"Have you decided on your partner for the upcoming ball?"
Kaveh flinched which only affirmed his mother's assumption that he hadn't. She sighed, shaking her head at him.
"Kaveh, you're not a child anymore. You need to start looking for potential partners. Are you going to force me to arrange a marriage for you?"
"Mother..." Kaveh looked at the ground. Alhaitham stood by the door, stoic as ever, obviously, he would've expected a situation like this. Kaveh couldn't put off marriage forever.
"I did you a favor by keeping that commoner around," she pointed at Alhaitham, "and he just so happens to be rather capable at his job! Is this how you show your gratitude? By refusing my wishes even further?"
"Your Majesty, if I may," Alhaitham spoke up.
"What is it?" she frowned, rubbing her temple.
"Princess Candace would be a suitable fiance to unite the forest with the desert."
"Candace?" her eyes widened at the suggestion. She thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "Yes, quite right, I will sort this out." She shooed the two off and went about her business. The door closed loudly behind them.
"Why would you say something like that?" Kaveh snapped.
"Prince Kaveh, your mother is correct. You are the prince and must continue on the bloodline. Marriage is not about how you feel; it's a contractual relationship between two families."
"I don't want to marry someone I don't love!" Kaveh insisted, pressing his finger into Alhaitham's chest. "That must be too much for someone without a heart to understand," he gritted his teeth and stormed off.
Alhaitham sighed. "What would you have me do?" he curled his fingers into a fist. "I'm not the prince of a foreign country. It's not like I can come and sweep you off your feet."