Dark Prince & the Doe

Chapter Fifty-six: Caught

Chapter Fifty-six: Caught

Calden

Calden had closed his eyes – he could barely keep them open. The princessa's report went on and on, with insulting jabs from Izeal at every conversational turn. Somehow, Cezanne calmly dealt with all her brother's questions, despite his blatant lack of respect and gratitude. She was letting him walk all over her. It was worse than he'd feared. She had no backbone whatsoever. Soft and gentle.

Even if Cezanne convinces the court advisors that she intends to marry him, they would still not show her any respect if she permits such verbal bashings without defending herself. Tomorrow, the court would have Cezanne in tears within half an hour at most.

Eventually, Cezanne had enough – he could tell by the tensity in her overly sweet tone. She ended the conversation with a sharp goodnight, but not before Izeal had insulted her, her betrothed, her betrothed's family and the Lenwar family's honor. He watched her through a curtain of his eyelashes as she'd angrily slapped the Echo down on the table, hurt and embarrassment heating her face.

Cezanne had gone silent after that. Calden didn't blame her. The Atrezins really do think them heinous barbarians. Holding the princessa as a political hostage was a contingency plan, so Izeal wasn't entirely wrong, but no one was going to break the Old Laws and force themselves on Cezanne. Dragereon made that mistake with Empress Aurelia and the Arias were so enraged they'd split the world asunder.

Calden didn't know what to say to reassure her. But, if she was put out of sorts by Izeal's comments, how would she handle the Remerian court? They would be even cruder and crueler to her – they might even go too far. Hopefully the threat of Larken accepting challenges on Cezanne's behalf would keep the court from tearing this poor, golden-eyed doe apart like a pack of rabid wolves.

"Alright Calden, I'm done now. Sorry you had to listen to all that, Izeal can be such a vexing beast," she said with false cheer, poorly veiling her exhaustion, pain, and embarrassment.

Calden wanted to tell her everything would be fine, but a lie wouldn't make her feel any better. If Prusen or Larken had spoken to him like that right in front of someone he was trying to impress, he'd die of humiliation. The best thing he could do for her was to have never heard it, then he'd get to avoid the awkward conversation of how very easily she could go from guest to hostage if things did indeed go wrong.

"Calden?" she said a little louder, her feet padding softly across the floor. "Prince Calden." There was a slight breeze as she waved her hand in front of his face. She sighed in relief. "Thank the Aria. You didn't hear all that."

He tried not to smile, that would give him away. She leaned closer. "Calden?" she whispered by his ear and he forced himself to remain still.

She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Calden, wake up," she said and shook him gently. "You are very lucky I'm not an assassin," she grumbled, poking at his chest. Good to know, he could cross that off the list.

She crouched down beside him with a tired sigh, he struggled to keep his face relaxed and his breathing slow and steady. It was so fake, surely Cezanne would see through him any second now. She touched his face with a freezing cold finger. He grunted, rolling his face away. It was already cold enough in this room without her jabbing him with her frosty, Atrezin ice fingers. He nearly burst out laughing.

He waited for an annoyed huff, a shove, and a complaint about making her think he was asleep.

But she didn't. Instead, she leaned over him, her quiet breaths hitching up quicker. She didn't get up or leave, or try to wake him again. What was she thinking, aside from how easy he'd be to assassinate? Did she feel guilty about trying to wake him up? Or perhaps, she was considering theft?