Archid and the Crown Prince together with Prince Nicholas and his Son Prince Shane are now in front of the Jasmine Villa to visit the Consort. The King and the Prince have something to discuss with him regarding the two princes.
Ren heard a knock on their door and he immediately went to open it when he heard Mr. Bhaer's voice announcing the presence of the King and Prince Nick. He opens the door and was surprised when a little body of a child pounce on him and hug his waist. When he looked down he saw Prince Shane who is smiling sweetly at him.
"Oh hello little prince how are you?" He asks the child with a soft voice while he pokes his cheeks. The little prince giggled "I'm fine Consort Ren," Then he immediately hidden his face by hugging him again. Ren was confused for a while when he heard what the child said but he chose not to dwell on it, besides it comes from a child who loves to tease people.
Ren's attention was caught when someone cleared his throat and it was the King. "I'm sorry Your Majesty I didn't mean too," he trailed off because he didn't know what to say. "Forget about us," Prince Nick finish for him and the Brothers laugh at the same time. Ren was so embarrassed, he sighed while he rubbed the head of the child who is still hugging him. He remembered the day that he had a serious talk with Syl.
They were both busy tending with their new plants his been glancing at his brother for a while because he wants to tell him something, but his hesitating because he felt kind of embarrassed to ask. "What is it Ren tell me?" He heard his brother said. Ren was surprised at first but he knew that his brother could read him so well and he sigh.
"Come on spill it out." his brother persuades him again. When he looked towards his brother he was embarrassed because his brother is looking at him his chin is rested in the back of his hand waiting for him to talk while he smiles at him.
Ren took a deep breath and gathered his courage. "Brother I want to stop being a coward," He saw his brother who was about to contradict him but he cut him off. "I know you think that I'm not but I know that I am, I want to stop hiding at your back whenever a high rank official, nobles or a scary looking person will approach us. I want to stand my ground. I don't want others to see me as your weakness, I don't want to be a hindrance to you. I want to prove to them that I'm worthy to be your brother, I want to prove that I deserve this privilege standing beside you," he told his brother full of determination in his voice.
"Even if it's the King?" he heard Syl ask. He looked at him straight in the eyes. "Even if it's the King," he answered him full of conviction. "Hmm." He heard him hum and he nods at him. "Brother how can I be like you?" Ren asks his brother. This is the question that he's been wanting to ask him for so long, His been admiring him ever since he woke up after his breakdown because of the drastic change that happened to him and he wanted to change as his brother did.
Syl smiles at him warmly. "Is that really what you want?" he heard him ask. And he nodded to his brother. "You know Ren there is nothing wrong with you, you don't need to change," he sighs when he heard Syl say that to him. Maybe I'm really am hopeless, He thought. "But getting stronger is not that bad and I believe you can do it," he turns his gaze to his brother at once, he can't believe on what he heard. His brother believes that it is possible for him to get stronger. He was so happy when he heard that but it quickly changes when he realized he didn't know how.
"But I don't know how to be like you?" he voices his uncertainty and bowed his head. "You don't need to be like me, you just have to be yourself," Syl told him while he patted his head. He doesn't know what he meant and he looked at him confusedly.
Syl came near him and he looks at him sincerely. "You will find it here" he pointed to his chest where his heart is, "and when you find it here then you can use it with this" then he pointed to his temple indicating his brain. "Remember when you find your strength and what you want to be, grab it and never let it go. Don't hesitate to be what you want to be and never regret. But never forget your roots, don't forget who you are. That strength will be used to protect yourself, It is good to be tough but never forget this" he pointed again to his heart "and at the end of the day, you need to remember that you are Ren. Do you understand?" he explained to him sincerely.
"Yes I understand," he answered his brother feeling enlighten. "Then let's continue with this we need to finish it today," Sly told him while patting his shoulder. Then he continued on what he was doing again while thinking the words that his brother told him. "To be strong I need to find my strength, I need to find what I want to be," he then remembers his days when he trained as a servant. He remembers the words that Mr. Bhaer told them when he was invited to look at their progress.
"Your action will always reflect with the one you serve. You need to mask your own emotion against the people around you so they won't use you against your master. Don't let anyone get into you or see right through you always build a wall to protect your master. Give your loyalty to yourself and to the one you serve," he remembered hearing that from Mr. Bhaer. That is what exactly what he wanted to be. Those are words to be a faithful servant but Ren felt that he could use it as an advantage for himself and his family. Someone who can be indifferent with everyone so those people who perceive him as weak will hesitate to use him against his brother. Now that he found what he wants to be, I need to be prepared and train myself mentally.
The Crown Prince felt pity for Ren he nudge his father to stop him for laughing and when he saw the Consort brother he stop, this person looks like a kicked puppy he felt terrible. He cleared his throat again to get the attention of his brother. Nick immediately stops laughing too.
"Is the Consort of Jasmine here? I need talk to him," he decided to ask Ren but was taken aback when he noticed the change on Ren's behavior but he recovered quickly and decided to ignore it, he was used to this look any way he always sees it with his chief aide. The King thought to himself.
"Yes Your Majesty his here, Please come in," Ren answered with a monotonous voice. Ren saw the opportunity when he felt embarrassed and scared with the King he relaxes himself and gathered his courage to try it with the King. When he answered the King he gestures him to come inside. He switches to the indifferent Ren.
Nick notice the changes with Ren and he didn't like it. His expressive eyes change into a dull one, eyes void of any emotion as if he's a doll. His giving a feeling of indifference. He watches him walk in front of them while he guides them where the Consort is. Why is he acting like this? Did they provoke him that much, for him to act this way? He didn't like it. Ren is not a servant. It needs to stop. Prince thought while staring at Ren.
Archid is about to go inside the living room when he saw Syl's state. He is in the same state when he first came here and talked to him. He raised his hand to stop the people who are following behind him he didn't want them to see him like this. He wanted to see the flustered look of his stubborn consort again.
"Can you bring my brother and the princes in the backyard while I talk to the consort privately," he turned and asked Ren. "Yes Your Majesty," he answered the King and bowed.
Ren coaxes the princes to come with him while they wait for Prince while Prince Nick looks at his brother questioningly, but the King just ignore him and speak with his son. "Cain take your Uncle and show him the garden outside I'll follow when I'm done talking to the Consort Alright," he told his son and entered the living room living his dumbfounded brother outside.
"Uncle let's go," Nick heard his nephew called him he just shake his head while he followed his nephew and His son who's in the arms of Ren his soon to be consort.