The Second Prince's World Rewritten

Chapter 8 - The Unfaltered Siblings

"His royal highness Prince Radeon would like you to receive a gift, I will be in charge to it milady. What would you like?"

Once the morning rises after Radeon left for the hunt, Lucelia cleans up to change and leave to find Karl stood on the door to wait for her.

"Pardon me? I don't think ..." Lucelia was caught off guard.

Karl with his usual calm consistent tone persist, "Yes a gift, Lady Lucelia. It might not be preferred to reject his highness' generosity. You may ask whatever and I will look to it."

She gets the hint from the man screaming his life will depend on it if he fails to get an answer for his master.

"Whatever will not offend his royal highness?" Lucelia awkwardly answers, "I'm not experience with this, Sir Karl. What would you suggest?"

"Jewelry? Dresses? What would you want, milady? Is there anything you have been wanting to have?"

It took her some moments to figure out what is in her own head. She barely has nothing to want.

"I received a letter from my brother, he is currently trying to recover the merchant businesses in the barony. I would like to help with the permits fee, at least that is what i can do. A little money would do Sir Karl, please send it to my family on my name."

Karl was quiet for a second, taken aback, "How many permits would it require to recover the trade in the area?"

***

Her own bed, barely touched. She feels the soft fluffy bedding and the nice pillow. This would be heavenly, but it feels nothing compared to the royal bed she has been sleeping in. The face of the second prince keeps coming when she just stared at the empty walls.

All the talks with Karl reminds her of home, the Barony Beaufort. It is a small area, part of the Western Region led by the Archduke Evander. Being from the warm sides of the empire, the nature is part of the life. Herbs, forest produces, farms are everything in Beaufort.

The family business has not been going well when her father, Baron Beaufort fell into a serious sickness years prior, where the Baronness died earlier from a complication. Lucelia, at first, had to take action being the acting Baron in her father's place while waiting for her younger brother to get older.

She finally passed it down to him while she left for the palace finding better job to fund starting capital in the barony. It is haunting her, how her brother would need to sacrifice the teenage years to be burdened such a responsibility.

Lucelia took a paper and intend to write him a letter, one to reply what arrived from her brother.

Dear Latherion Beaufort, my brother ...

I am so glad to hear that father's pain has subsided a lot more. Do not worry and focus on your work for the people and the land. I will take care of father's medical bills. I am very grateful at my job in the palace right now. I will be okay, I am eating well. You should not stay up all night. I will try my best to help you with the trade plans.
Erion my dear brother, I hope you and father all well.

Your sister,
Celia

***

It is almost the mid day, she walks out her room to the salon meeting the other girls preparing to work on the winter bed warmer. She looks around to find only three of the ladies in the room, the red-haired girl.

She joins the ladies stitching the warmers.

"Lady Carin is surely late today?" asks Vivien the violet haired.

"She was getting summoned as well last night, maybe she is running late," Tatiana basically knows everything here.

Vivien turn to Lucelia with smirks, "You surely are getting called everyday, Lady Lucelia. It must be very tiring. Isn't his highness very demanding?"

"Not at all Lady Vivien, his highness is not as scary as everyone would think," smile grows on the corner of her lips as she keeps stitching, "He might not talk a lot or yell, sometimes the intonation might scare you. But his highness is very gentle and polite. He is a prince afterall."

Vivien laughs, "You must be bewitched already that you visit him everyday."

Tatiana just smiles and nudge Vivien not to tease Lucelia further.

"You look really exhausted recently, Lady Lucelia. Are you sure you are okay?" Hannah, the black haired lady who has been quiet for awhile quriously asks, "Will you be going to the Zweich again tonight? Maybe Lady Maebel will excuse you from work a bit."

Tatiana also looks concerned, "Should I ask for Lady Maebel?"

"It is okay, his highness is on a hunt for a week. I will have more than enough break. Thank you for everyone's concern," Lucelia feels touched.

Suddenly, there seemed like a bit of commotion outside in the hallway. It does not sound bad as the hallway is far from the salon, but still concerning as it is heard indeed. The door was slammed open.

There stood the red haired girl, Carin, panting from running to the salon.
"Apologize from being late," she drops herself on the cushion next to Lucelia.

"Yeah, duke's quarter is very far, isn't it?"

Carin stood up straight suddenly and get on 'her mode', "That's not the only reason, those pink and purple ribbons were blocking my way and busy peeking making the hallway really cramped. The crown prince was passing by, they sure are trying to catch his attention so bad."

"You mean his highness the first prince? You know the crown prince has not been decided yet," Hannah look at Lucelia, causing her to wonder why the sudden stare.

"Yes, Prince Gideon. Who else? They seem eager to be chosen as potential concubine to him. The response was way different than when Prince Radeon was here last time. Not like the second prince ever pass the Bridge that often ..." Carin raised her shoulders.

Vivien is stretching, "Well not to offend, I get that the two princes seem having completely opposite personality."

The family of the crown, the main royal family of the king and his beloved queen ho gave him two princes and a lovely little princess who is only 13.

The first prince, Gideon Arthenz, the 25 years old charming man who attracts the attention. His upbringing is always in order, he follows the rule, the manner of the future king, they said. Gideon is never as fit and ferocious as his brother's capacity as the captain of royal order. He is the politicians, the one who shoothe the people.

Candidates to be his wife has lined up from any family with upstanding status in the entire kingdom. The most prominent would be the daughter of his main supporter, Marquess Zevania. However, gossips around high society has said the interest of Lady Sasha Zevania to the second prince instead despite the pressure of her father. The daughter of Chancellor Hedgins also another one, he sure is a strong figure.

The second prince, only 2 years younger, Radeon Arthenz is the warrior. The troublemaker whom the cabinet can do nothing about for his success in several wars and region conflicts. The man who never loses, he being called as. However, the  bastard, is also a name for him.

Story told he tried to strangle the neck of one minister in the cabinet meeting. It is just never heard the reason of, but surely no conduct of a prince. This behavior of Radeon has always casted him aside from the Crown Prince candidate talk, making everyone assume it would be Gideon anyway.

The third child, the lovely princess Reona Arthenz sure was a rainbow after rain for the tired discussion of the two princes. She looks very much like a clone to the queen, making her the king's favorite child. Not much were heard as the majesties sheltered her very much.

"They really can't wait for Prince Gideon to marry so the concubine door will open, but as if he is going to take any, look at his majesty and his loyalty" Hannah shrugged.

"I don't think so," Vivien made everyone turn curiously, "He is the one kind that will show himself in the end."

***