In love with royalty 👑

Forty four

Sorry I've been away for too long.❤️
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Stephen frowned as the carriage pulled away from his palace. He squinted so as to get a good look at the window at the east wing of the castle where he could see a figure. A very fair skin, cute button nose, and pink lips. No other than Jayson.

Stephen cursed in his mind. The same Jayson he searched for all night. The same Jayson he really wanted to see and hug and touch. That was when it dawned on him that the boy had hidden from him all night. While Stephen had searched and searched and asked, the boy had made sure to hide himself properly, thereby making all of Stephen efforts futile. He made up his mind there and then. He wouldn't go after Jayson anymore. He won't try to apologize or even restore their friendship. Jayson obviously didn't want that.

The journey back to Rome took him a total of two days, and soon he was back to his usual way of life. Training with gladiators, learning core ethics of kingship and all others. His friends, fellow princes like him had been happy to welcome him back, but of course he couldn't tell his reason for going home immediately.

He learnt that they had new peers now, princes too. The only difference was that the princes had been there before. Stephen shrugged at the news, he didn't have anything against anyone so he didn't mind if additional hundred princes came. But something made him rethink his decision when he heard two princes talking behind him one evening.

"Wasn't he the one that prince Jayden beat up and made his father send him to Rome?"

"I heard about that too, that was because he bullied prince Jayson right? Prince Jayden's younger brother. I heard he's best friends with prince Stephen over there."

Stephen laughed in his mind. Used to be best friends. Not best friends. He decided to ignore them and walk towards his room.

***
He was tired after a long day of training. His body ached and he wanted to lie down badly. But first, he had to eat. He started to walk towards the general refectory, greeting his friends as he walked past. He got in and stood behind the last person on the line, he talked with people here and there while waiting for his turn. As soon as he sat down with his food in hand, he began to wolf it down because he was both hungry and exhausted and he needed to sleep.

"Oh look who we have here. If it isn't the long lost prince!" Prince Michael announced as he stood in front of Stephen.

Stephen paused and eyed the prince suspiciously before going back to eat his food, paying him no heed.

But Michael hated that. He hated it when people acted like he wasn't there. He was a prince. A prince was meant to be respected and worshipped. At least that was what he knew. "Look at you eating hungrily. I mean obviously you'd eat that way." Michael looked at him disgustingly. "Considering you came from trash, you must be hungry all the time." Michael continued.

Stephen just chuckled, still eating his food hungrily. He had nine months to go. Just nine. If he fought, he'd stay for an extra year. He'd been doing so fine and even his teachers and the gladiators were proud of him. Michael wouldn't ruin that for him. He knew what he wanted and he'll get it. Michael or no Michael. He finished up quickly and stood up with his plate.

"Where the hell do you think you're going to?" Michael thundered. The princes in the refectory looked up at his voice. "How dare you ignore a senior prince Stephen!"

Stephen scoffed as he did his dishes. Senior indeed. He sure didn't act like one. He walked out from the door after doing his dishes straight to his room. Michael my foot. Senior my foot.