192 Chapter 189 Sometime We Need A Happy Place (1/2)
Joseph and Stella stood in front of the town of mixed gnomish people, and watched as the guards scrambled back away from them, sending a runner to notify their mayor of their arrival.
”You are such a momma's boy, you know that?” teased Stella, smirking at him.
”What do you mean?” he asked, looking at her perplexed.
”Big powerful, scary mage, capable of taking out an entire army, rules over a kingdom of millions of people, and has the fear and awe of G.o.ds under his belt, but bends to his mom when she thinks he might be naughty.”
Joseph's eyes creased as he thought about her comment seriously, instead of just shoving it to the side and joking about it. He had thought about the fact that his mom hadn't turned into a Wizar very seriously, ever since he found out. She was the only person he might be able to bounce ideas off of, that wouldn't be motivated by the Wizar template. Though, at the moment, she wouldn't live very long in comparison to his own life span, so any benefit he might get from her, wouldn't last.
”I was teasing,” Stella muttered, realizing he was taking her comment seriously.
”I know you were, but I think there may be some truth to that. I take my parents' opinions very seriously. Probably as seriously as yours, and we both know that I take yours very seriously.”
She turned to look at him, ignoring the gathering crowd of people, who were strangely, mostly guards.
”Joseph, you have parents that care about you. I'm not saying that what they say or do is wrong, but you aren't a child anymore. I know that you respect them, but you need to act an adult around them, too. If you act like a child that may have misbehaved every time, they say they don't like something, you will lose the respect and awe you have from your people.”
He nodded. ”I know that, but at the same time, I want them proud of me, and not upset when I do something that is necessary. Could I have saved some more of those people, instead of killing them all? Sure. But my time is very limited on what I'm willing to do, because of everything I still need to do.”
Stella tilted her head, looking at him with her ruby red eyes. ”Are you trying to convince me?” she asked.
”No, maybe myself. I don't like how I immediately feel as if I need to defend myself every time they bring up something I've had to do.”
”Then don't. The next time they say something, walk away, or teleport. They'll stop saying anything.”
”I can't do that! I care about them!”
”But your relations.h.i.+p with them hasn't grown up, while you have. If you can't act the king, I know you are, around them, then distance yourself from them until you can. You could still send your mom gifts to let her know you care, and you're going to see your dad during the meetings, but the relations.h.i.+p needs to grow up.”