Damien walked through the halls of the campus carefully. He was using a shortcut, one he wasn't supposed to, right through the staff area, but if he wasn't on time, His father would punish him for being late more than the staff would for being in the wrong area. As bad as that sounds, Damien would be punished with one detention from the teachers, but a week of grounding would be worse, so he went through the staff area.
Anna stood quietly, waiting for Damien. Damien jogged over.
"Anna!" he greeted
"Hi, you're a few minutes from being late," she said
"But I'm not" Damien shot back
Anna rolled her eyes, making Damien chuckle, but a nice car pulled up, and they both stood tall.
The car door was opened by a guard, and out came his father. His father was tall and regal in his air. His mother followed, a shorter woman with light brown hair which he got his own from. She was more welcoming in her nature. After brought his older brother, Ivan. He gained the welcoming nature from their mother but looks from their father. Damien has looked up to him forever.
The three royals walked up the steps of the school where Damien and Anna waited, but as soon as they made it on the last step, Damien went and hugged his brother.
"Well, someone missed me," Ivan said, amused
"Well, yeah!" Damien replied, "I don't like being the oldest royal on campus!"
Damien put his hands on his hips. His father raised an eyebrow and took his arm.
"What's this?" he asked
"Charm threw me off" Damien replied shyly
Ivan laughed but quieted when his father sent a look.
"Are you okay?" his mother asked
"I'm fine" Damien replied
His parents joined Ivan in greeting Anna, which he got to when the interrogation started. Damien said he was fine. He might not be fine. He was so confused, but he had to hide it. Ivan almost never comes around when his parents visit. He was busy trying to get ready to lead a nation. Damien couldn't ruin this. He couldn't think about Emilio. No matter what.
They walked through the campus halls quickly to get to the dorms. There they would meet Nora, his betrothed. They didn't have legitimate feelings for each other. But they had to act like it. The social standard was as harsh as a blade when it came to marriage, even more so when it was between two royals.
Damien walked quicker than his family. Nora didn't know his brother was coming, just his father, but even Damien only learned the day before. He made it quick and there stood Nora. She was in a light blue dress, formal, unlike her normal style.
"My brother's here," Damien said quick
Nora sighed in annoyance "He's going to make fun of me when we're alone with him, can I punch him when that happens?"
"Only lightly in the arm," Damien said with a chuckle
"Fine fine" Nora replied, a small smile peeking out, "Also-"
His family came around the corner, cutting Nora off, but she smiled, standing tall. Damien copied and they came over.
"Good to see you Nora" his father started, "how are you liking the school?"
"It's good to see you too, and the school is great, thank you" Nora replied
"Nora, it's been a while" Ivan started
"Yes, it has," Nora said, a level of pissed off already in her voice, but Damien chuckled and put his arm around her shoulders.
That was their sign for 'control yourself'. They had quite a few signs. Such as 'run', a quick shoulder squeeze, and 'sorry', an arm around the other's torso. She took a small breath and smiled again.
"Shall we get dinner?" Damien's mother asked
"Sounds good" Ivan replied
"Fredrik is joining us, right Nora?" his father asked
"Yes, he is" she replied
Ivan shot Nora and Damien a confused look. They both shrugged as their parents and Anna started walking down the corridor. Damien and Nora kept their hands linked as they walked and Nora whispered something into Damien's ear.
"That was the 'also'"
~
After they had finished their dinner, Ivan requested to take a walk by himself. He walked slowly through a path he knew as well as he knew his own mind. He took deep breaths. He found himself missing the days he spent here, the nights he spent sketching in a tree when he couldn't sleep. He took a deep breath and sighed with a smile.
"Hey there," a voice said, cutting through the silence
Ivan jumped and turned around. There was Fredrik. His best friend that he hasn't seen in years.
"Oh, hey" Ivan replied
"It's been a while, how have you been?" Fredrik asked
"Stressed, but okay overall" Ivan replied as they continued the walk together, "You?"
"Same, for the most part, the kingdom is running pretty smoothly," Fredrik said
"You're already in power, I forgot," Ivan noted
Fredrik shrugged and stretched. A small-time after Nora's birth, Fredrik's father divorced and banished their mother. No one knew why, and Fredrik's best guess was that it was due to constant fighting. Then, when Fredrik was in his final year of finishing school, with me, his father died by poison.
Some say it was one of the servants, but most believe he took his own life. Including Fredrik himself.
"It's crazy you can handle it all" Ivan said, "I don't think I'll be able to"
"Don't underestimate yourself" Fredrik replied, "You'll do great"
"Okay"
They continued walking in the comfortable silence that coated the path.
"I miss doing this" Fredrik said
"Me too" Ivan replied, "me too"
YOU ARE READING
Mysteries & Royalty
General FictionA disgraced noble and a prince. Meant to be apart. One to be married. The other is to be secluded. Their want to be close battled by a social standard that forces them apart. They met by accident but would go farther than they'd ever expected. And i...
