Crowned Prince | hendery

5: Unbecoming

In tales, books and word of mouth, there has never been an unsuccessful marriage between two kingdoms. Maybe because it was so rare that failure has never truly happened, but the only reason Taeha could think of in terms of the reason behind the odd no failure in marriage is because they know how much is at stake when a marriage like that occurs. The politics of two nations rely on the shoulders of the two engaged couples, in order for peace to remain and war does not break out.

The lack of failure between this kind of marriage does not justify the situation with which they were to stay in.

"I must have misheard," The prince heads towards the maids and the other castle people, "my father said in a room he has prepared for her, and not one shared with me?"

"As betrothed, your highness, this is the room that the two of you will share." The castle lady simply bows her head.

"A betrothed room?" The prince chuckles, one that can be heard from a far. "You must be joking with me. I grew up in this castle and memorized every rule and practice with engagements, I have never seen or heard of a shared room."

The lady who was attending to them could only sigh, in her late years she had no energy to respond to the questioning she was facing with the two of them. If she were honest, there was no need to act all up, yes in a sense it was a room, but it had separate areas for bed and wardrobe, the only thing they would be sharing is a living area and a bathroom. The room itself could act as a house for commoners, a soon to be married off couple should not act all bashful about being in close proximity with one another.

"I will not approve of this situation," Guanheng runs his hand through his hair in frustration, "what would the king and queen of Sui think when they hear of their youngest daughter sharing room with," he pauses after glancing towards Taeha, "not even her husband, just her fiance, is sharing room with their youngest daughter?"

The lady simply bows her head. "It has been approved by both the royal families."

The prince was taken back as he took a few steps back and the red anger on his face disappeared. Realization dawns over him as he takes a look around the room and the two closed doors sitting on opposite sides of the shared room.

The lady who was tired from receiving his frustration walked out of the room. The statement she told the prince appears to have humbled him as he mutters an apology to her as she leaves the room. In a daze, Guanheng was about to make his way out of the room that they now shared, but before he could even step out, "your highness," he heard her call out his attention.

He slowly turned his head around as his hands were placed on the door knob.

"Where are you headed to?" She stood there with her hands in front of her.

It took him a moment to realize that she did not arrive in Hwei with an entourage or even a lady by her side. Even if she was put in such an awkward position of only relying on him, she was only most acquainted with him.

"Ah," he takes his hand off the door, "I had planned to talk with my father regarding this issue, but," he turns to face her and pauses, "would you like a tour around the castle first?"

Taeha stood there relieved to find the same person who she was talking to on the first day of their trip to Hwei. "I would love to see the castle," she smiles at him, one that wasn't genuine though, one that she uses among the crowds of nobles when they greet her, "that is aside from what I've seen during the gathering of the lands."

The prince simply nods his head. "Well then shall we go," he opens the door and allows the princess to walk out before he does.

The residence was one that was awfully on the quiet side of things. This was the official stay of the royal family and often of their guests, but they often stayed in one wing, usually unable to enter several places in the palace, but things were different now for the princess. She's heard that of all the residences, the one in Hwei was the most beautiful. Her expectations were promptly met, when she walks into halls she's never walked in before.

"This is the hall the royal family often uses to call out each other," the prince jokes. Yet, Taeha simply stared in shock. Though the two kingdoms sit close to one another it was odd how different the interior of the royal palace looks like.

With every hallway and door he had opened it was as if the rooms were the most interesting thing she had ever seen in her life. Though she had opportunities to stay in the guest castle of the said royal palace, the main area felt and looked much different from how she imagined it. It was a lot more grandiose than what tales and stories have reached her ear, though it came as no surprise as Hwei was a port kingdom and earned a lot of money from it. The palace truly shows the benefit of being the port kingdom.

"If you enjoy basking in nature, this would be joyous to you." The prince walks towards the end of the hall to be greeted by such a huge open area. "Unlike the castle that houses politics and parties, this palace's behind houses more outdoor activities." Indeed as the prince walked ahead of her, she could see from afar a barn filled with horses. On the field there were two horses running closely to each other.

Then he hears echoes of laughter coming from the field where the horses ran.

"My brothers must be enjoying their ride."

"This close to the evening?" Indeed if those stories of which she's read in her spare time were to paint a picture of those scenes where the main leads meet each other for the first time this is how it would look like. Where the sky was tainted with orange and the shadows casted on the floor were long, while the wind blew through the wide fields.

Momentarily, the two horses stopped running and stood close to each other before making their way towards where the prince and princess were standing and watching over them.

"The continent would be delighted to see the two of you standing beside each other." This was how the two were greeted as soon as the two who rode horses were standing right in front of them.

"What are you implying?" The prince looks at his brother with doubt written heavily on his face.

"It is not something we must speak of in front of the princess." This was exactly what she had expected from the eldest son. He was smug and often liked to joke around, yet his humor was one that was a little bit predictable.

"Your brother decided to give me a glimpse of the castle, that is all." She responds in a manner so perfectly ingrained in her it was as if there were still at the gathering of the lands.

"That is not what I heard," their youngest, Renjun implies, "father has prepared something for the two of you."

The engaged couple turned their heads away from the two princes. It was rather clear what this implies for the two teasing brothers. They didn't catch the mischievous smiles the two exchanged when they both looked away.

"Well," Guanheng coughs trying his best to steer the conversation away from the topic of a shared room, "we shall head back to prepare for dinner." Guanheng was the first to turn around and head back to the palace, the princess followed behind soon after.

"How long before Hendery decides to break things off with the princess?" Their elder brother leans in closer to his horse stroking his mane.

Renjun stands there staring at the two who were now rushing to head inside. "I'll give it three months of engagement."

"I doubt it would be that quick," The elder turns to face his youngest brother, "have you forgotten this is a marriage between two kingdoms?"

"They'll be married no more than three months from now." Renjun walks towards the elder to stand right beside him. "Though Hendery has always detested marriages decided by others, this does not offer them a choice to separate."