The Prince & The Pauper || z.m. [Book 1]

~15~

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"How dare he humiliate us like this?!" King Yaser's voice thundered in the empty ballroom. He sat in his throne rubbing his stubble fuming with anger. "Who does he think he is breaking traditions which has been followed by our ancestors for many years?!"

Queen Trisha, who was also sitting in her throne beside her husband, was gravely upset with her son but not as much as the king was. She was very much surprised at Prince Zayn for choosing the maiden he had chosen to be his princess bride and proclaiming his love for her. Trisha worried about her son and Genevieve, who was greatly shaken up and had left the castle with tearful eyes.

"Just let him return, and look what I'll do to him!"

"Yaser, please. What crime has he done by stating who he has fallen in love with?"

"He has embarrassed us in front of so many people Trisha! The poor girls were waiting for one of their names to be called and he goes and chooses any random girl his heart desired to!" he replied bitterly.

"Genevieve is not any random girl!"

"I don't care who it was. He is choosing to break a tradition which has been strictly followed for generations. And don't tell me you approve of this Trisha."

"I don't." Trisha closed her eyes and sighed. "I just want him to return and talk this out with us."

On cue, Zayn stepped into the ballroom with a look of surprise written on his face from the silence of the room and the lack of people.

"Speak of the devil." the king muttered.

The queen shot a glare at her husband before standing up and walking towards him.

"Where is everyone?" Zayn asked.

"They left!" Yaser yelled in reply with having his voice echo in the vast room. "After you decided to bring shame to this family by breaking tradition and leaving the party we were the host of!"

"Yaser!" Trisha whipped her head around and glared at him once again.

The king rolled his eyes and looked away as he sat in his royal chair fuming.

The queen turned back to her son and let out a heavy sigh. "Zayn, what have you done?"

"I've fallen in love Mother."

"But you know-"

"You can't ask me to marry someone else when I'm in love with another."

"For how long now?"

"At first sight Mother. From there, each day I fell harder than the day before."

Trisha sighed and looked down at the polished tile floor. "Zayn, I don't know-"

"Mother," Zayn took her hands in his. "What wrong have I done? I know I'm breaking tradition by not wanting to marry someone of royal blood, but am I committing a crime by doing so?"

"You know how your father is about following our Genovian traditions which have been followed for generations by our ancestors. We've taken the oath to follow them Zayn."

"But Mother, it's the 21st century. Must we follow all the rules that were made back in the past?"

"We're not all rule breakers like you!" Yaser spat disgustedly.

"Zayn, think about what you're saying." Trisha pleaded.

"Mother, I've chosen Genevieve. It's not like I have chosen someone who you have no clue about. Please try to understand."