Page 1 of A Royal Obligation

Chapter One

Barrett

Itwasn’tproperfora prince to hate anyone.

Prince Barrett Phillip Louis Alden, the Crown Prince of Wistonia, looked out the front hall window and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Barrett watched as an attendant helped Viscount Stephen Howard get into a Rolls-Royce and then drive off the palace property. His shoulders relaxed as he took a deep breath, and each moment the car pulled away, the more tension lifted within him. Once the car disappeared from Barrett’s sight, the weight had disappeared entirely.

Thank you for coming. Please hesitate to come back.

He spun on his heels, and his steps were lighter as he wound his way through the pristine halls. His perfectly shined dress shoes echoed off the white marble floors with each step. The light coming in from the big bay windows bounced off the eggshell white walls, flooding the hall with a radiant glow.

Barrett made his way into the family dining room and ran his hand along the wallpaper with specks of authentic gold leaf throughout as he walked the length of it. The House of Alden crest hung on the wall behind the head of the table, displaying the Wistonian colors of emerald green, white, and gold along with their royal house motto:Spem, felicitas, et bene esse omnibus. Hope, happiness, and well-being for all.

He took his usual seat to the right of his father, the king, who gave a slight nod to Barrett, barely acknowledging his presence.

“Oh, did the viscount leave?” The wide smile that covered Barrett’s face made his green eyes lighten with amusement.

“You know very well he did; otherwise you wouldn’t be so cheery.” King Henry grunted.

“Were you able to get the trade port matter resolved?” Barrett raised an eyebrow quizzically. The press loved to make jokes about the “jumping eyebrows” of the Wistonian royal men. No matter how hard he tried, Barrett could never quite seem to stop his eyebrows from expressing exactly how he was feeling. It was like they had a mind of their own.

“There wasn’t a matter to be resolved. I would prefer to keep Lord Howard on our side,” the king said as he lifted his own eyebrows, causing the worry lines on his forehead to nearly reach his fully grayed hair.

Barrett’s hand froze as he reached for his glass of water.

“You can’t be serious, Father. I know he’s a member of the King’s Council, but the law says he can’t profit off of trade routes.” Barrett’s face reddened as anger rose within his chest.

“I’m the king, and I made the call.”

“You of all people can’t ignore the law. If the law says only the Crown has a hand in international trades, then he can’t profit.”

“Wistonia needs Lord Howard’s support. That is more important to me.”

“The law should be the most important—”

“I know what the law says!” King Henry yelled and slammed his hands on the table, which caused him to start coughing. Barrett quickly handed the king a napkin, and he wiped his mouth. He paused before continuing his thought. “I’m glad you’re so concerned with the law though. Because there is a critical one you seem to be overlooking.”

Barrett’s head snapped up in shock. “That can’t be. Which one? I mean, I’m a little rusty on Article 4, Section 1 surrounding abdication but that hasn’t happened for centuries.”

“Article 2, Section 17.”

Barrett’s face drained of color and his mouth felt like sandpaper. He took a sip of water to quench his parched throat before he whispered, “I remember.”

“Delightful.” A forced smile cracked the king’s aged face. “I trust you’ll keep that law in the forefront of your mind.”

“I still have plenty of time to take a wife.” A moan rumbled from his lips.

“You can never be too sure. You must marry soon.” King Henry stated with a glance at the doorway. “Heaven forbid Liam somehow becomes king.”

Waiting for Liam had become routine. The fact that Barrett and Liam had the same parents and looked somewhat similar might be the extent of their commonalities. They both had the same build—tall and muscular without being too bulky. But while Barrettkept his blonde waves cropped somewhat short and always styled in a presentable manner, Liam kept his light brown hair longer. He often ran his hands through it, trying to slick it back, but it always looked messy and unprofessional in Barrett’s opinion.

Their biggest difference was in their personalities. Fulfilling his royal duties was Barrett’s biggest focus, along with sticking to his routines. Prince Liam was spontaneous and unreliable. Barrett was the shining image of who you would expect a Crown Prince to be, but Liam was dubbed “The Royal Heartbreaker” by the media. Having integrity and protecting his image were of the utmost importance to Barrett, while Liam used his handsome looks and charm to get what he wanted in life.

As if on cue, Liam burst through the door, arms open wide proclaiming, “Don’t fret, I have arrived.” He did an exaggerated bow, tipping an invisible top hat with a sly smirk on his face before taking a seat in the chair furthest away from his father and brother. Barrett let out a sigh and refrained from rolling his eyes. He would not resort to his brother’s childish games.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Liam barked at the wait staff as he clapped his hands, sending them on their way to bring out lunch. He then pulled out his cellphone, completely ignoring Barrett and the king.

Barrett tugged down the sleeve of his suit jacket. While their family dinners didn’t require formal attire, he believed one needed to dress for the job one wants. He wanted to become king, so he was sure to dress in a manner that looked the part whether he was walking around the gardens, attending a ball, or eating a small family dinner. Liam, on the other hand, wore what Barrett believed people called “joggers” along with a plain white tee and a gray cardigan. His complete disregard for formality and taking anything seriously irked Barrett to no end.

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