Twisted Love

Chapter 10

Many guards accompanied the prince to the Royal's Safety Room, quickly ushering them forward. Screams and gunshots echoed from outside the tunnels. To distract himself, Kai decided to chat with Torin.

"What, Torin?" Kai asked immediately, once they were out of the room.

"I would like to give you a lesson in Politics and Society, Your Highness,"

Torin answered without stopping his walk down the hall. "First, you must know by now that we are under attack by rebels. What do you think they are opposed to this time, Your Highness?"

Kai sighed in relief, glad that Torin knew exactly how to distract him. So he put his mind to think about this.

"I would assume that the rebels are opposed to the visiting Lunars." He thought to when the rebels jumped over the wall, screaming bloody murder about the Lunars. He shivered. "I myself am still wondering why the Lunars are here, though Father told me they were here for a treaty. As far as I can see, they're doing nothing but lounging about in their quarters all day and enjoying our hospitality. At the rate they're going, our royal treasury is going to be drained by the end of the year. Normally, when diplomats come for a treaty, they stay only for two nights since most things get done on their first morning."

Torin cut him off, quite bored by the Prince's ramblings. Still, he was polite.

"Yes, Kai. Your observations are correct. To answer your question, Queen Levana does want to sign a treaty. But this treaty might be somewhat different to what you are expecting."

"Different?" Kai asked. He could feel something like dread clawing up at his heart. Torin almost slapped himself at how naive the young prince was.

"A marriage alliance, Prince. She has been wanting this since you were ten." Kai's face turned pale, all of the blood draining out. He gulped nervously. Just the thought of marrying that... monstrosity was enough to make him want to jump off of a cliff.

"But- Father is holding a Selection for me! I knew she wanted to do that, but the whole point of the Selection is for me to find a wife!" Kai protested.

"That was just something to keep the public interested in us," Torin replied. He glanced over at Kai's downcast expression. "Although if you do find love, I'm sure the Emperor would not force you to."

Kai snorted as they turned a corner, the guards typing in a code to enter the safe room. Luckily, the Emperor was not in yet. They shut the heavy metal door behind them.

"If I don't find a wife I like or one that Father approves of, I have to marry-" Kai shivered. "Queen Levana." Torin could sense another one of the prince's useless ramblings coming on, so he quickly made his move.

"Second," said Torin, effectively cutting off Kai's speech, "unless you were picking some girl with no manners, I don't see why picking a girl of your father's approval is a difficult task." Kai sighed.

"You just don't get it. Father wants me to marry someone of high class, which basically means nobody lower than a three."

"And you," Torin continued, quite sure of what the prince meant now, "are interested in a certain pretty Six." At that, Kai froze. He glared sideways at Torin, who only gave him a tight lipped smile.

"Is it not true?" Torin asked, knowing that he had won. Kai groaned and held a hand to his forehead, mentally chastising himself. How could he be so obvious?

"If you know, does that mean everyone knows?" Kai asked, hope painted all over his expression. Torin hesitated, not wanting to tell the truth, but not wanting to give the Prince false hope. However, he was able to deduce the answer from his advisor's silence. Kai lost his posture, shoulders slumping.