‘Do you fear your father?’
The Prince, soon to be King, frowned at the question and then looked back through the room at the ailing man in his bed.
‘No. Why should I?’
‘Sons are supposed to replace fathers. Yet the King has lived well into his winter years, and you yourself, Prince, are in your Autumn.’
‘He’s been a good King and a good Father.’
‘And that is why you might fear him. He's had a long time to do a great deal of good. You will not have nearly as much time as he to achieve just as much.’
The Prince sighs, feigning exasperation where concern lies. ‘Why do you fret so much, Mother?’
‘Because in order to match your father's legacy, you may feel the need to do something great in the time you have. Great and terrible.’
Paddy Dobson
11th November 2023