# The Ruler and the Princess - a short story by OneTriz



## OneTriz (Jul 17, 2019)

The world's ruler sat on his throne, his eyebrows scrunched as he tried to think of what to do next. He already captured the beautiful princess Sophie and enslaved her kingdom. It was rather easy, there's nothing he couldn't do. He was rather proud of himself. He had already annihilated every single opponent through ruthless and relentless force. Yet, an inner restlessness consumed him. He would often visit the princess and insult her; never did he pick the same day twice in a row. This was so that she never got used to it. 

He finally decided that he would eat a great feast, fit for someone like himself. He got his associates ready and they consumed a delightful meal. The ruler specifically calls them associates as he does not consider anyone his friend. That was how things always were. The bones would be thrown at the princess, as a reminder of what she would be in the future.

Something they had discussed amongst each other were the reason why they had decided to go on a quest for bloodthirst. The ruler instantly said "I want to destroy them," while laughing. He often found that his thoughts would not co-operate with him. There was a weird sensation he felt inside of him after he said that, of which he instantly suppressed.

Today would be the day of death for Sophie. He decided to have one last conversation with her, just for fun. He took himself to the prison in which she was in, and called her out to talk.

"You know, you're going to die tomorrow. How do you feel about that?" asked the ruler.

"Why do you care?" she asked.

"I don't, you're simply a worthless object for my amusement," he said. He harbored no delusions about mercy or morality.

"Well I'm extremely depressed and anxious about my death. That's how most people would feel about knowing that they were going to die soon. Don't you ever feel the same way?" she asked.

"What do you mean you feel extremely depressed and anxious? I have no idea what that feels like." he said.

"Well you're one lucky soul then. I'd do anything to not feel this way again," she said. The ruler took a moment to consider if he was lucky. Sure, he had a massive influence, wealth, and power. But was he actually lucky?

"Yes. I am a very lucky individual. I don't have to deal with emotional agony," he said. Now that he said that, there felt something slightly off about that. There was something slightly off about his entire existence, but this was a bit different.

"Your tone changed when you said that. Why is that?" she asked.

"Oh I did not realize. I guess I'm just jovial that I won't have to be like you, inferior being," he said.

"I meant that you sounded a tad bit more somber," she said.

"I know. I was lying because I'd never miss an opportunity to insult you," he responded.

"Is it because you love me?" she said, winking at him. He started to laugh because he knew love was an emotion for idiots. Why would the princess want to rub her inferiority onto him? It didn't add up.

"Of course not," he said.

"That would be expected. Through my life, I've loved my family through thick and thin, even if it felt like torture to feel so strongly. Even if I knew it would end like this again, I would want to relive my life again. There's nothing better than seeing the smile of someone you know you made proud," she said, "It's worth all the pain in the world."

The ruler started to laugh at again because she was being stupid, incredibly stupid. Why would any pain be worth anything? He remembered the joys of executing his enemies. He would never want to repeat his entire life over just for that.

"What is funny about what I said?" she asked.

"It's stupid. I don't know why I bothered to speak to an imbecile like you," he said.

"You could always leave. I want my last few hours to be spent thinking of those I love," she said. With that, the ruler nodded and marched out, back to his throne. His associates were preparing the guillotine for the princess. It would only be a few more hours until he could no longer have to think about the worthless princess.

Yet, he felt a spark of rage build up inside of him. He didn't know what the meaning of all this love nonsense is. Why do people keep taunting him with it? Thankfully, he knew how to control himself and not make a scene, but it was sure annoying to have to feel anger to an inferior being.

He kept thinking and thinking through his thoughts. When an associate told him that the princess was ready, he simply told him to shut up and wait.

"Fine, let's kill the stupid princess and get this over with," thought the ruler. He went outside to a forest where the princess's head would be cut off and fed to the animals, with everyone watching, not being able to do anything to stop it.

"Do you have any last words?" asked the ruler's top associate.

"I hope you're happy now, dear ruler," she said. With that, the blade fell to cut off the princess's head and she died. With her last breath, the king realized something.

He desperately envied people who get to love. He would never get to feel that himself. That's why he has a vengeance against life itself. Everyone but him gets to truly live. With this realization, he did nothing, because there was nothing that he could do.


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## mia-me (Feb 5, 2021)

The princess is being controlled by her family, if she's only focused on making them proud. That's typical of Face culture and tiger parenting, since it keeps kids under the thumb of their parents for perpetuity. That's not love.

The ruler is typical of powerful people, destroying what they can't have.

This is a sad story, indeed.


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