"Father, you and I are different," Mars looked at his father seriously. "To me, my wife and child's lives are more important than my honor. What happened yesterday was an emergency. If I didn't do what Killian asked, he might hurt Emmelyn, and by extension, he would also hurt my child. She was carrying my heir, the future ruler of this kingdom."

He continued his words carefully, because, even though he was talking to his father, Jared Strongmoor was the king of this empire. Mars should always respect the monarch.

"You are a great king and you have brought our kingdom to its current heights, father. I learn so much from you, and I really admire you, as a king, as a husband, and father. However, I am not you. I have my own perspectives on things. If you asked me to choose my family or my honor... I will always choose my family."

King Jared clenched his jaws when he saw how his only son had become disobedient.

"I didn't raise you to talk back to your father!" he roared. "She has truly changed you... I can't believe my son has become weak because of a woman. A king is not supposed to be like this. How can I step down and hand over power to you now?"

"Father.. if you think I'm too weak to be king, by all means, I don't have to be one. You can appoint someone else for the job because I will not change. This is who I am." Mars was stubborn.

He still maintained his respectful attitude, but he wouldn't budge with his point of view. He said, "I will do anything for my wife and child, even if I have to lose my life and the throne."

"So, if I asked you to choose between the throne and her, you will still choose that woman?" King Jared was getting furious. "Answer me!"

Mars remembered Emmelyn asked her a similar question months ago. She asked, if he was given the ultimatum to choose one between the two, between the woman he loved or his kingdom, what would he pick?

The prince immediately said that he would choose the one that didn't force him to choose.

It was an easy answer.

Well, Emmelyn didn't give him an ultimatum. His father did.

So, of course, he would choose Emmelyn.

"I will choose my wife," Mars replied firmly. "I'm sorry father. I cannot be your heir and take over power from you if you want me to be a ruthless king like you. I have also sent away the soldiers from yesterday's incident so you cannot kill them to remove witnesses."

BANG!

"You...!" King Jared punched the table next to him in anger.

So, Mars actually knew that they had to remove witnesses from the incident yesterday, yet he intentionally sent them away?

The king was so angry that his body shook and he staggered to sit on his chair. "I can't believe my only son would make me so disappointed. I really wish you are not my only child... I could have had a better heir than you... to inherit my throne."

"Well, father, I would have more siblings, if only our family was not cursed because you were too proud to beg for forgiveness from Lady Marielle after you broke her heart!"

Mars was finally provoked when his father said he wished he had other children to inherit the throne from him.

He was never disrespectful toward his father, but the past two days were hell and he was dead tired, physically and mentally.

He couldn't take it anymore.

Now, he just continued without holding back. "None of my siblings would die, and mother would not experience heartbreak after heartbreak for losing her babies if you didn't think your honor is more important than the woman you love and your children!"

SLAP!

"HOW DARE YOU!" King Jared finally lost it too.

His disappointment, coupled with his son's agitation, finally opened the well of fury. He slapped Mars with all his might out of reflex.

What his son said was the truth and King Jared couldn't lie to himself. He was haunted by those thoughts too. His heart often accused him of the same thing.

That all this misery was his fault.

King Jared couldn't help falling in love with another woman when he was already betrothed to Lady Marielle, but he should have handled things better.

He should have lowered his pride and asked for forgiveness from the woman he had hurt.

Marielle was not a bad person. She was kind and loving. She was devoted to him. She didn't deserve being abandoned so heartlessly like what he did to her.

Seeing Ellena today, King Jared's memory of the past was brought back to the surface. Was that how Marielle was feeling when she was heartbroken by her fiance's betrayal? It was so hurtful that she just wanted to die.

And she did finally take her own life because Jared didn't bother to reconnect with her and make amends.

Now, King Jared realized that it was all his fault. He knew it and he was bothered by it. But it still hurt when his own son slapped him with the truth.

Truth hurt.

And that's what made the king furious.

Mars stood still where he was. His father's slap didn't seem to affect him. He was almost numb to pain today. So many things had happened. He couldn't feel anything anymore.

"GUARDS! ARREST PRINCE MARS AND LOCK HIM UP IN THE GREY TOWER!" The king shouted to call the king's guards. "He will learn to respect the king!"

Four king's guards showed up, and they all looked confused. Didn't they mishear the order just now?

The king asked them to arrest his only son? How was that possible??

They looked at the king and the prince alternately, and when they noticed the tension between the two men, they realized the king was not joking and they didn't mishear.

He did order them to arrest his own son.

"Please forgive us, Your Highness. We have to do this," one guard said haltingly. He held the prince by the arm, followed by another guard.

Mars only nodded. He understood their reluctance to arrest him, but he knew if they disobeyed his father, it would be them who would be punished. So, he gave his arms willingly.

"It's okay. Just take me there," he said calmly.

Mars turned around and walked out of the king's study, together with the king's guards.

King Jared stood where he was with clenched fists. His eyes were filled with sorrow as he remembered Lady Marielle's face.

Now, he wished he was not so proud and stubborn in the past. He would have apologized to her.

.

.

>>>>>>

Aww.. Mars is such a good husband!

Btw, if you cannot see "The Cursed King" it might be because it's still being vetted by the editor. You can find the book if you clicked my profile and see under the ACTIVITY tab, there is a reading list called "Spirity 2021 Favorites".

You can click the reading list and see my book, The Cursed King" together with my friends' books. Go check their books too. You might find good books that you can enjoy.

PS: The Cursed King cover can be seen in my comment here. I'm commissioning a new cover but it will take time. So, I am using a temporary cover for now.