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THE CALM PRINCE
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K06 ‖ A Royal Vengeance: Famous Destinations
There is no satisfaction in vengeance unless the offender has time to realize who it is that strikes him, and why retribution has come upon him.
― Arthur Conan Doyle
𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕲𝖚𝖎𝖉𝖊:
Italic words — the thoughts of a character / a foreign language is spoken
Bold and italic words — a lie, only when Princess Caitlyn's around
Bold, italic and underlined words — the timeline of memories, past, hallucinations etc.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Year 2039
Private Residence of the Royal Family, Saudi Arabia
[the game ended]
For someone who was forcibly repatriated, the young prince of Saudi Arabia was unusually calm and collected unlike most who would have lost their minds.
Dinner came and went as usual for someone who was imprisoned in his own room. Alone, silent and cold. Servants moved around him, attending to his every need, not that he had much. Between bites, Prince Uthman would occasionally glance to the side of his enormous bedroom where a tree perch stood, empty and lonely in the dark corner. Then, it was time for his Isha prayers. A prayer he offered with proper focus and humility.
After the servants came for the last time to clean up his room and put away the prayer rug, Prince Uthman was left alone to his own devices. He spent his time as usual by staring out of the open window. Looking at the dark expanse of the night sky, the prince's thoughts wandered to his eagle, Weir. He was happy that the avian predator would be free to soar the skies as it liked while he himself stared out into the night from his window seat like a caged bird.
He tried to shake away any thoughts of the harm his eagle might encounter. He did not wish to believe that his own brother would be so cruel to harm an innocent creature. While being robbed of his freedom and company, Prince Uthman stayed grateful for everything else that he had at the moment. A roof over his head, delicious meals brought to him on time and servants attending to him day in, day out.
Lost in his thoughts, the prince barely noticed the appearance of his servants until they approached him.
"A guest has arrived for you, your highness," his head servant whispered in Arabic, holding a hand out to help him up.
The young prince was then ushered to put on a robe, too heavy for his liking, over his nightwear.
It was uncommon for them to disturb his nightly peace and it was more uncommon for anyone to visit him at this hour, especially not his own brother. Wrapped in the weighty garment, the prince moved awkwardly while his servants half dragged him to the living room in his quarters.
Then he waited as his servants went out to escort the guest in.
While he thought of many people who would visit him at this hour, including his own mother, Prince Uthman did not expect a tall Nordic girl to walk through those doors, escorted by his head servant.
"Shukran," the girl thanked his servant, the Arabic rolled off her tongue effortlessly.
She turned to face him, ice blue eyes meeting his hazel orbs. With delicate features and a head of luxurious pale gold hair, she held an aura of sophisticated aloofness, looking equally elegant and intimidating. Prince Uthman did not need to be a genius to know that this was none other than the Crown Princess of Norway herself whose wealth and influence rivaled that of his brother's. This was also his first time meeting her in person.
Snapping out of his dazed state, the prince bowed and took Princess Caitlyn's outstretched hand. Placing a quick kiss on the back of her gloved hands, he murmured, "Have you been well, your highness?" Flinching slightly when his English sounded awkward for the lack of daily use.
"I have," Princess Caitlyn said, unbothered by that. "How about yourself? It is my first time meeting you, Prince Uthman."
Prince Uthman nodded. "I'm good. And it's an honor meeting you," he said, gesturing for her to take a seat.
"The honor's mine," Caitlyn replied. "There's no need for formalities between us, especially not when you're older than I am." She gave a sincere smile as a way to comfort him.
Uthman returned it with a wry smile, thinking, What's the use of age if I am less accomplished?
"Are you here for my brother?" the prince asked, already knowing the answer. For someone as busy as the princess, she would never casually take a trip somewhere if it is not work-related. How did he know that? From his own brother of course.
Naturally, her answer would be yes.
It is safe to say that people come and go just to meet Prince Arafat and not himself. If they ever extended a meeting towards him, then they are doing it out of politeness.
Uthman looked away from the younger girl but her next question snapped him back.
"How are you feeling?" Caitlyn inquired casually, stirring a cup of tea served to her.
Uthman could feel his heart beating faster as he fidgeted with the sleeves of his robe. He did not wish to suspect anything of the princess. So, he chose the easy way.
"I'm fine," he said, smilingly.
He lied.
Caitlyn nodded. "That's good," she said, playing along with him. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Uthman breathing out a sigh of relief.
"I had expected you to be kept somewhere like Jubail, Medina or Hofuf, but I suppose home is closest to your heart," Caitlyn said in the same casual tone.
Uthman could feel his heart sinking to his stomach.
She used the word kept. Not stayed, not visited or rest, but kept. Like a wild animal in the zoo.
With widened eyes, he met a slight smile on the princess's face. Looking at the princess, he saw how contrasting their postures looked. He was hunched over with tension while she leaned back into her seat like she had nothing to hide and nothing to lose.
Caitlyn smiled, gazing lazily at the older prince.
"Do tell me what's on your mind," she said, fingers interlaced as she rested her hands on her lap.
If Uthman spoke his mind, he wanted to know if she was part of it. Part of the entire plan of separating him from his friends as what his older brother told him. He wanted to know if she knew the mastermind of the entire scheme.
However, Uthman decided to ask if the game had ended instead.
"Yes," she replied with a sad smile.
They didn't manage to save me, he thought. He struggled to keep a calm façade.
"Are you—" Uthman dared not complete his sentence. He swallowed his words, hoping the princess might overlook that although deep down he wished to know if she was part of it all.
Unfortunately for him, she seemed to know of his curiosity about her involvement. "Yes," Caitlyn said, "My apologies for making you suffer so much."
In all honesty, Prince Uthman wished he had the courage to stand up and yell at her. To be able to throw the furniture around or even do something to inflict pain on the princess out of rage and hurt. After all, the pair were practically alone with only his servants in the room. She held no defensive position.
But, the Saudi Arabian prince did no such thing to her. Why not? It would make him feel better by releasing some anger. Would she be alright about it though? Absolutely not.
No matter how much of a sinner she could be, it is not his place to punish her.
A wry smile painted the prince's face. "Even if you weren't part of it, it will still happen if Allah wills it so," he said. "Please don't blame it on yourself." Making friends had been difficult for him and meeting those princes had been a blessing for him. Even if he feels sad, Uthman reminds himself that God's will rules it all. One should never argue against that.
"Would you still feel the same if I tell you that your brother has every intention to keep you away from your friends?"
Uthman's smile appeared sadder than before. "My brother is more experienced," he said. "He understands the world better than I do. If it is his will, then I shall accept my fate willingly." He tried to smile reassuringly at the princess but it looked more like a grimace.
While he had every intention to not hurt the princess, Caitlyn felt a lot guiltier than usual.
She had robbed the poor boy of his freedom and friends. It was one of the consequences of her emotional driven decision that she had not thought of before. Driven by anger, she disobeyed her grandfather and allowed herself to hate her own brother. Caitlyn leaned forward, covering her face with her hands.
She could care less about what the prince thought of her. She had already reached the point of no return. What more could she lose?
Beyond everything, she is a sinner.
A villain.
The villain she so desperately wants to be. Caitlyn should have been proud of her achievements but what was this crushing feeling in her chest?
"Please don't cry," Uthman begged her.
"I'm not," the Norwegian princess said, moving her hands away, revealing a blank expression and a lost look in her ice-blue eyes. She shook her head slowly. "It's suffocating." She let out a breathy laughter. "I can't even bring myself to cry because of my useless pride," she admitted, rubbing the palm of her hands together.
She laughed dryly at the worried expression the prince gave her, feeling unworthy of his kindness.
"It's not the end, Princess Caitlyn," the prince said. "I'm 17 and you're just 15. If it is Allah's will, then me and my friends will meet again someday."
Look at me, being all hypocritical. Uthman thought bitterly to himself. What's with all the positivity?
"Shouldn't I be the one to comfort you as I beg for your forgiveness?" Caitlyn wondered. "How ironic to have the one I hurt comfort me."
"I'm good," Uthman said. I'm not good.
The princess would have felt better if the prince openly blamed her for it. Instead, they are both hurting themselves. One could only handle so much until they break. The silence between them was suffocating.
"You're not going to use it against me?" she inquired. "Tell your friends? Tell Charles?"
Uthman looked at her in alarm. Did she think that he would be so petty?
"No, why would I do that?" Uthman cried out. "It could ruin your relationship with him. Besides, you didn't do this because you hate us, do you? I mean, I know that you don't hate me. I don't have anything to be envious about."
"I don't hate you, that's for sure," Caitlyn said. "This was to teach someone a lesson. You can say that it's vengeance, in a way."
"Towards Ciel?"
"You know fairly well that I could hardly care less about him," her tone hardened. She sounded exasperated to Uthman.
Uthman realized how terrifying she can actually be. The innocent eyes and winning smile hides so much more than one could perceive. He tried to think again. Then it struck him. To teach a lesson. A revenge. Uthman remembered reading the articles and blogs online during his time in Momosu. He knew a little of the conflict but didn't wish to bring it up to any of his friends.
"Oh," was his only reply. He did not know what else to say.
"Don't say it," Caitlyn said sharply. "I know what you're going to say."
Uthman nodded.
"Right, it's getting late," Caitlyn stood up from her seat. "I should get going."
"Oh, alright. I'll see you again, I guess?" Uthman was not sure what to do with his hands and awkwardly took her outstretched one. They shook hands. A shadow of a smile appeared on the princess's face.
Princess Caitlyn said, "Of course. If fate allows."
Then, she walked out of the room escorted by the servants, leaving Uthman in much bewilderment. It was his first time meeting someone like that and something tells him that this won't be the last time he will be meeting the Norwegian princess. Until then, he will be sure to keep quiet about their discussion, even if his brother was aware of it.
In Princess Caitlyn's eyes, this prince is too precious and nice to be living in this world.
The reality of friendship in the lives of the royalty, are much too harsh for him.
She understood why Prince Arafat wished to shield his young brother away from the things he experienced before. As an older sibling herself, she knew that feeling of protectiveness all too well. Above all, her own little sister is just as precious as this prince is to his older brother.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
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