Bartolomeu 

I woke up in despair after a strange nightmare. My body and heart felt as if they were on fire, and I heard an incessant knocking at my door. Still sleepy, from my bed, I can see the shining morning trying to invade the bedroom. I walk to the door to see what urgency awaits me. When I finally manage to open the door, there was Ofélia, the sweet middle-aged woman who had overseen our upbringing. She enters the room very quickly. 

“Good morning, Bartolomeu.” 

With that alone, she fills the room: the sound of the curtains being drawn could be heard, and the light finally fills the space. Everyone who is not a member of the family was supposed to use my title when addressing me, but I never cared about that; she even uses nicknames. 

Standing at the door was the man who tried so hard to wake me up. He looked at me with a grumpy expression. He is the King’s counselor; as far as I can remember, he had always been old. 

“Greetings, Prince Bartolomeu. The King and Queen have sent me here because they wish to meet with you at midday” 

“You could have waited a little longer before waking me up.” 

“Your Highness, it is almost ten! I have delivered the message and must now return to my duties.” 

“All right, sorry, I didn’t have a good night… But next time, try not to break my door.” 

My attention returns to Ofélia, who has already put everything in order. Before leaving, she stops and looks at me. 

“I’ve prepared a cold shower for you, my boy. Looks like you’ve been having nightmares again, right?” 

“How do you know that?” 

“Oh, my sweet, I’ve been seeing this face for about twenty-three years now" She gives me a welcoming smile  “And these dark circles make it easy to tell.” 

“Thank the maker, for you in my life!” 

She leaves, and I head to the bathroom, where the bathtub is ready just as Ofelia said. There is nothing better for these moments than cold water and as my body temperature drops, I begin to relax. I can feel that this morning it's going to be a bed one; These mattings just happen when a disaster is about to unfold, suddenly an electric shiver runs down my spine “maybe they saw something or find Something?” It cannot be, I'm verry discreet whit my practices always kipping to the most isolated areas of the castle.  

I sink my head and try to convince myself  "Everything is going to be fine."  

In front of the mirror my face Looks terrible, paler than the usual. Around my eyes, there is this dark aura, and my gaze is down. The clothes I chose are light yet still seen palatial, I adjust the crown on my head, admiring it; Such a fine work from the craftsman, made of silver, with sharpened points and arabesques all around, studded with citrine. My father ordered for my birthday, he really impresses me sometimes. 

One last check and I'm ready to go see my mom and dad.  

Before the meeting, I head to the garden where a beautiful breakfast table has been set in the distance. Fron afar, I can recognize the two messy heads of red hair belonging to my sisters, both are seated with their book in hand; one of them has her mouth full of blueberry cake.  

They are incredible. Always reading about everything, endlessly wandering through libraries, It's rare for them to lack an answer. They Both the same, twins, yet their personality could not be more different, same as their eye colors, one has green eyes like mine, and the other has black eyes, just like my father's.  

When they noticed me, the books came down and I met with those bright smiles.  

“Good morning, Bart” they say almost in unison.  

“Well, look at my two favorite sisters in the world! Agatha and Agnes tell me, what’s the reddling of today?”  I ask, sitting with them, pouring myself a cup of fresh strawberry juice.  

“Rereading tales and wars from the past” She almost makes me choke. I’m not an avid reader, but I believe that everyone knows that book, It tells the stories of our kingdom and the sad stain of blood that still lingers in our memories.  

“I’m reading about precious stones and their meanings” Agatha says “Crystals like the ones you love, they’re known as stones of happiness” She points at my crown. 

“You can bet your ginger hair that your brother here is already very happy!” I force a smile; I wish I could truly believe it but I was born with something that must be hidden from everyone, never allowing me to be who I'm 

“Will you go horseback riding with me today?” Agnes asks, looking serious.  

“I don’t know yet, It depends on how much longer the meeting with our parents lasts.”  

“And don’t forget. You also promised me a walk through the north gardens” Agatha reminds me, taking another slice of the cake.  

“How could I forget it? I’ll try my best to fit you both into my schedule, my noble ladies.” I love them both, and the way they are. Agnes, always so close, serious and independent. Agatha, with her big heart, a princess who is ready to be rescued from the tower.  

“It’s unexpected that you’ll get to see the Queen It's been almost three months since I last saw her face.”  

“I don’t know Agnes ... Something bad is coming. I can feel it.” They look at me as if they could feel the same way, silence falls for a moment. I finish my drink, stand up and say goodbye.  

“Good luck there brother” they say together once more. 

“Thanks!” 

I make my way through the throne room, where I’m about to find out why they want to speak with me. Along the long hall I see the exaggerated paintings on the marble walls; they represent moments of history, our ancestors, and some landscapes, all shining in the light that comes through the large windows.  

When I come to my senses, right in front of me stands the door with our family’s coat of arms craved at its center; a bright moon and a man with his dog gazing at it. I take a deep breath and with the hands shaking slightly, I push the door announcing my entrance.

I always catch myself amazed by how big this place is, we also hold royal balls here and It’s decorated with an ivory-colored carpet that stretches all the way across, light walls with finely worked marble, and right above my head hangs a silver chandelier that, when lit, seems like stars on the ceiling. My father always loved this kind of thing; for him It is a way of showing, through beauty, our strength and power as leaders. 

In front of me are the thrones two of them adorned with white gold, and three more modest ones where my sisters and I sit in the festivities. My father draws my attention when he calls my name. 

—Prince Bartolomeu, come closer, please — He says in his “kingly way” he only uses that tone with us when the subject is of utmost importance.  

—Yes, father...Sorry... King Ricardo Arvid — It’s hard to call him that. 

He is there sitting on his throne with a worried expression. Beside him is my mother, her ginger hair like Ágatha’s and Agnes’s but neatly arranged into a grand hairstyle that makes her look even more imposing. She didn't share the same worries as my father I can tell. The way he is looking at me makes hard to breathe, with the possibility that they discovered what I'm.  

“Greetings, Queen Bryana Odília Arvid 1º” I bow to her, and in return I receive a calculated smile. We have never been closer to her, she always showed her dislike for us especially when our father was not around. 

“We need to talk about your future, my dear son” He sighs in anguish “Your mother...The queen, has been in contact with the Kingdom of Markitur, and you know that since the war, even with the peace treaty, we have always faced instabilities with them.” 

“What does your majesty mean by all that?” I don't like the direction this conversation is taking. He can possibly mean that...  

Before he can continue, the queen speaks up, ambition and cynicism clear in her voice.   

“What he is trying to say is that you are going to be married to Princess Elizabth! I already arranged everything with her father, King Willian. this it's going to...”  

“What!? No! I’m not getting married!” I can’t even imagine such nonsense, condemning my life to yet another lie. 

“How dare you raise your voice to me!”  

“Stop! Both of you! Bartolomeu, don’t raise your voice. And you...” He stares deeply at his wife “Never interrupt me while I’m speaking to my son, especially in a situation like this” He clears his throat “Yes, unfortunately this is what you must do for our kingdon to prevent imbalance, between us.”  

“Father, please, I beg you! Don’t force me to do that” I felt anger getting uncontrollable, a blazing flame flicking inside, but I can’t show this to them, I must hide “I don’t want to be unhappy next to who I'm going to be married, I want to be Happy! There must be another way to end this uncertainty between the kingdoms” Impatient the Queen rolled her eyes.  

"Sorry, son, but this opportunity is knocking at our door, and we must seize it before it's gone." said my father 

“And you are going to learn to enjoy the princess’s company. What is happiness when we are talking about ending any conflict with Markitur, unifying the kingdoms, and having the king William’s army on our side!” Said the woman with arrogance, a tone that she doesn’t usually use in front of my father.  

“Understand this is for the sake of all of us.” 

“There is nothing to understand, you have already made up your mind, I’m done with this conversation! If you two are married for convenience, that's okay with me, But I'm not going to do this!” I look at my mother when I say that, turning around almost bringing the hole floor with me.  

“You insolently child, came back here, now!” I can hear her scream, but I ignore it. Then with irony she said.  “We haven’t discussed the preparations yet”  

“To hell with your preparations!” My face was burning, and I almost felt everything that I hidden come to my throat.