never saw that side of him. She only saw the kind side that was interested in world travels and taking care of his people in the most just way he saw fit. He loved his subjects and treated his servants well, she had only heard of the barbaric practices he partook in whilst she was away.
She envied her sister sometimes; she had the love of the king within her legal hands, not just in theory. Although she knew for a fact her sister did not like the king, and in all reality, could barely stand to be around him. She had multiple affairs and Balize had a strong feeling the King knew but was so blinded by his affection for her sister that he could not bring himself to accept it. So instead Balize knew he merely ignored the fact as a circumstance of inconvenience but relatively unimportant as well. “I have heard the news of the new child to be, are you excited?” She said finally and he turned his attention back to her, the firelight reflecting off his eyes.
“I grow tired of children I must say. I only wish to have an heir, and that is it. My own Mother and Father barely had time to spend with me as a small person, so I seemed to have inherited their unwavering impatience and dislike for children. I will only prove excited if it is a son to take the throne once I pass. Until then I shall give the Queen the room in which to do what she wants with the babe. A girl is of no use to me.”
“Surely you do not mean to speak such harsh words about people you must love dearly, for if you do that would be most sad indeed,” Balize spoke and he laughed. When she chastised him she always got a good round of laughter from him. Perhaps it was because she was the only person who would tell him such things.
“You Balize, humor me greatly. I care for few people, you must know that. But if it makes you happy I shall try to show them more favoritism. Tell me Balize, when shall you take a husband?” She cringed visibly and his smile fell. “Surely one must take one eventually. Or else your days shall be full of unhappiness. You must have given your heart to at least one person...” She shrugged her shoulders and smiled at him.
“Maybe one day long ago, but now I travel and have no will or time for such inconveniences. I thank you for your concern though your Highness, it is greatly appreciated. My sister is of most luck to be married to someone such as you.” He nodded and she bowed, taking her exit. As she walked back to her room she tossed away the thoughts she always had when allowing herself to think. She was in love with a King who was married to her sister as well as his country, and she would travel as long as it took her to forget that fact...
"Balize, I see you have come early. Have you many tales to share with me? I look very much forward to hearing them." Balize stood up and curtsied quickly, showing a sign of respect to the higher ranking individual. He waved her formalities aside and she took a seat, her dress touching the floor, hiding her still bare feet. She was dressed in formal attire, and she felt as though her sides were going to fall in on themselves everything was so tight.
"I do have many tales. If you would like to take a seat, I will tell you about the first village I walked upon while in France," he took a seat in a chair next to her and smiled with deep interest, "There was a family there with many children. So many children it is a wonder how the mother is even still living and as plump as she is!" He chuckled lightly and Balize smiled. He was such a friendly person, with such a kind spirit. Nothing like many of the other Kings she had heard of. "The father he is a traveling merchant, and the oldest boy is nearly ten years of age. I stopped at their house to purchase some fresh drinking water, as before I was simply drinking from streams and they had a very lovely looking well. The little boy he runs out from the barn, holding a pitchfork that is far too large for his frame, he must be only six years of age, and then he runs at me with it, and just before he gets there he slips. The pitchfork falls to the ground, and he falls after it, and his face lands in a rather large pile of sheep waste."
The king laughed until tears sprang forth from his eyes and she waited patiently for him to be done. "That must have been most jolly to have seen. I wish that I would be able to see that one day." Balize nodded, noting the sad sparkle in his eyes. She knew that being King had to be extremely weighing on him. A whole country depending on what he did, if he did something wrong they would turn against him, kill him even. She did not envy him in the least.
"Tell me Sire, how were things here at the castle while I was gone? I heard some unsettling news upon my arrival, and if you would like to share I would like to hear it." He nodded and rubbed his temples lightly, and she took in a sharp breath of air. It was not like him to share how he was feeling, but she could tell he was in need of someone to speak to. He had nobody really, he could not talk to the others, and not his wife, any problems laid on her could kill the babe.
"They are most horrible Balize. There are so many rebellions everywhere. I have done nothing wrong, I am a good king am I not? People here in the castle are even speculating on whether or not the rebellions are justified. Division lines are being drawn and I am powerless to stop it all. I have done everything I can think of to keep things unnoticed but it seems as though everything I do is wrong. Nothing seems to be well enough for the kingdom. I do not kill people all the time, I do not persecute innocents, I keep all of my villagers well fed, what have I done to deserve such wrongs?" She shrugged her shoulders and laid her hand on his in sympathy.
"Sometimes your Highness, it is not about what you do, but instead about being there, and proving that you care more than making rules. I have been to many countries and ours is by far the best of them all, but perhaps you can show them you are more than a faceless person in a castle, but one of them too," She supplied and he closed his eyes and nodded. Things would never be easy for any of them, and the day her sister married royalty her life ended being what she wanted, but she never could find herself to hate her sister for it. She thought about it often, how the atmosphere around the royals impacted how her life had to be lived, and although she had more freedom than most royals, she was just as chained down.
"You are right of course. Sometimes though I must admit to myself that I resent being King. It must be so much easier to be a traveler, like yourself. Do you find your life to be a happy one?" She sighed and looked upon the floor, tracing the curves of her feet with her eyes.
"It is. I must admit there are moments that I as well resent what we have been dealt, but God allows us each one life and does not allow us to change it because what he has given us is already what is best, even if we may not understand why. Even you as king have a larger purpose that extends far beyond these palace walls; you just do not recognize it yet. One day perhaps you shall." He nodded and folded his arms and stared into the flames, lost within himself. Balize took the silent moment to study him, take in the features she had come to know and love about him. He was an incredibly handsome man, with fair skin and honey colored eyes that held emotions most people did not see. Yes, King James had his times of utter cruelty, but Balize never saw that side of him. She only saw the kind side that was interested in world travels and taking care of his people in the most just way he saw fit. He loved his subjects and treated his servants well, she had only heard of the barbaric practices he partook in whilst she was away.
She envied her sister sometimes; she had the love of the king within her legal hands, not just in theory. Although she knew for a fact her sister did not like the king, and in all reality, could barely stand to be around him. She had multiple affairs and Balize had a strong feeling the King knew but was so blinded by his affection for her sister that he could not bring himself to accept it. So instead Balize knew he merely ignored the fact as a circumstance of inconvenience but relatively unimportant as well. “I have heard the news of the new child to be, are you excited?” She said finally and he turned his attention back to her, the firelight reflecting off his eyes.
“I grow tired of children I must say. I only wish to have an heir, and that is it. My own Mother and Father barely had time to spend with me as a small person, so I seemed to have inherited their unwavering impatience and dislike for children. I will only prove excited if it is a son to take the throne once I pass. Until then I shall give the Queen the room in which to do what she wants with the babe. A girl is of no use to me.”
“Surely you do not mean to speak such harsh words about people you must love dearly, for if you do that would be most sad indeed,” Balize spoke and he laughed. When she chastised him she always got a good round of laughter from him. Perhaps it was because she was the only person who would tell him such things.
“You Balize, humor me greatly. I care for few people, you must know that. But if it makes you happy I shall try to show them more favoritism. Tell me Balize, when shall you take a husband?” She cringed visibly and his smile fell. “Surely one must take one eventually. Or else your days shall be full of unhappiness. You must have given your heart to at least one person...” She shrugged her shoulders and smiled at him.
“Maybe one day long ago, but now I travel and have no will or time for such inconveniences. I thank you for your concern though your Highness, it is greatly appreciated. My sister is of most luck to be married to someone such as you.” He nodded and she bowed, taking her exit. As she walked back to her room she tossed away the thoughts she always had when allowing herself to think. She was in love with a King who was married to her sister as well as his country, and she would travel as long as it took her to forget that fact...