~1 day ago~

Jackson’s steps are heavy as he makes his way towards his mother’s office. He crosses the palace garden, and towards the big double doors, does he stop. His hand is lifted, ready to knock on the huge oak doors, only for said doors to swing open. Exposing his smiling mother in her customary coral blue, and white dress.

“Mark said you needed to talk to me, mom?”

“Mark is such a sweet boy isn’t he? I remember when I first met him, wasn’t but three feet tall. Now look at him towing over my head lik-“

“Mom, everyone knows how much you love Mark, but I’ve got sword lessons in fifteen minutes, and I was hoping we could make this fast.” Jackson says, smiling at his mother’s antics to get of topic easily.

“Oh my boy, no need to be in such a rush, and just so you know, no one could ever beat my love for you.” She smiles at him.

“Well, that’s not true. I think the Jester is giving you a run for the money.” She pats her son’s check, signaling for him to come through the doors.

“Well, he does have fantastic trick. I wouldn’t blame you.” He says smiling at her.

She laughs as she walks around her desk to sits down. While her son takes the seat in the chair in front of the desk.

His mother sits up straight, and looks him directly in the eyes, and Jackson realizes this talk is most likely going to take longer than fifteen minutes. He sits up at attention waiting for his mother to begin her talk.

“Jackson, you know you’re about to take over the throne, and I really hate to say this because I know how much you hate being tied down.” His mother gives him a look, Jackson looks away from his mother's gaze.

“But you can’t keep sleeping around like this when you become king. So I‘ve made arrangement for a marriage meeting, with a young princess in Qirendilian. Don’t give that face, it is just a marriage meeting, that’s all. You won’t have to marry her, all you have to do is meet her.” She explains to her son.

“What about the mud slide, and blocked the path leading there?” Jackson says looking at his mother, hoping she’ll forget all about the meeting.

“This is a once in a lifetime chance, honey. She’s the princess of Qirendilian. You know how much we need more stock, this town is running dry of resources. I’m not saying to marry the girl, but that would be the best course of action for us right now.” His mother looks at him with pleading eyes.

He remembers the dry spell they had a few years back, when he was only seventeen. He saw it happen as the crops started to die, and hardly, if ever grow. He knew how much his citizens needed more, well everything.

“Why can’t we do what the Karladia kingdom is doing, and hunt fairies? We could hav-“

“I will not hunt fairies down, and have them suffer just because you do not want to be married. I am upset enough that other kingdoms are hunting down forest fairies, and making them slaves. I am disappointed that you would even think of such a cruel thing.” The Queen voice rings out through the room. Jackson looks down at his clasp hands in his lap, ashamed.

“Now you will have this meeting. I’m sorry, but there is nothing I can do about the mud slide, so I hate to say, but you will have to go through Tidilion forest.” The Queens eyes soften as she stares at her son.

“I know you want to find the one person you love, and maybe that’s why you jump from one girl to another every night, but I want you to find that one you wouldn’t mind spending the rest of your life with, and maybe, just maybe, this marriage meeting is for a reason.” She softly smiles tilting her son's face up to look her in the eye.

“Okay, mom.” Her son says.

“I don’t want to hear any more talk of enslaving the fairies, okay?” The stern face of the Queen's is back, looking at her son for his agreement.

“I won’t, I really don’t know what I was thinking saying that.” The prince voices apologetically, looking at his