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

31 A Dining Room Discussion.

After a full day of slipping in and out of slumber, I had finally gained the strength to will myself out of bed. Although I was still worried that I had yet to fully recover from my illness, I could not bear to spend another day bedridden, and I was petrified of the consequences caused by my single day of illness.

Prince Hajime had not made an appearance since after he escaped the dungeon. Naturally, I began to worry something terrible had happened to him. But what?

I calmly allowed my maids to dress me, my mind foggy with both sickness and confusion. There were so many unknowns left hanging in the open, and the more I thought of them, the more confused I became.

And so, I next found myself back in that familiar dining room, though a foreign air seemed to loom overhead. The table was indeed set for five, and I was the first one there.

I sat down wordlessly, picking up the fork at my place setting and drumming it impatiently. After what felt like an eternity, Prince Nagito waltzed in, a smug expression adorning his pale face.

"Ah, there you are, my lady," he exclaimed. "Are you feeling any better today?"

I nodded at him, my expression remaining stoic and unwavering. "Where is everyone else?"

The prince let out an icy chuckle, sending shivers up my spine. He leaned himself against one of the nearby chairs, steely gaze remaining fixated on me. "Why so concerned about the others?"

My cheeks grew hot and tingly, the white haired prince seeming to relish in my flustered reaction. He slinked down into the chair next to me, one of his gloved hands finding a resting spot on my thigh.

My eyes widened in surprise, any words I wanted to tell him blocked by a sudden lump in my throat. The prince seemed to gain further enjoyment out of this reaction, his fingers beginning to slowly stroke my leg through the fabric separating us. "Seems like I have your attention now."

Bastard, I thought to myself as he continued to relish in my embarrassment. Eventually, I mustered up the courage to swat his hand away, resulting in the prince letting out a click of disapproval. Aggravated, I broke our silence. "What do you want?"

The prince's silvery eyes widened at my abruptness, though his reaction quickly and predictably warped into amusement. "My, so abrupt with me, are we now? You know, the (y/n) I knew at the beginning of this spouse search would not dream to snap at me in such a way..."

I remained silent, though his words did not sit right in my stomach.

"Anyways, before I was interrupted, I was going to inform you that the other participants as well as yourself will be taking your meals in your rooms for the time being. I unfortunately must put a pause to our group meetings," he explained, his words earnest and candid as he spoke.

"And why is that?" I pressed, growing agitated with his lack of information.

Prince Nagito let out another icy laugh in reply. One of his hands found its way to my shoulder, which it began to stroke in what I assumed was an effort to comfort me. "Well, it is obvious, is it not? The spouse search is almost over."

Almost over? I had a suspicion my time at the castle would soon be meeting its demise, but to hear the words straight from the Prince himself remained surreal. I felt one of my trembling hands reach up to my temple, throbbing from a sickness that seemed to linger from the day before.

"I see," was all I could muster in reply.

The prince frowned. "That is not the reaction I was expecting. I was hoping for a little more enthusiasm out of you, my lady."

His words seemed to only add fuel to my boiling pot of rage, and I had to resist the urge to let out a groan. I began to feel as if the prince did not see me as his equal, rather as a toy for him to play with at his own convenience. "It is difficult for me to have enthusiasm, to say the least."

The prince seemed to light up in amusement at my words, positioning himself so his gaze could meet mine. "My, how sullen of you! I can assure you, there is plenty to be enthusiastic over. Perhaps, my dear, are you still under the weather? You should return to your quarters at once, and I will see to your maids ensuring your recovery. Maybe then, we will be able to have this conversation a little more... eloquently."

My cheeks stung with blush as he spoke, though I fought to keep my expression stoic as I wordlessly left the dining hall. The prince made no efforts to follow me or stop me, instead allowing to leave him in the empty dining room all to himself.

When I returned to my room, it appeared to be exactly as I left it. I instinctively curled up in my bed again, but I was suddenly alerted to something that seemed to brush up against my leg. I reached under the covers, pulling out a sheet of parchment that was neatly folded into the tiniest shape I could possibly imagine. (Y/n) was scrawled onto the front of it in familiar handwriting.

My heart began to race as I desperately unfolded the paper. Once the message was unraveled, it seemed to read itself.

To my dearest (y/n),

I am wondering about the land surrounding your bakery. I have never traveled to that area of the kingdom before, and I wish to one day see what it is like. Is it busy? Quiet? Who populates it? I would one day like to have an orchard, so I am hoping for a little more guidance from you on this matter.

All jokes aside, I am hoping all is well with you. I want to ensure you of my own safety myself— I am alright, and there is nothing to be concerned of over me.

I hope to reunite with you soon, once the dust settles around the two of us. I eagerly await the day that we are able to control our environment, rather than allowing for it to control both of us.

Until then, I hope you are able to treasure this note in my place.

Love always,

H

My fingers shaking and trembling, I proceeded to fold up the note again, recreating the intricate folds the prince had no doubt made hours before. I then held the note close to my chest, pulling it in towards me. A small sigh escaped my lips, allowing for me to have a quick moment of relief in the midst of all of the chaos.

The note was hardly anything. It was not the locket, which I so desperately wished to have clasped around my neck again. It was not the prince, whose smile and touch I could not help but yearn for. But in that moment, it was more than enough, a ray of hope piercing through the cloudy despair that hung overhead.

And for now, that was enough for me.

((Yes I'm alive!! I hope you are all well! I hope to finish this story in my return, so stay tuned!))