Crowned Prince | hendery

6: Dinner

The evening of the very same day she arrived came as soon as they returned to the room. As soon as the prince and princess returned to their room, they were greeted by Emily, Taeha's current attending maid and the prince's own elaborate entourage of attendants. If those who were attending them could pull them straight into their rooms, they would have, but simply waited upon the betrothed to enter their rooms to get changed.

Indeed, Taeha always feels like it takes forever to prepare herself. Even as she always complained about the process, she cannot lie to herself about the outcome of the hardwork ladies put in for her to look this gorgeous when she looks in the mirror. It was as if she could fool herself that she truly looked this gorgeous in real life.

If it weren't for the obviously impatient knock on the door, she wouldn't have stopped staring at the new dress she was wearing. One that she's seen the princess of Hwei wear as well as the queen, but one that she would have never imagined wearing on her own.

"Princess?" The prince's muffled voice and obvious impatient knocking forced her to stop and marvel at the clothing.

She no longer replies as she opens the door to her room.

As soon as she swung the door open it was as if Guanheng was struck by the stars. Her cleanly lifted hair, the color blue in contrast with her skin and not to mention the dress that she was wearing. It was as if he was staring at the stars by the lake as it shimmered back towards him. Indeed, he never truly paid attention before, but there was no exaggerating how she was the beauty of the continent.

"Does it look alright, your highness?" Her hands remain together anticipating a reaction from the prince. Even if she had no intentions of falling in love or seducing him, if her maids make an effort to make her look beautiful then she wants to hear it from someone else.

"It's indeed admirable." That was the only thing he tells her before he turns around and walks ahead, out of their shared room.

"Is that all he has to say?" Taeha mutters under breath hoping that the ladies beside her will not hear her words towards the crowned prince. To the princess, it feels as if she was back to square one once again, back to the dance hall and his rather walled up attitude.

She takes a deep breath in before following her fiance with heavy feet. If it wasn't anymore of an insult that he was walking ahead of her instead of beside her, just as it was when he was touring her around the castle earlier.

"Prince Guanheng," she huffs, realizing that his steps were much larger than her own and she was basically running trying to catch up with him.

For the first time he stopped and turned around to face her. "We'll be late." He was about to turn back around when the princess leaned forward catching her breath while holding onto her thighs. He walks towards her and stops waiting for her to stand back up.

"You may go ahead, I'm sure your family will be waiting for you." Taeha mutters, catching her breath.

"Do you think my father would be delighted to see me enter alone?" She was immediately shut down by the prince. It was rather obvious how important this political marriage is between the two nations, and what it meant to the king as well. There was no surprise that the crowned prince was under immense pressure as well.

Taeha stands back up finally catching her breath. "Then," with her head up and her back straight, as if she never showed unlady-like behavior, "shall we head along?" She began walking as if nothing happened.

This time walking with the prince was different, though they walked side by side, he made sure he was falling behind every once in a while. As if guarding her behind from an attack or possibly just watching over her and not over taking her speed. Whichever it was, she was thankful for his consideration this time around.

Guanheng opens the door to the dining hall, not surprised by the fact that all members of the imperial family of Hwei were already seated and waiting upon their arrival. Once the door opened they were greeted with wide smiles on their faces. Yet the princess that was following behind the prince stood there frozen for a few seconds.

Taeha's eyes immediately land on the appointed count of the land and husband of the former princess of Hwei, Illia Rox. Once their eyes meet he forces a smile on his face, one that she could easily recognize as the smile he uses when he greets people during the gathering of the lands. It was business like and it was annoying her down to her core.

"Hendery, Taeha," it was now apparent that the king calls them more casually and comfortably now, "take your seat."

"You should not address the princess too casually." The queen scolds the king without even lifting her head.

"They are to be wed and she would be my future daughter, there is no need for formalities with her." The king reasons out, just as they sat on opposite sides of the table, yet his want to address his future daughter-in-law casually is the opposite of the formalities he exchanged with the queen.

"You do not mind, princess?" The king looked over to the girl who took the second seat to his right.

Taeha smiles and shakes her head. This action immediately made the king beam with happiness as it was plastered all over his face.

As soon as Taeha sat down, she couldn't ignore the great divide that was shared within this room. The queen sat against the door while the king sat facing it, while the three brothers sat close to the king, with one spot left for the princess, while the former princess and her family sat with the queen on the other side of the long table. The several chairs in between the two made it obvious that there was a huge divide within this family.

"How was the travel, Taeha?" The king asked her, leaning a bit forward anticipating her response.

"It was a pleasant experience." She looked up and stopped paying attention to the food that was in front of her as it was rude not to address someone of a higher status with respect. "I enjoyed the ride with both the prince and Emily."

"Did you assign Emily as her lady-in-waiting?" It was Renjun that lifted his head upon hearing this.

"Who else would I assign to the princess?" Hendery didn't even bother lifting his head or stop his hand from serving him another bite of his food.

They must be fond of Emily.

"Taeha," once again the king calls her attention, making her stop herself from taking another bite of the food, "do you plan to call Hendery the crowned prince until you get married?"

Baffled by the question she stares at him for a couple of seconds.

"It hasn't been a day since we've been formally engaged," Hendery glares at the king, "there's no need to rush."

"Well," the king nods his head, "the crowned prince prefers being called Hendery." There was almost a hint of teasing in his tone.

"I'll keep that in mind, your majesty." Taeha bows her head before going stiff upon remembering the conversation that they shared the moment she arrived in the imperial castle. "I mean, father." The rise in the use of the word 'father' made it appear as if the princess was asking a question rather than confirming the use of the word.

She was only given a hearty laugh.

"Your majesty." A low warning tone came from the other side of the table. In an instant all three heads of the brothers looked down at their food and began eating silently among themselves. It was only Taeha who dared to turn her head towards the queen, and there she saw her glaring at the king, while her daughter and son-in-law mimic the same action that the three brothers shared. Their little ones were in a world of their own being watched over by their team of nannies too busy to take notice of the heavy exchange on the table.