#they also do not acknowledge that it's not really that asterion particularly wants theo to be the next emperor.

[lloydfrontera]

imagine if after rakiel's 'death' people started talking about asterion remarrying and having another child. just in case. it's always safer to have two heirs after all. prince theodore is young and healthy but unpredictable situations happen all the time. why, everyone believed prince rakiel would become emperor after all, didn't they.

of course nothing comes out of it, it all remains baseless talk, mere rumors and gossip not to be believed.

and both asterion and theo carefully do not ever talk about the topic because they both know, without a shadow of doubt, that only a few years ago the option would've been at the very least considered. and neither of them is ready to touch the subject of replacement children quite yet.