Red, of the Ruby Kingdom

Chapter 7

He was going to die, he was going to die, he was going to die ... fuck! He was completely screwed. He knew it was a bad idea. Disguising himself as a maid? What was he thinking!? Of course, someone would notice. And as if that wasn't enough, he later went out to play a noisy instrument in the middle of the night. He had to be thankful that there wasn't a whole crowd for audience! But ... but maybe the other hadn't recognized him. Maybe the darkness of the night was enough to hide his features ... aand nope, that little hope was thrown out the metaphorical window the moment this Edge opened his mouth. He was still screwed. And the other wanted answers. Red didn't know what to do. How could he explain the situation without making a fool of himself? He couldn't. The moment he said his name the other would consider him a rude and indecent princess with some cross-dressing kink. If he wasn't already thinking that. It didn't really take a genius to understand the situation. Edge had already recognized him as the maid of the ball, but now he was wearing clothes far too expensive for a servant. He even put on his tiara, for cry out loud. A symbol of royalty. Be damned the force of habit! He could feel cold sweat running down his head. He clenched his fists on his clothes. There was no way to avoid the situation and he was making himself even more ridiculous by standing there in silence, not to mention that he was only prolonging his suffering. Better get it over with as soon as possible. So, taking a deep breath to calm the nerves he didn't have he introduced himself. The frown on the other face was enough to confirm his fears. He had connected the dots. Any respect he could still receive was going to disappear. Oh, he could almost see the moment he was dragged in front of the other nobles, their indignation, their anger. Maybe someone will try to assassinate him, or his subjects will make a revolution and execute him on the guillotine, too outraged by the behavior of their ruler. He swallowed. Maybe he was exaggerating a little, but nothing like this had ever happened before and he didn't know what to expect. Constant curses to himself stirred in his mind. He should have simply chosen his spouse without acting like a child who throws a tantrum. His act of rebellion threatened to destabilize his kingdom and this he could not bear. But these were all considerations that he should have acknowledged before getting into this mess. Now it was too late. He had to reap what he had sown. Maybe if he played his cards right, he could convince the other to keep his secret. Yeah, right. And blue pigs fly in the sky playing the flute. He was doomed. But one thing he knew for sure, he wouldn't go down without a fight. And most certainly not alone. Plus, if he analyzed the situation rationally, not everything was as bleak as it seemed. In fact, Edge hadn't immediately accused him, yelled at him or dragged him to the palace, he had asked for answers. He sought more information before acting, something Red could only approve of. He would have done the same. No matter how much his natural pessimism tried to convince him otherwise, that was a possibility. A chance to gain an ally or at the very least, a way to buy time. The opportunity to sit down was very welcome: his legs were a little shaky and he did not appreciate the idea of ​​falling to the ground in front of that noble. The conversation was already looking bad enough without further incidents. The bench was in white marble, large and spacious, with a high back panel decorated with floral motifs. There was therefore enough space for three people and Red immediately took advantage of this by sitting as far away from his interlocutor as possible. Now the hard part: where to start? He was not particularly inclined to open his nonexistent heart and expose all his deepest desires and feelings to a stranger. That was a way to be taken advantage of if he'd ever seen one. On the other hand, there was no other way to make his motives understood. He doubted he could come up with a convincing excuse and the other didn't seem like the type to appreciate being deceived. If he wasn't careful, he risked ruining his only opportunity to be heard. Really, a betrayed trust is always difficult to regain. A clearing of his throat brought him back to the present. While he was having an internal monologue, he hadn't noticed that several minutes had already passed in awkward silence. Edge was there staring at him with his brow furrowed and his arms crossed over his chest. He blushed embarrassed. Diverting his gaze on his lap, he figured it was best to start opening his mouth to speak and see what came out. "Soo ... nice dance, right?" What!? That's what came out!? Why!? Even talking about the weather would have been a better start than that! Did he have a death wish!? The other would surely think he was provoking him. He didn't want to piss him off more, damn it! Since when did his entertainment skills get so bad!? The irritated look on Edge's face was all the confirmation he needed: the other was not amused. "If I may speak in complete freedom, I would say that the ballroom and the refreshments were lovely. All of high quality and well displayed. The music was classy and perfectly executed: not too loud to cover the conversations, yet could still be heard. But if you allow me, your Highness, I would have some small, insignificant suggestion on etiquette and behavior that the host should have in an event of this magnitude and the effects that the lack of it causes on the atmosphere of the room. To begin with, after having traveled extensively from faraway countries, it would be very welcome to be able to meet the person you came for. Or at least receive a satisfactory and exhaustive explanation. Finally, if you just want to take time to indulge in personal pastimes, such as, I don't know, playing the piano or dressing like a waitress, it is advisable to take note of the proximity of many people and many ears ready to listen to the smallest gossip. It wouldn't be pleasant to be caught in the act. But what do I know? I admit that I haven't participated in many dances in my life. I may be unfamiliar with the latest habits of high society and therefore I beg your Highness to pardon my rudeness. All things considered, yes it was a peculiar dance, but I have a feeling you enjoyed it more than I did". At the end of the cutting yet still polite speech, Red couldn't even hold the gaze of the other. His entire face was ablaze with his bright red magic. He wanted to sink under the ground in shame. It was an expected response, really. His question had been idiotic to begin with. If he had been in his place, he would have done the same. No, even worse. At least Edge had tried to keep up the appearances of a polite speech, he would have been much more open in expressing his sarcasm. But all this didn't help his position! Now he had confirmation that he considered him an incompetent. "I ... I see your point, but I'll let you know that I had perfectly good motivation to behave like that!" He sputtered trying to save what little was left of his pride. "Oh? Do tell, please. I am quite curious". Red hesitated. That was it. Was he really going to confide his difficulties with a stranger? Edge wasn't going to settle for half-baked excuses and tenting bribery seemed likely to get him stabbed. He had no other options, did he? Oh well, he had done dumber things. "Okay, fine! If you really have to know this is my way to find a groom!". Edge raised a bone brow in disbelief. "You said you don't go to this kind of social gathering often, so you probably don't know, but they are full of pompous arrogant nobles who just want to make money and accumulate power. And I should choose one of them to rule my country!? Ah! Don't make me laugh! They must pass over my dead body!". "It seems to me that you are trying to come less to your royal duties." Edge retorted. The reaction was instantaneous, "No! I would never do that! I have no intention of abandoning my kingdom, but I'm not willing to compromise on such an important issue. The lives of thousands of people depend on my decision! I have to choose wisely and to do this I must first find who can be a good candidate. What better way to judge an individual's character than when he is angry?". Red practically growled in response, offended that his devotion and dedication to his country was questioned. The other frowned thoughtfully, "I'm starting to understand where you want to go with this, but I still have the impression that you're not telling me everything." Red huffed, folding his arms, "My territories are rich and fertile, there are many nobles present who would like to get their hands on it. And as I said before, I'm not inclined to let them. What do you think will happen if I marry one like that? They would immediately try to get rid of me and ruin my kingdom by exploiting its natural resources. I have no plans to die any time soon, thanks you very much". "I see ... still, I think it would have been better to find a way that didn't antagonize so many powerful people at once." Edge shrugged, "Not my business anyway." Red made a bored face, "They wouldn't have been happy with my decision anyway. I can only pick one person after all. Plus, I've been to many social gatherings and I know a lot of controversial details of more than half of them. I'm not above blackmail when needed. " Edge snorted amused, "Fine, I see that you are prepared for any eventuality. So, answer this: what are you going to do to convince me not to blackmail you?" The glint of defiance was clearly visible in Edge's gaze, all underlined by a smirk of sharp teeth. It took Red by surprise, but was quick to recover. The change in attitude towards him had not gone unnoticed. It made him feel more confident in his chances to convince the prince to keep his secret, but not enough to let his guard down. The question was interesting: Red had never backed down from a challenge and certainly didn't intend to start today. He smiled back with one of his own, the gold tooth reflecting the light from the lanterns. He didn't have a specific plan in mind, but he was sure he would give his opponent a hard time. Up until he remembered that he knew practically nothing of the younger and all the cards were in the other's hands. Red gulped.