Royals. (Prince! Komaeda Nagito x Fem! Reader x Prince! Hajime Hinata)

21. A Promised Dream.

I never would have anticipated to be swept off of my feet as easily as I was. And yet, as I lied down in my bed, awaiting for my exhaustion to finally take over, all I could think about was Prince Hajime. His words, his smile, his touch. It was almost too much for me to handle, as even the thought of it seemed to consume my entire existence.

And yet, I couldn't help but feel a nagging at the back of my mind, a voice asking if I was truly making the right choice, if there even was a choice to be made to begin with. Sure enough, I couldn't help but feel my mind wander to Prince Nagito. I had yet to see him since our encounter in the rose garden, and it had not left the most glowing impression on me. His reaction was so cold, so abrupt, yet so desperate. But for what?

What could he possibly be so desperate for?

I rolled onto my back, focusing my gaze on the ceiling. I let out a heavy sigh as I considered my options, interactions with both princes replaying on loop in my mind.

One thing was certainly for sure— my life had changed drastically ever since I first step foot in the castle. Never in a million years would I have anticipated all of the events to unfold, and, most shockingly of all, that I had the opportunity to choose between the two most eligible bachelors in the entire kingdom.

Did I really have a choice? I looked over to my nightstand, focusing on the locket that seemed to dimly glow in the moonlight. After being given such a precious heirloom, it would be hard for me to reject Prince Hajime outright. 

But still, there was the issue of Prince Nagito. Though he was volatile, unpredictable, and altogether difficult to read, I couldn't help myself from developing a soft spot for him. However, after every interaction with him, it seemed as if I was always being left with more questions than answers in the aftermath.

And to further add to this confusion, I was suddenly surprised with a knock on my door.

"Come in," I croaked, not bothering with crawling out of bed to let the visitor in myself. Not like he needed much welcoming, anyway— in an instant, Prince Nagito stood before me, a concerned frown on his pale face.

"Your majesty?" I called to him, watching as he sat his thin frame down on the foot of my bed. I sat up to look at him, studying his expression. While he usually seemed to boast a confident demeanor, he seemed more vulnerable than ever before.

"Tell me, my darling (y/n)," the prince replied. "Do you think I am unfit to rule the kingdom?"

"N-not at all!" I exclaimed in reply. "Why would you ask such a thing?"

"I want your honest opinion, my lady," the white haired prince continued. "Please do not be afraid to hold back. Do you truly believe I am up to standard to rule this kingdom?"

"I don't know much about running a kingdom," I admitted. "But I do know that you are a natural born leader, your majesty. I'm confident that you would do a great job if you are selected to rule one day."

"You flatter me," the prince replied, his lips twisting into a tight smile. "And for that I am nothing but thankful, my lady. To think you still see such achievements in my future despite everything... that is a very special trait indeed."

"What do you mean?"

"I... I can only tell you so much, lady (y/n)," the silver eyed prince replied stoically. "One day, it will all become apparent to you, why I do the things that I do. I promise, I have only the interest of protecting you at heart."

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond to his words. I tried to pinpoint what exactly he seemed to be talking about, but my mind drew a blank. Protecting me? From what?

"You don't have to say anything, you know," the prince stated, as if he was able to read my mind. I looked up to him, noticing a small flicker of amusement pass through his silver eyes. "You do, however, look adorable when you are confused, my lady. Perhaps I should make efforts to confuse you more often."

"You are confusing," I admitted.

The prince let out a hearty chuckle. "I suppose I can agree with that."

We sat there in silence for a moment, nothing but the distant chirping of crickets in the background.

After a moment, the prince finally spoke up. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I replied almost instantaneously.

"Putting you in this position," the white haired prince elaborated. "It hurts me just as much as it hurts you. I hope to one day explain everything to you, but I can only do such a thing once I am confident I have your undivided loyalty."

Undivided loyalty?

Before I could ask too many questions, the prince pulled me in for a tender kiss. I kissed back reluctantly, wrapping my arms around him. He then pulled away for a moment, a small smile on his face.

"Beautiful," he breathed. "I thought so the moment I met you, (y/n)."

My breath hitched as he then kissed my neck, leaving a trail of them along the side of it. I bit my lip to stifle letting out any noise as he worked his way up to my ear, nibbling and sucking on it in a way that seemed to set my very core ablaze.

His lips were right on my ear lobe as he whispered to me, his voice low and husky. "I am confident you are just as stunning underneath."

I pulled away, my eyes widened in surprise. The prince was smirking, his expression lit up with joy. "Too far?"

I felt my heart pound in my chest, the adrenaline from his touch fueling my soul. "Your majesty, it's impolite to tease me like that!"

He held up his hands defensively, though his expression remained the same. "My apologizes, my lady! I can't help myself when I'm around you."

I scoffed, though it was hard for me to remain angry towards him. "If you insist, your majesty. Why visit me at such an hour anyways? Can you please find some time to visit me during a normal time at some point?"

I hesitated, nervous that I had accidentally talked back too much to the prince, but his expression seemed to indicate that he liked it. "Alright, your future highness. I'll be sure to come and find you during the day if that's suitable for you, alright?"

I nodded, flopping back on to my bed. The prince stood up, approaching the door to my room and falling into a shallow bow. "Sweet dreams, lady (y/n). Try not to dream of me too much."

"You would like that," I groaned. "I believe you are the one who should avoid dreaming of me."

With one more chuckle and the closing of my bedroom door, the prince was gone, leaving me alone in the blackness of my room yet again.

And sure enough, I fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of a garden filled with fruit trees.