Labyrinth

This is politics

"Your Royal Highness." I bowed low.

It felt surreal to be in the same room as the Crown Prince.

He stood up, "Please have a seat."

There were two sofas facing each other infront of his desk. I took my time to go and sit down.

"Aether, please bring tea for our guest."

Sir Aether bowed and went away.

Wait...! Is it okay to leave us alone?

"I think this time we should officially introduce ourselves, don't you think?" he sat down on the sofa opposite to mine and smiled, "I'm Cassian Rex Shadowvale, the next to throne after my father, the emperor."

I know that. He was purposely trying to embarrass me by making me remember our last encounter.

"My name is Rosemarie Canden, the next heir of the House of Candens, it is my pleasure to meet you, your highness." I said regardless.

He lifted his hand and brushed some hair from his face. I avoided looking at him till now, but now that I looked at him, he really was ravishing, his eyes shinning too much and his hair perfectly falling. It would be safe to say he had better hair than most woman.

"The daughter of Grand Duke Leviathan. How ironic. He used to babysit me when I was young. To think his daughter would be just like him...pfft."

Please do not bring up the past

"How old are you?" he asked. It was a very odd question.

"I turn 18 this year your highness."

A knock was heard on the door and a few maids came in with trays on their hands and placed them on the table between me and his highness.
They were all sweets and snacks I'd never seen before, all gold like, shinning.
This must be what they call the Royal fever. Everything looked expensively beautiful.
At the end they placed two cups of tea before us.

"Please be my guest, m'lady." hearing the Crown Prince call me "Lady" was embarrassing. Ridiculously embarrassing.

How could I have sweets when I felt like a Lion's food myself?!

I glanced at him and got a feeling if I didn't have something I'll be declared dead.

I took the most delicious looking sweet and tasted them.

God knew it was my last day on land and decided to make the sweets extra heavenly.

By now all the maids had left the office expect for Sir Aether.

"As you may know I called you here to talk about politics but I don't feel like talking about it right now, do you?" he said looking at me assumed.

What I felt like doing right now was run away.

"I suppose your highness has something more important to talk about?" like my death sentence?

"You are quite smart, aren't you!" his face got darker. And he gave the smile. The evil smile.

"That's right, I called you here today to discuss about a contract."

A contract?

“A contract of marriage.”