章節 33: Loyalty (Pt.2)

"I-I don't get it," Claudia sobbed tears falling down her face, "how can you be so devoted to someone so young, he's literally younger than you. How can you trust someone so young to lead a kingdom, to protect your life? How are you so loyal?"

"It's the same for you, isn't it? Aren't you so loyal to something too?" Boris replied, "Age doesn't matter in the face of a leader, sure experience is an issue but Dominic, my prince, is so much more than an age restriction. He is my savior and the leader of this kingdom. He survived the overwhelming waves of grief from the death of his father and was willing to take the title of king without complaining. He pulled me out of my grief and is so ridiculously nice, it's easy to be taken advantage of as it was in your case. He is the unique combination of the kind side of humanity, a survivor of the pain in humanity, a force of relentless perseverance, and power and determination not to be reckoned with."

"He stood back up after your attack and pushed to attend meetings in his bad state," Boris continued, his mind drifting off as he spoke about Dominic, "I want to follow a leader that can look after me and his kingdom even after being wounded. I want to follow the light in the darkness surrounding me. I would rather support someone young who makes up for it by being mentally strong than someone so intimidated by a younger generation, they choose to take something that isn't theirs. Dominic is my prince and king, who I will protect with my life. I will not be bent by failures who seek recognition in sadistic ways."

Claudia locked eyes with him through her tears and smiled, "I'm glad he has someone like you on his side. Someone who puts their trust completely in the one that they follow and don't wait for the chance to bite the heel of their leader," She sighed looking down at her tray of half-eaten food, "I wish my family was more like that. Maybe I wouldn't be here if they were."

Boris smiled, "I hope you get to see that chance."

Claudia laughed, "Maybe, and maybe then I'd be so awed that I'd call them my 'light'" She looked back up at him and smiled whole-heartedly, "You know, you almost sound like you're obsessed him."

Boris looked down and grinned his dimple deepening, "Don't I?"

"Yea," Claudia giggled, "I've never seen someone smile so brightly. Underneath all of those frowns you make, who knew you could make such a cute smile?"

"Yea," He chuckled to himself and looked up at Claudia with a reddened face, "someone told me that before."