Love is a game (Love in the air collection)

The Mischievous Princes

After formal introductions Rain has been instructed to give Prince Prapai a private tour of the castle and grounds. Well as private as it can be with guards and servants traveling behind. It's supposed to be a chance for the two of them to get to know each other. Rain doesn't mind, it will be a chance to find out what makes the other man tick and what buttons to push to make him back out of this marriage contract.

Once they are away from prying eyes Prince Prapai drops the foppishly over the top charm but Rain decides this isn't a bad thing. Under any other circumstances Rain thinks he might have liked Prince Prapai's friendly manners and humor. Rain had never had a brother but Prince Prapai would have filled that role perfectly.

Rain comes to the conclusion that honesty might be his best route with Prince Prapai. The man seems reasonable enough. He waits until they are far away from their servants to not be overheard and turns to Prince Prapai.

"Prince Prapai there's something you should know, I'm in love with someone else." He says and waits for the man's reaction. What he doesn't expect is for Prince Prapai to burst into laughter.

"I think we can dispense with the Prince Rain and Prince Prapai in private, because it seems we might become allies. You see, Rain, I am also in love with someone else."

Rain looks at him with wide eyes, once again that little seed of hope blossoms in his chest. "Really? Do your parents disapprove as well?"

"Actually they like Sky, the problem is he is a commoner and to marry him I will have to abdicate the throne in favor of my brother. They aren't happy with my plan to do just that and made me agree to this meeting as a last resort before I take that drastic step." Prapai tells him. "Nothing will keep me apart from my Sky though."

Rain has never considered abdicating the throne, although he now realizes he absolutely would if it were a choice between that and Phayu. Rain doesn't have a brother the next in line after him is a distant cousin he has met once. It's something to consider if his parents still refuse to listen.

"Why did you agree to meet with me then?" Rain asks.

"Two reasons, one to appease my parents and two because my friend Yu asked me too." Prapai says.

"You know my Phayu?" Rain asks excitedly.

Prapai nods. "We are very close friends. If I hadn't agreed to meet with you my brother would have been sent in my place. Plerng is a good person but he wouldn't hesitate to go through with this marriage for the benefit of our kingdom. I am here to buy you some time and make our parents realize that a marriage between our two households is bad luck for everyone."

"How do we do that?" Rain asks.

"Rain, you grew up with Yu and Fah. Don't tell me you never learned how to be mischievous." Prapai says with a wink.

Oh Rain definitely knows how to be mischievous.

There is one week before the ball to announce Prapai's and Rain's engagement is being held and Nui, Rain's personal  designer, feels like she is going to pass out. Someone has left the windows open in the room where all of Rain's outfits for the night were being stored. What's worse is whoever did it apparently had left several pieces of fruit laying around. As a result an animal, possibly a monkey, got in and pretty well managed to wreck every single outfit. Had the seamstresses coated the fabric with honey?

What's worse is now the prince is apparently nowhere to be found for a new fitting. None of his servants seem to know where he is.

Nui meets a frantic looking Namtan, who is Prince Prapai's personal designer, in the hall only to find out the trunk with Prince Prapai's outfits somehow never made it to the castle even though Namtan had over seen them being packed herself. She is hoping for Nui's help with new clothing but apparently Prince Prapai also is missing. Nui sits down in the hall and buries her face in her hands.