Heir to the Throne

This one really fired up my imagination!

I'm wondering if Ethan's story may need to eventually be expanded into a whole comic. 🤪

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Ethan held the phone to his ear and listened. He’d dreaded this call for weeks, but it couldn’t be avoided. Ethan’s best friend, Kevin, had called and texted so many times without getting a reply he finally threatened to call the cops to check on him. That’s when Ethan finally called and tried to pretend like everything was normal, but Kevin wasn’t buying it.

“Come on, we haven’t seen each other since your dad told me you got back last month. Come to think of it, he was acting funny, too. What’s going on, man?”

“N-Nothing.”

Kevin let out a frustrated growl. “Don’t lie to me, man. I’m the liar, not you. And why does your voice sound so funny?”

“It’s a long story,” Ethan sighed. “Just... Forget about me, okay? It’s better that way.”

“Jesus, when did you become such a drama queen? Dude, this is our last summer together before we all go our separate ways. Andrew’s off to college, I’m joining the army, and you’re going back to Europe with your rich aunts. Hey, want to trade?”

Flashes of everything Ethan endured in the tiny Eastern European kingdom his aunts called home flashed through his mind. When Ethan and his father were contacted by his “aunts” (they were actually very distant relatives) and learned they were descended from an obscure branch of royalty, it was like waking up into a dream. They’d always been poor, now Ethan only had to spend a year in Europe to officially become part of the royal family. For the aunts, they’d gain an heir to the throne and the continuation of their family’s rule.

But neither he nor his father truly understood what this year of “cultural assimilation” would entail. Specifically, his aunts understood what centuries of rule by men had done to their country and had no intention of repeating the mistakes of the past. When Ethan arrived in his would-be royal palace, he learned to gain the throne he’d have to lose his manhood. The country was expecting a princess, not a prince!

“Anyway,” Kevin said, obviously irritated. “I’m outside your house. At least come to your window, so I know you’re alive.”

Ethan closed his eyes. He’d have to deal with this sooner or later. He put the phone on speaker and, slowly, moved to the window.

“Holy crap!” Kevin exclaimed. “Dude, is that, like, your hot Euro girlfriend? No wonder I haven’t seen you.”

“No, man,” Kevin raised his finger in a little wave. “It’s... It’s me. This is me now.”