As the sun only just began to rise around the tenth hour of the morning, you sat at your small, circular, wooden table downstairs. You caressed a warm porcelain teacup of a muddy liquid within your hands, enjoying its warmth against your cold skin. You had woken up fairly late considering the time you finally fell asleep at, and were now awaiting Florian to wake as well.
The young man had stayed the night, with only the occasional, miniature snore being let out every once in a while. You could tell just from the state of him that he was absolutely shattered due to the recent events he had had to endure, and so you didn't dare wake him. You jumped slightly, hearing the staircase begin to creak, signalling that he was now making his way downstairs after finally awakening.
He sluggishly enters the room, his bright hair in a fix and his wonderful orbs crowning a pair of dark eye bags. He had received a sufficient amount of sleep, and yet, seemed even more tired than he was last night. He groans due to a pain through his head, and squints his eyes shut for a brief moment. Nevertheless, he still manages to utter groggily: "Good morning, [Name]. How did you sleep?"
"Quite well. I should ask the same of you, considering you had to sleep on the floor. I hope it wasn't too uncomfortable," You respond, hands cupping around your tea with a firmer grip. You had to contain yourself, not wanting to press on too much about the stories and memories he had to tell of your former life.
"It was very comfortable, surprisingly. I apologise if I acted quite, impolite shall we say, last night. I was intoxicated, and was not fully aware of everything I was saying, and I admit that I can not remember several bits of the night. Therefore, I hope you do not mind," He speaks formally despite his ragged appearance, with a great regal air surrounding each word he spoke.
"Not to worry, if you want I can jog your memory a bit."
"No need. And don't worry either, I still haven't forgotten my word at the very least. I am going to tell you everything once I have properly awoken, it is the least I can do."
"Alright," You confirm, easing your muscles at his words of reassurance. You could rest a little easier during the morning now, knowing that your questions would all be answered soon.
"Countess [Name], are you having black tea once again?" He asks, carrying on the conversation.
"Hm?" You reply dumbfoundedly, before regaining your composure and looking down at the teacup in your hands, "Oh! Yes, yes I am. It's a great start to my day, and I bought quite a lot of black tea when the prices dropped. So now I have quite a lot stocked up, which I need to get through."
"Are you particularly fond of tea? How about I purchase you a tea set? Perhaps some exotic tea from abroad?" He offers eagerly, seeming desperate to spend some sort of coin on you.
"No thank you, it's quite alright. Just hearing about what you have to say about my past is enough to satisfy me. With the pay that I am now receiving from the Prince, I can buy nearly anything I've ever dreamed of," You insist, waving your hand as you turn down his offer.
"From the Prince?"
"Oh! I'm not supposed to be telling anybody. Well, please promise you won't utter a word!"
"Only if you now answer my questions as well," He responds with a mischievous smirk forming upon his lips, and his groggy eyes sparking back into life at the opportunity.
"As long as they aren't too personal or anything," You reply nervously, thinking about the worst possible questions he could ask you.
"Well, what is your relationship with the prince?" He asks, looking at you desperately, as though he was going to burst without an answer.
"I work for him, and he was employed me. That's all really, it's just for my fortune telling services."
"I guess I shouldn't have bothered to ask. That guy is so cold-hearted, it's scary. Especially at the ball! He gave me a real fright. I just would have thought you two were fairly close, considering how he acted around you. I have never seen the prince get attached to somebody so quickly," He replies truthfully, gently tapping his chin in thought.
"You talk as though you've known the prince for a very long time," You comment in return, taking a sip from your tea and savouring the flavour of warmth trailing down your body and heating you up from the inside out.
"I can't say I know him personally, but I have known of him for a long time. Ever since my first week as a noble. He truly left a lasting impression on me the first time we met. He came up to me with a cold look on his face after my celebration for being accepted as a Viscount and into a new noble family, and pointed out that I looked somewhat miserable. He asked if it was because my dress pants and cuff links did not go well together, which I did not even know that they didn't. I told him that wasn't quite the reason, and that I was just simply in thought. He just nodded, and told me to come to him if I needed help in the future but he also said he wouldn't be much help if my problems were relating to my emotions. I could kind of tell from what I had heard about him that he was pretty cold-hearted, so I didn't really make any further comments. Before I could think of a response, he walked away," Florian reminds himself, thinking about his first encounter with the prince.
"That sounds just like him," You reply, a small laugh escaping your lips at the thought of such an event taking place.
"I've met him from time to time since then. He never really talked to me after that and I don't think he even remembers who I am, judging from the way he acted towards me at the ball. I have to admit, I was kind of jealous that you just let him drag you around like that. If anybody should be dragging you places, it should be me," Florian says, his lips then forming a strict line.
"I really wasn't letting him, he's just like that for some reason."
"That must have been one of the first times you had met the prince, yet he was already acting up like that around you. Why do you think that is?"
"I don't have a clue," You reply truthfully, thinking back to the way he acted around you when you first met.
"Hmmm, well there are a few possibilities. I think it may have been because you're the first woman to not obsess over him right away. Or maybe because you treated him like a human? Or like an equal? Or perhaps you said something, or did something, to make him cling onto you like that so quickly. It's so peculiar, considering he's never acted that way before," Florian suggests.
"I couldn't tell you," You say, sighing and taking the last few sips from your teacup. "Oh! Can I get you something to eat? Maybe some tea?"
"No thank you, I'm quite alright. I just want to stay with you for now," Florian responds, crossing his arms and closing his pale eyelids gently as he sunk into thought on his chair.
"You-" You begin your sentence, only to be cut off by a firm knock on the door. You jump slightly and stand up, looking towards Florian. "I'll go and get it."
"Alright," He confirms, looking over his shoulder in anticipation to see who could have knocked on the door. As you make your way towards the door, another flurry of knocks come upon it with impatience now ringing around the air from the other side. You open the door, and are met with Abella. Her eyes were red, telling you that she had most likely been crying, and she was dressed in lace pyjamas accompanied with a large fur coat that hung all the way to her ankles. She wore no make up, and her luscious strands of hair were knotted.
"Is- Is Florian here?" She asks urgently, clinging onto either side of her coat as if for dear life.
"Abella! It's freezing outside, why are you just wearing-"
"Where is he? Where is my fiancé?" She questions as calmly as possible. She pauses and takes a deep breath, choking on her tears as she attempts to hold back a flurry of wails. She proceeds to gently clasp onto either side of your frame. "[Name], please, do you know where he is?" She asks desperately.
"I- I-" You stutter, not knowing whether to lie or be truthful to Abella. Before the situation can escalate any further, you feel a large hand grab onto your shoulder and pull you away from Abella. Florian steps past and pushes you softly behind him, blocking your vision of the doorway. You peer around his figure, and see Abella's orbs widen immensely.
"Abella, please leave. I don't wish to be around you any more," He speaks strictly, venom spitting from his lips with each word that he spoke. His figure loomed over her, and his silhouette in the door was intimidating. He was no longer a man to be pushed around or played with, rather, he was immensely cold towards his now ex-fiancée.
"Florian, at least allow me to explain," She begs, falling onto her knees, not even caring about the snow falling into your doorway, and the cold that now bit ferociously on her skin, making her turn all the more pale and now slightly purple.
"Go home and warm yourself up, Abella. I do not care about anything you have to say," Florian insists, before stepping back and closing the door.
"I don't want to go home without you, Florian-"
However, the door doesn't fully shut as Abella throws her fingers between the cracks, preventing it from closing any further. She wails out in pain, and Florian immediately opens the door once again, alarmed by her sudden action. "Are you insane? Just go home!" He yells at her.
"Please, Florian, please! You don't understand, just let me explain things from my perspective," She continues to beg, catching the attention of people at the side of the street. The women who tended to gossip not too far away from your residence had now paused, eyeing the scene, and several people now peered outside at the path from their windows.
"You're just humiliating yourself, Abella. I have no more interest in marrying you. If you truly wanted to be with me, you should not have been unfaithful."
"But Florian, I never meant to! It was an accident,"
He scoffs with annoyance, "An accident? Don't be ridiculous."
"I must sound so ridiculous," She sobs desperately, collapsing onto his feet and clenching onto his ankles.
"Just leave me alone already, honestly, you're not getting anywhere. Get a life," Florian hisses harsh words, impaling her with the realisation that his heart would never belong to her again. "It's time to just accept your mistakes. Please do not talk to me again, unless it is to apologise."
"No, Florian!" She cries out as he slams the door closed after managing to wrestle her off of him. Nevertheless, her hands stop the door from closing again, this time the cracking of bones audible in the air.
You gasp and cover your eyes, looking away in dismay.
Despite the horrific situation at your home, another unpleasant scene was about to unfold back at the palace. In the meanwhile, Bastiaan had been sat at his window, desperate for the spy that he had sent to return.
He feels hope awaken his sluggish form at the sight of the glinting gates open. Through the light fog that the capital was experiencing, a foreign car was now spotted. It was made of pure white, laced with gold. Eyebrows knitting together in confusion, he tries his best to peer further, only to see the car disappear into the white abyss as it approached the entrance, now too far away for him to see.
"Who in the world?" He utters, standing up from his seat and deciding to inspect the situation. He had only seen a car in that style once before, and needed to confirm his suspicions. Racing to the door, he attempts to pull the door forcibly open, but to no avail. The lock accompanied with the grand weight of the doors made it difficult.
On the other hand, he had no more reason to continue to attempt opening the door, as the lock could be heard being undone form the opposite side. He steps back for a moment, and allows the person on the opposite side to open the doors. A butler steps in and bows before announcing: "Your father has allowed you to leave your room, as a suitress has been summoned by the King to the palace. She made sure to come here as soon as possible, so please ensure to act with respect, he says. Princess Amery Smith has arrived, and Princess Lilou Becker shall arrive some time in the future in case you mess up with Princess Smith as well. Since Princess Becker lives a fair way away, she will be arriving at a later date."
"Tell Princess Amery Smith that she came for nothing," He replies harshly, refusing to listen to whatever his father wished him to do.
"Your father has made it clear that he will not refuse to take further restrictions on your daily life if you continue to disobey him. Prince Bastiaan, if I may give my personal opinion, I think it is best to just get it over and done with. I do not want you to suffer any more punishment from your father."
"What am I? A child? I'm a young man now! An adult! And yet, my father still treats me as though I'm barely the age of twelve. I will get this done with, but I will not hesitate to speak my mind around Princess Amery," Bastiaan announces, pushing past the butler and making his way downstairs at lightning speed, his strides gigantic and royal.
Princess Amery makes her way up the steps, hands gently clutching onto either side of her gown in order to hold up the fabric as she ascends. "Do you think Prince Bastiaan will be happy to see me?" She asks her butler, a wrinkly and somewhat short man, dressed neatly in an ivory uniform and tailing behind her.
"I don't know, Your Royal Highness. That boy is quite unpredictable," He replies in a soft voice, the type that was pleasant to hear and reassuring no matter what words they spoke.
"Indeed he is. I like that about him, actually. It makes things less boring amongst the nobles. I'm surprised that I was summoned as a suitress actually, I thought that I was eliminated," She hums to herself, taking out a feathered fan, in the colour of a light yellow that matched gorgeously with her gown. Her lemon gown was riddled with crimson bows, yet not too many that it was obnoxious. Her hair was tied neatly into a bun just like it was previously at the ball, with only several strands of her auburn hair having escaped during her long trip.
Her eyes were still like the ravaging sea, their piercing blue incredibly beautiful. "It was because of the childish behaviour you displayed. But since the King has summoned you, I believe that you are perhaps being given a second chance. I think we should make the most of this. I trust you will contain yourself this time."
"Maybe I will, maybe I won't. What's the point of having the prince propose to me if he doesn't like the real me? I'd rather be truthful to him about myself, than deceive him into thinking I'm somebody who I'm not. I can't contain myself around him, he's just so fun to mess with. His reactions are priceless, and I think he needs a bit of sunshine in his gloomy life."
"I admire that, Princess Amery, but I don't think showing him the real you will really get you anywhere."
"As I said, I don't really care if it doesn't get me anywhere, because I would have stayed true to myself. The last thing I want to do is change myself to please people. I'm not a doll, or a puppet, meant for public appeal. So, head butler, please give me some hope. I know that Prince Bastiaan will most likely not choose me, but... I will still be happy."
"You need to marry soon, Princess Amery. If not, your parents could get quite irritated. You were meant to be married last year."
"Why do I need to get married anyway? Is all my worth measured by the man whom I marry?"
"Usually, yes. I recommend to find somebody rich and successful, preferably of high status."
"But I am rich, successful and of high status. Since I already have all the boxes ticked, do I really need to marry?"
"Princess Amery..." Her butler trails off, as they reach the landing at the top of the steps, presenting them with the grand, colossal doors of the palace.
Several moments later, Bastiaan emerges from the interior, wearing his usual black attire and still looking as charming as ever, despite the visible bags under his eyes, which Princess Amery realised were not there before.
"Greetings, Prince Bastiaan," She immediately greets him before curtsying in his presence.
"Princess Amery Smith," He acknowledges her, bowing his head to her in return.
"You look quite tired. Have you been sleeping well?" She inquires, looking him in the eye as she still clenches nervously onto the fabric of her dress.
"Ah, yes, quite. I just haven't been getting a proper amount of sleep as of late."
"Why is that? Would you like me to recommend you some night time teas? I would recommend to drink milk as it can help you fall asleep but I don't think you're as big a fan of milk as I am," She confesses, looking down embarrassed.
"It's quite alright, it is only because I've been preoccupying myself with my own thoughts. You seem much more timid from the last time I saw you," He mentions, a small smirk on his lips.
A blush of embarrassment forms on her cheeks, as she remembers the last time that she met him, which was at the ball. She had caused quite the scene, and was flustered that he had to point it out. "I never apologised for that, did I? Well, I'm quite different now. I only acted that way because you had turned me down so quickly, after I had to spend so much time preparing myself just for the chance to marry you. But, after you turned me down, I realised that I do not need to married to be happy, or anything like that. I just need myself, and if you don't like me, I'm alright with that."
"How mature. You aren't as childish as you were before."
"Oh no, I'm still childish," She lets out a nervous laugh, "Just not in the same type of way, I guess you could say. I know it's hard to believe somebody can change in such a way in such a short amount of time but it's the truth."
"I appreciate you being truthful to me, Princess Amery," Bastiaan responds politely whilst running his slender fingers through the strands of his hair. Each strand seemed to glisten with it's own singular beauty in the sunlight, captivating Princess Amery. Ever since the age of twelve, the young lady had adopted an admiration for handsome men, especially those that were fictional. However, with Bastiaan right in front of her, it was as though the real thing was occurring. It seemed that her imagination had truly sprung into life, or perhaps this was all too good to be true, and a simple dream.
"Of course, Prince Bastiaan," She replies before proceeding to curtsy once again, yet did not bow her head as low this time as she expressed her gratitude to him.
"Let us wind down over a cup of tea, we have some newly imported, dried tea leaves from the East," Bastiaan invites the young woman, one back folded behind his back, and the other across his stomach, in a respectful and formal manner. It seemed just from their body language and mannerisms that the two both practised a great respect for one another, or perhaps, Princess Amery had matured so greatly that her growth sunk into every little detail of her figure, and naturally, was civil with her movements, each with an air of respect, which was repaid to her by Bastiaan who could notice these subtleties.
"I would be honoured but I would hate to consume some if you are quite fond of them. I heard they are quite pricey, and are rare as well due to only being able to grow in very specific conditions. Rather, do you have a library? Actually, I assume that is quite the ridiculous question - everybody is aware of your love for books, so of course there is. Would you like to go there instead? I know that most of this is against your will, I can just sense it from you, so why not enjoy yourself a little?"
"If you insist, I would love to go to the library. You have grown into quite a considerate young woman in such a short span of time," Bastiaan mentions, a slight tone of surprise in his deep voice that rolled like thunder yet skid across the ears as gently as fatigued waves of the ocean.
"I'm glad you noticed!" She exclaims excitedly before tailing behind Bastiaan as he advances to the direction of the library. Despite supposed having to be under punishment, Bastiaan could enjoy his time in the presence of a princess. There was no need to interrogate her over tea, or inspect her behaviours. Rather, he could do some reading.
They wandered down the halls, with Princess Amery jogging every ten seconds or so in order to keep up with Bastiaan's large strides, that were inconsiderate of her short legs. Despite appearing to be tall due to the lankiness of her physique, she was quite embarrassed of her short legs, which thankfully, were hidden quite well under the formal wear of gowns and long dresses in general. She was not the type to show much skin, and at most, she would expose her ankles, shoulders, or the majority of her arms.
Eventually, they arrived at the library, that was tall and breathtaking. It was just as Amery had expected it to be, so the charming sight did not throw her off of her guard. Rather, she felt a flurry of excitement rush through her veins as her orbs hurriedly scanned the endless rows of bookshelves, that stretched all the way to the ceiling. Overall, the library consisted of three floors and took up a great deal of space in this section of the palace. The first floor was excessively tall with an open ceiling, with bookcases made of hard, sturdy dark wood gilded neatly with gold. The floor was heavily varnished, and was an ornate parquet type of flooring, with each piece of wood having been carefully painted with gold as well, to illustrate flowers and birds.
The grand double staircase met at the landing of the second floor, which had a shorter wall height, but was packed with windows at every wall from top to bottom. On this floor were also several desks around the area which matched the aesthetics of the room. Finally, there was a final, singular grand staircase right in front of the landing of the second floor, that led to the final floor. It appeared to have the largest, most ancient and prized books in the library, and was also the smallest floor of all. The walls however curved in to form a dome as the roof, and this roof was made mostly of a strong metal frame and stained glass depicting the gods amongst nature.
Since the first and second floors were open ceiling, with the third being the roof in the shape of a great dome, the library felt spacious and open, with great ventilation. The warm lighting from the crystal chandelier that hung down from the centre of this dome ceiling, matched the wood tones nicely. The second floor overlooked the first, that was illuminated by the sunlight piercing through the stained glass ceiling, with metal barristers lining the open ceiling in order to exercise safety.
"Here we are. I say we meet back at this desk," Bastiaan begins, pointing towards one of the lengthy tables that sat in the centre of the first floor, resting on impressive carpet. "After picking out a good read. I will allow you to pick whichever book you desire to read, and perhaps share with me if you are comfortable, as long as it isn't from the top floor. The third and top floor holds our most precious books and are only to be handled by professionals. I'm sure you will appreciate that. Anyway, so pick a good book or two and if you need help finding anything, just give me a shout. Alright?"
"Alright!" She confirms excitedly before speeding off, immediately beginning her search for her desired genre of book. Left in the dust, Bastiaan felt slightly humoured by her excitement for books, something he had not seen very often in young women nowadays. Heading in the opposite direction, he began his hunt for some new books to read. He had read a great majority of his favourite genres, and made sure to stray away from any authors that he wasn't too fond of.
Running his fingers on the spines of a row of books as he passed by, the young man couldn't help but drift into thought and wonder more about [Name]. Was he really in love with you? How could such a thing be possible? He was certain he couldn't, and yet, here he was feeling the same thing that he read about in romance novels. Having never felt this way before, he was still unsure about how to deal with his feelings, or to push them away.
He had to get married eventually, and to a noble at that. To Bastiaan, you were the farthest thing from a noble, and so Bastiaan knew that his father would never approve, even if these feelings inside him were true. He also had to take into consideration the depths of his admiration for you, would it really be worth risking his title for a woman who just wanted to keep a professional relationship with him?
He scolded himself, for even contemplating about leaving his title behind. At this moment in time, he felt like such a fool, like the majority of characters in romance novels that he had read. They usually did something ridiculous for this emotion, and Bastiaan really couldn't understand why. All he knew, that perhaps, maybe he really was in love with you.
He took a deep breath at the realisation once again. He had not yet processed it fully, and so the thought still shocked him whenever he came to the conclusion. He choked on his own breath, and tried to shake it off. He couldn't help but ponder and contemplate about you whenever he had the chance. Reminding himself to focus on Princess Amery at the moment, he proceeded to inspect several books. He came across a section he had not yet ventured to, which wasn't surprising given how large the library was.
In the meantime, unaware of Bastiaan's internal dilemma, Princess Amery had finally came across her favourite section. It was tucked quite far away, hidden from the main part of the first floor. Unlike what the expected, this section contained some of the latest releases, and most of the books were sparkling new or visibly used quite a few times due to some torn edges and damaged spines that she could see.
She jumped at the sight of her favourite author's newest release, which she hadn't gotten the chance to order yet. Most of her book orders were private, given how embarrassed she was about the genre she liked, and it had been difficult to get the chance to order the new releases in private, given how intrusive the people at her palace were. She could barely even spend a second alone.
Nearly immediately, she reached for the book and took it out of the shelf, admiring it's outer beauty. It was a hard copy, with the title written in silver ink. In the middle of the cover, two young men were depicted, intertwined in each other's embrace in the moonlight, half naked. Amery chokes on the air around her and immediately conceals the cover by hugging the book tightly to her chest, looking around urgently, the shock making her forget how she was alone.
After the book was securely in her grasp, she fled from the area. She wanted to pick two romance books that Bastiaan would expect a young woman to pick out, rather than the current book she felt inclined to fawn over. She was so tempted to read it but in front of Prince Bastiaan - she could never.
Picking a few random titles that she knew to be quite popular, she then returned to the table, to find Prince Bastiaan sat at one of the chairs in a relaxed position, rather than his usual uptight posture. He was slumped back in his chair with one leg over the other's knee, book in hand. He read each page carefully and with great interest, his eyes glued to the pages, fully immersed, and not even noticing Princess Amery's return.
Deciding not to interrupt him, she took a seat and began to read herself. She ensured to hide the book she truly desired under one that she randomly chose, while reading a different one that she had randomly chosen at the moment.
As she rustles the pages of the book in her hands an opens it, Bastiaan's attention finally diverts towards her.
"Romance, I see. That one you're reading is a classic and very famous. Surely you already know the plot or have read it in the past?" Bastiaan mentions.
"Oh! Yes, I guess... how about you tell me about the plot instead? I can't quite remember it off the top of my head, only bits. That way I can read... uh..." She quickly looks to the other book to read the name, only to be cut off.
"To read 'Romulus and June'? Also, a classic but not very well known. I'm not too fond of it but if it suits your taste, then by all means. The plot to 'Romance in the Flower Garden' is one being adopted by many other creators nowadays. It follows the story of a young princess who falls in love with a slave," He explains.
"Oh my, I'm guessing nobody approved. How tragic... how does it end?"
"That's for me to know, and you to find out. I still have this book to read, so I can't have you getting bored before I've even gotten the chance to read through the first chapter," Bastiaan retorts before continuing to read his book.
Staring at the book in her hands, she decides to skip to the very end. Strangely enough, it pulled her in even though she had nearly no clue what they were discussing at the end. Getting quite sick of it already, she decided to read the book she truly wanted to read. Bastiaan was surely too caught up in his own book to notice.
Reaching for her book, she takes out a handkerchief and uses it to conceal the cover of the book just in case he were to glance over. At last, she could read with pleasure. Immediately, she turns to the first chapter and begins, only to soon be interrupted.
"Is that 'Timothy and Reed: A Boy's Love Story'?" Bastiaan blatantly asks.
She jumps and immediately slams the book shut before replying: "What- What is it to you? How did you- how did you know?"
"Some of the palace staff, particularly the maids, kept coming to take out that book despite it being so new. I got curious and read the first chapter before realising it didn't particularly fit my own tastes."
"This is so embarrassing..." She admits, using the book to hide her face from his eyes.
"I don't care what you read, Princess Amery. Everybody has their own tastes. Please, read what you like. I will not judge you, it's just doesn't fit my taste is all I was saying."
"You're such a kind man, Prince Bastiaan. I'm sure your father is proud of you."
"He will never be proud of me," Bastiaan responds bluntly, shifting his eyes back to the pages of his book.
"Why is that? You're the perfect son!"
"Perhaps, but really, he's nothing like a father to me. More like a pain in the a-" He cuts himself off, "Neck, of course. He continuously pesters me to find a wife, so here you are. And with a time limit now, at that."
"Oh yes, that's right. I didn't know he was also limiting your time though. I would hate to waste it. While our time together so far has been pleasant, I'll be honest, I'm not that interested in you. I'm into more... cute boys, you could say. And besides, I don't really want to get married either ways. My parents insisted me to come here nevertheless though, so I'll stay until it's time for me to go."
"I wasn't exactly planning to choose you, mainly for your kingdom's status and such. In the meantime, enjoy your stay. I would send you home but I'm afraid my father won't let me. So, please try to enjoy your time here to the fullest."
"I will. Thank you for understanding!" She exclaims chirpily.
"Of course," Bastiaan replies, before his orbs divert towards a middle-aged butler interrupting the two of them.
"The spy you sent out has returned with some information, Prince Bastiaan. They await you in tea room number three," He states before retreating.
"A spy? Why did you send out a spy?" Interrogates Amery out of curiosity.
"Just some personal business. It does not concern you," He spat out venomously, his pitch black orbs glaring towards her, and piercing into her very soul. She couldn't help but feel terrible just from his warning glare, and her fingers grew weak as she trembled, her skinny fingers letting go of the book in her hands and allowing it to fall onto the table with a harsh smack.
Despite being terrified just by the deadly look in his eye, she could not break away from his gaze.
"Prince Bastiaan, your father has summoned you to his office," The butler says, having returned only shortly after.
"Very well," Bastiaan says, standing up from his seat with pride. "Please show Princess Amery to her room. I assume that I'll be seeing you at dinner, Princess Amery. Until next time," He says his farewell, before disappearing.
A wave of relief washed over Amery, and she immediately knew she wanted nothing to do with whatever it was he was feeling so intensely about. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel somewhat intrigued.
Arriving at his father's office, Bastiaan is presented with the usual dark scene accompanied with the windows behind him. His father, looking like a larger version of Bastiaan and dressed in more grand clothing, with signs of age, was sat at his desk.
"I think it is time that I give you the heirloom. The engagement ring passed down by generations of the D'Aramitz family, last worn by your mother. As there are two suitresses left and a short amount of time, I believe you will need this ring to propose to Princess Amery Smith or Princess Lilou Becker," His father begins, before taking out a red velvet ring box from a cupboard in his desk and placing it upon the cold surface.
He opens the ring box, to present a gorgeous golden ring, decorated ornately with diamonds that were structured into the shape of a blossoming flower. Despite it being used for many generations, it remained good as knew, and it's beauty still shone brightly as the sunlight was refracted by the rare gems.
"Take this ring box and keep it with you. When the time is right, you will propose to one of the two Princesses. At last, things have begun to go well. I can finally rest easy, knowing you will have a wife. And once you both have completed your marriage, I will step down from my role as King and pass it on to you. While you are young, I know you are wise, and will not let me down," His father says, presenting the ring for several moments.
Bastiaan gulped. Why was it that the only thing he could think of was [Name]? He could only imagine this ring being on her finger, and could only picture himself proposing to her. While the temptation was there, he reminded himself of his role to play. He was the heir to the throne, and wouldn't let romance sway his actions.
"Here," His father finishes, before closing the box and pushing it towards Bastiaan, "Take it. And don't lose it now, it's a priceless heirloom after all."
Bastiaan picks up the ring box, and is reminded of his mother's touch. He could remember her wearing this ring only now, due to him being so young when he last saw it. It made her look elegant, and while it wasn't too eye-catching nor discreet, it was gorgeous and suited her perfectly.
Stuffing the box into his suit pocket, he made a mental reminder to himself that the box was in there. He already knew that Princess Amery Smith was not a choice he was willing to take, so that left only Princess Lilou Becker, who was virtually perfect.
Not only her kingdom, but the Princess herself was tolerable, to say the least. She was well educated on etiquette, and held herself with great respect. But at the same time, the thought of proposing to her was something he needed more time to ponder about.
A/N : Thank you everybody for being so patient with this update. Due to exams, I can only publish this.
Status : Unedited.