Chapter 5

Father, Daughter Chat

“Ah, I found you!” stated Emperor Leyva as he walked in to the room where he found his daughter sitting down. “Mind if I take a seat?”

The princess laughed, “You’re the Emperor, you can do whatever you want.”

“Well yes, but it’s polite to ask.”

“Yes father, you can take a seat” she smiled up at her aging father.

Xaabosian’s were long lived, but they weren’t immortal and time was taking its toll on her father. She noticed the effort it took for her father to take the seat, she offered her hand but he stubbornly refused. Finally seated and settled, he turned to face his daughter.

“Tell me, what are your plans for choosing your bond this weekend?”

Princess Leyva just shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know father. Do I have to choose? Can’t you do it?”

“The choice must be your own.”

She was terrified of that choice, knowing that whatever choice she made she would irreparably break the heart of her best friend.

“I know who I want to choose.” she said weakly.

“I know who you want to choose too. But it can’t be.” the Emperor said. “I have nothing against the girl, I think it is good that you’ve made her feel welcome in this palace. But you can’t choose her.”

“I know father.” Princess Leyva stood up. “I’m going to bed, goodnight.”

The Emperor sat there and watched his daughter disappear. He almost wished that she would disobey him and choose the Helsian girl. The “Unification Wars” was his fathers legacy, and a popular one at that. He had no choice but to see it through or face assassination.

But she won’t disobey him. Ever the dutiful daughter, he just prayed that she wouldn’t choose Korv.